Minister ridicules John Ryan demand

Mar 26 (CT) Senior minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has ridiculed a demand by British MP John Ryan for the expulsion of Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth if the government refuses to agree for a ceasefire. Speaking to the media, Mr. de Silva described the statement as an 'empty shot' against Sri Lanka, a country that has been facing 'multi-barrel attacks.' more..

Situation Report (Mar 26) by SLA

Mar 26 (SLA) Front line Tiger leaders, VARADA ANNAN, CADER SOORIYAN, ELAVAN and a dozen of Tiger terrorists perished on Wednesday during clashes in PUTHUKUDIRIPPU with valiant troops of the Army, ground troops confirmed. Tigers fighting their last battle in PUTHUKUDIYIRIPPU attacked the troops after sending their frontline best cadres Wednesday with the intention of preventing the advance of the troops towards the east of PUTHUKUDIYIRIPPU. more..

Two years since the disappearance of SEP member Nadarajah Wimaleswaran

Mar 26 (wsws) Last Sunday marked two years since the disappearance of Socialist Equality Party (SEP) member Nadarajah Wimaleswaran and his friend Sivanathan Mathivathanan, who were both residents of Kayts Island in northern Sri Lanka. Wimaleswaran and Mathivathanan vanished on March 22, 2007 while returning from neighbouring Punguduthivu Island, which is connected by a long causeway to the Velanai area of Kayts. more..

God bless children

Immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access before political engagement - TNA MP

Mar 26 (TN) S. Jeyananthamoorthy, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian from Batticaloa district on Thursday said that the TNA had decided not to engage in talks with the Sri Lankan President or anyone representing the SL state before a conducive environment for such political engagement is created by an immediate ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access to the suffering people of Vanni. more..

NHDA warns the public not to fall into the traps of fake organizations

Mar 26 (LP) Housing Loan Organizations claming that they are established under the National Housing Act are involved in collecting money illegally, National Housing Development Authority stated. People who deposited money in private housing loan organizations were told to go to the National Housing Development Authority when inquired about their money National Housing Development Authority noted. more..

Driving license fee to go up

Mar 26 (CT) The Department of Motor Traffic has decided to raise the driving license fee with effect from tomorrow. According to department sources, the increase is nearly three-times for the newly-introduced license. The fee will be Rs. 1,700 for the written examination, permit for trainee, practical test and the license, for one vehicle category. For two vehicle categories, it will be Rs. 2,000 and for three categories, the fee will be Rs. 2,250, more..

'Sudar Oli' editor files FR petition

Mar 26 (CT) Editor of 'Sudar Oli' newspaper N. Vidyadaran yesterday (25) filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court against his 'arrest' and detention. The petition cites the Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Colombo Crimes Division Director Anura Senanayake, its Sub Inspector A.G.T.B. Wijeratne, SSP Ranjith Gunasekera, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General as respondents. more..

Chandrika not removed as SLFP branch president

Mar 26 (CT) Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga has not been removed as president of Ruwanpura branch of the SLFP in Attanagalla electorate as reported in the media, said its secretary E.J. Ediritilake. He said MP Sarana Gunawardena, in violation of SLFP constitutional provisions on reforms of party branches, had hastily gathered certain outsiders and appointed so-called office bearers for the branch four days ago. more..

200 principals hand in resignations

Mar 26 (CT) Secretary of the Association of Education Professionals Wasantha Dharmasiri says that 200 school principals handed in their resignation letters to the Education Ministry Secretary yesterday to protest failure of authorities to address their long unresolved issues. Speaking at a press briefing following the handing in of resignation letters, he said that the AEP would not allow the government to avoid the issue under the pretence of war. more..

US wants end to terrorist attacks in Lanka

Mar 26 (CT) US State Department Acting Deputy Department Spokesman Gordon Duguid says the US wants to see an end to terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, protection for noncombatants in areas where conflict is ongoing and a resolution to the problem be reached as quickly as possible. "I don't think that what we want the government to do is the right way to put the question. What we would like to see as an outcome is that there is an end to terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, more..

Minister of environment in tusk deal

Mar 26 (LT) Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Champika Ranawaka presented a pair of tusks to President Mahinda Rajapakse at Temple trees yesterday. Two candidates for the Western PC election too participated at the event that was given wide publicity by the state media. None of the media had revealed how Minister Patalee Champila Ranawaka acquired the tusks and more..

Sri Lanka urges Thailand to keep close eyes on movement of rebellion Tigers

Mar 26 (Xinhua) Sri Lanka urged Thailand on Thursday to keep close eyes on movement of the LTTE to prevent them from using Thailand as launching pad against Colombo, the Thai Foreign Ministry said Thursday. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama made the request when he met with Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on Thursday, the website by The Nation newspaper reported. more..

NPOC reports 25 poll violations

Mar 26 (CT) The National Polls Observation Centre reports having received 25 complaints of election law violations by today (Mar. 26) in the run up to polls for western provincial council. NPOC says in a statement that only two of them are of serious nature, while the rest is minor incidents. The highest number of complaints, 12, is reported from Gampaha, followed by six from Colombo and seven from Kalutara. more..

BPO puts Sri Lanka on the global sourcing map

Mar 26 (CBR) Sri Lanka is some way down the list of global sourcing locations, but its newly created outsourcing trade association believes that the country has the necessary attributes to become a leading center for business process outsourcing. Although the country has learnt much from India's success it must develop its own strengths and focus on attracting high-profile vendors over the next few years. more..

Trinco children not poisoned

Mar 26 (DN) No schoolchildren were affected by Tuesday’s food poisoning incident in Trincomalee, Health and Nutrition Ministry Media Coordinator W.M.D. Wanninayake said. School principals had misled the schoolchildren and sent them to hospital in connection with the food poisoning incident, Wanninayake said quoting a specialist sent by the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry Epidemiology Unit to investigate the incident. more..

Holmes says safe zone under attack

Mar 26 (DM) UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Sir John Holmes has said that although the Government gave an assurance that there will be no shelling in the no-fire zone (safe zone) there have been reports to the contrary, but was unable to confirm which party was responsible for the shelling. However reacting to this statement, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the military was not involved in shelling in the no-fire zone but more..

IMF loan only for development

Mar 26 (DN) Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama told Parliament yesterday that according to the World Bank report, the rate of development in the Western Province has increased to 14 percent which is equal to the growth rates of China and India. He said poverty rate in the rural areas has also declined from 29 percent to 15 percent while the poverty rate in urban areas has dropped to six percent from 16 percent. more..

Banners to bags make recycling trendy

Mar 26 (DN) Banners..Banners and more Banners. Just look around and that is what you see. We Sri Lankans are famous for banners. Not only in the heart of Colombo City but in the outskirts as well. True it's irritating at times but banners have become part and parcel of our daily life. I am not going to talk about how to get rid of them. Instead how to put them to good use. The Cinnamon Grand Colombo has come forward with a novel concept to recycle their promotional banners more..

'The reform process is not finished yet'

Mar 26 (Island) UNP parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa made a strongly worded statement to The Island yesterday concerning reports which said that a deal between him and Wickremesinghe had ended the rebellion within the UNP at last Monday’s stormy working committee meeting. Premadasa states that firstly, he had no deal with Wickremesinghe, and secondly, that this was not the end of the reform process within the party – far from it. more..

Needed: A strong Opposition

Mar 26 (Island) The hurly-burly's done at Sirikotha and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has scored a Pyrrhic victory in a party mutiny. He looks the worse for wear and is nursing his wounds. Posters have appeared all over Colombo with the mug of a smiling Ranil giving the impression that everything is hunky dory. But, there is a cloud on the horizon. All the signs are that he will have to face another bout sooner or later. more..

East won’t need police powers-Karuna

Mar 26 (Island) National Integration Minister Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan told Parliament yesterday that the Eastern Provincial Council does not need police powers. Conferring such power on the Estern Provincial Council will create unnecessary problems, he said. Participating in the adjournment motion debate on the current political situation in the East, Minister Muralitharan said that he had brought this to the notice of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. more..

20,000 illegal finance cos. operating: UNP

Mar 26 (DM) The UNP told Parliament yesterday that there are 20,000 unauthorised finance companies and indivduals accepting deposits from the public in the country today and the Central Bank has failed to look into this issue. UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the Central Bank had published advertisements in the media announcing that there were only 31 registered finance companies. more..

