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31 July 2005 LTTE moving towards UDI The LTTE is moving towards a Universal Declaration of Independence (UDI) in early 2006. The campaign to declare UDI was launched in Vavuniya on July 26 through the TNA and civic and religious leaders from the Tamil community including academics and writers. The campaign was launched under the title 'Tamil National Resurgence Convention.' The LTTE was present in large numbers at the ceremony, but as invitees. At the convention the TNA, the LTTE and other groups present adopted a proclamation for the 'Tamil National Uprising.' The proclamation called upon the international community to recognise the basic right to life on the basis of "our traditional homeland, our nationhood, self rule and struggle for sovereignty." The first paragraph of the proclamation said, "Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism in southern Sri Lanka today has completely closed the door to a just and fair settlement to the Tamil national question." "In this context we, the Tamil speaking people in the traditional homeland, place our perilous plight before the international community and seek urgent attention and justice," the proclamation read. Going into details of the struggle for eelam, the proclamation called for the "the occupying Sinhala forces," to vacate "our lands and seas immediately." LTTE Leader, Velupillai Pirapaharan authorised senior LTTE members V. Balakumaran, Head, Women's Political Wing, Thamilini and the district leaders of Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Mannar to attend the Vavuniya event. The Sunday Leader learns that similar conventions would be taken from district to district in the north and east and proclamations adopted before the final declaration of UDI in early 2006. The proclamation also cites the failure on the part of the government to implement the P-TOMS. Meanwhile, a similar event is planned in restive Batticaloa tomorrow, scheduled to take place at the Hindu College grounds. Last week addressing an event organised by the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) inside government controlled areas in Batticaloa, TNA MP, T. Jeeyanandamoorthi said the Tamils did not have any need for the security forces. "We don't need the army, the police or the navy. Very soon we will have our own government from Jaffna to Ampara," he said addressing the event at Thiraimadu organised to hand over temporary shelters to tsunami victims. The LTTE has also announced plans to have a series of public protests in Jaffna during the first week of August. 31 July 2005 US warns Lanka on religious bill Ms Rocca has explained that the Department of State was receiving numerous representations from Senators and Congressmen about the Government’s move. During a previous meeting, The Sunday Times learns, Ms Rocca had warned that pressure was building up and this could have adverse consequences on US aid and trade concessions to Sri Lanka. Buddha Sasana Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, obtained approval from the Cabinet for a “Freedom of Religion Bill” in October 2004. This was gazetted on June 27, this year. In terms of this draft law, “converting persons unethically, subjecting a person to punishment for refusal to convert, accosting people with a view to converting and holding funds for such activities are prohibited.” A person convicted for such offences after a summary trial before a Magistrate is liable to imprisonment up to five years and to a fine of up to Rs 100,000. Where such an offence is committed against a minor, the offender is liable to a term of up to seven years and to a fine of Rs 500,000. According to the Bill, where the offence is committed in a school, an institution of higher education, a place under the control of armed forces or Police, a refugee camp or transit centre, a hostel, a hospital, a home for children, elders, sick or the disabled, such fact is deemed by the Bill to be an aggravating circumstance which shall be taken into consideration when imposing the penalty. If the offence is committed by a body of persons all members of the body are deemed to be guilty unless they are able to prove that it was committed without their knowledge. 31 July 2005 JHU hits out 31 July 2005 CBK lays down the law to PM President Chandrika Kumaratu-nga handed over the nomination for the next presidential election to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse subjecting him to several conditions. Kumaratunga stressed on the conditions during a meeting she had with the Bandaranaike family members and confidants. She ruled out any alliance with the JVP for Rajapakse. Sources indicated that Kumara-tunga would head the SLFP campaign committee that will draft Rajapakse's policy statement. Among other conditions imposed by Kumaratunga and to be included in the policy statement, are guarantees that the P-TOMS would be implemented and to recommence peace talks with the LTTE. Kumaratunga has also insisted that while there was no room for any alliance with the JVP, any talks aimed at forming coalitions or alliances should be handled by her and the party general secretary. Rajapakse's media campaign too will be handled by a committee headed by Kumaratunga 31 July 2005 JVP wants Mahinda to jettison P-TOMS The JVP is to announce its own set of conditions to Mahinda Rajapakse if the new SLFP presidential candidate seeks the party's support. The JVP maintained last week that if Rajapakse wanted the party's support, he should jettison the P-TOMS agreement from his policy statement. Despite initial reports that the JVP welcomed Rajapakse's nomination, it was subsequently revealed the party had run into policy issues following the announcement of the nomination. JVP seniors were of the opinion that if the implementation of the P-TOMS were included in the policy statement, the party would not be able to extend support. The JVP is planning to shortly set out its own list of conditions for its support for Rajapakse. A similar list was also forwarded by the JHU 31 July 2005 VVIP security for LTTE Trinco
leader Elilan The deadlock followed the LTTE rejection of an offer by Jayantha Dhanapala, Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat that there would be only one round trip provided a month from Kilinochchi to Batticaloa and Kilinochchi to Trincomalee under stipulated conditions. Mr. Dhanapala said “providing of military escort for LTTE’s movements through government -controlled territory is a confidence- building measure and not a right under the Ceasefire Agreement.” But, how the military was told to respond to an LTTE request this time shows the VVIP treatment Mr. Elilan received. These arrangements were ordered to be in force by the Army’s 22 Division in Trincomalee. The orders went out to the 221 Brigade also in Trincomalee. An escort party consisting of two officers in the rank of Captain or Lieutenant and 34 other ranks; one Sri Lanka Corps Military Police officer, one radio operator to escort them from Kattaiparichchan to Habarana; One Sri Lanka Corps Military Police and one Radio Operator along with two light vehicles and a Unicorn (an armoured truck) for the escort will be provided by 22 Division Headquarters; A platoon from 221 Brigade in Trincomalee will provide security along Kantalai-Habarana Road main supply route ; Ensure road security with additional pickets and patrols with a Unicorn/Buffel (armoured vehicles);Commanding Officers, Company Commanders and Platoon Commanders to be at their respective locations; Two escorts to travel inside the vehicle of the LTTE member;Ensure proper take over of the escort parties at Kattaiparichchan and hand over of LTTE member at Habarana in liaison with escort party from Security Force Headquarters (West);SLMM to accompany the movement. Government sources said that the security measures in force for Mr. Elilan’s movement from Trincomalee (Kattaiparichchan) to Kilinochchi were a departure from the position taken up by the Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat. This was because the LTTE had rejected his offer. The new arrangement involved the deployment of hundreds of troops. 31 July 2005 Tamileelam TV to begin broadcasts to SouthEast Asia "The importance given to nurturing the electronic and printed media by the Tamil Eelam leader Pirapaharan is why we are now able to extend our Television services to countries in Asia," said K Veera of National Television of Tamileelam (NTT), speaking at an event held Friday 10 am at the Media Co-ordinating office in Kilinochchi to mark the inauguration of television broadcasts to southeast asian countries on 1st August, sources in Kilinochchi said. "We faced several hurdles inform our public the factual details of events that affected them during the period of war. The ability of the State to spread false propaganda through state-controlled media taught us that building a strong media network to disseminate the Tamil point of view locally and internationally was crucial to our progress. "Our media capability grew with our growth in military strength and now we have the capability to broadcast live news through satellite technology to most parts of the world where Tamils live. We urge all journlists to co-operate with us to make our new broadcast program to SouthEast asian countries a success," added Mr Veera. The new service using Eurostar at 11.5GHz will reach India, parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mayanmar and China for two hours between 13.30 - 15.30 GMT, the media unit officials said. Head of LTTE media unit, Naresh, handed over new antennas to the Chief news editor of their sister media organization Voice of Tigers (VoT), Mr T Thavapalan, during the event. LTTE's media co-ordinator Thaya Master and Director of NTT S Karunakaran also participated in the event. LTTE's Nitharsanam Television service broadcast programs in Jaffna district during 1980s. The studios were destroyed by the Indian army on 14 February 1987. The service restarted broadcast to European countries on 26 March 2005. 