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News Archive for Aug 2009
The two girls' deathDear editor, how come none of the papers have interviewed the people who employed these two girls? si the journalist being partial because they are just two girls from the plantain sector? or are there hidden hands preventing you all finding the truth? there isn't even a mention to say they refused to talk to the papers,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/08/09)
President Obama will not consult Iranian Expats to make demands from Iranian President-then why should O’Blake consult Sri Lanka Tamil Expats to make demands from Sri Lankan President ?
As the American Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert O’Blake was already a sympathiser of the terrorists in Sri Lanka, along with Chilcot the Ambassodor of UK and Eric Solheim of Norway.  When Robert O’Blake was promoted from his position of the American Ambassador to Sri Lanka to Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, he also seem to have got promoted from his status of a sympathiser of the terrorists in Sri Lanka , to being the spokesman for the pro-terrorist Sri Lanka Tamil expatriates in America. For which of the two promotions he... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/08/09)
Tigers' Plan B and presidential polls
Prabhakaran may have died a worried man in a northern swamp, but his foreign allies have not yet given up the Eelam campaign. They are striving to put the LTTE's Plan B into action. That is to help whatever remains of the LTTE's military wing get into the guerrilla mode and make this country ungovernable once again. They were banking on KP to keep the LTTE in a state of suspended animation until time was opportune for it to make a comeback. Unfortunately for them, their plan went awry with the capture of KP, who alone... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/08/09)
Erik Solheim: Sri Lanka is none of your business
August 31, 2009 Hon. Erik Solheim Minister of Environment & Development Cooperation Government of Norway Oslo, Norway Dear Erik: I just came across the news item in the Sri Lanka Daily Mirror Breaking News which said: “The government has officially protested with Norway over the comments made regarding the Sri Lankan government to the media by Norwegian Minister of International Development and former peace facilitator Erik Solheim. Outgoing Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona told Daily Mirror online yesterday (August 28) he had raised the matter... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/08/09)
The bloody road from Vadukoddai to Nanthi Kadal---Part I
Of all the political documents that came out of Jaffna there is none to surpass the Vadukoddai Resolution passed at the Convention of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) held in the electorate of Vadukoddai on May 14, 1976. It is the peak point where the diverse Jaffna-centric communal forces, lurching in all directions without a clear focal point (from 50-50 to “federalismâ€ÂÂÂ), came together as a decisive political expression of its ruing Vellahla caste/class. It revealed the hidden political agenda of the Tamil political caste/class aggressively. It shed the earlier sham about being non-violent Gandhians... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/08/09)
Video Clip on Sri Lankan soldier shootings
August 30, 2009 Chief Executive Channel 4 P.O.Box 1058 Belfast, BT 1 9DU Sir: Your  Channel 4 broadcast of  the video clip of the shooting deaths of unarmed people, who you describe as Tamils as if their bare dark bodies which were not so Tamil-dark, had tattoos claiming that “I am a Tamilâ€ÂÂÂ, allegedly shot by Sri Lankan soldiers wearing distinctive Sri Lankan army uniforms is a reason for concern. You had conveniently forgotten that Tamil Tigers were maestro impostors acting to be Sri Lankan soldiers... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/08/09)
RAPE OF VICTORIA RESOVIOUR AREAS BY THE CORRUPT AGENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTRY
Greater Teldeniya villages such as Udispatuwa, Ranmulla, Rankanda, Udawela, Pahurugolla, etc., have blood on its plains and mountains. The environment of these villages the last four years has been battered and its landscape systematically turned into a veritable desert. Indeed thousands of acres of its magnificent bio-diverse vegetative canopy, exotic animals and plants, natural aquifers and other sources of water have been systematically violated. Agricultural lands (e.g., cash crops, cocoa, pepper, vanilla, mangos, avocados etc.,) of the Central Highlands are being literally eradicated as we speak.  The reason is palpable; its surface and ground water is draining... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/08/09)
Grow up Solheim!
The government has lashed out at Erik Solheim for having used a cock-and-bull video which purportedly depicts a massacre being carried out by a person made out to be a Sri Lankan soldier to give a boost to the on-going human rights witch hunt against this country. Why should Solheim be hauled over the coals? It is not a stream of invectives that he deserves but our sympathy. Solheim is now in the same predicament as a person with his life-time savings invested in a collapsed finance company. He backed the LTTE to the hilt... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/08/09)
CBI to quiz LTTE leader over Rajiv death
NEW DELHI: The CBI has decided to question LTTE leader Kumaran Padmanathan for his role in former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination on the basis of Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) findings. The government had earlier planned to wind up MDMA in May as it had almost completed investigations into the suicide attack but has now granted it another extension. Padmanathan, or KP as he is known, was earlier arrested from Thailand by Sri Lankan authorities and brought to Colombo. CBI officials said they were preparing a questionnaire for Padmanathan’s interrogation in the case.... -Full Story- (Times of India - 31/08/09)
Channel 4 TV Must Eat Its Digits – Fake Execution Video Exposed!
Channel 4 TV, an obvious victim of the current economic crisis engulfing the United Kingdom due to advertising famine, extended its doctrine of self-righteousness by telecasting an execution video, allegedly committed by the Sri Lankan armed forces last week. The Asian Tribune has obtained the expert-evidence to prove that the video has been doctored to cater for the right audience – the human-rights body who normally turns its back on human-wrongs and the league with vested interests those who are determined to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka at a time that it tries to stand on its feet.... -Full Story- (asiantribune.com - 31/08/09)
RAW-A CRAVING WHORE
The role of an intelligence agency should be different from that of a terrorist organization. The CIA, the Mussad, the ISI and the Raw must not be mixed up with LTTE, the Black Water Force and particularly the detracted groups of Taliban & Al- Qaida which are defaming not only Islam but also the Muslims all over the world. If an intelligence agency is trying to forget its prescribed aims and objects by surpassing its limits, it should not be ranked as an intelligence agency but a terrorist organization.  A few days back the Federation of American... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/08/09)
Challenge to Canadian Visa Procedures at Canadian High Commisoion (CHC), Colombo
I have launched a judicial review (appeal) of a visa officer’s  decision made at the Canadian High Commission in Colombo to refuse  visit visas for two students aged 18 and 17. The kids are from a very  rich, attend private school, and have previously travelled widely  including to Canada and the US. They were coming here to be at their  grandmother’s 80^th birthday party. They were returning to SL in time  to sit for the London A-Levels in June 2009. The kids’ mom and younger  sister were remaining in SL. Their father who was a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/08/09)
Lanka lodges official protest with Norway over Solhiem-But is Solhiem already punished by the Gods in haven?
Is there anger in the havens against this deceptive Norwegian who is responsible for driving thousands of Sri Lankans to death during the last decade along with the so-called Peace facilitators of Norway. Environment Minister Erik Solheim (SV) was stabbed in the arm with the scissors and driven by ambulance to the emergency Hospital during an election event in Oslo on Saturday afternoon.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/08/09)
DIPLOMATIC ROW OVER A GIRL SENT OUT OF SRI LANKA TO BRITAIN BY THE UK HIGHCOMMISSION WITHOUT A VISA
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama summoned British High Commissioner in Colombo Dr. Peter Hayes amidst accusations by a weekend newspaper that his office has sent a Sri Lankan girl to Britain facilitating her trip to London without a valid visa. A state owned television said in a news broadcast that the Sri Lankan Minister has asked for an explanation from the High Commissioner while the government is holding a high level investigation into the matter. It said, “the British High Commission has issued a letter to the Sri Lankan girl Angayatkanni Krishnapillai requesting British Airport authorities to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/08/09)
SRI LANKA ‘DEEPLY REGRETS’ COMMENTS BY ERIC SOLHEIM AND DOUBTS ABOUT HIS IMPARTIALITY DURING THE PEACE PROCESS
The Sri Lanka government deeply regrets the baseless comments and is perturbed by such statements being made by the Norwegian Minister against a friendly government, said a release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs protesting against a statement by Eric Solheim published in the Norwegian language Aften Posten.  Eric Solheim had been commenting about the Channel 4 UK news item broadcast recently alleging extra judicial killings by the Sri Lanka Army.  “The utterances of Minister Solheim have led the Government of Sri Lanka to reflect on his possible partisanship in the facilitatory role,†said the strongly... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/08/09)
US Peace Institute invites charlatans and liars to promote peace in Sri Lanka
The Vadukoddai War launched officially in the Vadukoddai Resolution passed by the Jaffna leadership on May 14, 1976 ended on May 18, 2009 in Nanthi Kadal lagoon, eliminating all hopes of achieving the goal of a separate state through military means. The military solution endorsed as Plan A in the Vadukoddai Resolution backfired and those who relied on the violence endorsed in it are licking their wounds, either in hideouts in Sri Lanka or in seminars abroad. Their fall back position in Plan B is to mobilize international backing to gain what they lost in... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/08/09)
Seven-year-olds get Grade C at ICT GCSE
A computing whizz kid passed GCSE computing courses to and earned C grade. Tashan Artigoda achieved grade C in his ICT GCSE course. He took the exam at the age of seven Tashan Artigoda, from Barnet, Hertfordshire, has studied the ICT course at Ryde Teaching Services in Hemel Hempstead. Tashan, who wants to work for Nasa, is also racing ahead in science, English and maths. His mother Renuka, an NHS admissions officer, said: 'He completed the course in nine months. He loved it and he is very good at it. 'I studied computing too but he does... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/08/09)
We do need O.S.M. right now
O.S.M.Seneviratne , the magistrate at Matara in 1959 was a legendary figure. In my eighteen years’ service in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, which began as an Assistant Commissioner and ended as the Government Agent at Matara, I have had to appear before many magistrates, prosecute people and work with State Counsels in prosecutions. I have seen many magistrates in action, but OSM beats them all. On the two recent instances of police brutality reported at Angulana and the IT Institute at Malabe people are worried and bringing back... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/08/09)
What a Pathetic Lot These Sri Lankans Tamils Of Canada Are Protesting China's Support Towards Sri Lanka's Nation Building!
August 28th 2009 What a pathetic lot some of these Sri Lankan Tamils in Canada are as they turn from one phase of disgruntled anguish to another as they give vent to their frustrations by disrupting day to day life in various parts of Canada and what a mistake Canada seems to have made in granting some of them refugee status instead of checking some of them for their bona fides to enter Canada! They came in droves during the early part of the Tamil Tiger insurgency whimpering that they were being villified by the majority... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/08/09)
Sri Lanka slams Norwegian Minister’s remarks
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Saturday took serious exception to remarks made by the Norwegian Minister of Environment and International Development Erik Solheim seeking investigation on alleged excesses by the Sri Lanka military in the run up to Eelam war IV, after Channel 4 telecast an unauthenticated video on August 25. The unverified video footage aired by the U.K.-based channel showed alleged summary killing by Sri Lankan troops of Tamil civilians in January this year. “The Sri Lanka government deeply regrets the baseless comments contained therein and is perturbed by such statements being made by the Norwegian Minister... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 30/08/09)
UN urges Sri Lanka to probe execution video
AFP/Geneva A United Nations expert has urged the Sri Lankan government to set up an independent probe into the authenticity of a video clip aired in Britain allegedly showing Sri Lankan troops executing prisoners. Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said Colombo had categorically denied the allegations, but stressed the need for an investigation. “If the government’s position is validated as a result of an inquiry, the international community can rest easy and the government will have been vindicated,†he said late on Friday. “There is no justification for not moving ahead with such... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 30/08/09)
THREE UNDERWORLD FIGURES DIE IN A SHOOT OUT BETWEEN POLICE AND ALLEGED UNDERWORLD FIGURES IN CENTRAL COLOMBO
A shoot out between a notorious underworld group and the Special Task Force of the Police in the wee hours of yesterday killed the group’s leader and two other members in the capital city of Colombo. STF sources said,the leader Faji and two of his accomplices Toji and Sadique were killed in the shoot out. STF sources revealed the notorious criminals started shooting at the police when a safehouse of theirs was surrounded by the police for a search operation on a tip off at Jumma Road, Maligawatte. The shoot out occurred at 3.15 in the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/08/09)
Some suggestions for SLAF
I am referring to the article that appeared in Amarasara with the above title: ref:  Our Air Force, if they are engaging in commercial operations, then  they are doing the right thing. If the air force is complying with regulations, then they are operating in a legal manner and are qualified to carry on operations. I am wondering how commercial orgs are better qualified than the air force. In deed if our security forces are to survive in the long run, then they have to earn their up keep. Many foreign armies have collapsed due to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/08/09)
ARE WE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS? I THINK NOT
For many of us we have won the war. But for me we have won a crucial battle of the war and the end of the war is yet to come. The ‘war’ for separation that started in the 1920’s created division amongst its people and destabilized a country that had highest per capita GDP in Asia. This war is still not over and unless defeated is likely to be there until one day the Ealam is created in Sri Lanka. Defeating the separatist war will take diplomatic, constitutional, communication and other ‘warfare’ efforts used consistently, effectively... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/08/09)
Channel 4 News-Video Alleging War Crimes in Sri Lanka
Chief Executive Channel 4 P.O.Box 1058 Belfast BT 1 9DU  Dear Sir:  Re Channel 4 News Broadcast - Is this Evidence of Sri Lankan War Crimes?  I refer you to the video that is now being broadcast throughout the world. The very fact the question is asked "is this evidence" implies that there was some doubt as to whether this was valid. Your foreign affairs correspondent Jonathan Miller narrates on the alleged incident which is supposed to have taken place in January 2009. There are several questions that come to mind about this... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/08/09)
Playing politics with IDP issue
The number of those shedding crocodile tears for the war displaced is on the rise. Captains of the Victim Industry are not alone in the game of marketing human suffering. They have not yet accounted for the funds they spent purportedly on various humanitarian projects in the conflict zone. Nothing remains of the results of their much advertised projects which gobbled up millions of dollars, pounds sterling etc except massive earth bunds the LTTE built with the help of heavy equipment they took into the Vanni on the pretext of reconstruction work. It is... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/08/09)
New nominations as Heads of Missions
Mr. Romesh Jayasinghe, a senior Foreign Service Officer who is currently the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in New Delhi has been appointed by H. E. the President as the new Foreign Secretary with effect from 1st October 2009. Mr. Jayasinghe will succeed Dr. Palitha Kohona, the current Foreign Secretary who has been appointed as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.  An Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Prasad Kariyawasam, who was also Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, has... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/08/09)
Sri Lanka says forex reserves hit record $3.9 bln
COLOMBO, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's central bank on Friday said its foreign exchange reserves hit a record $3.9 billion after it received its share of a $250 billion International Monetary Fund allocation. That is enough to fund more than 4 months of imports, and surpassed the previous record of $3.56 billion. The IMF on Aug. 13 approved a plan to boost member countries' reserves by $250 billion through a one-time allocation of special drawing rights, or SDRs. SDRs are the IMF's internal accounting unit, based on a basket of currencies, which can be exchanged for hard money.... -Full Story- (in.reuters.com - 28/08/09)
SRI LANKAN MEDIA MINISTER SAYS CHANNEL 4 NEWS OF ARMY KILLINGS HAVE BEEN CONCOCTED TO INSULT ARMY AS PART OF A CONSPIRACY
Information and Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said in Colombo the attempt by the Channel 4 news in London depicting the Sri Lankan Army as executing bound prisoners has been concocted to bring into disrepute one of the most disciplined and professional armies in the world as part of a conspiracy. He said, “At first the conspirators belonging to a Sri Lankan and international network attempted to stop the forward march of the Sri Lankan Army . Then the same conspirators wanted to save Prabhakaran, the terrorist leader. Having failed all those attempts now they want... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/08/09)
LTTE propaganda on Channel 4
Chief Executive Officer Channel 4 P,O, Box 1058 Belfast BT 1 9DU Dear Sir, Channel4News -  LTTE propaganda on Channel 4     ref: http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/asia_pacific/is+this+evidence+of+sri+lankan+aposwa r+crimesapos/3321087  With reference to the video broadcast by you on the 25th of August 2009, related to Sri Lanka , any one could have dressed up  as a Sri Lankan soldier  and acted as in the video clip. The back ground  Sinala voices do not appear to convey any meaning. Although violence against fellow humans is common in the Western culture, such as My lai massacre, Abu Gharaib, Genocide of native American Indians, Nuclear Bombing of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/08/09)
ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TO PUT 9900 HECTARES FOR RICE CULTIVATION UNDER THE PLOUGH STARTS AT MARUWAN KULAM
The Task Force of Uthuru Wasanthaya, the project of rapid development of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, launched a new project to cultivate fallow rice fields , neglected due to war for the last fifteen years, yesterday. Task Force Chief and Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa said the “project will start from Chavakachcheri area by developing 1124 acres of rice fields demarcated by by Minister Douglas Devananda for which 1090 farmers have been registered.†Launching a ceremony to put the fields under the plough at Maruwan Kulam parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa said the fallow rice fields... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/08/09)
Nearly 50,000 IDPs to be resettled
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 27 Aug 2009 The government is proceeding with arrangements to re-settle at least another 50,000 IDPs from Vavuniya relief camps, in the next two weeks. The Vavuniya Government Agent Mrs. P.S.M. Charles said arrangements are being made through the relevant GAs to resettle these IDPs in their former places of residence in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. All steps are being taken to resettle these people before any floods caused by the onset of the next monsoon rains. The numbers resettled could be even higher as more facilities are made available for resettlement by government and... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 27/08/09)
Kiwis wobble after Thilan ton
KULDIP LAL Colombo Aug 27: New Zealand’s batting was left in tatters in the second Test on Thursday as Sri Lanka’s Thilan Samaraweera scored a second successive century to surpass 1,000 Test runs this year. The tourists, replying to Sri Lanka’s first innings score of 416, saw their entire top order wiped out as they struggled to 159/5 by stumps on the second day at the Sinhalese sports club. Ross Taylor was unbeaten on 70 after surviving a close appeal for leg-before by spin king Muttiah Muralitharan when on 30. Brendon McCullum was on five with the tourists still needing... -Full Story- (Asian Age - 27/08/09)
Switzerland donates urgently required essential drugs for IDP treating health facilities in Sri Lanka
Source: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Date: 27 Aug 2009 Reiterating its commitment to the welfare of the civilians who have been victims of the conflict and are now kept in Government controlled camps in the North, Switzerland has donated a 3rd stock of urgently required medical supplies to be distributed to health facilities treating Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) through the Ministry of Health (MoH). The consignment of drugs, mainly anti-biotics worth Rs. 7.1 million, was handed over to the Medical Supplies Department (MSD) of the MoH on the 26th of August 2009. Since March 2009, Switzerland has... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 27/08/09)
SOS Children's Villages provides shelter for unaccompanied children in northern Sri Lanka
Source: SOS-Kinderdorf International Date: 27 Aug 2009 An SOS Children's Villages' temporary care project has been providing shelter for 161 unaccompanied children in Chettikulum in war-ravaged northern Sri Lanka since 19 August. The Minister of Child Development and Women's Empowerment, Ms Sumedha G. Jayasena, officially opened the temporary care centre in the presence of numerous dignitaries and guests of honour. Sharing some of her memories of the centre, Divakar Ratnadurai of SOS Children's Villages Sri Lanka fondly recalled groups of children pointing and gazing in excitement as the camp's first playground was set up.... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 27/08/09)
Non-combatants should be free to go, says court
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Supreme Court has said that war-displaced persons in government-run camps should be allowed to go if they are non-combatants and have a place to go. The Daily Mirror reported on Thursday that the apex court made the observation when a petition filed on behalf of five Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) was taken up recently. The court observed that if 13-year-old Sopika Surendranathan and her parents, who were confined in the IDP camps, had a place to go and if their next-of-kin were prepared to take them, there was no reason for them to... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 27/08/09)
Sri Lanka comes to Dilli Haat
Madhur Tankha NEW DELHI: A ten-day exhibition showcasing traditional art and modern handicrafts that are symbolic of Sri Lanka’s scenic beauty and its multi-ethnic and multi-cultural diversity is now on here at Dilli Haat opposite INA Market. Titled “Shilpa Sri Lanka-2009â€ÂÂÂ, the show is being hosted by the National Crafts Council of Sri Lanka in association with the Sri Lankan High Commission in India, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) of the Government of India.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 27/08/09)
Prabhakaran tried to escape to jungle: Aide
T.V. Sriram Colombo Aug. 27: Worried that LTTE’s defeat at the hands of military would crush his dream of a separate Tamil homeland, slain LTTE chief V. Prabhakaran had made a last ditch attempt to escape to the jungles in the north by breaching the Sri Lankan defence lines during the final phase of the war. Prabhakaran’s now detained close aide Gokulan Master, who was with the Tiger chief during the last stage of the war three months back, disclosed this during interrogation. A day before he was killed on May 18 in Wanni, the Tiger supremo attempted to escape... -Full Story- (Asian Age - 27/08/09)
Fuel and war take toll on SriLankan
Bloomberg Published: August 27, 2009, 22:31 Colombo: SriLankan Airlines, the South Asian island's biggest carrier, said it posted a full-year loss, hurt by rising fuel costs and the effect of the country's civil war and the global recession. The group reported a loss of Rs10 billion (Dh319.29 million) in the year ended March 31 compared with a profit of Rs4.9 billion a year earlier, according to SriLankan's annual report. Revenue declined to Rs74 billion from Rs80 billion... -Full Story- (gulfnews.com - 27/08/09)
It's war crimes stupid!
The British media has done it again! Channel 4, which is blatantly hostile to Sri Lanka and partial to the LTTE, has found 'evidence of war crimes' in Sri Lanka––a video footage of a naked civilian being shot dead by a person who looks like a Sri Lankan soldier. This footage said to be a handout from a collective of 'journalists' from Sri Lanka is being bandied about as solid evidence of war crimes, which Britain, the US and the EU failed to charge Sri Lanka with at a recent UNHRC special session. It... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/08/09)
The Government of Sri Lanka rejects Channel 4 story as concocted
The attention of the Government of Sri Lanka has been drawn to a news item telecast on Channel 4 television in the UK which is also available on the Internet which depicts Sri Lankan forces allegedly committing atrocities against Tamils. The Government of Sri Lanka strongly and unequivocally denies the allegations contained in the video footage telecast on Channel 4. This footage is diabolical and there is absolutely no truth in its concocted story which is based on this footage. The Government of Sri Lanka is of the view that the purpose of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/08/09)
SRI LANKA MOVES 600 PRIESTS OUT OF IDP WELFARE CAMPS FOR RESETTLEMENT
Sri Lanka moved out 600 Hindu and Catholic priests to resettle in the original churches and temples on Wednesday from the IDP welfare camps run by the government. They were living with the rest of the internally displaced persons who were moved there during the war with the LTTE and Sri Lanka government troops. “We are taking measures to allow resettlement for the remaining clergy to move back to their original places of service, the senior government official in the area Mrs. P.S.Charles said. 571 Hindu priests, 6 Catholic priests, and two nuns were moved out... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/08/09)
GENERAL FONSEKA SAYS THE ROLES OF GUERILLAS AS WELL AS THE ARMY WERE REVERSED THAT ULTIMATELY ENDED UP IN TRIUMPH FOR THE ARMY
Addressing the Project Management Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka who led the island nation to its historic military triumph said the victory was achieved by adopting guerilla tactics while letting the rebel group adopt conventional military strategies. Pakistan , another South Asian country , attacked by guerillas has already expressed their desire to send small groups of combat troops to Sri Lanka to learn from the Sri Lankan experience. General Fonseka, who has now been elevated to the position of the Chief of Defense Staff by President Rajapaksa described the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/08/09)
UNP’s Tissa Attanayake rejects Government’s invitation to the Opposition to work together
According to a recent report in the news media, Tissa Attanayake General Secretary of the UNP had  made a very unwise and an undignified  comment, on the invitation the General Secretary of the SLFP made  to the UNP and the other Opposition Parties , to join with the government to carry out together, a programme of development for the country.   Attanayake had  said that they would not join the corrupt regime. The regime of the President Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse as people knows has just delivered  the country from a thirty year old terrorism . It is only... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/08/09)
WIND ENERGY ELECTRICITY GENERATION IS A REALITY IN SRI LANKA.
