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30 September 2011 US State Department refuses to comment on Major General Shavendra Silva's case The United Sates Department of State says it cannot comment on the Major General Shavendra Silva's case as it is an ongoing legal matter.In response to question raised during the State Department press briefing Wednesday (28) on the case filed against Major General Shavendra Silva in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York , the spokesperson Victoria Nuland refused to make a comment."With regard to the Silva case, it is an ongoing legal matter in the Southern District of New York. As such, I can't comment on it further," she said.The widow of a senior LTTE terrorist leader, Colonel Ramesh, who was killed in the final battle with the Sri Lankan Army, has filed a civil suit in the district court of New York against the Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Major General Shavendra Silva.The Sri Lankan government says Ambassador Silva is protected by the relevant international treaties on diplomatic relations, immunities and privileges and accepted diplomatic practices. Canada, UK target SL on C’wealth frontProf. Peiris fumes over proposals targeting govt. The Sri Lankan government yesterday (29) alleged that a small but influential section of the Commonwealth was carrying out an anti-Sri Lankan campaign ahead of the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth, Western Australia.President Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to attend CHOGM 2011 in late October 2011.External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris, while expressing serious concern over the move, stated that a disgraceful attempt was being made to manipulate the Commonwealth to undermine a member state. Prof. Peiris criticised two sets of proposals prepared by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on the revamping of the association. Prof. Peiris was flanked by MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena and Foreign Secretary Karunathilake Amunugama.Addressing the Colombo-based diplomatic community, Prof. Peiris said that among the proposals, nothing could be as bad as the move to appoint a Commonwealth Commissioner on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. Prof. Peiris said that the majority of those at the annual Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting had expressed concerns over the contentious issues.The UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand backed the controversial proposals. The move was made in the wake of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s warning that he would boycott CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lankan unless the Rajapaksa government acted on accountability concerns.Minister Peiris said that the Commonwealth had been sharply divided over the proposals made at the annual Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting.He pointed out the illogicality of another Canadian move to have a firm decision on an ‘interactive dialogue’ on the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) at the 19th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) scheduled for March 2012. Prof. Peiris said that Canada had wanted to decide on this issue at the on-going 18th Sessions of the HRC in Geneva even before the LLRC released its report. Calling the move a gross abuse of process, Prof. Peiris urged those sceptical about Sri Lanka’s intentions not to pre-judge.Minister Peiris said that there could be more victims if Sri Lanka was allowed to be manipulated now. During a subsequent meeting between Canadian Foreign Minister and Prof. Peiris, the former had said that they postponed the move pending the release of the LLRC report.Responding to a query by the Canadian HC Bruce Levy, Prof. Peiris assured that the LLRC report would be released by or before Nov. 15, 2011. He said that it would be a public document.Minister Peiris asserted that the moves made targeting Sri Lanka by some Commonwealth members had been considered against the backdrop of a recent clandestine transmission of the controversial ‘Darusman report’ to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Human Rights Council. JVP had made mistakes in the past, party dissidents say The dissident group of Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) says the party had made many mistakes in the past.Speaking at the seminar held in Colombo last evening on neo liberalism and the challenges before the left movement, spokesperson of the dissident group Pubudu Jagoda said the group would launch a renewed struggle to uphold leftist principles together with the suppressed people in the country.He found fault with the leftist movement for distancing themselves from the oppressed Tamil community.Jagoda observed that the mistakes made by the JVP could be rectified through a self-criticism process.According to Jagoda, the JVP needed to follow a different path in order to build a new social order rather than holding weekly press conferences and seminars.The seminar at the New Town Hall was well attended by members of the JVP and it was also the first public meeting since the split in the party. US exhorts India to engage everywhere from Latin America to MidEast The United States has exorted India to engage not just in South Asia, but in other parts of the world as well. "We are counting on India’s rise not just as an economic partner but as a global power — one that engages everywhere from Latin America to the Middle East to East Asia," US Deputy Secretary of State William J Burns said in Washington on Tuesday. He was speaking at a meeting organised jointly by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and prominent Washing ton-based Brookings Institute. India’s leadership in promoting a more stable South Asia – its multibillion dollar assistance commitment to Afghanistan, its determination to re-engage and normalise trade with Pakistan, and its joint projects to boost infrastructure and capacity in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives – offer the hope of a more peaceful future for the region and the world, Burns declared. For the US and Indian policymakers, a successful transition in Afghanistan is a shared imperative and an area of increasing cooperation. "As the United States draws down our forces and transfers responsibility for security to the Afghan people, we are ever mindful of Afghanistan’s recent history and the terrible cost of neglect," he said. "None of us can afford to make that mistake again," he noted. Burns went on: "Success in Afghanistan depends on ensuring that others are there, too. That certainly includes India. With coalition forces drawing down, Afghanistan will need extensive private investment and economic linkages with its neighbours." He pointed out that, even with no direct access to India’s rising middle class market, Afghanistan already sends one-quarter of its exports to the country. He added: "Just imagine what will be possible when transit and trade agreements extend outward to India and Central Asia, and Afghan traders are able to shift goods directly to the markets of Mysore and Mumbai !" ‘Reject violence,’ jailed Tiger arms broker urges A former Canadian Tamil activist who was caught brokering a $1-million arms deal for a Sri Lankan rebel group five years ago has written an open letter urging youths not to repeat his mistakes.Writing from prison in New York, Sathajhan Sarachandran acknowledged for the first time the Tamil youth organization he once ran in Toronto was “part of the LTTE,” the separatist rebels also known as the Tamil Tigers.But the 31-year-old software engineer blamed “so-called” leaders of the Tamil community whom he said misled him, fuelled his anger and hatred, promoted violence and silenced advocates of non-violence.“I only ask that you be vigilant of these people. I ask that none of you choose a path where violence is encouraged. Please don’t be a catalyst for promoting any form of violence or hate,” he wrote in the two-page letter.The jailhouse letter, dated Aug. 9, was posted this week on the website of Mercy for Tamil Prisoners, a Markham, Ont.-based non-profit founded by families of prisoners detained on charges related to Sri Lanka’s civil war.The war ended in 2009 after government forces defeated the rebels, but Sri Lanka remains a hot topic in Canada, home to one of the world’s largest populations of ethnic Tamils, many of whom fled the war. The letter encourages them to abandon the Tamil rebels.“LTTE is no more. We must accept the fact and move on with the reality. I ask that all you brothers and sister to refrain from LTTE ideology,” Sarachandran wrote.“As Tamils we must reject violence and embrace peace. … I beg you not to get trapped in the extremist ideologies.”The letter does not indicate why, five years after his arrest, he decided to come out against violence.Mercy for Tamil Prisoners said it was working with lawyers and officials in Canada, the United States and Sri Lanka “to exercise any potential treaty transfers” available to prisoners detained over wartime conduct.“It’s a general letter addressed to the Tamil people of Toronto,” said Sarachandran Shunmugan, a spokesman for Mercy for Tamil Prisoners and the letter writer’s father. He said it was written with the help of his son’s New York lawyer, Lee Ginsberg.“He is pleading with Tamil youths not to follow paths that suggest violence and to help the people whom are affected by this war.”Sarachandran was Toronto chapter president of the Tamil Youth Organization from 2003 to 2005. He visited Sri Lanka twice and was photographed at an LTTE camp wielding a machine gun.In 2006, he was arrested in Long Island, N.Y., while he and two other Canadians were trying to buy shoulder-launched missiles and AK-47 assault rifles for the Tigers. All pleaded guilty to terrorism and conspiracy. Sarachandran was sentenced to 26 years in prison.Two more Canadians were arrested in Toronto in a related investigation and are awaiting extradition. A sixth goes on trial in November.“For the past five years, I along with other fellow youths am serving sentences in New York. To add to the suffering, my family has been banned from visiting us under certain sections of the law,” Sarachandran wrote.“I have not seen my parents for the past three years or any members of my family. I have had no visitor at all for the past three years. I write to you to explain my suffering for the path I had chosen. I regret many of my past activities. Meetings after meetings, campaign after campaign, all injecting hate into me and other fellow students.”David Poopalapillai, a Canadian Tamil Congress spokesman, said while Sarachandran and his associates face another two decades of imprisonment in the U.S., actual rebel fighters who took up arms and fought in the war have already been set free.He said the era of violence was over and he hoped the letter would send the right message to youths.“It’s an undeniable fact: Some of the elements in Canada and outside Canada pushed these people into this present life. I think he is targeting that element,” he said.The Tamil Tigers fought a lengthy war for independence for Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority. Its tactics included suicide bombings, attacks on civilians and assassinations of senior politicians. The LTTE, which had a major fundraising operation in Toronto and Montreal, was added to Canada’s list of banned terrorist organizations in 2006.Since the war ended, several international agencies have alleged both sides committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the final months of the conflict. A panel appointed by Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, has called for an independent investigation. The Sri Lankan government has denied the allegations and refused to co-operate with investigators.Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister, recently supported the UN call for an international probe, and said he would boycott next year’s Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka unless the country made progress on human rights.A documentary film by Britain’s Channel 4, Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, which alleges government forces shelled hospitals and committed extrajudicial executions, was to be screened for MPs in Ottawa on Wednesday. Ex-Tiger tax collector called war criminal A man who worked as a tax collector in the Tamil Tigers’ finance department while the terrorist group engaged in crimes against humanity has been branded a war criminal and ordered out of Canada in a court ruling that holds office clerks just as culpable as the armed insurgents they enable.Puvanesan Thurairajah, 36, is a citizen of Sri Lanka and of Tamil ethnicity who, before coming to Canada, worked for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a group on Canada’s official list of designated terrorist organizations, the Federal Court of Canada heard.After finishing school, he worked for his brother in a factory in Jaffna. The factory was charged a tax by the LTTE and when Tigers came to collect they tried to recruit him but he refused, Mr. Thurairajah told Canadian officials.In late 1992, the LTTE took him to a camp by force, beat him and threatened to kill him, he said. After being held for three weeks, he agreed to work for them. He worked in the records office at an LTTE camp in Tinnevelly for a year and was paid a salary. He was then promoted to the finance department at the camp in Chankanai for two years, where he was responsible for collecting taxes for the Tigers, which funded the civil war.While working in these camps he was always allowed to go home in the evenings, court heard. He stopped working for the LTTE when the Sri Lankan army won control of the Jaffna peninsula. In 2000, on a trip to the capital Colombo, he was arrested and accused of supporting the Tigers. He was released after six days after paying a bribe, he said.He fled to Britain where his claim for asylum was rejected. In 2007, he arrived in Canada using a fake Canadian passport, settled in Montreal and claimed refugee protection.That claim was rejected by the Immigration & Refugee Board (IRB) after an adjudicator found reasonable grounds to believe he committed a war crime or crime against humanity under Article 1F of the United Nations’ convention on refugees.Mr. Thurairajah appealed that decision in court, arguing it was unreasonable to hold him to account for the actions of a group he was forced to join.“The position he held within the Finance Department for the Tigers was by and large negligible. He never carried a weapon or participated in the commission of crimes against humanity,” say court documents summarizing his position.His plea drew little judicial support. “An exclusion based on Article 1F of the Convention is a serious matter which could affect the refugee claimant for the rest of his life,” Justice Luc Martineau acknowledged before doing just that.“The applicant admitted that the Tigers participated in many crimes against humanity and that they are an organization directed to a limited, brutal purpose,” the judge wrote in his decision.“The [IRB] panel found the Tigers committed crimes against humanity at the time when the applicant belonged to it; that is, between 1992 and 1995…. The panel also found the applicant was complicit in crimes committed by the Tigers.”Justice Martineau found the IRB’s decision to be reasonable.“The collection of taxes financing the Tigers cannot be qualified as a negligible or passive participation in the organization,” he wrote.Myriam Harbec, Mr. Thurairajah’s lawyer, said she was disappointed with the decision but not entirely surprised.“No matter what involvement they had with the LTTE, that’s the way the Federal Court is thinking right now,” Ms. Harbec said in an interview.“But in Sri Lanka and in some African countries, people were forced to cooperate with these groups.”Luc Labelle, spokesman for Canada Border Services Agency, declined to discuss the case, but said crimes against humanity cases are among the agency’s top priorities. Paris airport detains SriLankan flight Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris had detained a SriLankan Airlines flight on September 23 after it failed to meet European safety standards.An airline statement said passengers on the flight were offered alternate flights and another SriLankan Airlines plane was diverted from London to pick up some of them."Certain technical deviations" identified by Safety Assessment for Foreign Aircraft in Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, held up flight UL 564 for "rectification prior to departure".The SriLankan Airlines technical service provider in Paris, Air France along with SriLankan Airlines engineering staff are currently attending to these technical deviations identified according to strict European technical standards, said the statement. 29 September 2011 Protest over Governor's order to demolish 'Old Park' in Jaffna An order by the Governor for the northern province Major General (retd) G.A.Chandrasiri to demolish an ancient building with archaeological value in Jaffna has sparked off a dispute.Municipal workers started demolishing the building when representations were made to the Government Agent for Jaffna Emelda Sukumar who in turn informed the Archaeology department officials and got the work stopped.This building known as Old Park was built during the period of 1796 when Jaffna was taken over by the British.The first GA for Jaffna Percival Akland Dyke donated the Old Park for the people of Jaffna later.Earlier this month the this month the Archeology Department declared the Old Park as an archaeological site.Popular writer Leornard woolf also lived in this building when he worked as a cadet officer at the Jaffna GA’s office during the period of 1904-1905. PSC proposal: TNA decides to respond In what appears to be a change of stance in the wake of international pressure, the TNA has decided to respond to the proposal for a parliamentary select committee in a constructive manner. Earlier, the TNA categorically said it would not participate in the select committee proposed by the government to evolve a political solution to the national question incorporating views of all stakeholders. In the meantime, there was pressure from the international community, particularly India insisting that both parties work together in working out a solution. However, TNA leader R. Sampanthan said his party would respond to it in a ‘constructive way’ in addition to pursuing a separate dialogue with the government. The TNA is scheduled to hold its next round of talks with the government on October 3. During the last round of talks, the two sides agreed to refer all documents and statements prepared in relation to the national question in the past. These documents include the political package introduced by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the report presented by the All Party Representative Committee. Asked what would be the best among those documents, Mr. Sampanthan declined to comment. He said his party had to make a delicate approach in evolving a political solution. Meanwhile, Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the government would be able to pay attention to the appointment of a select committee only after the October 8 elections. Elusive leader of Sri Lanka Marxist rebel faction to hold a press conference Political sources close to Sri Lanka Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) says that Premakumar Gunarathnam, the purported leader of the rebel faction is planning to hold a press conference in coming days to declare his entry in to mainstream politics.Elusive Gunarathnam who was the commander of the JVP's military wing, was never in public limelight before this although he was a powerful leader of the party.The rebel faction led by him is reportedly gaining the support of the party middle and grassroots level activists.Recently, JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe told media that the party had no member in the name Premakumar Gunarathnam.Media reports say the faction led by Gunarathnam that comprises young JVP leaders has the support of many districts and internal party cadres. Donors 'ignoring' resettled IDPs The Sri Lankan Red Cross society has spoken out about the difficulties of ordinary people living in the country’s former war zone.It says hundreds of thousands of civilians, mostly returning displaced people, still lack the basics of life and that international donors are not doing enough to help them.The organisation said it feared the international community was getting sidetracked by human rights concerns, but a major donor has denied that this is the case.The president of the Sri Lankan Red Cross said he was “alarmed” by the continued suffering of people in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.He said more than 160,000 families in the north were still in dire need of permanent housing, livelihoods, water and sanitation – two years after the war ended. 'Disagree' And he said the difficulties arose mainly from the disappointing response of the international community to their plight, contending that donor countries’ efforts were being “diluted” by their human rights criticisms of the government in Colombo.The ambassador in Sri Lanka of a major donor, the European Union, said he disagreed.Bernard Savage told the BBC the EU remained a strong supporter of humanitarian action in Sri Lanka, with funding for shelter, livehoods and permanent housing programmes guaranteed for at least another two years.Attention to politics and human rights did not detract from this, he said.Yet there is undeniably a donor shortfall. In its latest humanitarian report, the United Nations said its main aid plan for the country this year had received only a quarter of the funds it needed.A Sri Lankan Red Cross spokesman said that if individuals wanted to give, they could safely do so through its website.He stressed that the local Red Cross's views were independent of the international Red Cross organisations, including the ICRC. Sri Lanka to scrap visa-on-arrival for Indians, others Indian tourists, business people and transit passengers will have to apply for travel authorisation ahead of heading for Sri Lanka, in a few months from now. Indians constitute the biggest chunk of tourists into the country.On Wednesday, Sri Lanka’s Immigration and Emigration department announced that an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system that will replace the simple visa-on-arrival facility for travellers from 78 countries. The visa-on-arrival will continue for people travelling from The Maldives and Singapore — two countries that reciprocate the facility for Sri Lankans travelling to these countries.The ETA is a web-based system that grants a person permission to travel to Sri Lanka. “It is not a visa in itself, but an approval for travel,” explained the Immigration and Emigration Controller Chulananda Perera. The visa will be stamped on the passport in arrival here; but the passenger will have to log in ahead, and have the authorisation.It will cost the passenger US $50 (for a tourist visa with double entry for 30 days), US $60 (business visa with multiple entry for 30 days) or US $ 25 (for transit visa with single entry for seven days). The fee has to be paid online. “The ETA will be approved in minutes. In some cases it could take longer. But no application will take longer than 24 hours,” said R.M.S. Sarath Kumar, Controller (Visa).Mr. Perera explained that the ETA had several advantages for both the visitor and the Immigration department. It had to be adopted to identify people ahead of their arrival in Sri Lanka, keeping in mind the current global situation, he added. Sri Lanka tea exports down One of the industries crucial to Sri Lanka as it continues its post-war economic recovery is tea.Along with textiles, tourism and remittances, the famous Ceylon Tea is a key earner for the island nation.But figures for its production this year are turning out to be slightly disappointing.Just weeks ago, there were high hopes that Sri Lanka's tea harvest this year would surpass that of last year, which itself was the biggest ever. Now, though, tea brokers say that is unlikely, after disappointing figures for August. Troubles in Mideast The tea crop for that month fell eight percent on the same month last year – weighing in at just under 24 million kilogrammes.Tea from the highest hilly locations, and from medium altitudes, declined especially sharply – by more than 20%.But the overall figures were helped by tea grown lower down, which makes up the bulk of the crop; that has held up well.Experts say tea's current problems stem partly from bad weather. The climate in the hills has been unpredictable, with drought at times and heavy rain at others in recent months.They also say high wages have dampened the output – most workers got a 25 percent salary increase in June, although they are still one of Sri Lanka’s poorest communities.And the market has been weak.Key importers of Ceylon Tea in the Middle East and North Africa are going through turbulent times.There have now been five consecutive months in which tea output is down on last year. 28 September 2011 U.N. review on response in Eelam War IV Signalling more trouble for Sri Lanka, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has initiated a review of the U.N.'s actions regarding the implementation of its humanitarian and protection mandates during the Eelam War IV and its immediate aftermath.The U.N., on September 24, announced the appointment of Thoraya Obaid, former head of the UN Population Fund to conduct the review. Ms. Obaid, the first Saudi national to head a U.N. agency when she was appointed as Executive Director to the Population Fund, is expected to commence work in October and is expected to complete her work in four months.While Ms. Obaid's mandate is to look at the conduct of U.N. and its personnel on the ground, experts here are of the opinion that the review could not be carried out without commenting on the war itself.The three-member UNSG's panel of experts on accountability issues, which went into the questions of human rights allegations during the war in Sri Lanka, and also the manner in which the United Nation functioned during the months leading to the end of the war, said there were credible reports that both government forces and the LTTE committed war crimes during the final months of the war. “The Secretary-General should conduct a comprehensive review of actions by the United Nations system during the war in Sri Lanka and the aftermath, regarding the implementation of its humanitarian and protection mandates,” the panel had recommended.The panel had observed that during the final stages of the war, the United Nations political organs and bodies failed to take actions that might have protected civilians.The move comes as Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa met Mr. Ban in New York, and a host of heads of nations to impress upon them his country's point of view on the allegations of human rights excesses.According to the U.N., “Mr. Ban reiterated the need for such a process as envisaged in the joint statement he signed with Mr. Rajapaksa in May 2009, when the long-running conflict between Government forces and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended.” HRW to screen Channel 4 documentary at Parliament Hill, Canada Human Rights Watch in Toronto, Canada, is screening “Sri Lanka's Killing Fields”, the Channel 4 documentary in Ottawa on Wednesday, September 28, 2011, the HRW said in an invitation to the press. The event will be hosted by Patrick Brown, Member of Parliament for Barrie and will include a discussion with Elaine Pearson, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. The film was recently screened to wide acclaim at the United Nations in New York and Geneva, and has fuelled renewed calls for an international response to these crimes, according to the HRW. The Screening and Discussion is scheduled on Wednesday 6:00 p.m. at La Promenade Building, room 8.51, 131 Queen St. Ottawa.First aired on British television in June, “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” captures, through live footage and extensive interviews with witnesses, the atrocities committed against civilians during the Sri Lankan Armed Forces’ final campaign to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in early 2009. Torture charity calls on UK to halt deportation flight to Sri Lanka Britain is being urged to halt plans to deport a planeload of Tamils to Sri Lanka on Wednesday amid fears they will be at risk of being detained and tortured on arrival.Up to 50 failed asylum seekers are due to be forcibly removed from the country aboard an aircraft chartered by the UK Border Agency.The plan has alarmed a number of NGOs, including a medical charity that treats victims of torture, which fears the British government cannot be sure that those deported will be safe in Sri Lanka.Freedom from Torture, formerly known as the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, said it received 199 referrals for clinical assistance for Sri Lankans last year and a similar number this year. It said it had clinical evidence that a number of these people have been tortured in Sri Lanka since the end of the civil war in May 2009, some after being returned to the country.The NGOs are warning there is credible evidence that torture is still taking place and anyone suspected of being linked to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), or Tamil Tigers, is particularly at risk.Human Rights Watch, the New York-based NGO, said the British government "needed to be extremely careful" about returning any Tamils to Sri Lanka.Brad Adams, the organisation's Asia director, said: "The Sri Lankan government continues to show shocking disregard for the due process rights of anyone deemed linked to the Tamil Tigers. Those detained have been tortured and 'disappeared'."Amnesty International said it had documented evidence that failed asylum seekers had suffered torture in Sri Lanka after being removed from Australia.In an account given to Freedom from Torture, one said: "They tortured me by removing my clothes and hitting me with burning irons. They kept me for two days and my body was all swollen. They showed me photographs of LTTE members, including my brother's picture, and asked me what he was doing now."Keith Best, the chief executive of Freedom from Torture, has written to Damian Green, the Home Office immigration minister asking whether any arrangements are in place to ensure the safety of people removed to Sri Lanka. He said: "I know you will be mindful of the repercussions for the reputation of the UK if those who are returned then face torture."The UK Border Agency deported 555 people to Sri Lanka last year, 235 of them failed asylum seekers.Three months ago, Human Rights Watch warned Theresa May, the home secretary, that a group of 26 people facing deportation on a single flight were "at significant risk of persecution" in Sri Lanka. That deportation went ahead, with the government saying the Border Agency was "not aware of any difficulties" that those individuals may have subsequently faced.An agency spokesperson said: "We only undertake returns to Sri Lanka when we are satisfied the individual has no international protection needs. The European court of human rights has ruled that not all Tamil asylum seekers require protection."But the agency would not say what arrangements, if any, the British government had in place to monitor the treatment of those who were returned.The agency also declined to identify the airport from which the plane is due to depart on Wednesday afternoon.The Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers were both accused of committing war crimes towards the end of the civil war.A US diplomatic cable leaked to WikiLeaks showed that American diplomats believed the Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, bore responsibility for many of the alleged crimes.The US ambassador in Colombo, Patricia Butenis, wrote that one of the reasons there was such little progress towards a genuine Sri Lankan inquiry was that Rajapaksa and his former army commander, Sarath Fonseka, were largely responsible, and that "there are no examples we know of a regime undertaking wholesale investigations of its own troops or senior officials for war crimes while that regime or government remained in power". Dutch prosecutors seeking long sentences for Sri Lankan terrorist fundraisers The Hague- The Dutch prosecutors trying five Sri Lankan Tamils accused of extorting money from other Dutch Tamils in the Netherlands are seeking long prison terms, the Associated Press reported.The prosecutors have demanded sentences ranging from 10 to 16 years for the five ethnic Tamils accused of organizing illegal lotteries and extorting cash from Tamils in the Netherlands with all proceeds going to Sri Lanka's terrorist group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), to finance its terrorist war.Prosecutors have told The Hague District Court the men continued to raise money even after the war ended. They said millions of euros were raised in part to fund suicide attacks.The prosecutors have described the LTTE as a "violent and ruthless "organization that carried out suicide attacks and recruited child soldiers to deploy for combat.The accused are all naturalized Dutch citizens. Sri Lanka says war general has diplomatic immunity A Sri Lankan general serving as a UN diplomat in New York has diplomatic immunity, the government in Colombo said Tuesday, after a US court issued him with a summons over the island's bloody ethnic war.A civil case has been filed against Major General Shavendra Silva on behalf of two people whose relatives were killed in the final days of the conflict, which ended in a military onslaught against Tamil separatists in 2009.Silva, who is Sri Lanka's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, was served with the summons at his New York residence on Friday. Sri Lanka's defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels after decades of fighting has attracted accusations that both sides were guilty of atrocities in the final months of combat.One UN report accused Sri Lankan troops of killing thousands of civilians in bombing attacks."Ambassador Shavendra Silva is protected by the relevant international treaties on diplomatic relations, immunities and privileges," the Sri Lankan foreign ministry said in a statement.Silva was commanding officer of the army's 58th Division, which played a key role on the war's frontline.A UN panel of experts said in April that the Sri Lankan army killed most of the tens of thousands of civilian victims of the final offensive in 2009, but both sides could have been guilty of war crimes.A documentary shown on Britain's Channel Four in June said the military shelled civilian targets and showed footage of what it said were prisoner executions and the bodies of sexually assaulted Tamil Tiger fighters. ‘Return seized gold to Tamils’ The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) has requested the Sri Lankan government to return the gold seized from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during the fag end of the war to the Tamils in the island nation.A resolution passed at the TULF’s convention in Jaffna on Sunday said the LTTE had collected gold from people to finance its movement, which was aimed at securing an independent Eelam. The LTTE had promised to return the gold to its rightful owners when the objective was attained and had issued receipts to make it possible.However, at the end of the war, the gold was seized by the Lankan forces, the TULF said and added that it should be returned to its owners.Asked to quantify the gold which fell into the hands of the army, TULF president V Anandasangaree told Express on Monday that it was “enormous”.“It is believed that the gold was carted away in two containers. The LTTE had collected three sovereigns of gold from every family in the North and East,” he said. “The matter was raised in the parliament too,” he added. Relief for Refugees The TULF also sought compensation for all those Tamil civilians who had lost their properties in the ethnic conflict, including those who fled the island nation after the 1983 anti-Tamil riots. Claims to Property Since the Lankan government is re-registering claims over land and other property in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, the UNHCR appealed to the Lankan Tamil refugees living across the globe to make their claims as per the set procedure. Sri Lanka Court discusses rehabilitation of former female LTTE political wing leader A Sri Lankan court has directed the counsel appearing for a former leading member of the LTTE women's wing to consult the Attorney General to send her for rehabilitation in order to re-integrate her into the society.Colombo Chief Magistrate Rashmi Singapulli has directed the counsel appearing for LTTE Women's Division Leader Subramaniam Sivathai alias Thamalini to discuss with the Attorney General on the possibility of sending Thamilini for rehabilitation.The Magistrate has issued the directive following submissions from Thamilini's counsel that the suspect who was remanded for over two years in remand prison was undergoing imprisonment and hardships without being charged.The counsel had said his client's younger days were taken away by the LTTE and now she had to spend the rest of her life in imprisonment.A special police team arrested Thamalini on May 27, 2009 at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Vavuniya. She joined the LTTE in 1991 and received battle training in a LTTE camp in Nirveli.Meanwhile, the CID has said that it had sent the extracts of the investigation report to the Attorney General's Department and that Department was yet to take any action on it. My photograph removed from SLFP headquarters - Chandrika Former president Chandrika Kumaratunga has alleged a conspiracy to remove the name of the Bandarnaikes from the SLFP.She has alleged that even her photograph had been taken out of the party headquarters.Mrs. Kumaratunga was speaking yesterday (Sept. 26) at the commemoration of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Bandaranaike at the Bandaranaike Samadhi, presided by prime minister D.M. Jayaratne.Later, speaking to the media, she said it was a Guinness record by her parents and by her that they had together led the same party for 62 years.But, now no one even mentions her name, the ex-president alleged, noting however, that the common masses still talked to her at the streets.She said attempts to make the people forget the Bandaranaikes would not succeed.Mrs. Kumaratunga said not even the general secretary of the SLFP was present at the commemoration ceremony. 27 September 2011 Pranab Mukherjee asks Sri Lanka for early resumption of talks with Tamils India has asked Sri Lanka for an early resumption of talks with Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the umbrella organisation of Tamil political parties, and to resolve core political issues in a timely manner.The issue was emphatically put forward by the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, when he met his Sri Lankan counterpart Sarath Amunugama, here last week on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank."India would like to see an early resumption of the dialogue between the Sri Lankan Government and the TNA as also a more purposeful approach to the core political issues and concrete progress in a timely manner," an Indian official told PTI on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the press."We would like to see Sri Lanka arrive at a solution that answers substantially to the aspirations of the Tamil community for justice, peace and dignity," the senior Indian official said referring to the conversation between the two finance ministers; during which the two leaders also discussed the Indian assistance to Sri Lanka on a economic issues.It is believed that Amunugama informed Mukherjee that Sri Lanka has completed the pilot project on completion of 1,000 houses in Northern Lanka and urged India to release the rest of the money for the construction of 50,000 houses for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), which has been committed by India.India has announced USD 125 million for the relief and rehabilitation of the IDPs in Northern and Eastern Lanka. Church accused of 'being silent' 'Vanished' "It is unfortunate that the Church in Sri Lanka does not have the wisdom and guts to air her views forcefully and unequivocally regarding the ongoing war," said Fr Joseph adding that the sending of the letter may result with his killing by the government or excommunication by the Church.Kingsley Swampillai, the bishop of Trincomalee and Batticaloa, later told a government appointed commission that the priest vanished after security forces took him in for questioning.The bishop said Father Francis was among those leaving the war zone in May 2009 and passing through the military checkpoint at Omanthai when people travelling with him saw him taken in for special questioning."And then he was no more - nobody saw him thereafter," the bishop said. In a recent Wikileaks revelation, US Ambassador in Colombo Patricia Butenis has told authorities in Washington that Archbishop Malcolm Ranjit requested the US not push accountability issues against Rajapaksa administration. Wikileaks The Archbishop has argued that such action would push the government towards a more hardline approach, an opinion agreed by the US ambassador.The Archbishop office in Colombo, however, has strongly rejected a leaked Wikileaks cable as ‘baseless’ and ‘false’.'The Tamils struggling for freedom look up Your Holiness to come to their rescue'A spokesperson from the Archbishop’s ofice, Rev. Father Benedict Joseph has told The Sunday Leader that this was not the first instance where the Archbishop’s name had been misused and denied the contents of the leaked cable entirely.However, Fr Joseph's desperate letter to the Pope in 2009 is highly critical of the Church as well as the Sri Lankan government."Knowing that diplomacy comes so perilously near deceitfulness, that our trust in those who are proficient in its exercise, dwindles as time passes by," said the priest whose fate is unknown states.Following the Sri Lankan government's declaration of the military victory over Tamil Tigers a week later, Pope Benedict XVI called upon all combatants to facilitate the evacuation of civillians.Addressing a public prayer meeting in the Vatican City after the government announced that all civillians in the war zone have reached safety, the pope said that he joins in the call of the UN Security Council "which just a few days ago demanded guarantees for their safety and security." Sri Lankan government seeking investors to resume operations at KKS cement factory in North The Sri Lankan government is planning to resume operations at the Kankasanthurai (KKS) cement factory with private sector investments by next year after the current renovation work is completed. The State Resources and Investment Promotions Ministry is seeking a private sector investor for the venture soon.The Sri Lanka Cement Corporation has already commenced restoring the KKS cement factory while taking action to assess the quality of the stock of clinker available within the premises. Chairman of Sri Lanka Cement Corporation Sisira Paranagama has said the Corporation was currently looking at several options to resume cement production.The factory ceased operations in 1990 when the war between the security forces and the LTTE intensified.The Corporation had imported 36,260 metric tons of ordinary Portland cement in 2010 under the 'Kankesan' brand and sold at prices below market prices in order to supply quality cement at affordable prices. ‘Sri Lanka needs a solution that accommodates Tamil hopes’ Sri Lanka needs a solution to the ethnic question, home-grown or otherwise, to accommodate the just demands and aspirations of the Tamil-speaking people within the framework of the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu, said here on Sunday.“We do not want a solution imposed from outside. But there must be a solution. It does not matter whether it’s a home grown solution or whether you have been influenced by ideas from abroad,” he said. “But you must have a solution when the problem has been of such long standing. This is something we eagerly look forward to in the present situation in Sri Lanka.” While emphasising the need for an enduring political solution, Mr. Ram cited a famous statement attributed to the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping: “It doesn’t matter if a cat is white or black as long as it catches mice.” Speaking on ‘India and Sri Lanka: The Emerging Future’ at a meeting organised by the Sri Lanka-India Society in Colombo, he asserted that there was a new opportunity to work out a Sinhala political consensus. Mr. Ram said that if a common minimum programme could be worked out by the two big parties – the SLFP and the UNP – on the scope and content of devolution in Tamil areas in the North and the East, then, it would be a genuine breakthrough. “I am personally confident that Sri Lanka will get there,” he said.Drawing a parallel with the Indian experience in managing the hopes and aspirations of diverse peoples, he said that the Indian Constitution does not mention the word “federal” anywhere. “Today States [in the Indian Union] are extremely strong. With single party rule becoming virtually extinct at the Centre in India, States have become more demanding, more assertive, often irrepressible, and more resourceful. Some kind of rebalancing has taken place and we journalists call it political federalism,” he said. TNA, a credible and leading force After the recent local body elections, the Tamil National Alliance has emerged not just as a credible force, but as the leading force, he commented, adding that he looked forward to the structured dialogue mechanism that had been put in place. “The President [of Sri Lanka] and the others did a commendable job, reaching out to the TNA, recognising their credibility and the expectations are very, very high when they resume their talks [with the government]… This is a matter of supreme national importance and anyone who underestimates this will be making a grievous mistake,” he said. Reviewing India-Sri Lanka relations, Mr. Ram commented that it was a matter of great satisfaction that in both countries post-1993, “the process of building tension-free and contention-free bilateral relations on the basis of close consultation and complete political trust, with a strong economic, cultural, and people-to-people content had won support across political divides and become consistent government policy virtually regardless of the party or leader in power.” He noted that the solidity and strength of the high-level political relationship were tested during the final stage of the military operations in the North and during the end game played out in the Wanni in 2008-2009 but “fringe elements in India advocating the secessionist cause” found that they could not derail the relationship.Speaking about the India-Sri Lanka Agreement of July 1987, Mr. Ram observed that “if that Accord, controversial and divisive in its time, has substantive content, values, and lessons to communicate to us today” and “that conceptual framework for the resolution of Sri Lanka’s principal national question is more or less the working model for those who are seeking to resolve it within the island state’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”The Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Ashok K. Kantha, said that there is expectation in India that the Sri Lankan leadership, which put an end to the armed conflict, would work towards a genuine political settlement and facilitate national reconciliation. “As we seek a comprehensive all-round engagement with Sri Lanka, as we seek to upgrade our ties with Sri Lanka, in all its dimensions, whether economic, political, security, cultural, intellectual, academic, at the same time, it is important that some of the concerns and apprehensions [expressed during the debate on Sri Lanka in the Indian parliament] must be addressed,” he said. “A strong, united and prosperous Sri Lanka is in India’s interest,” he addedThe relationship between the two countries was being strengthened by “robust, multi-dimensional linkages,” he said and cited the examples of economic and security linkages between India and Sri Lanka.Mr. Kantha said that the security interests of India and Sri Lanka were also intertwined. “We have sought to upgrade our defence engagement in the recent past, especially after the conclusion of the armed conflict,” he added. U.S. fingerprint database used to identify suspected Tamil rebels TORONTO • The United States has told Canadian authorities that two migrants who arrived off the B.C. coast in 2009 aboard a smuggling ship are suspected Tamil rebels, according to a senior American counter-terrorism official.The U.S. Department of Homeland Security identified the suspected rebels during fingerprint checks of 76 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who sailed to Canada from Southeast Asia two years ago aboard the cargo ship Ocean Lady. The database searches “identified two subjects as known or suspected terrorists and members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam,” John Cohen, principal deputy co-ordinator for counterterrorism, told the U.S. House Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.He said the Canada Border Services Agency had worked with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement attaché at the U.S. embassy in Ottawa to identify the men using their fingerprints, which were fed into a DHS database called NPPD/US-VISIT.The two migrants flagged as suspected rebels were in the system because they had applied for U.S. visas in 2008, he said. The information was shared pursuant to an existing agreement between CBSA and DHS. “Both subjects were denied asylum in Canada.”Mr. Cohen cited the case as an example of successful international information sharing during his testimony to U.S. lawmakers on Sept. 13. His comments had gone unreported in Canada until now.The Ocean Lady was the first of two migrant ships that ferried almost 600 Sri Lankans to Canada from Thailand and Indonesia in 2009 and 2010. Both the Ocean Lady and the MV Sun Sea were organized by criminal syndicates based in Bangkok.The arrival of the ships prompted the Conservatives to draft an anti-human smuggling bill that critics say unfairly targets would-be refugees who flee to Canada aboard ships. But the government says the measures are needed to deter human smugglers, who charge tens of thousands of dollars for passage to Canada on unsafe vessels.Hundreds of Sri Lankans boarded human smuggling ships after Sri Lankan government forces defeated the Tamil Tigers rebels in 2009. Some were former members of the rebel group, including a handful of those who arrived in Canada.The RCMP arrested four suspected organizers of the Ocean Lady in June. An investigation into the Sun Sea organizers is still underway. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said this summer as many as four “fairly advanced” attempts to smuggle migrants to Canada by sea had been disrupted in the past year and smugglers were continuing to collect down payments. Shavindra Silva ready to release information's about LTTE supporters SriLankan Permanent Representative to the United Nation Maj.Gen.Shavindra Silva ready to release the secret information about the LTTE supporters.According to Shavindra Silva name of Rudrakumaran legal adviser of the LTTE leader Vellu Pillai Prabakaran has supported LTTE to carry out their terrorist activities in SriLanka.He also said all these evidence were collected during the search operation carried out at the bunkers in Vellamulivaikal area and all these evidence are schedule to submit before the US courts.Shavindra Silva also went on to say None Government Organisation called American University as filed case on September 23 rd against the Major Shavindra Silva at New York district court.Shiavindra Silva also added Rudrakumaran is the only responsible for the case file against him.American Branch of the Tamil Rehabilitation Centre has donated US$200 million for LTTE to purchase weapons for their terrorist activities.Maj.Silva also released information's about the most powerful communication devices which were donated by the American Companies to Lankan government.Divaina newspaper reports says some of these powerful communication device were used by the American Forces.Finally Shavindra Silva said that he had informed President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa about the case which is file against him at the New York courts. India tests nuclear-capable missile India tested a short-range nuclear-capable missile along its eastern coast on Monday, an official said, as part of the nation's efforts to build up its atomic deterrent.The trial of surface-to-surface Prithvi-II missile was carried out from a range in the state of Orissa and hit its target in the Bay of Bengal, test range director S. P. Dash said.