31 july 2005 UN dismisses LTTE claims on child soldiers(The Island) Dismissing LTTE claims that most children who join their fighting force are volunteers, the UN’s special representative for children and armed conflict asserted last week that he continues to receive reports of coercion and recruitment through force. lara Otunnu also said there were indications that the LTTE was once again demanding one child per family for their army. "There are many motivating factors for children to join groups like the LTTE, and this includes volunteering," said Otunnu, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, in an exclusive e-mail interview with the Sunday Island. "However, I receive reports which indicate that recruitment through force and coercion is predominant." "For example, orphans from the recent tsunami were seen being recruited from temporary shelters and camps," he noted. "Also, there are indications that the LTTE is once again demanding that one child per family be given, especially during the recent spate of recruitment in the East." "Regardless of the motivation of children to join an armed group or military force, it is that group’s responsibility to respect international legal principles and ensure that no children under the 18 years are among their ranks." Otunnu made these comments just days after the UN Security Council took the unprecedented step of adopting concrete measures to protect children in armed conflict. The resolution — passed unanimously on Monday and the first of its kind within the UN — establishes procedures to report on the killing, maiming, rape and sexual abuse of children in conflicts; the recruiting and use of child soldiers; the abduction of children; and attacks on schools and hospitals. Offending parties had to come up with precise action plans, with time frames for ending violations; agree to release children within their ranks; allow access to camps; and allow for monitoring with time-bound benchmarks. The Security Council also endorsed the idea of publicly identifying and naming offending parties which continued to commit grave violations against children. Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s latest report in February listed 54 parties drawn from eleven conflicts situations in Sri Lanka, Colombia, Sudan, Nepal, Uganda, Myanmar, Congo, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Somalia and the Philippines. The LTTE has been on the list at least twice in a row. Otunnu confirmed that, when the UN released its ‘list of shame’ for grave violations against children, the LTTE was the first group to contact him with a request for dialogue. "The listing of the LTTE as an offending party on the Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council has had an impact," he stressed. "In fact, the LTTE was the first party to send a letter to my office acknowledging their inclusion on their Secretary-General’s report and list to the Security Council, and expressed their readiness to enter into dialogue. This is a mark of how seriously they take being listed." Asked whether he had met the Tigers, Otunnu said he had awaited the outcome of the Security Council deliberations and their instructions with regard to children and armed conflict. He also indicated that he will not budge on the issue of child solders. now plan to advocate for a thorough implementation of this (Security Council resolution) and its call for immediate action plans by the LTTE to end all grave violations." The envoy pointed out that many groups, including the LTTE, seek international recognition to uphold their legitimacy and diplomatic respectability. Therefore, naming and listing them has caused tremendous pressures on these parties. He said he was pleased to hear that the two parties to Sri Lanka’s conflict were keeping to the cease-fire agreement. But he reiterated that constant reports of continued recruitment worried him. "I am deeply concerned that the LTTE continues to recruit children, despite their commitment made to me, and urge them to completely stop any new recruitment and to release all children within their ranks with immediate effect," he emphasised. Asked to rate the UN’s success in reducing children recruitment in Sri Lanka, Otunnu said: "We have been working on this issue for a few years and there are areas of improvement, but there are situations that continue to be very difficult. But the number of child soldiers globally has gone down from 300,000 five years ago to about quarter of a million now. "In Sri Lanka, I am pleased to note that more than 1,200 child soldiers have been formally released in the last three years, but the LTTE still have more than 1,000 children in their ranks. For the UN to be successful in putting an end to this scourge, we have to move beyond the corridors of the United Nations, and engage with parliamentarians, women’s groups, youth organisations, parents and even children themselves to build a movement to reverse this trend of abomination." Asked if he will visit Sri Lanka, Otunnu said his office will be in contact with concerned parties at an appropriate time. Otunnu last came here in 1998. Commenting on the Security Council resolution, Otunnu pointed out that offenders — including the LTTE — have been called upon to immediately come up with specific, time-bound action plans for ending all violations. For parties might not deliver on the action plans and failed to end violations, the Council would consider targeted measures, including travel bans, bans on the issuance of visas, bans on military assistance and arms embargoes. "The LTTE have become highly political actors with sophisticated networks of connections around the globe," Otunnu said. "These connections provide important levers of influence in today’s increasingly interdependent world. Though some progress has been made under the current action plan between the LTTE and UNICEF, we cannot report that child recruitment has come to an end. "We must insist on this." The UN Secretary-General’s ‘list of shame’ includes: the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) from Sri Lanka; Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) from Colombia; Janjaweed from the Sudan; the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist) from Nepal; Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) from Uganda; Karen National Liberation Army from Myanmar; and government forces from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar and Uganda. 31 July 2005 Asymmetries in the peace process: the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam By: Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran As Clausewitz observed, war is politics by other means. Negotiations are a form of politics, but without some real or perceived symmetry of power they will be an exercise in one side imposing its will on the other. Power – i.e. the ability of one party to move the other in an intended direction – is constituted by military resources, economic leverage, international legitimacy, the moral basis of one's position, mass support, leadership, etc. It includes 'hard power' such as military coercion, as well as 'soft power', which is defined by Joseph Nye as the ability to achieve one's intended results through cultural or ideological 'attraction'. Symmetry can be created between states and non-state entities by military parity, the drain on the state's economy, persuasion or coercion by large powers, etc. The power to persuade, in large part a soft power, is perhaps the most important power at the negotiating table and can help the negotiating table be a 'leveller' in terms of power symmetry. However, when the parties are competitive to the point of being unable to meet and have discussions, symmetry of power will not yield a negotiated settlement unless the international system in which the negotiation takes place forces the parties to adopt cooperative attitudes towards each other. It is often argued that a government and non-elected non-state actor cannot be treated equally because the former is 'democratically elected'. This argument may have merit in some cases, but it is not applicable with respect to national liberation movements fighting for self-determination. In national conflicts, liberation movements represent a 'people' who share attributes such as language, culture, a sense of oneness and a territorial relationship. The aggrieved people often neither voted for the 'democratically elected' government in power nor owe any allegiance towards it. While liberation movements are not elected through ballots, Judge Amoun of the International Court of Justice observed that, "the struggle undertaken in common, with the risks and even sacrifices it entails... is more decisive than a referendum, being absolutely sincere and authentic". Unfortunately, as many scholars have rightly observed, the international climate in which most negotiations take place inherently fosters asymmetrical relations in favour of states, which have presumptive and elite legitimacy, allies (whether genuine or interest-based), membership in international organizations and the resources of a government. The Sri Lankan government's prevention of the UN Secretary General's visit to the areas most severely affected by the December 2004 tsunami because they were governed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is one illustration of the asymmetry between states and non-state entities in their relations with international institutions. This article will elaborate on the ways in which the asymmetrical treatment of the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government by the international system has hurt the Sri Lankan peace process. Negative effects of the state-based system The impact that international institutions can have on the peaceful resolution of conflicts between states and non-state actors such as armed liberation groups is substantially diminished by this dominant pro-state bias. The state-based composition of international institutions has negative implications for their ability to engage successfully with all the parties in a national conflict. Thus, these international institutions are increasingly becoming less relevant to peacemaking in the contemporary world in which conflict between states and armed entities 'predominate and proliferate' to a greater degree than conflicts between states. Both the Report of the Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change and the UN Secretary General's proposal entitled In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All failed to address this asymmetry between states and non state actors. Since the current international system is an inter-state one, states playing the role of the mediator or facilitator tend to treat the state and non-state entities in an asymmetrical manner. This third-party state is itself a member of the existing inter-state system and thus has a vested interest in preserving it. While there may be exceptions to this general statement, the 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord is a clear example. Besides her geopolitical interest, India treated the Sri Lankan state