Wednesday 26th., August 2009. The news article written by Garvin Karunaratne, formerly of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service under the heading “The Wind Turbines of Spain, France and Portugal†dated August 25, 2009 and published in your esteem Internet Newspaper which highlights issues concerning Sri Lanka is of great value and concern. Mr. Gavin Karunaratne should be commended for his boldness to take to task the lethargic and selfish bureaucrats on this issue of renewable energy development of electricity energy in Sri Lanka. When Mr. Gavin Karunaratne is stating that... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/08/09)
Humanitarian and Spiritual Appeal to Buddhists
Just like the Tsunami that hit Sri Lanka destroying lives and property in December 2004, the Morakot Typhoon which hit Taiwan during the late hours of 8th August 2009 has left the tiny island shattered and destroyed. According to reports received, almost the entire southern region of Taiwan covering Chaiyi,Tainan, Kaohshiung and Pingtung Counties as well as parts of Taitung and Nantou Counties faced the worst floods in recent recorded history due to the Morakot Typhoon. 461 people have been reported dead while over 192 have been reported missing. Thousands... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/08/09)
Tribute to Our Security forces, including the Police
Our security forces risked their life to safe guard us. Their massive contribution to our safety has to be acknowledged. Recent incidents have shown that there may be a few bad people amongst them that has spoiled the reputation of our brave security forces including the Police. Such bad people need to be removed by peer intervention and by alert public. Unsuitable people are in all professions and need to be eliminated by peer intervention and also alert public. My own experience is that majority of our Police do a good job. However bad officials need... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/08/09)
The Wind Turbines of Spain, France and Portugal.
Touring the three above countries in April and May 2009, many ideas came to my mind about how we have failed to develop Sri Lanka.  In turning out electrical power for the national grid. I saw clusters of about twenty five or more wind turbines near various cities. We in Sri Lanka have some five wind turbines at Hambantota near the sea, turning out about half a megawatt or less each because there is hardly any wind power there other than the sea breeze. I lived=2 0a year in Hambantota and there is not a grain... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/08/09)
LTTE LINKED ATTEMPT TO CHALLENGE US LAW ON FOREIGN TERRORIST GROUPS FAILS IN FEDERAL APPEALS COURT 9TH CIRCUIT
An attempt by the Humanitarian law Project, an organization that consists of two listed terrorist organizations, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and Kurdistan Workers Party to do away the executive powers of the US President to list certain organizations as foreign terrorist groups was foiled by the 9th US circuit of Appeals. The court, in San Francisco, decided in 2-1 majority decision the law regulates conduct, not speech and therefore does not violate the US constitution as the petition lawyers argued, court documents show. The court said, "There is no right to provide resources with... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/08/09)
Robert O Blake: a diplomatic religious deity
August 25, 2009 Ambassador Robert O Blake , Assistant State Secretary of State, South & Central  Asia  State Department  Washington DC,  USA Dear Robert Blake: Re: Robert Blake: a Diplomatic-Religious Deity I am sure the come back by President Mahinda Rajapaksa through his spokesperson  on your statement claiming that the delay in resettling thousands displaced in the north would seriously affect US funding for Sri Lanka was embarrassing. In case you missed it this is what he had to say: “I would like to ask Robert O... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/08/09)
Stop harassing the teacher!
Victory, we often say in these columns, has a thousand fathers and defeat is an orphan. While Sri Lanka was fighting the so-called most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world against tremendous odds, opponents of her war effort far outnumbered its proponents. But no sooner had the LTTE been crushed than most LTTE backers masquerading as anti-war campaigners, including some local media pundits who propped up terrorists by disseminating myths about them and demoralising the armed forces jumped the bandwagon. Some members of the international community, too, went the whole hog to scuttle the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/08/09)
Prabhakaran killed, KP arrested and WHO IS NEXT?
When LTTE was conclusively defeated from Sri Lankan soil and Prabhakaran was killed and no signs of the survival of second in command Pottu Amman, the Tamil Diaspora still wanted to continue their struggle for Eelam and supported the Interpol fugitive self proclaimed leader Kumaran Pathmanathan who has many aliases. Unexpectedly for the Tamil Diaspora, Kumaran Pathmanathan a.k.a. K.P has been arrested and is being interrogated by the Sri Lankan intelligence. The arrest of KP left another vacuum in LTTE leadership leaving the question “WHO IS NEXT?. I believe the committee appointed by KP to evaluate of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/08/09)
America took nearly one year to free Japanese-Americans after the WW II Irrefutable facts about Internee Camps in U.S.
The administration of any country trying to throw stones at others should look at skeletons in its own cupboards before speaking out. The United States of America, perhaps, with its three century old record, is the last country that could open its mouths about human rights or humanitarian considerations. We are not speaking of the times of British colonial expansion into America when they ousted the French. That was three centuries ago. Though not far away, we are prepared to relegate that chapter to the history books. We look at times within our own memory... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/08/09)
USA & Britain- Superpowers or Warlords!
Not a day passes by without a dictate from the International Super-Warlords. They have now to be called Warlords because now they have become dubious, are contradicting themselves and no longer uphold either democracy or human rights. They only know to be dictatorial. The latest is a free for all between the two main Superpowers- Britain and the USA over the release of the Lockerbie bomber. The USA accuses Britain of helping terrorists.  Robert Blake the newly found Assistant Secretary in charge of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/08/09)
Human Rights Watch, should help ethnic communities in America , and President Obama’s social plans for America’s poor.
Human Rights Watch is Active Again. This is the vacation period and no wonder the Human Rights Globe trotters are looking out for vacations abroad. Human rights is their “gain pain†– their job. If there is no ethnic problem some where in the world specially in a place like Sri Lanka a coveted spot for vacation, they invent one. The monsoon rain that poured on to the IDP camps was the occasion for them to make a hue and cry.  Undoubtedly they are missing Sri Lanka, where else could they jump in to provide aid to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/08/09)
The United States Need Reconciliation with the Muslims to Achieve Peace
As all indications point to a dramatic failure of the Anglo-American hegemony around the world in the 21st century, the Anglo-American politicians seem frustrated and agonized by the increasingly violent resistant to occupying forces by the Iraqi and Afghan people. In an attempt to divert international attention away from this stark reality, the Anglo-American top bureaucrats, the ever-loyal Western media, and the INGOs financed by the West are accusing other nations for so-called human rights violations. George Bush’s military adventurism has now become the Obama administration’s worst nightmare. Yet, the international busybodies of the US State Department... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/08/09)
Calls For Caution Towards Presidential Safety Very Justifiable as The Dangers To His Safety Could Be Very Real!
August 25th 2009 There seem to be a spate of opinions about the adverse effects that will prevail on the Nation by the unthinkable displacement through violent means of President Rajapaksha so much so that it probably needs to be put into proper perspective.Hopefully it is the brainchild of paranoia but as the saying goes "better safe than sorry!" While it is also fair to assume that there seems to be an apparent lowering of Presidential guard in the aftermath of the victory over the Tamil Tiger terrorists this does not coincide with the nature... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/08/09)
Sri Lanka has great potential for enhancement of business and commercial ties, says the Foreign Minister Bogollagama
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama stated that Sri Lanka is the hub of the Asian Region and Kenya is the hub of African region and that both the countries have a great potential to enhance their commercial and business ties and also develop their economies. This was conveyed during his visit to Nairobi where he met with His Excellency Kalonzo Musyoka, Vice President of Kenya, and Hon. Moses Wetangula, the Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs.  At a meeting with Foreign Minister Wetangula, he stressed on the need to have closer... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/08/09)
Govt. tells off nosy diplomats
Responding to accusations of undue delays made by representatives from several Western countries, a senior governmental spokesman said yesterday that unless complete safety in the former conflict areas is ensured, the government will not hasten to resettle civilians. “Resettling civilians in a former conflict zone cannot and should not be done in haste. We have to obtain a safety certificate from the United Nations to the effect that the areas are completely safe for the civilians to reside. One of the main requirements that need to be fulfilled when obtaining... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/08/09)
ඉන්දà·â€ÂÂ-à·ÂÂÂà·Šâ€ÂÂÂරී ලංක෠ගිවිසà·â€ÂÂම අප පිළිගචයà·â€ÂÂà¶ÂÂÂෆද? මෙය කොන්à¶ÂÂÂà·Šâ€ÂÂÂරà·ÂÂÂà¶ÂÂÂà·Šà¶ÂÂÂà·â€ÂÂවක්වà·ÂÂÂයෙන්බà·ÂÂÂඳීමක්ඇà¶ÂÂÂà·’ ගිවිසà·â€ÂÂමක්ද?
à·ÂÂÂà·Šâ€ÂÂÂරී ලංක෠ප්â€ÂÂÂරජà·ÂÂÂà¶ÂÂÂන්à¶ÂÂÂà·Šâ€ÂÂÂරවà·ÂÂÂදී සමà·ÂÂÂජවà·ÂÂÂදී ජනරජයේ අà¶ÂÂÂිගරෆජනà·ÂÂÂධිපà¶ÂÂÂà·’ ෙජ්. ආර්. ජයවර්ධන මහà¶ÂÂÂ෠සහ ඉන්දියà·ÂÂÂනෆජනරජයේ අගමà·ÂÂÂà¶ÂÂÂà·’ අà¶ÂÂÂිගරෆරජීව්ගà·ÂÂÂන්ධි මහà¶ÂÂÂ෠කොළඹ දී 1987 ජà·â€ÂÂලි 29 දින ඉන්දà·â€ÂÂ-à·ÂÂÂà·Šâ€ÂÂÂරී ලංක෠ගිවිසà·â€ÂÂමට අà¶ÂÂÂ්සන්à¶ÂÂÂà·ÂÂÂබà·â€ÂÂවේ à·ÂÂÂà·Šâ€ÂÂÂරි ලංකà·ÂÂÂවේ සියලූ ජනකොටස්හි ආරකâ€ÂÂÂà·‚à·ÂÂÂà·€, à·ƒà·â€ÂÂභසිද්ධිය සහ සමෘද්ධිය වෙනà·â€ÂÂවෙන්සà·ÂÂÂමය සහ à·ƒà·ÂÂÂමà·ÂÂÂන්â€ÂÂÂයà¶ÂÂÂ්වය ස්ථà·ÂÂÂපිචකිරීම මගින්සියලූ ජනවà·ÂÂÂර්ගික ගà·ÂÂÂටලූ විසඳීම පිණිස ය. දෙපà·ÂÂÂර්à·ÂÂÂවය අà¶ÂÂÂර වූ මෙම ගිවිසà·â€ÂÂම කොන්à¶ÂÂÂà·Šâ€ÂÂÂරà·ÂÂÂà¶ÂÂÂ්සම්මà·â€ÂÂà¶ÂÂÂියක්යà·ÂÂÂයි සනà·ÂÂÂථ කිරීමට පහචප්â€ÂÂÂරකà·ÂÂÂà·ÂÂÂය ගිවිසà·â€ÂÂමට ඇà¶ÂÂÂà·â€ÂÂà·…à¶ÂÂÂ්කර ඇà¶ÂÂÂ: අරමà·â€ÂÂණෆමà·â€ÂÂදà·â€ÂÂන්පà¶ÂÂÂ්කිරීම පිණිස පහචසම්මà·â€ÂÂà¶ÂÂÂියට මෙදින ඇà¶ÂÂÂà·â€ÂÂà·…à¶ÂÂÂ්වන ලදී. මෙම ගිවිසà·â€ÂÂමෙන්සිදà·â€ÂÂවිය යà·â€ÂÂà¶ÂÂÂà·Šà¶ÂÂÂà·š කොන්à¶ÂÂÂà·Šâ€ÂÂÂරà·ÂÂÂà¶ÂÂÂà·Šà¶ÂÂÂà·â€ÂÂවක්නිර්මà·ÂÂÂණය කිරීම නම්, නීà¶ÂÂÂිමය à·€à·ÂÂÂයෙන්බà·ÂÂÂඳà·â€ÂÂනෆකොන්à¶ÂÂÂà·Šâ€ÂÂÂරà·ÂÂÂà¶ÂÂÂà·Šà¶ÂÂÂà·â€ÂÂවක්වීමට එය පහචදක්වà·ÂÂÂ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/08/09)
Sri Lanka uncovers plot to assassinate Presidential sibling
COLOMBO, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's police here Monday claimed they have uncovered a plot to assassinate Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the top defense official. Police spokesman deputy inspector general Nimal Mediwaka said they had arrested suicide bomb kits, ammunition and hand grenades from a house at a residential complex situated in the northern Cokombo suburb of Mutwal on Monday. The plan was to carry out a guerrilla attack on the defense secretary who is the younger brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse. Mediwaka said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were to make sure of Gotabhaya Rajapkse's death... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 24/08/09)
Three doctors accused of helping Tamil rebels released on bail
Colombo - Three of five doctors accused of spreading Tamil rebel propaganda about civilian casualties during the army's final offensive against the separatists in May were released Monday on bail in Sri Lanka, court officials said. The doctors were captured after they fled rebel-held areas in north-eastern Sri Lanka a few days before the army defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). They were interrogated and charged with spreading false information. The physicians treated civilians during the last few months of the conflict and provided details of the offensive and war casualties.... -Full Story- (monstersandcritics.com - 24/08/09)
LTTE tried to buy nuclear weapons: Report
COLOMBO: In a startling disclosure, the detained LTTE chief Kumaran Pathmanathan has told investigators that the rebels had tried to acquire nuclear weapons and know-how to be used against the Sri Lankan armyA media report has said that Pathmanathan who was recently arrested in South East Asian country has told interrogators that his organisation had tried to acquire nuclear weapons and technology from western countries.... -Full Story- (Times of India - 23/08/09)
Pride & President
Following an expression produced by a contributor to LankaWeb, I tend to agree whole heartedly that HE Mahinda Rajapaksa should refrain from over-exposing himself in public demonstrations. No doubt, the President is Proud of his noble achievement, and HE should be Proud! History has shown that Presidents and other political leaders in many countries, and indeed in Sri Lanka, have succumbed to an assassins bullet. President Rajapaksa and his team have done a superb job in eliminating a thirty year old war in three years. The country still needs this Fab Five to finish what they... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/08/09)
HRW: "We Gotch-ya, Sri Lanka"
August 21, 2009 Jo Becker Human Rights Watch 55 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 403 Toronto, Ontario M4P 1G8 Canada Dear Jo: The recent news item in the Toronto Star which carried a caption of what you had said, “Canada missed opportunity to right Sri Lanka’s wrongâ€ÂÂÂ, did have that bold audacity urging Canada to take up the cause of your HRW mandate, “We gotch-ya, Sri Lanka!†You had said that “In voting last month to approve a $2.6 billion (US) IMF loan to Sri Lanka, the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/08/09)
Licensed to kill ?
It is heartening to learn that the president met the parents of the youths murdered by police. His surprise visit and the good gesture made towards the grieving parents is truly commendable. We can also believe that the justice will be done regarding this brutal murder case. This a very Buddhist act by the president and we can be proud of it. The same cannot be said on the other two great injustices of the recent past, baby smuggling and the Nipuna’s case. There is no fear in the policeman’s wife’s face and poor elephant babies... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/08/09)
TO THE KIND ATTENTION OF NEW UVA PROVINCE CHIEF MINISTER SHASHENDRA RAJAPAKSHA
Dear Hon. Chief Minister, Congratulations on your historical landslide win in this provincial council election! The marvelous record you could set up during the election proves how much the citizens of Uva province trust in President Mahinda Rajapaksha and his government and in you with your energetic team. In fact it is a well known truth that not only Uva but all the citizens of Sri Lanka trust and love President Rajapaksha and his efficient team. We strongly believe that, this definitely is just a beginning of your political career. You shall proceed longer and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/08/09)
Minorities in “Secular and Democratic†India
Recently, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) placed India on its “Watch List†for 2009 because it found the Central government had failed to take effective measures to ensure the rights of religious minorities in several States. It is not the first time that the Commission has taken such a step. In 2002 and 2003, the Commission had recommended that India be designated a “country of particular concern (CPC)†in the wake of the “severe riots†in Gujarat . This is a grade higher than “Watch List,†which includes countries “where... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/08/09)
Is India really Sri Lanka’s Elder brother , and are both countries the heart and soul of each other ?
 In an, interview to an Indian magazine the Prersident Mahinda Rajapakse had said that India and Sri Lanka are actually each other’s heart and soul.  And else where he had said that India is Sri Lanka’s elder brother.  The Minster of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of Defence had also paid tribute to India  saying that it helped Sri Lanka to win the war against terrorism.  All that seems to be very encouraging. Perhaps the Government had kept away from the people some vital  information with regard to India’s special role during its military operations against the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/08/09)
Why the descrimination in providing news coverage?
 Dear CTV News, The CTV news coverage today shows the headline news of the Taliban having cut the fingers of two voters. When the Tamil Tigers did the same to a voter in Sri Lanka, in the last general election, this did not make any headline news! It did not even reach any form of news. But when the Tamil Tigers protested in the streets of Ottawa and Toronto, creating havoc in traffic, and major discomfort to the hard working Canadians, it made headline news in the CTV. Even before they protested, their protests were broadcasted and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/08/09)
Plots to assassinate VIPs: LTTE kingpins spill the beans
Ranil Wijayapala The Criminal Investigations Department, the Terrorist Investigation Division and intelligence sleuths investigating suicide blasts by the LTTE targeting politicians and other VIPs, which remained a mystery for years, are in the process of completing the investigations with revelations by Tiger cadres arrested after the defeat of the LTTE three months back. CID and TID sources confirmed that the assassination attempt on the former Army Commander and the present Chief of Defence General Sarath Fonseka has already been completed as vital information regarding the internal link to the LTTE from the Army Headquarters, has been divulged by a senior... -Full Story- (Daily News - 23/08/09)
Suicide bomb kits found near refugee camp
Sri Lankan police have found some four suicide bomb kits used by the Tamil Tiger rebels, police said yesterday. Senior deputy inspector general Nimal Mediwaka, the police spokesman told reporters that they were found on Saturday evening at Nelukkulam in the northern Vavuniya district. Vavuniya is the home for nearly 300,000 civilians displaced by the last stages of conflict between the Liberation Tigers of TamilEelam (LTTE) rebels and the military. The LTTE’s deadly suicide bomb carriers known as the ‘Black Tigers’ caused extensive damage to life and property during their over three-decade old fight to set up a separate Tamil... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 23/08/09)
Tiger bares ‘nuke ambition’
Colombo, Aug. 23 (PTI): The LTTE had tried to acquire nuclear weapons and technology from western countries, its new chief has told investigators after his capture. A media report has said Pathmanathan, 54, was recently arrested in a South East Asian country, the name of which has been kept a secret. Sri Lankan officials had said diplomatic necessities had precluded naming the exact location of the arrest. “The LTTE had been the first terrorist outfit that had tried to obtain nuclear power. Had they been successful in obtaining nuclear power, it would have flowed into the hands of other terror... -Full Story- (telegraphindia.com - 23/08/09)
Why President must not lower his guard
While the country is inching towards a presidential election, it looks as if the sinister forces that sought to throw a lifeline to Prabhakaran were readying for a different battle. They are all out to make the IDP problem get out of hand by forcing the government to resettle the war displaced immediately. Whether demining operations are over or not is of little concern to them as they are blinded by animosity to reality. Some western ambassadors in Colombo once predicted that the LTTE would get into the guerrilla mode even if its leaders were killed. The LTTE has been... -Full Story- (The Island - 23/08/09)
Lanka rejects some of Gokhale’s claims
A senior Defence official yesterday said though Sri Lanka had received Indian support for its military campaign against the LTTE, there was absolutely no truth in the claim that India gifted five Mi-17 helicopters to the SLAF. He said that Nitin A. Gokhale’s claim made in his book "Sri Lanka - From War to Peace" was baseless. The Sri Lankan military also dismissed the claim that an Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) acquired from India had been involved in SLAF operations to evacuate army Special Forces and Commandos operating deep inside LTTE-held territory. The SLAF had flown a few rescue missions... -Full Story- (The Island - 23/08/09)
Sinhala Buddhist roots of South Indian Tamil chauvinism
As for SouthIndian Tamils and Buddhism in late 19th century and early 20th century you may want to read my article      "White sahibs, Brown sahibs: tracking Dharmapala" Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka New Series Vol. LIV 2008 pp 53-136.  Below is the abstract of a paper read at the Sri Lanka sociological Association conference a few weeks ago which deals also on the same theme. A major separatist movement in India was the Tamil chauvinist Dravidistan movement, incipient in the 1920s but influential from the 1940s to the 1960s. Its indirect offspring... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/08/09)
Squalene: The Swine Flu Vaccine’s Dirty Little Secret Exposed
Mercola.com Monday, July 20, 2009 According to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, your children should be the first target for mass swine flu vaccinations when school starts this fall.[i] This is a ridiculous assumption for many reasons, not to mention extremely high risk. In Australia, where the winter season has begun, Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon is reassuring parents the swine flu is no more dangerous than regular seasonal flu. “Most people, including children, will experience very mild symptoms and recover without any medical intervention,†she said.[ii]... -Full Story- (prisonplanet.com - 23/08/09)
HARMFUL EFFECTS OF MERCURY IN TEETH
"Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses."In the video above I speak with Charles Brown, legal counsel for the Consumers for Dental Choice, which is a nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to educate the public about the health and environmental dangers of mercury fillings, and to ensure more effective government oversight on amalgam. Charles discusses the processes he's been undertaking for the last 10 years to get dangerous mercury fillings removed from the market, and brings you up to speed on where we are today with the FDA's most... -Full Story- (articles.mercola.com - 23/08/09)
China a 'stakeholder' in Sri Lanka's development: Lanka
Describing China as a "major stakeholder" in Sri Lanka's development, Colombo has said Beijing had offered financial support and had stood by the country in "crucial situations". "China has extended its support to us... Despite some international pressures on Sri Lanka in recent times," senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa said, while addressing a ceremony to mark the completion of the first phase of a power plant build with Chinese assistance in North-western province. Rajapaksa said China was a major stakeholder in the country's development. "China came forward to help Sri Lanka in crucial situations," he said, thanking Beijing for its... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 23/08/09)
International visa racket busted
Staff Reporter Five persons including two Sri Lankans held HYDERABAD: The police on Saturday busted an international visa racket with the arrest of five persons, including two Sri Lankan nationals settled in Chennai. The arrested persons, Shaik Hyder, 31, R. Krishnan, 44, Y. Nagaraju, 35, and Krishna Murthy, 60, and V. Rajan, 48, both hailing from Sri Lanka, allegedly used to purchase fake visa made by Belgium-based mafia gangs and sell to persons aspiring to go abroad. They duped nearly 100 unsuspecting youths of over Rs. 1.5 crore by issuing fake visas claiming them as genuine, the Commissioner’s Task Force... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 23/08/09)
Colombo slams charges on U.K. arms use
B. Muralidhar Reddy Last shipment from England was in 1996British panel for probe into issue COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government on Saturday rejected reports in a section of the British media that U.K. arms were used against civilians in the recent battle against the LTTE and asserted that the last shipment of arms from England to Sri Lanka was in 1996. The Presidential Secretariat said none of the three wings of the military had acquired military equipment from the U.K. during the Eelam War IV waged from August 2006 to May 2009. "The army had not acquired armaments from the... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 23/08/09)
Adequate health facilities to IDPs
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 22 Aug 2009 The Health Ministry has provided adequate health facilities to all Internally Displaced Persons in welfare camps,Health and Nutrition Minister, Nimal Siripala De Silva claimed. All children have been vaccinated with necessary vaccinations early this month as special medical teams dispatched from Colombo successfully completed that mission. The internally displaced,the minister said were provided with fresh drinking water with medical attention round the clock. According to the minister,there are 24 medical centres for the displaced manned by a medical staff of over 400 personnel including 80 doctors and 165 nurses. All necessary... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 23/08/09)
Suicide bomb kits found near Sri Lanka IDP town
COLOMBO, Aug 23 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan police have found some 4 suicide bomb kits used by the Tamil Tiger rebels, police said on Sunday. Senior deputy inspector general Nimal Mediwaka, the police spokesman told reporters here that they were found Saturday evening at Nelukkulam in the northern Vavuniya district. Vavuniya is the home for nearly 300,000 civilians displaced by the last stages of conflict between the Liberation Tigers of TamilEelam (LTTE) rebels and the military. The LTTE's deadly suicide bomb carriers known as the 'Black Tigers' caused extensive damage to life and property during their over 3 decade old... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 23/08/09)
Sri Lanka eyes peace dividend
COLOMBO - COBFLICT-TORN Sri Lanka is banking on foreign cash to rebuild shattered infrastructure as the island emerges from decades of ethnic civil war, officials say. Analysts are expecting a large investment peace dividend in the country where bomb attacks and fighting dented investor confidence and kept high-spending tourists away from the tropical South Asian island. There will be plenty of opportunities for investment once the former war zone in the north and east is open for business, said Chinthaka Ranasinghe, head of Research at John Keells Stock Brokers in Colombo.... -Full Story- (straitstimes.com - 23/08/09)
Edgware counsellor helps disabled in Sri Lanka
By Rebecca Lowe » A COUNSELLOR from Edgware has returned from Sri Lanka after spending three weeks helping children with disabilities and mental health needs. Anna Felice visited schools in the Puttalam District of north-west Sri Lanka to raise awareness of the needs of disabled youngsters in the area. The work was part of a programme run by Asian People’s Disability Alliance (APDA), funded by the Department for International Development and Voluntary Services Overseas... -Full Story- (times-series.co.uk - 23/08/09)
Hand over LTTE funds, western nations told
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has called upon Western countries to hand over LTTE funds and its other assets that were found in their territories. He told the BBC that the arrested LTTE chief and arms procurer, Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias KP, was “slowly†coming out with details of the assets held abroad, estimated to be between $300 million and $1 billion. “He’s a seasoned man, so he’s coming out with information very slowly during interrogation. He was the person who ran a massive network to purchase arms and ammunition for the LTTE for nearly 30 years. Once it... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 23/08/09)
Jaffna education fair to guide students
For the first time in three decades, the Jaffna peninsula will witness the biggest ever education fair combined with an exhibition. It will be held on September 15 - 16 at the Jaffna Central College with the participation of well known educationists in the Jaffna peninsula. This 2 day event will provide a unlimited opportunity for students. The 'Jaffna Education Fair - 2009' will attract many visitors form different part of the world. The student population in the peninsula would greatly benefit by this event which offers higher education plans and material.... -Full Story- (defence.lk - 23/08/09)
Farbrace return to Kent delayed
Exclusive by Glenn Pearson Paul Farbrace has delayed his return to the county after agreeing to stay with the Sri Lanka team for the tri series competition with New Zealand and India. Kent’s new head coach was expecting to arrive in England this weekend and intended on joining up with the county squad on September 1, but the Sri Lanka assistant coach has agreed to stay with the national side until September 14. The Sri Lanka board had asked Farbrace to stay until the end of the Champions Trophy, which finishes on October 5, but the 42-year-old wants to see... -Full Story- (yourthanet.co.uk - 23/08/09)
Pakistan Taliban's new chief is 28-year-old who launched attack against Sri Lanka cricket team
The Pakistani Taliban appointed a new chief - a top commander known for his ruthless efficiency in staging attacks, including a major hotel bombing and a deadly assault against the Sri Lankan cricket team. While the appointment of 28-year-old Hakimullah Mehsud suggests the Taliban may be regrouping after the reported killing of its ex-chief Baitullah Mehsud in a CIA missile strike August 5. Questions remained as to whether the al-Qaeda-allied group will be able to unite around him. Also unclear is the direction the movement will take under new leadership. Read more:... -Full Story- (mailonsunday.co.uk - 23/08/09)
India behind Lanka's victory over LTTE: Book
NEW DELHI: Even as it publicly refused to give Sri Lanka any offensive weapons for the war against LTTE, India had a "hidden hand" in the success of the island nation's campaign over the terrorist outfit, says a new book.Although in the initial days he was advised to seek a negotiated settlement with the Tamil Tigers, New Delhi saw merit in Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's argument that the LTTE was only biding its time to regroup and rearm itself and that war was inevitable sooner than later, says 'Sri Lanka, From War to Peace', by journalist Nitin Gokhale. Defence... -Full Story- (Times of India - 23/08/09)
GOTABHAYA TELLS BBC SRI LANKA WILL ASK FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO HAND OVER MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF LTTE ASSESTS
The Sri Lankan defence secretary has called on foreign countries to hand over Tamil Tiger rebels and their assets, worth of millions of dollars, BBC’s Anbarasan Ethirajan reported. The report said the demand by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa came weeks after the arrest of the new Tamil Tiger leader, Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias KP who has been subjected to continuous interrogation. Pathmanathan was arrested in Kualalumpur, according to unofficial reports earlier this month and “brought to Colombo in a swift and secretive operationâ€ÂÂÂ. The Sri Lankan military crushed Tamil Tigers in May this year also killing their Supremo Velupillai... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/08/09)
INDIA-THE USSR OF TOMORROW
A huge country, ultimately scattering into fragments; India is going to be the USSR of tomorrow. One of the official think-tanks of China has advised the Chinese hi-ups to settle old scores with India by breaking up the world’s ‘Biggest Democracy’ into 26 parts. Beijing should encourage Bangladesh to invite ethnic Indian Bengalis to abandon Indian nationality and work towards a united Bengali state. It has also been advised to use India's hostile neighbors as well as the restive elements among the Assamese, Kashmiris and Tamils. These elements should be encouraged to fight hard for independent statehood.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/08/09)
SRI LANKAN BEAUTY QUEEN IS PLAYING A LEADING ROLE IN BOLLYWOOD’S MAGICAL MOVIE ALADIN
Sri Lankan beauty queen Jacqueline Fernandez is playing a lead role in the Bollywood production Aladin co starred by such movie giants like Amitah Batchan , Sanjay Dutt and Ritish Deshmuk. The film, in which the Sri Lankan beauty is making her debut, is expected to be released soon all over India. Based on the well known Arabian Nights fable of Aladin and his wonderful lamp Jaqueline who became the Sri Lankan beauty queen in 2006 is playing the role of Jasmine. Ritish Deshmuk is playing Aladin while Amitahb Bachchan plays the genie. Indian critics have... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/08/09)
‘SL crushed terrorism without British arms’Army Chief rejects British press reports on weapons
Army Chief Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya yesterday dismissed British press reports that weapons of British origin had been used against the LTTE in the Eelam war IV. Sri Lanka’s largest ever combined forces offensive, spearheaded by former Army Chief General Sarath Fonseka brought the LTTE to its knees, first in the East and then in the Vanni in two years and 10 months. Major combat operations came to an end on May 19 this year. Responding to The Island queries, Jayasuriya said that the army had not acquired armaments from the UK during... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/08/09)
Galle Fort and Ms Rifqa Barrie
The controversy of Ms Rifqa Barrie’s conversion from Islam to Christianity has been in the news in recent weeks.  To me, it started out as just another attack by the media on topics of a similar nature. With the passage of time, the hype died out, and it was probably going to be just another brick in the wall. Sure, I did wonder who she was; from where she hailed in Sri Lanka; and what was all this commotion about. Many have walked out... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/08/09)
Kenya Deputy President Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka briefs Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on the severe droughts affecting Kenya.