“The test was successful and met all the mission objectives,” Dash told AFP.The Prithvi, which is domestically built and developed, can carry nuclear or conventional payloads and has already been inducted into the armed services.India's Defence Research Development Organisation is developing a series of missiles as part of the country's deterrent strategy against neighbouring Pakistan and China, which also have nuclear weapons.With a striking range of 200 miles (350 kilometres), the missile is capable of carrying a 1,000-kilo (2,200-pound) warhead.Prithvi is the first missile to be developed under India's ambitious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme and has been tested several times over the years.A medium-range nuclear-capable Shourya missile was tested on a ground target at the same site on Saturday. Armory at Weerwawila Army camp explodes ! The armory at Pannegamuwa Army camp, Weerawila, that is the camp where the Weerawila Sanasuma Hotel was , exploded this afternoon. What was maintained at this place was the camp of the 14th Gemunu commanding division. At the time of the explosion there had been 150 soldiers within the camp.Following the loud explosion at the armory a large amount of smoke had been seen escaping towards the sky . Thereafter there had been a series of explosions. It is reported that three soldiers had sustained injuries and they had been admitted to the Hambantota and Tissamaharama Hospitals.This explosion which began at about 3,45 p.m had continued intermittently even when this news was being written at 6.00 p.m. , according to residents of the area. The road in front of the Army camp had been closed. Entry to the camp has also been barred . The cause of the explosion is not yet revealed. Investigations are proceeding. “Criminal” Lankan Minister Enjoys Immunity In India, Court Told CHENNAI – The external affairs ministry on Tuesday told the Madras High Court that Sri Lankan minister Douglas Devananda, wanted in a firing case in Chennai in 1986, cannot be arrested as he enjoys diplomatic immunity.The ministry also submitted that if Devananda was arrested while on a state visit, it would affect relations between the two countries.It also told the court that India does not have any extradition treaty with Sri Lanka. After the submission filed by the ministry, the court adjourned the case for four weeks.Advocate P Pugazhendi had filed a petition seeking the court’s directions to arrest Devananda, the Sri Lankan minister for traditional industries and small enterprise development, when he visited India in June 2010.According to the petitioner, Devananda, then a member of Sri Lanka’s separatist Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), is wanted in a 1986 shootout and murder case in Chennai and has been declared a proclaimed offender.One more case was lodged against him for kidnapping a boy in 1988. In 1989, he was arrested and later let out on bail.A sessions court in Chennai declared Devananda a proclaimed offender in 1994 after he failed to appear in the court while on bail. 26 September 2011 Rajapaksa briefs Ban Ki-moon on rehabilitation Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Saturday. The President briefed the Secretary-General on the progress since the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka including the massive infrastructure development in the North and the resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons. The President also explained the measures taken by the government to expedite the reconciliation process, including the continuing talks with the Tamil political parties. Mr. Ban expressed satisfaction at these developments.Mr. Rajapaksa reminded Mr. Ban that when the two met in 2010, the latter gave an assurance that the U.N. panel was established only to provide advice to the Secretary-General personally and that it had no investigative role. The Sri Lankan side read verbatim the minutes kept during the meeting held in 2010 when they last met. The President also recalled that the assurances given were not honoured by the panel.Mr. Rajapaksa complained to the Secretary-General that the U.N. report on alleged rights violations during the war against the LTTE had been conveyed to the Commissioner of Human Rights, Navi Pillay, without informing the Mission in New York or the Government of Sri Lanka. Mr. Rajapaksa expressed his dissatisfaction at this ‘breach of protocol,' absence of due process and procedure which “undermines credibility of the U.N. system.” JVP breakaway group, forms new party The breakaway Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) group formed a new political party at a meeting in Biyagama, a JVP spokesman said.The members of the Central Committee and the Politbureau of the new party have been elected, he said.The spokesman said that no groups can operate in a Bolshevik party such as the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. There had been attempts from 1966 to form group in the party against the leadership but they eventually ended up in new political parties, he said.The JVP will not align itself with any political party as decided on by the Central Committee and Politbureau last year, he said. Shavendra takes on ‘Wathsala’ The Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka at the United Nations, Major General Shavendra Silva today said that ‘Wathsala’ should pay compensation to the Tamils who suffered and lost their loved ones on behalf of her husband and her brother Soosai, who was the leader of the LTTE’s black sea tiger wing.“The court case filed in the United States by ‘Wathsalsa’ the wife of the former LTTE Eastern leader Ramesh is a good opportunity for the rest of the people living the US on how these terrorists whitewash themselves,” he said.“This can also be another way in financing the LTTE international network. Wherever it may be I am ready and I will safeguard the dignity of my country and my men who fought along with me in defeating the LTTE and rescuing thousands of innocent civilians from their clutches,” he said.Major General Shavendra Silva made these comments while speaking to the Daily Mirror by phone from New York.“According to the information I have gathered she had fled the country during the last days of the war to South Africa and is currently living there,” Major General Silva said.“She should pay compensation to the Tamils who suffered and lost their loved ones on behalf of her husband and her brother Soosai, who was the leader of the LTTE’s black sea tiger wing,” he added.“They lived from money robbed from their own Tamils. Now she has run out of money therefore she is taking me on is a way of making some money,” he said while speaking exclusively to the Daily Mirror.“Her husband was a well known terrorist for his ruthlessness and was responsible in the massacre of the clergy in Aranthalawa and the killing of more than 600 policemen,” he said.“This is a complete joke to ask me to pay compensation to her. She is charging a military officer who was involved in defeating the LTTE by leading the 58th division, the largest division involved in the military operation that defeated the terrorists in 2009,” he added.The wife of former LTTE commander Ramesh filed a law suit in the US against Major General Silva as he received summons on Saturday in this regard. The wife of Ramesh was formerly a member of the LTTE female wing. India provides US$ 2.4 million assistance to education facilities in Eastern Province of Sri Lanka The Government of India in a measure to develop educational facilities in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka has granted US$ 2.4 million worth equipment to the Trincomalee Campus of the Eastern University and to 261 schools in the Province.The Indian government in an initiative to assist Sri Lanka in promoting traditional medicine forms has provided 105 million rupees worth grant assistance to equip the Siddha Faculty in the Trincomalee campus of Sri Lanka's Eastern University to carry out research and studies in the field of Siddha medicine.Under the grant assistance, the Government of India has supplied laboratory equipment, computers, reference books, anatomical models and charts, a bus and a jeep for the use in the Siddha Faculty.The High Commissioner of India Ashok K. Kantha in a ceremony held Saturday (24), at the Trincomalee Campus of Eastern University handed over the Indian grant assistance to the Siddha Faculty, Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a press release.Speaking at the occasion, the High Commissioner has noted that the successful completion of the project has a deep symbolic value as the traditional knowledge of Auyurveda and Siddha is an important part of the common civilizational heritage of both countries.He said that India and Sri Lanka should work closely and share their experience and expertise in these areas, which were receiving increasing attention in both countries. He suggested that the faculty and students of Eastern University could benefit from training under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) and Colombo Plan.He indicated India's readiness to assist in further development of the Trincomalee Campus.The Indian government has also provided 1,260 computers and 218 laser printers, along with their software and peripherals worth 160 million rupees to 261 schools in the Eastern Province.The High Commissioner in a ceremony held at the Vivekanand College in Trincomalee later on Saturday handed over the computers and printers to the principals of nine schools in the Province. HCL, an Indian company, has supplied the computers.Addressing the function, Mr. Kantha said that the provision of computers for 261 schools was a gesture of friendship made with the hope that it would help address the issue of digital divide and improve the quality of education in the Eastern Province. He suggested that the Provincial Council consider providing internet connectivity to as many of those 261 schools as feasible, since that would make it possible for their students to access new avenues of knowledge in the outside world.The High Commissioner noted that the main focus of India's development partnership in the Eastern Province in recent years has been on rehabilitation of war affected families, improving connectivity, education, capacity building, and infrastructure development. Outlining the main projects undertaken by India in the Eastern Province in the recent past under its developmental partnership with Sri Lanka, the High Commissioner said the Indian government has agreed to provide a concessional credit line of US$ 200 million to the Government of Sri Lanka in connection with the 500 MW power plant which is proposed to be set up as a joint venture between NTPC of India and CEB at Sampur in Trincomalee.He expressed hope the project at Sampur would give a major boost to the economic development of the Eastern Province. in the fast-growing development partnership between the two countries.Rear Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama, Governor of the Eastern Province in his remarks said that the relationship between the two countries is at an all-time high. He highlighted various development assistance projects being implemented under Indian assistance and thanked India for its continued support. Noting that education is an important area of development cooperation between the two countries, he highlighted the assistance provided by India in English language training.Referring to the Joint Exercises conducted by the Navies of India and Sri Lanka off the coast of Trincomalee, the Governor expressed his appreciation for training received by the personnel of the Sri Lankan armed forces at various Indian institutions.The Chief Minister of Eastern Province, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan expressed his gratitude for generous assistance provided by Government of India for the Eastern Province. Other distinguished speakers also echoed similar sentiments.Provincial Minister of Education Wimalaweera Dissanayake, Chairman of Eastern Provincial Council H. M. M. Faiz, Deputy Minister of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs M.K.A.D.S. Gunawardena, Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education Dr. Sunil J. Navaratne, Competent Authority of Eastern University Prof N. R. Arthenayake, Acting Vice Chancellor of Eastern University Dr. K. Premakumar, officials from the University and Provincial Government and students participated in the ceremonies. Chief Inspector kill ASP in Ampara STF Mahaoya Commander in the Ampara District ASP Sarath Kumara was killed on Sunday when he was shot by a Cheif Inspector attached to the same camp.ASP Kumara was involved in busting underworld activities for a considerable time period by working with the STF Intelligence Unit.The incident had taken place when the ASP called on two officers this morning who had received complaints against them. The CI had then shot himself. Both of them were admitted to the Ampara Hospital where the ASP succumbed to his injuries on admission to the Mahaoya Government Hospital.He had received three gun shots to his chest area. The SI was airlifted to the Kandy General Hospital but succumbed to his injuries. Sajith Premadasa to be dismiss from UNP Steps have been taken to dismiss Sajith Premadasa from the party deputy leadership. According to the sources disciplinary action would be taken against Sajith Premadasa and his supporters since the end of up coming local council election.Senior lawyers and party leader Ranil Wickramasinghe have taken legal steps this regard.Sources further said Sajith Premadasa is maintaining close relationship with Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in order to create separation in the United National Party. 25 September 2011 TNA with Mano, Wickramabahu in local polls The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has decided to extend their support to the Democratic National Front (DNF) headed by Mano Ganeshan at the forthcoming municipal elections for Colombo and Dehiwala Mount Lavinia. The DNF is contesting both these municipalities independently.This decision was taken by the TNA at a meeting held in Colombo on Thursday headed by TNA leader R. Sampanthan, MP, with the participation of other Tamil political parties.According to TNA sources the meeting decided to support Mano Ganeshan, the Colombo mayoral candidate and Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne, the mayoral candidate for the Dehiwela Mount Lavinia contesting on the DNF. “It is our duty to support them at the forthcoming local polls,” a TNA source said.Meanwhile TELO leader Selvam Adaikalanathan and PLOTE leader Dharmalingam Sidharthan had already made public announcements that they would support the Democratic National Front at the forthcoming local polls. These two parties are partners of the Tamil National Alliance.It may be recalled that Mano Ganeshan personally campaigned for the TNA at the recently concluded local polls in the North. MR, Manmohan Discuss Tamil Issue Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has told President Mahinda Rajapaksa that there was no need for outside intervention in Sri Lanka if the government successfully addresses the Tamil issue, the Indian Prime Minister’s office said yesterday.The Indian Premier had said this when he met President Rajapaksa in New York on Friday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting.“Our Prime Minister noted that successful conclusion of the problems of the Tamil people preclude the need for outside intervention in Sri Lanka,” the Indian Prime Minister’s office said. President Rajapaksa briefed the Indian Prime Minister on proposals for devolution of power and the discussions with the Tamil National Alliance.They also discussed the need for a Joint Working Group on fisheries, the Indian Prime Minister’s office said. Maj. Gen. Silva ready to face US court battle Sri Lanka’s Deputy Permanent Representative at the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Major General Shavendra Silva, has been asked to appear before a New York District Court to answer charges related to alleged war crimes and the war veteran said he was willing to challenge any charges made against him or troops under his command in any court anywhere in the world.The summons was served at Ambassador Major General Silva’s private apartment when he was away. It was reportedly accepted by an inmate at the apartment. According to the summons, the war veteran turned diplomat is expected to respond to the District Court within 21 days.Last evening he told the Sunday Times by telephone, “I am willing to face whatever allegations are made against me or those who served under my command in any court anywhere in the world. Anyone can bring allegations and I am willing to contest all those allegations”.He was in direct consultation with President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is in New York to attend the 66th UN General Assembly sessions. Described as a “test case,” the litigation has been initiated by the American University Washington College of Law’s UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic in the Southern District of New York. The plaintiffs in the civil action are Vathsala Devi, widow of Thurairajasingham (also known as ‘Colonel’ Ramesh of the LTTE) and Seetharam Sivam, whose father Siththar Sivam had died allegedly due to Army shelling of the Puthukudiyiruppu area in the final days of the war against the LTTE. Major General Silva led the Army’s 58 Division that militarily defeated the Tiger guerrillas in 2009.Sri Lankan diplomats in New York said the timing of the action was clearly to embarrass President Rajapaksa against whom no action could be filed because he enjoyed ‘sovereign immunity’. The summons was served on Ambassador Major General Silva shortly after President Rajapaksa addressed the UNGA on Friday. Ambassador Major General Silva enjoys immunity from arrest and detention and criminal jurisdiction, but whether the immunity extends to civil actions was unclear. Ali Beydoun, a human rights attorney appearing for the plaintiffs, has argued that a diplomat was immune only while he is acting in his or her official capacity. Thus, he had opined that delivery of summons to the diplomat’s work place would be held to be invalid. Hence, the move to serve summons at Maj.Gen. Silva’s private apartment. In terms of US law, acceptance by an inmate of the apartment is legal proof that the summons has been served.Sri Lankan diplomats in New York also said that they were considering raising the issue with the office of the UN Secretary General since it concerns a diplomat posted to the world body. The arrangements for the delivery of the summons had been carefully orchestrated to enable a camera crew from Al Jazeera satellite television network to film the handing over.In Colombo, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said this would give the government a “good opportunity” to tell an American court of the atrocities committed by the LTTE. He said that one of the plaintiffs was also an LTTE fighting cadre and the widow of Ramesh who took over from Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna as the head of the LTTE’s Eastern wing. He said that Ramesh was a “ruthless terrorist” involved in the mass murder of hundreds of policemen who had surrendered around Batticaloa, innocent young Buddhist monks at Aranthalawa and Sinhalese and Muslim civilians in villages in the East, and that his widow was involved in these atrocities. Tamils protest outside Rajapakse's UN address Nearly one thousand Tamils protested outside the United Nations Friday between 10 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. while Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse was addressing the UN's General Assembly. Protesters held placards criticizing UN's inaction on Sri Lanka, and took the 'Pongku Thamizh' oath promising to continue to non-violent struggle until Tamils' inalienable rights are recognized in a political settlement based on Tamils right to self-determination, attendees to the event said. Several protesters crossed the Canadian border to be present at the rally held amid tight security on the 47th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue. The TGTE (New York) poster of inappropriate comparison, calling for Pongku Thamizh rally against Rajapaksa at UN on Friday.Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, of the New York establishment of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) addressed the participants of the rally.The TGTE has not so far questioned the US Administration or its Asst Secretary of State Robert Blake for calling for ‘united Sri Lanka’ and thereby rejecting the right to self-determination of Eezham Tamils. The ritual and rhetorical protests not addressed to where they should be addressed hijack the spirit of people's uprising, especially in an international scenario in which both thesis and antithesis are stage-managed by the same, diaspora observers said.The TGTE in its call for the rally came out with a poster equating Osama and Gaddafi with Rajapaksa, implying that when the US has taken action against the former two, the latter is left untouched. The comparison of personalities involved with the international scenario of a different genre with that of genocidal Rajapaksa is inappropriate and is of bad taste, many diaspora Tamils commented. The oath taken at the US rally included the following proclamation: "As a distinct nation, we retain our sovereignty, and have the right to determine our own future based on international law;" and the following pledge: "Through the formation of the independent Tamil Eelam state, we resolve to enact democratic governance, respect individual rights and freedoms, and embrace free-market economy. The proposed State of Tamil Eelam will maintain cordial relations with its neighbours and ensure peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region." The phrase "Pongku Thamizh," originally coined by the poet of the Dravidian movement, Bharathi Thaasan in the 1940s, manifested into the identity of an awakening movement centering around the University of Jaffna during the LTTE times. The phrase is now competitively claimed by various shades of Eezham Tamil political opinion both asserting to Tamil uprising as well as pawning Tamil sovereignty with its own adversaries. The original Pongku Thamizh movement never had anything to say on associating Tamil liberation with controversies of global economic orientations. Meanwhile, inside the UN, Sri Lanka's President told the international attendee diplomats that "longstanding beliefs [of Sri Lanka's Sinhala culture] cannot be trumped by "human rights... from alien cultures [Western culture]," according to a report by Inner City Press. Muslim Congress demands and Islamisation in Sri Lanka “The ruling regime can solve the problems that afflict Muslims in north-eastern Sri Lanka, but is doing nothing,” said A. R. M. Itmtiyaz, associated professor in the Department of Political Science in Temple University, Philadelphia, United States, as he spoke about protests by the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the country’s largest Muslim party, against the exclusion of the Muslim community from interethnic talks.Last week, SLMC President Basheer Segu Dawood even called on the international community to induce the Sri Lankan government to give his party a specific role in the peace process.Speaking to AsiaNews, Prof Itmtiyaz explains what role the Muslim community plays in the island nation’s interethnic conflict. He looks at the SLMC’s errors and explains why its request to the international community is unhelpful. He also discusses the growing Islamisation of the country’s Muslims, a trend that has been ignored by moderate and liberal Muslims so far. Professor, what do you think of Muslim leaders’ dissatisfaction in Sri Lanka? Do you agree with the president of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress? In fact, the demand for a separate seat is reasonable. However, the Muslim political establishment, which had aggressively supported the war against the LTTE that killed more than 40,000 innocent Tamils, can win their demands from the government. The latter should address the concerns of the Muslim masses. Now the SLMC is part and parcel of the regime. They are accountable to whatever the regime does, and should be able to settle the major problems that affect the North and Muslims. Such a political outcome may only be possible if the SLMC has some political courage and is sincere in working for the interests of Muslim masses. My point is that the SLMC should focus on the issues that affect Muslims and seek solutions rather than asking global actors to help win Muslim representation at the negotiation table. How are Sri Lanka and its Muslim Community today? Muslims in Sri Lanka constitute approximately 8 per cent of the country’s population. They speak mainly Tamil, but their claims are distinct from those of the Tamils despite the fact that they speak the same language and embrace some cultural elements associated with the Tamil nation. They are from three different ethno-social backgrounds: the Sri Lanka Moors, the Indian Moors and the Malays. The others include the Memons, the Bohras, etc. The term Moors used by the Portuguese in the 16th century refers to the Arab Muslims and their descendants. The term was applied to identify their religion and had no role in identifying their origin. They were scattered along the coastal areas but some of them moved into the interior, perhaps to avoid persecution by the Portuguese and the Dutch who once ruled the Maritime Provinces. Though the majority of Muslims (62 per cent) live in predominantly Sinhalese areas, outside the North and East of Sri Lanka, the other 38 per cent live in the Tamil-dominated North-East.There is a long standing opinion that Muslims are rich and are vibrant. But reality suggests however that most Muslims of Sri Lanka, regardless of their geographical location, are economically weak and have to struggle to earn a decent life. Muslim schools lack qualified teachers and scientific management. Actually, they are one of the most marginalized and poor ethnic groups in Sri Lanka. The community is now experiencing a process of psychological Islamisation as more and more a strict adherence to Islam and the Muslim dress code prevail, isolating those who do not agree with Islamisation. This also comes with attacks against Sufis. This trend is very noticeable not only among the Muslims of the North and East, but also among the Muslims of the South and West, including Colombo, where Muslims have always been relatively liberal in their religious outlook. Islamic radicalization is in an early stage and has its origin in political and social factors. Those who are in power or associated with the Sinhala political class, particularly Muslim political elites and politicians need to understand the reality on the ground, and adopt political moves to find solutions.Such measures can help weaken Islamic fundamentalists and rescue Muslims from joining global jihadists who have become aware of marginalized Muslims in the subcontinent. In reality, Muslim elites, politicians and scholars are in denial when it comes to Islamisation and the recent growth of Islamists. Some of those who deny the reality are actually aware of the reality, but prefer to discuss it within the community and avoid outside attention. Communities often want to hide their problems and choose instead to paint a nice picture of themselves. This is not only common to Sri Lanka Muslims; it can be seen among the non-Muslims in Sri Lanka and beyond. The point is that denial is dangerous, because when you deny the problem, finding a real solution will be difficult, from elites to the masses. Swiss AG Warns Dias The Swiss Federal Attorney General has warned that he will launch a criminal investigation against the former Sri Lankan Deputy Ambassador to Switzerland, Major General Jagath Dias, if he returned to Switzerland, a Swiss human rights group said.TRIAL said in an email to The Sunday Leader that on September 16, the Swiss Federal Attorney General had said that there is enough evidence to open an investigation against Major General Dias if he returned to Switzerland.Following a criminal complaint brought by Swiss rights group TRIAL (Track Impunity Always) and the Society for Threatened Peoples (SPM) against Jagath Dias for war crimes, the Swiss Federal Attorney General had decided not to investigate Dias. The reason for this, according to the document provided by TRIAL is that Dias holds diplomatic immunity and the AG’s department will only be able to pursue the charges if his immunity is lifted and he appears on Swiss territory.However, according to TRIAL, the Federal Attorney General pointed out that several episodes of the conflict “highlight Mr. Dias’ personal involvement in the military operations undertaken and in the atrocities committed” and that “there exists against Jagath Dias, sufficient suspicion to justify the opening of a criminal investigation.”“Therefore, if information was to be brought up to the Federal Prosecutor’s attention that Jagath Dias, not enjoying his current diplomatic status anymore, were to come back to Switzerland for whatever reason, the Federal Prosecutor, on the basis of the facts described above, would open an investigation against him,” the Attorney General’s Department is quoted to have said.Philip Grant, Director of TRIAL said that “Sri Lanka still denies the extent of the crimes committed. As long as no impartial investigation is carried out in Sri Lanka, the authors of these crimes may be punished abroad,” he said.Angela Mattli, Head of Campaigns at the SPM, says that “after this judicial decision, the time has now come for the Swiss government to send a clear message to the Sri Lankan government: impunity for war crimes is not an option any more.”Major General Jagath Dias, speaking to The Sunday Leader from Berlin, Germany on Friday, however said that the statement released by the rights group is incorrect and that he has yet to receive official notice on the matter.The document provided by the Swiss AG’s department in conclusion said that the prosecutor will not give suit to the complaint raised against Mr. Dias, the cost of the proceedings are to be carried by the State, the decision is notified to Mr. Dias and copies are sent to the legal service of the Federal Prosecutor’s office and to TRIAL.The former Commander of the 57th Division, has been accused of intensive shelling of civilians, hospitals and religious sites during the final stages of the civil war in Sri Lanka. 24 September 2011 Sri Lanka leader says international criticism 'tainted' Sri Lanka's president condemned "tainted" international allegations of a military massacre of civilians during an assault to end a Tamil rebellion.President Mahinda Rajapakse on Friday appealed for international support as pressure mounted for the UN Human Rights Council to launch a war crimes inquiry into the 2009 campaign in which a UN panel said tens of thousands were killed."My country has reason for concern with approaches tainted by an unacceptable selectivity, which we have brought to the notice of the organizations in question in recent weeks," Rajapakse told the UN summit.He called for solidarity from other developing countries "against these irregular modalities which should be resisted through our collective strength."Defending the government campaign, Rajapakse said "after three decades of pain and anguish, today Sri Lankans of all ethnicities living in all parts of Sri Lanka are free from LTTE terror and no longer live in a state of fear."He added that after defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the government was now working on building "the foundations of a unified and vibrant nation."According to Rajapakse, 95 percent of displaced people from the conflict have returned to their homes in the 30 months since the military campaign and the economy has been revived."Contrary to malicious propaganda, the number of armed forces personnel in the Northern Province is at a minimal level," he insisted."We ask our friends in distant lands to drop pre-conceived notions," he added in another veiled reference to the international criticism. UN leader Ban Ki-moon last week sent a report by an independent panel on the military campaign to the UN Human Rights Council, which could call for an international probe.Ban has said he cannot order an international inquiry into the alleged killings -- which the Sri Lankan government has strongly denied -- but that a forum such as the council could do so.The panel of experts named by Ban said in April that the Sri Lankan army killed most of the tens of thousands of civilian victims of the final offensive against Tamil separatists in 2009 but both sides may be guilty of war crimes.A documentary shown on Britain's Channel Four in June said the military shelled civilian targets and showed footage of what it said were prisoner executions and the bodies of sexually assaulted Tamil Tiger fighters.Tamil exile groups in Western nations have sought to build pressure on Sri Lanka's leadership over the conduct of the 2009 offensive and held protests in New York against Rajapakse's attendance at the annual UN General Assembly.A law school clinic said Friday that it has filed a lawsuit in a New York court seeking damages from Major General Shavendra Silva, who now serves as Sri Lanka's deputy permanent representative at the United Nations.The lawsuit by American University Washington College of Law's UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic accused Silva of leading forces that deliberately attacked hospitals and other protected places and carrying out torture and extrajudicial executions of surrendering rebels."US courts provide a forum for justice and accountability, where there would otherwise be continued impunity for Sri Lanka's crimes against Tamils," said Ali Beydoun, lead counsel on this case.Accredited diplomats traditionally enjoy immunity from prosecution in the country where they serve and the United States.Tamil community members earlier this year filed a lawsuit against Rajapakse when he paid a private visit to the United States. The Sri Lankan government rejected the lawsuit and said the president enjoys immunity. JVP factions go to the grassroots The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday ruled out any possibility of resolving the differences with the dissident group, and said the party had instead, organised a campaign to educate grassroot level organisations on the political challenges lying ahead in the aftermath of the crisis.JVP propaganda secretary Vijitha Herath addressed party members in Monaragala while General Secretary Tilvin Silva did so in the Gampaha district.The dissident group too, in a similar move addressed members loyal to them in different parts of the country. Inter University Students’ Federation former conveners Chameera Koswatte, Duminda Nagamuwa and Ravindra Mudalige, and deposed central committee member Pubudu Jagoda were in the forefront of the campaign on behalf of the dissidents’ group led by Premkumar Gunaratnam alias Kumar Mahattaya.Mr. Jagoda addressed party supporters in Kandy and Kegalle. Among others in the dissident group are Parliamentarian Ajith Kumara, Ceylon Teachers Services Union President Mahinda Jayasinghe, central committee member Dimuthu Attygale, Combined Association of Unemployed Graduates former convener Chandana Sooriyarachchi and Sri Jayewardenepura Students’ Union former president Sujith Kuruwita.When asked about the present situation with regard to the party crisis, Mr. Herath said the unity between the two sides was now a distant dream.“What have we got to talk to them now?” he asked.Mr. Herath said the party was yet to discuss action to be taken against these members in revolt against the leadership.“We have not decided on anything,” he said.Meanwhile Mr. Silva said the dissident group was so small in size that action was not warranted against them at this hour. However, sources close to Mr. Gunaratnam said the dissidents wielded enough power at the grassroot level, especially among the full timers.Attempts to get an official comment from the dissidents failed. Col Ramesh's wife files a case in US against Sri Lanka President for Killing her husband: TGTE Col Ramesh's wife, Mrs. Vathsala Devi, has filed a case in the United States, against the visiting Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse for killing her husband.This case was filed in the Southern District of New York, under Alien Tort Statutes, on behalf of Col Ramesh's wife, by Attorney- at- Law Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran. The docket number of this case is: 11 CIV 6634.Col Ramesh was shown on a documentary by UK's Channel 4 "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields", being interrogated by Sri Lankan soldiers in an undisclosed location. His body was also shown in different TV and was confirmed by his wife as her husband's body.President Rajapakse in his capacity as the Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, bears primary responsibility for the killing of Col Ramesh and for perpetration of War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide of Tamil people.According to the recent report by the UN Panel on Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Security forces under the command of President Rajapakse, have committed War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity of Tamils. There are elements in this report that also constitute an act of Genocide.According to this UN Panel Report around 40,000 Tamil people were killed, women were sexual assaulted and raped and around 140,000 people are unaccounted for.Last week UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon referred this UN Panel Report to the UN Human Rights Council and to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to take action. For information contact: Deluxon Morris (UK): Tel: +(44) 794-002-0758 or Email: warcrime@tgte.org India, Sri Lanka conduct naval exercises The Indian Navy gained from the Sri Lankan experience with low intensity conflict, while the Sri Lankan Navy learnt to operate more effectively in a multi-force environment on the conclusion of the biggest-ever exercise between the two Navies.The exercises, “SLINEX II,” which commenced on September 19 and ended on Friday, were aimed at enhancing interoperability.Involving 6 Indian state-of-the-art vessels of the Eastern Command, and over 1,200 Indian naval personnel, and 11 Sri Lankan vessels and an almost equal complement of personnel, the exercises were keenly watched by the international community and the diplomatic corps stationed in Colombo.“The Sri Lankan Navy has gained a lot of experience in asymmetric warfare, basically handling attack by small boats,” Rear Admiral H.C.S. Bisht, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, Indian Navy, who commanded the Indian ships, told The Hindu. “We learnt from them how they handle these attacks,” he added.This manoeuvre was displayed to the press on Friday. A plethora of small attack craft from the Sri Lankan Navy “attacked” the Indian indigenous multi-role frigate with stealth features, INS Shivalik. The frigate first did zig-zag manoeuvres in a bid to throw the small boats off balance with its huge wake. When this did not happen, Shivalik relied on its awesome firepower to “silence” the small boats. Ideally a combination of small arms fire and manoeuvres work well: but that is as long as the small boats do not blow themselves up.The Sri Lankan Navy said the drill was expected to provide the opportunity for the neighbouring navies to rehearse the concept of joint naval operations and enhance their skills.The decision to increase mutual defence cooperation and to hold joint naval exercises was taken during the visit of Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar to Sri Lanka in December 2010.The first exercises were held about six years ago, said the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Ashok K.Kantha. In 2005, two Indian vessels participated in an exercise.But since the Eelam War IV intensified since 2006, the exercises, which were to be held annually, were put off.The one vessel that generated a lot of interest was Shivalik, which was commissioned in April 2010. It is a product of indigenous design, U.S. engines and a mix of Russian and Indian weaponry. The BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles are also part of its armoury. The frigate is part of the Eastern Fleet.The other naval ships which took part were Ranvijay, Gharial, Khanjar, Cheriyam and Coradiv, along with integral helicopters and a Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft.The Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka travelled from Colombo to Trincomalee to convey his wishes to the Indian and Sri Lankan Navy personnel, on-board the INS Shivalik on Thursday. 23 September 2011 Jaffna lawyers boycott court sittings Lawyers in Jaffna had taken a decision to boycott the sittings of the Courts of Law in the District until such time action was taken to arrest the seven policemen who had allegedly harassed a person who they say was illegally arrested by the police. They made this decision at a meeting held at the Jaffna Library on Thursday. Lawyers in a statement said yesterday that they consider the conduct of the police officers to be an affront to the authority, dignity and the sanctity of the Courts of Law established under the Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka and also one that, infringes on the professional independence of the members of the legal profession and constitutes a brazen and blatant violation of all norms of behaviour that are expected of the guardians of the law.They alleged that the victim after being illegally arrested at the lounge of the Jaffna Courts Complex, was dragged away and subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment as he was stripped semi-naked and then trampled mercilessly. The lawyers charged that he was also kicked in the presence of the Officer of the Courts, Attorneys-at-Law and members of the public, especially at a time when the Learned Magistrate of Jaffna was sitting in open court. It was further resolved that Her Ladyship The Honourable Chief Justice and other Honourable Judges of the Supreme Court and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka should intervene in this matter and ensure that the dignity of the Courts of Law of our country and the professional independence of the legal profession was protected and preserved, the statement said. President meets Blake President Mahinda Rajapaksa held talks yesterday with the Assistant State Secretary of America on South and Central Asia, Robert O Blake in New York on the sidelines of the 66th sessions of the United Nations General Assembly.President Rajapaksa who is in New York to participate in the 66th sessions of the United Nations General Assembly also held bilateral talks on Tuesday (20) with the Heads of States of Slovenia, Kyrgyzstan and Nigeria.During these meetings the President briefed the Heads of States on the progress achieved in the programme for the resettlement of displaced persons since the defeat of terrorism, de-mining programme and the Local Government Polls conducted in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.Further the President made the Heads of States aware of the massive development projects implemented in the country and the economic development targets achieved so far.Kyrgyzstan President Ms. Rosa Otunbayeva highly appreciated the Tea produced in Sri Lanka. On this occasion the President requested her to send a trade delegation to conduct a study on Sri Lankan Tea.Slovenian President Dr. Danilo Turk during his discussion with the President stated that Sri Lanka has set an example to the rest of the world by creating peace. Slovenian President praised the Economic Growth Rate and the development achieved within a short period after defeating terrorism.During the bilateral talks held with the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan on matters relating to a number of issues including economic and trade sectors were discussed. Heads of States discussed the ways and means of developing friendship and cordiality between the two countries.External Affairs Minister, Prof. G. L. Peiris, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka, Dr. Palitha Kohona, Deputy Permanent Representative, Shavendra Silva also participated in the discussion. Canadian MP's to hold discussions with TNA members South Asian division officials of the Canadian Foreign Ministry is schedule to carry out official discussions with the representatives of Tamil National Alliance, Canadian Tamil political party sources said.according to the sources this special discussion was organised in order to the request made by the Conservative Party Representatives to explain the clear situation on Lankan issue.It would be expected Canadian Prime Minister office will release a officials statement on Lanakan issue by next week.However due to this sudden change of the Canadian government SriLankan was force to face difficulties in the international, sources said. Sri Lanka BOI says signed $500 mln port deal with China Merchants The Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA), local conglomerate Aitken Spence and China Merchants Holdings on Thursday signed a $500 million deal to build a new container terminal at the Colombo port, the state investment body said.Hong Kong-based China Merchants will hold 55 percent of the project, Aitken Spence 30 percent and the SLPA 15 percent respectively, the Sri Lanka Board of Investment said in a statement. "The agreement for one of the largest foreign direct investments will strengthen Colombo's status as the premier shipping hub of South Asia into the 21st century. Construction of the container terminal will commence in December," it said.The island nation, although it structured the project with the Chinese firm last year, entered into the deal only last month when President Mahinda Rajapaksa made an official visit to China.The three partners will operate under the China International Container Terminal joint venture company, to design, build and manage the new Colombo south terminal.The joint venture will build the first of three planned terminals in the Colombo port. Each is expected to add the capacity to handle an additional 2.5 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU). The port now handles 4.5 million TEU. China Merchants is a holding company for enterprises that develop transport and infrastructure businesses, and its main business is operating ports in China.Sri Lanka has increasingly relied on China and Chinese companies for the financing and expertise needed for more than $6 billion worth of infrastructure investments it has undertaken since the end of a three-decade civil war in May 2009. Gotabaya Rajapaksa blames British parliamentarians work against Lankan government Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa blames by releasing false statement Britain parliamentarians are hoping to carrying out international investigations against SriLankan government.During the debate at the British Parliament it was revealed 1 million civilians were killed killed during the last five months of the war in Vanni.Defence Secretary also questioned about the information's which published in the Britain Parliament and went on to say British government is carrying out such activities against SriLanka to gain more attention at the UN Human Rights Council.Finally Defence Secretary said this will be the first challenge which Lankan government force to face before the UN General Assembly in New York. Sri Lanka's survivors tormented by horrors of war Ranjini wakes up screaming. Her mother's body is on fire, her teenage sister is covered in blood and the mutilated, charred corpses of her relatives lie scattered everywhere.It's a recurring nightmare."I see my mother's burning face ... she is calling me to help her, but I can't or I will be killed from the shelling also," says the 23-year-old, petite Sri Lankan woman, wiping the tears from her face with a blue and white checkered handkerchief."My little sister is lying with blood all over her skirt, but I cannot see the wound. She is unable to speak but from her eyes she is trying to tell me something. She dies. I too want to die."More than two years since Sri Lanka's 25-year-old conflict ended, mental health experts say thousands of survivors are living in torment typical of war survivors -- haunted by memories of the final months of fighting between the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and government forces."The horrific, abrupt end to the war saw people witnessing their family members die, but most could do nothing but run, forced to abandon the bodies of their loved ones without performing important last rites," said a Western aid worker with an EU-funded charity, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of upsetting the Sri Lankan government.As a result, many of the war-affected have failed to gain closure, and are haunted by flashbacks, hallucinations, nightmares, suicidal thoughts and anti-social behavior.Experts suggest the poor mental health of men in particular has driven many to alcoholism and led to numerous reports of domestic violence, child abuse and family separation amongst war-hit communities in the Indian Ocean island's ravaged north.But while aid workers welcome President Mahinda Rajapaksa's policy to rebuild the north economically and spur growth, they say the "invisible scars" of the war remain unrepaired. HORROR AND DESPAIR Sri Lanka is now in its third year of peace after defeating the Tamil Tigers in a cataclysmic final battle in May 2009, when the separatists held nearly 300,000 civilians as human shields in a tiny strip of land as the military closed in.In the island's northern Kilinochchi district -- the Tigers' self-declared capital -- the population of 120,000 was forced to flee or take refuge in displacement camps as the army advanced with the aim of ending Asia's longest running modern war.One year since returning home, many still live in temporary houses made of corrugated iron or under tarpaulin sheets held together by wooden poles. They recount stories of constant artillery fire and aerial bombardments.Now mothers, who did not have time to mourn their dead children, show apathy toward their living ones, while children show signs of anti-social behavior at school, unwilling to participate.Teachers talk of having to calm screaming students -- some as young as six -- who fall to the ground with their hands over their heads at the sound of thunder or from the loud bang that comes from a tire burst, believing the shelling has begun again.Almost everyone speaks on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals for revealing details of what occurred in the last phases of war -- an issue which stirs sensitivities of a government under Western pressure over allegations of war crimes.But while a small number of women and children are now beginning to come for counseling, men in this conservative, patriarchal largely Hindu Tamil community are reluctant.Unwilling to talk about what they saw, counselors say their plight is worsened by the despair of seeing their homes gutted, their possessions lost and the lack of jobs.Many seek escape in cheap liquor or sit idle in the shade of the small shops and bullet-ridden buildings which line the main road through Kilinochchi town. NO RECOGNITION, NO RESOURCES The government's strategy has been to focus on economic development by investing in roads, railways and ports construction in the north."Our priorities are providing housing and job opportunities for the community now. We need private sector investment and income-generating activities for the returning displaced," said R. Ketheeswaran, the government agent in charge of Kilinochchi district. “We don't even have enough doctors and nurses in this area. Mental health is not a big issue. “With only one psychiatrist for every 120,000 people and a few dozen counselors, less than 5 percent of those who need treatment are getting it, say aid workers. Why it took 30 years to file action against the child rapist chief incumbent of Thames Buddhist Temple? Filing Legal action against Ven. Pahalagama Somaratne Thero the chief incumbent of Thames Buddhist Temple , in Croydon, London who is the accused in the crime of rape committed on a teenage young girl had been delayed for thirty years because the child victim at that time did not wish to bring her father’s name into disrepute; and therefore waited patiently until her father died , according to reports reaching Lanka e news.The rape victim is a Sri Lankan Sinhala Buddhist and is currently holding a highly recognized post as by London standards of society. Because her father would not be able to bear the heinous crime committed on her by the Buddhist priest , she did not divulge it to him until he died. Following her father’s death , she had filed legal action against the Ven. Somaratne Thero. The latter on hearing that a legal suit is being instituted against him has tried to bolt to Sri Lanka in his robes when he was arrested at the Heathrow Airport. The trial on this case has been fixed for 23rd.The Ven. Thero the alleged rapist who had been in the Thames Vihara for many years has amassed a vast amount of money , and had been running two guest houses through his brothers in SL after remitting monies here. The guest houses are situated at Makewita and Kasagahawatte districts in Gampaha. According to residents of the area these two guest houses are being used as prostitution dens , and guests are charged on short term basis. Many angry informants speaking to Lanka e news said , these two brothers of this criminal were driving hiring vehicles in the eighties . It is on the monies earned by ‘selling’ religion and cheating the people and remitted to them by this criminal of a priest who is a disgrace to the Buddhist faith and an insult to the saffron robe that they were running the illegal guest houses.Might we recall that after LeN reported this outrageous crime previously , there were many telephone callers who exerted immense pressure on us to withdraw this article. We have recorded all these pressures brought to bear on us . We shall be taking appropriate action in that regard. Might we tell those blind Buddhists who are following the misled faith that Lord Buddha never said to suppress the truth or save the criminals just because they are robed. Indeed they must be meted out with exemplary punishments, for many millions following them are being misled by these masquerading hypocritical religious leaders who are bringing unpardonable discredit on Lord Buddha and pure Buddhism he preached. Sri Lanka Marxist JVP factions clash for property rights Sri Lanka Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) internal crisis has extended to the ownership of the party headquarters and the party propaganda newspaper.News spread that the cadres of the factions of the JVP arrived in the party headquarters claiming ownership. Local media reported that an unnamed person had asked for the protection for the party headquarters from a senior police officer in Nugegoda area.However, the police officer has informed him that they needed to make the request to the Inspector General of Police in writing.Meanwhile, some other reports said that two MPs of the JVP had come to the party propaganda newspaper Lanka and asked the management to stop publishing it.A senior official of the newspaper lodged a complaint in police regarding taking away his vehicle by the members of a rival faction. Later the issue was reportedly resolved.The Marxist party has been embroiled in a crisis and is showing signs of a split although the party is downplaying the crisis.Local media reported that several members of the party have joined a group led by Premakumar Gunarathnam who is considered an internal leader of the party. He has reportedly returned from Australia earlier this month.A report in local Daily Mirror citing highly placed party sources said that there was a plan by Gunaratnam group to go underground and pave the way for an armed struggle. Motion to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth defeated in the Australian Senate The Australian Government and the Opposition voted together today to defeat a motion moved in the Senate by Australian Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon (Senator for New South Wales) to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth. Speaking on the motion, a representative for the Government of Australia said that they do not believe that complex foreign policy issues can be resolved through motions such as the one mooted by Senator Rhiannon.Senator Rhiannon also convened a closed door round table discussion to further the call for a war crimes tribunal for Sri Lanka earlier in the week, the participants for which included pro- LTTE lobby group representatives and critics of the Sri Lankan Government. No invitation was extended by the Senator for any Sri Lankan Government representative to participate in this discussion.Senator Rhiannon recently requested the Minister of Immigration and Citizenship of Australia to provide details of those that had applied for visas to Australia to attend the forthcoming CHOGM meeting as a part of the Sri Lanka delegation. The Minister declined to provide that information.Several articles have appeared in the Australian media on the attempts by the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) and the Australian Tamil Congress (ATC ) calling on Governments including Australia to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth and to seek to prevent the participation of the Sri Lanka delegation at the forthcoming CHOGM meeting in Perth. The sole aim of these groups is to resurrect the militarily defeated LTTE terrorists (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) and their cause of creating a separate mono ethnic state of Tamil Eelam in the North and East of Sri Lanka. The efforts of these groups have concentrated in the aftermath of the war in targeting key Sri Lankan Government officials and damaging their reputations internationally. Their calls have continued to be ignored worldwide. Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Australia Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe has given extensive interviews to the Australian Associated Press (AAP) and ABC Radio Australia this week countering allegations made against Sri Lanka. 22 September 2011 Manmohan to meet Mahinda in New York Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will meet Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in New York later this week.The two leaders will review bilateral relations between their countries, and Rajapaksa will brief Dr Singh about the efforts his government is making to resettle the internally displaced Tamils in the northern province, and about the recently resumed dialogue with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to find a political solution to the ethnic question in the island.Dr Singh left here for New York today to attend the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He will address the UNGA on Saturday.While in New York, he will also hold bilateral meetings with the Presidents of Iran (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) and South Sudan (Salva Kiir) and the new Prime Ministers of Japan (Yoshihiko Noda) and Nepal (Baburam Bhattarai).In a departure-eve statement, he said the UNGA is meeting this year at a time when the world is faced with multiple challenges. The global economy is in the midst of an economic slowdown coupled with all its attendant problems, including inflationary pressures.The West Asia, North Africa and Gulf regions have seen major upheavals and there is uncertainty about the shape of things to come in this crucial part of the world in the period ahead. The Palestine question remains unresolved, he pointed out.Terrorism and non-traditional threats to international security, such as piracy, are threatening states and the international political and social order.More than ever before, it is imperative for all countries to act in concert to address these challenges. "This is the time for United Nations to resume its global leadership role," the prime minister said.India has been a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since January this year, after a gap of 19 years. He said: "Our efforts at promoting international peace and security and bringing to bear a developing country perspective have, I believe, enriched the Council’s deliberations and enhanced its effectiveness.""The United Nations must be seen as an impartial, credible and effective body. I will stress the need for early reform of this unique organization, particularly an expansion of its Security Council," Dr Singh added.India is an aspirant for a permanent seat on the Security Council. It has joined hands with fellow aspirants Brazil, Germany and Japan and formed the Group of Four (G4) to garner support for their aspirations. JVP crisis worsens The JVP organisers of Kalutara, Colombo and Gampaha have joined politbureau member Premkumar Gunaratnam’s group in opposition to the Somawansa Amarasinghe camp and triggered a major crisis within the party.Premkumar Gunaratnam, it is learnt, is organising party cadres in 14 districts and has even moved to dissolve dozens of JVP affiliated organisations, including the National Bhikku Front. Most of the party offices in the Western Province have remained closed during the past few days. Gunaratnam, the brother of JVP senior Ranjitham (who was killed during the 1988/89 insurgency), had been in self exile in Australia till recently. He had reportedly returned to Sri Lanka early this month. It is learnt that the Somawansa camp is slated to hold a media briefing soon to tell their side of the story.Gunaratnam is said to be of the opinion that the JVP should support the Tamil cause, while the Amarasinghe group is opposed to communalising the party.Highly placed party sources said that there was a plan by Gunaratnam group to go underground and pave the way for an armed struggle. SL to Engage with Intl. Community President Mahinda Rajapaksa had a bilateral meeting this afternoon ( 20th September 2011 ) with President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.President Rajapaksa warmly congratulated President Jonathan on his election and said that, in the situation which has now arisen in Sri Lanka after the eradication of terrorism, there is ample scope to deepen the relationship between Sri Lanka and Nigeria in all sectors. They discussed several areas in which enhanced collaboration would be appropriate.President Rajapaksa expressed his condolences in respect of the tragedy in Abuja in which there was loss of life in consequence of a wanton act of terrorism.President Jonathan recalled with pleasure his visit to Sri Lanka in 2008, and expressed his appreciation of the arts and culture of the country, especially the music of Sri Lanka.External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris briefed the President of Nigeria about current developments in Sri Lanka with regard to all aspects of reconciliation in the post-conflict phase. Having emphasized the value of local mechanisms as a means of achieving sustainability of remedies, he referred to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission appointed by the President of Sri Lanka. He said that the Commission is due to present its report before 15th November.Minister Peiris stressed the need for Sri Lanka to be afforded the requisite space and time to complete its domestic process in keeping with international law and practice and in accord with national aspirations. He said that the Government would consider in earnest the proposals contained in the report and process the recommendations for implementation. The Minister added that the Government of Sri Lanka will continue to engage the international community, both bilaterally and appropriately in multilateral fora in a spirit of openness and candour with regard to this process, as it has consistently done. New laws to curb LTTE fund-raising The government enacted new laws in parliament today to deal with LTTE overseas fund raising activities and money laundering. The Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill and the Convention of the Suppression of Terrorist Financing (Amendment) Bill were passed in the House.Education Minister Bandula Gunawardene said the two bills enacted on recommendations by the United Nations would permit action against anyone aiding and abetting a terrorist or an act of terrorism here or abroad. The minister who opened the debate on behalf of the government said the LTTE rump had started fund raising in Europe and some other parts of the world, and the new law on terrorist financing would have enough teeth to deal with them.He said Sri Lankans living here or abroad could be taken to task if they were found guilty of terrorist financing or money laundering. According to the new law, police will be vested with powers to seize the assets of such people without a judicial order and with regard to money laundering, if a person is found guilty of transferring money earned through illegal means (black money) to a foreign country, the police will have power to seize his or her local assets.“We found lacunas in the existing laws in the country when dealing with the present situation. Therefore, we sought UN assistance to amend them. They gave us necessary recommendations,” the minister said.United National Party (UNP) MP Ravi Karunanayake joining the debate on behalf of the opposition asked what happened to assets seized from LTTE’s chief arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP.“There were 19 ships and financial assets of about Rs.4,200 million. What happened to them? Today, the government is giving helicopter rides to KP. Yet, they have put the former army commander Sarath Fonseka, in jail. Is this justice?” he asked. SL team giving counsel in Pakistan to control dengue On the initiative of SL President Mahinda Rajapakse ,a 12 member team had been dispatched to Lahore , Pakistan to help in the dengue control measures in Pakistan. This team led by Dr. Hasitha Perera is to impart dengue control methods and measures meeting Doctors , nurses and social workers engaged in dengue treatment in Pakistan. In a communiqué issued by the SL Govt. it is stated that this is the first time , such a team has been sent by the Rajapakse regime to Pakistan in connection with dengue control .This Govt. action has been construed as the biggest joke of the century by one and all , for , in Lahore there had been only 9000 patients and only 9 died, whereas in SL , until August 2011, there had been 17710 patients and 126 have died of dengue .In Colombo district alone , 6950 dengue patients and 59 dengue deaths were reported and by 14th September 2011 , 585 dengue cases were reported in SL.In SL if somebody had escaped getting infected by dengue , it is because he is fortunate and thanks to his stars , and not because concerted efforts or medical action were taken to curb the dengue menace. Hence, if Pakistan had sought our medical team to control dengue , we can only sympathize with the patients there , as those who could not control dengue in their own country are trying to give treatment and counsel on dengue control to another country. Either Pakistan has gone mad or we who are witnessing these stupid happenings are mad. Australian HC Visits Jaffna Australian High Commissioner Her Excellency Cathy Clugan who was on a three day visit to Jaffna called on Commander Security Forces - Jaffna Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe on Monday (19) at his office in Palaly.Having received on her arrival to Headquarters SF-J, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe explained the visiting High Commissioner about prevailing security situation in Jaffna and multiple development programmes being carried out by the Sri Lankan government in the peninsula. Ms Cathy Clugan expressed her satisfaction about the welfare measures launched by the Army for Jaffna civilians. They also discussed some matters of bilateral interests during the meeting.She is scheduled to visit a few areas in Jaffna to get a first hand account on present development programmes during her stay.Australian Aid Agency (AusAID) is also funding a housing project for resettled civilians in Maruthankerny. Australian High Commissioner visits Kilinochchi Australia’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Kathy Klugman engaged in a field visit and attended a community gathering at the village of Kallaru in Kilinochchi to mark the completion of a housing recovery project yesterday.Senior staff members of the Australian High Commission, representatives of UN-HABITAT and senior Government officials accompanied the Australian High Commissioner on the field tour.The aim of the visit was to mark the completion of phase one of the Permanent Housing Recovery Project for the North of Sri Lanka.The project which is funded by the Australian Government and implemented by UN-HABITAT has supported over 3500 families to reconstruct or repair their damaged houses in the districts of Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi. Sri Lanka's half million mines will take a decade to clear Post-war Sri Lanka will need another decade to clear the half million landmines which lie buried under swathes of agricultural and forest land and around villages in the north of the island nation, the head of a demining group said.The country is in its third year of peace after government forces defeated the separatist Tamil Tigers in a civil war which lasted a quarter of a century, killing and injuring tens of thousands of people.But as people who fled the fighting return home to rebuild their lives, they still face the threat of anti-personnel mines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs) like bombs, rockets and hand grenades left behind by the Tamil Tigers and Sri Lankan army."Based on our current clearance rates, there are perhaps half a million landmines that need to be cleared," said Nigel Robinson, country head of the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD), which has cleared 60,000 mines since 2002."So it'll perhaps take 10 years for Sri Lanka to become fully mine-impact free, assuming the current capacity of de-miners can be maintained," he told AlertNet in an interview from a clearing in a minefield in the northwest district of Mannar.The FSD has 750 deminers clearing the mines, aided by other specialist groups. There are no official figures on exactly how many mines and UXOs were used during the war, although some reports suggest more than a million mines were planted during the 25 years. "EXTENSIVE USE" The Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor (LCMM) says the Sri Lankan government, which is not a signatory of the Landmine Ban Treaty, and the Tigers "made extensive use of landmines".These included belts of Pakistani-made P4 MK1 mines laid by the army and long defensive lines of mines and booby-traps manufactured by the separatists.The Tigers also left extensive "nuisance" mines in the north -- particularly in areas of intense fighting and often planted as its fighters retreated in the face of the army's advance.Fortunately, casualties have been low despite the high mine density in parts of the country. The LCMM says there were 38 injuries and deaths in 2009 compared to 78 in 2008."Casualties in Sri Lanka are relatively low compared to other places in the world, like Afghanistan where you have around 900 casualties per year," said Robinson, adding that most were due to people doing "high-risk" activities like burning undergrowth to clear their farmland.Mine risk awareness and the fact that the Tigers' homemade mines became less effective over time helped keep casualty figures low in the Indian Ocean island, he said."Now people have come back to their former communities, they're desperate to get back onto their land -- to grow crops and to produce income for their families," he said. "Landmines are a significant inhibitor to allow that process to happen." Sri Lanka: Intelligence Squared| by Gunadeera Rajakaruna Kapila Hendawitharane was not given an extension to serve the Army, for an additional two years as a Major General, after completion of his mandatory two (2) year period, as he was very heavily involved in embezzlement of Army Funds allocated as reward money to pay for the informants as reported by the Military intelligence once he served, by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as recommended by Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. But few months after his retirement Kapila was absorbed to the MOD ignoring his fast corrupt activities as an Intelligence Adviser to the Defence Secretary and later to become Gotabaya’s right hand man.When the 30 odd Army officer was under PTA custody, Kapila has asked the Senior Superintendents from the PTA and also from the CID to form false evidence to keep them in custody for another two years, but fortunately those officer has told the Army Officers that they knew there was no coup to topple the government.Retired Major General Kapila Hendawitharane is from Kaluwadumulla, Ambalangoda. He was an old student of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda where his brothers and sister also studied in a very friendly environment. A very good friend of mine who served in the Air Force told me that Kapila’s two elder brothers were his classmates and both were very friendly guys.Kapila got married to his childhood sweetheart from the same College, daughter of the former Vice Principle of Dharmasoka College and from Polwaththa. The other four sisters of Mrs. Kapila Hendawitharane are married to old students from Dharmasoka College and also from Ambalangoda. Kapila and his brothers and sister including the in-laws all were educated at Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda and known to many, old students of Dharmasoka College like the former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka and many other Army, Navy and Air Force Officers.According to his classmates, some of them served with him in the Army, he was a bright student and was very loyal to his friends, but at a later stage he changed his attitude to his old friends in the Army due to some unknown reasons and was trying to take revenge from many of them including General Sarath Fonseka. General Sarath Fonseka, Major General (Retd) Sunil De Silva, Major General (Retd) Sanath Karunarathna were Kapila’s contemporaries at the College as well as in the Army. He changed his attitudes to his friends and school mates after he start serving for the MOD, may be due his association with the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. It is very ironical how he was absorbed by to the MOD as a Intelligence Adviser to the DS after the same DS Gotabaya decline an extension for him to serve the Army for another two years.Kapila as a Brigadier served as the Chief of the Military Intelligence and was also responsible for the employment of Long Rangers. He was a very efficient man and collected information about the LTTE and established the Long Rangers to attack the LTTE in heir own back yard. But his greediness to money changes every thing for him, and he used to forge signatories of informant and collect the REWARD allocated to them for himself.But when the situation was getting a bit too tough he became very friendly with a former Army Commander and both of them played out millions of rupees from the reward fund. This fraudulent activities should have gone unnoticed, but with the changed of government and Ranil Wickramasinghe becoming the Prime Minister and another ambitious Police ASP Udugampola, falsely implicating the Long Rangers as a killer squad of Army guys trying to kill Ranil Kapila’s kingdom went in to pieces, Kapila should have gone on syphoning more funds form the reward account not for this change of government.Udugampola and Paskaralingam (advisor to Ranil) together supplied information to the LTTE about the Long Rangers and nearly 42 of them got killed and Kapila had two very narrow escapes from death squads of the LTTE..As the threat to his life was very high Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranayke the then President on the advice of the then Army Commander posted Kapila to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Thailand.Kapila’s place in the Military Intelligence was taken by another Major General and within a short period he discovered the fraudulent activities of Kapila, but kept on wraps, as the then Commander was also involved in that racket and the Army Commander was a very trusted friend of the then President Kumaratunga..Kapila while in Thailand was looking for KP aka Kumaran Pathmanadan, and became very friendly with his associates as KP was not in Thailand during that time. Kapila return to Sri Lanka after two years and was promoted as a Major General, but he was never given his old post back. Kapila served his two years and during this time General Fonseka took over as the Army Commander and was very busy in preparing the Army to fight the LTTE.After serving his 2 years as a Major General Kapila’s file came for a revive to grant him an extension. But unfortunately for him his old deeds were in his service file and the then Commander Sarath Fonseka wanted the President and the Secretary Defence to take a decision to give him an extension as they knew each other so well.Army Commander Fonseka met with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Senior Inelegance Adviser to the President and the Ministry of Defence, a retired Senior Army officer, who knew Kapila and the Army Commander well. At this meeting President and Defence Secretary Gotabaya refused to allow Kapila another extension and Kapila retired from the Army.After few months Kapila was absorbed to the MOD by Gotabaya Rajapaksa and start looking for evidence to get rid of the then Army Commander General Fonseka on Gotabaya’s instructions.He negotiated with KP and KP surrendered to the then D/HC in Malaysia another Major General, and was brought to Sri Lanka by Kapila in especially reserved Business Class accommodation of the Sri Lankan Air lines and taken to Gotabaya’s house for morning breakfast with Gotabaya Rajapaksa ..First time in the history a wanted murderer for mass murder was taken to meet the Defence Secretary to have breakfast and then to a palatial government accommodation for him to live the rest of his life with all the luxuries. LTTE sources are of the opinion Kapila was paid US $ I (One) million to arrange this surrender, and US $ 5 (five) million to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to keep KP in a safe environment, as KP was a wanted criminal by the CIA.and the American intelligence.Now Kapila has suddenly come across information that General Fonseka is to be assonated by the LTTE. It was known to even a private in the Army that General Fonseka was their main target for many years even during his time as the Commander of the Jaffna when he refused to hand over the HSZ to the LTTE under the CFA.It is a known fact that Kapila is very angry with General Fonseka thinking he was the man who got him out from the Army. But the senior former Army Officer who sat with the President and the Defence secretary thinks otherwise.Why should Kapila goes to Bogambara and instruct PTA and CID officer to look in to this assassination plot when the LTTE Chief KP is with them in Colombo and Pottu Amman’s pistol gang is working for the MOD. It is my personal view that Kapila is trying to look for ways to get rid of General Sarath Fonseka as instructed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as they know General Fonseka will be a very serious threat to them when he comes out from prison very soon.When the 30 odd Army officer was under PTA custody, Kapila has asked the Senior Superintendents from the PTA and also from the CID to form false evidence to keep them in custody for another two years, but fortunately those officer has told the Army Officers that they knew there was no coup to topple the government.Kapila may be trying to embezzle some more money saying that he got this information from some LTTE informants or trying a fast one to prove that he and Gotabaya is very worried about General Fonseka’s security.This is a conspiracy by Kapila with Gotabaya to harm General Fonseka as both of them are aware that their fabricated ’White Flag’ case with former AG Mohan Peiris and Frederica Janz from the Sunday Leader is now crumbling under international pressure to pieces.Will these two, Gotabaya and Kapila bring down the Rajapaksa government and the entire Rajapaksa dynasty for good? Courier made 37 trips to Singapore since March Over Rs. 80 mn foreign currency detection at BIA A person recently arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport, while trying to smuggle out Rs. 81,768,000 in foreign currency to Singapore, had been to the same destination on 37 occasions since March this year, a senior Customs investigator told The Island yesterday.The middle-aged suspect had admitted to having smuggled foreign currency on four occasions, though investigators believe he carried money on many more occasions.Responding to a query, another official said that the suspect had been a courier employed by an influential gang with possible links to the underworld. The official said that the gang had probably spent Rs. 100 mn in the black-market to acquire foreign currency worth Rs. 81,768,000 for illegal transfer.The suspect had denied any knowledge of the amount of funds he was carrying. Asked whether the suspect had inside help, sources said that those manning an X-ray machine at the entrance should have detected him. Although bundles of foreign currency had been neatly wrapped in carbon paper to avoid detection, the appearance of more than half a dozen black objects on the screen should have alerted security personnel, sources said. The Customs confiscated the money and imposed a Rs. 2.5 million fine, which was paid promptly. In spite of the severity of the offence, law enforcement authorities wouldn’t undertake any further investigation into the largest ever detection made at the BIA, sources said. 21 September 2011 Sri Lanka to shut down Vavuniya displacement camp One of the world’s largest displacement camps, that housed nearly 300,000 internally displaced people from the conflict with the LTTE, will soon be shut down, Sri Lankan defence ministry announced here on Monday.Preparations have begun to relocate those still at the Manik Farm camp in the northern district of Vavuniya on a 600 acre site elsewhere, the ministry said.“Accordingly, 7,394 IDPs (Internally Displaced People) of 2,097 families presently accommodated at Manik Farm relief village will be resettled in the village, and each family will be provided with 40 perch block of land and a semi-permanent house in Kombavil village enabling them to start their livelihood soon after the resettlement,” a statement said.Kombavil is an area in Puthukudyiruppu in the Mullaithivu district, which served as the LTTE’s military capital in their decades-old parallel State.The leftover 7,000 IDPs to be resettled in the Manik Farm are those who came from Puthukudyiruppu, where the demining of the areas is yet to be completed.The UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon visited the Manik Farm camp almost immediately after the military clashes ended in May 2009. Sri Lanka made steady progress in the resettlement of the IDPs despite the earlier criticism of slowness in the process.The resettlement process was particularly quickened since December 2009 when people were allowed to leave the camp.In the early days, the IDPs were not permitted leave the camps. Access to the camps by aid organisations, independent media, IDPs relatives and opposition politicians was heavily restricted or denied. IMF delays loan instalments The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has postponed the review of the country’s economic situation till December before releasing the ninth tranche of the US$ 2.9 billion stand-by facility which was scheduled to have been released in August, officials said yesterday.But informed sources said the IMF had withheld the tranche because of the dismal performance by state institutions and the government’s failure to properly manage the exchange rate. Responding to such speculation, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said the economy was on a sound footing, and it was the government which had asked for such a postponement so that the overall performance of the macro economy could be reviewed.“We preferred the economic situation to be evaluated in its entirety rather than doing it on a piecemeal manner,” he said and added that the Central Bank’s foreign reserves had risen to an all-time high of US $ 8.1 billion, and therefore the IMF tranche was not essential at this time. “Our economy has improved. We can sustain it with or without the IMF tranche. It is not a must at the moment,” he said.Senior Minister (Finance) Sarath Amunugama also said there was no such postponement in this regard. “The government only asked for a spacing of the review,” he said.A delegation led by Dr. Amunugama was to leave for Washington last evening to attend the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank summits. The delegation comprises Central Bank officials. The IMF had invited United National Party (UNP) MP Ravi Karunanayake to attend this meeting. However, he said he could not participate in it because he was occupied with political duties in view of the upcoming local council elections.The IMF approved this stand-by facility in July, 2009, on a request by the Sri Lankan government to resuscitate its economy in the post war period. The previous tranche was released in April, this year, and four more tranches were due. The reduction of the budget deficit, the curtailment of the state expenses and the containing of the cost of living and the management of the exchange rate were some of the conditions put forward by the IMF in this regard. Shavendra, Kohona take on Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) was challenged by Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona and Deputy Ambassador Major General Shavendra Silva when HRW raised concerns relating to the last phase of the conflict in Sri Lanka, Internally Displaced Persons, the rehabilitation of former Tamil Tiger combatants and the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). “They said that it has been a year since the LLRC submitted its interim recommendations and complained that they were still to see any of those recommendations being implemented,” Major General Shavendra Silva said. Deputy Ambassador Major General Silva added that the credibility of human rights organisations like HRW had to be questioned when they seemed to be only concerned about investigating the events that took place during the last few months of the conflict, while ignoring the reign of terror that the LTTE engaged in for 27 years.In response Dr. Kohona said that the suggestions that the interim recommendations were not implemented were palpably false. He explained the changes made to the law to enable death certificates to be issued within one year and the appointment of the Inter Ministerial Committee to deal with the implementation of the recommendations, including land issues. Deputy Ambassador Silva added that the lifting of the Emergency Regulations was the most recent example of the government complying with the interim recommendations of the LLRC. He expressed his disappointment at the reluctance of certain sections of the international community to appreciate the successes of the Sri Lankan government in addressing the immediate humanitarian needs of close to 300,000 IDP’s in less than 24 months with limited resources.The HRW suggested that the Report of the Secretary General’s Panel of Experts and the Channel 4 Documentary were sufficient to begin investigations. “With regard to the Channel 4 documentary, he said that the documentary produced by the Sri Lankan government “Lies Agreed Upon”, provides a comprehensive refutation of the claims made in the Channel 4 documentary which he suggested was a concoction of fabricated footage and unfounded allegations propagated by the LTTE media,” he said. The Ambassador explained that the LLRC was never established as a defensive measure but rather with a genuine commitment to look into all aspects of the conflict ‘Minister’ privileges saved Douglas from arrest Douglas Devananda, Sri Lankan Minister of Traditional Industries & Small Enterprise Development, cannot be arrested in India as he has diplomatic immunity; India's External Affairs Ministry told the Madras High Court in Chennai on Tuesday.Devananda, the leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), was declared as an absconding accused in connection with a 1986 murder case in Chennai. The Ministry told the court that if Devananda was arrested while on a state visit, it would affect the relations between the two countries and also India does not have an extradition treaty with Sri Lanka. Following the Ministry's submission, the court adjourned the case for four weeks. A local judge in June 1994 had issued a proclamation warrant against Douglas Devananda, treating him as an 'absconding accused' in the case relating to the killing of a city resident in 1986.During Devananda's visit to India in June 2010 with the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a lawyer filed a petition seeking his arrest.Devananda says he was pardoned according to the Indo-Sri Lanka agreement of 1987.The Minister has filed a petition at the Madras High Court to annul the local court proclamation declaring him as an absconding accused. US officials order President Rajapaksa not to visit any other states of the country President Mahinda Rajapaksa and other Lankan diplomats who are currently in United States to participate in the UN General Assembly was advised not to visit any other states of the country, English media reported.US officials made request in order to avoid war crime allegations charges against Lankan diplomats and also they said special diplomat security will be provided for the leaders when they were in New York city.Earlier president Rajapaksa is schedule to meet is relatives who are living in the various states of United States and also planed to under go for the medical examination however due to this order president has cancelled all his programs, English media reports. PMK opposes Indo-Sri Lankan Naval exercise Strongly criticising the ongoing joint Naval exercise by India and Sri Lanka, PMK today demanded that it be called off keeping in mind the 'sentiments' of people of Tamil Nadu that there should not be any ties with the island nation. "Sri Lankan Navy has always worked against the Indian interest. After the Katchatheevu agreement in 1974, so far 540 Indian fishermen have been killed by the Lankan Navy," PMK founder S Ramadoss alleged in a statement here. Claiming that there was an unanimous view in Tamil Nadu that there should not be any ties with Sri Lanka, he said Indian Navy working on joint exercises with Sri Lankan Navy was not a correct step, he said. "People of Tamil Nadu are feeling whether the joint exercise is a gift given by India to Sri Lanka for the killing of Tamil fishermen," Ramadoss said. The joint exercise began yesterday in the eastern seas off Trincomalee in Sri Lankan to enhance interoperability of the two navies. Is This How Wars Start? India and China Now Feud Over the South China Sea Last week, one of the world's most intractable disputes got even stickier. News leaked that the international-arm of India's state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) was in talks with the government of Vietnam over hydrocarbon exploration rights in the South China Sea. In most parts of the world this would seem a routine bi-lateral development between two countries driven by their dynamic economies. But the South China Sea, whose waters are claimed to varying degree by half a dozen countries and almost in full by China, is unlike any body of water in the world, and where an oil company may see opportunity, most others only see a swirling geo-political maelstrom.China and Vietnam have competing territorial claims to the sea and the archipelagoes — uninhabited spits of land and rock, for the most part — sitting at its heart. The long-running dispute flared alarmingly over the summer following confrontations between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels. Adding India to the mix — the only country in Asia that presents something of a challenge to Chinese primacy — can only exacerbate tensions. An editorial in the Chinese state-run Global Times, often a mouthpiece for more hawkish elements among the leadership in Beijing, sternly warned India against “pursuing this course of action.” The editorial went on: India should bear in mind that its actions in the South China Sea will push China to the limit. China cherishes the Sino-Indian friendship, but this does not mean China values it above all else… China has been peaceful for so long that some countries doubt whether it will stick to its stated bottom line. China should remind them of how clear this line really is. Invoking dusty imperial records and charts, both Beijing and Hanoi insist upon the “indisputable” nature of their maritime sovereignty. Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia also have overlapping claims. But, given the presence of a potentially vast cache of hydrocarbons below its depths and its strategic value as the main thoroughfare for some of the world's most important shipping lanes, it's not surprising that the South China Sea piques the interests of other powers further afield.Last year, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said resolving the disputes in the South China Sea and ensuring safe passage for international shipping was, for the Americans, a “leading diplomatic priority” — another way of saying that Washington reserves the right to intervene in those waters. India has stepped up its defense ties with Vietnam, winning access to naval ports while helping Hanoi ready a new fleet of submarines. Beijing has been somewhat spooked by such collaboration, not least because of Vietnam's proximity to Hainan, the island province where China's own rapidly modernizing nuclear submarine fleet is housed. According to reports that emerged only this past month, in late July, a Chinese ship attempted to intercept an Indian warship, the INS Airavat, off the Vietnamese coast. The Airavat was headed to the Vietnamese port of Haiphong on a routine mission. Earlier, a testy standoff between Chinese naval vessels and Vietnamese ships exploring for oil kicked off a summer of simmering tensions. India and China share a long, heavily militarized (and also disputed) land border across the spine of the Himalayas. But while differences there have been more or less frozen for decades across a glacial expanse, the threat of confrontations at sea may prove far more unpredictable. Gwynne Dyer, a veteran Asia hand, writes: You can attack a land border if you really want to, but it is a very big decision with incalculable consequences: a declaration of war, in effect. Even the most arrogant or paranoid governments will think long and hard before embarking on such an action, and generally they end up by deciding not to do it. Whereas at sea, you can easily drift into a serious military confrontation that neither side intended.And the possible scenarios for (inadvertent) Sino-Indian naval conflict will only mushroom over time. After all, India's tentative wading into the South China Sea follows a steady drum beat of Chinese projects across the Indian Ocean rim around India — what some have dubbed the “string of pearls.” According to some Indian strategists, China has set up naval facilities and listening posts from Burma to Pakistan, with a strategic, deep-sea port at Hambantota, Sri Lanka, in between.Therefore, writes Harsh Pant, an international affairs scholar at King's College, London, India should play the same game. He writes: India is right to forcefully reject Chinese claims of sovereignty over the entire South China Sea. It should now build credible strategic partnerships with other regional states to prevent a Chinese regional dominance that will undermine Indian and regional security interests. On one level, such thinking makes plenty of sense: as rising powers neither India nor China should compromise their own interests to placate the oft-illusory fears of the other. But, despite the strength of the two countries' economic ties and the paeans to their friendship that frequently emanate from both capitals, few doubt that the rise of India and China will lead to friction. Neighbors in a complicated region, they are bound to bump up against each other. And when the two nuclear-armed nations that comprise nearly a third of humanity do bump, the stakes will be high — and the fallout potentially incalculable. Land in Mulaitivu for 45 Sinhalese families Forty five Sinhalese families will receive land in Kokkalai, Mulaitivu, today (Sep. 20) Pradeshiya Sabha Secretary S. Dayananda has said.Speaking to media, he has said that this is the initial step towards settling down 87 Sinhalese families in the area.Earlier, measures were taken to settle down 87 Sinhalese families in the Muvanvara area in Mulaitivu. C4 explosives found in Jaffna bus The driver and conductor of a private bus traveling from Monaragala to Jaffna have been arrested after C4 explosives were found in the bus during search.Monaragala Police stated that 615g of C4 explosives were discovered near the driver’s seat in the bus which was inspected by police officers at a police check point in Monaragala.The apprehended suspects are to be produced at court today. 20 September 2011 Greens call for suspension of Sri Lanka from Commonwealth AUSTRALIA'S Greens will launch the first major challenge to Sri Lanka's Commonwealth membership today when the party calls for its suspension pending a full investigation into allegations of war crimes committed in the final months of the country's civil war.The campaign to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth kicks off tomorrow with a roundtable meeting of human rights activists and jurists involved in collecting evidence for an international war crimes probe to discuss ways of building popular support for the move.Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he would lobby for a boycott of the proposed Sri Lanka-hosted Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2013 unless it could prove significant progress on human rights. Australia hosts the next CHOGM in Perth late next month.Greens senator Lee Rhiannon said given the international momentum behind the push for a war crimes probe, she was hopeful of building bipartisan political support for Sri Lanka's suspension from the councils of the Commonwealth. "We will be looking at whether delegates of the Sri Lankan government may be refused a visa to visit Australia for CHOGM if it can be proved they do not meet the 'character test' and 'public criteria test'."Similar lobbying for Sri Lanka's suspension was occurring in Canada, she said.A Greens Senate motion in July calling for an investigation of war crimes allegations against the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers received unanimous support.International Commission of Jurists Australia member John Dowd -- a QC and former NSW attorney-general -- said the point of the campaign was to "stop the exoneration of Sri Lanka and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from the crimes that have occurred"."If Sri Lanka is used as a host, it ignores the fact that war crimes have been committed. The Commonwealth has to realise it can't keep being polite when one of its members is guilty of (such) crimes."The Sri Lankan government is inching closer to a possible international inquiry after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon referred a damning independent report on alleged human rights abuses and war crimes to the Human Rights Council.The report concluded the government was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians in a final offensive against Tamil separatists in 2009 after government troops shelled a declared "no-fire zone". Colombo has consistently denied the allegations. It also found the Tigers used civilians as human shields, shot those trying to flee LTTE-held territory and forcibly recruited child soldiers.Pakistan was suspended from the Commonwealth in 1999 following the military overthrow of the civilian government and again in 2007. Fiji was suspended in 2000 and again in 2006 after coups. Sri Lanka President arrives in New York to attend UN General Assembly Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa accompanied by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrived in New York Monday to attend the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.Dilan Ariyawansa, Director of the USA-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce and two children, Tiffani and Samadhi welcomed the President and First Lady.Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to The United Nations mission in New York Dr. Palitha Kohona, Deputy Ambassador Major General Shavendra Silva and the staff of the mission were also present. Tamil protesters ask for probe into war crimes allegations Tamils from across Europe demonstrated at the UN's European headquarters on Monday, calling for a probe into alleged war crimes committed by Sri Lanka at the end of the country's 2009 civil war. According to local police, around 1,000 protesters gathered in Geneva's iconic Place des Nations, to urge the Human Rights Council to investigate the killing of tens of thousands of civilians by Sri Lankan forces in the final push of the country's brutal war against separatist Tamils."We want an international independent investigation" into the war crimes allegations, Kandiah Rajamanoharan, who had travelled from London to Geneva for the day, told AFP.He added that the organisers were expecting between 5,000 to 10,000 demonstrators. “And we are all for the independence of our Tamil homeland," he added. Last week, UN leader Ban Ki-moon sent a report detailing similar allegations against Sri Lankan troops to the Human Rights Council, saying that he alone cannot order an inquiry into the killings but that a forum such as the UN's rights body could do so."We expect the United Nations to take up this issue," Rajamanoharan said.Another demonstrator, Nivethan Nanthakumar who is still in high school and travelled from northern Switzerland, added that "two years after (the end of the conflict) the international community is doing nothing.""We Tamils will not give up. We will fight for self determination, for freedom," he said. Sri Lanka clarifies fate of destroyed Muslim shrine Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has clarified earlier reports about the fate of a Muslim shrine destroyed by a crowd of Buddhist monks.The shrine in the town of Anuradhapura was demolished by the monks earlier this month.Mr Rajapaksa told the BBC he could not order the structure to be rebuilt, as was reported earlier.But he criticised the monks' action, which has been condemned by Muslim leaders and opposition figures.Some who attended a meeting on Monday between Muslim leaders and Mr Rajapaksa came away with the firm impression that he had ordered the rebuilding of the shrine.But Mr Rajapaksa said that he could only give protection for religious sites where it was sought, and that he was unable to order the shrine to be rebuilt.He said that issue should be discussed by Muslim and Buddhist leaders and taken to the religious affairs ministry.Asked what he thought of the destruction of the shrine, the defence secretary said no-one had consented to this act and that people should not take the law into their own hands or harm goodwill between communities. The monk who led the demolition said he did it because the Muslim shrine, reputed to be several hundred years old, was built on holy Buddhist land.He said he had persuaded the religious affairs ministry that it should be knocked down but he admitted pre-empting any government action.Local Muslim leaders have condemned those who attacked the shrine and an opposition politician in the area said the government should punish the perpetrators.There will be a series of local elections in several areas of Sri Lanka early next month including the capital, Colombo, which has a large Muslim population. Presidential House in Jaffna Fort from Dutch aid Netherlands aid to the value of 100 million rupees to renovate the old Dutch Fort in Jaffna is to have a President’s House inside for the use of Sri Lanka’s President, news sources in Jaffna said.The 100 million Rupee renovation programme of the Jaffna Dutch fort, in the name of ‘tourism development’, is shared 60:40 between The Netherlands and Sri Lanka governments. The new luxury President’s House will replace the ancient King’s House there was during British colonial period.The SL Buildings Department has undertaken the construction of this president’s house while the SL Archaeology Department is renovating the fort.Meanwhile, Northern Province Governor in Jaffna, Maj. Gen, Chandrasri has already built a Governor’s House in the British-laid Old Park in Jaffna at the cost of 100 million Rupees, after cutting down centuries old trees in the Old Park and disturbing the bird sanctuary there. Buddhist monk charged with raping girl in 1970s A Buddhist monk has been charged with raping an underage girl in the 1970s, the Metropolitan police has said. Pahalagama Somaratana Thera, chief incumbent of Thames Buddhist Vihara, Croydon, has been charged with four counts of sexual abuse, police said.The alleged rape and three counts of indecent assault occurred in Chiswick, west London, in 1977 and 1978.The 65-year-old from Dulverton Rd, Croydon, will appear on bail at Feltham Magistrates' Court on 23 September.There was no immediate response from Thames Buddhist Vihara, which is one of the major Sri Lankan Buddhist temples in London. Gota pledges to wipe-out underworld Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that the government would take all possible measures to eliminate underworld activities, extortion and other crimes that affect the smooth flow of businesses and society and sought the support of the business community to achieve this objective.He said that it was the responsibility of the government to ensure security and develop a friendly environment in Colombo, which is the commercial hub, to develop the country, while developing the other cities on par with Colombo.He made this observation at a discussion with tradesmen in Pettah, at the Defence Ministry auditorium, responding to questions raised by them. They gathered to put forward defence related issues to the Defence Secretary, that affected the smooth flow of businesses.The Defence Secretary further stated that during the past two years his ministry took measures with the Urban Development Authority and other related authorities to make Colombo an attractive city. He added that each day police officers are deployed and sent to the relevant places around 5 am to guarantee that the employees of garbage clearing agents report to work and the work is done properly.He stated that after the eradication of terrorism the people expect the country to be developed. He added that his ministry has made a massive transformation in Colombo attracting tourists and investors and the programme is still in progress. He also added that the business community should also support in removing shanties and keeping the city clean.Rajapaksa said that although the city is being cleaned up every hawker is given an opportunity to conduct his business. He added, in the same way, shanty dwellers are also given comfortable houses. For this 17,500 houses are being constructed. He added that each housing unit costs Rs 2.5 million, in addition to the value of the plot and the expenditure on the infrastructure facilities.During the discussion, the Defence Secretary directed the Police to attend to complaints made by the businessmen in Pettah. They brought to the notice of Defence Secretary that certain persons were demanding ransoms. A few houses were burgled in Wellawatta, imported goods in several containers have been robbed while they were transported to the container yards. The Defence Secretary directed DIG Anura Senanayake to deploy additional officers in those areas specially for that purpose.When businessmen complained that certain roads in Colombo have not been developed UPFA MP Thilanga Sumathipala stated that most of those areas were coming under the Colombo Municipal Council and stated that it was very important that the CMC comes under the government to solve all these issues. He also said in response to a question by another tradesman that the government is to spend Rs 17,000 million to repair the drainage systems that are more than 100 years old and it has not yet been fruitful as the CMC is not supporting the government’s initiative in this regard. Moulana wields axe at Mervin Western Province Governor and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) veteran Alavi Moulana warned today that Minister Mervyn Silva would face major problems if he tried to stop the animal sacrifices that will be performed by the Muslim community on the eve of the Haj festival.“If Minister Mervyn Silva who prevented the ritualistic animal sacrifice at a temple in Chilaw tries his antics on the Muslims who will sacrifice animals for Kurban, they will take to the streets in protest,” he said.He said people of other races were also ready to support Muslims on this issue.“Minister Silva by his antics is only playing into the hands of foreign powers trying to destabilise our country,” Mr. Moulana said.Meanwhile Minister Mervyn Silva told a meeting at Kelaniya that anyone who attempted to kill animals would have their hands chopped off. Split in Wimal’s NFF LTTE posters in IDP camps? ‘Tamils get nothing from this govt.’ PLOTE leader Dharmalingam Siddharthan accuses the government of not being prepared to grant any of the aspirations of the Tamil people.The PLOTE leader added that not just the Tamil parties, but also the Tamil people were aware of that hopelessness.Nevertheless, the TNA should not avoid having a dialogue with the government, he told ‘Sri Lanka Mirror.’The government will turn a boycott of talks by the Tamil party alliance into its favour, he said.Our Tamil site carries an audio of the full interview with the PLOTE leader. Permanency for Jaffna MC casual employees Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda instructed the Jaffna mayor and municipal commissioner to fill the 23 vacancies in the Jaffna Municipal Council with casual employees attached to it, on permanent basis.He said so at a meeting with Northern Province Workers Union representatives in Jaffna recently.He also instructed to issue uniforms to all labourers of the council. The minister agreed to provide labourers with 50 bicycles twice a year, from funds from the Maheshwary Foundation.The minister told the representatives that he was prepared to grant just demands.He highlighted the necessity for all workers to work together as a team, respecting each others’ views.The issue of sanitary facility as well as filling vacancies for doctors and nurses at hospitals in Velanai and Kayts were also discussed.Northern Province Governor Major General G A Chandrasiri instructed officials to recruit teachers for compulsory subjects on a contract basis and pay their salaries through the Provincial Council.The governor also promised to make available two buses for passenger transport in the islets.Road rehabilitation, electricity supply, livestock development, new housing schemes, fishing industry development, agricultural projects and solar powered water pumps provision were among the other topics discussed.Jaffna Mayor Yogeswary Patkunarajah, Local Government Northern Provincial Ministry Secretary Vijayalakshmi Ramesh and Deputy Mayor Ilango also participated. 19 September 2011 Civilian deaths increased monthly says US The US embassy in Colombo reported to the State Department that the average civilian death toll in the battle zone in Sri Lanka increased every month as fighting intensified.63 civilians a day on average were killed in inside and outside the war zone during the last stages of the war against the Tamil Tigers, according to the latest Wikileaks revelations.Quoting unpublished UN figures provided on 07 April 2009, Ambassador Robert Blake has reported on the same day that 4164 civilians were killed from 20 January to 06 April.Over 10,000 have sustained injuries during the same period, according to the cable sent to Washington.But the cable noted that UN did not intend to publish the estimated figures gathered through reliable sources. UN figures On April 7, the Sri Lankan military has launched an operation in "the thin 17 sq km coastal land strip at Mullaitivu" to free thousands of trapped civilians says the US embassy message.However, the announcement did not specify "whether it was occurring inside or adjacent the safe zone".While 33 people on average a day have been killed in the battle during January 2009, it says that the rate went up to 63 a day during February and March."The average wounded rate per day was 184 in January, 145 in February and 115 in March," said the cable revealed in the anti-secrecy website. Noting that UN estimates are based on sources such as Regional Directors of Health Services, Catholic clergy, the Assistant Government Agent and 213 national staff of international NGOs, Ambassador Blake says that the figures are the "credible minimum count of casualties in areas still under LTTE control." Forcible recruitment Since the declaration of the second safe zone along the Mullaitivu coast by the Sri Lankan government on 12 February, 2452 civilians were killed and nearly 5000 more sustained injuries, according to the cable.The Civilian Safety Zone (CSZ) was to "facilitate flow of humanitarian aid and medical supplies for the people stranded with LTTE," said the military."U.N. sources still in the safe zone report daily shelling of the safe zone as well as occasional aerial bombardment," the cable sent on 07 April 2009 noted.Quoting UN figures the cable says that 860 were killed and 3,339 injured in the original safe zone north of the A35 highway. "These figures include 23 children killed and 345 injured," it said.The cable also records a failed attempt by the catholic church to save children from being forcibly recruited.Quoting information given by the Bishop of Mannar Ambassador Blake says that the LTTE found out about nearly 400 children being sheltered in a church within the safe zone, "they broke into the church, apprehended them and forced them into service".The UN expert panel report which says it found credible allegations of war crimes by both the government troops and the LTTE has been handed over to the current session of UNHRC in Geneva by the UN secretary-general. Everyone wants united Sri Lanka under one Constitution: Joshi A Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation, which met senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Murli Manohar Joshi here, told him that “some concrete steps must be visible” soon in arriving at a political solution to the ethnic question.The talks between the Sri Lankan government and the TNA collapsed early last month, after the TNA insisted on a response to its discussion papers. The talks resumed on September 16, and a joint statement was put out. It said: “It was agreed at this meeting that the talks could continue on the basis of the Discussion Paper submitted by the TNA on 18th March 2011 along with earlier proposals, statements, and reports for Constitutional Reforms made public so as to agree on the principles that should form the basis of a political settlement to arrive at acceptable Constitutional arrangements soon.” Early resolution sought After meeting policymakers and politicians here, Dr. Joshi said he was left with the impression that everyone wanted an early resolution leading to a united Sri Lanka under one Constitution. “[The Sri Lankan] Government is proceeding in that direction.”Dr. Joshi articulated more or less the same line of the United Progressive Alliance-II government after listening first-hand to leaders here including Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne, Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris and TNA leader R. Sampanthan.“The principle of democracy of accepting every citizen as equal has to be kept in mind, and, all sections of society — including those in the northern parts — should be made to feel [they are] Sri Lankans [and are] equals. And all the assurances and the commitments should be implemented speedily… We in India desire and hope that Sri Lanka would remain united, free from violence, working under a Constitution and becoming a strong seat for preserving peace in this region,” he told the Indian press here in an interaction on Sunday.Asked why the BJP had of late begun talking about the Tamil issue, he said it was the duty of the party to raise issues of national interest and national well-being. “We are a responsible and constructive opposition.” Follow Buddha Dr. Joshi was here to deliver the Anagarika Dharmapala commemorative lecture at the Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka, on the occasion of the 147th birth anniversary of its founder, Anagarika Dharmapala.In the lecture, his message to Sri Lanka was that the country should follow the teachings of the Buddha and take the middle path. And that the government should work to create a society that was inclusive, democratic, peaceful, progressive and working towards the unity of the country. Is India – Sri Lanka joint naval exercise India’s design to counter China's influence in Lanka? India and Sri Lanka will hold a major joint naval combat exercise off Trincomalee from next week states Indian media. The exercise where large number of Indian navy personnel would participate is said to be held “as part of New Delhi's continuing intensive diplomatic and military engagement with Colombo.”According to Indian media the six-day exercise called "SLINEX", which kicks off on Monday, will see the two navies deploying at least four warships each. An official of eh Indian Defense Ministry had said this would be the largest naval exercise to be held in Sri Lankan waters.It is stated that India had provided arms and military training, coupled with intelligence sharing and `coordinated' naval patrolling to Sri Lankan forces even when the Sri Lankan forces were battling the LTTE and the present naval exercise has been primarily aimed to counter China's ever-growing strategic inroads into Sri Lanka. SL spurns Gaddafi ‘pronto’ Sri Lanka turned its back on its former ally, Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi on Friday and voted in favour of granting Libya's United Nations seat to the National Transitional Council (NTC) of the former rebels, who succeeded in ousting Gaddafi.On Friday, in the General Assembly, Sri Lanka voted along with 114 member states in favour of a resolution to accept the credentials of the National Transitional Council. Seventeen member states voted against the resolution while 15 abstained. The resolution would effectively recognize NTC as Libya's official representative to the UN.Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka voted against a motion presented by Angola on behalf of Libya's traditional allies of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which proposed to defer the acceptance of the credentials of the former Libyan rebels, who now control much of Libya.The motion was defeated, with 107 countries voting against it. G.L. Peiris leaves for New York External affairs minister Prof. G.L., Peiris left for New York today (Sept. 19).He will attend the foreign ministers’ meeting which will be a precursor to the 66th general assembly of the UN.President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to leave for the US early this week.He is due to address the UNGA on September 22.Mr. Rajapaksa is expected to meet with the leaders of several countries, including the US, on the sidelines of the UNGA. More than 1,500 Bodhi poojas are to be held throughout the country to bring blessings on Minister Mervyn Silva More than 1,500 Bodhi poojas are to be held throughout the country today to bring blessings on Minister Mervyn Silva after he was cursed for intervening in stopping a ritual of sacrificing animals at a Kovil in Chilaw.The main Bodhi Poojawa will be held at the Kelaniya temple today evening, but several other temples in the Gampaha district as well as the outstations too have organized poojas.Mr. Silva told Timesonline that he was aware that his supporters have organized Bodhi poojas to offset any curses brought upon him after he stopped the sacrifice of animals.“I am going to continue my campaign to stop this ritual of sacrificing animals in the country. I will be speaking to the other clergy as well”, he said.Meanwhile some 50 goats and cockbirds removed from the Badhakali Kovil last Tuesday remain in a private estate with the owners running into trouble in feeding the animals.The animals were due to be handed over to the trustee of the Kovil on Wednesday, but the event did not take place as the Trustees now claim since they have filed a complaint in the police, it was the duty of the police to act on it.Police remained silent when the animals were loaded into the tractors and removed away. Legal action against 880 LTTE suspects Legal action to be taken against 880 senior LTTE member’s connections with criminal activities, Divaina reports.International community pressures the government to release these suspects. However government announced that they were not in a position to listen the statement of international community.As a first step government has taken measures to file case against 270 senior LTTE members.Attorney General Department has taken steps to file case against these suspects. President at Cabinet meeting makes insinuations against Major General Shavendra Silva The President at the last Cabinet meeting had blamed that that those who are in the Sri Lanka Foreign missions are pursuing their personal agendas without the knowledge of the Foreign Ministry . He had added that these individuals are acting according to their own views and to achieve their personal goals. What discussions each of them has is not known to the SL foreign Minister or his Secretary , which is an absolute violation of the rules and regulations of the foreign diplomatic service.On the 10th , Lanka e news published an article of ‘Soldadu unnehe’ where we revealed that Major General Shavendra Silva the SL's deputy UN permanent representative in America has had discussions with Rudrakumaran , who is considered the leader of the present Eelam transnational Govt. ; and as Shavendra is in possession of a plethora of evidence and information against the Rajapakse regime , the latter has got cold feet and panic stricken.Meanwhile , Shavendra has contacted the media Institutions in SL which are his friends and requested their columnists on defense news to write supportive of him against the Lanka e news report and protect him. When these columnists have asked from Gotabaya whether to comply with Shavendra’s request , he has advised them not to. These columnists have then conveyed to Shavendra , ‘ Aney Sir, Defense Secretary told us not to safeguard you’ ‘Swiss Tamil Diaspora has unit of Sinhalese’ A unit comprising Sinhalese has been started in affiliation to the Tamil Diaspora in Switzerland, ‘Divaina’ reports.This unit is being led by a journalist, which the newspaper identifies as ‘Bombardier’ who had fled the island via Nepal.He is also behind the ‘white flag’ issue and is presently living at St. Gallen.‘Bombardier’ is being assisted by a man and his son staying at a welfare camp in Olten to run the unit, the newspaper adds. 18 September 2011 UK Sets Deadline For Sri Lanka The British government has set a deadline for Sri Lanka to show progress in addressing concerns of human rights violations committed during the war. British Foreign Secretary William Hague has told the British Foreign Affairs Committee that Sri Lanka has been told it needs to show progress by the end of this year or Britain will support the international community in revisiting all options available to press the Sri Lankan government to fulfil its obligations. The Foreign Affairs Committee had criticized the British Foreign office over its failure to press for the setting up of an international war crimes inquiry to investigate allegations of atrocities carried out by both sides in the Sri Lankan civil war. William Hague had late last week handed over a response to the concerns raised by the Committee. In his response, William Hague had said that the British government shares the view of the Committee that concrete action is necessary to deal with the “serious allegations” of breaches of international humanitarian and human rights law committed by both sides during the military conflict in Sri Lanka. The UN Panel of Experts Report and the Channel 4 documentary underline the imperative need for this, Hague said in his response, a copy of which was made available to the media by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office last week.William Hague added that the British government believes that the process of reconciliation between Sri Lanka’s communities has a greater chance of success if investigations are Sri Lankan-led rather than externally imposed.“Under international law it is the primary responsibility of the state concerned to investigate and, where necessary, prosecute credible allegations of violations of international humanitarian law. The Government of Sri Lanka has established a domestic process, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, which is due to produce its report in November. We share international concern about the credibility of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission process, but the Sri Lankan government has indicated that the Commission will consider the allegations contained in the Channel 4 documentary. We will consider all further options in light of the Commission’s conclusions and recommendations,” he said.The British Foreign Affairs Committee had commended Channel 4 for its documentary ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’, which showed horrific scenes of crimes carried out in 2009 and called on the UK Government to press for the setting up of an international war crimes inquiry to investigate allegations of atrocities carried out by both sides in the Sri Lankan civil war. Govt., TNA mum on future talks The government and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) were tightlipped on how talks between the two parties would progress in future.Both parties met for talks last Friday after a lapse of more than a month.Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told The Nation that he could not divulge any details apart from what has been mentioned at the joint statement issued after Friday’s meeting.The two parties agreed to continue talks with the next meeting scheduled for October 3.The TNA too did not divulge on how the discussions would continue in the future.The joint statement however said that both parties had decided to resume talks ‘on the basis of the Discussion Paper submitted by the TNA on March 18 along with earlier proposals, statements and reports for Constitutional Reforms made public so as to agree on the principles that should form the basis of a political settlement to arrive at acceptable Constitutional arrangements soon.’The talks hit a roadblock after its last meeting on August 4, when the TNA requested the government to respond to its proposals within a timeframe of two weeks.The TNA however stated that the timeframe was not important as long as the government responded to its proposals. The TNA met with the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake earlier last week.Blake had expressed his happiness on the agreement reached by both parties to recommence talks after a brief halt.“I was able to meet with both the TNA and with the government, and I think both of them are committed to this dialogue that will resume later this week. I think they would like to reach a resolution on the three lists and exactly what powers would be devolved to the provinces,” Blake had said at the press briefing on September 21. Govt. blasts UN chief The government has lashed out at UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for submitting, what it calls a deeply-flawed report of the UN panel on Sri Lanka, both to the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the President of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.The letter of protest accuses Ban of violating one of the basic protocols of diplomacy by not informing the government in advance of the submission. The move came as President Mahinda Rajapaksa leaves today to New York to attend the 66th session of the UN General Assembly. He is due to speak on Tuesday.He is also scheduled to meet heads of state and foreign ministers to brief them on international issues related to Sri Lanka before returning to the country. An External Affairs Ministry source said Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative Palitha Kohona was instructed to send a protest letter in the strongest terms possible critical of the Secretary-General for not providing the government with the traditional courtesy extended in such circumstances."We are disappointed with the decision to submit the report to Geneva," he said, pointing out that even the Sri Lanka Mission to the United Nations "was kept in the dark."He said Ban's action was extraordinary since he had publicly stated it was upto the international community to decide on the next step -- and not for the secretary-general to take a unilateral decision (which he did).The government has also challenged the manner in which the panel of experts was appointed and deemed it illegitimate under existing law and practice because it did not have the blessings of any one of the three key organs in the United Nations: the General Assembly, the Security Council or the Human Rights Council.A statement issued by the UN in New York last Tuesday said, "the Sri Lanka Government has been informed of the Secretary-General's decision to share the report with the Human Rights Council and the High Commissioner."But a ministry official said the Sri Lanka Mission was informed only after the report was transmitted to Geneva, not before. A spokesman for Ban said Tuesday that while the Secretary-General had given time to the Government of Sri Lanka to respond to the report, the Government had declined to do so, and instead produced its own reports on the situation in the north of Sri Lanka. These were being forwarded along with the panel of experts report. The statement also said the UN panel found credible allegations of serious violations committed by the Government, including killing of civilians through widespread shelling and the denial of humanitarian assistance.The credible allegations regarding the LTTE concerned numerous serious violations, including using civilians as a human buffer and killing civilians attempting to flee LTTE control. The panel chaired by Marzuki Darusman of Indonesia and comprising Yasmin Sooka of South Africa and Steven Ratner of the United States recommended that the Government respond to the allegations by initiating an effective accountability process beginning with genuine investigations.It had also recommended a review of the UN's actions regarding the implementation of its humanitarian and protection mandates during the war in Sri Lanka particularly in the last stages and its aftermath. In response to that recommendation, the Secretary-General has asked Saudi Arabia’s Thoraya Obaid, former Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), to conduct the review, which should begin soon, according to the statement. Dissapperances again on increase in Jaffna 26-year-old Puvanedra Shakthithara Sharma, an assistant priest at Nalloor temple has been reported missing since September 09. Puvenendra Sharma, who went to Jaffna city from his village Kalviyangkaadu failed to return, the family has complained at SL Human Rights Commission in Jaffna and with the SL Police in the city. In the meantime, the number of complaints on missing children is on the increase, officials of the SL Human Rights Commission in Jaffna said. A female student has been reported missing since September 10 from Naachchimaar Koayiladi. Human Rights activists in Jaffna and Vanni have urged the public to be on alert following the reports that strangers from South were abducting children from Vanni and Jaffna through A9 road. Meanwhile, a 6-year-old girl, who was reported missing during the festival at Nalloor on 25 August has been recovered at Irupaalai on 13 September, police sources in Jaffna said. LLRC report out before Nov.15 The Lessons Learnt and Reconcilliation Commission’s report that was to be released by November 15 could be out even earlier and its recommendations are expected to point towards several measures to be adopted in reconciliation as well as in ensuring that issues such as human rights are also addressed, political sources said.Meanwhile the stalled talks between the government and the Tamil National Alliance on devolution of power that were restarted earlier in the week and the government was keen to find a political solution agreed upon by both sides on the outcome of the talks, they also said.Senior Minister Prof Tissa Vitharana who also headed the former all party committee appointed to find a solution to the northern issue told The Nation yesterday that the government would be able to achieve a consensus on finding a political solution to the problem of the north and east by not only sharing power at the centre but also at the periphery. Addressing this issue as well as certain human rights concerns raised by some international forces with tangible measures adopted by the government would no doubt blunt the attacks on us, he said.“The international community was receptive to the efforts of the government at reconciliation and dialogue with the representatives of the Tamil minority. Some of the moves in the international arena were backed by certain pro-LTTE groups in the West but the government would not stall on seeking a political solution and I hope we will be able go ahead with the political processes in finding a solution,” Prof. Vitharana said.During the past week the government was much concerned about the attempts made at the UN Human Rights Council at Geneva but it did not succeed as the matter was not included in the agenda. Earlier in the week the visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Robert O’ Blake also expressed his satisfaction at the rehabilitation of about 8,000 former LTTE cadres and the resettlement of over 300,000 war displaced persons of the East. Prof. Vitharana also said that a majority within the government including members of the main constituent political party was supportive of the devolution of power to the north and east and that he was hopeful that these issues of concern would be solved within a shorter time than was anticipated earlier. Sri Lanka's dirty secret During the last gasps of Sri Lanka's long civil war, Lieutenant-General Jagath Dais held a briefing for journalists at a compound in Kilinochchi, a Tamil Tiger rebel stronghold that had fallen to government forces.Using a slide projector, the Sri Lanka Army commander gave a detailed accounting of the number of rebels and troops killed and injured in the fighting. But when asked how many civilians had died, he soured."No civilian casualties," he said. "Zero."Two years later, that claim is less credible than ever. While Sri Lanka continues to defend its wartime conduct, a mounting stack of independent reports have concluded that at least 10,000 died, many due to government shelling."It would be a mistake for Sri Lankans to gloss over the fact of these deaths; those who hope for a genuine peace and for the preservation of their democracy must eventually look full in the face at a violent past," Gordon Weiss wrote in The Cage: The Fight for Sri Lanka and the Last Days of the Tamil Tigers.As the United Nations spokesman in Colombo at the time, Mr. Weiss had a unique perch from which to observe the calamitous end of the war, and he has documented his account in a critically acclaimed nonfiction book.The book's version of what happened is hardly far-fetched. Mr. Weiss argues that a lot of civilians needlessly lost their lives during the final months of fighting and that the government bears its share of responsibility.For this, the 45-year-old Australian, who was in Toronto this week for a panel discussion hosted by Sri Lankans Without Borders, has been defamed as a rebel apologist by the government and its supporters.But he is hardly a voice in the wilderness. Investigations by the International Crisis Group, a panel of experts appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Amnesty International, among others, have come to the same stark conclusion.Witnesses to the bloodshed have been coming forward. Videos apparently showing troops executing captives have been broadcast by Britain's Channel 4. The UN Human Rights Council was asked this week to investigate allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.Prime Minister Stephen Harper took a stand last week when he said he supported an independent investigation. He also said he would not attend an upcoming Commonwealth meeting in Sri Lanka unless the country's human rights record improved."I think there is momentum building," Mr. Weiss said in an interview. "There have been some fairly momentous reports come out . a series of things that tended to argue that the position that was consistently held by the government of Sri Lanka - that nothing much happened at the end of the war - was an absurd one."A former journalist and humanitarian worker, Mr. Weiss had spent more than a decade in world hotspots, from Angola and Sudan to Bosnia and Kosovo, when he landed in Colombo in 2006 to help the UN get its message out."You have the first experience with Sri Lankans, it's a very friendly one, they're very smiley, and the resorts. There's a whole life that operates at that level," he said. "But dig a little deeper and learn a little bit about Sri Lanka and you realize it's a place that's got multiple tensions running at cross purposes to each other, and all taking place on this hothouse island."Days after he arrived, he got his first look at those tensions when a suicide bomber tried to assassinate the country's defence secretary. A ceasefire between the government and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels soon collapsed, and a "final war" began.Both sides thought they would emerge victorious but the Sri Lankan army soon pushed the outgunned rebels, who had initially controlled a third of the country, into an evershrinking enclave.Trapped in the fighting areas with them were some 300,000 civilians in a no-win situation. The rebels used them as human shields, shooting at those who tried to leave. And the military's use of artillery fire and air strikes caused heavy civilian casualties.By May 2009, the government forces had corralled the rebels on an isolated beach where the civilians had also fled. The army then moved in for the kill. Among the dead were the rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and his top commanders.Few mourned the rebel defeat. The Tigers were suicide bombers and assassins who armed children and sent them to frontlines. They also used Toronto, with its large Tamil-Canadian population, as a base for supporting the cause through extortive fundraising and weapons procurement.But questions about the government's methods have dogged Sri Lanka ever since. Outside agencies that examined the war said Sri Lankan forces had intentionally shelled civilians, hospitals and humanitarian operations, while silencing critics of the operation with abductions and disappearances.Mr. Weiss said he does not know how many civilians died in the final offensive but that a "reasonable guess" is that 10,000 to 40,000 remain unaccounted for. Amnesty says at least 10,000 died, while the ICG said tens of thousands were killed."By denying that its military operations resulted in tens of thousands of civilian deaths, and intimidating and threatening those who challenge that view, the government is effectively closing off the opportunity to open a serious national dialogue on the recent past and needs of the future," the UN panel wrote.The government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has so far dismissed calls for an independent inquiry. Instead it launched the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, which rights groups say is too flawed to be taken seriously."There is a propaganda war going on against Sri Lanka," said Karunarathna Paranawithana, the Sri Lankan Consul-General in Toronto, "so some individuals who work in some international agencies also have joined that." He said Mr. Weiss's book was factually wrong and that the author was not an "authentic observer with regard to the Sri Lankan conflict."In addition to its fact-finding commission, Sri Lanka has embarked on a program of economic development, as well as resettlement of those displaced by the war and rehabilitation of ex-combatants, many of whom were women and children."I think it is going in a positive direction," Mr. Weiss said. "Merely by virtue of the fact that peace has returned, that's brought huge benefits But it doesn't mean at the same time that there aren't important outstanding issues that need to be dealt with."Perhaps most glaring is that, more than two years after the war ended, the government has not yet proposed any meaningful reforms to address the grievances of minority Tamils that exploded into a quarter century of war."In one sense you could say that the initial grievances that gave rise to the insurgency in the first place are still there, they haven't gone away," he said. "They've not been dealt with and simply saying to people, 'Well, we're all one Sri Lanka now' is not a solution." Effectiveness of Gen Jagath Dias may have made him a particular target-BY Namini Wijedasa The Swiss government expressed serious concern to Sri Lanka about war crimes allegations against Gen. Jagath Dias, even making these the subject of demarches or formal protests lodged through diplomatic channels, an official document shows.“The allegations against Mr. Dias were part of demarches to Sri Lanka in spring and summer of 2011,” says the response of the Swiss ministry of foreign affairs to a parliamentary question.“They (demarches) were not limited solely to the case of Mr. Dias but included this the Federal Council does not intend to detail the measures that were or could be further taken, nor give any other comment.”Gen. Dias, who was posted in the German capital, Berlin, will return to Colombo in a week. The mission in Berlin is accredited to Switzerland and to the Vatican. Swiss media reported last week that he was being brought back “in response to accusations he was involved in war crimes”.Swissinfo, a company of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, cited the Swiss foreign ministry as confirming last month that it contacted Sri Lankan authorities regarding Gen. Dias. The Swiss news agency is quoted as reporting that diplomatic sources confirmed Dias’s recall to Colombo.Although the Ministry of External Affairs in Sri Lanka did not issue a statement, a spokesman said that Gen. Dias was returning at the end of his term. He was posted to Berlin on 18 September 2009, just months after the war was won. Political appointees under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s administration are usually given two-year contracts.Meanwhile, a spokesman for TRIAL—one of two organisations that in August filed a confidential complaint with Switzerland’s attorney general against Gen. Dias—said their representations were accepted.“We were notified that the federal prosecutor finds our complaint admissible and that he has jurisdiction over the case,” said Philip Grant, director of TRIAL, in a phone interview with LAKBIMAnEWS.The prosecutor will now decide whether to initiate a formal investigation or exercise other options available to him. This would naturally depend on whether Gen. Dias is directly implicated in the violations. If the case does proceed to court, Gen. Dias might become liable for arrest on Swiss soil. But this is, if at all, a long way off.“The attempt of our colleagues in Switzerland to search for clarification in court will take a longer time and will be highly difficult due to international law and to his protection by diplomatic immunity and the Vienna Convention on Diplomats,” said Ulrich Delius, Asia Desk, of Society for Threatened Peoples. STP is the other organisation that has sought legal action against Gen. Dias.“I don’t think that there was an imminent threat of a broad judicial procedure,” Delius explained. “It was more or less seen as a model case to get some clear judicial benchmarks in regard to diplomatic immunity and war crimes. But this certainly would take some time before a court would have to decide on the whole matter.”Nevertheless, these developments have had impact on the Swiss government’s thinking. According to NGOs that gave information on the case to the ministry of foreign affairs, officials took the matter “very seriously”. It became unacceptable to the government that Gen. Dias should continue to represent his country in Switzerland, sources maintained. “The ministry of foreign affairs was very clear that they would no longer deal with Mr. Dias,” one Geneva-based source said.This claim could not be independently verified but it is clear from the Swiss foreign ministry’s response to the parliamentary question that strong representations were made regarding Gen. Dias to the Sri Lankan government.Pro-LTTE Tamil diaspora groups are popularly thought to be the driving force behind action in several capitals against Sri Lankan officials and military officers. Grant denied that moves against Gen. Dias were supported by such lobbies.“We have no contact with Tamil organisations,” he insisted. “This is the work of legal NGOs. In fact, if we received information that any former LTTE fighters here have committed war crimes, we would have gone after them as well. Protecting civilians, whichever side they are on, is our focus.” Action against pro-LTTE groups, however, hasn’t been forthcoming from any quarter.Delius said that Colombo’s decision not to extend Gen. Dias’s mission to Germany beyond two years was “a diplomatic solution to a broadening crisis”. “Jagath Dias’s presence in Germany was certainly highly appreciated by the Sri Lankan Government,” he observed.“When he left Sri Lanka for Germany, Sri Lanka media reported that his mission would be to closely monitor the Tamil community in exile and to stop their activities,” Delius said. “We became aware that Jagath Dias was quite effective in pursuing this policy, which is beyond his mandate as diplomat and a clear violation of international law in regard to activities of diplomatic staff. It created an atmosphere of distrust and fear among leading Tamil and Sinhalese dissidents living in Germany.”“Even Sinhalese journalists living in exile in Berlin became afraid to participate in public meetings or press conferences due to the presence of Jagath Dias,” Delius claimed. “We have learned that regularly he participated in meetings and conferences with German security experts on questions of anti-terrorism, referring to his experience in Sri Lanka.Due to his presumed personal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity we were quite shocked about his stand as a diplomat of a ‘friendly country’ among German security people. “In the end, it might have been this effectiveness that made Gen. Dias a particular target. Questions sent by Josef Lang to Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs In June 2011, National Councillor (Swiss equivalent of MP) Josef Lang asked several questions from the Swiss ministry of foreign affairs on allegations against Gen. Jagath Dias. The ministry replied him on 30 August. Below are excerpts of the questions and answer, translated from French: Jagath Dias, Sri Lanka’s deputy ambassador in Berlin for Switzerland, Germany and the Vatican and a former general of the Sri Lankan army, is strongly suspected of having committed war crimes while he commanded the 57th Division of the Sri Lanka army. The Federal Council is requested to answer the following questions: -Why did the Swiss government accept Jagath Dias as an employee of the Embassy of Sri Lanka when there were already serious presumptions of war crimes against him in 2009, the year that he was accredited? –What concrete measures will the Federal Council take on this dossier? -What future measures are proposed to improve the screening process of diplomatic personnel so as to prevent Switzerland from accepting alleged war criminals as diplomats in future? Reply of the Federal Council, given on 31 August 2011 When a state nominates a member to its diplomatic mission in Switzerland, the DFAE (foreign ministry) requests and evaluates credentials in a confidential manner. Where a head of mission is concerned, this is a compulsory part of the formal procedure which starts with the request for accreditation and ends with the presenting of credentials. In the case of other diplomats, the procedure is simplified but examination could be as detailed depending on the case.The Federal Council feels that the existing framework for examination is sufficiently flexible and efficient to meet the objectives mentioned. The Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations allows Switzerland, at all times and without having to justify its decision, to inform a sending state that the head or all other diplomatic personnel of a mission are persona non grata or that all other personnel of a mission are unacceptable. It is consistent international practice that states, whenever they use this discretionary power, respect confidentiality.Doing so preserves the right to take decisions without having to justify them, even indirectly; it equally limits the risk of an escalation of measures and counter measures on the part of the state concerned; finally, it preserves the rights of the accused person who has no legal recourse against a sovereign decision of the receiving state.One reason that could cause the rejection of a diplomatic designation or a termination of his functions is implication in criminal acts provided that the involvement of this diplomat is sufficiently proven. In such a case, a sending state could decide to recall its representative. Equally, Switzerland could decide to declare the person concerned persona non grata or undesirable.In the spring of 2011, an important report of UN experts was published that set out grave violations of international humanitarian law during the internal armed conflict in Sri Lanka; this report says Mr. Dias as commander of the 57th Division of the Sri Lanka Army actively participated in the final battle against the LTTE at the beginning of 2009, without directly implicating him in these violations. In spring of 2011, several NGOs publicly issued serious accusations against Mr. Dias.In such cases, the DFAE examines the facts and, on this basis, determines if there are grounds to take measures; this is done in giving a hearing to all concerned parties.The accusations made against Mr. Dias fall within the ambit of the general situation in Sri Lanka, where Switzerland is supporting respect for international humanitarian law, reconciliation and action against impunity. The Swiss representative before the UN Security Council on 10 May 2011 underlined the importance of the panel of experts report on Sri Lanka mandated by the UN secretary-general.At the opening of the last session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 30 May 2011, the Swiss representative declared that it was important for allegations of violations committed by the parties to the conflict to be investigated in order to ensure justice; Switzerland views the fight against impunity as an essential condition to guarantee durable peace and prevent future violations.The allegations against Mr. Dias were part of demarches to Sri Lanka in spring and summer of 2011. They were not limited solely to the case of Mr. Dias but included this the Federal Council does not intend to detail the measures that were or could be further taken, nor give any other comment. 