IDPs and conflict-affected communities

School children idling for lack of opportunities

Mar 26 (DM) The residents of Laggala and Wilgamuwa areas are perturbed that their children will inherit a bleak future. They stressed that society will have to face the consequences if steps were not taken to save children from discrimination. They told a team of 30 journalists who visited the area on a fact finding mission that their representations to the relevant authorities in this regard have been ignored. more..

LTTE terrorists kill four farmers in Welikanda

Mar 26 (GDI) In another brutal shoot out, the LTTE has taken lives of another four innocent farmers in Welikanda. The terrorist had been lurking in the vicinities of Welikanda yesterday and the incident took place around 10.00 pm in Kadawathmaduwa. The police identified the dead as M. Somadasa (44), M. R. Sugath Chandrasiri (27), K. A. Sarath Kumara Wijewardhana (37) and K. P. Nandasena. more..

Government compensates families of dead farmers in Serunuwara

Mar 26 (GDI) Government took the initiative to pay Rs 100,000 for the families of dead farmers who were brutally held by LTTE terrorists and later killed them. They are from Dehiwattha in the vicinities of Serunuwara. It was further revealed that these disturbed families will receive another Rs 10,000 as expenses to carry on with funeral proceedings, said Trincomalee District Secretary Major General Ranjith Silva. more..

The Finance in 3-month suspension of withdrawals

Mar 26 (LBO) The Finance Company, a member of the island's troubled Ceylinco group, is suspending withdrawals of deposits for three months, while the firm is restructured under new management, officials said. State-run Lankaputhra Development Bank which has been appointed as the firm's 'managing agent' by the Central Bank said interest will continue to accrue on deposits that are kept beyond maturity during the moratorium. more..

Sri Lanka Brandix factory gets eco award

Mar 26 (LBO) An energy efficient and low emission factory run by Sri Lanka's Brandix apparel group had won an Austrian-based green award for the best such factory in the island, the company said. The Brandix Green Factory at Seeduwa had won the national prize in the 'air; category of the 'World Energy Globe Awards for Sustainability' started by Austrian energy pioneer and Energy Globe Foundation president Wolfgang Neumann in 1999. more..

Lankan Tamil magistrate wins US award

Mar 26 (IANS) A Sri Lankan Tamil magistrate has won "Women of Courage" award from the US State Department for demonstrating "exceptional courage and leadership" in the region, the US embassy said on Thursday. US ambassador Robert Blake recognised Magistrate Srinithy Nandasekaran "as a South Asian regional finalist for the secretary of state's Women of Courage award", it said. more..

'Lanka can seek USD 3.2 b from IMF to overcome crisis'

Mar 26 (ANN) Accusing the UNP and the JVP of attempting to politicize a decision to secure a staggering USD 1.9 billion loan from the IMF, Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said that Sri Lanka could even ask for USD 3.2 billon. He said the IMF could re-establish an office in Colombo. "Although we haven’t asked them to set up a permanent mission here, there is absolutely nothing wrong with IMF’s return," more..

Rebels facing 'imminent' defeat: minister

Mar 26 (AFP) Tamil Tiger rebels have lost more of their territory in northern Sri Lanka and their total defeat is now "imminent," a government minister said Thursday. Government troops have confined LTTE fighters to an area of 21 square kilometres, most of which is a government-declared safe zone, the minister said. "Therefore, it is apparent that the LTTE are now at the imminent brink of defeat," said Keheliya Rambukwella, more..

Jayalalitha stokes Lanka fire as PMK buys time

Mar 26 (TT) With the pro-LTTE PMK likely to join the AIADMK front in Tamil Nadu, leader of the latter, Miss J Jayalalithaa, today made it clear that she was plunging headlong into the Lankan Tamil issue, which she had not proceeded with vigour despite the fast undertaken by her on 9 March. “Was I the one who supported India offering arms and technological equipments to the Lankan army which is used to kill Lankan Tamils? If Karunanidhi had taken back his support to the UPA when more..

49,000 widows in eastern Sri Lanka need jobs: U.N. official

Mar 26 (PTI) There are at least 49,000 widows in urgent need of employement in the war ravaged Eastern Province of Sri Lanka, a U.N. official has said, warning that if left in lurch many of them could turn into suicide bombers. There are 49,000 widows in the province and out of them 35,000 are below 30 years while unemployment ratio is around 30 per cent, the Island Newspaper said quoting a a top U.N. official as saying. more..

Military says it killed 30 rebels

Mar 26 (AP) Military said Thursday it has repulsed a Tamil Tiger counterattack in the north of the island and killed at least 30 rebels. The fighting took place on the edge of a shrinking LTTE enclave in Sri Lanka's war-ravaged north, which government troops are battling to capture to end a 25-year civil war. "They (the rebels) tried to attack our forward defense lines of Iranaippalai yesterday ... We successfully repulsed the attack and over 30 LTTE cadres were reported killed," more..

Ransomed in the last redoubt

Mar 26 (HM) I have known Sri Lanka since 1963 when I worked there. The purpose of my visit in January was to assess the political situation and to do some private touring to revisit places I had not seen for 45 years. One has to remember that tension between the minority Tamil community (18 per cent) and the other ethnic groups goes back to British rule when the civil service was purposely recruited from the minority on more..

TNA ducks Presidential invite citing humanitarian crisis

Mar 26 (AT) The TNA has ducked the invitation extended by President Mahinda Rajapaksa this evening at 6.30 pm to discuss the ethnic question but has issued a letter to the President citing reasons for unable to attend the meeting. The host of reasons and allegations attributed in the latter to President and co-signed by TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, ITAK General Secretary Mavai Senathirajah, EPRLF Secretary General Suresh Premachandran and more..

Two Sri Lankans honoured by British queen

Mar 27 (IANS) Two Sri Lankans, members of the British High Commission here, have been honoured by Queen Elizabeth II for their 'long and exceptional service', a statement said here Thursday. Francis Gnanapragasam, part of the defence section of the high commission for almost 30 years, has been awarded an honorary MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) while Mahendra Ratnaweera was awarded for his services following the 2004 tsunami disaster. more..

Police love affair leaves constable dead & WPC injured

Mar 27 (LT) A police constable was killed in a shootout at the police hostel for women at Narahenpita yesterday night. The relevant police constable had arrived at the hostel and tried to shoot at a female police officer and another police officer who had been there had shot the constable. The woman police officer has been injured when she jumped from the first floor to avoid getting shot. more..

Bank of Ceylon profits up 19.2 percent

Mar 27 (LBO) State-run Bank of Ceylon profits have increased 19.2 percent to 3.87 billion rupees in 2008, helped by strong fee income despite interest expenses rising. The bank said its foreign branches in London, Maldives and Indian had performed well in 2008. "Our London branch has come into profits after 10 years," chairman Gamini Wickramasinghe said. The group's interest income grew 17.0 percent to 51.5 billion rupees, more..

AmeriCares helps innocent victims trapped in Sri Lanka’s civil war

Mar 27 (AC) Sri Lanka’s civil war has gotten worse in recent weeks and the number of casualties has skyrocketed. That’s why AmeriCares is sending close to $500,000 worth of vital medicines and supplies to help treat people hurt in the bloody conflict. The United Nations estimates between 150,000 and 180,000 civilians remain trapped in the war zone, now an 11-square mile region located near the country’s northeastern coast. more..

Navy rescues 71 Tamil civilians

Mar 27 (Xinhua) The military in Sri Lanka said on Thursday that the Navy rescued 71 Tamil civilians fleeing Tamil Tiger rebels' territory in separate occasions in the north and east on Wednesday. Officials from the Defense Ministry said the first group of 26 civilians were found by the Navy at Point Pedro in the northern Jaffna peninsula around 6 a.m. local time (2430 GMT). more..

Independent media in Jaffna threatened by Armed Cadre

Sri Lanka says final standoff with Tigers approaches

Mar 27 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's military on Thursday said it has one kilometre left to go before trapping the Tamil Tigers separatists in a no-fire zone, along with thousands of civilians at grave risk in the 25-year war's final act. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, under pressure to craft a political deal, has called for a meeting with parliamentarians allied with the Tigers but they have refused until more..

Summary of the cabinet decisions

Mar 27 (GDI) Excise Duty Relief for LP Gas used for Manufacturing Purpose: Cabinet approved a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Finance and Planning Mahinda Rajapakse to remove the imposed excise duty rate of 27.50 for gas used in bulk form in the manufacturing process and make necessary amendments to the Excise (special Provision ) Act. more..