Kenyan Deputy President, Kalonzo Musyoka welcomed Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama to Kenya on the 20th of August and congratulated the Sri Lankan Government for laying a solid economic and political foundation for sustainable peace having defeated the LTTE terrorism. Deputy President Musyoka briefed the Sri Lankan delegation on the severe drought and the consequent food shortages affecting Kenya and the surrounding African countries and explained that Kenya was taking steps to overcome this situation.  Deputy President Musyoka referred to the importance of improving trade relations between Sri Lanka and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/08/09)
Swine flu cases rises to 75 in Lanka
Xinhua/Colombo Sri Lankan health authorities said yesterday that 75 A/H1N1 flu cases have been confirmed in the country, but most of them only have minor symptoms and have been discharged from the hospital. Officials from the epidemiological unit of the ministry of health said about 90% of the patients contracted the disease abroad, while 10% of them contracted in Sri Lanka. They said most of the patients are Sri Lankan citizens working abroad. The first confirmed case of A/H1N1 flu in Sri Lanka was reported on June 16. The first patient is an eight-year-old boy who is an Australian citizen.... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 21/08/09)
Sri Lanka to train Pakistani army to fight Taliban
Sri Lanka is to train Pakistan army officers to fight the Taliban insurgency with lessons from its devastating defeat of the Tamil Tigers. Colombo has been inundated with training requests since it finally put down the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elaam's (LTTE) 26-year rebellion in a final onslaught which claimed the lives of more than 10,000 civilians and left 300,000 displaced by the fighting. The apparent accolade for the Sri Lankan forces will cause alarm among human rights groups which have accused the government in Colombo of war crimes over the shelling of civilians in a tiny "no-fire" zone in... -Full Story- (telegraph.co.uk - 21/08/09)
'Cyanide' director Ramesh to make film on Prabhakaran
Bangalore, Aug 21 (IANS): Kannada director A.M.R. Ramesh, who has already directed an award-winning movie about LTTE suicide bombers, plans to direct a bilingual film on former Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran who was killed by the Sri Lankan army this May. The script is ready, but Ramesh hasn't finalised any actor to play Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in the yet-to-be-titled movie that will be made in English and Tamil. "I want to cast a very talented actor to do the role... but I don't want to select any actor with a particular image... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 21/08/09)
high heels to three wheels
August 21, 2009 - 4:35PM Two Gold Coast women are swapping high heels for three wheels, to take part in a charity race around the southern part of Sri Lanka in motorised rickshaws. Although the 25-year civil war in Sri Lanka is over, the race will be confined to the more stable southern parts of the island. Emma Berg and Abbie Lingwood, who work for the Gold Coast Tourism Commission (GCTC), have called themselves the Gypsy Queens - with the tag line "from rich shores to rickshaws". For 10 days from September 5 the inaugural Lanka Challenge will see up... -Full Story- (smh.com.au - 21/08/09)
LTTE funded Rajni films: Lanka minister
CHENNAI: A Sri Lankan minister has stirred up a controversy by alleging that the LTTE had funded the production of Tamil movies as part of its When contacted, Rajnikanth's office said the actor refused to comment on the issue. international business ventures. Resettlement and disaster relief services minister Abdul Risath Bathiyutheen reportedly said films thus tainted by 'LTTE blood money' included Tamil superstar Rajnikanth's movies. Bathiyutheen made this charge in an interview to www.asiantribune.com, which quoted him as saying, "Millions and millions of US dollars were given to a London-based Tamilian. He was asked to produce Tamil films in Chennai... -Full Story- (Times of India - 21/08/09)
More army engineering troops for de-mining
Source: Government of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Army has already sent more engineering troops for de-mining and sending more battalions to be trained in 'humanitarian de-mining,'" the Army would soon send more of its engineers for additional de-mining work, said the Army chief Lieutenant-General Jagath Jayasuriya speaking at his Regimental Headquarters yesterday, Aug.20. The military did not have a precise estimate of land mines planted by the LTTE. An area about 3,100 square miles (8,000 sq. km.), including Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and parts of Jaffna districts, must be de-mined before it will be safe enough for the Tamils to return. Without de-mining, I don't think... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 21/08/09)
Govt’s goal resettlement of IDPs in original areas of residents - Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe
The government's eventual goal is the resettlement of IDPs in the areas in which they originally resided, said Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, addressing the parliament yesterday, Aug. 20. The Minister said this process requires ensuring that the areas of return must be safe, free of mines and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) which could cause immeasurable harm if not cleared. These are challenges that the Government of His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken on and we are determined to overcome them.... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 21/08/09)
Sri Lanka cbank buys up $900 mln on U.S. fund inflow
COLOMBO, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's central bank on Friday said it has absorbed $900 million this week to keep the rupee LKR= steady and prevent appreciation, the bulk of it coming from a U.S. fund's purchase of long-tenure T-bonds. The rupee closed flat at 114.77/82 a dollar for a fourth straight day. K.D. Ranasinghe, director at the central bank's economic research department, said the central bank through Thursday had absorbed $894 million this week. "Today, the purchase should be around $10 million," Nandalal Weerasinghe, assistant governor at the central bank, told Reuters.... -Full Story- (Reuters - 21/08/09)
Sri Lanka Air Force 'The Best Air Force in the World'
Addressing the newly commissioned officers and passed out airmen at the SLAF Base China Bay today (Aug 21), Secretary Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated that the Sri Lanka Air Force compared to the rest of the world, could be rated as the best Air Force in operation. "With limited resources and hi-tech machines, the Sri Lanka Air Force defeated the LTTE, purely using their knowledge, skills, and experience. It is the duty of the new officer and airmen to carry this pride of victory to the future unblemished, he further said. Secretary Defence Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the chief guest... -Full Story- (defence.lk - 21/08/09)
Sri Lanka: Small-scale tea producers look to a promising future Sri Lanka Seeks Rebels' Foreign Assets Sri Lanka to train Pakistani army MANGALA LEARNS A LESSON FROM PATRIOTIC AND EXEMPLARY UNP SUPPORTERS IN KURUNEGALA PRESIDENT DECLARES THE FIRST ELECTION HELD AFTER ROUTING OF THE TERRORISTS COMPLETELY HAS ENDORSED THE GOVERNMENT POLICY Why do we fast? Assam: Journalist family waits for justice for 18 years and on DR DAYAN JAYATILLEKA LEAVES GENEVA THIS WEEKEND President Lula calls for enhanced economic ties with Sri Lanka Sri Lanka’s Foreign Reserves Climb to $3 Billion, Cabraal Says Arms and ammunition recovered in Wanni and Jaffna No proof of LTTE funding films Cong leader warns groups supporting terror outfits Sri Lankan army in refugee call Sri Lanka cbank keeps rupee steady after U.S fund inflow Sri Lanka army to speed demining, scale back expansion Chinese-built power plant project hailed by Sri Lankan government Top Sri Lanka academic threatened Sri Lanka’s first Tuk Tuk Rally Resettling displaced state priority-Minister Lankan army to speed demining Sri Lanka's Mobitel selects Citi to manage its cash Lanka blood money slur on Rajni Global interest in strategy: Colombo “Tamil Eelam only solutionâ€ÂÂÂ- Indian Tamils NORWAY AMBASSADOR ATTACKS BAN KI MOON FOR THE WAY HE REACTED TO SRI LANKA MILITARY MISSION AGAINST TAMIL TIGER TERRORISTS PANDAMONIUM REIGNED AT UNP MEETING WHEN MANGALA SAMARAWEERA STARTED SPEAKING ABOUT LTTE COMBATANTS IN IDP CAMPS R2P - latest acronym for neo-colonial interventions Human Rights Watch Is Stepping Out Of Line In Criticizing Canada's Approval Of the IMF Loan! RESETTLEMENT OF DISPLACED CIVILIANS ACCELERATES IN SRI LANKA Meeting with American Tamil Diaspora & Statement on Sri Lanka Malcolm Ranjith and his Catholic Establishment – Wolfs in Sheeps clothes Gangarama Dayaka sabhawa donated Rs.10 million to the “Mahinda Rajapaksa Country Development Fund†PRESIDENT MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA IN OBVIOUS REFERENCE TO POLICE EXCESSES SAYS NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW IN SRI LANKA. Clean Water Free from Toxins: A basic Human Right for Inhabitants: Public awareness message from Patriotic Sri Lankans US State Department has a dialogue with Tamil Diaspora who have abandoned Sri Lanka STEADY SIGNS OF UNIFICATION EMERGING IN POST-CONFLICT SRI LANKA There are Jihad groups – say’s ISF chief YOUNG SRI LANKAN SHINES IN ITALY ENDING NUCLEAR DISCRIMINATION GENERAL SARATH FONSEKA SAYS IDP’S CANNOT BE RESETTLED HAPHAZARDLY AND IT SHOULD BE DONE IN A METHODICAL MANNER Change of Guard BRITAIN’S THE INDEPENDENT RECORDS THE DAWN OF PEACE IN SRI LANKA HAS RESULTED IN A RAPID JUMP IN TOURIST ARRIVALS. CARETAKE OF MADHU REV. EMILIANUS PILLAI SAYS TAMIL TIGERS BROKE THEIR AGREEMENT WITH THEM AND MOVED FIGHTING INSIDE THE CHURCH Govt. warns of move to have Tigers posing as civilians freed United Tamil Council of Canada NUCLEAR SAFETY IN INDIA මà·ÂÂÂධ්â€ÂÂÂය නිවේදනය - ලංක෠ගà·â€ÂÂරà·â€ÂÂසේව෠සංගමය REMOVE ALL MILITARY CAMPS in JAFFNA !- Demands TNA/LTTE Suresh Premachandran The Kat's out of the bag! Olympian quit pool to help Sri Lanka kids World NGOs seek end to blocs in UN rights council Sri Lanka: Inquire Into The Police Abuse Sri Lanka former rebels in disguise as civilians: defense secretary S.Lanka rupee strengthens for first time in 3 months Sri Lanka: Vavuniya flooding subsides more than 500 IDPs return Indian textile vendors on tourist visa to be shown the door Karunanidhi writes to Manmohan on Sri Lanka Indian consignment handed over to U.N. Voting in the empty Tigers' lair PRESIDENT SHOULD AVOID CHEAP POPULARITY Death of Sri Lankan lawyer: Police suspect drug overdose Assassination of Rajapaksha Will Derail All the Victories Disclaiming article on Sri Lankan History General Nalin Seneviratne VSV 1931- 2009 Northeasterners defy militant’s diktat to celebrate I-Day Parents meet former LTTE child soldiers Sri Lanka to sell 5-year, $500m sovereign bond India to help restart farming in Lankan areas freed from LTTE India’s help for Lanka’s LTTE-freed areas Heavy rains flood camps for displaced Sri Lankans End of Sri Lanka's civil war brings back tourists Colombo clarifies on Chinese loan for port development Diaspora misused civilian issue to raise funds:
Hunt on for all LTTE funds BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN THINK THAT SRI LANKA HAS PROVIDED EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD AS HOW TO ELIMINATE TERRORISM Appreciation - Anuththara Kavindi Jayawardane My Best Friend’s Daughter The United States’ Global Agenda, vis-à-vis South Asia NEDIYAWAN RUMOURED TO BE THE NEXT LTTE LEADER IS QUESTIONED BY NORWEGIAN POLICE SAYS TAMIL WEBSITE IN LONDON Response to Coordinator, Committee for the formation of Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam DRAGGING TO A HEAVENLY HELL The northern elections and their aftermath Possible Abuse of Sydney University Resources for Political Purposes Agreements sealed with the Exim Bank for over US $ 350 million for major Development Projects UNIVERSITY STUDY SAYS TEA HELPS REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY SRI LANKA’S AMBASSADOR MEETS KEY SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS CHAIRMAN New Appointments to Prisoner Visitors Board Sri Lanka 22nd happiest place to live -US 114th, UK 74th Thirty-sixth Session of the SAARC Programming Committee held in Nepal Gampaha Division Superintendent of Police arrested over alleged LTTE links Japan provides over one mln USD to war displaced Sri Lankans KP reveals details about bank accounts Sri Lanka, China sign pacts worth $350 million INDIA’S FOREIGN POLICY DISTORTIONS SLFP GENERAL SECRETARY SAYS IF THE JVP REMAINED IN THE ALLIANCE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR THE JVP AS WELL AS FOR THE GOVT Vitharana proposal and the separatist paradigm (1918-2007) 13th amendment is the end of the road for the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka The myth of 25% Tamil speaking minority in Sri Lanka: the bedrock of demand for an independent and separate state DAYASIRI JAYASEKERA WALKS OUT OF A UNP WORKING COMMITTEE MEETING EXHIBITING DEEPENING POLITICAL CRISIS IN THE PARTY "MAKE SRI LANKA YOUR NEXT BUSINESS STOP"U.S. Government Urges Investment In Sri Lanka The Government of Malaysia donates US$100,000 to the Government of Sri Lanka for the welfare of the Internally Displaced Sri Lankans US asks Lanka, Tamil diaspora to reconcile Pathmanathan revealed presence of arms in Colombo: PM Lankan Prez has not kept promise on Tamil rights: Swamy Patrolling along coast intensified
Boat seized at sea, and the crew detained GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO HAVE PRESIDENTIAL AND GENERAL ELECTIONS TOGETHER BEFORE THE END OF APRIL, SAYS MINISTER NEWLY-CONFIRMED U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SRI LANKA PAYS VISIT TO AMBASSADOR JALIYA WICKRAMASURIYA Regarding the two types of srilankans ; the ones that love Sri Lanka and the ones that do not. Animals also have rights, which is the duty of a civilised society to defend. THE PHILOSOPHY OF PUNISHMENTS IN ISLAM Letter to the Editor -It is time for Ranil to step down Govt. says KP helped Obama with election campaign Sri Lanka's successful war on terror irks West former Tamil Tiger child soldiers The Research findings and observations on Magistrate’s Courts in the Judicial Zone of Colombo out 13th Amendment - a Lesson from Basque Separatist U’grads arrested for writing a slogan රජතුමනි, ඔබ ළමයිණ්ගෙ විබාගයට කෙලියා (Rajathumeni oba lamayinge vibahagayata keliya) Ship passes through Channel and then disappears No shoes for police officers in Sri Lanka Plot to assassinate Lankan President unearthed Former LTTE child soldiers sit for exams DMK is not a national movement, says Vijayakanth KP's capture and absence of euphoric ebullience A CLUE FROM MOUNT LAVINIA LEADS TO A MANNAR VAN LADEN WITH 20 CLAYMORE BOMBS TO BE USED IN A SUICIDE MISSION IN COLOMBO Inside story of Operation KP Swiss Tamils biggest donors for LTTE: KP More LTTE military items uncovered - Mullaittivu US urges Sri Lanka reconciliation Troops uncover more weapons “No specific threat from LTTE†‘Release only after rebels are identified’ Ignore the Dictators and Wind-Bags!! WE MUST ENSURE SECURITY OF FUTURE GENERATIONS. YES WE CAN is Gotabhaya's attitude. MALCOLM RANJITH, THE NINTH ARCHBISHOP HAS DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP IMAGE OF SRI LANKA HIGH SAYS PRESIDENT Canadian Refugee Law INDIAN COMPANY HIRED TO KEEP ITS ELECTRONIC EYE OPEN TO PREVENT TERRORIST INTRUSION ALONG COASTAL BELT AND OTHER SENSITIVE AREAS Vavuniya and Mannar towns get street lamps US gives $15 million in food aid to Sri Lankans Bodies of fishermen identified 3 LTTE active in some countries: Rajapaksa Promising signs for Tamil people Transgressing the Dhamma Animal lovers keep mum on animals rights violations Lets be more humane to animals Present a gift-wrapped KP to India KP yes, but it’s the LTTE that is in the dock India no match for China, says Navy chief THE PRESIDENT APPEALS TO THE VANQUISHED TO JOIN HIM TO WORK FOR THE COUNTRY The Long Silent Reach of Lankan Intelligence Sri Lanka police seek public aid to nab woman bomber Abduction of Two Baby Tuskers, Denying them Mothers Milk and Warmth ! Ottawa adds $15-million in aid to Sri Lanka. CANADIAN GOVERNMENT TRIPLES HUMANITARIAL AID TO 20 MILLION US DOLLARS AFTER BEVERLY ODA VISTS VAVUNIY IDP CAMPS Ruling alliance wins majority in Jaffna poll Prabhakaran had plans beyond Lanka: Rajapaksa Should KP be allowed to be extradited to India? NINE YEAR OLD BRITISH CHILD SAVES ANOTHER IN A POTENTIAL DROWNING TRAGEDY IN SRI LANKA ANOTHER EXCELLENT JOB PERFORMED BY SRI LANKA! Baby jumbos, Buddhism and baloney Crime, Punishment, Kamma and Buddhism IMMACUATE PLANNING AND STRONG LEADERSHIP OF THE ARMED FORCES OF SRI LANKA WILL NOT ALLOW LEADERS LIKE KP TO HIDE LONG- GOTABHAYA RAJAPAKSA THE WAY THE DREAMS SHATTER India may seek details of interrogation of LTTE leader KP 2 Sri Lankan town votes show split Sri Lanka to receive $15M from Canada Minister Douglas Devananda back flips on 13th Amendment? NEW LTTE LEADER KP WAS BETRAYED BY HIS OWN MEN IN HIS OUTFIT WHO VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED HIS LEADERSHIP, MANY TAMILS BELIEVE Sri Lanka-Myanmar Business Forum Offers Unique Opportunity to Enhance Bilateral Economic Ties India to interrogate KP in Rajiv case Sri Lanka grilling new Tiger leader: reports Baby jumbos, Buddhism and baloney Slain Tiger chief’s phone led S.Lanka to successor New Tiger chief does not pass go Former Beijing airport boss executed in China LTTE chief KP knew Rajiv Gandhi was to be killed SRI LANKA DEFENCE MINISTRY ANNOUNCES THE ARREST OF LTTE LEADER KP ALIAS SELVARASA PATHMANATHAN IN BANGKOK There Can Be No Room For A Resurgence Of The LTTE Under Any Guise Despite The Rumbles And Rhetoric From Aspirants To the Cause! ‘Sinhala-tribalism' and the 13-A Those Who Support 13A Guilty of Racism, Ethnic Disharmony & Separatism USE BY DATE 20 AUG 09 – DAYAN J Canada should be sincere in it’s "Rekindling with Sri Lanka". PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA SAYS ONCE AGAIN THE HOLY TOOTH RELIC STAYS WHITHIN A NATION THAT HAS BEEN UNITED AND BROUGHT UNDER ONE RULE EMBASSY OF SRI LANKA IN WASHINGTON DC HOSTS “PEACE FORUM – A NEW VISION FOR PEACE IN THE 21ST CENTURY†Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Friendship and Cooperation between Sri Lanka and Cuba Ahmadiyya Caliph Explaining UK Convention KP, New Tamil Tiger head arrested: Sri Lanka military New Tamil Tiger head KP arrested - Sri Lanka media PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA CONDEMNS THE POLITICO WHO GOES ROUND THE WORLD AND ATTEMPTS TO STOP AID TO SRI LANKA PAKISTAN----A FERTILE LAND OF PASSIONS Fish Theory! Camouflage Terrorists Religious Freedom මල්වතු අස්ගිරි මහ නාහිමිවරුන්ට
ඇත්පැටවුන් දෙදෙනා පූජා කරයි Over 40,000 resettled in 44 days, says Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, MP: World Food Programme approved budget increase of US $17.09 million for Sri Lanka Indians involved in match-fixing in Lanka: Report Sri Lanka to track down fleeing war displaced civilians Sri Lanka begins resettling war displaced Three lakh IDPs pose a challenge to Lanka Indian funds for Palaly project Elephant blocks traffic to save calves President rejects protest over gift of baby elephants Sri Lanka stands firm on gift of baby elephants PRESDENT SAYS LAND MASS OF LANKA WAS DIVIDED AND GRANTED TO TERRORISTS AND TAKEN BACK BY A FIGHT WITH SACRIFICES OF LIFE Sri Lanka Guardian bemoans that its website is blocked to internauts in Sri Lanka and blames the « goons » of the Government. 'Federal' Marriages and Water Wars THE COMPASSION OF BUDDHISM A LESSON TO SRI LANKAN BUDDHISTS FROM THE AMAZON INDIANS Beruwela mosque massacre-Faith and practice collide Bodhi Dhanapala and the 13th Amendment: a reply Sri Lanka’s Diplomatic Representation in China to be further increased Foreign Minister Pays Farewell Call on the Outgoing Archbishop of Colombo India asks Sri Lanka to take over hospital set up for refugees Bringing back the child
Source: United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) World Food Programme approved budget increase of US $17.09 million for Sri Lanka Over 4,500 IDPs home bound Euro 62 million for rehabilitation in Sri Lanka Lanka calls poll in Rajapakse’s native province The culture vultures PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA SAYS SOME NEFARIOUS POLITICAL ELEMENTS WANT TO SEND EMANCIPATORS OF THE COUNTRY TO THE HANGMAN President Attended Thalawila Feast The 13th Amendment and Dayn Jayatilleke's demise. Mobile phones in Sri Lankan schools and 'China Mobile' Retired Indian soldiers fly to Sri Lanka to clear landmines Jaffna-Colombo bus service commences Demining given priority in resettlement process LTTE attempting to reorganise, rescue hardcore cadres: Minister Indian arms found in LTTE arsenal Prachanda slams India, Lanka for anti-terror operations LTTE tries to regroup, rescue hardcore cadres Navy find more items We must ensure security of future generations: Gotabaya Sri Lankan seeks transfer of cheating case UN agencies launch health campaign for displaced children in Sri Lanka SRI LANKA PREVAILS UPON NOT TO SUSPEND FIJI AND THE LONDON MEETING DECIDES TO GIVE TIME TO REVERT BACK TO DEMOCRACY Abduction of Two Suckling Elephant Calves from their Mothers at Pinnawala Orphanage. SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME:Eastern Province Agri. Minister Nawaratne Raja Demands Removal of Governer Mohan Wijewickrema Reckless discourse of an Assam minister Another extension for Indian medical unit 80 more join Indian team in Lanka to clear mines 50,000 jobless workers in Lanka to get doles Kilinochchi Collector held for suspected LTTE links Is there management at "SRILANKAN" Flag Carrier & International Airport Man and Elephants Black is Black. And the American "NIGGER" Lives on! Reconciliation on hold in Sri Lanka - Letter sent to the National Post, Canada for publication Traitors committing a treacherous act SRI LANKA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS: LANKA TRADE MISSION COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO UNITED STATES Mahinda as "Maharajaneni": Constant lickers and variable arses The Political Problem A Bitter Fruit Gota warns of efforts to free hard core Tigers from IDP camps Three Sri Lankan Tamils arrive at Rameswaram Sri Lanka plans training for former Tamil rebels Kapugedera heroics give Lanka win over Pak Team for Sri Lanka to identify fishermen’s bodies
Fairtrade tea farmers in Sri Lanka are benefiting from networking and training, reports Thurangani Dahanayake. “When I first started my nursery I had 1,000 plants. Over the last five months I have increased it to 5,000& (oxfam.org.uk - 21/08/09)
by Staff Countries where Tamil Tiger rebels allegedly hold their assets are being urged to return them to Sri Lanka, a senior Sri Lankan government official says. Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the BBC the countries should also send back the rebels living there. The Sri Lankan military declared victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels in May, ending the rebels' 26-year-old fight for a separate homeland for the Tamil-speaking minority on the predominantly Buddhist island nation. Rajapaksa's demand follows the arrest of Selvarasa Pathmanathan, the new leader of the rebels, in another country. Pathmanathan has since been brought back to... -Full Story- (postchronicle.com - 21/08/09)
Sri Lanka's army has said it will be happy to give training to members of the Pakistani military. It says Islamabad has requested the training because of the country's success in defeating the Tamil Tigers. In May, the government announced the end to a decades-long war with the rebel group. The army's new commander told the BBC that Pakistan had already asked if it could send its military cadets to train in counter-insurgency operations. "We'll give a favourable response," Lt Gen Jagath Jayasuriya said of the request. He said the Sri Lankan military envisaged specialist courses lasting up to six... -Full Story- (BBC - 21/08/09)
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER - BUT BETTER NEVER LATE…….. All hats off to the brave and courageous UNP members who demonstrated yesterday that UNP is not a party to host politically impotent and nationally dangerous people like Mangala Samaraweera and his band but for the people who love the country truly and dearly. Although time wise it was bit late for this treatment for Mangala the culprit who conspires with enemies to topple the government or harm the President by some means, this initiation by the Kurunegala UNP people shall be extended till Ranil, Mangala and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/08/09)
President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared yesterday that by giving an overwhelming majority to the ruling party after the routing of terrorists in Sri Lanka the people have endorsed bringing the country under one flag. “Uva was the first election held after completely defeating the terrorists in the country. The overwhelming victory at the first election shows the people have wholeheartedly endorsed the policies of the government of bringing this country under one flag and a unitary government,†said President Rajapaksa speaking at the oath taking ceremony of the newly elected members and the board of ministers, at... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/08/09)
It is from the nature of humans to ask and to wonder why they do things. Muslims do things to please Allah, and they can please Allah only by obeying Him and practicing His religion. Thus, in answer to the question some ignorants may ask "Why do we fast ?" we respond that it is a commandment and a clear order from Allah upon us and we have no other choice by to obey Allah and Please Him out of Love and Fear at the same time. Allah says in the meaning of : "O you... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/08/09)
Finally the bereaved family of journalist Kamala Saikia, who was murdered by separatist militants 18 years back, has seen a ray of hope. The Assam-based freedom fighter turned teacher-journalist, Saikia fell prey to the conspiracy of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA, which admitted to it 15 years later in an official statement) on August 9 1991. After all these years, with the investigation process taking its own time, the Indian Prime Minister has promised to take initiative on the process to nab Saikia's killers. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was briefed about the professional... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/08/09)
Dr Dayan Jayatilleka leaves Geneva for Colombo this weekend, having served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, since June 1st 2007. Thursday, August 20th 2009 was his last day of service in that post. During his tenure he served as Chairman of the Governing body of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Vice President of the UN Human Rights Council (UN HRC), Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/08/09)
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has underscored the importance of enhancing economic and trade ties between his country and Sri Lanka. He made this call at a discussion with the new Sri Lankan Ambassador to Brazil, A.M.J. Sadiq, who presented his credentials to the President in Brasilia last Friday (14th August 2009).  Immediately following the presentation of his credentials at a ceremony held at the President's Office in the Brazilian capital, the Ambassador held a wide ranging discussion with President Lula, covering a number of matters of mutual... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/08/09)
By Anusha Ondaatjie and Asantha Sirimanne Aug. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka’s foreign-exchange reserves will rise to $3 billion from $2.1 billion at the end of July, boosted by foreign purchases of local debt, central bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. Overseas investors this week bought about $875 million of four- and six-year rupee-denominated bonds, Cabraal said in a telephone interview in Colombo today. The end of the island- nation’s 26-year civil war in May and a $2.6 billion loan approved last month by the International Monetary Fund have boosted investor confidence and increased capital flows into the South Asian country.... -Full Story- (Bloomberg - 20/08/09)
On August 18, the Security Forces (SFs) in the Puthukuddiyiruppu area of Wanni recovered 50 T-56 weapons and unearthed 8016 anti-personnel mines, haphazardly laid by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during their presence in those areas to trap the advancing troops, reports Sri Lanka Army. Separately, troops during search and clear operations in the Puthukuddiyiruppu, Adampan, Ampakamam and Kudumbimalai areas recovered 33 Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), 11 hand grenades, , one thermo-baric weapon, three Multi Propose Machine Guns (MPMG), 10 claymore mines, 3091 rounds of T-56 ammunition, two more T-56 weapons, three T-81 weapons, spare parts of T-56... -Full Story- (satp.org - 20/08/09)
CHENNAI: The allegation by Sri Lankan Minister for Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services, Abdul Risath Bathiyutheen, that LTTE funded Rajnikanth's films has once again turned the deco lights on funding of films. The minister reportedly told Asian Tribune, "The money was not directly sent. Millions of US dollars were given to a London-based Tamilian. He was asked to produce Tamil films in Chennai with top stars like Rajnikanth," (in Kuselar and during the initial days of shooting of Robot, which later changed hands and was also renamed Enthiran,) he claimed and said "the aging super star received the blood money."... -Full Story- (Times of India - 20/08/09)
- Chennai,Aug20: In a veiled attack on the pro-LTTE Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a senior Congress leader from Tamil Nadu Thursday warned that the outfits supporting banned terror organisations will face 'serious consequences' if they continued to back them. Without naming VCK, former TNCC president EVKS Elangovan described as "disgrace" the violence reportedly indulged in by the VCK cadre at the Madurai railway station two days back while on their way to attend the birthday celebrations of VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan at Chennai.... -Full Story- (manoramaonline.com - 20/08/09)