17 September 2011 Amnesty slams LLRC Amnesty International has slammed the method of inquiry conducted by the Sri Lankan government into the civil war as it was “fundamentally flawed and provides no accountability for atrocities”.The report of the Amnesty International -- When will they get justice? “exposed the shortcomings” of the inquiry commission -- the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), appointed by the Mahinda Rajapakse government in May 2010, it said.The LLRC had failed to properly pursue allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity levelled against both government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).Amnesty’s Asia-Pacific Director Sam Zarifi said in its website: “The Sri Lankan government has, for almost two years, used the LLRC as its trump card in lobbying against an independent international investigation. Officials described it as a credible accountability mechanism, able to deliver justice and promote reconciliation. In reality it's flawed at every level: in mandate, composition and practice.” LLRC’s mandate fell far short of international standards for such inquiries.An analysis by the Amnesty International of the LLRC's publicly available transcripts found it failed to appropriately investigate credible allegations of systematic violations by both sides to the conflict, including illegal killings and enforced disappearances, widespread shelling of civilian targets such as hospitals, and use of civilians as shields.Interestingly LLRC’s commissioners include former Sri Lankan government officials who had publicly defended Colombo against allegations of war crimes, it said.The report said during LLRC's first field visit, the panel's Chairman made no mention of human rights abuses, telling witnesses to “forget the past”. Instead, he asked them to tell the Commission about any problems accessing education, medical care and housing.The Commission ignored crucial questions about the role of government forces in war crimes and crimes against humanity.The LLRC’s interim report in September 2010 did not contain any recommendations aimed at achieving accountability for the past human rights abuses. The final report is expected in November 2011, the human rights body added. Watchdogs Push Hard for War Crimes Probe in Sri Lanka By Pam Johnson Despite months of frustrated efforts to secure a full and impartial investigation into possible laws-of-war violations during the last phase of Sri Lanka's civil war, which ended in 2009, leading human rights advocates in the U.S. launched a fresh charge on the island nation's government this week, vowing that, "If the Sri Lankan government won't provide justice for victims, the international community will."The push was sparked by a diplomatic spat at the 18th annual session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which opened in Geneva on Monday, when Navanethem Pillay, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, urged Sri Lankan authorities to conduct a full review of its security apparatus. "The counter measures adopted by various countries to combat terrorism have frequently been designed with insufficient regard to human rights," Pillay said in her opening remarks, stressing, "This has all too often led to an erosion of rights and fostered a culture of diffidence and discrimination, which in turn, perpetuates cycles of violence and retribution. Sri Lanka is one such case." Pillay's comments added to the international call for post-conflict truth and justice in Sri Lanka, which has been growing since May 2009 when government forces finally crushed the armies of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a minority separatist group that had been fighting for the self-determination of Tamils in the Sinhala- Buddhist-governed country since 1983. While much of the world, and indeed a majority of Sri Lankans themselves, hailed the end of the 30-year-long civil war as a great "victory against terrorism", subsequent reports from aid workers, U.N. officials, war survivors and journalists about possible war crimes and immense human rights abuses by both the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) and the LTTE began to sketch a different, darker view of what the government had hitherto declared to be an almost bloodless humanitarian operation in the formerly rebel-controlled North East. In May 2010, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commissioned a three- member Panel of Experts to examine a possible accountability process in Sri Lanka after President Mahinda Rajapaksa failed to investigate the allegations himself. After reviewing extensive documentation by U.N. organisations, satellite images, photographs, video materials and testimony from survivors, the panel's report, published on Apr. 25, concluded that both armies conducted military operations "with flagrant disregard for the protection, rights, welfare and lives of civilians and failed to respect the norms of international law." The report also stressed that tens of thousands of civilians likely perished between January and May 2009, a large majority at the hands of government shelling, particularly in the declared "No Fire Zones". "When a U.N. Panel of Experts report concludes up to 40,000 civilians died amid war crimes, the Human Rights Council should feel compelled to act," Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said Tuesday. "The council should order a full international investigation – anything less would be a shameful abdication of responsibility," he added. Last year the Sri Lankan government rejected the U.N. panel's findings, calling the report, "illegal, biased, baseless and unilateral". Responding to Pillay's comments this week, Tamara Kunanayakam, ambassador and permanent representative of Sri Lanka, dismissed the allegations as "wholly misplaced" adding, "the community of nations was well aware that Sri Lanka was combating one of the most ruthless terrorist organisations in the world." Requests for comment from the Sri Lankan embassy in Washington were not answered before deadline. But both Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued statements this week pushing strongly for the UNHRC to consider the report and implement its recommendations. "That means the majority of members of the council will need to support this effort, so civil society needs to lobby strategic countries to stand up for accountability and justice, just as they have done recently in Libya, Syria and other places," Elaine Pearson, deputy director of the Asia division at HRW, told IPS. "Given that the international community did not act to prevent [countless] deaths in [Sri Lanka during the war], it's the least that they can do now to order an international inquiry," she said. "The failure to hold abusers accountable has an effect on lasting peace – it just reinforces a culture of impunity that encourages future abuses. We've seen this happen in many places – Afghanistan and Congo are some examples," Pearson told IPS. "So the 'fragile peace' in Sri Lanka may be short-lived, if the legitimate grievances of Tamils are not addressed and there is no accountability for the litany of alleged war crimes committed during the final stages of the war." Sharon Singh, the media relations director for AIUSA, told IPS, "Sri Lanka has a long history of establishing national commissions of inquiry aimed at justice and reconciliation which have all, in practice, failed to deliver justice, truth and full reparations to victims of human rights violations." "Instead, Amnesty International has documented persistent patterns of abuse and a history of impunity that has persisted for decades. Even today, new reports of abductions, enforced disappearances and killings in northern Sri Lanka keep emerging – crimes which are evidently condoned by Sri Lanka's refusal to investigate past crimes," she said. "The government is handling [this situation] by silencing the media and civil society," Pearson told IPS. "The courts and opposition political parties are all under increasing pressure. Dissent has been so effectively silenced that people now whisper their complaints. In the long term, the lack of accountability can create an atmosphere of distrust and revenge that can later be manipulated by leaders seeking to foment violence for their own political ends," she added. Dutch court to screen Channel 4 video on Sri Lanka The Hague: A domestic Dutch criminal court, trying five Sri Lankan Tamils for supporting Sri Lanka's defeated Tamil Tiger terrorist organization LTTE, is to screen Britain's Channel 4 documentary "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields" on a request made by the defence counsel.According to Radio Netherlands (RNW), the defence counsel Victor Koppe has asked the Judge Van Rossum of the criminal court in The Hague to screen the documentary describing the documentary as being an "important source of information on the conflict."The court is to view the film today, Radio Netherlands said.Sri Lankan Ambassador in the Netherlands, Buddhi Athauda has said that the planned screening is unfair since the video is unauthentic."They play the emotional card in a legal case. And the video is a fraud, it's a PR clip from the LTTE, it's wrong... we intend to make a formal request not to show the video in court," RNW quoted the Ambassador.RNW says when it asked the court whether it will also screen the" Lies Agreed Upon", the documentary the Sri Lankan government released as a rebuttal to the Channel 4 film, the Dutch prosecution in the current case seemed unprepared and undecided.The unauthenticated documentary, Channel 4 first aired in Britain in June this year, shows men clad in military uniform killing naked unarmed men and alleges that Sri Lankan troops committed war crime during last phase of the war against the Tiger terrorists.The Sri Lankan government has strongly rejected the video saying that it is fabricated and meant to incite racial hatred and derail the ongoing reconciliation process.Based on the Channel 4 video and the recent UN Expert Panel report on the last stage of Sri Lanka's war Western governments and right organizations are mounting pressure on the Sri Lankan government to address allegations that its military committed war crimes.The Sri Lankan government rejects both the UN report and the Channel 4 video saying that the evidence gathered in both are unverified information provided by LTTE supporters. Captain Vitharnage staunch supporter of Fonseka arrested by the CCD and remanded until 23rd The house at Ratmalana of Dayan Vitharnage , the disabled Army Captain who is the Coordinating Secretary of Jayantha Kategoda , a staunch supporter of Gen. Sarath Fonseka was surrounded by a group in the middle of the night yesterday ,who called themselves as from the police. When Vitharnage was being threatened by this group, he had gone along with Jayantha Ketagoda and a team of Lawyers and surrendered to the CCD. Later he was produced before the Slave Island Fort magistrate Ms. Lanka Jayaratne , and remanded until the 23rd in order to conduct an identification parade . The CCD officers had told court that when Gen. Fonseka was being brought to Hospital , the disabled Captain had attacked the prison officers and had obstructed them in the performance of their duties. The team of Lawyers, Manjula Pathiraja, Namal Rajapakse and Jayantha Dias who appeared for Vitharnage told court this is a false allegation , and questioned how is it possible for a permanently disabled Captain to launch assault on the prison officers ? This morning the disabled Captain’s wife recorded a statement at the Galkissa police, and she was then asked to record a statement in the CCD Headquarters ,Colombo. Captain Vitharane contested the Kalutara district last elections under Gen. Fonseka’s party . He had relentlessly supported the campaign for Fonseka’s release and he became permanently disabled because of the war .Recently , when he was taken to meet Fonseka in the Hospital , the CCD , Colombo made attempts to arrest him on the false charge that he obstructed the police in the performance of their duties and that he assaulted a police officer causing injuries.. Prior to this , the police has threatened him saying : ‘ your other leg also will be broken. We will take you into custody somehow even by falsely charging you for possession of bomb’.Early morning at about 1.30 today , a group calling themselves as from the police had laid siege to his house at Borupana , Ratmalana and claimed that they have a court warrant. They have begun threatening the inmates of the house that if they don’t open the door they will shoot. At that moment there had been only two women , 35 and 38 years old in the house . It is to be noted that while Vitharane had filed a motion in court adducing reasons yesterday noon, that the police had conducted themselves this violently. S. Africa keen to start direct air links, invest in N&E fishery The unrealised trade potential between South Africa and Sri Lanka is exciting and shows ‘the possibility to take bilateral trade between the two countries into a new level.’ Both countries should commence exchanging business level delegations with each other too, agreed both South Africa and Sri Lanka in Colombo recently.The mutual understanding emerged when Geoff Doidge, High Commissioner of South Africa in Colombo, made a courtesy call on Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry & Commerce in Colombo.As an initial step to reinvigorate bilateral trade, Sri Lanka has invited South African business and industry delegations to the mega export exhibition Sri Lanka EXPO 2012, organized by the EDB to be held from 28th to 30th of March, 2012.Minister Bathiudeen also discussed Sri Lanka’s participation in the next SAITEX (South African International Trade Exhibition). Sri Lanka already took part in SAITEX 2010, held from 25 – 27 in July last year in Johannesburg, and Sri Lanka Road Show in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.South Africa is the most important trading partner for Sri Lanka in the Southern African region and South Africa is also considered as the biggest export market for Sri Lanka in the South African region. There is a favourable trade balance of 2.4 Mn for Sri Lanka in 2010. Total exports from Sri Lanka to South Africa has increased over the past 8 years from US $ 10.41 Mn in 2002 to US $ 15.6 Mn in the year 2009 recoding a significant increase of 50%.In 2010 Sri Lanka’s exports to South Africa has increased by 33.5% to US $ 20.8 Mn. As for imports, in 2002, imports from South Africa stood at US $ 29.72 million while in 2010 it fell to $ 17.90 million, reporting a positive favourable balance for Sri Lanka.“Among South Africa’s exports are diamonds, gold, metals & minerals, sugar, fruits, and corn. South Africa can invest in Sri Lanka with a view to benefitting from Sri Lanka’s FTAs with India and Pakistan and also our regional trade agreements SAFTA and APTA, South Africa can use Sri Lanka as a manufacturing base to reach the Asian region” Minister Bathiudeen revealed. “South Africa wants to establish direct air links with Sri Lanka and we shall most welcome a direct airlift agreement to this end” responded H.E Geoff Doidge to Minister Bathiudeen. “We also like to see a coordinated single window mechanism consisting of the EDB, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Sri Lanka Customs etc for South Africa to interact with as a single point of contact” Geoff Doidge said. Revealing South Africa’s investment priorities in the country, Geoff Doidge said: “South Africa can introduce its well- known west coast fishing industry Companies to fishery industry in the North and East. We are also willing to invest in the gem and jewellery sector, fruit and juice processing, and tourism. South Africa being a top gold and diamond producer in the world, our potential investments, in Sri Lanka on gem and jewelley, if made, can go long way to bolster Sri Lanka’s gem and jewellery sector. Also with more than $ 10000 per capita income (on PPP), SA itself is a ready and a strong market for Sri Lankan gems.” Doidge added that Sri Lanka can also use South Africa as a base to access other African markets. 16 September 2011 Govt. invites TNA to resume talks -Did Blake exert pressure? TNA M .P. Suresh Premachandran speaking to Lanka e news said, the Govt. has invited the TNA to resume discussions with the Govt. Earlier, the discussions between them ended abruptly. The Govt. has made this invitation after US Assist.State Secretary Blake’s visit to SL. However the TNA has still not taken a decision over it, he added. Blake announced yesterday that it was a good sign that the opposition and the Govt. of SL are to jointly work towards formulating a solution via discussions. Prior to this , he had discussions with the TNA.The last discussions between the TNA and the Govt. took place on August 4th. On that occasion the TNA refused to hold further discussions until the Govt. made its stance clear in regard to the following three matters 1.Govt. ought to clarify its structure 2.Clearly define the line of demarcation between the Provincial councils and the Central Govt. 3.Define clearly the devolution of powers relating to finance and lands. If a clarification is not furnished within ten days, the TNA rejects any decision to hold discussions any further , TNA informed. Human rights in Indian subcontinent debate The UK should give every opportunity to Sri Lanka to help them create a united country, a Conservative MP has said.As MPs debated human rights in the Indian subcontinent, Brian Binley said the Sri Lankan government was coming to terms with the consequences of "very considerable strife and conflict", and that it was trying to make advances in addressing human rights abuses.But MPs from both sides of the House expressed concern at the way Sri Lanka had conducted itself since the end of the conflict almost two years ago when the government declared victory.Mr Binley, secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Sri Lanka, told MPs on 15 September 2011 that the country needed a chance to heal, warning that this would not happen in an "atmosphere of hiatus and emotive external interventions".He said: "They are trying to address the alleged crimes and human rights abuses, they are trying to provide a credible process for overcoming the issues facing internally displaced people and they are trying to achieve a sustainable political settlement.""I hope that succeeds as we must all do," he said. "But I equally hope the independent inquiry [into violation of human rights laws] will take place because it will put to rest some of the propaganda that is actually hindering progress in that nation."The UN has released a report on the last months of Sri Lanka's decades-long war with Tamil Tiger rebels, accusing both sides of actions which it says led to the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians.After a 10-month investigation, it concluded that "most civilian casualties in the final phases of the war were caused by government shelling".Sri Lanka has rejected the report as biased and fraudulent, and is conducting its own inquiry.Winding up the debate, Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said allegations of war crimes and human rights violations committed by both sides in the conflict "are of great concern to us".Sri Lanka has begun to address some of these issues but progress has not be completed everywhere, he said, adding that further action was needed to make peace sustainable. MR: Diplomats breach protocol President Mahinda Rajapaksa informed Cabinet last evening that heads of diplomatic missions breach protocol by meeting various departmental heads and directors, bypassing the subject ministers, to canvass for various projects.President Rajapaksa instructed External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris to tell those diplomats not to breach protocol in this manner. The president said there were instances when the subject ministers and ministry secretaries were totally unaware of such canvassing by diplomats of department heads and other top officials. He further noted that the diplomats who were guilty of such breaches of protocol were often those who represented countries that faulted Sri Lanka on good governance issues.The president said that countries such as China never resorted to such tactics.“China never tries to pinpoint Sri Lanka on good governance issues either,” he said. Fears for British Tamil held for four years in Sri Lanka The British government and a legal charity have expressed concerns about the plight of an ill British Tamil who has been held in Sri Lanka for almost four-and-a-half years without charge or trial under controversial anti-terror legislation.Viswalingam Gopithas, a father of two from south London, was arrested in Colombo in April 2007 on suspicion of seeking to provide support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).The 41-year-old shopowner denies the that he was trying to supply the LTTE with night vision equipment, and says he was in fact bringing mobile phones and global positioning systems back to the UK to be used in a friend's minicab business.Gopithas also points out that he never brought the equipment into Sri Lanka – leaving it bonded at customs in the airport while he visited his family – and that in any case, it was not prohibited material at the time.Shortly before he was due to return to the UK, he went back to customs to check that his packages would be ready for him to take home. It was then that he was arrested by officers attached to the terrorist investigation department, where he was held for almost a month.After being made to sign a statement in Sinhalese – a language he does not understand – he spent a year-and-a-half in police custody. He was then moved to the New Magazine prison in Colombo, where he has been held for three years without charge or trial.Gopithas is understood to be the only British national held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which has been criticised for its provisions allowing people to be held indefinitely without trial. Its continuing use has come under renewed scrutiny since the end of Sri Lanka's 26-year civil war in 2009 and the defeat of the Tamil Tigers.Gopithas, who had a stroke in 2007 and suffers from heart problems and high blood pressure, says that conditions in the overcrowded prison are affecting his health and that he is not getting proper access to medical treatment. "He sleeps on a concrete floor with no mattress and there's no ventilation or fans or anything," a relative told the Guardian. "Sanitation-wise, it's full of cockroaches and bedbugs and a lot of things. It's not a sanitary place. They have to queue for the toilets: there are two toilets for 80-100 people."Gopithas has also told his family that he would rather die than face indefinite detention as he knows he is not the only one suffering. "He says it would be better if he died or if they shot him because it would stop his suffering and the family's suffering," said another relative. "He says everyone's suffering because of him, including his father, who's 80 years old and comes every day to bring his food."The Foreign Office says it has pressed the Sri Lankan authorities to expedite their investigation since 2007 and would continue to do so, adding that Gopithas was receiving regular consular visits.A spokesman said: "FCO minister Alistair Burt raised Mr Gopithas's continued detention without charge with the Sri Lankan foreign minister, [G L] Peiris in June this year … [and] more broadly, the UK has regularly expressed its concern about legislation in Sri Lanka that allows for prolonged detention without charge."The Guardian also understands that there is frustration within the British government that Gopithas has neither been tried nor released. A debate on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka will be held Thursday afternoon.The charity Fair Trials International has filed an application before the UN human rights committee challenging Gopithas's indefinite detention under the PTA, and asked the British government to raise the matter with Colombo."The Sri Lankan conflict ended years ago but thousands of people, including Mr Gopithas, still languish under so-called 'emergency laws' with no trial and no end date to their detention," said Jago Russell, the charity's chief executive."British authorities must pressure the Sri Lankan authorities to either try Mr Gopithas fairly or put an end to his arbitrary detention, and allow him to return home to his wife and two young daughters in London."Lee Scott, the Conservative MP for Ilford North and chair of the all-party parliamentary group for Tamils, said it was time Gopithas's case was dealt with. "I have called for a fair trial with full evidence to be brought forward," he said. "After this length of time this should now be resolved urgently and fairly."Father S J Emmanuel, president of the Global Tamil Forum, said: "Whilst we welcome the withdrawal of the emergency laws, we are even more concerned about the current trend in which suppressive laws such as the PTA and the most recent law are being legislated. Previously, emergency rule extensions had to be passed through parliament on a monthly basis, however by legislating these same kinds of laws, the government is avoiding all checks and balances." Muslim shrine destroyed in Anuradhapura A group of Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka led a crowd that demolished a Muslim shrine last week, the BBC has learned.This incident took place on Saturday in Anuradhapura, an ancient Buddhist city and Unesco world heritage site.The monk who led the group told the BBC he did it because the shrine was on land that was given to Sinhalese Buddhists 2,000 years ago.But a prominent Muslim in the area said he was very sad and the sentiment was shared by many Sinhalese too.A Sri Lankan news website showed photographs of a crowd including monks apparently reducing a small structure to a pile of rubble.The mob waved Buddhist flags and – in one picture – burnt a green Muslim flag.There have been no other reports of what happened.But the BBC has spoken to the monk, Amatha Dhamma Thero, who admits masterminding the demolition of the Muslim shrine.He said he arranged a gathering of 100 or so monks, including some from other Asian countries, to take action because – he alleged – local Muslims were trying to convert the shrine into a mosque despite new constructions being illegal on this site with its many Buddhist temples.He said local government officials arrived and said they would remove the shrine within three days, but the crowd said “we cannot wait” and proceeded to tear down the structure. The demolition has been denounced by a local senior Muslim and a local Sinhalese politician.‘Concerned’The Muslim, Abdul Razack, denied that a mosque was planned and said the demolished shrine was about 300 years old and had attracted visitors of other faiths too.He said local Muslims and Buddhists alike were concerned at what happened but Muslims had avoided the site on Saturday, fearing sectarian disharmony.The politician, Aruna Dissanayake, said the government should act against those who had attacked the shrine.A minority was trying to create sectarian problems in a place where most Muslims and Sinhalese Buddhists co-existed well, he added.Most of Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhalese are Buddhist, and Muslims are regarded as a separate ethnic group.In a recent newspaper column, a veteran Muslim journalist said there was a growing fear among his community that some people were running a campaign to incite the Sinhalese against them, including through Sinhalese websites and print media courtesy: BBC Wimal Weerawansa is a ‘mental case’ – Jayalath Construction and Engineering Services Minister Wimal Weerawansa is a "mental case", the UNP’s Deputy General Secretary Jayalath Jayawardena MP said.Addressing a news conference in Colombo on Wednesday, Jayawardena said that the Minister was deliberately spreading a false rumour that a "UNP Doctor MP" had gone to Geneva to attend the UN Human Rights Commission sessions."The only UNP parliamentarian cum doctor is me", Jayawardena said adding that he had not left the country and was very much involved in the Local Government Election campaign, as the UNP’s authorized agent for Negombo."Weerawansa’s conduct was unbecoming of a minister. He is behaving like a mad man. Only a mental case would make such a baseless and malicious statement", the MP said.Jayawardena said that he was a well known human rights activist and had always issued press statements before leaving the country to attend important events and was not scared to reveal his whereabouts.He, also called for a Rs. 10,000 pay hike for the government and private sectors in the forthcoming Budget. Verdict on former Sri Lanka Army Commander's appeal against second court martial on December 15 Sri Lanka Court of Appeal announced today that the verdict regarding the petition filed by former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka against the second court martial would be delivered on December 15.Fonseka was sentenced to a 30-month rigorous imprisonment by this court martial.The Attorney General has indicated to the courts that the President had approved the sentence and it cannot be contested in the courts. Counsel representing the former commander has said that since he was tried under the Army Act the verdict could be contested.Fonseka was accused of defrauding the government by handing over a tender for arms procurement to HiCorp, a military supply company owned by his son-in-law Danuna Tillakaratne.He was found guilty by the court martial of four charges related to alleged irregularities in military procurements during his tenure as Army Chief.Fonseka was stripped off the ranks and the pension by a verdict of the first court martial which found him guilty of participating in political activities while in active service. AIADMK stages walkout in Puducherry Assembly over Sri Lanka issue The AIADMK Thursday staged a walkout in the Puducherry Assembly after Speaker V Sabapathy declined permission to table a private member resolution seeking economic sanctions against Sri Lanka.When Speaker V Sabapathy asked AIADMK`s legislature wing leader A Anbalagan, to speak on the demands for grants to some departments he wanted a clarification whether the House would take up a private member resolution he had given notice of to urge the Centre to announce economic sanctions against Sri Lanka."Unless this is clarified I will not go ahead with speaking on the demands," he said.He also said he was surprised at the Chief Minister N Rangasamy not being present in the House when he was making the plea for a resolution. (The Chief Minister had retired to his chamber a few minutes before Anbalagan rose to speak).The Speaker told the member that there was no listing of any resolution for adoption or discussion today.Anbalagan said the Puducherry government was thus making it clear that it was not concerned about the plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.It had been the convention that on the last day of every session the Assembly would adopt government or private member resolutions, but this time it was violated, he said.Protesting against Speaker's refusal to let him to table his resolution for economic sanctions against Sri Lanka, he and three other AIADMK members staged a walkout.They returned to the House a few minutes later. HRC to probe why SF’s party was rejected The Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka is inquiring into why the registration of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka’s political party known as the ‘Democratic Party’ was rejected, antha Ketagoda said yesterday.The Elections Secretariat had refused the registration citing that it had not fulfilled the required criteria for recognition as a political party.Subsequently, the party activists lodged a complaint with the HRC on the grounds that Mr. Fonseka’s civil and political rights had been violated by this action. Mr. Ketagoda said the HRC recorded statements from the party’s general secretary Tiran Alles and deputy leader Arjuna Ranatunga regarding this matter a few weeks ago.“The Commission has started inquiries. What we do next will be based on its ruling,” he said.Mr. Fonseka contested the 2010 parliamentary elections under the ‘Trophy’ symbol of the Democratic National Alliance also comprising the JVP. He topped the list of preferential votes in the Colombo district. Later, he decided to register his party as the ‘Democratic Party’ with Mr. Alles as the general secretary, Mr. Ketagoda as the president and Arujuna Ranatunga the deputy leader.The Election Secretariat, however, said the party could not be registered in terms of the new election law. EU supports housing projects in Vavuniya Hands over 109 houses to beneficiaries One hundred and nine houses constructed by the European Union were handed over to the beneficiaries in the North yesterday.Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development and Senior Advisor to President handed over these houses to the beneficiaries at a ceremony held in the Menik Farm village in Vavuniya district.This permanent housing programme was funded by the European Union and implemented by Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland (ASB) which cost LKR 1.86 billion.The project will construct more than 2,500 houses for families affected by the conflict in the Vavuniya district. The project is carried out in line with the Northern Spring programme of the Government of Sri Lanka with the collaboration and guidance of the Ministry of Economic Development, Presidential Task Force for Resettlement Development and Security, Northern Province and the District Secretariat of Vavuniya.The ceremony was attended by Minister Rishard Bathiudeen, Minister of Industries and Commerce, Major General G. A. Chandrasiri, Northern Province Governor, Ambassador Bernard Savage, Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives and Mrs. P. S. M. Charles, Government Agent- Vavuniya and other dignitaries and members of the community.The European Union has already funded the construction of over 8,500 permanent houses and will support the construction of up to 20,000 houses in the country by 2016. 15 September 2011 Stop paramilitary activity in north; US tells govt The United States today called for paramilitary activity in the North to be controlled and for Tamil Policemen to be deployed to the North. The US Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake also expressed his concern about Human Rights in the country. “I am concerned about human rights. I discussed with relevant officials the importance of disarming paramilitary groups, on which progress is being made. It is important to deploy Tamil policeman in the north so the military no longer needs to perform these functions,” he said. Blake specifically named the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) as having a strong paramilitary presence in the north. “Paramilitary groups are not allowed to carry weapons in public. While I was in Jaffna I myself, experienced the power of the EPDP who was able to prevent me from meeting with some university students,” he said. The Assistant Secretary also stated that it had been conveyed to him that although the emergency regulations have been lifted it has had very little practical effect, due to the fact that the Public Securities Ordinance and the Prevention of Terrorism Act were still in place. Blake said the resumption of talks between the Tamil National Alliance and the government was encouraging and that he felt both sides were taking these discussions very seriously. “I was very pleased to hear from both the government and the TNA that they will resume their important dialogue on devolution and other matters,” he said. When questioned on the TNA’s negative outlook towards the discussions, the Assistant Secretary rejected any such aspersions. “I think there is a far more optimistic picture, both sides are taking the talks very seriously,” he said. He further expressed that the 13th amendment was being expanded by both sides and was not a redundant mechanism. “I think that they are working towards expanding the amendment to deploy more powers to the provinces,” he said. Speaking on the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) he explained that it was premature to make any judgments on the commission before its report was released. “We have to wait and see what is in the report and the issues raised and thereafter make a judgment,” he said. However Blake did not dispel the possibility of international pressure if the report by the commission was found to be inadequate. “We are not in the business of making threats to our friends. There is a need for a credible process of accountability for those who have violated international humanitarian law and there will be pressure for some mechanism to ensure that this takes place. However we hope that (such pressure) is not necessary,” he said. Blake also stated that it was premature to call for the LLRC report to be presented at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in March next year. “This is dependent also on what the government of Sri Lanka wants to do with the report,” he said. He also expressed the need for Sri Lanka to engage with the international community. “There is a need for Sri Lanka to engage positively with the United Nations. I know that there is also a delegation in Geneva at the moment and I hope they are able to brief the UNHRC of the work of the LLRC,” he said. Blake also addressed the need to put an end to the grease devil incidents which had “given rise to new levels of insecurity” and expressed that the “US remains deeply concerned about attacks on journalists,” he said. UN to review its actions during Sri Lanka's war Congress cannot forgive Rajiv’s killers Coming down heavily on political parties and organisations demanding clemency for the three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, Union Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy said on Tuesday that those favouring such a decision should also think about the tragic death of Rajiv Gandhi and nearly 15 Tamilians in the terrorist attack. Addressing a press conference, he said the Congress and its workers cannot forgive those behind the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. The former Prime Minister was assassinated for trying to establish peace in Sri Lanka, Mr. Narayanasamy said, adding that those favouring clemency should also consider the role of LTTE in the elimination of several Tamil leaders in the island nation. Those who believe in democracy should leave the matter to the court, he said.In a scathing attack on the N. R. Congress Government in Puducherry, he said the Union Home Ministry had been apprised of the law and order situation in Puducherry and requested Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram to get a status report. He said the issue of law and order was also taken up with Lieutenant-Governor Iqbal Singh.Stating that as many as 22 murders occurred in the past 100 days, Mr. Narayanasamy said the government had failed to check the activities of anti-social elements. “Certain constituencies have become a haven for anti-social elements and police officers are hand-in glove with them,” he said.On the Congress’ strategy for the by-poll in Indira Nagar constituency, he said a decision would be taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. However, his personal view is the party should contest the election, the Hindu reports. Amnesty Internatioanl requests to work according to the UN expert pannels report Amnesty International requests the Human Rights Council to work according to the report of UN expert panel.Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International, Asian Pacific Director welcomed the expert panels report which is submitted towards the UN Human Rights Council.Director also request the Human Rights Council take action as soon as possible and also said legal action would be taken against the people who engage in the crime.He also point out that they are not satisfied about the investigation which is carried out by the Lankan government on war crime allegations. Tamil Tigers: Terrorists or Freedom Fighters – Dutch court to decide As a bloody 3-decade war raged in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, significant parts of the Tamil diaspora spread throughout the world kept themselves busy in supporting roles, one of the most important of which for the Tamil leadership was fund-raising. Only with millions of dollars flowing in from such groups could the LTTE keep itself adequately armed to fight Sri Lanka’s state military.A Dutch police-investigation team monitored Tamil meetings in The Netherlands. In its subsequent report, entitled ‘Operation Koninck’, it describes how certain Tamils raised funds for their ‘ultimate war’ with its goal of a free Tamil state in Sri Lanka known as Tamil Eelam. This remains no more than a dream following the death of the LTTE’s leader Villupilai Prabhakaran and the end of the military struggle in the Spring of 2009. Operation Koninck eventually led to the arrest of several Dutch Tamils, five of whom are now being prosecuted in a specialist war crimes chamber in The Hague. Terror organisation The indictees are accused of being members of a criminal organisation with terrorist intentions and of raising funds for it. The first part of the indictment comes down to what the LTTE is and does - the prosecution will have to prove that it tried to terrorise the population using bombs and murder.The court though is not an international body like the International Criminal Court (ICC), it is a regular domestic Dutch criminal court – and its prosecutors are working under Dutch ‘Universal’ jurisdiction.One of the accused is 46 year old Srirangam R. from The Hague. He fled to The Netherlands over two decades ago and is believed to head the Dutch division of the Tamil Tigers. Victor Koppe, Srirangam’s defence counsel, has recently applied to the European Court of Justice to have the LTTE removed from the EU’s list of banned terror organisations. The link to the current case in The Hague is clear – lift the ban and the Dutch prosecution falls apart. The likelihood of this happening soon enough to impact on the current case is unclear.It is difficult to prove that the LTTE is a terrorist organisation. Assisting Victor Koppe in the case is defence counsel Tamara Buruma who explains that “the first part (of the indictment) isn’t so much about the raising of the money but is actually about what the LTTE has been doing in Sri Lanka… that is why for us the main issue isn’t whether or not they have been giving money - it is actually the question: Is the LTTE a terrorist organisation or are they freedom fighters?” she said.The court will have to define whether what the LTTE does and did is terrorism under Dutch criminal law, and argues the defence, whether being on a politically drawn up EU list is enough to convict. Show me the money According to the Dutch police report, each Dutch Tamil family was expected to ‘donate’ €2000 per year to the cause, a fee which would grant them access to the Tamil areas in Sri Lanka. If they refused to pay there would be severe consequences for relatives still living in Sri Lanka, it claims.The accused argue their donations were for humanitarian causes and not channelled directly to fund the Tamil organisation. Since the LTTE was the de facto administrator in the north and east of Sri Lanka for many years, it funded many things, from sanitation and schooling to army training and bomb-making. Distinguishing what money paid for what will be problematic.The defendants say that even if they had given money directly to the LTTE it is not a terror organisation anyway, it is a liberation movement. One man’s freedom fighter is another’s terrorist How to describe what the Tamil Tigers were and did lies at the core of Sri Lanka’s bloody internecine war. For the government of President of Mahinda Rajapaksa, the LTTE fought a merciless terror campaign against the Sinhalese majority using every illegal means of warfare, from suicide bombings to child soldiers. For many Tamils the LTTE was the nearest they ever came to a legitimate government of a Tamil homeland.The first hearing of the case will take place tomorrow in The Hague. After that, the court has three weeks to decide whether the Tamil Tigers were terrorists or a force for liberation. Clash between Tamil political prisoners and Sinhala prisoners at Colombo prison Tamil political prisoners who were detained in the Colombo prison were attacked by their Sinhala inmates.According to the sources Kajendiran(36) resident of Tincomalee, Raja(28) resident of Batticaloa, Prabakaran(40) resident of Sundukuli, Dushyanthan(26) resident of Jaffna, Ambigawanan(30) resident of Killinochchie and Mathan (24) resident of Vavuniya has severely injured due to this alleged attack.Injured prisoners revealed this clash occurred on day before yesterday by the members of the underworld groups. Prisoners further said that they receive more death threats for their lives from the underworld members. However it was revealed prison officials fail to take action against clash which broken down at the prison compound. Six migrants detained under PTA 14 September 2011 Stooges of Minister Devananda stage protests against Blake when he tours Jaffna Robert O Blake the US Assist. State Secretary in charge of South and Central Asia affairs toured Jaffna on Tuesday (13). A group backed by Minister Douglas Devananda had staged protests against him during his tour. These protestors carrying placards with slogans ‘Are you in the Diplomatic service? Or a lying politician? have staged their demonstrations on a 4th cros st road in Jaffna.When Blake visited District Secretariat Jaffna , it was Additional District Secretary Ms. Rubini Wardhalingam who had met him . The District Secretary Ms. Sukumar is away having left for Geneva along with the Govt. delegation to attend the Human rights conference. No ceremonies were in place to receive Blake at the District Secretariat , Jaffna , our correspondents report. When Blake has questioned the Additional District Secretary as to why re settlement is being delayed , she had replied that land mines are militating against re settlement, and therefore the delay.It is now about 20 years since Jaffna was captured from LTTE . The Additional district Secretary has not disclosed whatever that has been done in Jaffna for the last 20 years . It is significant to note that the Muslims who were chased away from Moor Road by the LTTE have still not been re settled .Blake was scheduled to meet the representatives of the NGO’s operating in Jaffna this evening. TNA (TELO,ITAK,TULF,EPRLF and PLOTE)Statement on address to the UN Human Rights Council by Hon. Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe The TNA is surprised to learn of the contents of the September 12 address to the UN Human Rights Council by Hon. Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, Head of the Sri Lanka Delegation. We take particular exception to his claim that the government’s approach to reconciliation has been predicated on building trust and amity between communities. The experience of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka does not support this claim.The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission [LLRC] of the government was appointed in May 2010. This flawed Commission with a limited mandate made very modest interim recommendations to the government, which included the following: Sri Lanka recalls high ranking diplomat accused of war crimes The Sri Lankan government has recalled the Deputy Ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and Vatican, former Major General Jagath Dias who was under scrutiny for alleged war crimes.A report from the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) in January this year accused Major General Jagath Dias, who led the 57th division of the Sri Lankan army during the final stages of the war, of committing war crimes.The reports holds Major General Dias personally responsible for ordering his troops to fire upon civilian and hospital targets during the army's final offensive against Tamil Tiger terrorists between 2008 and 2009.It also accuses the General of participating in acts of torture and the execution of rebel fighters."According to several sources, it is possible that Jagath Dias was also involved in torturing and killing LTTE-leaders after they surrendered or were caught by Sri Lankan military forces," the report has noted.The ECCHR recommended revoking the diplomatic visa of Major General Dias, declare him as a "persona non grata" and seriously consider the initiation of criminal investigations.Swissinfo reported that last month the Swiss Foreign Ministry has confirmed it had contacted Sri Lankan authorities about the case.According to Swiss news agency diplomatic sources had confirmed that Major General Dias had been recalled to Sri Lanka. SL’s defense Ministry intelligence officer leaves for US to spy on Major General Shavendra Silva According to sources from the defense Ministry providing information to Lanka e news, on the instructions of the SL defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse , a spy of the Defense Ministry Intelligence (D M I ) had been dispatched secretly to America to garner information in respect of Major General Shavendra Silva , who is SL’s permanent representative to the UN Organization in New York against whom a confidential dossier is being prepared .Three officers of the DMI have been sent from SL to America . Of them , two officers are entrusted with the responsibility of garnering information regarding the security of the closest relatives of the Rajapakse family who are residing in America , while the other officer is to probe into and secretly collect information on Shavendra Silva. In fact , these three D M I officers are not intelligence officers who have received training for a long time or are permanently in the security divisions .They are those who enjoy the implicit confidence of the Rajapakses . Sometime ago , Jagath Alwis was sent to China by Defense Secretary on this basis.Lanka e news was the first to report on 1st Sept. about the instructions issued to Brigadier Aruna Wanniarachi , the chief of the Army intelligence unit to prepare a comprehensive secret dossier on Shavendra Silva .When large quantities of gold were seized in the battlefield , it is believed that Shavendra Silva hid a huge share of it while the Rajapakse regime took the other share. The regime now harbors a grave suspicion that Shavendra using his diplomatic immunities and privileges had got the gold out to America and sold them. When a military police operation was in the ready to search the house of Shavendra at that time on the suspicion that he was having gold hidden , it was defense Secretary Gotabaya who stalled it at the last moment. In any event Shavendra has had discussions in America to invest large sums of monies . Following the discussion Shavendra had with LTTE leader Rudrakumaran in the first half of July 2011 , Rudrakumaran who resides in Europe had conveyed to another LTTE leader that Shavendra is in possession of colossal sums of money which possibly are part of the assets which belonged to them . Rudrakumaran has also added ,in any case it is apparent that Shavendra has no idea of returning to SL. The information in respect of this entire discussion is in the possession of the Europe intelligence division. ( L eN had already reported on 10th Sept. about the Shavendra –Rudrakumaran discussion ) Shavendra Silva who is in possession of a wealth of information and evidence against the Rajapakse regime has now got wind of the fact that Gotabaya has deployed spies to probe into his affairs and trail him. In this backdrop , he is exercising extreme caution with regard to his movements and discussions apart from taking extra security precautions , according to reports reaching Lanka e news.Two officers had been dispatched from SL to prepare a security report in connection with the forthcoming tour of New York of the President. They are to go to the places where the President is scheduled to visit and do a survey. However , a Security officer of the US security division speaking to officers of SL in UN office, New York had stated, whenever a Head of a country attends the UN assembly , in America, it is the custom and practice that the American security division looks after the security interests of that leader by taking all precautions to give protection to him wherever he visits when he is there. There is no such practice where the security officers of the country of the leader visit America to ensure security to the Head of the country, and that serves no point or purpose .Nevertheless , it is learnt that the security service of America – the N S I and F B I have cast a surveillance net over the SL spies visiting America.Meanwhile, Shavendra Silva has expressed deep disappointment to his brother Air Force group Captain Ajantha Silva over the actions of Gotabaya Rajapakse conducting secret investigations against Shavendra. He is profoundly hurt and had spoken in a tone of vengeance. UN Sri Lanka report sent to human rights council UN leader Ban Ki-moon has sent a report accusing Sri Lankan troops of killing tens of thousands of civilians to the UN Human Rights Council, bringing a potential international inquiry one step closer.Ban has said that he alone cannot order an inquiry into the killings during a final offensive against Tamil separatists in 2009 -- which the Sri Lankan government has strongly denied -- but that a forum such as the Human Rights Council could do so.UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said the report had been sent to the Human Rights Council and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, on Monday.A panel of experts named by Ban said in April that the Sri Lankan army killed most of the tens of thousands of civilian victims of a final offensive against Tamil separatists in 2009 but both sides may be guilty of war crimes.The panel's report -- angrily opposed by the Sri Lankan government -- painted a barbarous picture of the offensive on the Tamil enclave in the north of the island that ended a three-decade war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)."The Sri Lankan Government has been informed of the secretary general?s decision to share the report with the council and the high commissioner," said Nesirky in a statement."While the secretary general had given time to the government of Sri Lanka to respond to the report, the government has declined to do so, and instead has produced its own reports on the situation in the north of Sri Lanka, which are being forwarded along with the panel of experts report."Nesirky told AFP that Ban had not made a recommendation calling for an international inquiry. "The secretary general is simply sending the report. Its for members to decide how to respond to it."Hospitals, UN centers and Red Cross ships were deliberately shelled by government forces, prisoners shot in the head and women raped during the 2009 offensive, the panel said. LTTE leaders used 330,000 civilians as a human shield and deliberately shot those who tried to escape."Tens of thousands lost their lives from January to May 2009, many of whom died anonymously in the carnage of the final few days," said the three-member panel led by former Indonesian attorney general Marzuki Darsman."Most civilian casualties in the final phases of the war were caused by government shelling," the report added.Sri Lanka has slammed the UN report as "biased" and launched a major international campaign against it. While the United States and other western nations have backed calls for an inquiry, diplomats said Sri Lanka would call on Asian allies such as China to help block any action at the rights council.Sri Lanka complained about the move to send it to the rights council before Ban's spokesman even made the official announcement.Sri Lanka Minister of Plantation Industries Mahinda Samarasinghe claimed that at a briefing on Friday UN human rights chief Navi Pillay "had informed a group of countries that a decision had been taken by the office of the United Nations secretary general to transmit the report" to the Geneva-based rights council."The failure on the part of the High Commissioner to inform the concerned state -- Sri Lanka -- was wholly inappropriate to say the least," the minister told the Human Rights Council.The UN also said Thoraya Obaid, a former head of the UN Population Fund, would review the actions of the United Nations in Sri Lanka during the offensive after the panel also criticized UN decision-making. Post-Gaddafi lessons for Sri Lanka, Cuba and Chavez Send to a friend-Kumar David The hot topic on the international scene today is about Libya and the developments over there, because of its crucial relevance for countries such as Sri Lanka. In the aftermath of the fall of Gaddafi, the opposition in every country groaning under an autocrat is salivating at the prospect of foreign intervention. In Lanka, the Tamil minority is convinced and explicit in pronouncing that unless India and the international community get in on the act, nothing will persuade the Rajapakse regime to embark on a new constitutional dispensation.The Libyan case is a new turn and an antidote to the pessimism of the last decade when it was thought nothing could be done to control rogue regimes. In Libya the role of foreign military power in tipping the balance was crucial. Though China’s global economic role has grown dramatically, the cutting edge of Western power is military. China is focused on mega-economic projects in infrastructure and raw materials extraction, but the Arab Spring proved that both China and Russia lack the military clout to intervene or ship military assistance to their friends. In addition the international community was quick to deploy financial muscle and freeze Libyan assets. The lesson that comes across is that in matters military, or in flouting asset lock-downs, we are a far cry from the days of the Soviet Union, or Vietnam and Cuba defying imperialism.The monster that needs to be thrown out next is Bashir el-Assad of Syria whose regime is at war with the masses. However, Syria is a far harder nut to crack than Libya because of its sensitive geo-political location, the great reluctance of foreign powers to get involved and t the ruthless firepower of the military. There are, of course, things of value in Syria such as secularism, women’s rights and reasonable social welfare that need to be salvaged when the old order is overthrown. This brings me to the rest of my story.Cuba is a repressive regime. At the same time the achievements of the Cuban Revolution on behalf of its people are gigantic. With all its defects, compared with the Batista years, or compared with what might have been if US Imperialism had its way and overthrown Castro as it often tried to do, Cuba can boast splendid accomplishments. The successes need to be protected and taken forward for posterity. Of highest importance are education, medical services and research, housing for the poor, equality for women and some achievements in agriculture and food. I don’t want to sound as though there have been no grievous errors on the socioeconomic front and that Cuba’s crisis today is only politico-constitutional, but no one can deny that the services Cuba provides, universally, for its people (education, medical care, housing) are better than what the ‘greatest nation on earth’ just two hundred miles to the north offers, universally, for its population. In the post-Arab Spring world, no regime that denies its people a high degree of democracy can survive. The one-party, no opposition, no media freedom, pretty overcrowded with political prisoners, system of governance, cannot last. It will face challenges that will eventually terminate it. The Cuban Communist Party must face up to political and economic reforms before changes that imperial the core the social triumphs of the revolution are forced upon it. Economic reforms have started, but the process is too slow; the Cuban leaders have learnt some lessons from China but are cautious for good reasons. China has grown into an economic superpower but the benefits have been distributed with gross inequity between social classes and between the rich eastern costal belt and the deep hinterland. Corruption has become a cancer in party and state, and China, a powerful state, does not face the same threats to stability that Cuba will confront when it liberalises as it eventually must. Raul Castro and his comrades must face the music that democracy will syncopate, they must face and win free and fair elections (they can win if Putin can) and they must relax restrictions on the freedom of expression.Hugo Chavez has been born into the lap of democracy; that is the luxury that Venezuela enjoys. There are those who cry foul, but Chavez has got as bad as he has given in the tussle to cut corners in Venezuelan democracy. Even if Chavez is pushed out of power, it will not be possible to liquidate the populist and social triumphs that eight years of his reforms have put in place. The socially less privileged have been empowered; when Chavez goes, the basic achievements of his social programmes won’t.However inflation and economic mismanagement remain staggering problems. Venezuela has a 27 per cent inflation rate and wages have risen only at less than half this rate.I am more sanguine about the long-term prospects for Venezuela than Cuba not only because the former is resource rich with oil (the Orinoco belt is one of the richest shale oil reserves in the world) but also because with democratic structures, even if somewhat frayed, in situ, and populist public consciousness high, I think the country will muddle along with a social democratic ethos even after changes of leadership and government.The writer filed this analysis from Colombo. Sri Lanka government to compensate for land acquired by military in northeast Sri Lanka Minister of Land and Land Development Janaka Bandara Tennakoon says that steps have been initiated to compensate the owners of the lands that were acquired by the military to set up camps in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.The Minister pointed out that the government had already paid compensations to some lands. A total of Rs. 57.3 million was paid to 56 land owners recently as compensation for 78 acres acquired by the military.The land was acquired in the period between 1985 and 1987 at Karainagar in the Northern Province to establish a Navy camp.The land owners were not compensated for 25 years, the Minister said. Sri Lanka doctors 'complicit in torture' Climate of impunity "The climate of impunity that may have been created, lack of support that may be given, really need to be discussed," said Marion Birch, director of Medact.The report outlines specific examples where doctors have breached Geneva conventions and medical ethics.In Sri Lanka, doctors treating torture victims "have to carry out consultations in the presence of police, which breaches the medical confidentiality and can intimidate the doctor," says the report.The report states that in 2007, the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture in the UK (MFCVT) reviewed 130 cases from Sri Lanka, referred to the Foundation in the previous year.Twenty-four women and 22 men who sought help from the Foundation reported having being raped, states the British Medical Journal (BMJ) quoting MFCVT report. Sixty eight torture methods BMJ says that one piece of work by P.Perera, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Kelaniya who examined the medical records of 100 victims of torture between 1998 and 2001 held by the Judicial Medical Officer’s Office in Colombo had identified sixty-eight different methods of torture.While British doctors working in immigrant detention centres seems to fail to examine the immigrants properly, doctors in Israel have "consistently failed to oppose and accurately report" torture, according to the report.In Italy, says the BMJ, doctors and nurses at the prison where G8 protesters were held in 2001 were accused of "actively participating in mistreatment of detainees." Injuries not reported BMJ report states that British doctors working at immigrant detention centres fail to examine properly or report injuries asylum seekers have received before arriving in the UK."This can lead not only to their not receiving treatment they need but also to a lack of evidence supporting the case for asylum for those who have been tortured or abused elsewhere.US doctors have been found to have falsified death certificates for detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, psychologists helped develop interrogation techniques at Guantanamo prison, and doctors neglected or concealed evidence of intentional harm inflicted on detainees.In Italy, says the BMJ, doctors and nurses at the prison where G8 protesters were held in 2001 were accused of "actively participating in mistreatment of detainees." 