'Govt seek the support of a councilor of Pillaiyan to form a suicide group'

Mar 27 (LeN) United National Party (UNP) MP Lakshman Kiriella said today (26) at a press conference that the Tamil People's Liberation Tigers (TMVP) has not only cyanide-swallowing cadres but also suicide cadres. Taking the full responsibility of the statement, he said that a councilor of the TMVP told him that the government sought his support to form a suicide group. more..

Keheliya Rambukwella and the assassins of Lasantha Wickrematunge

Mar 27 (TC) The wife of slain Editor-in-Chief of The Sunday Leader, Sonali Samarasinghe Wickrematunge in a letter to IGP, Jayantha Wickremaratna last week, has asked that he record a statement from Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella to ascertain the identity of her husband Lasantha Wickrematunge's assassins. Ms. Wickrematunge in a letter dated March 15, has requested the IGP to record a statement from Rambukwella for a more..

Golden Key settlement plan under negotiation

Mar 27 (LBO) Ceylinco group chief Lalith Kotelawala has offered to provide assets into a trust to repay 14.5 billion rupees to customers of the collapsed Golden Key Credit Card Company, state lawyers told court. Deputy solicitor general Sarath Jayamanne said Thursday depositors were offered a rate lower than the high rates of around 30 percent promised by Golden Key in terms of a settlement that is yet to be finalized. more..

IMF team in Sri Lanka for financial aid talks

Mar 27 (AFP) The IMF said Thursday it had dispatched a team to Sri Lanka for talks on financial aid to the South Asian nation hurting from the global economic crisis and a campaign to crush Tamil rebels. "There is a mission there on the ground," said International Monetary Fund spokeswoman Caroline Atkinson. "We don't have any date as to the conclusion of those discussions or their likely bringing to the IMF board. more..

UN council to discuss civilians in Sri Lanka war

Mar 27 (Reuters) The U.N. Security Council will discuss the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka on Thursday as fears grow about the fate of tens of thousands of civilians trapped by fighting between government forces and rebels, diplomats said. U.N. humanitarian affairs chief John Holmes is set to brief council members at an informal meeting that is not expected to lead to any action, diplomats on the 15-nation council told reporters. more..

Minister ridicules John Ryan demand

Mar 26 (CT) Senior minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has ridiculed a demand by British MP John Ryan for the expulsion of Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth if the government refuses to agree for a ceasefire. Speaking to the media, Mr. de Silva described the statement as an 'empty shot' against Sri Lanka, a country that has been facing 'multi-barrel attacks.' more..

Situation Report (Mar 26) by SLA

Mar 26 (SLA) Front line Tiger leaders, VARADA ANNAN, CADER SOORIYAN, ELAVAN and a dozen of Tiger terrorists perished on Wednesday during clashes in PUTHUKUDIRIPPU with valiant troops of the Army, ground troops confirmed. Tigers fighting their last battle in PUTHUKUDIYIRIPPU attacked the troops after sending their frontline best cadres Wednesday with the intention of preventing the advance of the troops towards the east of PUTHUKUDIYIRIPPU. more..

Two years since the disappearance of SEP member Nadarajah Wimaleswaran

Mar 26 (wsws) Last Sunday marked two years since the disappearance of Socialist Equality Party (SEP) member Nadarajah Wimaleswaran and his friend Sivanathan Mathivathanan, who were both residents of Kayts Island in northern Sri Lanka. Wimaleswaran and Mathivathanan vanished on March 22, 2007 while returning from neighbouring Punguduthivu Island, which is connected by a long causeway to the Velanai area of Kayts. more..

God bless children

Immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access before political engagement - TNA MP

Mar 26 (TN) S. Jeyananthamoorthy, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian from Batticaloa district on Thursday said that the TNA had decided not to engage in talks with the Sri Lankan President or anyone representing the SL state before a conducive environment for such political engagement is created by an immediate ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access to the suffering people of Vanni. more..

NHDA warns the public not to fall into the traps of fake organizations

Mar 26 (LP) Housing Loan Organizations claming that they are established under the National Housing Act are involved in collecting money illegally, National Housing Development Authority stated. People who deposited money in private housing loan organizations were told to go to the National Housing Development Authority when inquired about their money National Housing Development Authority noted. more..

Driving license fee to go up

Mar 26 (CT) The Department of Motor Traffic has decided to raise the driving license fee with effect from tomorrow. According to department sources, the increase is nearly three-times for the newly-introduced license. The fee will be Rs. 1,700 for the written examination, permit for trainee, practical test and the license, for one vehicle category. For two vehicle categories, it will be Rs. 2,000 and for three categories, the fee will be Rs. 2,250, more..

'Sudar Oli' editor files FR petition

Mar 26 (CT) Editor of 'Sudar Oli' newspaper N. Vidyadaran yesterday (25) filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court against his 'arrest' and detention. The petition cites the Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Colombo Crimes Division Director Anura Senanayake, its Sub Inspector A.G.T.B. Wijeratne, SSP Ranjith Gunasekera, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General as respondents. more..

Chandrika not removed as SLFP branch president

Mar 26 (CT) Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga has not been removed as president of Ruwanpura branch of the SLFP in Attanagalla electorate as reported in the media, said its secretary E.J. Ediritilake. He said MP Sarana Gunawardena, in violation of SLFP constitutional provisions on reforms of party branches, had hastily gathered certain outsiders and appointed so-called office bearers for the branch four days ago. more..

200 principals hand in resignations

Mar 26 (CT) Secretary of the Association of Education Professionals Wasantha Dharmasiri says that 200 school principals handed in their resignation letters to the Education Ministry Secretary yesterday to protest failure of authorities to address their long unresolved issues. Speaking at a press briefing following the handing in of resignation letters, he said that the AEP would not allow the government to avoid the issue under the pretence of war. more..

US wants end to terrorist attacks in Lanka

Mar 26 (CT) US State Department Acting Deputy Department Spokesman Gordon Duguid says the US wants to see an end to terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, protection for noncombatants in areas where conflict is ongoing and a resolution to the problem be reached as quickly as possible. "I don't think that what we want the government to do is the right way to put the question. What we would like to see as an outcome is that there is an end to terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, more..

Minister of environment in tusk deal

Mar 26 (LT) Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Champika Ranawaka presented a pair of tusks to President Mahinda Rajapakse at Temple trees yesterday. Two candidates for the Western PC election too participated at the event that was given wide publicity by the state media. None of the media had revealed how Minister Patalee Champila Ranawaka acquired the tusks and more..

Sri Lanka urges Thailand to keep close eyes on movement of rebellion Tigers

Mar 26 (Xinhua) Sri Lanka urged Thailand on Thursday to keep close eyes on movement of the LTTE to prevent them from using Thailand as launching pad against Colombo, the Thai Foreign Ministry said Thursday. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama made the request when he met with Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on Thursday, the website by The Nation newspaper reported. more..

NPOC reports 25 poll violations

Mar 26 (CT) The National Polls Observation Centre reports having received 25 complaints of election law violations by today (Mar. 26) in the run up to polls for western provincial council. NPOC says in a statement that only two of them are of serious nature, while the rest is minor incidents. The highest number of complaints, 12, is reported from Gampaha, followed by six from Colombo and seven from Kalutara. more..

BPO puts Sri Lanka on the global sourcing map

Mar 26 (CBR) Sri Lanka is some way down the list of global sourcing locations, but its newly created outsourcing trade association believes that the country has the necessary attributes to become a leading center for business process outsourcing. Although the country has learnt much from India's success it must develop its own strengths and focus on attracting high-profile vendors over the next few years. more..

Trinco children not poisoned

Mar 26 (DN) No schoolchildren were affected by Tuesday’s food poisoning incident in Trincomalee, Health and Nutrition Ministry Media Coordinator W.M.D. Wanninayake said. School principals had misled the schoolchildren and sent them to hospital in connection with the food poisoning incident, Wanninayake said quoting a specialist sent by the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry Epidemiology Unit to investigate the incident. more..

Holmes says safe zone under attack

Mar 26 (DM) UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Sir John Holmes has said that although the Government gave an assurance that there will be no shelling in the no-fire zone (safe zone) there have been reports to the contrary, but was unable to confirm which party was responsible for the shelling. However reacting to this statement, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the military was not involved in shelling in the no-fire zone but more..

IMF loan only for development

Mar 26 (DN) Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama told Parliament yesterday that according to the World Bank report, the rate of development in the Western Province has increased to 14 percent which is equal to the growth rates of China and India. He said poverty rate in the rural areas has also declined from 29 percent to 15 percent while the poverty rate in urban areas has dropped to six percent from 16 percent. more..