Sri Lanka's new army chief says the 250,000 people displaced by the recent conflict - currently in government camps - should be rapidly resettled. Lieutenant-General Jagath Jayasuriya, appointed last month, admitted there were obstacles in the way of this.... -Full Story- (BBC - 20/08/09)
COLOMBO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's central bank kept the rupee LKR= steady on Thursday by absorbing dollars to prevent appreciation, after a U.S. fund put more than $875 million into long-tenure treasury bonds this week. The rupee closed flat at 114.77/82 a dollar, for a fourth straight day. The central bank said on Thursday said the largest post-war investment -- the $875 million purchase of four- and six-year treasury bonds -- helped boost foreign exchange reserves by more than a third to over $3 billion. [ID:nCOL428771] Currency traders said the influx put upward pressure on the rupee, but... -Full Story- (in.reuters.com - 20/08/09)
By C. Bryson Hull COLOMBO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's new army commander on Thursday said he is planning a much smaller increase in the size of the post-war army, and wants to more than double its demining capacity to speed up refugee resettlement. Lt-Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya took over as army commander in July, succeeding General Sarath Fonseka, who led the campaign that crushed the Tamil Tiger separatists and brought a decisive end in May to one of Asia's longest-running civil wars.... -Full Story- (Reuters - 20/08/09)
PUTTALAM, Sri Lanka, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government Thursday hailed the smooth progress of the island's largest coal-fired power plant which is being built by a Chinese company in the northwest of the island. Basil Rajapakse, the senior advisor to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse stated at the power house sealing ceremony of the Norochchole Power Plant that he is satisfied that the first phase of the project can be completed 13 months ahead of schedule. "As the largest commercial project between Sri Lanka and China, the plant is unique and very important for Sri Lanka because... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 20/08/09)
One of Sri Lanka's most eminent academics has received an anonymous death threat, officials say. The threat in a letter was sent to the home of Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA). He is the latest in a long line of prominent people, mostly journalists, who have received death threats. They have in recent months been threatened, beaten up and in some cases murdered. Nearly all have been critical of government policy.... -Full Story- (BBC - 20/08/09)
The inaugural 2009 Lanka Challenge, Sri Lanka’s first official Tuk-Tuk rally will take place from 5 to 15 September, 2009. Twenty five teams of intrepid competitors from around the world will navigate the 1200km route in auto-rickshaws taking them through mountains, rainforests, tea plantations, coastal villages and busy towns. The Lanka Challenge will set out to test the participants racing skills in their three-wheeled mean machines and involve the teams in a number of daily challenges along the route involving the local community. The 10-day Challenge will give the teams of two or three an up close and personal experience... -Full Story- (breakingtravelnews.com - 20/08/09)
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 20 Aug 2009 Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe notes that the main target of the government is to resettle the displaced people in relief villages in their own villages at the earliest He said that President Rajapaksa was keen to achieve that objective and make it a reality soon. Minister Samarasinghe disclosed that an integrated programme is in place to face flood threats and other natural emergencies. He pointed out that the health facilities in the welfare villages were at a satisfactory level.... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 20/08/09)
Sri Lanka’s new army commander yesterday said he is planning a much smaller increase in the size of the post-war army, and wants to more than double its demining capacity to speed up refugee resettlement. Lt-Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya took over as army commander in July, succeeding General Sarath Fonseka, who led the campaign that crushed the Tamil Tiger separatists and brought a decisive end in May to one of Asia’s longest-running civil wars.... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 20/08/09)
Citi wins a total cash management mandate from Sri Lankan mobile phone operator Mobitel. Sri Lankan mobile phone operator Mobitel has adopted a total cash management solution provided by Citi to streamline its treasury processes. Under the terms of the mandate, Citi has automated and centralised Mobitel's payables, receivables and reconciliation processes with its local Sri Lankan branch. The mandate utilises the bank's electronic banking platform, called CitiDirect.... -Full Story- (financeasia.com - 20/08/09)
Colombo, Aug. 20: The Sri Lankan government has accused actor Rajnikanth of being bankrolled by Tamil Tiger “blood moneyâ€ÂÂÂ.A senior cabinet minister provoked controversy when he claimed some of Rajnikanth’s films were funded by the terrorist group. Abdul Rishad Bathiudeen, the disaster relief minister, claimed the actor’s fame and fortune were based on funding from financiers in London.The minister said he had been paid “lavishly†in “blood moneyâ€ÂÂÂ.... -Full Story- (telegraphindia.com - 20/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: Several countries, including Pakistan, have expressed the desire to learn from Sri Lanka’s experience in successfully fighting terrorism, according to Sri Lankan Army chief Jagath Jayasuriya. Speaking at his Regimental Headquarters here on Thursday, Lieutenant-General Jayasuriya said the Army had no hesitation in sharing the knowledge with the armies of other countries. The Army chief said, in his assessment, Sri Lanka’s military strength needed to be enhanced from the present 2,00,000 to 2,25,000. “The actual new recruits could be around 50,000 as for the last two-and-half years those eligible to retire were not permitted due to... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 20/08/09)
Special Correspondent CHENNAI: The Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Movement on Thursday adopted a declaration that Tamil Eelam was the only solution “to save the Tamils from the onslaught of Sri Lankan government.â€ÂÂÂAt a meeting organised by the movement here, speakers said it was not possible for the island Tamils to live peacefully along with Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. They criticised Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for remaining a mute spectator to “annihilation of Tamils on the island.â€ÂÂÂ... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 20/08/09)
A top secret report written to Norway’s Foreign Ministry by a country’s senior diplomat and leaked to the newspaper Aften Posten has severely attacked the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon for what is generally believed for not toeing the line of the West. Among the many things he has been criticized of by the Norwegian diplomat and the country’s ambassador to the UN Mona Juul is how the Secretary General reacted to the military operations against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam terrorist group. Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine publishing a report on the leaked documents... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/08/09)
Pandemonium reigned at an opposition United National Party (UNP)meeting at Kurunegala yesterday when Mangala Samaraweera was hooted down and was compelled to stop his speech. Ultimately the United national Party Deputy leader karu jayasuriya’s efforts to calm down the vociferous members of the meeting to stop their boos had to be given up. Video clips broadcast of the incident show dozens of members simultaneously boo Samaraweera when he was trying to make a point about the Internally Displaced Persons camps run by the government. “280,000 people are camped out there because 20,000 terrorists are among them,â€ÂÂÂ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/08/09)
Delivering the Eighth Neelan Tiruchelvam Memorial Lecture at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES), Colombo, on July 29th 2007 Gareth Evans, President, International Crisis Group (ICG), has in his characteristic eloquent style clinically analyzed and described the new instrument of international intervention needed to prevent future "Holocausts and Cambodias and Rwandas and Bosnias of the past, and the Darfurs of the present, and maybe the Iraqs of the near future" happening again. He names the new instrument as "R2P". It is Gareth Evans? shorthand for "responsibility to protect". He also spells out his reasons to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/08/09)
August 19th 2009 A recent item in the Toronto Star by Human Rights Watch ~ representative Jo Becker captioned "Canada missed opportunity to right Sri Lanka's wrongs" may be a bold instigation urging Canada to take an anti Sri Lankan Government stance while also sounding sympathetic towards the huge anti Sri Lankan Government Lobby comprising of many dissident diaspora Tamils residing in that country and needs to be put into proper perspective lest the global community is misled by this type of rhetoric. Jo Becker says that "In voting last month to approve a $2.6 billion (U.S.) IMF loan... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/08/09)
New figures released by the government of Sri Lanka show that the number of displaced people living in government-run welfare centers has dropped by nearly 50,000 as people continue to return to their homes. According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, the welfare centers housed 248,813 people as of Aug. 13. That’s about 50,000 fewer than in June, when the centers held nearly 300,000 people. Some of the reduction occurred when about 10,000 people recently returned to their homes in the northern cities of Mannar and Jaffna, where extensive... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/08/09)
Mr. Robert Blake Assistant Secretary of State, South & Central Asia State Department Washington,D.C. U.S.A.  Dear Sir:  I have written to you in the past when as Ambassador in Sri Lanka you were doing what you could to help the Tamil Tiger terrorists (LTTE), projecting an attitude that your mandate was to "instruct" the government of Sri Lanka in their dealings with the terrorist LTTE. It was not to benefit Sri Lanka but for the benefit of the LTTE. Right up to the elimination of the hierarchy of the LTTE in May you did your utmost to provide the LTTE hierarchy with... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/08/09)
We as Sri Lankans can very well remember the speeches, press conferences and discussions given by Malcolm Ranjith as Bishop of Ratnapura during the period of 2001 – 2005. The comments given by him during those speeches are full of distorted facts and specifically related with Ceasfire Agreement entered by the BIGGEST TRAITOR EVER PRODUCED by Sri Lanka i.e. Ranil Wickramasighe. During this period, Malcolm Ranjith was such an outrageous supporter of Ceasefire Agreement and LTTE view point. In this respect, I would say that entire Management of the Roman Catholic curch and other Churches( not... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/08/09)
Dayaka Sabhawa of Gangarama Viharaya, Hunupitiya, Colombo-2 donated Rs.10 million to the newly established "Mahinda Rajapaksa Country Development Fund" at Temple Trees recently. Members of the Dayaka Sabhawa officially launched the Fund and handed over the donation to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the ceremony. Symbolically this Fund was inaugurated by Chief incumbent of the Gangaramaya Viharaya Ven Galaboda Gnanissara Nayaka Thero on 16th May, the day President came back to Sri Lanka from Jordan. Ven Thero initiated the Fund with a contribution of Rs.1.6 million from Bhadrawathi Charitable Trust and the money was in a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/08/09)
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday in Ratnapura that no one is above the law in Sri Lanka and in the Security forces and the police there is no place for those people who have no control over themselves. Addressing a felicitation ceremony organized by the people of Sabaragamuwa to mark three months to the victory of the armed forces against the enemy the President said, “the armed forces won plaudits from the world due to the high degree of discipline maintained by them during the military operations recently.†Chief Sanganayaka of Sabaragamuwa Ven Vehelle Attadassi nayaka... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/08/09)
One of the basic needs of human and the responsibility of the government is to provide safe and clean drinking water. This is particularly important in the North Central Province (NCP) of Sri Lanka . Vast majority of the drinking water supply in this region is contaminated and hence people suffer from ailment related to drinking as well as consuming foods contaminated as a result of these polluted water. Some of the worst affected areas include Padaviya, Siripura, Medawachchiya, Kebithigollawe, Mahawillachchiya, Thanthirimale, Eppawela, Medirigirya, Welikanda, Aralaganwila, Welioya, and Girandurukotte. It is estimated that over 20% of the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/08/09)
A US State Department press release of Wednesday August 12, 2009 following a meeting with 16 representatives of the Tamil Diaspora on August 11, 2009 to discuss the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka sends a message of many hues to those of us who have followed the actions of the US State Department. The Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Robert Blake and US Charge d’Affairs in Sri Lanka have lost no time in building their relations with Tamil Diaspora many of whom have never set foot in Sri Lanka or ever... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/08/09)
WASHINGTON -- The situation in Sri Lanka continues to improve dramatically as the nation approaches the three-month anniversary of its defeat over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam terrorist group. Sri Lankan government figures now show that 248,813 displaced people are living in government-run welfare centers, a number that is down about 51,000 from several months ago as more and more residents return to their homes. During the last several weeks, 10,000 of those displaced civilians returned to their homes in the northern cities of Jaffna and Mannar. Another 10,000 senior citizens have been moved... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/08/09)
This is a response to an press release by the Asst Secretary Mr. Thassim of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama on the 18th of August 2009 in the Daily News. The Islamic Solidarity front of North America says the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama and the tawheed does not belong to Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'at. Who are involved in various fundamentalist activities? Certain Muslim organisations are involved in terrorist activities in the east and related to armed groups and also certain Prominent Muslim politicians are the cover for these groups. These... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/08/09)
Tarusha Fernando’s excellent performance (while playing for Switzerland) at a tender age of 15 will no doubt catch the eye of the selectors of the Sri Lankan Cricket Board with a fervent hope of yet another shining star emerging to uplift and maintain the high international standard of Sri Lankan cricket in the future. A fifteen year old Sri Lankan Tarusha Fernando, playing for Switzerland, shone in Bologna, Italy, when he exhibited a magnificent display of the Willow on the cricket field by massacring European bowlers with fourteen astounding boundaries to score 58... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/08/09)
Mohamed ElBaradei has aptly highlighted the prevailing unbalanced nuclear environment (Time magazine August 17, 2009). Baradei, whose reappointment was `vehemently opposed by the USA’, every country has the right to nuclear technology. The Nuclear Suppliers’ Group granted waiver to India though it had, like Pakistan, stayed away from signing the NPT. The NSG did so despite worldwide protests by ‘ABOLITION 2000’, a conglomerate of 2,000 peace groups. Critics drew attention to India’s lack-lustre `non-proliferation’ record. India has not only been exporting dual-use materials to countries aspiring to develop nuclear weapons but also imparting them necessary skills. The... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/08/09)
General Sarath Fonseka said in Kandy the Internally Displaced persons in welfare centres run by the government cannot be easily resettled in their villages haphazardly but in a very methodical manner due to very many factors important for the benefit of them as well as for the country. “Some people think it is an overtly simple task, and the contention is wrongâ€ÂÂÂ, said the Chief of Defense Staff when he paid a courtesy call on the Mahanayaka of Malwatte and Asgiriya theros after worshipping at the Temple of the Tooth. First of all, in those areas... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/08/09)
The cricket captaincy of Sri Lanka changed hands with consummate ease. As reckoned Kumar Sangakkara proved captain ‘le magnifique’. Opening his occupancy with theT20 world cup final, a format in which Sri Lanka was not even remotely expected to figure in, the new guard to slithered into business. Taking on the same opponents in a home series, Sri Lanka scooped the tests and ODIs series in one long staggering breath, leaving the country agog in anticipation of the skippers antics. It seemed like Sangakkara had acquired the ‘Midas touch’. Every ploy of his worked and success followed... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/08/09)
Britain’s The Independent newspaper has reported that the dawn of peace in Sri Lanka has resulted in a rapid jump of the number of tourists coming to the country- “a leap that officials say represents part of the peace dividend.†Quoting Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority the report said tourist arrival in July increased by 28 per cent from a year ago , the second straight rise since May. The report written by Andrew Buncombe said, “The end of Sri Lanka’s bitter civil war has seen a rapid jump in the number of tourists visiting the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/08/09)
Rev. S. Emilianus Pillai one time caretaker of the Madhu shrine told the Time magazine that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) broke an agreement with the church not to move into the church compound, and moved mortar launchers in the church property and started firing for hours. Telling his main concern was the safety of the statue the Catholic pries also added, “I went into the Shrine and hid there. The shelling went on for hours.†Rev. Father Emilianus Pillai further told the Time that he was concerned about the safety of the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/08/09)
Dismissing UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s criticism that nearly 280,000 displaced persons had been held at camps in the Vavuniya region against their wish, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa accused the Opposition of playing politics with essentially a security issue. The Defence Secretary warned that LTTE terrorists masquerading as civilians, now taking refuge among the displaced, could resume attacks if the government gave in to internal and external pressure and released them. He said that there were a lot of explosives, arms and ammunition buried in the Vanni, particularly in the eastern part. Had they... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/08/09)
August 17, 2009 To Hon. Maria Minna, Liberal MP for Beaches-East York Hon. John McCallum, Liberal MP for Markham-Unionville John McKay, Liberal MP for Scarborough-Guildwood Andrew Kania, Liberal MP for Brampton West Derek Lee, Liberal MP for Scarborough-Rouge River Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal MP for Don Valley East Michelle Simpson, Liberal MP for Scarborough Southwest Dear Maria, John MC, John MK, Andrew, Derek, Yasmin and Michelle: The notice of your presence at the United Tamil Council of Canada (UTCC) fundraiser in the Holiday Inn at Markham in... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/08/09)
India has not ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Yet, it has been exempted from nuclear restrictions imposed on non-signatories. The West has accorded preferential treatment to India ostensibly in consideration of her `immaculate’ nuclear safety record. India’s Nuclear Power Corporation boisterously claims: "NPC engineers have shared their expertise internationally by participating in safety reviews and inspection of reactors in other countries conducted by the World Association of Nuclear Operators and the International Atomic Energy Agency. We are continuously updating our safety systems and procedures even at the cost of short-term economic benefit. Besides, all our plants are... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/08/09)
... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/08/09)
“ …remove all the military camps in Jaffna…†says Parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran of TNA, proxy for LTTE - reported by Colombo Page, August 15, 2009. This is not from 2004. This is August 2009, just 3 months after the terrorist LTTE was crushed. Now begins the campaign by the Racist Tiger Movement in Hiding – the “Trans National Whatever†(PTGE) & Company, here and abroad. THE WRITING’s ON THE WALL The writing is on the wall; this is the beginning of the next phase – “the Agitation Phase†- that Paul Harris predicted in his “the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/08/09)
If a Hong Kong-born, British-Indian model without knowing two proper words of Hindi could dream of ruling the roost in Bollywood, why should other Katrina Kaif firang wannabe Katrina Kaifs not hope to make it big in Mumbai’s film industry? Bollywood earlier had Rachel Shelley in Lagaan, Antonio Bernath in Kisna, Brande Rodricks in Out of Control and Alice Patten in Rang De Basanti, now others are waiting in the wings to shine and dazzle once the spotlight’s on. Brazilian model Giselle Monteiro, who made viewers sit up and take notice of her Punjabi kudi act in Love Aaj Kal,... -Full Story- (Times of India - 17/08/09)
Toshichika Maeda / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Naoko Imoto, a former Olympic swimmer who competed for Japan in the 1996 Atlanta Games, now puts all of her effort into ensuring an education for children in Sri Lanka. "To restore [a country ravaged by civil war] it's essential that human resources be fostered. For that goal, it's important to educate kids," said Imoto, 33, who keeps herself busy building temporary classrooms at camps packed with a total of about 280,000 refugees. Imoto was assigned to Sri Lanka two years ago in her role as a UNICEF official. Though the country's 25... -Full Story- (yomiuri.co.jp - 17/08/09)
GENEVA - Human rights groupings around the world are calling for an end to the bloc system in the United Nations main rights forum which they say enables countries guilty of gross abuses to sit on the body. In an appeal sent to the 47 governments on the Human Rights Council, a total of 74 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also urge an end to the election of its members by regional slates and make sure that every seat is open to contest. “We call on all U.N. member states to bring vote trading arrangements and uncompetitive elections for the council to... -Full Story- (Khaleej Times - 17/08/09)
Sri Lanka: The Government Should Appoint A Group Of Supreme Court Judges To Inquire Into The Police Extrajudicial Killings Basil Fernando Large crowds gathered around the Angulana police station today (13th of August) as the news spread of two schoolboys killed due to police assault. The bodies of the two boys, Dinesh Tharanga Fernando and Danushka Udaya, were found near the railway tracks. They had been arrested on the previous day, allegedly for teasing a girl. Free: Scoop SwineFlu Alerts Powershop Pioneers - Join & Win! The Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Angulana police station and six other police... -Full Story- (scoop.co.nz - 17/08/09)
COLOMBO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The former Tamil Tiger rebels now living in government-run welfare camps pose a serious threat to national security if allowed to leave the camps, the top defense official Gotabhaya Rajapakse was quoted in a press report here Monday. Independent English language daily The Island said Rajapakse had warned that "LTTE terrorists masquerading as civilians now taking refuge among the displaced could resume attacks if the government gave into internal and external pressure and released them". Rajapakse had blamed the opposition groups for trying to make political capital out of the IDP issue. The main opposition... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 17/08/09)
By Ranga Sirilal COLOMBO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's rupee strengthened on Monday for the first time since the end of a 25-year civil war in mid-May, after the central bank let some appreciation occur as the result of high foreign buying of government securities. But the central bank warned it would continue to invervene but did not specify a level where it would step in again, after buying dollars at 114.90 rupees over the last three months to prevent appreciation and boost foreign exchange reserves. "The central bank's intervention is not seen and there is an inflow of... -Full Story- (iii.co.uk - 17/08/09)
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 17 Aug 2009 More than 500 internally displaced persons, who are accommodated in the Menik Farm, who were taken to safer areas by the security forces due to the flooding, have now returned to their camps. On August 15 around 500 IDPs out of 37,000 who are in Zone 1 shifted to safer locations by the security forces to avoid hardships caused by the rains, said a senior government official in Vavuniya. All measures have been taken to meet emergency requirements of the people affected and sufficient food and drinking water were supplied. More... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 17/08/09)
Rasika Somarathna Seven Indian nationals engaged in an illegal textile business while being on tourist visa have been arrested for violating Sri Lankan visa provisions. Plans are afoot to deport them after an investigation, Immigration and Emigration Department, Investigation Unit Head, Assistant Controller W. Devendraraja said. The seven Indians were arrested in Batticaloa by Police on the instructions of Devendraraja after being informed that they were engaged in selling textiles as street vendors. Foreigner engaging in business while on tourist Visa is not permitted under the Sri Lankan Immigration and Emigration Laws. According to Devendraraja his unit so far this... -Full Story- (Daily News - 17/08/09)
Special Correspondent Karunanidhi writes to Manmohan on Sri Lanka Special Correspondent CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to “step in to end the sufferings of the displaced families in Sri Lanka.†“I feel it is high time that the Government of India exerted diplomatic and political pressure at appropriate levels on the Government of Sri Lanka, at least on humanitarian grounds. I hope I can expect early action in this regard,†he said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the press. Mr. Karunanidhi said that the displaced... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 17/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy Colombo: High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Alok Prasad on Tuesday handed over to the U.N. Resident Representative, Neil Buhne, the fourth consignment of relief goods from India meant for the war-displaced population in northern Sri Lanka. The 600-tonne consignment, valued at over $3-million, arrived in Colombo on August 8. It consists of more than 6,00,000 packages of grocery items, utensils, plastic mats, clothing materials including children’s clothing, footwear, jerry cans and personal hygiene items. Most of the items are in enough quantity to cover the needs of 80,000 families, nearly the entire IDP population in... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 17/08/09)
Elections reveal a country still divided AFTER a resounding military victory over the Tamil Tigers, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s president, must have hoped for triumph in the first post-war polls in the scarred north. In the event, low turnout and the unexpected success of a pro-Tiger party jolted the government in the elections on August 8th to the Jaffna municipal and Vavuniya urban councils. Turnout was 22% in Jaffna (of an unrealistically inflated register) and 52% in Vavuniya. The ruling coalition led by the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) won 13 out of 23 seats on the Jaffna council. But... -Full Story- (economist.com - 17/08/09)
Dilrook Kannangara is right-on when he says the president should avoid cheap popularity. At this stage of the game, the president doesn’t need to seek popularity, embracing people and kissing babies, and all kinds of public appearances in front of large crowds - even inside Temple Trees.  “Today we were unlucky, but remember we only have to be lucky once. You will have to be lucky always.†– The IRA terrorists on the failure of their Brighton hotel bombing to kill British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.  The LTTE terrorists repeated the above and proved their word,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/08/09)