39 countries garnered positive response to SriLanka in Geneva The Sri Lankan delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva has garnered a “very positive response” from 39 countries after meetings on Friday, said the Minister of External Affairs Prof. G. L. Peiris .According to the Minister countries from the Middle East, Latin America and Africa gave us a very positive response for the good work we have accomplished in a very short period of time.Finally Minister said representatives of these countries were very enthusiastic to hear of the work that we have done,” he said. India awards 40 scholarships to English teachers of Sri Lanka The governments of India and Sri Lanka today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a three-tier English language training system in Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka's Minister of Education Bandula Gunawardena on behalf of Government of Sri Lanka and High Commissioner of India Ashok K. Kantha, on behalf of Government of India signed the MoU today.According to a press statement from the High commission of India in Colombo, the MoU will implement a project entitled "India-Sri Lanka Project for Expanding English Language Training in Sri Lanka".The Government of India will utilize the services of English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad as the technical consultant for this Project.High Commissioner Kantha and Minister Gunawardena distributed the ITEC scholarship and travel documents to 40 master trainers who would be traveling for three month training programme to EFLU, on 18 September, 2011.As part of the technical assistance under the MOU, India will provide training to 40 Sri Lankan teachers at EFLU under the ITEC programme. In addition India will provide appropriate equipment and teaching aids for setting up a language laboratory of 30 units in each of the nine Provincial Sri Lanka India Centres for English Language Training (PSLICELTs) and depute experts from EFLU to assist the PSLICELTs.Indian government will implement the technical assistance for the English language training programme as part of the initiative of Sri Lankan President to develop "English as a Life Skill".In March 2010, Sri Lanka- India Centre for English Language Training (SLICELT) was set up in Peradeniya with the assistance of the Indian government. A digital language laboratory was set up at SLICELT, Peradeniya and training to 80 Sri Lankan English Teachers were provided at EFLU, Hyderabad. EFLU also served as technical consultant for the project and deputed two experts, for long term attachment.During Sri Lankan President's visit to India in June 2010, the leaders of both countries agreed to expand SLICELT further by establishing provincial and regional centres with Indian assistance. The signing of the MOU today is in pursuance of this understanding.In his remarks after the signing ceremony Minister Gunawardena thanked Government of India for the technical assistance provided to them for English Language training. He remarked that India was the first country which came forward to provide technical assistance to Sri Lanka for English Language training after the programme "English as a life Skill" was launched by the President of India in 2009. He noted that 80 master trainers trained at EFLU, Hyderabad has been able to train 23,000 teachers in less than two year. The Minister appreciated the skill and expertise of the experts at EFLU.Sunimal Fernando, Advisor to the Sri Lankan President and Convener of Presidential Task Force on English & IT, expressed similar sentiments and added that cooperation with India and EFLU was a "phenomenal success".High Commissioner of India in his address said that the MoU signed today will further expand cooperation between India and Sri Lanka in English language training. High Commissioner noted that India was honoured and privileged to be a part of the important initiative of the President of Sri Lanka. India and Sri Lanka are close neigbhours and are uniquely placed to learn from each other experience as partners in development. He added that EFLU, Hyderabad is a leading institution of its kind and a centre of excellence to teach English to non- native speakers. Highlighting the importance of learning English language in today's globalized world, High Commissioner appreciated the approach of the project for imparting training in English as a "tool of empowerment".M. Gunasekera, Secretary, Ministry of Education, officials from Sri Lankan Ministries of External Affairs and Education and large number of teachers, officials from all the nine Provinces of Sri Lanka and Faculty members from the EFLU were also present. 13 September 2011 Heated exchange at the Human rights session A heated exchange of words took place at the United Nations Human Rights Council Session in Geneva a short while ago, pertaining to Sri Lanka. Head of the Sri Lankan Delegation Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe criticised the action of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay, while the High Commissioner used Sri Lanka as an example for the failure to uphold human rights in a context of combating terrorism. “The countermeasures adopted by the States to combat terrorism have frequently been designed with insufficient regard to human rights. This has all too often led to an erosion of rights and fostered a culture of diffidence and discrimination which, in turn, perpetuates cycles of violence and retribution. Sri Lanka is one such case,” she had said. She added that Sri Lanka should have a complete review of security related measures. “For three decades, not only has that country suffered the brutal effects of terrorist acts, but the response of successive governments over the years has undermined independent institutions, human rights and the rule of law. I note the President's decision to allow some emergency measures to lapse, but strongly urge the Government to follow up with a comprehensive review of all security-related legislation and detentions,” she had said. Meanwhile Minister Samarasinghe related events that he believed undermined the proper procedures of the UN. “On the 9th of this month at a luncheon briefing, we were given to understand that the High Commissioner for Human Rights had informed a group of countries that a decision had been taken by the Office of the United Nations Secretary-General to transmit the report of his Advisory Panel on Sri Lanka to your office and to hers. Previous to this communication, in the course of an interaction with you, Madam President, there was no direct reference to any such transmission. It was rather embarrassing that both you and I had to learn of it from a third party at the luncheon meeting in the presence of representatives of 29 Member States of the Council,” he explained. He went on to question the High Commissioners impartiality and a loss of confidence in the UNHRC mechanism. “This, regrettably, may lead to a loss of confidence in the Office of the High Commissioner. We believe that she should abide by the same principles that govern the work of the Human Rights Council, such as universality, transparency, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity, with a view to enhancing the promotion and protection of human rights in a fair and equal manner while recognising the importance of the elimination of double standards and politicisation. This incident raises serious concerns regarding the impartiality of the High Commissioner,” Samarasinghe had said. UN 'biased' on Sri Lanka says govt Call to repeal PTA Making the opening statement, High Commissioner Navi Pillai said that anti-terror measures adopted by member states have frequently been designed "with insufficient regard for human rights."Sri Lanka is an example of these measures leading to "an erosion of rights and foster the culture of diffidence and discrimination," she said.In Sri Lanka, "the response of successive governments over the years has undermined independent institutions, human rights and the rule of law," according to Ms Pillai.Minister Samarasinghe, Sri Lanka government's special envoy on human rights, said the government has already taken measures to improve the rights situation.He cited the partial withdrawal of emergency regulations (ER) in May 2010 and complete lifting of ER last month as examples.However, "certain legal and regulatory arrangments have to be made" to continue the proscription of LTTE and the TRO, the minister said justifying the continuing usage of Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Cabinet approval High Commissioner Navi Pillai urged Sri Lanka government to follow up the withdrawal of emergency regulations "with a comprehensive review of all security related legislation and detentions."In Universal Periodic Review (UPR) held in May 2008, the minister reminded the Council, that Sri Lanka has 'worked hard' on the pledge to devise a five-year national action plan on human rights."We are now in the process of setting in motion the implementation phase, just last week the Cabinet of Ministers gave consent to this very important document," added Minister Samarasinghe.But making its observations on Sri Lanka, the Amnesty International accused Sri Lanka of "ignoring" commitments made in 2008 UPR, "including promises to take all necessary measures to prosecute and punish perpetrators of a variety of violations of international human rights law and humanitarian law.""Thousands of people remain in detention without proper process, and vast tracts of land remain under direct military control as part of the High Security Zones," AI's Yolanda Foster said. President, Blake discuss LLRC Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake during his meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa today discussed the report by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).Minister of External Affairs Prof. G. L. Peiris speaking to the Daily Mirror stated that Mr. Blake had inquired about the LLRC report and that the President assured him that the report would be out mid-November and that the government would decide on its next course of action based on this report. He had further called on the international community to not prejudge the report but to view it objectively and dispassionately. The group present at the meeting included the Minister of External Affairs and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga. They informed Mr. Blake that talks with the Tamil National Alliance would resume on Friday. “We informed him that these talks would resume and this would carry forward the continuous and constructive dialogue between the two groups. He was very interested in this,” Minister Peiris said. Prof. Peiris also stated that the President dispelled any myths held by Mr. Blake that there was militarisation of the North. “We told him that there was no such thing. There were military camps in the north like everywhere else in the island and that such a presence was necessary, as is the case of other countries,” he said. Blake will visit Jaffna tomorrow and meet with officials of the government, civil society leaders and university students, a US Embassy official told the Daily Mirror. Prior to his departure Blake will have a rap-up a meeting with the Minister of External Affairs and the Secretary to the President on Wednesday. Sri Lanka Tamil party holds discussions with US Assistant Secretary of State Representatives of Sri Lanka's major Tamil party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) today met United States Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake who is currently on a visit to Sri Lanka.TNA Leader R. Sampanthan and parliamentarian M. Sumanthiran met with Blake, who was accompanied by the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Patricia Butenis and the Political Secretary to the Embassy Paul Carter. The meeting took place at the Hilton Hotel in Colombo.Sumanthiran has said that the political solution to the ethnic issue, rehabilitation of the North and East and the humanitarian situation in the areas were discussed during the meeting with Blake.Meanwhile, Sampanthan has said a whole gamut of issues pertaining to the national questions in the past, present and future was discussed at the meeting. Robert O. Blake calls on Secretary Defence U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake on his five-day official visit to Sri Lanka and India paid a courtesy call om Secretary Defence Mr Goatabaya Rajapaksa this evening, 12th September.Assistant Secretary Mr Blake was accompanied by US Ambassador to Sri Lanka H.E. Ms. Patricia Butenis at the meeting.Today morning, Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake met with H.E President Mahinda Rajapaksa.During his stay in Colombo he will meet with government officials, civil society representatives, university students and political leaders while in Sri Lanka, government information department reported. Canada calls for Sri Lanka boycott The Canadian prime minister has called upon heads of state to consider Sri Lanka's human rights record before attending the Commonwealth leaders' summit (CHOGM) to be held in Colombo.Answering a question by a journalist in Toronto, PM Stephen Harper said he has expressed his reservations on Sri Lanka hosting the 2013 summit."I intend to make clear to my fellow leaders at the Commonwealth that if we do not see progress in Sri Lanka in terms of human rights and some of the issues that you raised, I will not as Prime Minister be attending that Commonwealth summit," he said.PM Harper's remark at a round table with a group of journalists who questioned Canada's stance on allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka, is the first indication by any head of state to boycott the summit hosted by Sri Lanka.Earlier, a group of countries including Canada, Australia and UK objected to Sri Lanka holding the 2013 summit due to allegations of serious human rights violations. 'Gravely concerned' Prime Minister Harper added that Canada is still seriously concerned about the rights situation in the island nation and expressed hope that other leaders will help his call for a boycott."I hope that others will take a similar position, but I hope that this will pressure the Sri Lankan government to take the appropriate actions," said Mr Harper.The Canadian prime minister reiterated the support of the international calls for an independent investigation into the issues raised by the panel of experts appointed by UN secretary-general.A group of international human rights organisations last week said they were “gravely concerned” about the ongoing discussions to hold next Commonwealth leaders’ summit in 2013.The group urged the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) to set a number of benchmarks including implementation of the UN expert panel report in order for Sri Lanka government to “prove itself worthy” of holding the summit.The next CHOGM is to be held in Australia on 28 October. 12 September 2011 Mannar fishermen prevented from fishing 'Powerful action' The fishermen met journalists from the south on Saturday to explain their plight as a result of government's fishing ban.They also stress that trawlers from India should be immediately stopped."Sri Lanka navy says that they can stop Indian trawlers but the navy needs authorisation from the defence ministry," another fisherman said.Another fisherman quoting the military said the navy is prepared to allow the locals fish in Mannar provided the ministry authorise it.Residents in Mannar also expressed concern about the lack of facilities provided for war-affected families from the fishing community.If the government fails to provide solutions to their plight, they say, the fishermen in Mannar will be forced to resort to 'powerful action'. Government response Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne categorically reject the accusations.Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya from Mannar, the minister said nobody complained to him about any issues reported by journalists."No fisherman from south is fishing in Mannar as we do not register anybody from the south," he said.He admitted that only fishermen in Mannar have to get permission for fishing."Those from Mullaitheevu and Jaffna can go fishing without any restrictions," he said.A meeting will be held on 16 September with the president, the ministry of defence and ministry of external affairs to sort out issues including poaching by Indian fishermen. Why did Rajapakses enter into conflict with Major Gen. Shavendra ? Rudrakumaran-Shavendra hold discussions After Lanka e news reported earlier that the Rajapakse regime is preparing a dossier of information via its intelligence unit on Major Gen. Shavendra Silva , now Lanka e news is able to reveal as to why such a dossier was being prepared.Based on information reaching us, Shavendra Silva has had discussions with LTTE leader Rudrakumaran residing in America without the knowledge of the Rajapakse regime , and this has leaked to the regime plunging the latter into deep mental turmoil.It is natural for the regime to get cold feet and perturbed over the secret discussion with Rudrakumaran of Shavendra Silva who is possessed of a plethora of evidence and information against the regime .The details of the information passed to another prominent LTTE leader in another European country by Rudrakumaran following his discussion with Shavendra is in the possession of the international intelligence unit. It is suspected that this unit has instructed the regime to investigate this .Shavendra Silva’s discussions with the Business community in America on multimillion business deals had fuelled the regime ‘s suspicions multifold..The beginning of regime’s bitterness against Shavendra dates even as far back as before Prabhakaran was seized when Shavendra gave out a false information that Prabahakaran had been apprehended , whereby Rajapakse was deluded into returning from abroad hastily , falling down and kissing the Sri Lanka soil. (At that stage Prabhakaran had not been caught . We shall bring to you a separate report in this regard).Another factor that had contributed to the deepening embitterment is on the gold belonging to the LTTE which were seized during the final phase of the war, it is learnt.Meanwhile the cordial relations existing between Shavendra and Palitha Kohona had also degenerated into a mere official relationship. Kohona had been disparaging Shavendra by declaring at every place that he is one with a degree and doctorate of the Cambridge University, whereas , Shavendra is only A /L qualified . Kohona who even tells the vehicle drivers that Shavendra has no knowledge at all of international affairs, rules and regulations or customs only exchanges smiles with Shavendra when they meet face to face , and meeting is official only and no more. All-Party Select Committee: devil may not be dark as assumed Minister of Scientific Affairs Prof. Tissa Vitharana says that he is content with the All-Party Select Committee concept that has been mooted by the UPFA government to discuss and arrive at a political settlement to the North-East issue. In an interview with LAKBIMAnEWS Prof. Vitharana said that it is unfair to brand the steps taken by the government to opt for an All-Party Select Committee as a delaying tactic by the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime in finding a solution to the vexed issue. But do you think the president is genuine in his efforts to devolve power as a way of a solution, especially given the fact that he has not given any firm undertaking that it is the only line he will toe in his efforts to thrash out a solution? I have no doubt that the president, through his years and decades of experience in the field of politics is sincere in his endeavour to bring about a solution to the North-East issue during his tenure of office. He has, as far as I am concerned, already announced to the country that he is prepared to implement whatever final draft approved by the All-Party Select Committee. There is no reason for me to doubt his sincerity or his genuineness in this endeavour and it is up to the parties represented at the Select Committee to come up with a solution that is acceptable to all. Nalini meets hubby on death row VELLORE: Nalini Sriharan, serving life term in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, met her husband V Sriharan alias Murugan, another convict in the case who has been sentenced to death, at the Vellore central prison on Saturday morning. This is their first meeting after the President rejected the clemency pleas of Murugan and two others on death row, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan and A G Perarivalan alias Arivu, last month. The execution of the three convicts was scheduled on September 9. However, the Madras high court intervened and stayed their execution for eight weeks based on their petitions. Nalini was shifted back to Vellore prison from Puzhal prison amidst tight security on September 7 after she sought permission from the prison authorities to meet her husband. The court had earlier allowed Nalini to meet her husband for 30 minutes once in 15 days under the watchful eyes of the prison authorities. Since then, the couple has been meeting every alternate Saturdays from 9am to 9.30am until Nalini sought a transfer from Vellore prison to Puzhal jail, on the outskirts of Chennai, alleging harassment by prison staff. She also alleged that officials harassed her visitors. She was transferred to Puzhal prison last year. This the first meeting for the couple after Nalini was shifted back to Vellore prison. Nalini's death sentence was commuted to life term in 2000 following the recommendation of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Last year, Nalini had moved the Madras high court seeking release as she served more than 20 years in prison. She argued that even life convicts were released after 14 years of prison term. However, the state government rejected her request. 10 September 2011 TNA leader Sampanthan to meet Robert O Blake Leader of the Tamil National Alliance(TELO,ITAK,TULF,EPRLF and PLOTE) schedule to meet U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake on 12th of September at Hilton Hotel Colombo. However sources said this was the first visit of Blake to the country since the evacuation of state of emergency is such situation Mr.Blake has given first preference to meet TNA leader R.Sampanthan.According to the sources during the discussions both leaders will carry out brief discussion on the problems of Tamil people in SriLanka. Over 40,000 yet to be resettled in HSZ More than 11,000 families from High Security Zones (HTZ) are still to be resettled, the government revealed to Supreme Court.The figures were presented to Supreme Court on Thursday in a document prepared by Jaffna Divisional Secretary (DS) when a Fundamental Rights petition was considered.The petition by a group of Jaffna farmers was stating that they have lost their ancestral land due to the establishment of HSZ. Investigations against two TNA MP's Investigations are to be carried out against the two Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians, Divaina reports.According to the newspaper CID officers are hoping to carry out investigations on their recent visit to London.During their visit to London parliamentarians carried out false conversing on the activities of grease devils in the North and East and also paper blame these two parliamentarians engaged in the fundraising activity during their visit to London. Susil to mediate on North New intercity train service from Colombo to Vavuniya on Northern line Sri Lanka Railways will launch a new intercity train service from Colombo Fort main station to Vavuniya on Sunday, the government media announced today.According to the Superintendent of Railways Transportation, L.A.R. Ratnayake, the daily service will be inaugurated on September 11 at the Anuradhapura Railway Station. On the First day, the train is scheduled to leave for Colombo from Anuradhapura at 4:00 p.m. The regular service between Colombo and Vavuniya will however begin on Monday, September 12th from the Colombo Fort station.The intercity train is regularly scheduled leave Colombo Fort at 6:50 a.m. and will stop over at Anuradhapura at 10:02 a.m. and will then proceed to reach Vavuniya by 10:50 a.m.On the return trip, the train will leave Vavuniya at 3:10 p.m. and reach Colombo Fort by 8:15 p.m.The train will stop only at Polgahawela, Kurunegala, Galgamuwa, Anuradhapura, Medawachchiya and Vavuniya railway stations.This new service will complement the existing train service that starts from Colombo Fort at 4:20p.m. to Vavuniya, the Railways said. Secrete discussion between Chandrika and foreigners Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike carried our secrete discussions with the foreigners leading Sinhala new paper reports.This discussion was carried out at the residence in Athalagala and discussion went on for 5 hours.However newspaper revealed that none of the information’s had been released on this secrete discussion. SL orders safety of Fonseka amid fears of LTTE A Sri Lankan court on Friday ordered prison authorities to ensure the personal safety of detained former army chief Sarath Fonseka, amid fears that suspected LTTE cadres pose a threat to his life. The High Court trial-at-bar gave the order to refrain from housing suspects of the LTTE within close proximity to Fonseka's cell. The order came following a plea by Fonseka's counsel who said that LTTE suspects brought in from outer areas were being held closer to Fonseka's detention cell endangering his life. The former top commander is currently serving a 30-month jail sentence as a military court martial found him guilty for wrong doing in procedure when he headed the army's procurement board. Fonseka was badly injured in an LTTE suicide attack against him in 2006. Fonseka led the final war against the LTTE which crushed the rebel group, ending a 30-year campaign to set up a separate Tamil homeland in the country's north and east regions. He visits court to face charges of causing communal disharmony in the 'white flag' case where he is bing tried for allegedly saying that LTTE cadres who wanted to surrender with white flags had been killed by the troops in the final stages of the conflict that ended in May 2009. Fonseka denied the statement attributed to him in a Sunday newspaper interview in December 2009 when he ran as the common opposition candidate against the incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa in the presidential election held in January 2011. LTTE funded MDMK: Wikileaks A US diplomat of Indian origin who had a stint at the American consulate in Chennai had in a confidential cable hinted that the LTTE could have financially supported the MDMK leader Vaiko, according to Wikileaks. In a cable sent on May 15, 2006, two days after the DMK was voted to power, Ravi Candadai, the then acting US Consul General in India, while ruling out funding for the LTTE from Tamil Nadu, said: “It may be, however, that some financial support flows the other way, that is, from the LTTE to certain political leaders in Tamil Nadu, notably Vaiko, founder and general secretary of the MDMK.”To support this theory, Candadai quoted Chandrahasan, a well known Sri Lankan Tamil in Chennai and the founder of Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR).“Some people, including Tamil refugee NGO leader Chandrahasan, believe that the LTTE provided initial financial support for Vaiko in establishing his MDMK party after he came out of the DMK in 1993,” the diplomat observed.Describing Vaiko as an outspoken supporter of the LTTE, he, as a matter of caution, added, “but any financial link (with the LTTE) remains unproven.” Dealing with the issue of sympathy for the LTTE in Tamil Nadu, the cable said the support had vanished almost overnight after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination.Based on information provided by his contacts, the diplomat surmised that substantial financial support for the LTTE came from Tamils living in Canada, the UK, Netherlands and Germany, who contributed 10 pc of their income due to the encouragement of local religious institutions or Tamil cultural organisations. This encouragement was “closer to extortion.”The cable also gave a clean chit to the then newly installed DMK Government on its anti-LTTE policy saying the party had a record in controlling the outfit between 1996 and 2001.Candadai also believed that to the average person in Tamil Nadu, the then prevailing situation in Sri Lanka was not of primary interest. “It may seem strange that in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu, which literally means Tamil country, there is little support for the LTTE, an organisation that professes to be dedicated to establishing a homeland for all Tamils,” he quipped.The perception of the people in Tamil Nadu would remain unchanged unless there were to be major human rights violations against Tamils in Lanka or a huge influx of new refugees into TN from Sri Lanka, the diplomat had concluded. 09 September 2011 US Assistant Secretary Blake to visit Sri Lanka next week The United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake, Jr. will travel to Sri Lanka next week.The U. S. State Department said Thursday in a media note that Blake will travel to Sri Lanka and India September 12-16, 2011."He will meet with government officials, civil society representatives, university students and political leaders while in Sri Lanka," the note said."In India, Assistant Secretary Blake will meet with Government of India interlocutors and have internal consultations with staff at U.S. Embassy New Delhi," it added.The media note did not specifically say when Blake will be in Sri Lanka. However media reports citing State Department sources earlier said Blake has rescheduled his cancelled visit to Sri Lanka for September 14.He was scheduled to arrive in Colombo on August 29 for a three-day visit but the trip was cancelled due to Hurricane Irene. Minister wants land powers for North and East To early to devolve police powers - Hisbullah A government minister yesterday called for land powers to be devolved to the North and East.Deputy Minister of Child Development and Womens Affairs A. L. M. Hisbullah told The Island that it was alright granting North and East administrations control over land, since it was over two years since the LTTE had been defeated. There was nothing wrong in devolution per se, within a unitary State, he said.Asked if police powers should also be granted in terms of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Hisbullah said that it was too early to do that. Questioned why there should be any delay in implementing the law of the land, since the Mahinda Rajapakasa regime has declared the LTTE long dead, he said that remnants of the organization still remained and it would not be wise to devolve police powers right now, but it could be given at the appropriate time. Asked to comment on the Illangai Thamil Arasi Katchi’s call for a re-merger of the North and East, Hisbullah said that the people of the East should be given an opportunity to decide on the issue.National languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara told The Island recently, that community and traffic police powers could be devolved.The Tamil parties, he said, should negotiate while participating in the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee on National Issues. Human Rights Watch condemns 'draconian' Sri lankan law Human Rights Watch has urged Sri Lanka to repeal detention laws which the campaign group describes as abusive.Long-standing emergency laws expired last week, two years after Sri Lanka's decades-long war against Tamil Tiger rebels.The laws had given the authorities sweeping powers, including the right to detain terror suspects without charge.But HRW accuses Sri Lanka of maintaining "draconian" legislation which gives it similar powers.The New York-based group said the 1979 Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and other laws and regulations permitting detention without charge leave an abusive detention regime in place. Proposed legislation would allow the authorities to continue to detain more than 6,000 people now held under emergency regulations, added HRW.There has been no response so far from the Sri Lankan government to the criticism. 'Cynical bait and switch' The emergency laws - which gave the authorities powers of search, arrest and detention had allowed the authorities to detain suspects for a year without bringing them to trial. They had been in place on and off since 1971 and were renewed by parliament every month - even after the end of the separatist war in 2009. The outgoing attorney-general, Mohan Peiris, told the BBC the expiry of the emergency laws would trigger the release of long-term prisoners - apparently a reference to Tamil Tiger suspects. But he later told journalists that no such people would in fact be freed. Human Rights Watch says that even with the end of the emergency laws, the Sri Lankan government will retain what it calls "draconian" and "abusive" powers of detention through the PTA.This allows people to be arrested for "unlawful activity" and held for up to 18 months without charge, merely coming before a magistrate every three months."The Sri Lankan government announced that the state of emergency is over, but it is holding on to the same draconian powers it had during the war," said Brad Adams, HRW's Asia director.Foreign governments critical of Sri Lanka should not be "fooled by this cynical bait and switch", he said.There is still a dominant feeling of relief among many Sri Lankans that the war is over and they no longer live in fear of militant attacks, says the BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo: Some thank the stringent laws for that, but others ask whether they are still necessary.And there seems little prospect of the overall legal framework being softened, adds our correspondent. Under a new special gazette, Mr Rajapaksa now has special powers to use the army, navy and air force to keep public order throughout the country. President meets Tamil MPs to allay fears in N-E President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with a delegation of six Tamil Members of Parliament from the North and East to discuss arrangements for the resolution of matters resulting from recent alleged incidents in the two provinces.The Tamil representatives at the meeting held at Temple Trees were from the TNA, TULF and PLOTE.An understanding was reached on the necessity for cooperation between the Police and organizations of the people on the concerned areas, with a view to the speedy removal of fears and doubts among the people.UPFA Secretary General Minister Susil Premjayanth, who visited Jaffna at the request of the President to study and report of the current situation, said that at the meeting with the Governor of the North, senior military and police officers, administrators, members of the clergy, local politicians, and members of civil society, there was an agreement reached for resolving the issues through committees at three tiers. One would comprise the Governor, senior administrators, police, and security forces officers, members of the clergy, academics, and politicians. The other would be at the Divisional Secretary level with the participation of local politicians, and the third would be at the Grama Niladhari level with the participation of the people. The members of the Tamil political parties were invited to participate in these committees.It was he overall consensus at the meeting that the situation was fast returning to normal, with agreement to pursue all initiatives for further understanding on the need for unity and the assurance of peace. All steps would be taken to remove any hardships caused to people from these alleged incidents.In his summing up, President Rajapaksa said that Tamil people had been the worst affected by the 30 year armed conflict.The rich Tamil culture and traditions had been destroyed, and what is needed now is to ensure that Tamil people were given the opportunity to have a new beginning to restore their culture and live according to their cherished values.The government would take every measure to see that unity was built, he said, urging the Tamil political parties to also join in this effort to help the Tamil people and the country.The Tamil MPs present were V Anandasangaree (TULF), D Siddharthan (PLOTE), and Suresh Premachandra, P Selvarajah, Sumanthiran and Saravanabhavan (TNA).Associated with the President were Miniters Basil Rajapaksa and Susil Premjayanth, Secretary to President Lalith Weeratunga and IGP N Illangakone. Some 500 ex Tigers visit South Some 500 rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres who are on a five-day trip visited the Fort Railway Station yesterday while on their way to the south, as part of the final phase of their rehabilitation programme at the Vavuniya rehabilitation camp.They began their trip from the Omanthai railway station and after their visit to Colombo would proceed to Kalutara and Kataragama. The ex LTTEers will travel by bus to Matara and Galle and later travel to Embilipitiya before they return to Vavuniya.One of those who had been with the LTTE for ten years told Daily Mirror they were happy to visit the southern parts of the country. “Most of those in the rehabilitation camp have not been to other parts of the country or even stepped on a train. Many of them have not spoken to a Sinhalese apart from Army officials in the camp,” ex LTTE cadre Adhrani Newton said.He said he followed a counselling course at the rehabilitation camp after which he was selected to study for a diploma, which he will complete in about months and added that he also took part in a 12-day rehabilitation programme in Colombo. “After I finish the rehabilitation programme I will start working. My ambition is to become a counselor,” he said. “We want to thank the authorities for organising this trip. We did not think we will have the opportunity to visit the south,” Selvarasa Selvadeevan another former LTTEer told those who had gathered around him.Army Chief of Staff Daya Ratnayake said the rehabilitated cadres were brought to the south as the final stage of the rehabilitation programme and added that such programmes would be carried out in the future as well.“We have been planning this reintegration process for a long time. It has been a challenge but it has finally come together after two years of rehabilitation. This is what we have been working for all along,” Major General Ratnayake said.Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera said initially the rehabilitation camp had 11,000 ex-LTTE cadres and now there are only 2,700 who would also be reintegrated into society. 08 September 2011 Sri Lanka Rights Record Under Spotlight Pressure on Sri Lanka to allow an independent investigation of war crimes committed by the government and the Tamil Tigers at the end of their 26-year war is mounting.First, a United Nations-appointed panel found in a report released in April that both sides caused tens of thousands of civilian deaths during the closing months of the civil war in 2009. The report found the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa lacked the political will to mount a full investigation into war crimes and called instead for a U.N.-backed independent inquiry.Now, Amnesty International, the human rights advocacy group, has penned a report out Wednesday that says Sri Lanka’s own investigations into the final stages of the war is deeply flawed.Mr. Rajapaksa’s government is slated in November to release the findings of its inquiry, known as the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.“The Sri Lankan government has, for almost two years, used the LLRC as its trump card in lobbying against an independent international investigation,” says Sam Zarifi, director for Amnesty International in the Asia-Pacific region. “Officials described it as a credible accountability mechanism, able to deliver justice and promote reconciliation. In reality it’s flawed at every level: in mandate, composition and practice.”The civil war came to a climax in a battle over 13.5 square miles of territory in the northeast of Sri Lanka between January and May of 2009. More than 300,000 civilians were trapped in the fighting between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the formal name of the Tamil Tigers.Amnesty says the commission, constituted by Mr. Rajapaksa in May 2010, has failed to carry out credible investigations into claims the government shelled civilian targets such as hospitals and schools. It also did not properly look into allegations the Tamil Tigers used civilians as shields, the report says. The chairman of the commission instructed witnesses during collection of evidence to “forget the past” and instead focus on telling the government about any problems getting access to housing, medical care or education, according to Amnesty.The Sri Lankan government denies carrying out atrocities. It organized anti-U.N. rallies in April to protest the release of the panel’s report. Mr. Rajapaksa is popular among Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhalese ethnic group for ending the quarter-century war against the Tamil Tigers.But he has faced international criticism for mistreatment of Sri Lanka’s 4 million Tamil minority. Two years after the war ended, the Tamil majority areas in the north and east of the country remain militarized by the Sinhalese-dominated army.Still, an international inquiry is unlikely. Sri Lanka is not a member of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, meaning allegations of war crimes are unlikely to be tried there.Only the U.N. Security Council can order an ICC probe into a country that doesn’t belong to the court or fails to carry out its own credible probe, but it’s unlikely to do this in Sri Lanka’s case.For now, India is playing a cautious role due to its own flawed history of involvement in Sri Lanka. In the 1980s, India saw itself as a protector of Tamil rights and helped train the Tamil Tigers. But it later sent peace-keeping troops to fight them and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by Tamil Tiger militants in 1991.New Delhi did not comment on the U.N.