Banners to bags make recycling trendy

Mar 26 (DN) Banners..Banners and more Banners. Just look around and that is what you see. We Sri Lankans are famous for banners. Not only in the heart of Colombo City but in the outskirts as well. True it's irritating at times but banners have become part and parcel of our daily life. I am not going to talk about how to get rid of them. Instead how to put them to good use. The Cinnamon Grand Colombo has come forward with a novel concept to recycle their promotional banners more..

'The reform process is not finished yet'

Mar 26 (Island) UNP parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa made a strongly worded statement to The Island yesterday concerning reports which said that a deal between him and Wickremesinghe had ended the rebellion within the UNP at last Monday’s stormy working committee meeting. Premadasa states that firstly, he had no deal with Wickremesinghe, and secondly, that this was not the end of the reform process within the party – far from it. more..

Needed: A strong Opposition

Mar 26 (Island) The hurly-burly's done at Sirikotha and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has scored a Pyrrhic victory in a party mutiny. He looks the worse for wear and is nursing his wounds. Posters have appeared all over Colombo with the mug of a smiling Ranil giving the impression that everything is hunky dory. But, there is a cloud on the horizon. All the signs are that he will have to face another bout sooner or later. more..

East won’t need police powers-Karuna

Mar 26 (Island) National Integration Minister Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan told Parliament yesterday that the Eastern Provincial Council does not need police powers. Conferring such power on the Estern Provincial Council will create unnecessary problems, he said. Participating in the adjournment motion debate on the current political situation in the East, Minister Muralitharan said that he had brought this to the notice of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. more..

20,000 illegal finance cos. operating: UNP

Mar 26 (DM) The UNP told Parliament yesterday that there are 20,000 unauthorised finance companies and indivduals accepting deposits from the public in the country today and the Central Bank has failed to look into this issue. UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the Central Bank had published advertisements in the media announcing that there were only 31 registered finance companies. more..

IDPs and conflict-affected communities

School children idling for lack of opportunities

Mar 26 (DM) The residents of Laggala and Wilgamuwa areas are perturbed that their children will inherit a bleak future. They stressed that society will have to face the consequences if steps were not taken to save children from discrimination. They told a team of 30 journalists who visited the area on a fact finding mission that their representations to the relevant authorities in this regard have been ignored. more..

LTTE terrorists kill four farmers in Welikanda

Mar 26 (GDI) In another brutal shoot out, the LTTE has taken lives of another four innocent farmers in Welikanda. The terrorist had been lurking in the vicinities of Welikanda yesterday and the incident took place around 10.00 pm in Kadawathmaduwa. The police identified the dead as M. Somadasa (44), M. R. Sugath Chandrasiri (27), K. A. Sarath Kumara Wijewardhana (37) and K. P. Nandasena. more..

Government compensates families of dead farmers in Serunuwara

Mar 26 (GDI) Government took the initiative to pay Rs 100,000 for the families of dead farmers who were brutally held by LTTE terrorists and later killed them. They are from Dehiwattha in the vicinities of Serunuwara. It was further revealed that these disturbed families will receive another Rs 10,000 as expenses to carry on with funeral proceedings, said Trincomalee District Secretary Major General Ranjith Silva. more..

The Finance in 3-month suspension of withdrawals

Mar 26 (LBO) The Finance Company, a member of the island's troubled Ceylinco group, is suspending withdrawals of deposits for three months, while the firm is restructured under new management, officials said. State-run Lankaputhra Development Bank which has been appointed as the firm's 'managing agent' by the Central Bank said interest will continue to accrue on deposits that are kept beyond maturity during the moratorium. more..

Sri Lanka Brandix factory gets eco award

Mar 26 (LBO) An energy efficient and low emission factory run by Sri Lanka's Brandix apparel group had won an Austrian-based green award for the best such factory in the island, the company said. The Brandix Green Factory at Seeduwa had won the national prize in the 'air; category of the 'World Energy Globe Awards for Sustainability' started by Austrian energy pioneer and Energy Globe Foundation president Wolfgang Neumann in 1999. more..

Lankan Tamil magistrate wins US award

Mar 26 (IANS) A Sri Lankan Tamil magistrate has won "Women of Courage" award from the US State Department for demonstrating "exceptional courage and leadership" in the region, the US embassy said on Thursday. US ambassador Robert Blake recognised Magistrate Srinithy Nandasekaran "as a South Asian regional finalist for the secretary of state's Women of Courage award", it said. more..

'Lanka can seek USD 3.2 b from IMF to overcome crisis'

Mar 26 (ANN) Accusing the UNP and the JVP of attempting to politicize a decision to secure a staggering USD 1.9 billion loan from the IMF, Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said that Sri Lanka could even ask for USD 3.2 billon. He said the IMF could re-establish an office in Colombo. "Although we haven’t asked them to set up a permanent mission here, there is absolutely nothing wrong with IMF’s return," more..

Rebels facing 'imminent' defeat: minister

Mar 26 (AFP) Tamil Tiger rebels have lost more of their territory in northern Sri Lanka and their total defeat is now "imminent," a government minister said Thursday. Government troops have confined LTTE fighters to an area of 21 square kilometres, most of which is a government-declared safe zone, the minister said. "Therefore, it is apparent that the LTTE are now at the imminent brink of defeat," said Keheliya Rambukwella, more..

Jayalalitha stokes Lanka fire as PMK buys time

Mar 26 (TT) With the pro-LTTE PMK likely to join the AIADMK front in Tamil Nadu, leader of the latter, Miss J Jayalalithaa, today made it clear that she was plunging headlong into the Lankan Tamil issue, which she had not proceeded with vigour despite the fast undertaken by her on 9 March. “Was I the one who supported India offering arms and technological equipments to the Lankan army which is used to kill Lankan Tamils? If Karunanidhi had taken back his support to the UPA when more..

49,000 widows in eastern Sri Lanka need jobs: U.N. official

Mar 26 (PTI) There are at least 49,000 widows in urgent need of employement in the war ravaged Eastern Province of Sri Lanka, a U.N. official has said, warning that if left in lurch many of them could turn into suicide bombers. There are 49,000 widows in the province and out of them 35,000 are below 30 years while unemployment ratio is around 30 per cent, the Island Newspaper said quoting a a top U.N. official as saying. more..

Military says it killed 30 rebels

Mar 26 (AP) Military said Thursday it has repulsed a Tamil Tiger counterattack in the north of the island and killed at least 30 rebels. The fighting took place on the edge of a shrinking LTTE enclave in Sri Lanka's war-ravaged north, which government troops are battling to capture to end a 25-year civil war. "They (the rebels) tried to attack our forward defense lines of Iranaippalai yesterday ... We successfully repulsed the attack and over 30 LTTE cadres were reported killed," more..

Ransomed in the last redoubt

Mar 26 (HM) I have known Sri Lanka since 1963 when I worked there. The purpose of my visit in January was to assess the political situation and to do some private touring to revisit places I had not seen for 45 years. One has to remember that tension between the minority Tamil community (18 per cent) and the other ethnic groups goes back to British rule when the civil service was purposely recruited from the minority on more..

TNA ducks Presidential invite citing humanitarian crisis

Mar 26 (AT) The TNA has ducked the invitation extended by President Mahinda Rajapaksa this evening at 6.30 pm to discuss the ethnic question but has issued a letter to the President citing reasons for unable to attend the meeting. The host of reasons and allegations attributed in the latter to President and co-signed by TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, ITAK General Secretary Mavai Senathirajah, EPRLF Secretary General Suresh Premachandran and more..

Two Sri Lankans honoured by British queen

Mar 27 (IANS) Two Sri Lankans, members of the British High Commission here, have been honoured by Queen Elizabeth II for their 'long and exceptional service', a statement said here Thursday. Francis Gnanapragasam, part of the defence section of the high commission for almost 30 years, has been awarded an honorary MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) while Mahendra Ratnaweera was awarded for his services following the 2004 tsunami disaster. more..

Police love affair leaves constable dead & WPC injured

Mar 27 (LT) A police constable was killed in a shootout at the police hostel for women at Narahenpita yesterday night. The relevant police constable had arrived at the hostel and tried to shoot at a female police officer and another police officer who had been there had shot the constable. The woman police officer has been injured when she jumped from the first floor to avoid getting shot. more..