MYSTERY continues to surround the death of a nephew of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Arusha last week, with police now suspecting that it may have been caused by a drug overdose rather than homicide. The 43-year-old Shyamlal Rajapaksa, a Sri-Lankan trial attorney at the Arusha-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR),was found dead in his home last Wednesday. Arusha Regional Police Commander (RPC) Matei Basilio told THISDAY by phone from Arusha yesterday that an initial postmortem has shown traces of drug use by the late Rajapaksa.... -Full Story- (thisday.co.tz - 17/08/09)
How fragile Sri Lanka is to separatist attacks is best seen from the miracles that brought Rajapaksha to power. He has turned the biggest problem faced by the nation upside down. His wise thinking and leadership has helped the country overcome many challenges. There is no comparable to him; there never was in post-1948 history. However, all his victories can be easily ruined by getting rid of him. Tigers and their intimate regressive partners are hell-bent on killing him. There is said to be a female suicide bomber lurking around Colombo, a bomb was found buried... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/08/09)
I write to disclaim authorship of the article on Sri Lankan History which appears on number of  web sites – including SPUR - indicating me as the author. This article first appeared on e mails as far as I recall in April - early May . It was doing the rounds and I recall forwarding it to some on my mailing list too. Somewhat later,  I realised through comments reaching me ( often of a highly positive nature! ) that authorship was supposedly mine. I immediately and repeatedly dislcaimed authorship. Please see http://manouris.wordpress.com Very sincerely... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/08/09)
“Nothing except a battle won can be half as melancholy as a battle lost†(Duke of Wellington 1769-1852) General Nalin Seneviratne VSV the 10th Commander of the SL Army died on 12 August 2009 aged 78 years. He joins in Valhalla those who were in the thin red line of defenders of the nation who predeceased him. History will record that he was the first army commander who defeated the LTTE in 1987, resisting attempts by the faint hearted to abort the epic Vadamarachchi battle in its first hour. The war was finally won... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/08/09)
The common people of Northeast India have shown their braveness and gratitude to the motherland once again on the 63rd Independence Day (of India), as they came out in large number to join the celebration defying the diktats of separatist militants. Not only the government functions, but also the private programmes for the observation of the Day were flocked by conscious citizens of the region. Mentionable that five armed outfits of Northeast called for a general strike (starting from 1 am to 6.30 pm of August 15) to boycott all the celebrations of India’s Independence Day in... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/08/09)
COLOMBO: Tears rolled down the cheeks of family members of 110 former LTTE child soldiers when they met their teenage children, who were carrying arms and guns just four months back, for the first time after the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka.... -Full Story- (Times of India - 16/08/09)
Proceeds from bond will be used in island-nation's former war zone COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will issue a new five-year, $500 million sovereign dollar bond in late September or early October and is aiming for a yield of 7%, Sri Lanka’s central bank said. Proceeds from the bond, Sri Lanka’s second entry into the international debt market, will be used mainly to fund capital investments in the island-nation’s former war zone. The military won a 25-year war against Tamil Tiger separatists in May. “The minimum benchmark size in the international capital market is $500 million. So our plan is to go... -Full Story- (dailytimes.com.pk - 16/08/09)
NEW DELHI: With de-mining of north Sri Lanka gaining momentum, India is sending a team of agriculture experts there to assist in activation of farming in the areas that have been freed from the LTTE control.The team, to be led by a crop scientist of Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), is expected to travel to Sri Lanka by the end of this month. The agriculture experts will assess the soil condition, irrigation facilities and weather conditions among other aspects to determine how farming could be started in the areas freed from LTTE control, sources told PTI here.... -Full Story- (Times of India - 16/08/09)
NEW DELHI: With de-mining of north Sri Lanka gaining momentum, India is sending a team of agriculture experts there to assist in activation of farming in the areas that have been freed from the LTTE control. The team, to be led by a crop scientist of Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), is expected to travel to Sri Lanka by the end of this month. The agriculture experts will assess the soil condition, irrigation facilities and weather conditions among other aspects to determine how farming could be started in the areas freed from LTTE control, sources told PTI here.... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 16/08/09)
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Heavy rains have caused havoc in camps housing nearly 300,000 people displaced by war in Sri Lanka's war-ravaged north, an official said Sunday. The flooding has raised fears for the welfare of the ethnic Tamils living in tents and makeshift shelters. Downpours in the last two days have forced authorities to move hundreds in the Manik Farm camp to safer areas. "Around 200 persons there have been shifted to locations on higher grounds within the camp premises," said P.S.M. Charles, the senior government official in Vavuniya, where the camp is located.... -Full Story- (Yahoo - 16/08/09)
By Andrew Buncombe The end of Sri Lanka’s bitter civil war has seen a rapid jump in the number of tourists visiting the island – a leap that officials say represents part of the peace dividend. Tourist arrivals in July increased by 28 per cent from a year ago, the second straight rise since May. “This is mainly due to the peace situation in the country,†S Kalaiselvam, director general at the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, told Reuters. “We are confident of achieving at least similar to last year’s figure and revenue. Our target is to get 2.5 million... -Full Story- ( - 16/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government has sought to put at rest doubts in some quarters in general and a section of the Indian establishment in particular on the latest agreement between Sri Lanka and Chinese Exim Bank for development of the Hambantota Port. Ports Minister Chamal Rajpaksa said on Sunday: “We have been following the debate on the Chinese investment on the Hambantota Port project. Some people are under the impression that the project could adversely impact the geo-strategic interests of some countries in the region. It is not true. It is a development and commercial project... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 16/08/09)
by Shanika SRIYANANDA Following the explosive revelations of Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP), the LTTE’s new leader who is now in Government custody, all LTTE assets and funds handled by him are now under the microscope. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told the Sunday Observer that the Government, while continuing its hunt for the remaining LTTEers abroad, will go after LTTE’s assets and all monetary collections handled by him. He said that though there was no concrete estimate on the wealth of the LTTE yet, the Government was now pursuing these aspects. Minister Bogollagama, who announced the Government’s plans to hunt KP and... -Full Story- (sundayobserver.lk - 16/08/09)
Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Alok Prasad delivering his country’s independence day message said Sri Lanka has become An example to eliminate terrorism for India as well as the rest of the world. Pakistan has also expressed similar sentiments regarding the elimination of terrorism earlier. Both India and Pakistan are two countries in the subcontinent who are gravely suffering from terrorism having adverse effects on their economies. There is also widespread belief in the subcontinent that the former colonial powers are in toe with some terrorist movements in the geographical area. The Indian High Commissioner... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/08/09)
I am the best friend of Mrs. Sandhya Kumari Jayawardene, the mother of Anuththara Kavindi Jayawardene, the 14-year old girl who is said to have hung herself with her school tie on 22nd July 2009 . Kavindi's mother and I are best friends since August 2000 and Kavindi was a dear friend of my daughter, who was two years younger to her. I have known Kavindi quite closely since she was in Montessori with my daughter.  Her father is a professional/graduate Accountant and her mother too was in the accountancy field before she gave up her... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/08/09)
It is a well-known fact among international security experts that one of the longstanding foreign policy doctrines of the United States is to destabilize countries and regions that are considered hostile to US economic and strategic interests. This policy has been the bedrock of American military and covert operations across the globe throughout the cold war period. When the US fails to win support from countries for its self-interested economic and defense policies, the US undertakes covert operations to overthrow democratically elected leaders in those countries by supporting military juntas and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
Perinpanayagam Sivaparan alias Nediyawan (the tall one in Tamil)Who is rumoured to be the next leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been questioned by the Norwegian police, a Tamil language website based in London said.  The editor of the website, Thesamnet.co.uk, Sivapalan Thambirajan said, “We do not know why he has been questioned but we know he has been questioned.† The thirty three year old Nediyawan (or Tall one) unlike the second leader of the LTTE, in his personal dealings, trusted the power of brawn and is believed to be ruthless like... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
PTGTE requests Malaysian Govt to announce details surrounding the abduction of KP. “In the case of Mr Pathmanathan’s abduction, the rule of law has once again been violated by international actors with respect to Tamils. The proper procedure would have been to secure the extradition of Mr. Pathmanathan if he had broken any law, rather than taking action outside the law and seizing a person in a manner that could be compared to those performed by bounty hunters, posses or even criminal gangs. Those who have seized Mr. Pathmanathan in such a gangsterâ€ÂÂÂlike fashion are interested... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
Balochistan is not just a land but a story full of courage , determination  and adventure. The readers are always expecting something new something novel at every line and every word. All time new challenges new threats, new fronts and new battles; but salute to the brave people of Balochistan for never giving up the courage and determination even in the most alluring moments when their veiled enemies are offering them a hypocritical hand of friendship trying to drag them to a heavenly hell.  A few days back, two days before the Independence Day of Pakistan the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
 Much ink is being made to flow on the subject of the relative good performance of the TNA at the recent polls. The elections were especially significant on several counts; the most important of them being the blunder of the government think tanks in holding them at this unpropitious moment. Indeed there was nothing to justify the holding of these elections because nothing had normalized in those parts of the country. The think tanks were perhaps led by the president’s declarations that henceforth there are no minorities in this country. Where on earth is there... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
Dr. Michael Spence, Vice Chancellor, University of Sydney.  Dear Dr. Spence,  I am writing this email to bring to your attention of, what appears to be, an abuse of Sydney University resources to promote certain political agendas by some of your staff.  You may be aware that the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPACS) of University of Sydney is co-hosting a conference titled Human Rights in Sri Lanka and Australia’s Role. A copy of the flyer is attached for your information.  While I was proud to hear that Australian academics are taking a keen interest... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
Secretary to the Treasury Sumith Abeysinghe, signed two financing agreements relating to the construction of the Colombo – Katunayake Expressway and the Hambantota Bunkering Project with the Vice President Zhu Xinqiang, of the Exim Bank of China on 6th August 2009. He is currently on a 4 day visit to Beijing to discuss future bilateral development assistance programme to Sri Lanka.  Congratulating Sri Lanka for the recent victory in defeating terrorism, the Vice President Zhu Xinqiang recalled the strong bilateral relations existing between the two countries and expressed that overall... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
City University London study says Sri Lankan’s favourite brew tea could significantly reduce anxiety levels after suffering a stressful experience. The study by Malcom Cross, psychologist says in some cases in such situations make people calmer than they were before. The study further said tea making itself reduced stress levels by up to a quarter. The study found what millions of tea lovers believed for a long time, that if one is anxious or upset the cuppa really cheered one up. The experiment , at the center of the study which placed volunteers in a stressful... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya met with Senator Robert Casey (D-PA), the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, on Wednesday, August 5, 2009. Senator Casey and Ambassador Wickramasuriya discussed Sri Lanka’s reconciliation efforts and the conditions of the centers for civilians displaced by the conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Ambassador Wickramasuriya explained Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s plan for redeveloping the Northern province following the government’s victory in May over the LTTE. He also informed Senator Casey of the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
Milinda Moragoda Minister of Justice and Law Reforms has appointed former diplomat Nanda Godage to head the Board of Prison Visitors. Rajan Asiriwatham, Arjun Deraniyagala, H.G. Dharmadasa, and Imtiyas Ismail were also appointed to the Board as members by the Minister. According to the Prisons Act, the Board of Prison Visitors has full powers to visit prisons at any time and shall have free access to any part of the prison or to any prisoner therein, as well as the right to inspect the premises, equipment, or diet provided for the prisoners. The... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
There is good news. Sri Lanka is the world's 22nd happiest place on earth whilst Costa Rica is the best according to a new survey by a British non-governmental group. The New Economics Foundation looked at 143 countries that are home to 99 percent of the world's population and devised an equation that weighed life expectancy and people's happiness against their environmental impact. By that formula, Costa Rica is the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
The Thirty-sixth Session of the SAARC Programming Committee, chaired by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka Prasad Kariyawasam, was held at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu on 10th and 11th August 2009.  The Meeting was attended by representatives of Foreign/External Affairs Ministries of all SAARC Member States. Deliberations included issues related to Meetings of SAARC Technical Committees, Working Groups, and Regional Centres; consideration of efficiency and disciplinary rules for Regional Centres; financial and administrative matters of the SAARC Secretariat and Regional Centres and the schedule of SAARC Programmes... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
The Terrorist Investigations Division (TID) of Sri Lanka has arrested the Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Gampaha Division over alleged connections with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Colombo Page reported on August 13. The Police spokesman Senior Superintendent of Police Ranith Gunasekara said the SP, Laxman Cooray has been taken into custody following the details disclosed by a LTTE suspect arrested by the TID earlier. The SP Cooray has worked in the Jaffna region before he was transferred to Gampaha Police division. According to TID sources, further questioning is now underway.... -Full Story- (satp.org - 14/08/09)
www.chinaview.cn 2009-08-14 20:53:21 Print COLOMBO, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Japan has provided 117 million rupees (about 1.02 million U.S. dollars) to improve the sanitary condition in Sri Lanka's northern welfare camps where about 300,000 Tamil civilians are being housed, the Sri Lankan government said Friday. The Department of Government said in a statement that the aid package will provide much needed equipment for transportation of garbage, water and waste water and will include 26 tractors, four tipper lorries, two loaders, a backhoe loader and two pick up trucks. The funds will also be used to improve roadside drains in the... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 14/08/09)
Selvarasa Pathmanathan, alias KP, the new LTTE chief who was arrested last week, has revealed details of hundreds of bank accounts maintained by the Tigers’ in countries across the world. According to the national news agency of Sri Lanka, Lankapuvath, KP told his interrogators that at last 1582 bank accounts were maintained by LTTE. "It is true that KP has revealed that the LTTE had a large number of accounts. We are verifying the accounts. While the money that could have been in these accounts was being added, it could easily run into a couple of billions ($),’’ government minister... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 14/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Thursday signed two key developmental projects worth $350 million with the Exim Bank of China. The Sri Lanka Board of Investment said here Secretary to the Treasury Sumith Abeysinghe signed the agreements relating to the construction of the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway and the Hambantota Bunkering Project with vice-president Zhu Xinqiang of the Exim Bank of China. Mr. Abeysinghe is on a four-day visit to Beijing to discuss bilateral development assistance programme to Sri Lanka. Recent months have seen a major spurt in economic relations between Colombo and Beijing. A few weeks ago, China became... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 14/08/09)
Dr. Subhash Kapila Aug. 13, -S.A.A.G. Introductory Observations The Indian Republic in the first fifty years of its existence maintained a strategic autonomy in the conduct of its foreign policy despite a much more limited national power profile and economic profile than that exists today. Today, when India is economically vibrant and strong and India has been able to amass sizeable conventional and strategic assets, India to its citizens seems strategically tied down in adding muscle to the conduct of its foreign policy. Adding muscle to India’s foreign policy does not imply war mongering or military adventurism. Adding muscle to... -Full Story- (southasiaanalysis.org - 14/08/09)
The Janata Vimukthi Peramuna who quit the UPFA government could be always welcomed back to the government fold , Minister maitripala Sirisena said yesterday. General Secretary of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party said in a television interview yesterday if the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna remained in the government it would have been beneficial for both parties. “It would have been good for them and it would have been good for us. See, by quitting the alliance they have created a setback for themâ€ÂÂÂ, the minister said in a conciliatory tone yesterday taking part in a TV... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
(I heard that a letter to the Island editor on April 25th 1997 ended the then “Package deals†of law professor G. L. Peiris. I write this letter praying for an end to the APRC proposal of minister Vitharana.) Marxism and Malwatta After two atapirikara-carrying trips to Malwatta and Asgiriya temples, minister Vitharana, Chairman, APRC, has given an outline of his “power sharing mechanism†to a Daily News reporter (Daily News, 3/30/2007). He had also spoken before the OPA on 3/27/2007, especially on the devolution of water resources. The general secretary of LSSP visiting Malwatta and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
Paul Harris pointed out the irreversible division of the country, way back, when the well known fool, RW was running the country. The Govt of RW, in a typical fashion of shooting the messenger, instead of listening to him, deported him! It is sad that the Govt. want to implement the great land give away initiated by the biggest fool and traitor of Sri Lanka, even after winning the war. Our soldiers had to put up a very brave fight at the risk of losing their lives and limbs to take back the illegally granted land. This... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
It has been widely accepted that Sri Lanka has a Tamil speaking minority of 25% of its population. According to demographic analysis this figure has been computed as follows. Sri Lanka Tamils 12% +Estate Tamils 6% and Muslims 7% =25%. Superficially, at first sight it is correct. The Tamils have shown this figure as the “Tamil†minority of Sri Lanka who do not know any other language other than Tamil, who are been discriminated by the government by forcibly imposing the Sinhala language on them by the Sinhala only... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
A deepening political crisis in the main opposition, United National Party was evident when parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera stormed out of a Working Committee meeting threatening to resign from the powerful committee. “No election could be won under the leadership of Ranil Wickramasinghe. He serves no purpose for the party or the country,†Jayasekera was quoted having shouted when he walked out of the meeting by others who were present. Ranil Wickremesinghe has charged that it was the groups who bring alternative proposals that brought disruption to the party. Party sources said very strong words were exchanged... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Government is encouraging U.S. companies and financiers to "make Sri Lanka Your Next Business Stop." The U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Commerce Department have announced an Oct. 13-14 conference in Colombo for U.S. investors interested in Sri Lanka.  “This private-public conference will provide U.S. firms a unique opportunity to be among the first investors in the newly opened regions of Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern Provinces,†said a recent announcement made by the Export.gov, the U.S. government's export promotion and finance internet portal.  Participants, the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
The Government of Malaysia donated a sum of US$100,000 to the Government of Sri Lanka for the welfare of the Internally Displaced Sri Lankans affected by the conflict.  Accepting the donation on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka from the High Commissioner of Malaysia to Sri Lanka, Rosli Ismail, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama placed on record the appreciation of the Government of Sri Lanka for the symbolic gesture of the strong friendship between the two countries and stated that the Government of Malaysia has consistently been supportive of Sri Lanka’s efforts,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/08/09)
WASHINGTON: The US has asked the Sri Lankan government and the American Tamil community to seek opportunities to engage one another on political reconciliation and the reconstruction of Sri Lanka. The call was made by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake and US Charge d'Affaires in Sri Lanka James Moore in a meeting with 16 representatives of US-based organisations representing members of the Tamil diaspora Tuesday. During the discussion at the State Department with Moore joining through a digital video conference at the US embassy in Colombo, the two officials underscored the importance... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 13/08/09)
Detained LTTE chief Selvarasa Pathmanathan has revealed the presence of a large cache of arms and ammunition hidden by the outfit in Colombo for carrying out attacks, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake has said. "KP has divulged information that there is a lot of hidden explosives in the city," Wickremanayake said, adding that until all such explosives are cleared he cannot declare that the country is peaceful. Addressing a function at Horana, the premier said although the biggest threat had been eradicated, there were explosive devices in many areas in Colombo and its suburbs. "We arrested a person on... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 13/08/09)
Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy on Thursday alleged that the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse had failed to keep his promise to confer equal rights to Sri Lankan Tamils on par with the Sinhalese. Speaking to reporters here, he said political parties in Tamil Nadu had raised the Tamils issue only for elections but were keeping silent now. "There is no justification for the so called pro-Tamil parties remaining silent on the Lankan Tamils issue now," he said and flayed parties like AIADMK and MDMK. He said the Union Government and the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu should press for... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 13/08/09)
RAMANATHAPURAM: Patrolling has been tightened along the coastal districts, particularly Ramanathapuram, Tuticorin, Nagapattinam and Pudukottai, which are close to the Sri Lankan coast, in the wake of a general intelligence alert on possible terrorist strikes on the eve of Independence Day. The focus is on preventing possible infiltration from Sri Lanka. The Navy, which has a number of detachments from Rameswaram to Nagapattinam, has put its men and material on high alert. Personnel of the forward observation post at Mukundarayarchathiram near Dhanushkodi, close to the International Maritime Boundary Line between India and Sri Lanka, have been asked to intensify patrolling.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 13/08/09)
When the government’s popularity in the country is at its zenith Sri Lanka’s President is planning to have both the Presidential elections and the parliamentary general elections together before the end of April next year, a cabinet minister said. Addressing the media in Colombo yesterday, cabinet minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said, â€ÂÂÂWe are being accused by the opposition for holding the (provincial council) elections separately one by one at intervals. After October 15 when we have finished all such elections after the Southern Provincial Council elections there won’t be such separately held elections. The two other... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/08/09)
WASHINGTON -- Sri Lanka Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya Wednesday welcomed Patricia Butenis, the United States’ newly-confirmed Ambassador-designate to Sri Lanka, as she prepares to take charge of the U.S. Embassy in Colombo.  Ambassador Wickramasuriya and Ambassador-designate Butenis spoke cordially and extensively about the post-conflict situation in Sri Lanka during a meeting at the Embassy of Sri Lanka. The talks included a discussion of the condition of the 280,000 people displaced by the successfully concluded conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE.  “I go to Colombo as a friend,†Ambassador-designate Butenis said,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/08/09)
 No one will forget this utterance of the President when addressing Parliament. I was reminded of this statement with reference to the good showing of the TNA at the recent elections, and also when reading news clips about the attitude of Muslim youth during the last two one day cricket internationals between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, cheering the Pakistanis as if they were strangers to this country, their motherland. The president’s formulation was strictly with reference to the LTTE and its suppression. The declaration could however be interpreted as having a wider fallout.  As regards... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/08/09)
 After elimination of terrorism the Government wants to go to war against the underworld. But the paradox of it is that around the President basking in his glory are a set unsavoury elements who pays no attention to even the President. They also happen to be the elected representatives of the people, who despite that pays no respect to the voice of the people who had elected them to office.   Therefore, before taking action to wipe out the underworld the President should first put his house in order by at least admonishing  those around him to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/08/09)
1. (Officer of the Excellent Order of the British Empire) 2. Consul General of Tuvalu Island in the United Kingdom 3. Senator World Nations Congress 4. Ambassador of Peace appointed Universal Peace Foundation 5. Recipient of International Peace Prize 6. Member UN Human Rights Council Committee in the Rights of    Minorities – Rights of Woman / Rights of Children 7. Member World Poverty Alleviation Forum  The world today presents a horrific scenario of crime, violence, killing and a determined attempt to destroy the very pillars of social order which sustain peace, tolerance, harmony... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/08/09)