as an equal and entered into an agreement with her. The LTTE, though a protagonist in the conflict, was not a party to the Indo-Lanka Accord. Its exclusion resulted in failure to address the Tamil issue satisfactorily and ultimately the failure of India's peacemaking effort. Proscription and anti-terrorist legislation Before the commencement of talks in the current peace process, the LTTE insisted that the Sri Lankan government remove its legal ban against them. Although the proscription of the LTTE did not have any tangible impact on the organization, the LTTE wanted the ban removed because both parties should perceive themselves, and be perceived by others, as equals. The LTTE viewed the de-proscription as a visible sign of power symmetry between the two. The government has historically fought any recognition of equal status vigorously, but taking into consideration the military reality on the ground, its economic capacity and the arguments of the international community, the Sri Lankan government removed the ban before the commencement of talks. Despite the fact that ban had been removed, the peace process was ongoing and the ceasefire in effect, the US government invited only the Sri Lankan government to attend the Washington donor conference of April 2003 that was meant to address post-conflict resettlement, rehabilitation and development. The LTTE, which was governing 70 per cent of the north east, the area mostly affected by the war, was not invited. The Sri Lankan government characterized this conference as a preparatory seminar for the main Tokyo donor conference in June that year. The LTTE was upset and pointed out that the Sri Lankan government's attendance in Washington was a breach of the parties' commitment to seek developmental aid as joint partners. The US government's rationale for not inviting the LTTE was not that the conference was limited to state representatives, but that the US anti-terrorism statute did not permit LTTE members to enter the US, because of their designation as a foreign terrorist organization. Yet if that were the case, the conference could have been held in a country without such a list. The whole exercise was viewed by the LTTE as an attempt to destroy the power symmetry between the protagonists and added to growing mistrust between the Sri Lankan state and the LTTE. The LTTE's exclusion contributed to their dismay at the lack of progress in negotiations and the Sri Lankan government's failure to implement its obligations under the Memorandum of Understanding signed almost a year before. On 21 April 2003 the LTTE suspended its participation in the talks and decided to boycott the Tokyo conference. The LTTE's chief negotiator and political strategist Dr. Anton Balasingham observed, "As a non-state actor caught up in the intrigue-ridden network of the international state system, the LTTE was compelled to act to free itself from the overpowering forces of containment". By failing to engage with non-state entities, third-party states were also lessening their ability to persuade or become fair arbitrators of the conflict. Anti-terrorism legislation is another example of how artificial and unhelpful asymmetry is created between states and non-state actors pursuing legitimate armed struggles. Anti-terrorism statutes address terrorist acts by foreign non-state actors, but not by state actors. Yet there is no moral or legal reason for state terrorism to be immune from any anti-terrorism statute. The provisions of the Additional Protocol I and II of the Geneva Conventions refer to the "party" to the conflict, not the state in conflict, and thus cover conduct of both state and non-state actors. Thus the rationale for limiting anti-terrorist legislation to non-state actors only is flawed. The unreasonableness of the anti-terrorism statute is demonstrated by the case of Sri Lankan government whose armed actions against the Tamils resulted in the mass murder of Tamils and their burial in mass graves. According to the UN Human Rights Commission, in the period from 1980 to 2000 Sri Lanka was second only to Saddam Hussein's regime in the number of outstanding cases of disappearances. Yet the officers of the Sri Lankan military establishment were able to come to Hawaii where the US Pacific Command is situated, whereas the LTTE's political and economic advisors were unable to enter the US as 'members' of a 'foreign terrorist organization'. As an attorney who was involved in the legal challenges to the designation and/or characterization of the LTTE as a terrorist organization in the USA and in Canada I was privy to the unclassified information in those legal proceedings. I was appalled to see that the designation or characterization was primarily based on intelligence reports from the country in which these groups operate and from reports by academics of one of the protagonist nations claiming to be objective experts. Since the intelligence agencies are part of the conflict with the non-state entities in those countries, it cannot be expected that those agencies will provide unbiased information. However, other states uncritically accept the host government's demonization of an armed group when it suits their own geopolitical interests, and often possibly for the sake of courtesy. The above illustrates the asymmetry inherent in the international community that influences its legal systems. Human rights violations and international instruments It is notable that prosecutors from the newly established International Criminal Court, another multi-lateral initiative, have chosen to begin investigations of abuses by the Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army but have not yet given indications that they will investigate alleged abuses committed by the Ugandan state in the north. In the Sri Lankan peace process persistent accusations about LTTE's recruitment of underage children are made, whereas the adverse impact on Tamil children of actions taken by the government in the name of security (such as depriving Tamil fisherman of their livelihood, which contributes to the starvation of Tamil children) is not brought up in international discussions. Another example is the Sri Lankan government's refusal to withdraw from high security zones in violation of the Memorandum of Understanding. This is a clear violation of humanitarian laws which only recognize the right to a military occupation of civilian properties for an "imperative need". Humanitarian laws do not accept forced occupation of civilian lands and homes for the sake of maintaining the balance of military power. Given the three-year ceasefire and the peace process, the occupation of civilian land by the military in the northeast is contrary to humanitarian laws and clearly unlawful, yet the international community does not condemn this. With respect to the resumption of talks, the LTTE presented its proposal and expressed its willingness to resume talks in October 2003. However, the present Sri Lankan government failed to resume talks from the point left off by the previous administration in November 2003, as is customary in any negotiating process. Even though the government has changed the state has not. Even in cases of the succession of states, international law mandates that the new state honours the commitment made by the previous states. It is acknowledged that in some instances when governments change, their approach to negotiations also change, but it is clear that in Sri Lanka the failure to resume talks is due to the government's insistence on a completely new approach to the talks. Yet the government uses its access to the international media to spin the story that it was the LTTE who suspended the talks in April 2003. The international instruments used to monitor the behaviour of states and non-state actors are also asymmetric. First of all, it must be recognized that almost all international agreements are negotiated and prepared by states. Thus, it should not be a surprise that these international agreements give primacy to state interests. Some say that the LTTE is in violation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Optional Protocol allows states to recruit individuals under 18 for their armed forces, while prohibiting armed groups from recruiting individuals under 18 for their national forces or even for political and administrative work. There is no provision in the Optional Protocol for a national liberation movement and/or a de facto government like the LTTE. Application of the Optional Protocol, which has not yet become customary international law, will favour the Sri Lankan state against the LTTE. However, there is criticism that the LTTE is violating the Optional Protocol provisions that it is not a party to, has never signed and thus is not legally bound by. Negotiating peace Asymmetry also characterizes the facilities for preparing negotiations between state and non-state actors. States' resources to train their diplomatic corps professionally and academically exceed those of non-state actors. The LTTE recognizes this asymmetry and compensates for it with the resourceful Tamil diaspora's talents and with assistance from some international NGOs and academics, a strategy manifested in the Interim Self-Governing Authority, a proposal put forwarded by the LTTE to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of the northeast. The Sri Lankan government comprises various constituencies and ideologies and has to expend its resources to address various interests. For the government, the peace process is just one of many things on its agenda. The LTTE's commitment to the peace process has helped to reduce the asymmetry between its resources and those of the government. Conclusion This article has tried to identify some of the asymmetries between state
and non-state actors pervasive in the current international state system
in light of the Sri Lankan peace process, as well as the lack of factors
in that system to compel state actors to adopt a cooperative orientation
towards non-state actors. The third parties who are involved in such processes
must address these asymmetries for the process to work. If the international
environment is not rectified to enable the non-state actor to exercise
its soft power effectively, the non-state actor will be forced to conclude
that only through hard power can they level the playing field and compel