Bank of Ceylon profits up 19.2 percent

Mar 27 (LBO) State-run Bank of Ceylon profits have increased 19.2 percent to 3.87 billion rupees in 2008, helped by strong fee income despite interest expenses rising. The bank said its foreign branches in London, Maldives and Indian had performed well in 2008. "Our London branch has come into profits after 10 years," chairman Gamini Wickramasinghe said. The group's interest income grew 17.0 percent to 51.5 billion rupees, more..

AmeriCares helps innocent victims trapped in Sri Lanka’s civil war

Mar 27 (AC) Sri Lanka’s civil war has gotten worse in recent weeks and the number of casualties has skyrocketed. That’s why AmeriCares is sending close to $500,000 worth of vital medicines and supplies to help treat people hurt in the bloody conflict. The United Nations estimates between 150,000 and 180,000 civilians remain trapped in the war zone, now an 11-square mile region located near the country’s northeastern coast. more..

Navy rescues 71 Tamil civilians

Mar 27 (Xinhua) The military in Sri Lanka said on Thursday that the Navy rescued 71 Tamil civilians fleeing Tamil Tiger rebels' territory in separate occasions in the north and east on Wednesday. Officials from the Defense Ministry said the first group of 26 civilians were found by the Navy at Point Pedro in the northern Jaffna peninsula around 6 a.m. local time (2430 GMT). more..

Independent media in Jaffna threatened by Armed Cadre

Sri Lanka says final standoff with Tigers approaches

Mar 27 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's military on Thursday said it has one kilometre left to go before trapping the Tamil Tigers separatists in a no-fire zone, along with thousands of civilians at grave risk in the 25-year war's final act. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, under pressure to craft a political deal, has called for a meeting with parliamentarians allied with the Tigers but they have refused until more..

Summary of the cabinet decisions

Mar 27 (GDI) Excise Duty Relief for LP Gas used for Manufacturing Purpose: Cabinet approved a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Finance and Planning Mahinda Rajapakse to remove the imposed excise duty rate of 27.50 for gas used in bulk form in the manufacturing process and make necessary amendments to the Excise (special Provision ) Act. more..

'Govt seek the support of a councilor of Pillaiyan to form a suicide group'

Mar 27 (LeN) United National Party (UNP) MP Lakshman Kiriella said today (26) at a press conference that the Tamil People's Liberation Tigers (TMVP) has not only cyanide-swallowing cadres but also suicide cadres. Taking the full responsibility of the statement, he said that a councilor of the TMVP told him that the government sought his support to form a suicide group. more..

Keheliya Rambukwella and the assassins of Lasantha Wickrematunge

Mar 27 (TC) The wife of slain Editor-in-Chief of The Sunday Leader, Sonali Samarasinghe Wickrematunge in a letter to IGP, Jayantha Wickremaratna last week, has asked that he record a statement from Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella to ascertain the identity of her husband Lasantha Wickrematunge's assassins. Ms. Wickrematunge in a letter dated March 15, has requested the IGP to record a statement from Rambukwella for a more..

Golden Key settlement plan under negotiation

Mar 27 (LBO) Ceylinco group chief Lalith Kotelawala has offered to provide assets into a trust to repay 14.5 billion rupees to customers of the collapsed Golden Key Credit Card Company, state lawyers told court. Deputy solicitor general Sarath Jayamanne said Thursday depositors were offered a rate lower than the high rates of around 30 percent promised by Golden Key in terms of a settlement that is yet to be finalized. more..

IMF team in Sri Lanka for financial aid talks

Mar 27 (AFP) The IMF said Thursday it had dispatched a team to Sri Lanka for talks on financial aid to the South Asian nation hurting from the global economic crisis and a campaign to crush Tamil rebels. "There is a mission there on the ground," said International Monetary Fund spokeswoman Caroline Atkinson. "We don't have any date as to the conclusion of those discussions or their likely bringing to the IMF board. more..

UN council to discuss civilians in Sri Lanka war

Mar 27 (Reuters) The U.N. Security Council will discuss the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka on Thursday as fears grow about the fate of tens of thousands of civilians trapped by fighting between government forces and rebels, diplomats said. U.N. humanitarian affairs chief John Holmes is set to brief council members at an informal meeting that is not expected to lead to any action, diplomats on the 15-nation council told reporters. more..

EC urged to ensure franchise of expelled Muslims

Dec 22 (PSM) Peace Secretariat for Muslims (PSM) has written to the Elections Commissioner requesting him to ensure that the forcibly evicted Northern Muslims are able to exercise their right of franchise at the upcoming Presidential elections in January. The PSM in its letter brings to the notice of the Elections Commissioner that there are confusions and delays in the registration of voters due to the ad hoc resettlement process and more..

Gen. Fonseka pays homage to Siri Maha Bodhi

Dec 22 (UNP) Opposition common Presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka visited Anuradhapura yesterday (21), and paid homage to the Siri Maha Bodhi when he also received the blessings of the Maha Sangha. more..

A new school for disabled Children

Wards closed without doctors but government wants them for political projects

Dec 22 (LT) While two wards at Colombo National Hospital have been closed due to shortage of doctors the government is engaging doctors for their political projects aiming at the forthcoming election. As a result of four out of the five doctors serving the 43rd and 47th wards at Colombo National Hospital do not report for duty due to illness, admitting patients for these wards have been stopped. more..

President ready but the Minister is not

Dec 22 (LT) A demonstration of the unemployed graduates of Aesthetic Education was held yesterday opposite the Ministry of Education. They were carrying placards showing- President is willing – Minister is not willing which gestured that the Minister of Education is forestalling a decision taken by the President to give the appointments. However it is revealed that this demonstration has been organized by the direct intervention of the President. more..

A calendar of the Royal Family at Lotteries Board expense

Dec 22 (LT) A calendar of the Rajapaksa family is being printed these days utilizing allocations of the National Lotteries Board. It is a violation of election law to distribute a calendar with the President through the National Lotteries Board which is a state owned Institution, when the President himself is a candidate at the Presidential election. It is a fact that should draw the attention of the Commissioner of Elections. more..

Admission to Grade 1 on January 18

Dec 22 (LP) The Ministry of Education has made arrangements to admit grade one students on January 18, 2010 in the New Year. Schools island wide should conduct simple but well-organized functions, to welcome new-comers treat them with milk rice, tea and other refreshments. 200 National schools in the island which have primary sections would admit 20,000 students to Grade one classes and schools which come under provincial councils would admit 40,000 students more..

'Sacrifices of soldiers should not used for political gain'

Dec 22 (LG) General Sarath Fonseka said yesterday that he had always attributed the victories gained in the battlefield to the soldiers who fought in the front by sacrificing their live and limb. During a visit to Anuradhapura, the General said that he considered it an honour to have been able to command such a fighting force. “However, we do not approve of such sacrifices by the soldiers being used to more..

'Polls campaign ignoring real issues'

Dec 22 (LNP) Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP) leader MP Wimal Weerawansa charged yesterday that the real issues confronting the masses were not discussed by any party during their election campaigns. MP Weerawansa told a news conference that the opposition was campaigning on themes such as the abolition of the executive presidency, and the government on the war victory. more..

Navy brings in captured LTTE vessel involved in bid to evacuate P’karan

Dec 22 (LNP) Close on the heels of a simmering political debate over LTTE assets seized by the Sri Lankan government over the past several months, the Navy yesterday brought an enemy vessel captured in an operation overseas to the Colombo harbour. The operation could not have come at a better time for President Mahinda Rajapaksa facing former Army Chief General (Retd) Sarath Foneka at the forthcoming presidential election. more..

Child playing with gun killed as weapon misfires

Dec 22 (LNP) An eight year old child from Walasmulla was killed today when she had mistakenly shot at herself whilst playing with her father s locally manufactured firearm. The child had succumbed to her injuries after being admitted to the Walasmulla base hospital. Police media spokesman SSP I.M Karunaratne said that the father of the child had not been in possession of a license for the weapon that he was accustomed to using for hunting purposes.

Sri Lanka has 90 percent gem-bearing land

Dec 22 (LNP) Mineralogical investigations have revealed that Sri Lanka has 90 percent potential gem-bearing land and Sri Lanka is home for over 75 varieties and sub varieties of 200 species identified as gem stones, National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA), Deputy Director General Ajith Perera told at a seminar at the Export Development Board yesterday. He was speaking on the problems and prospects of Diamond, Gems and Jewellery Export Sector. more..