Letter to the Editor It is time for Ranil to step down The recent  election results should be a clear indication for Ranil that it is time he lets go of the leadership of  the opposition. A country needs not only a good governing party but also a strong opposition. The opposition should be there to keep the governing party in the correct path, criticizing and correcting all the mistakes it is likely to make. Srilnakan politics is nto for gentlemen like Ranil.  Ranil should by now see the writing on... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/08/09)
By Don Asoka Wijewardena Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena told the media yesterday that according to the International Crisis Group Kumaran Pathmanathan aka KP and his associates based in the US had backed Barack Obama’s presidential election campaign. Minister Abeywardena said that the international community had misunderstood Sri Lanka’s stand on the LTTE’s international activities but the government was determined to decimate the LTTE’s international network. KP was wanted for questioning by the Criminal Investigation Department over his involvement in the Central Bank bombing in 1996 and arms procurement operations oversees for terrorist activities in Sri Lanka, Minister Yapa said.... -Full Story- (The Island - 12/08/09)
One of the few nations in modern times to militarily defeat a terrorist Movement, Sri Lanka now faces criticism by self-appointed guardians of Human Rights in the West. From the view point of Western, based organizations like New York based Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, Sri Lanka's recently concluded war on terror - against the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE - should have been fought like a cricket match on the playing fields of Eton. "The Sri Lankan Government" claim Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/08/09)
August 12, 2009  The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN  Sir:  For the Canadians who had questioned why 280,000 Tamils who were rescued by the Sri Lankan Armed Force in May from being taken hostage as a human shield by the now defunct Tamil Tigers, being kept in welfare camps, this story would shed light to why the Sri Lankan Government ignored the foreign human rights advocates demands to let them go loose, not knowing where to go nor taught how to tip toe over landmines... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/08/09)
The Research findings and observations based on a simultaneous data collection from the Magistrate’s Courts in the Judicial Zone of Colombo were formerly presented to child protection stakeholders at a meeting held at the Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms recently. The data collection was carried out by the Ministry in collaboration with the Judicial Service Commission and Save the Children in Sri Lanka (SCiSL), with financial support from USAID. The research was conducted by Mr. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law/Consultant to SCiSL.  Amongst the key findings was that a vast majority of children came... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/08/09)
The 13th amendment is the cry of the day for the sinhala lotus eaters, Tamil separatists and the Indian and International geopolitical aspirants. It is an illegal document signed under the pressure of Indian invasion by a spineless traitor, legitimised by an illegal parliament held to ransom by the traitor who had resignation letters of the government MPs with which he threatened them. This piece of legislations handed over Sinhala land to a so called Tamil homeland and foisted on the people another group of parasitic politicians which the country cannot afford. One must not forget of course... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/08/09)
Two Colombo university students who were arrested for writing slogans were yesterday allowed bail in Rs. 1,500 cash and Rs. 25,000 surety, by Colombo Additional Magistrate Kumarie Abeyratne. They were ordered to report to the Cinnamon Gardens Police every Sunday between 9.00 a.m and 12.00 noon. Attorney-at-Law Usuf Nasser appearing for the suspects submitted that they had been arrested by the Cinnamon Gardens Police while allegedly engaged in writing a slogan... -Full Story- (The Island - 12/08/09)
First the ship reported it had been attacked in waters off Sweden. Then it sailed with no apparent problems through one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. And then it disappeared. The Arctic Sea, a Maltese-flagged cargo ship, was supposed to make port in Algeria with its cargo of timber on Aug. 4. More than a week later, there's no sign of the ship or its Russian crew. Piracy has exploded off the coast of lawless Somalia but could this be an almost unheard of case of sea banditry in European waters? "If this is a criminal act, it appears... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 12/08/09)
COLOMBO, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan police officers regret that they have not been supplied with their quota of shoes during the past five years, a local English newspaper said on Wednesday. The police have to perform official duties in worn out shoes and walk several miles daily in remote villages. They request authorities to supply them with shoes at least once a year. Even the 10 month salary advance given to government servants has been difficult for police officers to obtain, the newspaper said. Police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekera confirmed that the police officers' shoes supply is facing difficulties... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 12/08/09)
Colombo, Aug 12, PTI: An alleged plot to assassinate Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a suicide bombing with the help of LTTE has come to light during the course of investigation into the killing of a local councillor. A suspect identified as Madusha Lakshman, who was arrested in connection with the killing of Southern Provincial Councilor Danny Hiththetiyage, would now be grilled by the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) sleuths over the alleged plot to assassinate Rajapaksa in his hometown in southern Madamulana.... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 12/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: About 166 former LTTE child soldiers were among those who appeared for the GCE Advanced Level Examination in Vavuniya on Tuesday. The former child soldiers are currently housed in the government-run temporary relief camps for the nearly three lakh war displaced. The Examinations Department has established 10 special examination centres in Vavuniya for the 1,263 candidates from among the war displaced. The department also conducted special classes for the students in the camps. Internews reported that work on infrastructure in resettlement areas in Vavuniya North and Nedumkerni was well underway with 30 per cent of the... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 12/08/09)
Staff Reporter KRISHNAGIRI: Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) leader Vijayakanth said that Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is not a national movement and accused Chief Minister Karunanidhi remaining a mute spectator to genocide in Sri Lanka. Mr. Vijayakanth was campaigning for DMDK candidate V. Chandran in Bargur Assembly constituency for the second day on Wednesday. Commencing at Anjur, he campaigned in an open van at Perugopanapalli, Kullampatti, Santhur, Jambukuttapatti, Ananthur, Venkatathampatti, Kerigepalli gate, Ettipatti Koot Road and ended at Kalarpathy village.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 12/08/09)
When Prabhakaran and his partners in terrorism met their waterloo in a swamp in May, people found themselves dancing in the streets. Celebrations lasted for days on end to the point of riling some members of the international community reeling from their failure to save the LTTE leaders. But, intriguingly, euphoric ebullience was noticeable by its absence when the self-appointed new LTTE leader KP was captured and brought to Colombo last week. People were no more excited than they were when Anamalu Imtiaz breathed his last. Why? A diehard Diasporic Tiger, in an e-mail floated around the world sarcastically poses... -Full Story- (The Island - 12/08/09)
From a clue obtained from a suspect in Mount Lavinia the police took into custody yesterday in Mannar another man and claymore bomb laden van averting a disastrous suicide mission being put together by suspected remnants of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The police sources said the 20 claymore mines , each weighing five kilograms laden in the suicide vehicle demonstrate the explosive power of the mission fortunately averted in the nick of time. The vehicle and its intended driver was taken into police custody at Uppukulam, Mannar in the Northern Province , an area... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/08/09)
KP starts to spill more beans “The way I operated 25 years under cover, I never thought that I will be caught. But I was. During the final stages of the battle in the north of Sri Lanka, Prabhakaran wanted me to approach the international community on behalf of the LTTE leadership to force the Sri Lankan government to agree to a ceasefire. Therefore V. Prabhakaran has appointed me International Relations Head. I was able to persuade Norway’s Minister for International Affairs (Erik Solheim) to approach the USA to exert pressure on the Sri Lankan government to stop the military... -Full Story- (thebottomline.lk - 11/08/09)
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Tamil refugees and expatriates in Switzerland contributed the most to the LTTE’s war chest, the captured LTTE leader, Selvarasa Patmanathan alias KP, reportedly told his interrogators in Colombo, the weekly Nation reported in its latest issue. KP told Nation that he was not aware of the total collection received by the war chest as the LTTE founder V Prabhakaran had entrusted those functions to others. However, he confessed that the bulk of the money came from Switzerland, followed by UK, South Africa, Australia and Canada, the paper reported on Sunday... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 11/08/09)
Sri Lanka Army uncovered more LTTE military items in clearing operations conducted in Mullattivu area yesterday, 10 August, military report said. Troops of Task Force 8 (TF-8) deployed in Puthukkudiyiruppu east uncovered following list of LTTE military hardware, military report received from the battlefront said.... -Full Story- (defence.lk - 11/08/09)
A senior US diplomat has warned that Sri Lanka's failure to share power with minority Tamils after the end of the war could lead to renewed violence. The US assistant secretary of state for South Asia told AP news agency that Sri Lanka should give more freedom to the 300,000 Tamils displaced by the war. Robert Blake said it was wrong that many were indefinitely confined to government-run camps in the north.... -Full Story- (BBC - 11/08/09)
Rafik JALALDEEN The Security Forces in search of more LTTE arms have uncovered a cache of weapons and other military items in Puthukudiyiruppu area on Monday. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said troops of the Task Force VIII continuing search and mopping up operations in the Puthukudiyiruppu area found a stock of arms. Troops recovered 59 boxes of live T56 ammunition, 18 anti tank ammunition, three micro pistols, two pistol magazines, 127 pistol ammunition, six T56 weapons, two T56 magazines, two anti aircraft weapons, 12 AP mines, three communication sets, a 0.22 magazine, a paddle gun barrel, 30 oxygen cylinders,... -Full Story- (Daily News - 11/08/09)
SIVAGANGA: Though there is no specific threat from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations, the police will take preventive measures to ensure their smooth conduct, Director General of Police K.P. Jain has said. He was speaking to the reporters after discussions with top police officers in the region about Ilayangudi by-poll preparations. Asked about the chances of the LTTE fomenting trouble in the backdrop of allegations by certain Tamil groups that India had a role in the defeat of the banned organisation, Mr. Jain said that a majority of Sri Lankan Tamils and even... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 11/08/09)
The Sri Lankan government has said the displaced people living at the relief camps in the country’s north would be allowed to leave only when the members of the defeated Tamil Tiger rebels hiding at these centres are identified. The attorney general in a written submission to the Supreme Court said on Monday the officials are in the process of identifying the members of former LTTE. The official told the court that the displaced people would be released from the camps only after the rebels are identified.... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 11/08/09)
"Sri Lanka MUST Release the Tamil Refugees in Camps"! ......cries Amnesty International, says also, Sri Lanka breaks International Law. Yes Sir! All the Free Beer, served tomorrow! Did the Amnesty International (AI) weep for the poor Sri Lankans who were mowed down by some of those ex-LTTE -ers who are now being held in the government controlled camps? Perhaps in the eyes of AI, the LTTE were on a Mission-to-Kill, above The Law! Sri Lanka government will undoubtedy check every Tooth & Nail (mouth, fingers and toes) of every single able adult held in the camps,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/08/09)
The news item in the Hindu datelined August 4th., 2009, India and posted by renounced Indian journalist Mr. B. Muralidhar Reddy highlighted the reality of terrorism in Sri Lankan in 2002. Journalist B. Muralidhar Reddy clearly has stated thatThis is the difference of fighting terrorism from the US way, but the Sri Lankan indigenous way, which cannot be parelled in any part of the world, be it the Philippines, Afghanistan, Iraq, Cheneya, Mumbai, Karachi, Sudan or Columbia. This is one of the "home... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/08/09)
The Most Reverend Dr. Malcolm Ranjith, the ninth Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sri Lanka is a distinguished cleric who has done everything possible to keep the image of Sri Lanka at its peak, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a felicitation ceremony held in honor of the newly appointed Archbishop. Photos: by Chandana Prerera The well attended ceremony by leading Buddhist clerics, VIP’s of the government and the opposition and religious diginitaries of other denominations was held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall according to national traditions. Photos: by Chandana Prerera  Among the distinguished gathering were... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 10/08/09)
August 10, 2009  The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN  "Refugee law spurs bogus claims: PM - Harper blames system for decision to impose visas on Mexican nationals", you reported.  It has taken 20 years for the government to find this out which I had revealed to the Government in the mid-1980's through your columns when the Tamils from Sri Lanka were scamming the system, lying their way into Canada, 10,000 hardcore Tamil Tiger terrorists and all. It has been a million dollar business when in 2009... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 10/08/09)
Sri Lanka has hired an Indian high-tech security firm to keep an electronic eye open on Colombo and the island’s entire coastal belt to ensure that no terrorist attack will occur in the future. The Times of India newspaper said Sri Lanka has hired Barnas International Private Limited to strengthen the surveillance of the island nation’s capital city and the country’s Northern region that has been wrestled from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May this year. The long war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) may be over and most of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 10/08/09)
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 10 Aug 2009 Vavuniya and Mannar towns have been lit with street lamps to light up roads and thoroughfares that were in the dark during the separatists war. A sum of Rs. 9 million has been spent to repair the damaged street lighting under Uthuru Wasanthaya program, the Ceylon Electricity Board Project Manager for the Northern Province Gratian Muthukudaarachchi said. The Government Agents will now take charge of these lamps, he said. He said following the separatists war Urban Councils and Town Councils in the Northern province that maintained street lighting were non-functional. Several... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 10/08/09)
(AP) 10 August 2009 COLOMBO, Sri Lanka  The United States is donating $15 million in food aid to help Sri Lanka resettle some of the nearly 300,000 ethnic Tamils displaced by the nation’s civil war and confined to government camps, the U.S. announced on Monday. The U.S. Agency for International Development said the aid will provide those returning to their homes with a six month ration of essential foods. The displaced Tamils fled their homes during the 25-year civil war between government forces and Tamil Tiger separatists that ended in May. Authorities have so far resettled more than 3,000... -Full Story- (Khaleej Times - 10/08/09)
RAMANATHAPURAM: All seven bodies of fishermen washed ashore in Sri Lanka were identified by their relatives, who returned to Mandapam on Monday. U. Arulanandam of the Alliance for the Release of Innocent Fishermen, who led the team of relatives to the island nation, said the identification was done at a Jaffna hospital in the presence of the police, judicial officers and doctors. After religious rites, they were cremated.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 10/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has urged the international community to help the nation crackdown the international financing arm of the LTTE. He said the LTTE was still active in some countries, especially in South-East Asia and Europe. In an interview to an Indian Television channel, Mr. Rajapaksa said the arrest of Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP last week was very important because he was the person who claims to be the new leader of the LTTE after the death of Velupillai Prabakaran. “Terrorism is not only a problem for Sri Lanka. It is also a problem... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 10/08/09)
Gulf News Published: August 10, 2009, 23:12Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's promise to the Tamil people that they will play an active role in the country's democratic setup through valid representation and expression in parliament is all set to be realised with a minimum of effort from his side. Even as Sri Lanka's ruling coalition swept to a win in local elections in the southern part of the island - riding the euphoria of the army's recent annihilation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) - a pro-rebel party recorded an encouraging mandate in the north, an area which... -Full Story- (gulfnews.com - 10/08/09)
The Maha Nayakes have not only let themselves down but also Buddhism, the Sangha, the country and our people. This is certainly NOT what we had expected of the two Maha Nayake Theras. Let us recall here, what the Buddha himself said of monks: Monks should lead simple lives, and not live in luxury. Their attitude towards life should be filled with tolerance and contentment. They should live in monasteries. It is leading a holy life that makes a monk. A monk should do away with all passions and the desire to possess. It is the elimination of all depravities... -Full Story- (The Island - 10/08/09)
This refers to the letter of Mr G H Wijedasa in your paper of 9th, requesting a response. He is asking the question why all these so called animal lovers (I am one) and Satwa Mitra Associations kept quiet when there are daily violations of animals rights, whereas they rose to the occasion in the case of the baby Jumbos’ forceful separation from their mothers. These daily violations have been occurring for years and all governments kept quiet about them. I have seen several letters regarding cattle transport and cruel methods of killing etc, in the Island, therefore GHW is... -Full Story- (The Island - 10/08/09)
I refer to the article that appeared in Sunday Island regarding the declining number of domesticated elephants. In that article the main concern is the shortage of elephants to participate in Religious festivals. If that is the case government must consider a plan for the organizers of those festivals to have elephants leased from the Pinnawela orphanage and to have them trained and kept in the orphanage under close supervision of the orphanage management. The orphanage should be vested with full control over the welfare of the animals. They could be transported safely to religious venues only for the functions... -Full Story- (The Island - 10/08/09)
The problem with creating monsters is that the creator becomes the creature's prey. The US created Al Qaeda as a force against Russians and became a victim of its violent protégé. But for India's blunder of supporting separatist terrorists in Sri Lanka as part of her gunboat diplomacy, Prabhakaran and his confederates including KP would have become a bunch of nondescript smugglers in the northern parts of Sri Lanka. Rajiv Gandhi carried forward his mother's ill-conceived policy of sponsoring terrorism in Sri Lanka and nurtured the monster only to be devoured by it in 1991. Now we hear the India's... -Full Story- (The Island - 10/08/09)
By K Godage Former Ambassador If Entebbe was great, this was absolutely fantastic. I have no doubt whatsoever that this truly fantastic and stunning achievement was an initiative of Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. He should without doubt be conferred the title of ‘Lanka Ratna’ for this achievement which is on par with the wiping out of the LTTE, the rescuing of the hostages and the killing of Prabhakaran and the entire leadership of the LTTE. It is, indeed, fortunate that we were able to get the man alive for it affords us the opportunity of putting him on trial and exposing... -Full Story- (The Island - 10/08/09)
Should war break out between India and China, we are doomed. Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta publicly admitted on Monday that India was no match for China and there was no way New Delhi could bridge the yawning gap in its capabilities against China. He said it would be foolhardy to compare the two nations as equals. Mehta, who retires on August 31 at the age of 62, warned: “In military terms, both conventionally and unconventionally, we can neither have the capability nor the intention to match China force for force…†It is rare for service chiefs in India to... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 10/08/09)
Having received an overwhelming election victories in Uva Provincial Council and Jaffna Municipal Council President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he would extend an invitation to other political parties with different agendas to join under one flag. He said, “The victory received by the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA)is a significant achievement of all citizens who care for the country. The victories have re-endorsed Mahinda Chinthanaya.†The President said the initiative taken by the government to restore democracy in Jaffna is a notable achievement. No democracy existed in these areas under the LTTE rule and mayors of Jaffna... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/08/09)
Excellent example of Sri Lankan Intelligence capability to move in stealth and silence to capture KP is something the Nation should be proud of! No expensive remotely operated Drones or billion dollar funded special forces, but a Third World Developing country without the backing of USA, or EU, going on its own, supported by a few brilliant Sinhala grey cells. However one might wish to compare the intelligent capacity of Sinhala with the Tamils, the thirty year war lasted that long only due to insiders such as Bandaranaikes', Wickremesinghes' personal selfish political-economical Agenda. At any day... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/08/09)
The Sri Lanka Terrorist Investigation Division(TID) urgently calls on the public to provide any information to help arrest the above named suicide bomber who according to information frequents the area of Old Moor Street, Colombo 12 to the telephone numbers given below or to an Officer of the Security Forces or Police, or the nearest Police station. The particulars are given below.  Name : Abdul Shalam Fatima Yasmin Address : Old Moor Street , Colombo 12 ID No: 857835641 V Date of Birth : 09.10.1985 ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/08/09)
METTA, KARUNA, MUDITHA gone to Wilderness, replaced with CRUELTY, DENIAL, HEGEMONY Mahadenamuththa decision, Kekille Judgment, Goons slogans! The two Baby tuskers were denied their Mothers Milk and Warmth by presenting them to the Asgiriya and Malwatte temples yet on a Nikini Poya day in the vicinity of Temple of Tooth where Buddha’s tooth relic believed to be deposited and highest respect of the Buddhist all over the world. Breast Feeding week is just over sans Two Baby Tuskers.  Having known that there were two fundamental cases filed against at the HC, the high holders of the govt. went... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/08/09)
The announcement made by Hon. Minister of International Cooperation Beverley Oda in Colombo on Friday the 7th., and published via the international wire services datelined Colombo is most welcome and will be seen as a sincere move by Canada to support and help the Sri Lankan government to help ease the issues, of specially the nearly 300,000 persons temporarily living in the IDP camp in the North and who have been promised to be resettled in their own villages within a 180 days time frame. The Canadian Friends of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/08/09)
Canada has dramatically increased her humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka from 7.5 million Canadian dollars to 22.5 million Canadian Dollars( 20 million US Dollars) immediately after Canadian Minister for International Cooperation Beverly Oda visited Sri Lanka.  She said, “During my visit to the displaced persons camp in Vavuniya, I witnessed the need of those who are living there. I am pleased that Canada is increasing its support to our partners in their work to provide basic humanitarian support to meet the needs of people affected by the conflict.†Immediately prior to the increase the Canadian Minister... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy Tamil National Alliance wins in Vavuniya COLOMBO: The pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA) emerged as the single largest party by a narrow margin in the Vavuniya Municipal Council election conducted on Saturday while the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) took a majority of the seats in the Jaffna Municipal Council. As expected, the ruling combine led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa crushed the opposition in the south, bagging 25 of the 34 seats in the Uva Provincial Council election held on the same day. The Jaffna local body poll had seen a turnout of just over 21 per... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 09/08/09)
President says slain LTTE leader wanted to be ‘King of Tamil Eelam’ Slain LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran had ambitions beyond Sri Lanka and he wanted to become the “King of Tamil Eelam†with support from some elements in South India, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said. Rajapaksa said the huge accumulation of lethal weapons by the Tamil Tiger chief suggested that Prabhakaran was looking beyond the island country to run his own nation. “He (Prabhakaran) had a larger dream. Sri Lanka ... I don’t think (it was merely Sri Lanka). He had a larger vision where he wanted to become the... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 09/08/09)
The multiple faces of KP aka Selvarasa Pathmanathan, the self-appointed "new" leader of LTTE, the supplier of the multi-million dollar arsenal to the Terrorists, effectively created the blood bath in Sri Lanka for thirty years, claiming to start a new political movement for LTTE, should be tried and kept in Sri Lanka. With his network of criminals around the world, the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of deposits, KP would certainly plan a stunning escape on any soil, India or Sri Lanka. Although many would want him dead, simply to carve out the wealth and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/08/09)
A nine year old British girl who saved a four year old from drowning at a hotel in Sri Lanka has been hailed as a heroine by the British press. The nine year old who has had swimming lessons in England was described as cool and swam swiftly to the victim in a pool at Kaluwamodera Sri Lanka when the non-swimmer mother of the victim was screaming in panic helplessly. The British girl Yasmin Tinnon saved the four year old from drowning while her family was on holiday in Sri Lanka, reports said. Yasmin was swimming... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/08/09)
Apprehending KP alias Sinnarasa Pathmanathan, the self proclaimed new Tiger chief from a foreign country and bringing him to Colombo is the latest of the finest work done by the Sri Lankan security forces and the intelligence service attached to the ministry. This once again puts Sri Lanka on the top of the world for its most effective and efficient intelligence operations as the ‘War on Terror’ is concerned. As per the reliable international intelligence, the ‘Operation KP’ is almost a hundred percent work by Sri Lankan government agents. Now the ‘Operation KP’ is successful, the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/08/09)
Do Sri Lanka’s Buddhists today have a moral leadership? This question has to be raised in the wake of humbugs calling themselves Buddhists trying to cover their naked immorality with a legal fig leaf. If ever there is contest in obfuscation Kandy’s Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Daela Bandara, Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge and the Mahanayakes of Malwatte and Asgiriya will be the top prize winners. Their response to the baby elephant abduction issue reminds us of a deaf character in a Sinhala folk tale. When asked where he is going he says, “I have... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/08/09)