-appointed panel report and has been an ineffectual voice in speaking up for Tamil rights. Some analysts say India is scared that by berating Colombo it might lose out to China’s growing influence in Sri Lanka. We will respond appropriately: Ministry of External Affairs The Ministry of External Affairs intends on responding to a report by Amnesty International (AI) released today, condemning the report by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), while the Commission itself does not want to be distracted by responding to such report. “AI is an independent body and can put out any reports that it wishes. After having looked at the report carefully we will respond appropriately,” a high ranking official of the Ministry of External Affairs told the Daily Mirror today. Meanwhile the LLRC spokesman Lakshman Wickremasinghe stated that since AI had not responded to the LLRC invitation to give evidence to the Commission; statements made by the international human rights group were now irrelevant to the Commission. “At the very initial stages the LLRC invited Amnesty International to testify before the commission, at the beginning of the public sittings. Regrettably AI declined our invitation and continued to condemn the commission; therefore we don’t consider it our business to comment on any report published by them,” he said. He further added that responding to such a report would be distracting the LLRC from its primary objectives. “At this juncture we feel that nothing should distract the commission from its initial task which is to formulate a comprehensive final report. We cannot be dissuaded from this task by having to respond to various reports or by engaging in ancillary debates,” he said. He further added that this indecisive action by the group would result in its credibility being questioned. “This action may raise questions on the accountability, professionalism and motivations of AI,” he said. SL war probe flawed: Amnesty The human rights watchdog issued a 69-page report slamming the work of the government's Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) ahead of next week's meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, expected to discuss Sri Lanka.The report cited eyewitness testimony and information from aid workers suggesting that at least 10,000 civilians were killed in the final military offensive which crushed the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009.It accused the Sri Lankan army of shelling areas it knew to be densely populated by civilians, and also condemned the rebels for using non-combatants as human shields.The report titled "When will they get justice?", said the LLRC, set up by the government, was "flawed at every level: in mandate, composition and practice".Highlighting the number of ex-government officials on the commission, Amnesty said it had failed to investigate evidence of systematic violations, including illegal killings and enforced disappearances."The international community must not be deceived into viewing the LLRC as a credible replacement for an international inquiry -- this would allow war crimes and crimes against humanity to go unchallenged," said Amnesty's Asia-Pacific director, Sam Zarifi.The defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended nearly four decades of fighting which had claimed up to 100,000 lives.The Sri Lankan government maintains that not a single civilian was killed by its security forces.However, an April report by a panel commissioned by the UN noted "credible allegations" of war crimes committed by both sides.Colombo has managed to stave off censure at UN forums thanks to the support of close allies China and Russia, but a vote at the Human Rights Council cannot be blocked by veto-wielding powers.Amnesty said that the LLRC was just the latest in a long line of failed domestic inquiries."Impunity has been the rule rather than the exception, now exacerbated by a post-conflict triumphalism that rejects all responsibility for abuses carried out by government forces," said Zarifi, who urged the international community to push for an independent investigation."Only then will the voices of victims really be heard," Zarifi said. "And only then can the process of post-conflict reconciliation begin to move forward."Last month, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse lifted a 28-year-old state of emergency which conferred sweeping powers of search and detention on the security forces.But the government has since enacted new regulations granting similar powers under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. China backs Sri Lanka over probe into humanitarian crimes China today assured its support to Sri Lanka to safeguard its sovereignty as the country gears up to face pressure at the forthcoming UN Human Rights Council meeting for a credible international probe into charges of humanitarian crimes during the war against LTTE.The assurance was given by top Chinese leader Wu Bangguo during his meeting with visiting Lankan Prime Minister D M Jayaratne, on the sidelines of the 15th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) at Chinese city of Xiamen.China will continue to support Sri Lanka''s efforts to safeguard its national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as respect Sri Lanka''s path of development and its domestic and foreign policies, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Wu as telling Jayaratne.Wu''s assurance came as Sri Lanka may come under heavy pressure at the next week''s UN Human Rights Council meeting, which is expected to take stock of situation in the island nation.Amnesty International, an international rights group, has slammed Lanka''s internal inquiry into the war against the Tamil Tigers, describing it as "flawed at every level" and sought an independent investigations into allegations of war crimes. PMK slams India''s move to help Lanka set up power plant The PMK today condemned India''s move to help Sri Lanka set up a power plant, saying it only meant that the Centre had chosen "not to honour" Tamil Nadu assembly resolution seeking economic sanctions against the island republic over the Tamil rehabilitation issue.Criticising the move to help Lanka establish the 500 MW coal-based power plant near Trincomallee, PMK founder S Ramadoss said the "action was like saying they (Centre) will never heed to the voice of Tamils".Drawing comparisons between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee''s objections on the Teesta water-sharing issue and the assembly resolution, Ramadoss said while the Centre called off signing of agreement on Teesta with Bangladesh following her protest, it had "chosen not to honour" the Tamil Nadu assembly resolution."It is shocking to see that the Centre which is observing federal principles with West Bengal did not do the same with Tamil Nadu," he said in a statement.India''s power generation utility NTPC had signed a joint venture pact with Ceylon Electricity Board in this regard.TN Assembly adopted an unanimous resolution in June seeking imposition of economic sanctions on Lanka by India to ''rein in'' Colombo on the Tamil issue while pressing for speedy rehabilitation of displaced Tamils. CPI(M) Asks Govt to Address Plight of Sri Lankan Tamils Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister holds discussions with Serbian leaders Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris who is in Belgrade to attend the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Non-Aligned Movement yesterday met with Serbian President Boris Tadic and held discussions on bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Serbia.The Minister has briefed the President of Serbia as well as the Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and the Defence Minister of Serbia Dragan Sutanovac separately, about the current situation in Sri Lanka.He has briefed the Serbian President about the progress achieved by the Sri Lankan government in the last two years since the end of the war in 2009 with regard to development and reconciliation, and outlined the government’s plans for the future. An External Affairs Ministry statement said the Minister took advantage of his participation in the meeting to have a series of bilateral discussions with his counterparts in countries belonging to the NAM grouping, to acquaint them with current developments in Sri Lanka in the fields of rehabilitation, reconciliation and revival of political and electoral processes. Addressing the plenary session yesterday, the Minister has recalled that Sri Lanka is one of the 25 founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement when it was formed in 1961.processes."The Movement in terms of its ideals and its contribution to international relations remains as relevant and of as much value today as it was in 1961 when it came into being in this very city," Peiris has noted. Minister Peiris has told the Foreign Ministers of NAM countries gathered in Belgrade that the continuing practical value of the NAM Movement is evident in several fields. Among them is the clearly perceived need today to adopt an issue-based approach to the resolution of problems, encouraging countries to make a principled assessment of situations, unfettered by a firm commitment to an ideology or a group of countries. The Minister has emphasized the importance of collective action in such areas as counter-terrorism, food security, energy security and climate change. He has urged to ensure that trends in the developed world should not lead to the formulation of economic policy in a manner that is detrimental to the interests of vulnerable developing nations. Moreover, the use of trade agreements for the attainment of political objectives should be strenuously resisted, Prof. Peiris has stressed. Buddhist monk remanded in Sri Lanka for molesting an underage girl Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate and additional District Judge Darshika Wimalasiri today cancelled a previous bail out and remanded the chief incumbent of Mihintale Rajamaha Vihara Namalweve Rathanasara Thero until September 14.The senior Buddhist monk is accused of repeatedly molesting an underage girl for one and half years.The mother who is accused of selling the daughter is also under arrest.The monk was arrested by the CID at the airport on August 20 upon his return from a foreign country.The Chief Magistrate refused granting bail on any condition to the monk despite the request from his lawyers.She enquired from the Criminal Investigation Department why they had not protested granting bail to the accused in the previous occasion. Top Chinese legislator meets Sri Lankan PM, Samoan vice PM Top legislator Wu Bangguo met with Sri Lankan Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne and Samoan Vice Prime Minister Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo on Wednesday in southeast China's coastal city of Xiamen. The two foreign leaders came to the city to attend the 15th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT).During his meeting with Jayaratne, Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said China will encourage Chinese companies, especially large enterprises, to take part in Sri Lanka's development and expand trade and investment with the country in order to realize mutual benefit and common development.Wu also pledged to bolster Sino-Sri Lankan cooperation in areas including infrastructure, the exploitation of energy and resources and tourism.Speaking highly of the countries' bilateral relations, Wu expressed appreciation of Sri Lanka's support for China regarding issues related to Taiwan and Tibet.China will continue to support Sri Lanka's efforts to safeguard its national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as respect Sri Lanka's path of development and its domestic and foreign policies, Wu said.Jayaratne said that he appreciates China's long-standing support, saying that it has served to boost Sri Lanka's development.Jayaratne also vowed to work with China to increase the strength of bilateral ties.During his meeting with Fonotoe, Wu said that China is willing to advance bilateral ties with Samoa.Noting that Samoa was one of the first Pacific island countries to establish diplomatic ties with China, Wu stated that both countries have increased their cooperation in several fields in recent years.Wu also said that all countries, big or small, rich or poor, should be equal in the international community.Fonotoe said that he came to China with the aim of attracting more investment and deepening bilateral cooperation in economics and trade.The rapid growth of the Chinese economy has created great opportunities for both countries to enhance cooperation, he said.The CIFIT kicked off on Wednesday and has attracted groups from 108 countries and regions, as well as 10 international organizations. Sri Lanka should stop defending currency peg: IMF Sri Lanka should stop defending a dollar peg and allow the domestic currency to respond to market developments, the International Monetary Fund has said.The IMF cautioned against further forex reserve sales to defend the dollar peg."This policy does not seem to be in line with the fundamentals in the economy," IMF mission chief to Sri Lanka Brian Aiken said."In responding to market pressures the Central Bank should henceforth limit its interventions and allow more exchange rate flexibility."In July Sri Lanka spent 416 million US dollars defending the dollar peg. Analysts say in August another 300 million dollars may have been spent.Sri Lanka's central bank has been selling dollars over the past several months (except in March and June which were test dates under an IMF program) to defend a dollar peg.So far this week, the Central Bank has allowed the rupee to weaken 20 cents in two steps, but it has not been enough to halt peg defence, dealers said.On Wednesday the spot dollar was quoted at two way 110.20/choice with no spread after the latest 'devaluation'.Sri Lanka last ran into a fully fledged currency crisis in late 2008, resulting in the IMF coming in with a bailout in May 2009.Sri Lanka floated the currency in April 2009, ahead of the bailout and was able to collect large volumes of foreign reserves.In July Sri Lanka's foreign reserves rose to a record 8.1 billion US dollars.IMF has given 1.8 billion dollars under its program and a 400 million dollar tranche is due if this review is completed.The team is returning to Washington without completing the review. Aitken said discussions would continue in Washington.A central bank that continues to spend reserves to defend a currency, without allowing rates to go up can trigger a currency crisis.Balance of payments crisis are triggered when a central bank tries to defend both an exchange rate and interest rate target simultaneously. For most of 2011 Sri Lanka's policy interest rates have been around or below inflation. Inflation in July fell to 7.0 percent in August from 7.5 percent a month earlier according to official data. The inflation basket was changed mid year.At current interest rates the banking system is not generating enough deposits, creating an imbalance in the domestic monetary system that is weakening the dollar peg.Aitken said Sri Lanka's interest rates were appropriate now but the central bank should watch credit growth and take action in the future. 06 September 2011 Protest in Jaffna against police inaction in ‘grease yaka’ saga Tamil politicians and civil society leaders in the north decided yesterday to stage a one-day protest in Jaffna on September 10, as a mark of protest against the failure of the government to curb the ‘Grease Yaka’ menace in the area, former MP and TELO Leader M.K. Sivajilingam said yesterday. Mr. Sivajilingam told that they had taken this decision at a meeting held yesterday. The meeting was convened by former MP and TULF leader V. Anandasangari, and was attended by TNA MPs Suresh Premachandran, P. Saravanapavan, former MPs and TELO central committee member N. Sri Kantha and S. Sritharan. Furthermore, some Catholic and Hindu religious leaders also participated in the discussions. “We decided to stage a fast on September 10 and are planning to meet the President and request that he intervenes in the matter personally. The former MP said that there were instances where persons were known to dress up as ‘Grease Devils’ and harass people in the area. We need peace in the area for people to feel safe to sleep,” he said. Asked about where exactly the fast would be staged, he said that it would be done opposite a place of religious worship in Jaffna. “We are yet to decide whether it is one of the churches or a Kovil,” he said. President shown photos of shelling civilians President denies shelling "The President further asserted there was no hospital in the area where the LTTE has claimed a hospital was shelled on May 2."Foreign Secretary Kohona has also rejected the notion that security forces continue shelling civilians in the no fire zone declared by the president, as "such sporadic shelling would not serve any military objective."Mr Moore has had a meeting with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama the previous day in which he has shown the minister two satellite images apparently taken on April 26 and 28 of the civilian "no-fire zone" showing probable artillery impact craters.He has provided other satellite images and inquired about reports of Government shelling in the safe zone according to the cable. India and US 'watching' The US official has also raised the issue of United Nations unofficial estimates that thousands of civilians were killed in the conflict since January, 2009 with the minister. "Bogollagama replied (implying the LTTE had shelled its own positions) that the satellite images did not provide enough information to indicate the source of fire."Mr Moore in his assessment has expressed hope that the president may not be fully updated by the field commanders on the real situation in the ground but may be forced to a "possible change of the Sri Lankan Army's conduct" after the meeting."The President remarked at lunch before this meeting that India had satellites and was monitoring the ground situation in Sri Lanka. It will now be equally clear to the Sri Lankan government that we are watching, too," the cable said. Charge or release ex-LTTEers: US urges Lanka The United States has urged the Sri Lankan government to charge or release former LTTE combatants, those who are still held in custody.Addressing the media in Washington Deputy State Department Spokesperson Mark C. Toner said “We also acknowledge that the Government of Sri Lanka has made progress in rehabilitating and releasing more than 8,000 of the 11,000 – more than 11,000 former LTTE combatants that were taken prisoners at the end of the conflict. So we would just urge the Government of Sri Lanka to charge or release those prisoners who are still held in custody. And I think we’re still looking at the legislation going forward and studying its implications.”He also said removing of the emergency laws, could well be a significant step towards normalizing life for the people of Sri Lanka.Answering the question that even though this emergency regulation is expiring that some maybe rather draconian elements will continue despite that as part of this new security, Mr. Toner “We’re looking at the legislation and studying its implications.”Earlier, the US government called on the Government of Sri Lanka to look into allegations of human rights abuses in the past. Elements fault lanka but shield LTTE fund raisers; Why have they no concern for the truth, asks MR President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said that many countries, groups and organizations which faulted Sri Lanka today were harbouring those who funded terrorism in Sri Lanka and still let raise funds for this brutal cause. He said they were also glad to give safe haven to the very theoreticians of terror in this country.Delivering the keynote address at the inauguration of the three day ‘Rotary South Asia Conference on Development and Co-operation’ in Colombo, President Rajapaksa charged that Sri Lanka was now being warned that the same terrorist group who bled this country for nearly 30 years and spread terrorism to the entire world was rapidly raising funds.“It is regretted that the very individuals and institutions that point their fingers at us for the defeat of terrorism seem to be unaware of the truth about our prolonged battle against terrorism and the very nature of those terrorists. Have they no concern for the truth about Sri Lanka’s agony and the humanitarian actions that under-scored our battle against terrorism? Have they no interest in the truth?” President Rajapaksa asked.“We now stand proud as a nation that has eradicated terrorism from our country. In doing so, we have made South Asia too, safer from terrorism,” he said.“We have achieved this with much less of the assets and none of the deceit and duplicity of those who have been waging a War on Terror for more than a decade, those with much more economic and fire power than we had and many more allies than we ever had, but are still caught up in the killing fields made by un-manned drones and other lethal devices that attack civilians too,” President Rajapaksa emphasized.“We now seek to consolidate the peace we have won so hard and to bring much needed relief to civilians, to parents, children and elders who were forced to carry arms for terrorists, relief to mothers whose children were made child soldiers, to women who were made to be suicide bombers and rehabilitation to those who fought with the forces of terror.“Yet, there are loud voices raised against us on accountability. To most of these voices, accountability is only a verbal apology for civilian deaths that are dismissed as collateral damage in heavy bombings. Are their actions fair by all concerned?” President Rajapaksa questioned.“The world is today engulfed in one crisis after another. Whole regions and continents suffer the effects of unregulated and wasteful expenditure with unacceptable levels of national debt pushing more societies into costly bail outs. At such a critical time for the world economy, Rotary stands out as an organization with the ultimate aim of service to society through your enterprise. You stand ready to serve the community and society from your prudent and far-sighted business practices,’.“The message of Rotary is one that has special significance in Sri Lanka. From the time the first Rotary Club was established, the contributions made by Rotary to our society are significant. Not only has Rotary done so much in so many fields of activity, more importantly, it has brought out the best among our business community and professionals. This was so during the days of British Rule and ever since we won our Freedom and Independence”.“We have now been able to resettle more than 280,000 of the Internally Displaced by last month; that is about 90 percent, which is a record for any programme of relief and resettlement anywhere in the world.”We now stand proud as a nation that has eradicated terrorism from our country. In doing so, we have made South Asia too, safer from terrorism. We have achieved this with much less of the assets, and none of the deceit and duplicity of those who have been waging a War on Terror for more than a decade; those with much more economic and fire power than we had and many more allies than we ever had, but are still caught up in the killing fields made by un-manned drones and other lethal devices that attack civilians, too.”This fact is accepted by international bodies engaged in humanitarian relief for refugees, and all who are interested in the truth. Therefore I am compelled to ask the next ethical question. Does distorting facts about our humanitarian operation help to build goodwill and better friendship?” he asked.Sri Lanka is now in the process of Reconciliation and Reconstruction. We are diverting all our energies to put the tragic years of terror well behind us. We are building a new society, learning from the lessons of the past, and moving towards the promise of future success. We have already shown the world that terrorism can be defeated. That it can be done with a commitment to the humanitarian traditions that are part of our region’s culture and heritage.Our commitment to human rights is second to none, and with such commitment we seek to transform our society to one of peace, pluralism and equality. It is a society where the great spirit of Service above Self, that is the guiding motto of Rotary, will have much relevance. Will this not be beneficial to all concerned? Rotary International Past President and Conference Chairman Rajandra K. Saboo made the welcome address while Rotary International Past President K. R. Ravindran delivered the vote of thanks. US Assistant Secretary Blake reschedules visit to Sri Lanka for September 14 The United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake, Jr. has rescheduled his visit to Sri Lanka for September 14, State Department sources said.Blake who was scheduled to travel to Sri Lanka at the end of August postponed his visit due to Hurricane Irene. He was scheduled to arrive in Colombo on August 29 for a three-day visit.During his visit Blake is expected to meet with Sri Lankan government officials, civil society representatives, university students and political leaders, the State Department said in a statement last month. Minister in surprise visit to Udayan Media and Mass Communication Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday made a surprise visit to the Udayan office in Jaffna and met the paper’s News Editor G Kuganathan who was the victim of a brutal attack a few weeks ago.The Minister was in Jaffna to head the Jaffna provincial correspondents workshop at Tilco Jaffna City Hotel. The Minister also took the opportunity to visit the Lake House District Office in Jaffna.Accompanying the Minister were Media Secretary W B Ganegala, Media Director Wasanthapriya Ramanayake, ANCL Editorial Director Seelaratne Senarat.They were warmly welcomed by the Udayan staff led by Chief Editor M Y Kanamilenathan which was followed a friendly discussion.The Minsiter expressing his profound regret to the News Editor on the attack inquired about his present condition. Udayan News Editor Kuganathan who told the Minister that he has returned to his normal health also did not fail to show the minister the injuries he sustained in the attack. The Managing Director of the Udayan Newspaper who was also present recalled the instances where members of his staff fell victim to assassins.The present peaceful climate in the North and the duties and responsibilities of journalists were also discussed in a congenial atmosphere. The Udayan staff thanked the minister for breaking with his schedule and paying a visit to their office to meet and talk with their members. The Minister also presented a voice recorder to the Udayan News Editor. Recorders were freely distributed among all correspondents at the workshop. Minister wished him good health. Sri Lankan court rejects plea to dismiss case against former Defence Minister Ratwatte A Sri Lankan court has today overruled a plea to dismiss the bribery case against former Defence Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte.Ratwatte's defense counsel has requested the Colombo High Court on Monday to dismiss the bribery case against Ratwatte.High Court Judge Sunil Rajapakse has said that a strong case had been established by the indictment filed by the Attorney General against Ratwatte.The judge has fixed the next hearing of the case for September 21.A case was filed against Ratwatte for his failure to declare to the Bribery Commission the mode of earnings of his assets amounting to Rs.33 million in cash and immovable property worth of Rs.1.25 million earned from March 31, 1997 to August 31, 2002.The judge asked Ratwatte to inform on the next court date whether he will lead evidence of his witness or make a dock statement or give evidence from the witness box. Case against LTTE suspects postponed Case filed against the LTTE media spokesman Daya Master and the Translator Gorge Master taken up bore the Colombo Magistrate courts this morning.During the curt session Officers of the Criminal Investigation Department informed the courts that they need the advice of the Attorney General to carry out further investigations against these suspects.These two suspects have surrendered to the Omanthai police on April 23rd 2009. And hand over to the CID for further investigations.Magistrate of the Colombo Magistrate Rashmi Singapulli postponed the case till January 16th 2012. 05 September 2011 TNA to legally challenge new laws The Tamil National Alliance decided to legally challenge the regulations imposed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act on the principle that things done by the government under the state of emergency could not be done under a different legal regime, TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran said today. The government imposed these regulations on August 30, 2011 to keep the ban on the LTTE and the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation intact and to take action against terrorist suspects and surrendees in the context of emergency regulations being lifted. Mr. Sumanthiran told the Daily Mirror that what the government did under the state of emergency could not be done under a separate legal regime. “We will challenge the new regulations in a court of law soon. First, we have to see the contents of the new regulations,” he said. The TNA MP said his party would oppose these regulations and the proposed Emergency Consequential Provisional Bill to be introduced in Parliament. Also, he said the government had failed to issue the gazette notification announcing these regulations, and therefore, there was no legal validity to them as of now. Responding to former Attorney General Mohan Peiris who said these regulations had been in force once they were announced, Mr. Sumanthiran said any law would be in force only after it was published. “It is a basic fact expected to be known even by a law student,” he said. Civilians will be dealt under PTA - army Those who attack military and police installations are "terrorists" and will be charged with country's anti-terror regulations, says Sri Lanka military.Military spokesman Brig Nihal Hapuarachchi told BBC Sandeshaya that over 120 people were recently arrested in Jaffna as they came to attack a military camp."They attacked a joint army-police camp. It is a terrorist act," he said."It is wrong for civilians to attack an army camp or police station. Those who do that are terrorists. We will take action against them under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)," added Brig Hapuarachchi.At a recent meeting with Muslim imams, Sri Lanka’s defence secretary said that, just as the army defeated “terrorists”, it would act against anyone making trouble. 'Make fun with military' "Please remind your people how the military tackle with terrorists. Don’t try to make fun with the military," Mr Rajapaksa said.Residents in Jaffna say that fear prevails in the cultural heartland of Tamils due to continuing attacks on women by night prowlers, named as 'grease devils' widely in minority dominated areas of the country.However, the military spokesman categorically denied the existence of any grease devil, in Jaffna or anywhere in the island."I myself visited Jaffna on Thursday, there is no fear at all there. The army and the police took action to control the situation where there have been fear in some places," he said.Residents in Jaffna claim otherwise.Sithambara Udayar Kanagasingham, a senior lawyer in Jaffna, says that day to day life is interrupted due to fear of nocturnal prowlers. 'Fear' in Jaffna For the first time, he says, residents in Kandavil, Jaffna apprehended a young man suspected to be a "grease devil" and handed him over to the police on Thursday night. "The prevalent belief is that the police and military are more interested in intimidating residents than dealing with the attackers."Military has been called into Puttalam under emergency regulations to deal with unrest Mr Kanagasingham adds that people in Jaffna, especially women are afraid of going out in night.Military spokesman categorically denied accusations of severely assaulting the protesters before or after arresting them.An unnamed military source, however, has told the BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo that the military used physical force against vigilante crowds.In an interesting development, says Mr Kanagasingham, electricity supply in those areas where grease devil attacks happened abruptly disconnected at the time of the attack. The military source told the BBC that they suspect former Tamil Tigers to be behind the attacks on military."I doesn't have to be Tamil Tigers. But anybody who attacks the military is a terrorist," was the response by Brig Hapuarachchi.Sri Lanka’s Sunday Times newspaper meanwhile reports that a group of women activists is to petition the Supreme Court on the grounds that the state is failing in its duty to protect women from these perpetrators.The papers editorial also accused the police and law enforcement authorities of failing to protect the victims. Sri Lanka’s integration task Colombo has a critical choice to make. The government’s decision to hold on alleged terror suspects for time immemorial, irrespective of its earlier commitment that it wants to free them and rehabilitate, accordingly, is a setback of sorts.The newly promulgated regulations under the powerful Prevention of Terrorism Act are primarily meant to deny political space to the incarcerated Tamil suspects, and are widely seen as a ploy to further emergency provisions. The draconian laws that were there in force for the last three decades had curbed civil and political liberties and were prima facie justified as a tactic as the island-nation state was in a state of war with the Tamil Tigers. But this crisscross and manoeuvring to keep the minority population under the thumb of stringent laws, especially Tamil detainees, will not go well with the spirit that President Mahinda Rajapakse had furthered by promising to accommodate the aggrieved sections of the society through a phased-out reconciliation strategy. Whatever may be the political and security-driven compulsions for Rajapakse any effort to corner the Tamils is bound to backfire.The government, it goes without saying, has had enough time to screen the unscrupulous elements in the erstwhile Tigers’ rank and file and it could hardly substantiate an argument saying that it is mindful of any backlash if the hundreds of inmates are released instantly. Secondly, the positive aspect as far as the Tamil community is concerned is the fact that it hasn’t opted for marginalised jingoistic tactics since the LTTE leadership was terminated and has been closely involved in rapprochement efforts to build a new socio-political edifice for itself. This is the time when the government should pay back in all sincerity and ensure that prisoners of conscience and all those who had been behind the bars on minor offences are dealt with in a passionate manner.Rajapakse administration has to ensure that not only its relief and rehabilitation efforts are met with success, but it also overcomes obstacles in integrating the minority community in the national mainstream. In this regard, it has to closely follow a two-pronged strategy: release and accommodate detainees as equal citizens and implement the United Nations project of reuniting family members separated in the last phase of civil war. The count that runs in hundreds and thousands is a perfect humanitarian subject and shouldn’t be dealt on the fringes of political saturation. Sri Lanka is in need of a new social contact and Rajapakse who had decorated himself with the laurels of defeating the LTTE could well refurbish its colours by fomenting a new deal between the Sinhalese and the Tamils. Donors knew of shelling civilians International donors were aware of artillery attacks on Tamil civilians by the Sri Lanka military in the last stages of the war against Tamil Tigers, according to recent Wikileaks revelations.However, donor nations have stopped short of making their knowledge public.The international co-chairs in a meeting held on 05 March 2009 was told by the then US Ambassador in Colombo, Robert O' Blake, that he raised the issue with Basil Rajapaksa, senior advisor to President Mahinda Rajapaksa."Rajapaksa was not as forthcoming to the Ambassador's concerns about credible reports of shelling of the safe zone on several successive days recently," the cable sent by the US embassy said.The Sri Lanka government had repeatedly claimed that attacks using heavy weapons were ceased as a precaution to prevent civilian casualties.It maintained that its policy was of 'zero civilian casualties'.However, "Rajapaksa lamely pointed out that GSL forces had come under fire from LTTE artillery within the safe zone and they had to defend themselves.""Ambassador pointed out such retaliatory shelling had killed many civilians and was a reversal of the government's own commitment not to use heavy weapons," the cable sent to Washington two months before Sri Lanka declared its military victory over Tamil Tigers said.Wikileaks reveal that the donor nations were told by Sri Lanka authorities that heavy weapons were used contrary to public statements."The Norwegian Ambassador commented that in two recent meetings with Rajapkasa he acknowledged military forces were shelling into the safe zone, but was not comfortable discussing the subject," it said. Objection to statement But the donors, namely Japan and Norway, have objected to a call by the EU to issue a statement on the "potential humanitarian catastrophe" saying that Sri Lanka is "making an effort" to respond to previously raised concerns "with the exception of its recent shelling of the safe zone"."They argued that a critical public statement now might set back Basil's efforts to provide more food," says the US embassy cable.Sri Lankan security forces declared a new safe zone for civilians on12 February 2009.The Civilian Safety Zone (CSZ) was to "facilitate flow of humanitarian aid and medical supplies for the people stranded with LTTE," said the military.Norway that brokered a peace agreement between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lanka government in February 2002 has informed the co-chair ambassadors that it has been exerting pressure on the LTTE to release civilians trapped in the north.The Norwegian Ambassador "reported several recent contacts with the LTTE in which he argued that under international humanitarian law they are required to allow civilians to leave the conflict area. He told the LTTE that Norway's highest priority is saving as many lives as possible," said the cable.Tamil Tigers who "acknowledged that they face military defeat," has refused to lay down their arms and did not see '"outright surrender as an option" according to the Norwegian ambassador quoted by the cable. Chinese military equipment producer to build hotel The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority is positive about the China Aviation Technology Import-Export Corporation’s (CATIC) five star hotel project which is expected to be launch by the end of this year, despite the allegations levelled against it by UNP MP Dr. Harsha De Silva.With the country expecting to attract more than 2.5 million tourists by 2015 the government has begun to sell and lease out land for development in several areas of the country.After the successful sale of 10 acres facing the Gall Face green to Shangri-La at US$ 125 million, CATIC followed with a proposal to invest US$ 136 million on property close to what was sold to Shangri La. However, the government recently rejected CATIC’s offer to buy the land and is offering instead to lease out the property for 99 years after Dr. De Silva heavily criticised the proposed deal.Dr. De Silva has constantly criticised the government for not following a transparent process in land deals, particularly the one involving CATIC. Deputy Economic Development Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, however claims the processes are transparent.Dr. De Silva at a recent forum said, "I understand the land sale to Shangri-La for its prestigious reputation, but why CATIC which operates hotels below two-star in China and far worse, it is a military equipment producer."SLTDA Assistant Director Standards and Quality Assurance Jeevana Fernando commenting on these allegation told The Island Financial Review, that the CATIC project was a viable one and would help the country attract more Chinese tourists in order to achieve the 2015 tourist arrival targets.He said though the project has been initiated as a five-star hotel, the actual rankings would be given only after completion and it could be a low-star ranking as well."Though according to Dr. De Silva CATIC has no five star hotel in operation, to start one in Sri Lanka is not a must. There are several hotel operators who had started their first hotel as a five star with no experience at all."With the capacity constraints looming and the number of arrivals increasing Sri Lanka needs many hotels as possible to support the targeted number of arrivals by 2015. According to the SLTDA the room capacity needs to be increased by nearly 35,000 by 2015. Underworld leader who fought LTTE but couldn’t swim to save his life An underworld leader who had led a luxurious life and had links to influential politicians died on August 30 while still in police custody. Known as Navy Asanka, he was reportedly terrorizing areas around Athurugiriya and had been in custody due to his involvement in killings, raping, extortion of money and other crimes.Navy Asanka was a sought-after underworld leader in view of his close links to and association with powerful politicians, while at the same time being a much-feared person who was involved in gang warfare. While in the navy he was trained in combat skills, to fight at sea and in the use of weapons and firearms - all of which he had mastered successfully. He was also involved in battle with the LTTE; he had managed to save his life and that of a colleague in Oddusudan in 2001. Subsequently, he had abandoned the navy though the officials at the Navy Headquarters had concluded that he had been captured by the LTTE. Thereafter Asanka had reportedly taken to criminal activity, and after a career in crime, was taken into custody by the Athurugiriya police. As a navy deserter, he was then detained by the navy at its camp at Welisara. On his release he had been in hiding. However, a police officer at the Athurugiriya police had received a tip-off on Asanka's hideout. Acting on the information received, DIG Anura Senanayake and the SSP Deshabandu Tennakoon, along with a team of police officers had taken steps to apprehend Navy Asanka who had a 8mm Italian firearm on his person at the time of his arrest. While in custody, he had confessed to selling 15 T56 rifles to the members of the underworld, and he had also hidden a similar weapon in the banks of the Kelani River. It was while this particular weapon was to be unearthed that Navy Asanka had dived into the river presumably with the intention of giving the slip to the police but instead he had drowned. The untold LTTE story of Lalith Athulathmudali murder Unfolding facts ‘Behind the Curtain’ of LTTE atrocities on politicians, Lankapuvath today disclose such facts with regard to the assassination of former National Security Minister, Lalith William Athulathmudali.After a humiliating defeat at Vadamarachchi, Velupillai Prabhakaran looked to assassinate former President J R Jayewardene and Minister Lalith Athulathmudali. President Jayewardene escaped such an attempt once in the Parliament, in which Athulathmudali was critically wounded. The LTTE again tried on the former President’s life when he was to proceed to see a Dentist from his Ward Place residence.Athulathmudali who recovered from the Parliament bomb explosion was constantly monitored by the LTTE. Upon the UNP split between former President Ranasinghe Premadasa with Gamini Dissanayake and Lalith Athulathmudali, the LTTE, according to its records, used a UNP State Minister (now deceased) to plant ‘Babu’ at ‘Sucharitha’ the private residence of President Premadasa, LTTE untold facts record. The UNP State Minister in question has had closed links with under-world criminals in the Colombo District at that time. As the Premadasa-Dissanayake, Athulathmudali rift widened, the State Minister in question moved close to President Premadasa and made all believe he was the most trusted Premadasa loyalist.Dissanayake and Athulathmudali with GM Premachandra formed the DUNF to challenge Premadasa. However, though Premadasa was critical of Gamini Dissanayake, he was never personally opposed to Athulathmudali whom he respected as a patriot who opposed the Indo-Lanka Agreement and boycotted the dinner hosted to then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on the eve of signing the Accord by President Jayewardene. That dinner was only boycotted by Premadasa and Athulathmudali.On April 22, 1993, President Premadasa ceremonially opening a new session in Parliament claimed that his government cracked for a moment because of ambitious people like Gamini Dissanayake and G M Premachandra. He did never say the name Lalith Athulathmudali or make a charge on Athulathmudali.According to well informed sources, the State Minister in question who met Babu the same evening had reportedly got two under-world criminals (names witheld for personal security reasons of this Writer) released from prison. This message had been immediately conveyed to Prabhakaran at his under ground house in the thick jungles of Mullaitivu, reports said.Hardly 24 hours later Athulathmudali was shot at a meeting on a political platform at Kirulapone, close to Murugan Place, and the then OIC of the Kirulapone Police, Premalal Ranagala was reportedly brought under pressure by the State Minister in question to release a Tamil suspect who was in custody for a minor offense. Inspector Ranagala vehemently objected and even threatened to resign within hours. Thereafter for days, no news was heard of Inspector Ranagala.A few hours later after the killing of Lalith Athulathmudali, a Tamil youth was found along Murugan Place having committed suicide swallowing a cyanide capsule. Inspector Ranagala expressed surprise and horror at that episode and wondered how a cyanide capsule made its way to Kirulapone.On receipt of information that Lalith Athulathmudali had been shot President Premadasa appeared very angry and many whom he suspected in his own circle were summoned to ‘Sucharitha’ and reprimanded throughout the week, before he himself was assassinated a week later on May 1. This information, Babu had reported to the LTTE leadership through the channels he possessed.Babu had also been placed in charge of a huge payment involved for the killing of Lalith Athulathmudali, LTTE ‘Behind the Curtain’ facts have revealed.Premadasa addressing a meeting at Kirulapone on the eve of his death told the people and the country that he had all the facts in hand and would disclose the names of the people responsible for the murder of Lalith Athulathmudali when he would address the UNP May Day rally on the following day.Despite the Presidential Security Division warning President Premadasa of an impending danger to his life on May Day, and the then Kotahena Police OIC S Sharvanada personally advising Premadasa not to expose himself, the State Minister in question who showed as a true confidante of the late President insisted that the crowds would only gather at the Sugathadasa Stadium, and from that point up to Maradana through Maligawatte, only if President Premadasa was there at the scene. Brushing aside all security advices, President Premadasa, despite Inspector Sharvananda walking up to him at the Amour Street Junction urging him to board the bullet proof vehicle, trekked on foot towards the colour light junction at which point Babu came suddenly to meet him from somewhere within the crowd. The State Minister in question who was earlier in the habit of bieng on the right hand side of President everywhere the latter went was missing at the time the bomb exploded.LTTE ‘Behind the Curtain’ Facts Reports record the deaths of Athulathmudali and Premadasa as the most important targets they’ve hit within a week in the year 1993. 04 September 2011 EU To Press Sri Lanka The European Union (EU) is to press Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) this month to address the issue of accountability over alleged human rights abuses committed during the final stages of the conflict.Iulia Costea, the press officer of EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, told The Sunday Leader that the EU also wants the Sri Lankan government to engage with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the contents of the report by a panel of experts, on the war in Sri Lanka.“As EU High Representative Catherine Ashton has recalled, the EU believes that an independent process to address the extremely serious allegations contained in the report of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts should contribute to strengthening the process of reconciliation and ensuring lasting peace and security in Sri Lanka,” Costea told The Sunday Leader.The EU had recently welcomed the government decision to remove the emergency regulations but Costea said the European Union continues considering the publication of the report of the UN Secretary-General ‘s Panel of Experts on accountability in Sri Lanka, as an important development.The UN panel report had concluded that there are credible allegations of major violations of international human rights and humanitarian law committed by all sides in the conflict, during its final stages.“Should this matter be discussed at the Human Rights Council, the EU will continue to encourage the Government of Sri Lanka to respond positively to the report and address the issue of accountability as an essential part of the process of national reconciliation and, in this context, to engage with the UNSG on the contents of the report,” Costea added.A high level delegation led by External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris will travel to Geneva for talks with the President of the UN Human Rights Council and its member states prior to the formal sessions which will begin next week.Minister of Plantation Industries and Special Human Rights Envoy Mahinda Samarasinghe will later lead the Sri Lankan delegation at the UN Human Rights Council session. Although the Council is not expected to discuss Sri Lanka as part of the agenda of the session, some member states are expected to raise concerns over Sri Lanka.Meanwhile an online petition has been published on a British government website seeking an independent, international investigation into war crimes in Sri Lanka.If 100,000 people sign the petition it will then be open for discussion in the British House of Commons. The petition calls on the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office to support the establishment of an independent, international inquiry into the credible allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sri Lanka during the final months of the armed conflict in 2009, as recommended in the ‘Report of the UN Secretary General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka’. West’s criticism of Lankan human rights record concerned India In what might prove to be a political embarrassment for Congress in Tamil Nadu, a Wikileaks cable has revealed that India viewed Western criticism of Sri Lanka's human rights record with concern as it felt shunning the island nation would drive it towards China. An Indian official in the external affairs ministry told US diplomats that the West - by shunning a victorious Sri Lanka (after its defeat of the LTTE) over human rights issues - "pushed Sri Lanka into China's arms", and opened the region to the influence of both China and Iran. In the January, 2010, interaction, joint secretary T S Tirumurthi said the elections in Sri Lanka should be welcomed and they would mark a new phase in resolving the Tamil question democratically. India was confident that if the vote is closely divided it would motivate the victor to consider the views of the other camp. "The pattern of Chinese assistance to the needy northern areas of Sri Lanka would not uphold democratic ideals and human rights. Indian security, defence, and ethnicity-related interests are directly affected by Sri Lankan actions. In this regard, India welcomed U S engagement and saw the U S abstention on the IMF vote as a signal of a pragmatic approach," the cable says of the Indian position. While Indian did not perceive the Chinese role as ill-intentioned, nor wish to counter it, Tirumurthi highlighted that India last December extended a $425 million line of credit to Sri Lanka that had however got no attention. A Sri Lankan first secretary in the embassy at New Delhi told US diplomats that "that some of the rail projects were funded in part by the Chinese, so it would be "very embarrassing" if the Indians did not complete their section." The cable also stated that Tirumurthi's comment that India was not trying to counter Chinese influence in Sri Lanka should be taken with a grain of salt. "Our contact at the Sri Lankan High Commission hit the bull's eye with his comment that India might be embarrassed if they could not match Chinese contributions to reconstruction." TNA still hangs on to LTTE ideology: Government dummy Douglas Talks with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) alone would not solve the ethnic question, government puppet Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Leader and Traditional Industries & Small Enterprise Development Minister, Douglas Devananda said.Speaking to The Nation Devenanda said the TNA was unable to come to a common understanding with regard to a solution to the ethnic question.“The parties that went to New Delhi recently could not come to a common agreement,” he said.However, TNA MP, Suresh Premachandran refuted such claims and added that the TNA was clear in what the Tamils wanted. He said that there was a difficulty in coming to an agreement with those who are not within the TNA. “There are certain Tamil parties out of the TNA that tow an extreme line. Things could be easy if they could change their stance,” he said.Devananda however stated that the TNA was not sincere to solve the problems. “They (TNA) are still following the ideologies of the LTTE. The LTTE never wanted to solve problems. There is no point talking to the TNA alone to solve the problem,” Devananda said.He also said that the talks between the government and the TNA would not bring a solution that is accepted by the people in the south. “What we need is a solution that is acceptable by all the people.”Talks between the government and the TNA came to a halt after its meeting on August 4 when the latter requested a response to its proposals on a solution to the ethnic question.The TNA said that talks could continue once the government responds to its recommendations.pro- government Devananda said that the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) would serve as a perfect platform for all political parties to express their views and thereby come to a solution acceptable to all. In the assassin's mind Material Objects (MO) 124 and 125 are now just piles of paper gathering dust in a court vault. But they helped enlist an army of fighters, and assassins, for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. 