the state actor to reach a negotiated settlement. 31 July 2005 Mervyn’s son to be charged The Sunday Times learns that Attorney General K.C.Kamalasabeyson has called for the Information Book extracts regarding the complaint lodged by Police Narcotics Bureau officers. They said they had been obstructed and assaulted by Mr. Silva’s son and two others. Mr. Silva’s son and two others are to be charged under section 323 of the Penal Code for causing hurt to a public servant to deter that person from discharging his duty. This is a criminal offence and if convicted they could be jailed for up to three years. The Deputy Minister in an interview charged that a police officer was trying to fix his son and he vowed he would not quit his post this time as he did when another incident occurred last year. 31 July 2005 Accept Muslims as equal stakeholders" Commenting on the opposition from Muslims to the P-Toms, especially the SLMC, he dismissed claims that the Muslims were a ‘spoiler’ opposed to the joint mechanism, which would be a confidence-builder to resume talks between the government and LTTE. "We, Muslims accept and welcome all moves in this direction, but we cannot stand and wait while we are sidelined." "We are also important stakeholder in Sri Lanka, especially the North and East", he said. Muslims have paid the price as a result of the Ceasefire agreement, which was formulated without involving the Muslim community, Faiz noted. "Similarly, today the international community and Norway accept that there has been a folly in not accepting the Muslims as equal stakeholders during the deliberations on the P-Toms. Why cannot the P-Toms agreement be re-formulated?" he asked. The SLMC believes that Muslims should have been part and parcel of any discussions to formulate the P-Toms agreement, whereas the government had totally ignored the Muslims, who are very important stakeholders, he claimed. "We are not opposed to all what was in the P-Toms agreement. We may want a minor change or two, but now as it is, we will not extend any cooperation as the process followed would have a direct impact where Muslims continue to be sidelined." On the Presidential election he said: "We are not so much wowed
about it. Let the dates be announced. Let us wait and see. Then we would
state our stand." 31 July 2005 Key provisions in US Patriot Act struck down third time U.S. District Court Judge Audrey Collins ruled Thursday that a key provision in the USA Patriot Act criminalizing the provision of "expert advice or assistance" to designated foreign terrorist groups is unconstitutional, despite an attempt by Congress to fix the problems in the 2004 Intelligence Reform Act. The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) based in New York originally filed the case on behalf of Humanitarian Law Project, a human rights organization and several Tamil-American organizations that seek to support the lawful activities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka, especially in areas affected by the 2004 tsunami. Judge Collins also struck down two other key provisions of the bill that ban the provision of “services” and “training” to designated groups. In December, Congress revised the Act in response to her rulings, and the case was sent back to District Court. On July 28, 2005, she ruled that Congress did not adequately clarify the bans on “training” and “expert advice.” She also ruled unconstitutional a new ban, added by the 2004 Act, on providing “services” to designated groups, the CCR website said. "This law is so sweeping that it makes it a crime for our clients to provide medical services to tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka and to provide assistance in human rights advocacy to the Kurds in Turkey,” said CCR cooperating attorney David Cole, who argued the case. “Judge Collins's decision affirms that we must not sacrifice principles of free speech in the war on terror,” according to CCR's website. 31 July 2005 Sri Lanka’s Free Media Movement (FMM) has protested slow progress on police investigations regarding the murder of senior Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram. In a letter sent to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandra Fernando, the FMM has requested a meeting to discuss lack of progress on the murder investigations. FMM convener Seetha Ranjanee told BBC Sinhala (BBC Sandeshaya) that the police chief is yet to reply to a letter sent on 03 June asking for a meeting. Tamilnet editor Sivaram was abducted on 28 April in front of a police station in the capital, Colombo. His body was found dumped near parliamentary complex, in Colombo’s high security zone. Although the police have arrested two suspects, the FMM expressed concern
on the lack of progress after three months of the journalist’s murder.
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Iup];; FbauR ,uhZtj;jpd; mbr;Rtl;il Gypfs; gpd;gw;wpdhy; ,d neUf;fbf;F jPu;T- fjpu;fhku; $Wfpwhu; tpLjiyg; Gypfs; jkJ ,uhZt fl;likg;Gfis fiyj;J tpl;L rptpy; mikg;ghf khwpdhy; khj;jpuNk ,yq;ifapd; ,dg;gpur;rpidf;F jPu;T fhz KbAk; vd ntsptptfhu mikr;ru; yf;\;kd; fjpu;fhku; njuptpj;Js;shu;. [dhjpgjp re;jpupfh gz;lhuehaf;f FkhuJq;ftpd; tho;f;if rupjj;ij ntspapLk; epfo;T nts;spf;fpoik tpRk;ghatpy; ,lk;ngw;w NtisNa ntsptptfhu mikr;ru; ,jid njuptpj;jhu;. ];uPyq;fh Rje;jpuf; fl;rpapd; ntspj; Njhw;wj;ij khw;wpatu; vd;w tifapNyNa [dhjpgjpia tuyhW Kf;fpakhf kjpg;gpLk; vdTk; njuptpj;j mtu;> [dhjpgjpapd; tuyhW xU iky;fy; vdTk;> vdpDk; ,J mtuJ mw;Gjkhd murpay; tho;f;if Kbtpw;F te;Jtpl;lij ,J Fwpf;ftpy;iy vdf; Fwpg;gpl;lJld; NkYk; njuptpj;jjhtJ; tpahof;fpoik tuyhw;W Kf;fpaj;Jtk; tha;e;j epfo;nthd;W ,lk; ngw;Ws;sJ. ,yq;if [dhjpgjpAld; Neubahf njhlu;Gs;s tplaky;y vd;w NghjpYk; mtuJ nfhs;iffs; rupahdit vd;gij Gyg;gLj;jpAs;sJ. Aj;jk; vd;gJ mtrpakhd jPik vd;whYk; mJ ey;y tplaky;y vd;gJ [dhjpgjpapd; epiyg;ghL. Iup]; FbauR ,uhZtk; jdJ jrhg;j fhy MAjg; Nghuhl;lj;ij iftpLtjhf mwptpj;Js;sJ. jdJ njhz;lu;fis murpay; Ntiyj; jpl;lq;fis [dehaf topKiwfspy; Kd;ndLf;FkhWk; mJ NfhupAs;sJ. NkYk; MAjf; fisT tplaj;jpy; xj;Jiof;fg;NghtjhfTk; njuptpj;Js;sJ. tl mau;yhe;J tptfhuk; ,yq;ifAld; gy tplaq;fspy; xw;Wikia nfhz;Ls;sJ. Kf;fpakhf ePz;l fhy MAjg; Nghuhl;lq;fis Ngr;R thu;j;ijfs; %ykhf khj;jpuNk Kbtpw;Ff; nfhz;L tuyhk; vd;gij Gyg;gLj;jpAs;sJ. ,yq;ifapd; neUf;fbf;F jPu;T fhz; gjw;fhf ru;tNjr r%fk; jPtpu Kaw;rpfis Nkw;nfhz;Ls;sJ. vdpDk; ru;tNjr r%fKk; rkhjhd Kaw;rpfspy; <Lgl;l murhq;fq;fSk; MAjf; fisT tplaj;jpid jtpu;j;J te;Js;sd.Nlhf;fpNah khehl;by; khj;jpuNk ,e;j tplak; Fwpj;J typAWj;jg;gl;lJ. tpLjiyg; Gypfs; jkJ ,uhZtk;> flw;gil> tpkhdg; gil vd;gtw;iw fiyj;J tpl;L rptpy; mikg;ghf khWfpd;w tiuapy; ,yq;ifapd; ,d neUf;fbf;F jPu;T fhz KbahJ. Iup\; FbauR ,uhZtk; ,e;jg; gijapNyNa mbnaLj;J itj;Js;sJ. [dhjpgjp jdJ murpay; vjpu;fhyj;jpw;fhd gapw;rpia fpuhkg;Gw kf;fSld; gzpahw;wpa NtisAk; jdJ je;ijapd; nfhs;iffspy; fhl;ba mf;fiwA+lhfTk; ngw;Wf; nfhz;lhu;. vjpu;fhyj;jpy; murpaypy; EioAk; Nehf;fj;JlNdNa mtu; jd;id jahu; gLj;jpf; nfhz;lhu; vd $w KbahJ. tpjpapd; jUzj;jpw;fhf mtu; jd;id jahu; gLj;jp te;jhu;. vdpDk; mtuJ fdTfs; fLk; ajhu;j;jj;ij re;jpf;f Ntz;bapUe;jJ. vdpDk; jdJ murpay; cWjpg;ghL fhuzkhf mtu; mjid ntw;wpfukhf vjpu;nfhz;lhu;. murpay; uPjpahf mtu; gy Kl;Lf;fl;ilfis vjpu;nfhz;lhu;. mtuJ nfhs;iff;fhd MjuT cau;tJk;> jho;tJkhf ,Ue;jJ - ,Uf;fpd;wJ. vdpDk;> mtu; njhlu;e;Jk; jdJ gazj;ij njhlu;fpwhu;. [dhjpgjp xU etPd fhyg; ngz;kzp. gioikthj r%j;jpypUe;J tpLgLtjw;F mtu; fLikahfg; Nghuhl Ntz;bapUe;jJ. 1968 Nk khjj;jpd; Gul;rp [dhjpgjp kPJ r%f mf;fiw Fwpj;j tpopg;Gzu;r;rpia Vw;gLj;jpapUe;jJ. NkYk;> mtuJ je;ijaplkpUe;J mtu; ngw;w r%f mf;fiwAk; rpWtu;fs;> ngz;fs; vd r%fj;jpd; gyjug;gl;ltu;fspd; eyDf;fhf jpl;lq;fis Kd;itf;f J}z;baJ. [dhjpgjp mtuJ fl;rpapd; ntspj;Njhw;wj;jpy; ghupa khw;wj;ijf; nfhz;L te;jijNa tuyhW mtuJ kpfg;ngupa rhjidahf kjpg;gpLk;. 1994 ,w;F Kjy; ];uPyq;fh Rje;jpuf; fl;rp kjthj rpe;jidapy; %o;fpf; fple;jJ. [dhjpgjpapd; jiyikapyhd Rje;jpuf; fl;rpia kf;fs; jkJ xU gFjpahfTk; NjhodhfTk; ghu;f;fpd;wdu;. ,e;j khw;wj;ij Vw;gLj;jpatu; [dhjpgjpNa. ed;dlj;ijapd;ik> Mghrk; Nghd;wit fhzg;gLk; murpay; R+oypy;> [dhjpgjpapd; nraw;ghLfs; khWg;gl;lit. mtu; njhlu;e;Jk; ,uf;fKk; fUizAk; nfhz;ltuhf jpfo;fpwhu;. vjpu;f;fl;rpfspd; Kf;fpa jiytu;fs; rpyu;> xU jdp kdpju; vd;w tifapy; mtu; mw;Gjkhdtu; vdf; Fwpg;gpLfpd;wdu;. 31 July 2005 tpLjiyg; GypfSk; MAjq;fis ifaspf;f Ntz;Lk; vd;W NfhUtJ Vw;Wf;nfhs;sf; $bajy;y: N[hrg; guuh[rpq;fk;
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mtu; njuptpj;Js;s fUj;Jf;fs; tUkhW> jkpo;j; Njrpaj;jpw;F ghJfhg;G mw;w R+oypy; [up]; tpLjiy ,uhZtk; MAjq;fis xg;gilf;f Kd;te;jJ Nghd;W tpLjiyg; GypfSk; xg;gilf;f Ntz;Lk; vd;W Nfhupf;if tpLg;gJ Vw;Wf;nfhs;sf;$ba xU tplaky;y. fhuzk; vd;dntdpy;> tpLjiyg; GypfSk; rpwpyq;fh murhq;fKk; Aj;j epWj; xg;ge;jj;jpy; Mu;tkpy;iy my;yJ Vw;Wf;nfhs;s Kbahj R+o;epiyapy; 14 ehl;fs; jtizAld; Aj;j epWj;j cld;gbf;ifapypUe;J ntspNawyhk; vd;W Aj;j epWj;j cld;gbf;ifapy; $l njspthff; $wg;gl;bUf;fpwJ. ,t;thwhd R+o;epiyapy; fle;j %d;W tUlq;fSk; ehd;F khjq;fshf rkhjhdg; Ngr;Rthu;j;ij njhlug;gl;L MWRw;Wg; Ngr;Rthu;j;ijfSf;F gpw;ghL mJ jilg;gl;bUf;fpwJ> ,ilepWj;jg;gl;bUf;fpwJ Mdhy; Ngr;Rthu;j;ij ,d;Wtiu njhlutpy;iy. jkpoPo tpLjiyg; Gypfs; rku;g;gpj;Js;s jd;dhl;rp mjpfhu rig njhlu;ghf me;j mbg;gil Njit$l Ngr;Rthu;j;ijf;fhf vLf;fg;glTkpy;iy. mJ Kd;ndLj;Jr; nry;yg;glTkpy;iy. ,it vy;yhtw;wpw;Fk; Nkyhf Njrpa mopT vd;W $wg;gLfpw Mopg;Nguiyapd; gpd;dUk; $l mjw;fhd kdpjhgpkhd mbg;gilapy; Nkw;nfhs;s Ntz;ba nghJf;fl;likg;igf; $l muR toq;f Kd;tuhky; mjid ifr;rhj;jpLtjw;Ff; $l MW khjfhyk; ,Oj;jbjpUe;jJ. rpwpyq;fhtpd; ePjpj;Jiw $l mjid jil nra;Js;sJ. ,t;thwhd xUtpj R+oypy; vt;thW tpLjiyg; Gypfs; MAjq;fis fPNo itf;f KbAk;? jkpo; kf;fSila gyNk jkpoPo tpLjiyg; GypfSila MAjk; jhd;. jPu;Nth Kiwahd jPu;T Vw;gl;L jkpou;fs; NfhUfpd;w mNj mbg;gilapy; jq;fisj; jhNk ghu;j;Jf; nfhs;sf;$ba mbg;gilapy; xU jPu;it va;J jq;fSila jhafj;ij jhq;fNs Msf;$ba R+o;epiy Vw;glhjtplj;jpy; me;j MAjk; vd;fpd;w KOikahd jw;ghJfhg;ig xg;gilf;f KbahJ. ,J xU jtwhd nrayhFk;. Kjypy; mtu;fs; gpur;ridia jPu;f;fl;Lk;. gpur;ridiaj; jPu;j;j gpw;ghL jkpoPo tpLjiyg; Gypfs; mJ njhlu;ghf rpe;jpg;ghu;fs; vd;whu;. 31 July 2005 I.eh.ghJfhg;Gr; rigapd; jPu;khdk; rpWtu;fis Aj;jj;jpy; <LgLj;Jtij jLf;Fk;
ntsptptfhu mikr;R njuptpg;GrpWtu;fspd; ghJfhg;G njhlu;gpy; I.eh. ghJfhg;Gr; rigapy; fle;j 26 Mk; jpfjp Vfkdjhf Vw;Wf;nfhs;sg;gl;Ls;s jPu;khdj;ij tuNtw;Ws;s ntsptptfhu mikr;R> ,J rpWtu;fis Aj;jj;jpy; <LgLj;Jtij jLf;FnkdTk; njuptpf;fpwJ.
rpWtu;fspd; cupikfis NgZtjpy; ,yq;if Kd;dzpapYs;sJ. rpWtu;fis nfhiy nra;jy; my;yJ mq;ftPduhf;Fjy;> gilfspy; gad;gLj;jy; my;yJ Nru;j;jy;> ghlrhiy my;yJ kUj;JtkidfSf;nfjpuhd jhf;Fjy;fs;> ghypay; ty;YwT my;yJ Vida ghypay; uPjpahd Jd;GWj;jy;fs; vd;gtw;iw fz;fhzpj;J mwpf;ifapLtij ,j; jPu;khdk; Vw;Wf;nfhs;fpwJ.
,jd; %yk;> ePz;l fhykhf Njitnad fUjg;gl;L te;j tplak; G+u;j;jp nra;ag;gl;Ls;sJ. mj;Jld; jPtpug;Nghf;Fila mikg;GfSf;F vjpuhd eltbf;iffisAk; cWjpg;gLj;Jk;.