There is no “Holy War†in Buddhism, all killings inflicted by war will bring consequences to those who participated in it. This is why our the Buddhist war heroes have sacrificed so much for the country, they sacrificed not only one life but also risked a lot of suffering in thousands of their future lives to come, depending on the kamma they created ( based on intentions). It is known that even the Great King Asoska was born as a python for a short time after death, this is, however a story with some logic... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/08/09)
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said, immaculate planning and the strong leadership of security forces has not only enabled Sri Lanka to quell Prabhakaran’s three decades old insurgency by ultimately killing him and the immediate leadership of his outfit but also nab the new leader KP alias Sinnarasa Pathmanathan from a foreign country and interrogate him in Colombo today. The Secretary of Defence was addressing a school ceremony in Galle, in Southern Sri Lanka. The Defence Secretary said the strong leadership had been provided to the armed forces by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the ability of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/08/09)
For the last thirty years, I am watching a revolver packed in a brown leather cover, hanging silently along a wall of the wooden closet, in my father’s room. It is German made, very delicate and highly sophisticated and certainly still virgin. My father never used it; in fact he even does not know how to use a revolver. So many times I ask him the reason of keeping that revolver when he is totally unaware of its usage, he always says, “It is a new world; here a man without ‘arms’ stands nowhere. Arms keep your... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/08/09)
NEW DELHI: India, which needs LTTE leader Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP in connection with the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case probe, may take time to formally ask Sri Lanka for extradition of the Tamil Tiger but it, through a letter rogatory (LR), will soon seek from Colombo the details of his interrogation. Responding to the course of action to be taken by India in the wake of KP's arrest, sources here said though the extradition request did not seem imminent at this juncture considering international conventions which permitted Sri Lanka to first deal with him, India -- citing... -Full Story- (Times of India - 08/08/09)
Last Updated: Saturday, August 8, 2009 | 6:16 PM ET Comments0Recommend0CBC News Sri Lanka's ruling coalition and a pro-Tamil Tiger party have each scored victories in two municipal elections in towns near the island's recent battlefields. State television reported Saturday that President Mahinda Rajapaksa's ruling coalition has captured Jaffna town council, winning 13 of the 23 seats. But the Tamil National Alliance, seen as a front for the defeated Tamil Tiger rebels, won the largest number of seats on the Vavuniya town council, taking five of 11, while the ruling party won two seats. The government is expected to use... -Full Story- (cbc.ca - 08/08/09)
OTTAWA, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The Canadian government will provide another $15 million in aid to Sri Lanka, which is recovering from a lengthy violent rebellion, an official says. Canadian International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda said her country would continue aiding Sri Lanka despite a lack of international cooperation regarding three Canadian citizens being detained in the Asian country, The Globe and Mail reported online Friday. Oda said her country has not been allowed consular contact with any of the three Canadian nationals in custody for unknown reasons.... -Full Story- (upi.com - 08/08/09)
 Minister Douglas Devananda (DD), is a very strong supporter of out going (sacked) Permanent Representative for the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Dayan Jayathilake (DJ). DJ is up-until now is the main spokesperson of the group trying to influence the President to implement the Amendment 13. But the Minister Devananda has let down DJ in a dramatic manner when the Minister DD gave an interview to   the Sunday Times by back flipping on the questions about Tamil grievances and the implementation of the 13th Amendment.  The interview conducted by Chris Kamalendran and reported... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/08/09)
Sources close to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and other Tamil sources believe that KP alias Selvarasa Pathmanathan was betrayed to the Sri Lankan authorities by tipping off his whereabouts before being arrested on Interpol warrants. Well informed Tamil journalist D.B.S. Jeyaraj said, “It is widely believed that the arrest was made possible through “inside information†supplied by some members of the LTTE abroad who were opposed to KP donning the tiger leadership mantle after the demise of supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.†The journalist further said that contrary to earlier reports he was not... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/08/09)
A Sri Lanka-Myanmar Business Forum was held with the participation of a 22-member business delegation from Myanmar and large-scale representation from the Sri Lankan business community, at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce auditorium on Friday. The visit of the business delegation from Myanmar took place in the aftermath of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s official visit to Myanmar last June, and the second session of the Sri Lanka-Myanmar Joint Commission held in Colombo at foreign ministerial level on 3rd and 4th August.  The Business Forum was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/08/09)
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)  which has been investigating since eleven years the larger conspiracy behind the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 May  is expected to seek permission of the Sri Lankan authorities to grill Kumaran Padmanathan alias KP. He was the new chief of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE). The questioning of KP is required since he had allegedly played a role in financing and providing arms, explosives and communication equipments to the Rajiv’s killers, said a senior Ministry of Home Affairs official on the condition of anonymity. It was KP... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 07/08/09)
The new head of the defeated Tamil Tiger separatist group was being interrogated in Sri Lanka on Thursday, having been flown to Colombo following his capture in Thailand, reports said. Selvarasa Pathmanathan, better known as K P, was brought back to Sri Lanka on Thursday and was being questioned at an undisclosed location, the privately run Island newspaper said. The state-run Rupavahini television channel said he had been arrested in Thailand, but gave no further details. In a statement posted on its website, the Sri Lankan defence ministry said Pathmanathan had been "taken into custody by Sri Lankan law enforcement... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 07/08/09)
By Janaka Perera Do Sri Lanka’s Buddhists today have a moral leadership? This question has to be raised in the wake of humbugs calling themselves Buddhists trying to cover their naked immorality with a legal fig leaf. . If ever there is contest in obfuscation Kandy’s Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Daela Bandara, Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge and the Mahanayakes of Malwatte and Asgiriya will be the top prize winners. Their response to the baby elephant abduction issue reminds us of a deaf character in a Sinhala folk tale. When asked where he is going he says, “I have coconuts in my... -Full Story- (asiantribune.com - 07/08/09)
(Reuters) 7 August 2009 COLOMBO - Sri Lanka’s successful manhunt for the new head of the Tamil Tigers began with the phone of the dead man he succeeded, Tiger founder Vellupillai Prabhakaran. Sri Lankan intelligence officers used the satellite phone, found on the corpse of Prabhakaran after his death in a final battle on May 18, to pick up the trail of a man who dodged authorities for nearly three decades. The capture of Selvarajah Pathmanathan, the new head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, is the latest prize for President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his campaign to wipe out... -Full Story- (Khaleej Times - 07/08/09)
By Sudha Ramachandran BANGALORE - Selvarasa Pathmanathan's stint as chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been rather short. Barely a fortnight after Pathmanathan appointed himself as Tiger chief, he was been arrested in Southeast Asia this week, according to a statement released on Friday by the LTTE. The arrest has been confirmed by top Sri Lankan officials, including its Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohana, and Pathmanathan is now reported to be in Sri Lankan custody. Sri Lankan media said the arrest took place on Thursday in Thailand, but Thai officials have denied this.... -Full Story- (atimes.com - 07/08/09)
BEIJING -- The former head of Beijing airport's management company was executed Friday following his conviction on corruption charges, state media reported, making him the latest figure brought down in China's battle against widespread graft. An intermediate court found 60-year-old Li Peiying guilty in February of accepting almost $4 million in bribes and embezzling about $12 million in public money since 1995, the Xinhua News Agency said. Li was executed after the Supreme Court upheld a lower court's rejection of his appeal, Xinhua said. The report did not say when the Supreme Court ruled, and it did not describe the... -Full Story- (newsobserver.com - 07/08/09)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, New Delhi, Aug 7 : The new chief of the Tamil Tigers who is now in Sri Lankan custody was one of the rare few outside the group's intelligence set-up who knew months earlier that former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was to be assassinated.Without taking Gandhi's name, Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP told a Sri Lankan Tamil in Tamil Nadu in November 1990 that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) would soon target the "Indian leadership".... -Full Story- (newkerala.com - 07/08/09)
Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence announced that the LTTE leader Selvarasa Pathmanadan alias KP has been arrested by Sri lankan law enforcement officers. Sri Lanka’s state owned ITN television in several special news bulletins announced that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s self-proclaimed leader , following Prabhakaran’s death, KP alias Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias Kumaran Pathmanathan has been arrested in Bangkok, Thailand. KP, the terrorist outfit’s former procurer of weapons became the most senior hand living when the Supremo of the group and his most senior comrades were killed near Nanthikadal lagoon in Mulaitivu by the Sri... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/08/09)
August 4th 2009 Addendum to Lankaweb Weekly Editorial: Subsequent to the latest editorial on the main topic of the new LTTE leadership of Pathmanathan alias KP almost coincidentally the man in question has been arrested in Bangkok, Thailand where he has been living with a Thai wife and not in Malaysia as reported erroneously and the error is regretted. The call for his arrest however appears to have been fulfilled.  Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence Quoting Brig.Gen.Udaya Nanayakkara SLAF has reported that Selvarasa Pathmanadan alias KP has been arrested by Sri Lankan law enforcement officers where... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/08/09)
Modernization theory Recently, professor Carlo Fonseka (CF), a ‘Colombo intellectual,' has introduced two new phrases to the 13-A-related vocabulary: (1) expatriate patriotism and (2) narrow tribalism (The Island, 7/23/2009). The ‘modernization' preachers who once vigorously promoted "this war is not winnable" thesis are back with new songs. White masters and western writers interpreted (projected) colonialism as an enterprise aimed at civilizing the barbarians and savages in Asia, America and Africa. Modernization thus meant westernization, Americanization and Christianization via a class of ‘converted' locals. In Ceylon/Sri Lanka they are identified as the Colombo class (black-whites). One who can... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/08/09)
Racism takes many forms. A living example of racism is the Tamil Elam movement. Those who support it unashamedly are also following the same racist agenda of creating a Tamil only (racist) nation. The 13A is not about creating the Tamil only country – Tamil Elam. It is rather the compromise between Tamil racist demands and Sri Lankan national demands. In compromising with a racially motivated and racially prejudiced lot, Sri Lanka too steps down into the ugly well of racism. This is no surprise given the fact that it came from India. India is a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/08/09)
Dear Dayan Please let me begin with what I predicted way back when you were going hammer and tongs on the Eelam foundation 13A, attired in the cloak of the unrelenting sentry of the Indian empire.  That was a satirical remark I made which you scoffed at in an ardent fashion because you were flying high as if the chosen one for an important mission by Rajidano on the irresistible magnetism you generate in your ability to beat all the foreign service pundits put together.  So let me quote now “The boy from Giruvapattuva who did... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/08/09)
Re: Rekindling our ties with Sri Lanka.National Post, Wednesday, August 05, 2009 The visit of Canada’s conservative Member of Parliament Deepak Obhrai, who’s also Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for Foreign Affairs Lawrence Canon, to Sri Lanka from July 5 to July 7 was an official visit that contributes much towards “Rekindling the ties between Canada and Sri Lankaâ€ÂÂÂ. The visit was also to ensure that Canadian aid is reaching the Tamil refugees in the IDP camps which are much discussed in the Tamil Diaspora community... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/08/09)
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in Kandy yesterday that once again the holy tooth relic stays within a nation that has been united and brought under one rule. “As long as the holy tooth relic exists in Kandy the Sri Lankan nation also exists has been our generations long belief and during the humanitarian operations the belief gave us strength,†said the President addressing vip’s after receiving the Kandyan Chieftans led by the Diyawadana Nilame, Nilanga Dela who handed the head of state the traditional written message that the Kandy Perehera has been successfully completed. The message... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/08/09)
A special gathering of peacemakers explored the theme, “A New Vision for Peace in the 21st Century,†held at the residence of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka on July 30th 2009 in Washington DC. The Sri Lankan Embassy partnering with Universal Peace Federation (UPF) International and UPF-USA presented a program which introduced the core principles and practices that can facilitate the creation of a world in which people of every race, culture and religion can live together in peace. At long last, the three decades of military conflict in Sri... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/08/09)
 Casa de la Amistad, Cuban Institute for Friendship with Peoples (ICAP) 29 de julio de 2009 Excellencies Vice Ministers! Madam Vice President of ICAP! My dear friends!  It is a great honour for me to represent my country on this historic occasion to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of friendship and cooperation between the Republic of Cuba and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. On behalf of our President Mahinda Rajapaksa, his Government, our people, and on my own behalf, I wish to reiterate our sincere friendship, solidarity, and our... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/08/09)
Given below is an excerpt of the Friday Sermon of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, delivered on 31st July, 2009 at ‘Baithul Futhuh’, London, U.K., gave a discourse on the recently concluded Ahmadiyya International Convention, UK.)   His Holiness said last Sunday, with the grace of God, the UK Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana) concluded amidst great blessings. Not only did its conclusion spiritually satiate those who were present but also, all Ahmadi Muslims, the world over, felt this... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/08/09)
By C. Bryson Hull Reuters Thursday, August 6, 2009; 2:03 PM COLOMBO (Reuters) -- KP. the new head of the Tamil Tigers, the separatist group defeated by the Sri Lankan military after a 25-year war, has been arrested in Thailand, Sri Lanka's military said on Thursday. Selvarajah Pathmanathan was wanted on two Interpol warrants and took the reins of the remnants of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) after their defeat in May. "He has been arrested in Bangkok. That is all we know at the moment," military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.... -Full Story- (washingtonpost.com - 06/08/09)
COLOMBO (Reuters) -- The new head of the remnants of the Tamil Tigers, the separatist group defeated by the Sri Lankan military after a 25-year war, has been arrested in Thailand, Sri Lankan media reported on Thursday. Local television channels said Selvarajah Pathmanathan, who was wanted on two Interpol warrants, was arrested in Thailand, citing military officials.... -Full Story- (news.stv.tv - 06/08/09)
President Mahinda Rajapaksa condemned a Sri Lankan leader who goes round the world and tries to stop all aid to Sri Lanka and attempts to trip the government in all its developmental work, addressing a mammoth election rally in Badulla yesterday. The President said in an obvious reference to UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe, “Whom is he going to spite in these acts ? Is it me or the oppressed masses in Sri Lanka who would ultimately lose due to this spitefulness?†The President was addressing the final election rally of the ruling coalition for the Uva... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
Pakistan is surely a land of miracles. Here impossibilities turn into possibilities, abstracts into concretes and dreams into realities; nothing is beyond the limits of Pakistanis. Be it the field of science or technology, politics or economics, the nuclear research, or the war against terrorism, Pakistan always comes up with a high head. The astonishing fact is that the whole world is busy in creating hurdles and obstructions in Pakistan’s way to its progress but the people of Pakistan are so determined and strong-minded that they never give any importance to the wind blowing against them. They... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
Nemo the clown fish...has to learn It has to learn more how to survive Because it’s a little fish...little and weak Therefore its life is in constant danger Endangered of being swallowed by a big fish and every little fish is fair prey to a big fish Big fish can fish a little fish whenever it wants In the night, dawn or during the day-light It has that privilege by birth!  Big fish can have it...whenever it wants For the dinner, break-first, lunch or brunch But the little fish has no resistance against Does not have the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
The Hon. Kevin Rudd, MP Prime Minister of Australia   Honorable Sir, It is most satisfying to see that a pack of probable terrorists have been flushed out recently by the security forces of Federal and State Governments after their intensive study of their activity over a period of time. It is obvious that the security forces are vigilant to avoid possible destruction and loss of life of innocent citizens of the country. It is equally sad to see the irresponsibility of the free media to publicize sensitive material almost jeopardizing the efforts of the security... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
Religious freedom requires that the onus of deciding whether a particular individual follows a religion and, if so, which religion, rests on that individual. Therefore, any attempt to convert another would be an encroachment on that freedom. However, an exception to this otherwise general principle is the right of parents (and, if unavailable, legal guardians) to guide the children under their care in matters of religion.  On this basis, unethical conversions – using threats, harassment, intrusion into rights of privacy, deception, material inducements (and any other low means) – would clearly negate religious freedom. Religious freedom is... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
... -Full Story- (divaina.com - 05/08/09)
Addressing a public meeting at the Vavuniya Urban Council grounds yesterday on the occasion of sending off several thousand Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their original places of residence, Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP appealed to them to set aside ethnic and religious differences and rally round President Mahinda Rajapaksa to bring peace and prosperity to the country. Once the heroic Security Forces liberated the country what was uppermost in the mind of President Rajapaksa was to provide you with all possible facilities and resettle you in your original places of residence, he added.... -Full Story- (Daily News - 05/08/09)
Source: United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Date: 04 Aug 2009 The Executive Director of the World Food Programme, (WFP), has approved a budget increase of US $ 17.09 million for the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO) for Sri Lanka by bringing the total budget of the PRRO to US $ 134.9 million for the year 2009.... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 05/08/09)
NEW DELHI: Match-fixing has returned to haunt the game of cricket and this time it is the Pakistani cricketers who are facing the heat after a disastrous tour of Sri LankaFormer Pakistan chief selector Abdul Qadir made startling allegations, saying Pakistani players are linked to Indian bookies. It came to light during the tour of Sri Lanka with stories of Pakistani players being approached by suspicious Indians, as reported by manager Saeed Yawar.... -Full Story- (Times of India - 05/08/09)
www.chinaview.cn 2009-08-05 19:56:43 Print COLOMBO, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan police said Wednesday that they will conduct a census in the camps for the internally displaced persons (IDP) in the north to track down fleeing refugees. A senior police official said the purpose of the measure is to ascertain the number of IDPs who had escaped camps through surreptitious means. Nearly 300,000 Tamil minority civilians displaced by the final battles between the government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are now being housed in scores of refugee camps in the northern Vavuniya and Jaffna districts.... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 05/08/09)
VAVUNIYA, Sri Lanka (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Wednesday allowed 1,100 people displaced during the recently-ended ethnic conflict with the Tamil Tigers to return home, in the first phrase of an ambitious relocation plan. At a colourful ceremony, senior presidential advisor Basil Rajapakse presented gift packs of food to the group and pledged to resettle more people in the coming weeks. Men, women and children, clutching their few belongings in canvas bags, boarded buses to return to Jaffna, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Ampara. They had been housed in state-run camps in the northern district of Vavuniya, 260 kilometres (160 miles) north... -Full Story- (Yahoo - 05/08/09)
Madhawa Palihapitiya The remaining trained manpower of the LTTE should be diverted towards peaceful means of livelihood. Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse has appointed Major Gen Daya Ratnayake, a seasoned Sri Lanka Army officer as the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation. The appointment was made as part of Rajapakse’s 180-day resettlement plan for the 3,00,000 Internally Disturbed Persons (IDPs) from the recently concluded civil war. A brilliant strategist, General Ratnayake was once the commander of the 223 brigade at Welikanda, Polonnaruwa during the height of the LTTE-Karuna conflict in the districts of Batticaloa and Ampara in the Eastern Province of Sri... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 05/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: India on Monday handed over bank drafts worth Sri Lanka Rs. 117 million to Sri Lanka for Palaly military-cum civilian runway rehabilitation project in the Jaffna peninsula, Sri Lanka Defence Ministry announced here on Wednesday. ($1 fetches Sri Lanka Rs. 114). Attempts to elicit information from the Indian mission on the quantum of the first instalment for the project and remaining phases if any were not successful. Palaly houses the main base of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in the Jaffna peninsula. The air base is also used by civilian and military aircraft carrying Jaffna-bound... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 05/08/09)
T.V. SRIRAM COLOMBO Aug. 5: A violent tusker brought traffic to a halt and caused panic in an eastern Sri Lankan town, but it turned out that it was only trying to divert people’s attention towards three baby elephants who were caught in a muddy slush nearby and were drowning. The elephant started attacking vehicles and people near the spot where the baby elephants were trapped in a muddy pond. Efforts by the authorities to move the jumbo proved futile even as the people launched massive rescue efforts to save the little elephants. A video grab showed the three elephants... -Full Story- (Asian Age - 05/08/09)
Sri Lanka’s president brushed aside protests from animal rights activists yesterday when he formally gifted two baby elephants separated from their mothers to a Buddhist temple. President Mahinda Rajapakse presented the “guardianship†of the two calves to top Buddhist monks at a ceremony in the central town of Kandy, his office said. Animal lovers had petitioned the Supreme Court as well as the Court of Appeal demanding that the calves be reunited with their mothers, while the local media carried letters from angry readers complaining of cruelty to animals and an insult to Buddhism. The two-and-half-year old tuskers were separated... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 05/08/09)
COLOMBO (AFP) – Sri Lanka's president brushed aside protests from animal rights activists Wednesday when he formally gifted two baby elephants separated from their mothers to a Buddhist temple.Animal rights activist Jagath Gunawardene said he hoped the calves would be sent back to the elephant orphanage once their guardianship had been formally handed over to the temple. However, recreation minister Gamini Lokuge dismissed the idea. "We will send them back to Pinnawela only if the chief veterinary surgeon recommends it, or the court orders it," Lokuge told AFP.... -Full Story- (Yahoo - 05/08/09)
The land mass of the nation had been divided under an agreement reached with the terrorists. Gallant soldiers had to put up a very brave fight at the risk of losing their lives and limbs to take back the illegally granted land said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing a ceremony in Colombo to mark the granting of land to 2000 landless families from several districts of the island. The granting of entitlements to the people of fourteen varied districts like Batticaloa , Puttlam and Kurunegala took place at the Temple Trees, the official residence of the President.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
 There had been experiments carried out in America to pass messages of publicity for food or drinks embedded in films run in cinemas, which is not perceived by the conscious mind but which affect the subconscious to influence favourable acceptance of the produce publicised. These are called subliminal messages.  That means that you take note of a favourable or an unfavourable message not consciously seen but subconsciously noted . It is supposed to be in use in the television, and in cinemas even now. It may perhaps be put in use even in some websites we surf... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
"There is no state without a Tamil - but there is no state for the Tamils." World Confederation of Tamils (www.tamilnation.org) 'India is a Myth': The merchants of federal formula are reluctant to compare 'Federal' arrangements with marriage contracts. In the recent past we saw this behavior first hand in an exchange of letters with one Kandappa from Jaffna under the titles "Federalism and Marriage" and "Federalism and Sexism" (Island, Jan 11, 2006). The comparison exposes defects in the Federal method. This is why Mr. Anandasangaree has become the Ambedkar of Sri Lanka preaching to JVP... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
It was Okakura the famous Japanese intellect who said that it was the compassion of Buddhism that elevates a lowly beast to the level of a human that made Buddhism acceptable to the Confucius China. This photograph illustrates a amazon Indian woman breast feeding a baby monkey whose mother has been killed. What compassion a lesson for us all in light of the recent removal of breast feeding elephant cubs from there mother to be presented to the esteemed Buddhists temples of Sri Lanka... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
“I tell you not that with me are the Treasures of God, nor do I know what is hidden, nor do I tell you I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me.†Say: “Can the blind be held equal to the seeing?†Will ye then consider not†Quran, 006.050 Tension between two religious entities had been brewing in the town of Mahagoda in Beruwala for weeks. Two mosques only separated by a mere 100 meters distance were at loggerheads over the teachings of one faith. Clashes... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