Public servants used for election work

Dec 22 (LNW) Several employees at the Labor and Manpower Ministry have been assigned to Labor Minister Mervyn Silva’s work force from December 17, 2009 till December 27, 2009 on an order issued by Silva on December 14, 2009. The employees who have been released for election work are H.D.K.H. Gunapala, W.R.M.P. Preeti Viraj, Mangala Ravindu Fernando, M.M.S. Senaratne and K.V. Anura Ratnayake. more..

'Only President can rebuild the country'

Dec 22 (DN) It is none other than President Mahinda Rajapaksa who has the experience and the leadership qualities to successfully overcome the challenge of rebuilding the country which has been liberated from terrorism. There is a world of difference between the President who has a record of 40 years political experience and his closest opponent who has only 40 days of such experience, more..

MSF lists Sri Lanka among top ten humanitarian crises of 2009

Dec 22 (SLNN) The international humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders has included Sri Lanka in its annual list of top 10 worst humanitarian crises. The worst emergencies of 2009, according to the statement, were those in which civilians in conflict zones were being “attacked, bombed and cut off from aid.” “There is no question that civilians are increasingly victimized in conflicts and further cut off from lifesaving assistance, often deliberately,” more..

Attorney Shiral Lakthileka appointed as UNP Kotte organizer

Dec 22 (LNW) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe recently appointed Attorney Shiral Lakthileka as the chief organizer of the party for the Kotte electorate. He is a graduate from the Law faculty of the Colombo University. He has also received degrees in international law and conflict resolution from Arcadia and Temple Universities in Philadelphia in the US. He worked as an advisor to the Constitutional Affairs Ministry during more..

'Public Service should bring a smile to the citizen'

Dec 22 (DN) A public servant could bring a tear or a smile to the face of a citizen seeking redress to a problem by the way he acts regarding an official matter. This has been personal experience as an ordinary citizen in the past, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga said. A public service which only brings tears to the eyes of the citizen is useless, he added. more..

Govt strengthened agricultural sector

Dec 22 (DN) Q: Could you explain the progress made in the agricultural sector and the benefits derived by the farmers and the public during the past four years? A: Very clearly the results of the Agriculture policy were visible. We were able to stop the imports of maize, ginger. We were also able to export local vegetables and fruits. Paddy production was increased by 26 percent. more..

Dialog TV partners Lanka Hospitals

Dec 22 (DN) Dialog TV, further strengthened its presence and partnership with Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector, when it inked a partnership with Lanka Hospitals, a leader in the health services sector. Under this agreement, Dialog TV commissioned satellite television services at the Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC., formally known as Apollo Hospitals Colombo. The company has provided connectivity to 134 locations at the hospital via more..

'MR not only appointed Gen. Fonseka to high position, but helped him in personal matters'

Dec 22 (Island) President Mahinda Rajapaksa not only appointed General Sarath Fonseka to an important post, but also helped him in personal matters, said Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, at a meeting at the Galagedara Cultural Centre Auditorium. The meeting was convened by Home Affairs and Public Administration Minister and Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama, on Saturday 19. more..

Wimal says Fonseka’s dual citizenship a disqualification

Dec 22 (Island) National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa said that in accordance with the Sri Lanka Constitution, a person who has dual citizenship cannot contest Presidential elections. Presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka has a dual citizenship in Sri Lanka and the United States. His candidature is in total violation of the Constitution, Weerawansa said at a press conference yesterday. more..

'Over 300,000 will lose jobs due to govt’s. poor HR record'

Dec 22 (Island) The undemocratic actions of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government will lead to over 300,000 Sri Lankans, dependent on the GSP+ facility, losing their jobs, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday. He said that the sine qua non for obtaining the GSP+ concession was good governance, respect for the rule of law and freedom of expression, but all of this has been brazenly violated during the last four years. more..

Jaffna medics urged to serve at least one year in the district

Dec 22 (Island) Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva urged the Jaffna university final year medical graduates to get permission from the GMOA, SLMC and the SLMA to serve at least one year in the Jaffna district hospitals after they pass out. During the Minister’s recent visit to Jaffna, provincial health authorities and hospital directors have pointed out that the Jaffna district has been experiencing a severe dearth of doctors, more..

Tamil doctor files Rights petition in Sri Lanka Supreme Court

Dec 22 (TN) The Supreme Court Monday granted leave to proceed with the fundamental rights violation petition filed by a Tamil medical officer, S.Murali, against his interdiction on his alleged comments made on the conditions in the internment camps which the Sri Lanka Government said "had brought disrepute on the Government of Sri Lanka." The petitioner had been serving as an Acting Consultant Community Physician of more..

Buddhism hijacked?

Dec 22 (DM) Sri Lanka is touted as being a great Buddhist nation. Driving around Sri Lanka the only markers surpassing the sites of all the temples and dagobas are the posters of the president. Every “patriot” sees the need to prove their credentials by showing that they are the only true Sinhala Buddhists. At the junction some of us were reminiscing about the days of our youth, when more..

Ali Zahir Moulana

Dec 22 (DM) The year was 2004. Ali Zahir Moulana had a big grievance. An election pact that the UNP had entered into with the SLMC for the April 2004 polls had killed his chances of contesting parliamentary elections. When asked about the agreement on the eve of the polls he told Daily Mirror that ‘the UNP had sold the sole rights of Eastern Muslims to the SLMC’. It was the second blow in the political career of the UNP MP from Batticaloa. more..

Sri Lanka new port seen assured of cargo despite Indian threat

Dec 22 (LBO) A new port next to Colombo the Asian Development Bank is helping Sri Lanka to build should get enough cargo despite the expansion of India's own ports, a senior bank official said. Richard Vokes, ADB country director in Sri Lanka, said Colombo would have to keep up and improve its efficiency levels to maintain its status as south Asia's container transhipment hub port. more..

Forging ahead with campaign under heavy odds: Sarath Fonseka

Dec 22 (AD) His party and the opposition were carrying on with the election campaign under heavy odds and threats to their lives, said Opposition Presidential candidate General (Rtd.) Sarath Fonseka, while he was leaving the Elections Secretariat after lodging a complaint with the Commissioner. Gen. Fonseka met Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake to lodge a complaint that a retired Army officer who was working for him had been abducted and more..

Sri Lanka October exports dip but recovery underway

Dec 22 (LBO) Sri Lanka's exports in October fell five percent from a year ago, the lowest decline so far this year, dragged down mainly by lower apparel exports, although tea exports were up, the Central Bank said. But the export recovery which began in April after last year's slump is continuing, despite a brief dip in September, the bank said in a statement on the island's external trade performance. more..

'Govt. wants my bullet-proof vehicle back'

Dec 22 (DM) Opposition Common candidate Gen Sarath Fonseka yesterday alleged that the government had asked him to handover his bullet proof vehicle immediately. General Fonseka told an election rally in Anuradhapura last evening that he was informed by the authorities to hand over the vehicle when he was on his way to the Anuradhapura rally. He said his life had been exposed to danger by this move. more..

Govt. losing clout in local councils

Dec 22 (DM) The opposition is gearing up towards capturing several local bodies from the government by defeating the budgets of two Pradeshiya Sabhas and several members including the Deputy Mayor of the Kurunegala Municipal Council crossing over to the UNP. The latest local body to fall was the Ukuwela Pradeshiya Sabha where the annual budget was defeated by 4 votes yesterday. 10 members including four members from the ruling UPFA voted against the budget. more..

Sigiriya residents protest against Cultural Fund officials

Dec 22 (AD) Residents around the historical Sigiriya Rock Fortress began a protest against the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) officials, alleging that they are fleecing the tourists to the area, reports the Adaderana correspondent. Agitated protestors had surrounded the CCF project Office near the Rock Fortress and the Project Manager has been confined to his office room, it was reported. When Police arrived at the scene, the situation had turned volatile. more..

'I erred in selecting some people to top posts'

Dec 22 (DM) President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said he had made ‘some mistakes’ in selecting people to his administration when he was elected to office and expressed sadness over the conduct of some officials whom he described as those who had fallen prey to material gain. The President did not name about whom he was talking about, but went on to express his regret about the situation. more..

Candian High Commissioner tours Vavuniya camps

Dec 22 (AD) Canada’s High Commissioner, Bruce Levy, accompanied by Diplomats from the High Commission staff, paid a visit to some of the rehabilitation camps in the Vavuniya area yesterday. During the visit, which was facilitated through the Justice and Foreign Ministries as well as the Presidential Secretariat, High Commissioner Levy and his colleagues were able to meet with a Canadian detainee and more..