,j; jPu;khdj;jpy; tpLjiyg; Gypfspd; ngaUk; jPtpug;
Nghf;Fila jug;ghf Fwpg;gplg;gl;Ls;sJ. vdNt mtu;fs; kdpjTupikapd; tpOkpaq;fisAk;
mbg;gilfisAk; kjpj;J elf;fNtz;bapUf;Fk; vd mikr;R tpLj;Js;s mwpf;ifapy;
Fwpg;gplg;gl;Ls;sJ. Presidential elections in Nov. this year? The Presidential Elections will be held before November 22 this year and the date of the polls will be announced in the last week of next month, the Daily Mirror learnt last night. When asked about the exact date, Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake – the man in the centre of a major political controversy -- said the date would be fixed subject to Article 31 (3) of the Constitution which stated that the poll should be held not less than one month and not more than two months before the expiration of the term of the President in office and the relevant provisions in the Presidential Election Act No. 15 of 1981. Daily Mirror learns that the government too has become aware of this decision since several legal luminaries had privately told the SLFP leadership of the strong possibility of the Elections Commissioner calling for elections this year. The nomination of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse as the SLFP’s presidential candidate despite the public proclamations by the party’s top leadership that elections would only be held in 2006, was attributed to this realization. Meanwhile the Government Press has already printed more than 50,000 applications for postal ballot papers for the presidential election on a directive of the Election Commissioner’s Department. These applications were handed over to the Election’s Department on Tuesday. Legal sources said the Elections Commissioner most probably would be guided by the aborted 2000 August draft Constitution which was endorsed by the Cabinet and reviewed by the Supreme Court. The draft Constitution which was presented in parliament by the President herself stated that the term of the incumbent president ends after “… a period of six years calculated from December 22, 1999”. However the SLFP is likely to challenge the Elections Commissioner’s decision triggering a controversial yet landmark legal battle. At a news conference in Colombo yesterday government spokesman Nimal Siripala de Silva reiterated the stand that the presidential elections would be held next year and sent warning signals that the ruling party would go to courts against what it sees as any unconstitutional decision by the Elections Commissioner. Minister de Silva said the Elections Commissioner was vested with powers to declare the date and the decision should be in accordance with the law. When asked if the government would go to courts if the Elections Commissioner decided to go for an election this year, the Minister said: “We can go to courts if he gives an unconstitutional decision. Anybody can go to courts against an unconstitutional decision. We are ready for any decision”. 30 July 2005 Norway’s deputy FM due in Sri Lanka In a bid to push the stalled peace talks in Sri Lanka, Norwegian deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen will come here next month, the government announced today. Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva at a Cabinet press briefing in Colombo said that the Norwegian deputy Foreign Minister will also travel to the tsunami-hit South during his stay here. He is expected to meet President Chandrika Kumaratunga and other senior government officials and also the LTTE leadership NE Catholic Bishops confer with Tamilselvan on current situation Catholic Bishops of Jaffna, Mannar and Batticaloa-Trincomalee Rt.Rev. Dr.Thomas Savundranayagam, Rt. Rev. Dr.Rayappu Joseph and Rt. Rev. Dr. Kingsley Swampillai met with Mr.S.P.Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTE Political Wing today 29 July 2005 at the Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi. The main theme of the discussion was the current political situation in the context of a stalled peace process, undue delay to the structuring of the post-tsunami management and the public resentment over the humanitarian misery. Mr.Tamilselvan briefed the Bishops on the stand of LTTE in the midst of public outcry for resolution of their day to day problems and a lasting solution to the political crisis. 30 July 2005 Navy on alert for LTTE arms ship Information that a ship carrying arms for the LTTE was seen on the sea off Jaffna coast has been received by the intelligence services and the Navy surveillance in the region has been increased, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri said yesterday (29). He also said the Army in the region has been informed about the intelligence reports and troops have been alerted to keep watch for any suspect activity on land in the coastal areas of the North. He said the forces were aware the LTTE is using various
ruses to transport arms across the government administered areas and every
possible precaution has been taken to prevent such attempts. THE PROMISE OF PEACE A revised security programme is also being published in the near future and plans are being made to allow on-the-run paramilitary fugitives to return home.Unionists, however, have reacted with anger at the military scale down.Arlene Foster, a senior member of the Democratic Unionist Party, said: "It's criminally irresponsible of the government to do that, given what has gone on in those border areas. "It's startling that when the IRA give a statement saying they will stop what they should never have been doing the government act so soon.". The decision to abandon armed struggle in favour of "political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means" means new efforts to restore devolution are expected. But Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain will likely delay the opening of any discussions until September.By this time the British and Irish governments hope the Provisionals will have completed their decommissioning process. Tony Blair, in a joint statement with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, said: "If the IRA's words are borne out by actions, it will be a momentous and historic development."Independent verification will be vitally important to enable trust and confidence to be restored."International disarmament chief General John de Chastelain is due to meet an IRA representative in the coming days as part of lans to empty the arms dumps. Two clergymen - one Protestant, one Catholic - have been chosen to scrutinise the destruction along with Gen de Chastelain. 30 July 2005 Mangala formula averts SLFP crisis Ports and Shipping Minister Mangala Samaraweera appeared to have tackled an unprecedented political crisis by recommending a formula that pleased President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Premier Mahinda Rajapakse and Minister Anura Bandaranaike.The plan worked out by Samaraweera, in consultation with several others, including three senior government officials close to President Kumaratunga, envisaged Rajapakse and Bandaranaike being simultaneously named as the UPFA'spresidential and prime ministerial candidates respectively. It also envisaged a far reaching amendment to the SLFP Constitution to pave the way for Kumaratunga to continue as the party leader. Samaraweera is believed to have outlined his plan at a meeting, at the Janadhipathi Mandiraya last Tuesday (26) night, chaired by Kumaratunga. The meeting got underway late as President Kumaratunga addressed security forces and police officers at the BMICH. The BMICH meeting scheduled to begin at 2.30 p.m. got underway about three hours late. During her speech, President Kumaratunga had strongly defended the P-TOMS agreement while insisting the importance in continuing with the Oslo-arranged Cease-Fire Agreement (CFA) despite provocations. From BMICH, she had rushed to Janadhipathi Mandiraya where the committee tasked with naming the party's presidential election candidate had been waiting. Ironically Rajapakse and Bandaranaike too had been on the committee. The Island learns that the JVP backs Mangala's formula. The JVP quit the coalition on June 16 protesting President Chandrika Kumaratunga's decision to go ahead with hotly disputed P-TOMS agreement with the LTTE.Samaraweera succeeded in securing the JVP's support to retain power in the Western Provincial Council by appointing Nandana Mendis as the Chief Minister even after the Marxist party's pull-out from the coalition. Unfortunately this arrangement collapsed after an influential section in the coalition negotiated a controversial deal with the UNP to reinstate Reginald Cooray, facing a presidential investigation on corruption, financial irregularities and alpractices. Well informed sources said that Samaraweera moved swiftly amidst efforts by an influential section of the coalition to undermine Rajapakse.Rajapakse, Bandaranaike, Lakshman Kadirgamar, Anuruddha Ratwatte, Maithripala Sirisena and Alavi Moulana had been present at Tuesday's meeting. Alavi Moulana, obviously acting according to a previously agreed arrangement, had proposed Rajapakse as the party's presidential election candidate. He had also proposed Bandaranaike as the party's prime ministerial candidate. "Alavi averted a possible confrontation," the sources said while expressing delight that they succeeded in resolving the crisis amicably. Well informed sources said that the UPFA and the JVP would
have to reach agreement on the forthcoming budget likely to be in November.
The UPFA stands to lose if the JVP vote against its second budget leading
to fresh parliamentary elections early next year. The JVP would have to
compromise unless it wants a general election ahead of the presidential
election.But a lot would depend on Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake's
decision. In a front-page story "Dayananda shows his hands"
last Sunday, we revealed his decision to call for presidential electionlater
this year.