Awaking from time to time from his French language classes Bodhi Dhanapala (BD) has a habit of acting like the wise man from Canada. BD may not know that my interest in 13-A began long before he or Dayan Jayatilleke (DJ) came to the scene. I have published enough on 13-A to show that it was an unreasonable, humiliating instrument forced on Sri Lanka by the Indian establishment. 13-A is simply legislation against geography. BD may also not aware of the fact that I was the only and lonely writer on the Internet supporting Mahinda Rajapakse as... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
The Vice Governor of the Yunnan Province Mr. Gao Feng paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on 3rd August 2009 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Welcoming Vice-Governor Feng to Sri Lanka, Foreign Minister Bogollagama noted that the visit was significant as it was the first visit to Sri Lanka by a Vice Governor of the Yunnan Province of the People’s Republic of China. He also stated that the visit became a reality following the invitation extended by Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka upon his visit to Yunnan... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama paid a farewell call on the outgoing Archbishop of Colombo, the Most Reverend Dr. Oswald Gomis, at the Archbishop’s House in Borella on Monday. Minister Bogollagama extended his sincere appreciation of the work carried out by Archbishop Gomis in fostering unity and solidarity amongst all communities living in Sri Lanka. He apprised the Archbishop of the diplomatic initiatives undertaken by the Sri Lankan Government in engaging the international community in the current post-conflict scenario. In this context, the Foreign Minister acknowledged the contribution made by the Archbishop... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/08/09)
COLOMBO, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- India has requested the Sri Lankan government to take over the Indian hospital at Cheddikulam in the northern Vavuniya district set up to meet the emergent needs of the internally displaced persons (IDP) arriving there from the northern battle fields several months ago, the Sri Lankan government said Tuesday. The Department of Government Information said in a statement that the request came after India has successfully completed the mission of treatment to the IDPs. The statement quoted Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Alok Prasad as saying that since most of the emergent needs have been... -Full Story- (english.cctv.com - 05/08/09)
Date: 23 Jul 2009 Since April 2007, the UK's Conflict Prevention Pool (CPP) has been providing funding support through UNICEF and other local partners for the rehabilitation and re-integration of former child soldiers in Sri Lanka. Many children were conscripted into LTTE cadres during the conflict. In Sri Lanka, UNICEF has worked with the government to create a centre for the rehabilitation of children leaving armed groups. Since the centre was established last year nearly 300 former child combatants have already been assisted. Children coming through the centre are provided with education, vocational training and psychosocial support.... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 05/08/09)
Source: United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Date: 04 Aug 2009 The Executive Director of the World Food Programme, (WFP), has approved a budget increase of US $ 17.09 million for the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO) for Sri Lanka by bringing the total budget of the PRRO to US $ 134.9 million for the year 2009.... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 05/08/09)
Northern Province Governor Major General (Rtd) G. A. Chandrasiri, said that 1,445 people, originally from the Eastern Province, but now living in IDP centres in Vavuniya district after being entrapped in the Vanni during the battle will be sent back to their villages. According to officials 190 people from the Ampara, 320 from Batticaloa, 292 from Trincomalee, and 634 from Kantale, who are living in welfare villages will be released today after due security clearence given by the respective authorities... -Full Story- (Daily News - 04/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The European Commission (EC) will provide €62 million for emergency rehabilitation activities for the nearly 3 lakh war displaced in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, the state run English paper Daily News quoted Vice-Chairman, Development Committee, European Parliament, Nirj Deva Aditya as saying. Mr. Deva Aditya said the European Commission aid was for long term rehabilitation of the IDPs and was apart from its 2008 budget. The EU had also released €17 million for the improvement of shelter, health and hygiene sectors in the IDP welfare centres, which is distributed through U.N. organisations, the Red Cross... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 04/08/09)
The poll in the Southern Province will be the last provincial vote in the island nation excluding the Northern Province Sri Lanka called an election in President Mahinda Rajapakses native province, officials said yesterday, taking one of the last steps needed before he can call nationwide polls to capitalise on his victory over Tamil Tiger rebels. The poll in the Southern Province will be the last provincial vote in the island nation excluding the Northern Province, totally captured by the military when it defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels and ended a 25-year war on May 18. W P Sumanasiri, additional... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 04/08/09)
Dissident opinion and pornography on the Internet are not the same things usually. But in Sri Lanka both are likely to get the same treatment  blocked by the government’s caring hands. For much of the war with the LTTE, the authorities here had banned any dissident on the Internet. Now they have turned their powers to proscribe to sites on the net with pornographic content. For starters, 12 sites have been logged out. (It’s a separate issue that all of them could be accessed by proxy servers.) Cultural Affairs Ministry secretary GLW Samarasinghe, was quoted as saying these measures... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 04/08/09)
When the government repeated the same performance of the ancient heroes of Wellassa and emancipated this country some political elements of here wanted to take those emancipators to the hangman, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing a mammoth public rally in the grounds of the University at Buttala in the Moneragala District which a facing the Uva Provincial Council elections. “I would like to tell the nefarious elements that we are ready to meet not only one hangman but many to protect the freedom of the country,â€ÂÂÂthe President said. The President said it is not necessary to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/08/09)
President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa paid homage to the Holy Statue of St Annes and attended a Special Religious ceremony at Thalawila Church on Saturday 1st July. Bishop of Chilaw Rt Rev Valence Mendis officiated at the Mass with the participation of resident priests, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, many politicians and large crowd of Catholic devotees and locals. Apart from the Easter festival during the holy week, Thalawila Church organises another main festival scheduled to be celebrated annually in the first Sunday in August. President and First lady's Saturday visit... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/08/09)
A number of people, e.g., Chandrasiri Wijewickrema, has written a number of articles based on the premise that Dayn Jayatilleke was recalled because he made statements favoring the 13th amendment. However, this is pure surmise for which no supporting evidence has been presented by Wijewickrema. The discussion in a recent article in the Lankaweb about "Kevattaya and Mahvusadha" etc., are once again devoid of fact and just full of word-smithing innuendo. Similarly, Wijewickrema's claim that Dayn Jayatilleke was of mixed ethnic parentage, and that his parents were not even nominally Buddhist, proved to be... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/08/09)
While travelling in China I saw a news report about a student in a leading school committing suicide as a teacher had reprimanded her for using a mobile phone. In fact, there had been two incidents.  I showed the news item to my Chinese friend who is a teacher and he was indeed shocked that a student committed suicide because of a phone call. In China everyone has a mobile and this also  means that every student both in High school and Middle school has a phone.  At the beginning mobile phones had created problems in... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/08/09)
Web posted at: 8/3/2009 9:8:48 Source ::: IANS New Delhi: Over 80 former Indian soldiers have left for Sri Lanka following the defeat of the Tamil Tigers to join Indians already there in clearing thousands of buried landmines. The new group has teamed up with compatriots working since 2003, mainly in the northern districts of Mannar and Vavuniya, in defusing mines laid by both the military and the Tigers during their prolonged conflict. While 50 of the latest batch of Indians are attached to the Pune-based Horizon Group, 32 are from Sarvatra Technical Consultants, a company that is based in... -Full Story- (thepeninsulaqatar.com - 03/08/09)
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 02 Aug 2009 The public transportation services in Jaffna commenced today with 175 passengers boarding four buses from Jaffna to Medawachchiya this morning, Governor of the Northern Province, Major General G.A. Chandrasiri said. The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has initially deployed four buses with more buses to be added to the fleet shortly. A price of a one way ticket has been set at Rs. 475. Additional transportation services are being introduced from Medawachchiya to Colombo for the convenient of the passengers. The Government Agent of Jaffna, G.A. Ganesh said that the bus... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 03/08/09)
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 03 Aug 2009 The process of demining the liberated is being priority in the resettlement agenda to meet deadlines of the 'Northern Spring' (Uthuru Wasanthaya) concept. The government is much concerned about the safety of civilians to be resettled in the liberated areas. The LTTE before it was eliminated had mined those areas burying unnumbered mines during its battle with government troops. India too has extended fullest support to the demining process sending logistical and manpower assistance to expedite the work early. Several foreign governments too have financially assisted the demining process over the... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 03/08/09)
The LTTE could be attempting to revive the organisation amid efforts by the defeated terror group to rescue hardcore cadres housed in government-run refugees camps for Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka's northern Vavuniya district, a top minister has said. Defence Minister Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that though the LTTE had been military crushed, attempts were being made to rescue hardcore fighters who are living in the refuge camps in the Vavuniya region. He warned that this could be part of an overall strategy to revive the organisation, which was crushed by the military in May. In an interview with The Sunday... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 03/08/09)
COLOMBO: Almost 10,000 kg of explosives, detonators and steel balls of Indian-make were found from hidden arsenal of the LTTE in the past three years, reported the The Island daily on Saturday. Among the other significant weapons seized by the Sri Lankan armed forces and the police are nine 133 mm, seven 152 mm, and six 122 mm artillery pieces; 42 thermobaric weapons; 24, four-barreled 14.5 mm anti-aircraft guns; 91, 12.7 mm anti-aircraft guns; 113,240 T-56 assault rifles; 54, 120 mm mortars; three, six barrel rocket launchers; 11 surface to air missiles; 8 recoilless weapon; 45 rocket launchers; 38, 82... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 03/08/09)
Nepal's Maoists chairman Prachanda has criticised India and Sri Lanka for allegedly "suppressing" the extremist outfits in the two countries and said his party would renew its ties with the international fraternal groups. "The military action of Sri Lankan government against the armed group LTTE and Indian government's armed action against Indian Maoists in Lalgarh are deplorable acts," he said while addressing media persons here yesterday. The Maoists' have also decided to strengthen their ties with all the Marxists, Leninist and Maoist parties of the world.... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 03/08/09)
Colombo, Aug. 3: The LTTE could be attempting to revive the organisation amid efforts by the defeated terror group to rescue hardcore cadres housed in government-run refugees camps for Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka’s northern Vavuniya district, a top minister has said. Defence minister Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that though the LTTE had been militarily crushed, attempts were being made to rescue hardcore fighters who are living in the refuge camps in the Vavuniya region. He warned that this could be part of an overall strategy to revive the organisation, which was crushed by the military in May.... -Full Story- (Asian Age - 03/08/09)
Rafik Jalaldeen The Navy conducting search operation has recovered LTTE military hardware items in Kuttumurichchikulam, Kadirveli on Sunday. Navy spokesman Captain D.K.P. Dassanayake said acting on information naval troops have uncovered 15 I-com sets, a telephone, a 'Couger' hand mike, a multimeter, a vehicle mounted antennae, a GPS, two MG micro hand mikes, 12 PRC 1077 hand sets and three base station sets. "These items were hidden in a jungle in the Kuttumurichchikulam area", he added.... -Full Story- (Daily News - 03/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: Brother of Sri Lankan President and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said that future generations should be saved from terrorism even as the government announced that de-mining of areas earlier under the control of the LTTE is a top priority. Addressing a War Hero commemoration event held at a local college on Sunday, Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa said, “We should teach our youth and our children to love this country and make every effort to preserve the glory won by the valiant efforts of our gallant men and women. We should also save our future generations from... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 03/08/09)
Special Correspondent CHENNAI: A native of Sri Lanka has filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking transfer of a cheating case against a person, who had promised to cure her son, to the CB CID. In her petition, N. Pushparathnam submitted that she had settled down with her family in Switzerland 10 years ago. She was now staying at Koyambedu. Her son, aged 14 years, lost his vision after a bout of viral fever. He was also suffering from cerebral palsy. There was no progress after he was treated in Switzerland.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 03/08/09)
www.chinaview.cn 2009-08-04 06:04:52 Print UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched this week a special health campaign for children in Vavuniya, Sri Lanka, a UN spokesperson said here on Monday. Michele Montas, the UN spokesperson, told a news briefing here that more than 36,000 internally displaced children under the age of five will be vaccinated against measles and polio. They will also each receive dosages of vitamin A and de-worming tablets. The acting UNICEF country representative said that "children under five are the most vulnerable part of... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 03/08/09)
Sri Lanka opposed the contention that Fiji should be expelled from Commonwealth of Nations and prevailed upon the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) with some other nations to reach a consensus decision to give the country enough time to revert back to a fully fledged democracy at a meeting in London. “Sri Lanka took a position expressing the declared policy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa that no sanctions or expulsions should be imposed on any nation as such conditions would create immense difficulties to the innocent peopleâ€ÂÂÂ, said Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama talking to this... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/08/09)
It is also Breast feeding week sans the subject two Elephant calves!  Buddhist moral conduct is “built on the vast conception of universal love and compassion for all living beings†. Buddhism inherited ahiṃsā from its land of birth, India, and added some uniquely Buddhist expressions of this universal moral ideal, such as mettā (loving-kindness) and karuṇā (compassion). Compassion toward non-human animals has a high profile in the ancient and foundational Buddhist Pāli Canon, as well as in extracanonical writings. In the Buddhist teachings, animals are not lesser or “other.†This ethic is consistent with Buddhist... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/08/09)
The following is a report in the Colombo Page: [“Protests against the Governor of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province† Aug 01, Colombo: The Agriculture Minister of the Eastern Province has appealed the Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa to remove the Governor of the Province.  Reportedly, the Agriculture Minister of the Eastern Province, Nawarathna Raja made the appeal to the President during a special meeting with him.  He has informed the President that the entire system of the Eastern Province is collapsed due to the activities of the current Governor, Mohan Wijewickrama.  The Agriculture minister has asked the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/08/09)
Assam has witnessed a different kind of political debate, which is in no way related to flood, drought, terrorism or the unexpected price rise of essential commodities. It is rather a debate over the reckless comments made by a certain Congress minister. The young and pro-active minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, has drawn media attention for his loose temper. The minister in charge of health and family welfare of Assam in Northeast India, had invited brickbats for his outburst on a television show, where he attacked an opposition leader with unparliamentary words. It all started with a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/08/09)
Special Correspondent NEW DELHI: The Indian Armed Forces Field Hospital unit, functioning at Manikfarms camp in Vavuniya, Sri Lanka, since March 9 this year, to provide succour and relief to the internally displaced Tamil civilians there, has been extended by two more months on the request of the Sri Lankan government. This is the third extension for the 60-member unit, which includes surgeons, paediatricians, medical specialists and lady medical officers. The team had so far treated over 21,000 persons, including those with gunshot wounds, trauma, head injuries and those related to general surgery and orthopaedics.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 02/08/09)
Over 80 former Indian soldiers have left for Sri Lanka following the defeat of the Tamil Tigers to join Indians already there in clearing thousands of buried landmines. The new group has teamed up with compatriots working since 2003, mainly in the northern districts of Mannar and Vavuniya, in defusing mines laid by both the military and the Tigers during their prolonged conflict. While 50 of the latest batch of Indians are attached to the Pune-based Horizon Group, 32 are from Sarvatra Technical Consultants, a company that is based in Gurgaon, Haryana. Sarvatra will send 32 more men. Both are... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 02/08/09)
The Sri Lankan government has decided to provide doles for over 50,000 of its workers who lost their jobs due to the global downturn.Workers in various private sectors, who lost employment due to the economic crisis, will be given financial benefits under a special ‘Unemployment Benefit Insurance Scheme’ on a directive by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. As per the scheme launched under the Labour Department’s Jobs Net program, each worker will be paid between SLR 4,000 and SLR 12,000 for two years, commencing this September. People who had worked less than 180 days at a monthly remuneration of less than SLRs... -Full Story- (business-standard.com - 02/08/09)
B. Muralidhar Reddy “Terrorist Investigation Department is questioning him; no charges framed yet†COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan police have detained the Kilinochchi District Government Agent (District Collector), Nagalingam Vethanayagam, on suspicion of links with the LTTE. Sri Lankan Police media spokesman Ranjith D.A. Gunasekera told The& (The Hindu - 02/08/09)
Two of my friends flew SRILANKAN airline from Frankfurt-Colombo on Wednesday 22nd July 2009 and had a disappointing story to tell. "There was no water in the plane, for coffee or in the toilet!" The crew were not the best in their professional capacity, with little or no service on-board. Upon arrival at Katunayake International Airport, it took more that two hours to clear passports at immigration because there were only three counters operational. The air-condition had broken down and the pre-dawn heat was unbearably uncomfortable for those waiting in-line, foreigners and domestic alike. Destroys the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/08/09)
 In Sri Lanka the man and elephant had a close relationship, from the very ancient times. The domesticated wild elephants were captured by man in elephant kraals and tamed. Separated from their herd-mates these poor beasts, like the healthy African youth captured by European slave merchants and sold in slave markets, slaved for his master doing heavy work a man could not handle. The ownership of an elephant tethered by a strong chain to a tree in the compound of the Walauwa enhanced the stature of many Kandyan Nilames like Dela Bandara .  The elephant had a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/08/09)
The "Beer Summit" held by President Barack Obama, attended by VP Jim Biden with "Cop & Robber(?)", the police officer Sgt. James Crowley, a well-regarded white patrolman in the college town of Cambridge, Massachusetts and the professor African-American black scholar Henry Louis Gates of Harvard University, did not lighten the heat but just fizzled out. Instead, there were discussions about the brand of beer and if beer was the "cool" beverage which should have been served as the platform to diffuse the "ever living NIGGER" problem. Instead, Obama should have ordered a Guinness, the black brew... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/08/09)
Dear Kelly McParland,  The National Post has been one of the few papers in the western world that has shown consistent balance when it came to reporting on the terrorist activities of the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka and Canada. The National Post and one of its journalists, Stewart Bell, has had first hand experience of the tactics used by the Tamil Tigers to subdue any opposition. We have always valued the reporting in your paper, however, your analysis of the current situation of the IDPs in Sri Lanka seems to be rather biased.  Yes, the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/08/09)
Traitors committing a treacherous act by implementing an illegal and fraudulent agreement to please foreign masters   Ben Silva Justice and fair play should be for all Sri Lankans. We should attempt to make the Sri Lankan society, inclusive rather than create tribal areas and promote racism. The 13th amendment creates tribal areas and promote tribalism. All Sri Lankans, irrespective of ethnicity or social status should have basic human rights and equal opportunities. A home grown solution is required that will safeguard the interests of all citizens. Large section of the Sinhaese are neglected and do not even... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/08/09)
Efforts by the Board of Investment and the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington DC generate unprecedented response from the US private sector Generating an unprecedented scale of response from the private sector entrepreneurs in the United States (US), a major investment promotional drive launched across four major cities in the US over the last week ended on a highly successful note. The campaign, carried out from 20th - 24th July, included series of activities in Los Angeles, San Jose, New York and Washington DC. The success is primarily due to the untiring... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/08/09)
Servility and self serving sycophancy are not unknown to poor Sri Lanka: on the contrary, the Country, most regrettably, abounds with it. However, never till now have we had the misfortune to witness the horrible spectacle of a pack of sniveling sycophants in political office of various types with unconcealed ambitions to climb higher on the basis of nothing more noble than their ignoble sycophancy, heaping mortal and unforgivable insults on the person of the Head of State while believing those insults to constitute fulsome praise which would so please the Head of State that they... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/08/09)
A political solution is not required for the hypothetical “ethnic conflict†created by western invaders. Sri Lanka has shown that the simple universally accepted rule of “catch the criminals and punish†worked for thousands of years still works. But we have not yet punished those who masterminded and fuelled this cruel, barbaric criminal and racial war. We are still shaking hands with them; this is called “diplomacy†and we shall go on like this for some time. This is the reality, because we do not have military power and super power ally to confront neighbours like... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/08/09)
The people of the South Asian countries are never worried about their present; they are anxious about their future and frightened of their Past. The situation is more horrid in the countries like India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. According to a research report, published a few years back, people in these countries are more interested in saving than spending, but unfortunately they are neither successful in saving nor in spending because they have a very meager earning. The cause behind all this mess is basically a heavy expenditure on the defense affairs. Some countries are doing... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/08/09)
by Shamindra Ferdinando Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that though the LTTE had been military crushed once and for all, attempts were being made to rescue hardcore terrorists taking refuge among civilians accommodated in welfare centres in the Vavuniya region. He warned that this could be a part of an overall strategy to explore ways and means of reviving the organization. In an interview with The Sunday Island, he said that an organized campaign had been launched to free terrorists from welfare camps before army and police investigators now engaged in a systematic screening process closed in on them.... -Full Story- (The Island - 01/08/09)
RAMANATHAPURAM: Three Sri Lankan Tamils, who reportedly lived in a camp in Vavuniya, arrived at Rameswaram on Friday. Sources said on information that an unknown boat had arrived on Narikuzhi shore, a team of marine policemen reached there and seized it with an engine. All three were taken to the marine police station. They were identified as S. Anushan (19), his younger brother Sarath Babu (18) and his relative Thirukumaran. They claimed that though they were the native of Talaimannar, they went to Nachikuda in 2008. They were enrolled as the members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 01/08/09)
Colombo: Sri Lanka plans to offer education and vocational training for about 20,000 former Tamil Tiger rebels, including child soldiers and operatives trained as suicide bombers, an official has said. Nearly 10,000 rebels have surrendered this year, most of them after the defeat of the Tigers in May, said commissioner general of rehabilitation Daya Ratnayake. “We believe the total number (of rebels in government custody) will be anything between 15,000 to 20,000,†he said. “Depending on their individual needs, we will provide them with basic education and skills training.†He said most of them wanted to be farmers or fishermen,... -Full Story- (thepeninsulaqatar.com - 01/08/09)
Dambulla, Sri Lanka: Chamara Kapugedera hit an unbeaten 67 as Sri Lanka overcame early shocks to defeat Pakistan by six wickets in the second one-day international here yesterday. Thilan Thushara and Muttiah Muralitharan shared five wickets as Sri Lanka bowled out Pakistan for 168 runs and then surpassed the modest target in the 44th over at the Rangiri International Stadium. Sri Lanka were given a scare when they were reduced to 44-3 in the 11th over after losing captain Kumar Sangakkara and Sanath Jayasuriya in the space of three deliveries.... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 01/08/09)
C. Jaishankar RAMANATHAPURAM: A team of eight persons, including fishermen, will soon go to Sri Lanka to identify the bodies of seven fishermen believed to have drowned in the northern sea off the island and perform the last rites. The fishermen from Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi had ventured into the sea on July 14. The bodies, washed ashore in Sri Lanka, have been kept at Jaffna hospital based on information that they could be of missing Indian fishermen. The State and Central governments, which accepted the fishermen’s demand, are working out the modalities of sending the team to Sri Lanka.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 01/08/09)
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