Tamil Tigers `identified on asylum-seeker boat'

Dec 22 (TA) The Sri Lankan government says it has identified up to three former Tamil Tigers seeking asylum in Australia on a boat intercepted after a personal request from Kevin Rudd to Indonesia's President. In allegations that will further complicate the processing of the 255 Tamils on a boat moored at the Indonesian port of Merak, Colombo's high commissioner to Australia, Senaka Walgampaya, said more..

'UN has based accusation only on reported interview'

Dec 22 (AD) The letter from United Nations has based its letter on asking for explanations on the killing of LTTE leaders during the final phase of the war has been based merely on a reported newspaper interview, said Human Rights & Disaster Management Ministry Secretary Professor Rajiva Wijesinha. “We got a letter from Philip Alston and it is another nuisance. more..

President to use the UN war crime charges to bank sympathetic votes

Dec 23 (LP) The interview given by opposition presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka to the Sunday Leader newspaper on December 13, 2009 wherein he alleges that three LTTE leaders who came to surrender with white flags during the final stages of the battle were shot dead by ground troops that were following the orders of Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, has opened an UN probe into possible war crimes charges against the government. more..

Govt. willing to grand our demands, says Chnadrasekaran

Dec 23 (LG) The Upcountry People's Front says that the government has accepted the proposals put forward by their party to render their support to the president and that an agreement was reached to implement them at the right time. “We have put forward our demands. The line housing system in the up country sector needs to be done away with and the people need to be resettled in lands of their own. more..

Yuvraj ruled out of last two ODIs against Lanka

Dec 23 (Hindu) Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh was ruled out of the remaining matches of the One-Day International series against Sri Lanka because of a finger injury. Yuvraj had injured his little finger while fielding in the Mohali Twenty20 game, and missed the first two ODIs. He featured in the match at Cuttack, but will rest for the remaining matches to avoid aggravating his injury. more..

Tenure of Local Govt. members extended

Dec 23 (AD) The tenure of Local Government members which ends in April next year (2010) has been extended by another year, till March 2011, states a media release by the Ministry of Local Government & Provincial Councils. Accordingly, the terms of members of Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas have been extended till March 31, 2011 by Local Government & Provincial Councils Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon more..

Udaya Gammanpila overcomes no-faith motion

Dec 23 (CT) Western province minister Udaya Gammanpila has overcome a no-confidence motion moved against him by the opposition UNP in the provincial council. At a vote today (Dec. 22), the provincial council members voted down the motion by a 42 vote majority. There were 67 votes against and 25 votes in support of the motion. more..

Student became the voice of her people

Dec 23 (TS) The air was thick with emotion. Crowds of Tamil protesters had swelled along University Ave., throughout the cool spring day, chanting slogans and beating drums to bring attention to the plight of their families and friends in Sri Lanka. Leading the chorus of pleas was Lavanya Nithiyanantharasan, 21, a Durham College student whose strong voice and stamina roused the crowd for a marathon 24 hours. more..

PAFFREL calls for media monitoring at presidential polls

Dec 23 (CT) Local election monitor PAFFREL has asked the elections chief to appoint a competent authority in the event of state-owned media violating the media guidelines he has issued for the duration of the presidential polls. Its executive director Rohana Hettiarachchi told 'Colombo Today' that they had written to elections commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake in this regard. more..

PCB did not want Lahore to host Sri Lanka Test

Dec 23 (CI) More than nine months after the fateful terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore, Ijaz Butt, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has said the board had wanted to host that Test in Karachi instead. Butt said he had requested the Pakistan government to shift the game to Karachi because of concerns over the security situation in the province of Punjab, where Lahore is located. more..

Railway stationmasters to strike work for 48 hours

Dec 23 (CT) More than 900 railway stationmasters will stage a 48 hour strike from midnight today (Dec. 22) to protest mainly their unresolved salary anomalies. Train services on Polgahawela, Puttalam, Negombo and Kelani Valley tracks will be disrupted as a result, president of their association K.V. Jayasena said. He said the National Salaries Commission had been indifferent towards their salary anomaly issue despite many calls for its rectification. more..

Debrief News: 22. 12. 2009

Sanitation in homes and schools upgraded in tsunami-affected Sri Lanka

Dec 23 (UNICEF) Jayawathi’s husband had just returned from his overnight fishing trip, and she was watching him prepare the catch in the front yard of their home in Karaitivu, on Sri Lanka’s east coast. Transferring the overflowing buckets of small silvery fish to a larger tub for salting, it looked like a good catch, but earning enough money from fishing is difficult here. "Making a living is a real problem,” she lamented. more..

German Rotary clubs help Sri Lanka recover

Dec 23 (RI) Kerstin Jeska-Zimmermann, 2004-05 governor of District 1950 (Germany), was vacationing with her husband in Sri Lanka's Hikkaduwa resort town in December 2004 when the powerful tsunami hit. "All of a sudden, there was absolute silence, as if nature was holding her breath," Jeska-Zimmermann recalls. "After a few minutes, we heard people frantically screaming, 'The water is coming!' " more..

Railway strike called off

Dec 23 (BL) The 48-hour strike planned by the Railway Station Masters’ Union was called off last minute with the Railway management agreeing to grant their demands following a meeting held last evening, said Secretary of the Union Amarasena Veddagala. The strike was to be based on the stations masters’ salaries not being properly adjusted as noted in the 2006 salary circular. more..

Can Sri Lanka take Advantage

Dec 23 (BL) Much has been said about Sri Lanka’s uniqueness among developing countries; no one can deny that the oldest population pyramid outside of wealthy countries. The demographic transition implies an aging of the population, but before old-age dependency becomes an issue, there is an intermediate period of a demographic dividend when a larger proportion of the population will be at the prime working age. more..

Norway breaks silence, condemns war

Jan 27 (TN) The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, in a statement issued on Tuesday said his government condemned the ongoing war in Sri Lanka, which has caused "unacceptable sufferings to the civilians," in the country. Meanwhile, Erik Solheim has called on th parties stressing that all the people in conflict area should be able to move freely and that the civilians who flee the war must be assured a dignified and respectful treatment under the supervision and monitoring of UN and international monitors. more..

Captains gear up for tough challenge

Jan 27 (CI) Both Mahela Jayawardene and Mahendra Singh Dhoni are expecting the five-ODI contest, which starts on January 28 in Dambulla, to be a closely-fought affair. India edged out Sri Lanka 3-2 in the ODIs during their visit in July-August last year, but the hosts are confident about their prospects after their recent 2-1 success in Pakistan. "It's going to be a tough, challenging series but we are looking forward to that challenge," Jayawardene said. more..

Secretary Defence visits Pakistan

Jan 27 (MoD) Secretary Defence Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa made an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, from 19 Jan 2009 till 24 Jan 2009. During the visit Mr. Rajapaksa met with the Pakistani Interior Minister, the Secretary Defence and several other senior defence officials. Secretary Defence Rajapaksa, at the meeting with Pakistani Interior Minister and Special Advisor to Prime Minister Mr. Reheman Malik more..

Latest version of SCOPP Quarterly Newsletter released

Jan 27 (PISL) The electronic version of the Oct–Dec 2008 SCOPP Quarterly Newsletter has now been released on this website. This edition contains articles comprising i) a colourful account of the Industrial and Educational exhibition, ‘Future minds of Jaffna’ held in Jaffna, ii) an account of the humanitarian work with internally displaced persons and those recently resettled, iii) the ongoing liberation operations in the North, and more..

Situation Report (Jan 27th) - SL Army

Jan 27 (SLA) The final push for complete flush of Tiger terrorists from their last dens in the MULLAITTIVU district is on with the troops making unexpected swift strides while terrorist defences continue to crumble faster than the troops anticipated. Intermittent exchange of fire in the KILINOCHCHI east on Monday (26) brought further disaster to the enemy with scores dead and injured. Tiger terrorists directing mortar fire confronted 58 Division troops in more..

Editorial: Peace is a chance

Jan 27 (G&M) The Sinhalese majority of Sri Lanka should prepare to demonstrate openness toward the Tamil minority, as an end to a civil war that began in July, 1983, becomes likely. The LTTE have been notorious over the past quarter-century for terrorism. The LTTE pioneered suicide bombing before it became a tactic of Islamist extremism. For its part, the Sri Lankan military has been guilty of some savage repression. more..

More UNP stalwarts join Govt

Jan 27 (DN) Power Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage yesterday said more UNP stalwarts are expected to join ranks with the Government during the election campaign. The minister said UNP members and leaders at grassroots level in the Kandy district are not happy with its leadership and have vowed to join the Government to strengthen the President’s hand to eliminate terrorism and usher peace to the country. more..