One party says the Presidential election should be held in 2005 and the other party's stance is that it is due in 2006. Hence, considering the right of the people in Sri Lanka to know the exact date of the election, the petitioner has requested the Court of appeal to make the order. Commissioner of Elections as well as the Attorney General have been named as respondents. 30 July 2005 Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapksa, the SLFP nominee for President at the Presidential Election today condemned the bad behaviour of Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva as unbecoming of a politician for threatening the private media by calling names. Premier told the media today that we all should allow the media to do their services for the people and politicians should not interfere with their work. The media will write or telecast what they think the people should know and it may not be to our liking. But we should not yell at them or threaten them. While stating that politicians should respect the media freedom as true democrats, the Prime Minister said that he was confident and optimistic that the media will act with responsibility in carrying out their reporting for the people and for the country. A group, calling Supporters of Democracy staged a protest at the Sirasa premises yesterday as a response to the protest organized by several media organizations against the ‘nasty’ act of the Deputy Minister at the Fort Railway Station the previous day. Deputy Minister targeted some TV stations in the country expressing his wrath over them at the Fort Magistrate premises where media gathered to cover his son’s arrest. Deputy Minister’s son was allegedly involved in an attackagainst some police officers who have gone to investigate a drug deal at a hotel in Colombo. 30 July 2005 EPDP demonstrate in Jaffna against killing Members of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) Friday afternoon held a demonstration with the body of Mr.Suriyapillai Nixon in front of the Jaffna office of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) demanding guarantee for their security and safety, sources in Jaffna said. Mr.Nixon, a member of the EPDP was shot dead Thursday afternoon by unidentified gunmen when was on his way to distribute copies of Thinamurasu, the weekly organ of the EPDP. Earlier EPDP members escorted by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army and Policemen brought the body of Mr.Nixon in a procession from Kailasapillaiyar Koviladi junction carrying placards to the office of the SLMM located along Nallur Temple Road, sources said. EPDP members refused SLMM's request to remove the coffin from the site. The SLMM officials told EPDP members that they are prepared to discuss the issue of providing security to them. But EPDP members said that only if the SLMM guarantees their security they will remove the coffin, sources said. EPDP members left the coffin in front of the SLMM office and gathered in the Kailasapillaiyar Kovil premises. Meanwhile, the security to the SLMM office has been strengthened by deploying more soldiers and policemen. The road leading to SLMM office has been closed for public use and traffic during the demonstration, sources said. 30 July 2005 A fleet from British Royal Navy on a goodwill visit to Sri Lanka Royal Navy warship HMS York and her accompanying Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship Black Rover are due to arrive in Colombo on August 5 on a goodwill visit. In a press release the British High Commission in Colombo today said that “The ships will visit for 3 days before heading further east as part of a Royal Naval deployment called ‘Volans 05’.” British High Commissioner, Stephen Evans, said, “The visit of HMS York is a symbol of the good relations between the UK and Sri Lanka and the strong links between our two Navies. Immediately after the tsunami a Royal Navy Ship, HMS Chatham, and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary, RFA Diligence, visited Sri Lanka and helped provide relief to those affected by the tragedy, principally off the East coast near Batticaloa. The visit of HMS York will provide an opportunity to build on the goodwill generated by their work.” HMS York’s Commanding Officer, Commander Matt Harvey of Royal Navy stated that “HMS York is both delighted and very privileged to be visiting Colombo. The visit follows a recent 4-week period at sea and my Ship’s Company has been looking forward to it immensely. For many of my sailors this is their first trip away from home and we all feel tremendously lucky to have the opportunity to sample and enjoy the Sri Lankan way of life.” During the visit Commander Harvey will meet senior officers from the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and the Mayor of Colombo. Members of the crew will visit sights around Colombo and will play football, rugby and hockey matches against Sri Lankan Navy teams. RFA Black Rover is a Fleet Tanker belonging to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service. These ships support Royal Navy warships including replenishment of fuel. 30 July 2005 Kalmunai Muslims protest against SL Minister Athaulla More than one thousand Muslims from three different mosques in Kalmunai town marched Friday in protest against the Minister of Infrastructure Development in the Eastern Province, Mr. A.L.M Athaulla, a leader of one of the breakaway factions of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), accusing the lankan minister of "betraying Muslims in Kalmunai" and favouring his native town of Akkaraipattu in securing governmental facilities. Demonstrators also carried placards supporing Tamil - Muslim relations in Kalmunai. The protestors alleged that Mr. Athulla was taking steps to relocate the deputy health director's office for Amparai district from Kalmunai to Akkaraipattu. Muslim devotees who participated in Jummah prayers in Kalmunai Jummah Mosque, Ansar Sunnathu Mohammadullah Mosque and Mohideen Jummah Mosque, marched towards Kalmunai (Muslim) Divisional Secretariat at 1:30 p.m and held a demonstration till 3:00 p.m, sources in Kalmunai said. The protest was organised by the All Mosque Federation in Kalmunai and the Federation of Muslim Organisationsand Clubs in Kalmunai. At the end of the demonstration, organisors handed over a petition addressed to the Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga to District Secretary (DS) Mr. A.H.M. Ansar at the Divisional Secretariat. The petition urged SL President to ensure that the development of Kalmunai Muslim division is not blocked by secretarian politics and not to allow politicians to show favoritism to their own hometowns. Mr. Athaulla was appointed as the Minister of Infrastructure Development in the Eastern Province, when he joined UPFA government coalition breaking away from the SLMC. Athaulla was Minister of Highways in the previous United National Party (UNP) led United National Front (UNF) coalition government. 30 July 2005 Fish vendors complain harassment at Muhamalai SLA checkpoint Vendors engaged in the sale of fish in Jaffna district have complained to civil authorities that they are harassed by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army at Muhamalai checkpoint when bringing fish from Vadamaradchchi east division. They are asked to wait several hours at the Muhamalai checkpoint before entering the government-controlled areas in Jaffna district, civil sources said. Vendors said SLA soldiers cut open big fish to check to ensure explosives are not taken to government controlled areas from LTTE held Vadamaradchchi east. Due to this they are unable to preserve the fish they take to Jaffna town for a longer period, civil sources said. Soldiers in Muhamalai checkpoint say that they receive information that explosives are taken to Jaffna town concealing in big fish, according to vendors. 30 July 2005 Father of three shot dead in Achchuveli Mr.Phillipiah Leonard Jeyaraj aged 52, father of three children of Achchuveli West in Jaffna district, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen Friday evening around 6 p.m. while he was walking towards his agricultural land. The Police handed over the body of the dead to the Achchuveli hospital, police said. Four persons in two motorbikes followed Mr.Jeyaraj and fired at him killing him on the spot and fled from the scene, Achchuveli Police said. The site where the incident took place is located about 300 meters from the Achchuveli Police Station and on the border of the high security zone, civil sources said 30 July 2005 UN Mechanism on child
soldiers covers all conflicts These reports will serve as triggers for action against the offending parties, the United Nations Information Service said yesterday. The latest report on the subject by UN Secretary-General lists 54 offending parties, governments as well as insurgents, drawn from 11 situations of conflict. These included the Tigers (LTTE) from Sri Lanka, Fuerzes Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) from Colombia, Janjaweed from Sudan; the Community Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist) from Nepal, Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) from Uganda; Karen National Liberation Army from Myanmar and government forces from DRC, Myanmar and Uganda. In a major ground-breaking development, the UN Security Council voted last Tuesday unanimously for a series of measures, including the establishment of a comprehensive monitoring and reporting mechanism, to ensure the protection of children exposed to armedconfict. The mechanism will monitor grave violations by all parties, both governments and insurgents, focusing particularly on: Killing or maiming of children, recruiting or using child soldiers, attacks against schools or hospitals, rape or other sexual violence against children, abduction of children and denial of humanitarian access for children. The Security Council has endorsed the continued naming and listing of all offending parties, both insurgents and governments, which are responsible for grave violations against children. In the same resolution, the Security Council ordered offending parties which have already been listed, to prepare and implement right away, concrete action plans and timeliness for ending violations against children. "We have now entered the 'era of application, commented UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara A. Otunnu. "For the first