'Satanic Force', two large volumes of Tiger propaganda seized by CBI investigators soon after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi gives an insight into the harsh indoctrination that LTTE cadres were put through. "There were more than 1,000 affidavits, mostly in Tamil, with names and addresses, narrations of cases of women raped and killed by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), of men tortured and butchered. It would make anyone shed tears," says K Ragothaman, the CBI's chief investigating officer who interrogated the three Rajiv assassins, Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan, for more than a month. So was this literature enough motivation for the dastardly act that changed India's history forever? "It seems so. When I first met Murugan, he told me, 'Sir, don't beat and torture us like petty criminals. We are a part of a freedom movement. Of course, if we go back Prabahakaran (LTTE chief) will kill us. So please treat us with dignity.' They did not think they were criminals or had committed a ghastly act. They believe, I am sure even today, that they killed Rajiv Gandhi for a cause and it was not a crime," Ragothaman says. Murugan, the sharpest of the lot, enrolled into the movement while barely in his teens. He was given the charge, as 'Indu Master', of 'questioning' IPKF detainees. Santhan, another Lankan Tamil, was believed to be capable of ingratiating himself into anyone's favour. He was a key operative in the killing of K Padmanabhan, leader of the EPRLF, another Sri Lankan Tamil group, in Chennai in June 1990. Perarivalan, an Indian Tamil, had a late indoctrination. At 18, he was taken to meet Prabhakaran and briefly inducted into the movement. The Supreme Court called Rajiv's assassination "a diabolical crime". The men and women who played a role in it had been ready to lay down their lives for the LTTE cause. But even the 'Satanic Force', it seems, cannot change human nature. After years on death row, the killers may just have mellowed somewhat. "Murugan's voice turns soft when he mentions his daughter Harithra," says a lawyer who visited the trio on August 29, a day before the high court stayed their execution. "He would ask me if I had spoken to her, how her voice sounded - young or mature," says the lawyer, asking not to be named. "All through, the three men were confident that they would be released. They believed they were innocent as there were bigger players behind the assassination," says V Kannadasan, an advocate and longtime associate of the convicts. "When I last met Murugan on August 29, he said, 'Are you letting go of us?' But he said it jokingly. He is not scared of death." Close associates, however, say that Santhan, who has turned almost ascetic, is a worried man. "He meditates five times a day, reads spiritual books and is constantly anxious about his fate," says a well-wisher. Arputhammal Gnansekaran believes her son Perarivalan is innocent. "We supported the Eelam cause and loved and respected Prabhakaran. But Arivu (Perarivalan) never knew there was a plot to kill Rajiv Gandhi. He is such a soft boy that he would put his head down during violent scenes in films. How can such a person put together explosives to kill a person?" When she met her son last week, he assured her he would be out soon and that justice would prevail. Emergency withdrawn – but everyone in the dark! When a country’s cabinet is habitually uninformed, it is no surprise that its citizens also know nothing. In Sri Lanka, governance is carried out on a need-to-know basis: only a coterie at the top needs-to-know. President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced in parliament on August 25 that he proposed not to extend the state of emergency. He explained that he was satisfied administration could take place under normal law. These were the closing lines of a long oration that was reminiscent of a budget speech. While its purpose was to convey the end of emergency, it did nothing to explain the logistics of such a move. There was confusion over the many things the president did not say, including the date on which emergency would end. The government’s official website, news.lk, said emergency would end the same day. Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, cabinet spokesman said it would lapse with immediate effect. Mohan Pieris, the outgoing attorney general, told BBC it would end on September 9, “if not earlier.” Not unnaturally, they were all wrong. President Rajapaksa said he would not extend emergency, which meant it would lapse on August 30–a month to the date on which it was last proclaimed. But the diverse theories of various official mouthpieces caused doubt. Observers began to speculate that he might issue a proclamation revoking the emergency; or that he would extend it for two weeks in order to get an alternative law in place.It became clear that asking ministers to clarify was a waste of time. This was a cabinet that was ordered to be present in parliament without being told why. Such low levels of confidence are perhaps to be expected from a president who as a minister was once dryly called ‘the reporter’ by Chandrika Kumaratunga for leaking cabinet proceedings to media. In any event, he is no longer that candid. Or he might simply have been trying to build suspense. India’s The Hindu newspaper first broke the news when it was strategically leaked to them a few hours before the event. Ministers were not offered the same courtesy. They were even more ignorant about what would happen after the statement.The president’s office, defence and justice ministries did not call press conferences. Only Yapa chaired one and we know what he said. There was also no press release. Only a short notice on news.lk, and we know what that said. Even an official text of the president’s speech was sent to the media exceptionally late. Less important statements are sent in super quick time. Dhammika Kitulgoda, secretary-general of parliament, confirmed to LAKBIMAnEWS that the emergency would lapse on August 30. But there was uncertainty even till the end of last week. This was partly because the president did not say how he would continue to hold detainees and surrendees; proscribe the LTTE; ban the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization; maintain high security zones; and deploy the military everywhere. Pieris (who later admitted the emergency would end on August 30) offered some degree of insight. Desperate for information, journalists rang him off the hook. He told them that the government–namely, the defence minister–proposed to promulgate a fresh set of regulations under the Prevention of Terrorism Act to help maintain the status quo until a new law was introduced. He said these would be out by midnight Tuesday. It should have been the president or defence ministry that revealed this; not a government official whose last day at work was Tuesday. And where were these regulations? The government printer’s department kept saying they didn’t have them. Some journalists were directed to the defence ministry but Laxman Hulugalle, the spokesman, could not say much. A bizarre murkiness–either deliberate or accidental–was maintained. Meanwhile, sources revealed that a document was sent to the printer on Wednesday night but even by Saturday a gazette containing the new regulations was not released. What did emerge was an order by the president under Section 12 of the Public Security Ordinance (PSO) calling out all members of the armed forces for the maintenance of public order in every administrative district of Sri Lanka. (The last order under this section was made a month ago). Therefore, the military is effectively still being used to maintain public order.With so many gaps in the story–and the new regulations still officially unavailable–many questions remained unanswered. For instance, it was not possible to determine whether these regulations would be within the powers of the defence minister in terms of his regulation-making authority. The PTA spells out the detention scheme relating to persons suspected of having committed offences under the legislation. Would the regulations spell out an additional scheme? As a legal source pointed out, the PTA allows the holding of a person up to 72 hours initially without a detention order, then three months at a time on each detention order issued by the minister. The minister can issue six of such orders, making the total period of detention three days and eighteen months. If you wish to detail anybody beyond such a period–for example, pending the commencement and the conclusion of the trial–you need to produce him before a magistrate and get him remanded. “When the main law says that, how can you have a supplementary detention scheme for a separate category of persons who are suspected of having committed certain offences under former emergency regulations?” this source questioned. “A fundamental principle relating to regulations made under an act is that they can’t expand the scope of the main law. They can only fill the gaps.” Many such issues could not be analysed last week because the regulations were yet to be made public. The lifting of an emergency anywhere is a positive step. It does not warrant the ridiculous degree of uncertainty, ignorance and secrecy that Sri Lankans–and the cabinet–saw last week. To begin with, the president should have focused on substantive matters. This should have been followed by a press conference to explain the practical situation to the public. People were heard asking questions on basic issues like would the military stop them to check for identification; could the military search their homes; could they stop cars and dig about inside; would there still be checkpoints, and so on. These questions remain valid despite the lapsing of the emergency because the military are still deployed under the PSO.A government that jubilantly ends a long stretch of emergency rule should have got the kudos it deserved. But the story changed last week from one of praise to one of sheer consternation. Even the western missions, who quickly issued statements welcoming the president’s move, were then left wondering what the devil was going on. Govt. taking multi-pronged approach sans Emergency After much research, LAKBIMAnEWS learnt that the government was taking a multi-pronged legal approach.--First, regulations are to be drafted under Section 27 of the PTA which states: “The Minister may make regulations under this Act for the purpose of carrying out or giving effect to the principles and provisions of this Act.” “Every regulation made by the Minister shall be published in the Gazette and shall come into operation on the date of such publication or on such later date as may be specified in the regulation.”“Every regulation made by the Minister shall as soon as convenient after its publication in the Gazette be brought before Parliament for its approval. Any regulation which is not so approved shall be deemed to be rescinded as from the date of disapproval but without prejudice to anything previously done thereunder. Notification of the date on which a regulation is deemed to be rescinded shall be published in the Gazette.”These regulations were sent on Wednesday night to the government printer’s department, proof-read and sent back to the Defence Ministry. They might be available to the public on Monday. But under the circumstances, one can’t really say. --Secondly, Section 6(3) of the Interpretation Ordinance is being applied. It states: “Whenever any written law repeals either in whole or in part a former written law, such repeal shall not, in the absence of any express provision to that effect, affect or be deemed to have affected–a) the past operation of or anything duly done or suffered under the repealed written law; b) any offence committed, any right, liberty or penalty acquired or incurred under the repealed written law; c) any action, proceeding, or thing pending or incompleted when the repealing written law comes into operation, but every such action, proceeding, or thing may be carried on and completed as if there had been no such repeal.”--Thirdly, the president has called out the military under Section 12 of the Public Security Ordinance that states: “Where circumstances endangering the public security in any area have arisen or are imminent and the Prime Minister is of the opinion that the police are inadequate to deal with such situation in that area, he may, by order published in the Gazette, call out all or any of the members of all or any of the armed forces for the maintenance of public order in that area.”The armed force called out under this section “shall for such purpose have the powers, including the powers of search and arrest, conferred on police officers... other than the powers specified in Chapter XII of the Criminal Procedure Code... provided that the power conferred on police officers... shall not be exercised by any member of the armed forces called out as aforesaid who is of a rank below that of Sergeant of the Ceylon Army or Royal Ceylon Air Force or Petty Officer of the Royal Ceylon Navy.”--A new law, possibly titled the Termination of Emergency Consequential Provisions Bill, will be introduced to parliament in the near future. In addition to all of the above, the normal laws of the land also apply. Major General Jagath Dias Under Scrutiny In the backdrop of Sri Lanka standing accused of committing war crimes during the the final stages of the war, a report from the European Centre for Constutitional and Human Rights (ECCHR), dated January 2011, has accused another Sri Lankan Army Officer, Major General Jagath Dias, of committing war crimes Major General Jagath Dias was the commander of the 57th Division of the Army and is currently Sri Lanka’s Deputy Ambassador in Berlin.The ECCHR report is titled “Allegations of War Crimes committed by the 57th Division of Major General Dias in Northern Sri Lanka between April 2008 and May 2009.” The 23 page document goes into detail about the allegations against Major General Dias and holds him personally responsible for the “war crimes” his division committed. Sources are attributed to either media reports or in some cases, personal accounts by unnamed witnesses to the ECCHR itself.In response, Dias, speaking to The Sunday Leader, said that there are people interested in representing a minority or an ethnic group, and that they look at Sri Lanka from that point of view. “In relation to 2009, they have most likely taken views of certain interest groups or the Tamil Diaspora,” he said. “It is all up to the authorities. It is a matter of time until I come to know the exact position received and responded to by the respective authorities,” Dias said.A quoted text in the report shows the response of the German Government to the allegations against the Sri Lankan Major General, as posed by Members of German Parliament. It details how many diplomats the GoSL sent to the Federal Republic of Germany (one: namely Dias) and the criteria according to which he was accredited. The German Government was also questioned on their research into Dias’s possible participation in war crimes, to which the Government had responded that the allegations were followed up but “could not be substantiated.”In several instances, the report attributes its information to several sources which cannot be verified, or are pro LTTE such as Tamil Net. While unidentified eyewitness reports could possibly have come from within the Tamil Diaspora itself.Philip Grant, Director of the rights group Track Impunity Always, which has filed criminal charges against Dias at the Attorney General’s office in Switzerland, said that the complaint was based on several reports, including the ECCHR report and the UN Panel Report. “These sources show credible evidence that Mr. Dias’ troops have indeed committed serious human rights violations which could amount to war crimes,” he said.Grant also stressed on the importance for the Swiss judicial system to investigate into this issue and sentence Dias if proven guilty. “We also consider that he should not enjoy any diplomatic immunity because of the seriousness of the allegations,” he said. Dossier on Major General Jagath Dias The report begins with a brief introduction of the war and a reference to Ban Ki -moon’s statement on June 1, 2009 calling the civilian casualties “unacceptably high.” It then refers to WikiLeaks and a cable sent by US Ambassador Patricia Butenis on 15 January 2010, who alleged that responsibility for the commission of war crimes is given to “the country’s senior civilian and military leadership, including President Rajapaksa, his brothers and opposition candidate General Fonseka.”The report then goes into how the GoSL sent several senior military commanders to serve as its representatives worldwide: which includes Jagath Dias to Germany where he also represents Sri Lanka in Switzerland and the Vatican State.The report accuses the German Government of failing to investigate and accordingly prosecute allegations of war crimes. Instead it gave the suspect a diplomatic passport, “allowing him to threaten members of the Tamil diaspora whenever they contact their embassy, e.g. for a passport renewal. Moreover, Major General Dias is not only accepted by German authorities, but also involved in their work. Major General Dias has actively collaborated with the German security authorities, the German intelligence service in particular, to observe and investigate the Tamil community in Germany. Similar actions are reported in Switzerland.”The source of this allegation is Lankamagazine.com. When the provided link was followed, the website appeared to be nonfunctional. Lanka Magazine is seemingly a British based online magazine. The Lanka Magazine Twitter account had been last updated on 17 June. No google search results manifested for “Lankan mission gave sensitive information to German mission,” as sourced by ECCHR. The only link that came up was to this very dossier. ECCHR also alleges that “if one follows the movements of the offensive Divisions of the Sri Lanka Army as described on official websites of the Sri Lankan Government, examines reports by governments and international NGOs, and talks to eye-witnesses who were present in the area in the beginning of 2009, it becomes clear that both the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE committed numerous crimes under international law, especially war crimes. As identified by the US Embassy (Patricia Butenis cable), the most senior military commanders and civilian leaders were responsible for these crimes. On the LTTE-side however, almost all the high-ranking leaders who would have borne the greatest responsibility for their crimes were killed in the last days of the conflict.”ECCHR then goes on to say that it is still examining the issue and asks the German Government to take the allegations levelled against Jagath Dias seriously and act in accordance. After a brief history of Dias, in which he is identified as holding the third highest rank in the Sri Lanka Army, ECCHR goes into details of Dias’ “war crimes.” Positions of the 57th Division and incidents in the respective area The ECCHR states that the “ECCHR chose individual incidents carefully, taking into consideration the reliability of the material available. As such, most of the incident descriptions come from serious and reliable sources such as International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch or the BBC. Moreover, ECCHR interviewed a number of eye-witnesses to get a first-hand impression of the scale of the atrocities and the allegations. Various incidents reported by other sources have not been included in this Dossier.” Using information from the Sri Lanka Ministry of Defense website, the different locations of the the 57th Division were followed, according to the “timeline of 57th division battles.” Shelling of Madhu Church, April 2008 The 57th Division captured the area of Madhu on 25 April 2008. The report quotes the Bishop of Mannar, Most Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph as saying, “Shells are falling within the church premises several times and many of those staying there have been compelled to leave, while priests and the other church workers who are still remaining, live in fear and are being forced to seek shelter in bunkers.” (Source: an open letter by the Bishop of Mannar, available online). Church officials are also reported to have said, “Shells were exploding near the shrine of Our Lady of Madhu as the Sri Lanka Army continued to fire shells from Periya Pandivirichchaan and Chinna Pandivirichchaan areas since noon Wednesday. The shelling ceased for only two hours from 3:30 a.m. till 5:30 a.m. on Thursday.”In addition, the ECCHR report also said that “the Sri Lankan government’s claim that the church area was being used by the rebels could not be verified by an independent source.” It goes on to accuse Dias and his division for committing war crimes in Madhu. Likewise, more war crimes In similar fashion, the report details the taking of Kilinochchi and the shelling of the General Hospital. Witness statements and newspaper reports describe uninterrupted constant shelling, including the shelling of the General Hospital. The 57th Division operated from the southwest to capture the town.In Ramanathpuram, which was taken by the 57th Division on 17 January, there were “unconfirmed reports by Tamil sources of shelling incidents killing civilians in the area between Kilinochchi and Ramanathpuram in early January 2009.”“Several women were killed and injured,” the report quotes an article from Tamil Net. “Most likely, these shellings are attributed to the 57th Division and thus to MG Dias,” the report says.Likewise, in Visuamadu and Puthukkudiyiruppa war crimes were committed, and have been attributed to MG Dias. In addition, from between 18 to 21 May 2009, rebel leaders were killed. This time the source is the Sri Lanka army website.“According to several sources, it is possible that Jagath Dias was also involved in torturing and killing LTTE-leaders after they surrendered or were caught by Sri Lankan military forces,” the report said. “It should be noted that the body of LTTE leader Velupillai Pirabakaran was said to have shown several injuries that likely resulted from torture and willful killing. The Sri Lankan newspaper ‘Sri Lanka Guardian’ reported the following, referring to a anonymous Senior Defense Ministry source,“‘the LTTE leader was said to have suffered the sadistic attack of having a hot metal rod shoved up his anal tunnel and he met his ultimate death by having the upper portion of his skull chopped with an axe whilst he was alive and struggling with the pain of anal penetration. Former GOC of the 57th Division Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias personally undertook the gruesome task after verbally abusing him in filth and manhandling him in anger’.” 03 September 2011 JVP, TNA say Govt. illegally holding detainees A legal lacuna exists with the lapsing of the state of emergency on Tuesday, as the government had failed to print the gazette notification giving the new regulations imposed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) charged yesterday. This had led to a question of legality over the detention of some 5,000 LTTE suspects and the existence of the High Security Zones.The JVP and the TNA, which agitated for the lifting of the state of emergency, charged that the government had failed to issue the gazette notification on these regulations even by yesterday, and as such the detention of the LTTE suspects and the continuation of the HSZs were illegal.After the emergency regulations lapsed on August 30, the government announced that it would introduce new regulations under the PTA to continue with the ban on the LTTE and the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), and to take action against LTTE suspects who surrender or are in custody. However, JVP MP Vijitha Herath said that the gazette notification had not been released as of yesterday, and therefore there was no validity for holding LTTE suspects in custody.TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran also argued that these regulations had not been framed, and therefore, the detention of the LTTE suspects and the keeping intact of the HSZs for the last couple of days were unlawful. “There are more than 5,000 LTTE suspects. They cannot go ahead with the HSZ in areas such as Sampur. We are yet to see these regulations. I checked it with the Government Printing Department. There are no official documents released announcing these regulations,” he said.Mr. Sumanthiran said his party would consider legal action if these regulations were framed under the PTA.“First, we have to see what these regulations are. Then, we will go for the next action. If the emergency regulations were relaxed, the government should not try to do what they did under the emergency through a separate legal regime,” he said. However, former Attorney General Mohan Peiris who drafted these regulations on behalf of the government countered their arguments saying the regulations were in force from the time they were announced by the government. Mr. Peiris retired on August 30 on which day the emergency regulations were lifted. “There could have been a delay in the printing of these regulations. It does not mean that they are not in force,” Mr. Peiris said. No more minorities, says President The prime objective at the moment of the SLFP lead UPFA government is to convince the Tamil, Muslim and other communities that they are not minorities and that Sri Lanka is one unified nation President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today.Addressing the 60th anniversary of the SLFP, at Temple Trees President Rajapaksa further said that the government was never obliged to give ransoms or a part of the country to anyone to achieve the concept of one nation. He added that the SLFP is strong enough to not fall prey to separatist elements that try to raise their ugly heads once again. Prabakaran suspected Amirthalingam To be a spy of JRJ and Premadasa In a latest disclosure of LTTE atrocities committed on politicians, the assassination of former TULF leader, Appapillai Amirthalingam has now come to light as to why he was killed. LTTE records state that Prabhakaran saw Amirthalingam as a spy of former Presidents J R Jayewardene and Ranasinghe Premadasa.A week before the Indo-Lanka Accord was signed in July 1987, LTTE intelligence have reported to Prabhakaran that Amirthalingam drove to the Ward Place residence of President Jayewardene and has had a closed door meeting in the company of Vettiveli Yogeswaran and Gamini Dissanayake.Upon this information, Prabhakaran had ordered his close Lieutenant Krishnakumar alias ‘Kittu’ and Aloysius Leon to closely monitor the movements of Amirthalingam and Yogeswaran.An LTTE female cadre, Subhashini had been told to visit the residence of Yogeswaran in Colombo frequently to acquaint herself with Yogewaran’s wife Sarojini to extract information on the movements of Yogeswaran.After the retirement of President Jayewardene, the movements of Amirthalingam and Yogeswaran had been closely monitored upon Ranasinghe Premadasa assuming the Presidency.On the night of 19 June 1989, both Amirthalingam and Yogeswaran had been invited for a discussion at President Premadasa’s private residence, ‘Sucharitha’, Colombo. At this meeting President Premadasa had told Amirthalingam that LTTE atrocities should be condemned and had requested Amirthalingam to mention the rising terrorist crime wave at the next Emergency Debate in the Parliament. Accordingly, Amirthalingam told the Emergency Debate – ‘Mr. Speaker, if this rising trend of violence is allowed to continue, sometimes, I may not be in the House to address you at the next Emergency Debate. We must all condemn this trend of violence’-.Both Amirthalingam and Yogeswaran had condemned the LTTE killings and had expressed deep regret to President Premadasa for having nurtured the LTTE. As the duo left ‘Sucharitha’, President Premadasa’s aide ‘Babu’ who had been planted at ‘Sucharitha’ by the LTTE through a confidante of President Premadasa had conveyed details of this meeting to the LTTE Eastern leadership at that time led by Mahendrarajah alias ‘Mahattaya’.Immediately Prabhakaran had ordered the killing of Amirthalingam, Yogeswaran and President Premadasa.Accordingly, LTTE gunmen Aloysius Leon, Vishu and Sivakumar were sent to the residence of Yogeswaran in Colombo where there was a meeting between Amirthalingam, Yogeswaran and Sivasithamparan.LTTE aide Subhashini had conveyed the message to Aloysius Leon of the time of this meeting.Leon, Vishu and Sivakumar were known to Amirthalingam and Yogeswaran over a period of time.The trio stormed the residence shot Amirthalingam on the head in a shocking manner as Amirthalingam on seeing them said in Tamil ‘Thambi’. But they screamed in Tamil ‘You are a traitor and a spy of JR and Premadasa’. As Amirthalingam fell in a pool of blood they shot Yogeswaran on the chest and Sivasithamparam was shot on the shoulder.Police body guards opened fire wounding Vishu, who later succumbed to his injuries and the other two escaped.A number of killings ordered by Prabhakaran would be disclosed by Lankapuvath in a sequence. Most allegations against Sri Lankan Army ‘nonsense' Sri Lanka can initiate inquiries into allegations that have been levelled against its Army of war crimes in the final stages of the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009 only if it is provided specific instances with prima facie evidence, a parliamentarian from President Mahinda Rajapaksa's ruling alliance has said.In an interview to The Hindu in Chennai, Rajiva Wijesinha, who was nominated to Parliament by the ruling alliance following the 2010 elections, said the majority of the soldiers had “behaved impeccably.”He described as “nonsense” most of the allegations in the documentary aired recently by the U.K.-based Channel 4 and made in the report of the U.N.-empowered Darusman panel. “The one about excessive civilian casualties is nonsense, the one about attacking hospitals is nonsense, the one about trying to starve the civilians is nonsense,” the parliamentarian, who is an adviser to Mr. Rajapaksa on reconciliation issues, said.But he conceded that there were “a couple of things that I think we must look at further. One of these is the allegation that some people wanted to surrender and came out with a white flag and were killed, because there you have a date and a time... My argument has always been that if there is a specific allegation, we should look into it. But if there are general allegations, while we can argue generally by citing the facts, there is no prima facie case.”Mr. Wijesinha's comments come as Sri Lanka gears up for what could be a tough month for it at the United Nations. Both the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council meet this month. Following the release of the documentary and the Darusman panel's report, there have been calls from several quarters for an international inquiry.The Sri Lankan government's position, Mr. Wijesinha said, was that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee would make a report. He suggested that the LLRC might also recommend indictments.Those indicted, he hinted however, might be let off lightly.“Our line is that while it is important to indict, if there is a guilty plea on matters that are not the type of torture we saw on the [Channel 4] film or executions, a plea will be accepted and there will be a suspended sentence.”The parliamentarian heads an organisation called the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka, and is also the chairman of an international organisation called the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats.“We don't believe in retributive justice, that's a very old-fashioned concept,” Mr. Wijesinha said. “But there must be restorative justice. So the people who have suffered must be compensated.”He said the government should extend this facility to the LTTE cadres who had “confessed” as most of them had been conscripted and had only carried out orders.Mr. Wijesinha said “not enough attention” was being paid to the suffering that had been caused by the LTTE and by those [among the Tamil diaspora] who had encouraged it to use civilians as human shields.India's position, most recently set out by External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna in the Lok Sabha, is that any inquiry into the war crime allegations must be carried out by Sri Lanka through a “transparent” process. It expresses confidence in the LLRC process.New Delhi has preferred to emphasise the need for an early political settlement of the Tamil question through “institutional reforms,” building on the 13th Amendment to Sri Lanka's Constitution, an outcome of Indian mediation in 1987.“The sooner Sri Lanka can come to a political arrangement within which all the communities feel comfortable, and which works for all of them, the better. Government of India will do whatever it can to support this process,” Mr. Krishna said in his August 26 statement.Mr. Wijesinha said India must help Sri Lanka counter pressure from the Western countries that were asking it to open a dialogue with pro-LTTE elements in the Tamil diaspora.Conceding that “we know the LTTE in Sri Lanka is over,” he said supporters of the LTTE, who while not calling themselves that, were still pursuing an agenda of violent separatism in Sri Lanka, including criminal activities abroad.“Don't ask us not to be vigilant for the future,” he said. “We can't take the risk, we have to remember how much our people suffered.”It was not fair on the part of the Western nations, the parliamentarian said, “to tell us to talk to the LTTE, to rumps of the LTTE, to the separatist transnational government [set up by LTTE elements in the diaspora], because [by doing so] they encourage people who still have an agenda of separatism and violence and it does not strengthen the democratic Tamil politicians and the Tamil people.”Mr. Wijesinha said despite some hiccups, his government was still in talks with the Tamil National Alliance, a coalition of Tamil parties that have representatives in Parliament and handsomely won recent local council elections in Northern Sri Lanka.He suggested that the 13th Amendment would form the basis for a political settlement on the Tamil question, with the province as the unit of devolution.Despite the “spoilers” among both the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority who saw devolution as a path towards separatism, “the vast majority of moderate people on both sides,” he said, “realise that you need devolution simply in order to have a more efficient structure for the lives of people all over the place, and certainly the Sri Lankan political system for many decades was the Westminster-style democracy which was majoritarian and decisions were taken without any notice about the impact on minorities.”And, he said, this vast majority “are quite clear that the province should be the unit [of devolution]. After the 13th Amendment, I think now that the province is there, any effort to reduce it even on practical grounds would be counterproductive as it would also be seen as taking away.”Mr. Wijesinha said two other ideas — empowering smaller units in the province such as the pradehsiya sabhas (local councils) and creating a second chamber in Parliament — that have been controversial among Tamils, were also under consideration.The second chamber, Mr. Wijesinha argued, was to involve the provinces in decision-making at the Centre, which would work to the advantage of the province. Strengthening the pradeshiya sabhas would give them powers to deliver to the people such important facilities as education and roads, as well as make it more accountable to them.While the government was pushing these two ideas, the TNA, he said, was concerned about the “concurrent list” and the provision in the 13th Amendment that in cases of dispute between the Centre and the provinces, the former would prevail.The TNA had also brought up the issues of giving police powers and land rights to the provinces, which is contained in the 13th Amendment but has not been implemented.Mr. Wijesinha said it was possible to settle both issues through negotiations. 02 September 2011 TNA demands repeal of PTA, amnesty for political prisoners The government should immediately repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and grant a general amnesty to all the political prisoners and the detained ex LTTE cadres, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) says. "If necessary action is not taken to repeal the PTA it will be a hindrance to the national reconciliation process," TNA MP and TELO Leader M. K. Shivajilingam said.Not repealing the PTA would suggest that the government was planning to establish a military regime as evident in the northern and eastern regions, he said.The government allowed the state of emergency to lapse last week ahead of United Nations Human Rights Council confab scheduled to take place in September and the PTA was kept in force.The PTA was a threat to democracy at a time the Tamil community was ready to accept the concept of a united Sri Lanka, he said.Shivajilingam also said that there were nearly 800 political prisoners including men, women and children in the custody of the government. The TNA believed that there could be about 10,000 prisoners of war in custody, he said. "The government claims that only about 6,000 are still under arrest and no comments have been made about the remaining 4,000 people," he said.However according to the reports the government had so far released nearly 5,000 such detainees, he said."The government must have lifted the emergency to avoid the pressure from the international community and to demonstrate that a genuine attempt was being taken to address the concerns of the world," Shivajilingam said. Sri Lankan introduces new 'anti-terror' legislation The Sri Lankan government has introduced new legislation allowing it to continue holding terror suspects without charge.The move came as the country's controversial emergency laws were brought to an end on Tuesday night.The laws - which were first introduced in 1971 - were reintroduced during the war against Tamil Tiger rebels.But now, partly as a result of international pressure, they have been been allowed to lapse. In an interview with the BBC, Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem said that more than 1,000 suspects detained under the draconian emergency laws were likely to be freed next month."Between 1,200 and 1,500 people in detention may get released but there are some more who need to be kept in custody," he said.Mr Hakeem said that people in this category were "hard-core terrorist suspects" who were likely to be detained until charged.The new legislation allows the government to keep an undisclosed number of these suspects in prison, correspondents say.Without the introduction of the new laws, they would have been freed because because of the expiry of the state of emergency. Alleged atrocities Mr Hakeem said that the new legislation was in addition to the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The government has said that a ban imposed on the defeated Tamil Tigers and a front organisation would continue indefinitely.After the defeat of the rebels in 2009, the government said that it was holding about 12,000 insurgents in custody - but most of them have been freed during the past two years.The emergency laws - which were renewed by parliament on a monthly basis - had been in place on and off since 1971, and gave the security forces sweeping powers of arrest.The decision to end emergency rule came ahead of next month's United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, which is expected to discuss alleged war crimes during the last stages of the ethnic conflict.The US has been leading international calls for an investigation into alleged atrocities committed by both sides.Colombo has so far managed to fend off censure from UN bodies, thanks to the support of allies China and Russia, correspondents say. ‘Chinese ship caught spying on India’ In a worrying development, a Chinese spy ship disguised as a fishing trawler was tracked in the Indian Ocean recently, a report claimed on Wednesday.The ship was detected near the coast of Little Anadaman. It is believed that the ship had spent more than 20 days in the sensitive location before Indian radars could locate it. While the Navy dispatched a ship as soon as the presence of the Chinese spy ship was confirmed, no action could be taken as the vessel was in international waters. However, the Indian Navy ship did tail the Chinese vessel till it move towards Sri Lankan waters. The ship is reported to have docked at Colombo. It is believed that the ship had as many as 22 laboratories on board. Government sources say the Chinese ship had specific aims to map the Indian Ocean and collect Bathymetric data, which helps in submarine and aircraft carrier based operations. The labs on board the ship are also believed to have been used to collect data on Ocean currents, the temperature at various depths and also underwater obstructions and obstacles. This information becomes crucial if one has to use torpedoes. It is an open secret that both India and China are engaged in a race to assert their supremacy over the Indian Ocean region. Also, China is currently building an aircraft carrier which could become operational by 2017. This data would then come handy for the Chinese Navy. While China may claim to use the carrier to secure shipping lanes, its presence in the Indian Ocean would be a serious military threat for India. With China already having an upper hand in the borders along the Himalayas, a reinforced Chinese Navy presence in the Indian Ocean would be a headache for New Delhi. There are already concerns of Chinese vessels monitoring India’s missile programme. JVP: Govt. Misled The People The JVP today said the government has misled people by saying it has withdrawn the emergency regulations when the laws were still very much in force.JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath told a press conference that the basics of the emergency regulations were still in place.He said the JVP and many activists had continuously protested to get the emergency regulations withdrawn and the government’s announcement that it would be removed was welcomed by the people.“People thought democracy could be re-established with its removal,” he said.Herath observed that the Prevention of Tourism Act (PTA), which is still effective, provided powers to the police and military to search houses without court warrants.He added that the police and military could extract confessions from any individual under the PTA and detain him without any trial in a court of law for a long period.According to Herath, people will not be able to enjoy the freedom they desire and see the re-establishment of democracy as long as the PTA remained. Even the military camps set up in civilian areas in the districts of Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Jaffna will continue.Although the withdrawal of the emergency regulations should establish the freedom of thought and expression, it has been nullified by the PTA, Herath said. A confidential report on Major Gen. Shavendra Silva to be prepared on orders from Regime’s highest echelons According to reports reaching Lanka e news , instructions have been issued from the top echelons of the Rajapakse regime to Brigadier Aruna Wanniarachi , the Army intelligence chief to prepare an absolutely confidential report on Major Gen. Shavendra Silva.Shavendra Silva is one who has been associating with the regime prior to and even during the war . A dossier is to be prepared on his business activities; what he did and said in association with with Rupavahini Ramawickrema ;those whom he met when he travelled abroad specially on his tour of Italy; what caused the break up of his family; the present links of his with the fairer sex ; because of this whose vindictive hatred he had provoked; his American friends and contacts ; and the assets of his , based on information reaching us from sources within the Army .It is the theme of conversation among those in the Army intelligence unit that the Rajapakse regime initiating investigations against Shavendra Silva who is in possession of a wealth of evidence and information against the regime is highly suspicion prone .Meanwhile Shavendra Silva who is residing in America currently is these days apart from his diplomatic duties , consuming all his time on the new business venture of his and had held discussions with a number of wealthy persons, based on information reaching us. A businessman who had discussions with Shavendra Silva had told a close friend of his that Shavendra ‘s obsession with money is so immense that he has had business discussions with both the Sinhala as well as the Tamil Diaspora indiscriminately.It is also learnt that the Army Commander had instructed Brigadier Wanniarachi , the chief of the Army intelligence unit to investigate who is writing the column in the Lanka e news under the pseudonym ‘soldadu unnehe’. No matter what investigation may be launched in regard to ‘Soldadu unnehe’, might we mention that ‘Soldadu unnehe’ is even capable of writing accurately about what vegetable , what fish and even the frost on the plate of food of the Brigadier . Secret CIA flight to Colombo A private jet hired by the CIA to transport terror suspects in rendition flights had touched down in Sri Lanka in 2003 during such a mission, an AFP news report from Washington said yesterday.The matter has come to light during a billing dispute in New York which has revealed details of secret CIA rendition flights that transported terror suspects around the world following the September 11 attacks.The AFP report said The Washington Post described one such rendition flight that took place on August 12, 2003, when a Gulf Stream IV aircraft carrying six passengers took off from Dulles International Airport near Washington and flew to Bangkok.Before returning four days later, it touched down in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Ireland, and appears to have coincided with the capture of Indonesian Riduan Isamuddin, a suspected terrorist.The Washington Post, one of a handful of media outlets alerted to the public court documents by a London-based rights group, said they include flight logs and logs of phone calls to CIA headquarters and officials. The Post said on its website late Wednesday dozens of rendition flights -- to locations including Bucharest, Baku, Cairo, Djibouti, Islamabad and Tripoli -- were organized by Sportsflight, a one-man aircraft business on Long Island, which secured a plane from Richmor Aviation, which is now suing Sportsflight for breach of contract.Details including the costs and itineraries of numerous CIA flights have therefore become part of the court record in a proceeding held in an almost empty courtroom, the Post said. Richmor billed at a rate of $4,900 an hour for the use of the plane and earned at least $6 million over three years, according to the invoices and other court records, the Post said.It accounted for a small percentage of the total flights, the Post said, suggesting that the Central Intelligence Agency spent tens of millions of dollars to use private planes to transport suspects for interrogation.Britain's Guardian newspaper, also tipped off to the case, cited court documents late Wednesday as saying that Sportsflight agreed to make the Gulfstream IV executive jet available to fly at 12 hours' notice.“The client says we're going to be very, very busy,” it quoted Sportsflight as telling Richmor, according to court documents.The same documents quote Richmor President Mahlon Richards as saying “We were transporting government personnel and their invitees.”The Post said the papers were brought to its attention by the London-based group Reprieve, which advocates for prisoners' rights and focuses on Guantanamo Bay, where the United States has held high-profile terror suspects since 2001.The Post described one such rendition flight that took place on August 12, 2003, when a Gulfstream IV aircraft carrying six passengers took off from Dulles International Airport near Washington and flew to Bangkok.Before returning four days later, it touched down in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Ireland, and appears to have coincided with the capture of Indonesian Riduan Isamuddin, a suspected terrorist.The entire journey cost $339,228.05, the Post said. Isamuddin, the alleged planner of the 2002 terror attacks in Bali, Indonesia, was captured in Thailand and would spend the next three years being flown between secret prisons, the Post reported.The Gulfstream IV was identified publicly in 2005 after it was used in the capture and rendition of a cleric in Milan who was flown to his native Egypt, where he says he was tortured.It may have also been used in the rendition of senior Al-Qaeda militant Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks, who was later waterboarded 183 times in a single month, the Guardian said. Sri Lanka's first expressway to be extended to Hambanthota The Sri Lankan government has decided to extend its first expressway now completed between Colombo and Galle to Hambanthota in the deep South.Deputy Minister of Highways Nirmala Kotalawala has said that the government has decided to extend the Southern highway to Hambanthota and a feasibility study is being done in this regard.The toll highway completed from Kottawa in Colombo district to Pinnaduwa in Galle district will be extended to Matara in the second phase of the highway construction project. The work on the second phase will commence next year, the Minister has said adding that extension to Hambanthota will also be started at the same time.The authorities have finished acquiring that land from Galle to Matara for the highway and payment of compensation to those concerned has already begun, the Minister has revealed.The government expects to complete the Galle - Matara segment by 2013.The Minister has also noted that there is a delay in opening the already completed Kottawa - Pinnaduwa section as there are some minor works need to be done including the completion of signalling and access points..Hambanthota is fast developing and the government hopes to win a bid to host the Commonwealth Games there in 2018.A harbour with bunkering facilities has already been built while construction work is in progress to build the country's second international airport. Among other development projects is the construction of a 300-key city resort in Hambanthota by the Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Asia Limited. Sri Lanka's Elections Commissioner halts transfers and recruitments in public and police service Elections Commissioner of Sri Lanka Mahinda Deshapriya has requested the Inspector General of Police (IGP) N.K. Illangakoon to temporarily halt police transfers in areas where local government elections are scheduled to be held on October 8th.The request has reportedly been made following reports received by the Elections Commissioner about police transfers taking place in some areas where elections are to be held.Independent election monitors earlier said that complaints had also been received about recruitment taking place in the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), which is to face elections on October 8th.According to election laws, transfers and recruitments in the public and police service could not take place during the period of an election.Meanwhile, Elections Commissioner Deshapriya is to meet with secretaries of the political parties contesting the forthcoming local government elections today. Karuna’s backup vehicle meets with accident Two STF personnel who were providing security to Deputy Resettlement Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan (Karuna) were injured when their jeep met with an accident early last morning near the Arch Culvert, Welikanda. The injured STF personnel were admitted to Polonnaruwa General Hospital. Police said a herd of cattle had been crossing the road and the driver of the jeep had attempted to avoid the cattle and met with the accident. Hospital sources said the injured were out of danger.IP Dumindu Senanyake the Polonnaruwa HQI is directing further investigations by the traffic unit of the Polonnaruwa Police and a team of police officers.
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