time, the UN is establishing a formal, structured and detailed compliance regime of this kind. This brings together all the key elements we have been developing, in the last few years, to ensure accountability and compliance on the ground. This is a turning point of great consequence." The Security Council's special Working Group, composed of all 15 members, will review reports and action plans, and consider targeted measures against offending parties, where insufficient or no progress has been made. Such measures might include travel restrictions on leaders, and their exclusion from any governance structures and amnesty provisions, the imposition of arms embargoes, a ban on military assistance, and restriction on the flow of financial resources to the parties concerned. In the last decade two million children have been killed in situations of armed conflict, while six million children have been disabled or injured. Over a quarter of a million child soldiers are being abused and exploited today in situations of armed conflict around the globe. Since 2003, over 11 million children have been displaced within their own countries, and 2.4 million children were forced to flee conflict and take refuge outside their home countries. Abductions are becoming more widespread, as witnessed, for example, in Darfur, Northern Uganda, Nepal and Burundi. Thousands of children, particularly girls, are subjected to rape and other sexual abuses in situations of conflict. Landmines kill or maim 8,000 to 10,000 children every year. 30 July 2005 Sovereign state as a last resort: TNA MP The Tamil community would have no alternative but to secede and form a separate state as successive governments have demonstrated their indifference to solving the Tamil national question, a TNA MP said. Speaking to Daily Mirror, TNA parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham said the objective of the ‘Tamil National Resurgence Convention’ held in Vavuniya was to impress upon the international community, the Tamil community’s genuine right to a sovereign state. “After the armed struggle, there came the ceasefire agreement. So far, nothing concrete has happened to solve the country’s ethnic problem, and the government is not genuinely interested in solving the problem. Therefore, we have the right to form a sovereign state as a last resort”, he said. However, he said that they would make every possible effort to find a solution to the problem within a united Sri Lanka. The TNA Foreign Affairs Committee has also planned to hold a series of talks with the heads of foreign missions in Colombo to solicit the international community’s support. The convention was organized by the TNA along with Tamil civil organizations to convince the international community that every attempt by Tamil leaders to seek a solution to the problem through negotiations, had been spurned by extremist Sinhala groups and therefore they deserve the right to their own sovereign state 30 July 2005 [dhjpgjp Nju;jypy; rpWghd;ikapdupd; thf;Ffis ngWtjpy; ,Ujug;Gk; Mu;tk; ahiu Mjupg;gnjd;gJ Fwpj;J KbT vLf;ftpy;iy vd;fpd;wdu; jkpo; fl;rpj; jiytu;fs; vjpu;tUk; [dhjpgjp Nju;jypy; rpWghd;ikapduJ thf;Ffis ngWtjw;fhd top tiffs; Fwpj;J gpujhd ,U fl;rpfshd If;fpa Njrpaf; fl;rpAk;> ];uP yq;fh Rje;jpuf; fl;rpAk; Muha;e;J tUfpd;wd. [dhjpgjp Nju;jypy; rpWghd;ik kf;fspd; thf;FfNs ntw;wpia jPu;khdpg;gjdhy; ,t;tplaj;jpy; ,U fl;rpfSk; mf;fiwfhl;l Ntz;ba epiy Vw;gl;Ls;sJ. [dhjpgjp Nju;jy; vg;NghJ eilngWk; vd;W mwptpf;fg;gltpy;iyahapDk; Nju;jypy; Nghl;bapLtjw;fhd Ntl;ghsu;fis ,e;j ,U fl;rpfSk; njupT nra;Js;sd. If;fpa Njrpaf; fl;rpapd; [dhjpgjp Ntl;ghsuhd vjpu;f;fl;rpj; jiytu; uzpy; tpf;fpuk rpq;fTf;Nf jkpo; K];ypk; fl;rpfs; MjuT toq;Fk; vd;w vjpu;ghu;g;Ng epytp tUfpd;wJ. ,e;j epiyapy; ];uPyq;fh Rje;jpuf; fl;rpapd; [dhjpgjp Ntl;ghsuhf njupT nra;ag;gl;Ls;s gpujku; kfpe;j uh[gf;\Tk; rpWghd;ik kf;fspd; thf;Ffis ngWtJ Fwpj;J Muha;e;J tUfpd;whu;. New;W Kd;jpdk; [dhjpgjp Ntl;ghsuhf njupT nra;ag;gl;l gpujku; kfpe;j uh[gf;\> md;iwa jpdNk rpy jkpo;f;fl;rp jiytu;fSld; njhiyNgrpapy; njhlu;G nfhz;L [dhjpgjp Nju;jy; njhlu;ghf fye;Jiuahl tUkhW mioj;Js;shu;. ,Nj Ntis> [dhjpgjp Nju;jypy; gpujku; kfpe;j uh[gf;\Tf;F MjuT toq;F tjw;F N[.tp.gp. Ak;> n`y cWkaTk; epge;jid tpjpf;fTs;sjhf ek;gfukhf njupa tUfpd;wJ. jkJ 5 epge;jidfis gpujku; Vw;Wf; nfhz;lhy; Nju;jypy; MjuT toq;f KbAk; vd;Wk; ,y;iyNay; jdpj;J Ntl;ghsiu epWj;jTs;sjhfTk; n`y cWka njuptpj;Js;sjhf $wg;gLfpd;wJ. [dhjpgjp Nju;jypy; ahUf;F MjuT toq;Ftnjd;gJ Fwpj;J jhk; ,d;dKk; jPu;khdk; vLf;ftpy;iy vd;Wk; [dhjpgjp Nju;jy; mwptpf;fg;gl;l gpd;du; ,Wjp KbT vLf;fg;gLk; vd;Wk; jkpo; fl;rpfspd; jiytu;fs; fUj;J njuptpj;jdu;. [dhjpgjp Nju;jypy; ahUf;F MjuT toq;Ftnjd;gJ Fwpj;J cupa Neuj;jpy; KbT vLg;Nghk; vd;W ,yq;if njhopyhsu; fhq;fpu]pd; cg jiytu; Mu;. Nahfuh[d; New;W njuptpj;jhu;. [dhjpgjp Nju;jy; vg;NghJ eilngWk; vd;gJ Fwpj;J ,d;dKk; mwptpf;fg;gltpy;iy. vdNt Nju;jy; jpdk; mwptpf;fg;gl;l gpd;dNu ehk; ahiu Mjupg;gJ vd;gJ Fwpj;J KbT vLf;f KbAk; vd;W kiyaf kf;fs; Kd;dzpapd; ghuhSkd;w cWg;gpdu; ng. ,uhjhfpU\;zd; $wpdhu;. jkpo; kf;fis nghWj;jtiuapy; Njrpa ,dg;gpur;rpidf;fhd jPu;Nt ,d;wpaikahjjhFk;. epahakhd mjpfhug; gfpu;tpd; %ykhf ,dg;gpur;rpidf;F epahakhd jPu;itf; fhz jahuhfTs;s Ntl;ghsiuNa ehk; Mjupf;f KbAk;. ngUk;ghd;ik ,dthjj;ij NeubahfNth> kiwKfkhfNth Mjupg;gtu;fis vkJ fl;rp Mjupf;fhJ vd;Wk; Nky; khfhz kf;fs; Kd;dzpapd; jiytUk; vk;.gp. Akhd kNdhfNzrd; njuptpj;jhu;.Nju;jy; jpfjp mwptpf;fg;gl;l gpd;du; ehk; ahUf;F Mjutspg;gJ vd;gJ Fwpj;J ,Wjp KbT vLg;Nghk; vd;Wk; mtu; $wpdhu;. mf;fiwapy;iy [dhjpgjp Nju;jy; Fwpj;J vkf;F mf;fiwapy;iy. mJ Fwpj;J ,d;dKk; ehk; rpe;jpf;ftpy;iy vd;W jkpo; Njrpaf; $l;likg;gpd; ghuhSkd;wf; FOj; jiytu; ,uh rk;ge;jd; njuptpj;jhu;. 30 July 2005 gpupl;b]; Aj;j fg;gy;fs; ,yq;if tUfpd;wd ,yq;iff;Fk; gpupj;jhdpahTf;Fkpilapyhd ey;Ywitg; NgZk; tifapy; gpupj;jhdpa flw;gil Aj;jf; fg;gnyhd;Wk; Jizf; fg;gnyhd;Wk; %d;W ehs; tp[ak; xd;iw Nkw;nfhz;L vjpu;tUk; 5 Mk; jpfjp ,yq;if tUfpd;wd. vr;.vk;. v];.Nahu;f; vDk; Aj;jf; fg;gYk; gpsf;Nuhtu; vDk; Jizf; fg;gYNk %d;W jpdq;fs; ,yq;ifapy; jupj;J epw;fTs;sd. ,J njhlu;ghf gpupj;jhdpa cau;];jhdpfuhyak; tpLj;Js;s mwpf;ifapy; gpupj;jhdpa J}Jtu; ];Bgd; ,thd;]; Fwpg;gpLifapy;: ,yq;iff;Fk; gpupj;jhdpahTf;Fkpilapyhd ey;Ywitj; njhlu;e;J NgZk; tifapNy Nkw;gb ,U fg;gy;fSk; ,yq;if tUfpd;wd. Rdhkp Nguiy jhf;fj;jhy; ,yq;if ghjpf;fg;gl;lNghJ> gpupj;jhdpahtpypUe;J cldbahf flw;gilf; fg;gy;fs; ,yq;if te;J kdpjhgpkhd cjtpfis ey;fpd. me;j Ntiyj; jpl;lj;jpD}lhf ,yq;ifAld; ey;Ywitg; NgzpaJ Nghd;W ,e;j tp[aKk; ey;Ywitg; NgZtjw;fhd re;ju;g;gkhf mikAk; vd;whu;. 30 July 2005 mikr;ru; mjhTy;yhTf;F vjpuhf fy;Kidapy; New;W Mu;g;ghl;lk;
mikr;ru; mjhTy;yhtpd; eltbf;iffSf;F vjpuhf New;W [{k;M njhOifia njhlu;e;J fy;Kid efupy; Mu;g;ghl;lk; xd;W ,lk; ngw;wJ. fy;Kid efupYs;s mur mYtyfq;fs; mikr;ru; mjhTy;yhtpdhy; mf;fiug;gw;W gFjpf;F ,lk;khw;wg;gLtjw;F vjpu;g;G njuptpf;Fk; tifapNy ,e;j Mu;g;ghl;lg; Nguzp ,lk; ngw;wJ. ,e;j Mu;g;ghl;lj;jpy; fy;Kid gFjpiar; Nru;e;j gy;NtW mikg;Gfspd; gpujpepjpfs; cl;gl Rkhu; 2 Mapuk; jkpo; >K];ypk; kf;fSk; fye;J nfhz;ldu;. New;W [{k;M njhOifia njhlu;e;J Muk;gkhd ,t; Mu;g;ghl;lj;jpy; fye;J nfhz;Nlhu; jkpo; K];ypk; Ngjk; Ntz;lhk;> fy;Kidapy; Rdhkpahy; ghjpj;j kf;fSf;F cjt kwe;j mjhTy;y ahUf;F mikr;ru;? fiuNahu khtl;l fr;Nrupia fy; Kidapy; epWTf. Nghd;w Nfhrq;fis vOg;gpathW Nguzpahf nrd;wdu;. Nguzpapd; ,Wjpapy; gy;NtW Nfhupf;iffs; mlq;fpa kf[u; xd;iwAk; [dhjpgjpf;F mDg;gpitg;gjw;fhf Mu;g;ghl;ljhuu;fs; gpuNjr nrayhsu; V.vr;.vk;.md;ruplk; ifaspj;jdu;. ,e;j Mu;g;ghl;l Nguzp fhuzkhf fy;Kid ef&lhd Nghf;Ftuj;J xU kzp Neuk; ];jk;gpjkile;jpUe;jJ 30 July 2005 ,yq;if tUk; n`y;fprd; [dhjpgjp kw;Wk; jkpo;r;nry;tDld; NgRthu; Nehu;Nt gpujpj; J}JtUk; fpspnehr;rp nry;fpwhu; Aj;j epWj;j xg;ge;jj;jpid njhlu;e;Jk; ghJfhg;gJ Fwpj;J murhq;fk; kw;Wk; tpLjiyg; GypfSld; fye;JiuahLtjw;fhf Nehu;Ntapd; gpujp ntsptptfhu mikr;ru; tpjhu; n`y;fprd; mLj;j thuk; ,yq;if tuTs;shu;. vjpu;tUk; tpahof;fpoik ,yq;if tUk; tpjhu; n`y;fprd; [dhjpgjp re;jpupfh FkhuJq;f kw;Wk; tpLjiyg; Gypfspd; murpay;Jiwg; nghWg;ghsu; R.g.jkpo;r;nry;td; MfpNahiuAk; re;jpj;JNgrTs;shu;. Nehu;Ntapy; tpLKiwapid fopj;J tUk; ,yq;iff;fhd Nehu;Nt J}Jtu; `hd;]; gpuh];fUk; tpjhu; n`y;fprDld; nfhOk;G jpUk;gTs;shu;. fle;j thuk; Nehu;Nt jug;gpdu; yz;ldpy; tpLjiyg; Gypfspd; murpay; MNyhrfu; md;ud; ghyrpq;fj;ij re;jpj;J NgrpapUe;jik Fwpg;gplj;jf;fjhFk;. ,NjNtis> Nehu;Ntapd; gpujp J}Jtu; xl;tu; yf;wl; ,d;W my;yJ ehis fpspnehr;rpf;F tp[ak; nra;aTs;shu;. fpspnehr;rp nry;Yk; gpujpj;J}Jtu; tpLjiyg; Gypfspd; murpay;Jiwg; nghWg;ghsu; R.g.jkpo;r;nry;tid re;jpf;fTs;shu;. ,uhZt fl;Lg;ghl;L gFjpfspy; Gypfspd; ghJfhg;ghd Nghf;Ftuj;J njhlu;ghf murhq;fk; Gjpjhf rku;g;gpj;Js;s Nahrid Fwpj;J ,g;Ngr;R thu;j;ijapy; Muhag;glTs;sjhf njuptpf;fg;gLfpd;wJ.
ghJfhg;ghd Nghf;Ftuj;J njhlu;ghf murpd; Nahridf;F Gypfs; rhjfkhf gjpyspg;ghu;fs; vd Nehu;Nt gpujp J}Jtu; ek;gpf;if nfhz;Ls;sjhf njupatUfpd;wJ. 30 July 2005 fl;Lg;ghbd;wp njhlUk; Jg;ghf;fp fyhrhuk; (tPuNfrup Mrpupau; jiyaq;;;fk;) ehl;by; td;Kiwf; fyhrhuk; ve;j tifapYk; fl;Lf;flq;fhj epiyapy; mjpfupj;J tUfpwJ. tlf;F> fpof;F> njw;F vd rfy gFjpfspYk; MAj fyhrhuNk muNrhr;RtijNa mtjhdpf;f KbfpwJ. ehl;by; rl;l tpNuhj MAjq;fs; tif njhifapd;wp mjpfupj;jpUg;gNj gLnfhiyfSf;fhd %y fhuzkhFk;. tPjpf;F tPjp Nrhjidr; rhtbfs; Nghl;L gilapdu; Nrhjid eltbf;ifis Nkw;nfhz;Ls;s NghjpYk; MAjjhupfs; mtu;fspd; fz;fspy; kz;izj; J}tptpl;L> jq;fs; iftupiria fhl;lNt nra;fpd;wdu;. fpof;F khfhzj;jpYk; jiyefupYk; kdpj capu;fs; Ntl;ilahlg;gLtJ ru;trhjhuz tplakhfptpl;lJ. fhj;jhd;Fb Kd;dhs; tu;j;jf rq;fj; jiytUk; gpugy tu;j;jfUkhd vk;.vk;. ,g;uh`pk; fle;j Gjd;fpoik ,uT ,de;njupahNjhupdhy; Rl;Lf; nfhy;yg;gl;Ls;shu;. nfhOk;G lhk; tPjpapYs;s nyh[; xd;wpy; jq;fpapUe;j ,isQu; xUtu; Gjdd;W mjpfhiy ,de;njupahj MAjjhupfshy; Rl;Lf; nfhiy nra;ag;gl;Ls;shu;. kl;lf;fsg;G VwhT+iur; Nru;e;j fpU\;zgps;is fpUghfud; vd;w ,tu; Jgha; nry;Yk; nghUl;L nfhOk;Gf;F te;j rkak; Rl;Lf; nfhy;yg;gl;Ls;shu;. ,Nj Ntis> aho; efupy; New;W Kd;jpdk; ,isQu; xUtu; Rl;Lf; nfhy;yg;gl;Ls;shu;. <.gp.b. gp. cWg;gpduhd R+upag;gps;is epf;]d; vd;gtNu ,t;thW Rl;Lf; nfhy;yg;gl;ltuhthu;. ,jdpilNa> nfhOk;G kUjhidapy; New;W Kd;jpdkpuT ,lk; ngw;w Jg;ghf;fpr; R+l;Lr; rk;gtj;jpy; ,Utu; gLfhakile;Js;sdu;. ,t;thwhf xU thu fhyj;jpy; gyu; gLnfhiy nra;ag;gl;Lk; Jg;ghf;fpr; R+l;Lf;F ,yf;fhfpAkpUg;gJ Fwpg;gplj;jf;fJ. ,jdhy; kf;fs; kpFe;j gjw;wj;JlDk; mr;rj;JlDNk tho Ntz;ba R+o;epiyf;Fj; js;sg;gl;Ls;sdu;. td;Kiwfisf; fl;Lg;gLj;Jtjhff; $wp ghJfhg;Gj; jug;gpdu; gy;NtW Af;jpfis Kd;itf;fpd;w NghjpYk;> mit cupa gaid mspf;fhky; NghtJ Fwpj;J kf;fs; kpFe;j tprdkile;Js;sdu;. ,jdhy; ghJfhg;Gf;F nghWg;ghdtu;fspd; eltbf;iffspy; kf;fs; ek;gpf;if ,oe;J tUtJld; jkJ vjpu;fhyk; Fwpj;Jk; kpFe;j mr;rk; nfhz;ltu;fshff; fhzg;gLfpd;wdu;. ,e;j epiyikf;Fj; jPu;T fhz Ntz;ba ghupa nghWg;G murhq;fj;ijr; Nru;e;jjhFk;. rpwpanjhU gpzf;F Vw;gl;lhYk; mjid ngupJgLj;jp capiug; gwpf;FksTf;F td;Kiwfs; kype;J tUtJ kpFe;j Nkhrkhd vjpu;fhyj;ijNa cz;L gz;Ztjhf ,Uf;Fk;. 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Fw;wthspfis ifJ nra;ak; eltbf;iffSf;fg;ghy;> ntWkNd tPjpfSf;Fj; jil Nghl;L> %iyf;F %iy Nrhjidr; rhtbfis epWtpAk; Nghf;Ftuj;Jf;fisj; jil nra;Jk; kf;fSf;F tPzhd mnrsfupaq;fisf; nfhLg;gjpYk; VNjDk; mu;j;jKs;sjh vd kf;fs; tpdh vOg;Gfpd;wdu;. nghyp]hu; Jupjkhf nraw;gl;L Fw;wthspfis ifJ nra;tjw;F KaYtij tpLj;J ntWkNd rk;gtk; ,lk;ngw;w ,lj;ij Rw;wp tisj;J kzpj;jpahyf; fzf;fpy; fhty; fhg;gJ Ntbf;ifahd epfo;thfNt ,Ug;gjhfTk; kf;fs; $Wfpd;wdu;. r%f tpNuhjr; nray;fspy; <LgLk; MAjjhupfs; ghJfhg;Gj; jug;gpdUf;F rthy;tpLk; tifapy; mLj;jLj;J gLnfhiyfspy; <LgLtij ntWkNd ghu;j;Jf; nfhz;bUf;fhky; Mf;fG+u;tkhd tifapy; eltbf;if vLf;f ghJfhg;G mjpfhupfs; Jupjkhf nraw;gl Ntz;Lk;. ,y;iyNay; MAjjhupfspd; eltbf;iffis ve;j tifapYk; fl;Lg;gLj;j Kbahj epiyikfNs kpQ;RtjhftpUf;Fk;. mj;Jld;> ,j;jifa Fw;wr; nray;fspy; <LgLgtu;fisf; fz;lwpe;J rl;lj;jpd; Kd; epWj;j nghJ kf;fspd; xj;Jiog;Gk; ,d;wpaikahjjhFk;. nghJ kf;fs; jkJ xj;Jiog;ig ey;Fk;NghNj> mtu;fsJ ghJfhg;Gk; cWjpg;gLj;jg;gLk;. nghJ kf;fs; nghyp]hUf;F xj;Jiog;G toq;f kWg;ghu;fshapd;> ,j;jifa Jg;ghf;fpr; R+l;Lr; rk;gtq;fs;> nfhiyfs; vd;gtw;iw vtuhYk; jLj;J epWj;j Kbahky; Ngha;tpLk;. ehl;by; Ml;rpiaj; jf;fitj;Jf; nfhs;tjpYk; Ml;rpg; gPlj;ijf; ifg;gw;WtjpYk; khwp khwp murpay;thjpfs; ftdQ; nrYj;Jfpd;wdNu jtpu Fw;wr; nray;fisj; jLj;J epWj;j Ntz;Lnkd;Nwh kf;fspd; ghJfhg;ig cWjp nra;a Ntz;Lnkd;Nwh fUJtJ fpilahJ. khwhf gy;NtW rk;gtq;fspd; gpd;dzpapy; murpay; jiyaPLfSk; murpay;thjpfspd; xj;Jiog;Gk; rl;l tpNuhj MAjf; Fk;gy;fSf;F ,Ug;gjhff; $wg;gLfpwJ. ,t;thwhd rl;ltpNuhjr; nray;fisf; fl;Lg;gLj;j Ntz;Lkhdhy;> rfy jug;gpdUk; ,ja Rj;jpAld; ehl;bd; ghJfhg;G eltbf;iffSf;F xj;Jiog;G toq;f Ntz;Lk;. mj;Jld;> ghJfhg;Gj; jug;gpdupd; eltbf;iffSf;F FWf;fPL nra;ahj tifapy; G+uz xj;Jiog;G toq;f Kd;tu Ntz;Lk;. ,y;iyNay;> ,yq;ifapy; Fw;wr; nray;fis xU NghJk; fl;Lg;gLj;j Kbahj epiyikfNs kpQ;Rtjhf ,Uf;Fk; vd;gij epidT gLj;j tpUk;GfpNwhk;. 29 JULY 2005 Top Sinhala film director takes stand for Tamil people Film director Asoka Handagama was not present to accept his award at the Presidential Film Awards ceremony, as a protest over the event being held on the anniversary of the July 83 riots. He later announced that his Rs. 150,000 prize money would be donated to rebuild the Jaffna library which was burnt down in 1981. Mr. Handagama in a letter to President Chandrika Kumaratunga made special mention of the Welikada prison massacre and the killing of pacifist Tamil leader Dr. Rajasunderam in that attack exactly 22 years ago on July 27 1983. He said that on principle he was opposed to the Film Award ceremony being held on a date when people were killed in this country for being born to a particular race. The letter which was read out by compere Wasantha Rohana was met with applause by those present including President Kumaratunga who was the Guest of Honour. Mr. Handagama also congratulated President Kumaratunga for having the courage to sign the P-TOMS agreement and this statement too was also met with rounds of applause by the movie fraternity present that evening. The renowned director was named to collect an award for ‘International Achievement’ at the glittering ceremony held at the BMICH after a lapse of four years. Eight artistes including Mr. Handagama who were recipients of international awards between 2001 and 2005 were conferred special awards that evening. Mr. Handagama won an award for his film ‘Me Mage Sandai’ (This is My Moon) which garnered five awards in the international circuit. That night’s other award winners were film directors Bennet Ratnayake, Prasanna Withanage and Inoka Sathyangani and actors Nithyawani Kandasamy, Anoma Janadari, Dhamitha Abeyratne and Nimmi Harasgama. Vimukthi Jayasundera who won the Camera D’or award at the Cannes film festival this year was also conferred a special award by President Kumaratunga at the event held at the BMICH. 29 JULY 2005 The ruling SLFP came together in a show of strength yesterday to nominate Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse as its candidate for the next presidential election and Anura Bandaranaike for the premiership – while appealing to other parties including the JVP and the rebel factions in the UNP to join forces with the SLFP.After weeks of internal conflicts or rumours of conflicts over the nomination, the SLFP central committee comprising 62 members met yesterday at the President’s House and unanimously approved the recommendation of the nomination committee which proposed Mr. Rajapakse for the presidency and Mr. Bandaranaike for premiership. After the three-hour meeting presided over by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, SLFP frontliners went to Temple Trees for a news conference where they announced the nominations. Neither Mr. Rajapakse nor Mr. Bandaranaike were present at the news conference thus fuelling more speculation but government spokesman Nimal Siripala De Silva denied media reports that the two were at each others throats. The spokesman said President Kumaratunga had recommended that Mr. Rajapakse be nominated as the party’s candidate for the presidency but he did not say who proposed the nominations and who seconded it. When asked whether nominating the SLFP candidate meant that the Presidential elections might be held this year as demanded by the main opposition UNP, Minister De Silva said the nomination was expedited to counter attack the UNP’s mud-slinging campaign against the Premier. He insisted that the presidential election would be held next year while the Elections Commissioner had the power to decide on the date. Inviting the UNP members disgruntled with Ranil Wickemesinghe’s leadership to join the government, the Minister said that they would hold talks with other parties also to get their support. The Minister challenged the UNP to name its Prime Ministerial nominee and said the SLFP would soon launch a full scale presidential election campaign led by President Kumaratunga. 29 JULY 2005 Future leader should be from the common people: Wimal Weerawansa Signalling that the outcome of the next Presidential election would be the same as the result of the recently held election of Diyawadana Nilame, JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Wimal Weerawansa said the future leader of the country should be a person from among the ordinary people. “It is always the ordinary people that took the country forward. Now the trend is changing positively. The country needs a leader who can bravely and directly face the separatism and terrorism and not a leader without a clear vision,” he said addressing the National Sangha Convention organized by the National Bhikkhu Front at the BMICH. He said it was high time to take the leadership from the agents of western imperialism. Mr. Weerawansa also said President Chandrika Kumaratunga was the only Commander-in-Chief that queried from the Army whether they needed a war. “Do not think that we are calling for war. What we want to emphasize is that the army is an army and they should ever be kept ready psychologically and materially to protect the motherland, no matter whether there is a war or not. Whether a country needs a war or not should be decided by its administrators,” Mr. Weerawansa said. He said the political leadership as well as most of the Non Governmental Organizations were attempting to brainwash the defence officials and bring their morale down, while the LTTE was accelerating its attempt to establish an Interim Self Governing Authority. “They recently opened the Office of the Attorney General of Eelam and now we have got information that they are building a Parliamentary Complex,” he said. 29 JULY 2005 EPDP member shot dead Unidentified persons shot dead an EPDP cadre.The victim was identified as 22-year-old Sooriyapillai Nixon. He was selling copies of the Tamil weekly Thinamurasu, published by the EPDP, when a gunman on a motorcycle shot him and fled the scene. The victim was killed on the spot. Initial investigations revealed that the EPDP member had come from the Jaffna EPDP office without informing the police in charge of EPDP members’ security. Security was tightened in the area following the incident. Meanwhile, two men on a motorcycle, one claiming to be a journalist, who were video filming the Security Forces Forward Defence Line (FDL) at Omanthai entry/exit point while crossing it, were arrested by security forces on Wednesday evening.The two suspects claimed that they work for the pro-LTTE ‘llanadan’ Tamil newspaper and were proceeding towards uncleared areas after attending the LTTE protest meeting in Vavuniya.The suspects were handed over to the Omanthai Police post. They were to be produced in court yesterday. 29 JULY 2005 LTTE office in Vavuniya attacked Two unidentified gunmen lobbed grenades at the Administrative Office of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Vavuniya around 10:00 p.m. Thursday. No one was injured in the attack. The attackers, who came in a motorbike, fired into the building after charging two grenades, Mr. Tharmendra, LTTE's deputy head of political affairs in Vavuniya, told TamilNet. The office is located 400 meters from a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) checkpoint at Thirunavatkulam, two kilometers north of Vavuniya town. There were four LTTE administrative officials inside the building at the time of the attack, according to Mr. Tharmendra. The Liberation Tigers have lodged a complaint with the Scandinavian truce monitors, he added. A motorbike and a computer were fully damaged in the attack. 29 JULY 2005 International community |