Money back for Water's Edge land buyers

Jan 27 (DN) The Supreme Court yesterday directed the Asia Pacific Golf Club Ltd to submit documents pertaining to the sale of plots of land at Water's Edge and observed that the money should be paid back to those who purchased the plots. The Court directed the Chairman of the Urban Development Authority to consider granting alternative land for those whose lands were acquired by the Government under the Land Acquisition Act. more..

President, PM and Ranil agree on nominees to the CC

Jan 27 (Island) The President, Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition have agreed on five persons to be appointed to the Constitutional Council the Supreme Court was told by the Attorney General yesterday. Four of the five names mentioned are, Nihal Seneviratne, the former Secretary General of Parliament, S. Nadesan, K. Vignaswaran (retired Supreme Court Judge) and Professor Sherieff Dean. more..

Govt. insists Prabha will be tried here

Jan 27 (DM) The government said yesterday a manhunt was on for LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and if captured alive he would not be extradited to India but first tried in Sri Lanka on charges of crimes committed by him. Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told Daily Mirror that despite an Indian government request for the extradition of Prabhakaran to stand trial for the killing of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Prabhakaran would be first tried in Sri Lanka where more..

New roadway to Udawalawe National Park

Jan 27 (Island) Work on new road from Balangoda to Udawalawe National Park was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Sabarragamuwa Maheepala Herath. The road from Balangoda, Weligepola to Hadagiriya will be extended by another 40 km through the National Park. The first phase of the 13 km road from Thalapathoya boundary will cost the Sabaragamuwa PC Rs. 20 million and will be completed within this year. more..

SL card scam culprit escapes punishment in UK

Jan 27 (DM) A Sri Lankan man who helped a gang in Britain clone service station customers’ credit card details avoided doing unpaid work because he is going “home” to get married. Brathaban Kathirgamanathan turned off the CCTV in the Texaco Star petrol station in Moneyhill Parade, Rickmansworth, while a small palm-top computer and other equipment to intercept debit and credit card details was installed on February 28, last year. more..

Navy escorts 76 Tamil Civilians stranded in the Mullaithivu Seas to Safety

Jan 27 (RW) Sri Lanka Navy's Patrol Craft escorted 76 Tamil civilians, who were found stranded in the Mullaithivu seas while fleeing from the LTTE terror, into safety at Pulmudai on the 25th of January 2009 around 09.50 a.m. The rescued escapees comprised of 30 male adults, 26 female adults and 20 children. The group had been struggling in the deadly seas in order to save their lives on board four fiber glass dinghies (FGDs) when the Naval patrol craft came to their rescue. more..

Supreme court allows oil derivative payments

Jan 27 (LBO) Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has ended a freeze on payments by state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to commercial banks on derivatives of nearly a million barrels of crude and refined products. In November 2008 Sri Lanka's Supreme Court halted payments by CPC on oil derivatives struck with Citibank, Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank, Colombo-listed Commercial Bank and state-run People's Bank. more..

Pranab calls up Karunanidhi

Jan 27 (PTI) External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is leaving for Sri Lanka on Tuesday, spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi over phone and informed him about his visit to the island nation. An official release here said Mukherjee spoke to Karunanidhi, who has been admitted to a hospital here for back pain, over phone this morning. Mukherjee informed the DMK leader about his trip to Sri Lanka after its military claimed to have captured the last LTTE bastion Mullaithivu. more..

Stranded in Wanni

Jan 27 (FL) ON January 16, exactly two weeks after the Sri Lanka forces captured the political and administrative headquarters of the LTTE in Kilinochchi in the north, TamilNet, the pro-Tiger website, had an unusual note posted on it. It read: “Many readers of the Eezham Tamil Diaspora and India anxiously communicate with TamilNet on the future course of the Eezham Tamil struggle. In this regard, TamilNet invites positive written opinion from its readers. more..

India slams LTTE, says it has no sympathy for it

Jan 27 (PTI) External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday made it clear that India has no sympathy for LTTE, but said that civilian Tamils have to be prevented from becoming victims of the conflict in the island nation. "We are for the fight against terrorists and all sorts of terrorism. Therefore, we have no sympathy for any terrorist activity indulged in by any organization, particularly LTTE (which) is a banned organization in India," more..

'How can people say this is peace?'

Jan 27 (G&M) In the local office of Sri Lanka's national Human Rights Commission here in this eastern seaside town, they have statistics: Ninety-eight people were abducted in this area last year, snatched off the streets by the infamous white vans with no licence plates that are used by government security agencies. Eighty-five other Tamils simply disappeared. At the commission they have case files and police reports. more..

'Mukherjee is coming on our invitation'

Jan 27 (IANS) Sri Lanka Tuesday made it clear that Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was visiting Colombo 'in response to an invitation' extended by the government of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry in a statement said Mukherjee 'will in response to an invitation, arrive in Colombo to meet with President Mahinda Rajapaksa'. 'Minister Mukherjee's visit, which takes place at a time of repeated successes in the security operations to free the civilian population from the terror of the LTTE, more..

Sri Lankan officials in the firing line

Jan 27 (AT) As Sri Lanka's security forces make massive inroads against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a top United States constitutional lawyer may prove to be an impediment against the military's accomplishments if he triumphs in getting indictments against two of the island's very high-profile military officials, both US citizens who are spearheading the offensive against the Tamil Tigers. more..

Prabhakaran still in Sri Lanka, says LTTE

Jan 27 (IANS) The elusive Tamil Tigers chief Velupillai Prabhakaran is still in Sri Lanka and 'giving leadership to our freedom struggle', the rebels have said, denying reports that he had fled. Speaking to the BBC Sinhala radio service over telephone Monday, P. Nadesan, the political wing leader of the LTTE, dismissed reports that Prabhakaran had escaped from Sri Lanka. 'It is malicious propaganda. Our leader is still with us, our leader is giving leadership to our freedom struggle. more..

Canadian guilty of aiding Tamil Tigers

Jan 27 (NP) A Toronto man pleaded guilty in New York yesterday to attempting to purchase Russian heat-seeking missiles and hundreds of AK-47 assault rifles for the Tamil Tigers guerrillas. Sathajhan Sarachandran, 29, a former national president of the Canadian Tamil Students Association, pleaded guilty to all five counts against him, which included supporting terrorism and conspiracy to acquire missiles. Nadarasa Yogarasa pleaded guilty to two charges. more..

300 wounded in Sri Lanka artillery fire

Jan 27 (AP) At least 300 civilians were wounded and scores feared killed by Sri Lankan army artillery shells fired into a designated "safe zone" for ethnic Tamils trapped by fighting between the military and Tamil rebels, a health official alleged Tuesday. The shelling comes as the rebels continue to fall back, pulling their forces and civilians into the last remaining areas of dense jungle still under their control and leaving behind ghost towns. more..

Supreme court drops oil hedge case, minister suspension

Jan 27 (Reuters) Supreme Court on Tuesday terminated a court battle over oil hedging payments to banks that could cost the state oil company hundreds of millions of dollars, officials and lawyers said. The Supreme Court in November suspended the oil hedging payments to banks and ordered the government to reduce retail petrol prices in line with falling global oil prices. more..

Fears for civilians grow in Sri Lanka clashes

Jan 27 (AFP) Sri Lankan troops Tuesday battled Tamil Tiger fighters for control of the last stretch of rebel-held coastline, as international fears mounted for civilians caught in the conflict. Soldiers backed by tanks and air cover fought to capture 30 kilometres (18 miles) of seafront, the last remaining territory held by the retreating rebels, Brigadier Nandana Udawatte told reporters taken to the area. more..

How to heal Sri Lanka's war wounds

Jan 28 (TS) The scene at Jaffna's military airstrip seemed surreal: body bags stacked in a rickety trailer, hauled to the waiting Sri Lankan air force plane by an aging Massey-Ferguson tractor. The walking wounded straggled behind and clambered aboard. The Soviet-era Antonov 32 resembled a flying hospital ward, its cabin floor covered with stretchers. Many of the young Sinhalese soldiers moaned inconsolably as their intravenous lines shook from the vibrations of the engines. more..

Wanted by India: Prabhakaran, better dead than alive?

Jan 28 (IBN) As the Sri Lankan Army closes in on the LTTE chief's jungle hideout in Mullaitivu, the question doing the rounds is will Prabhakaran be captured alive or will he bite the cyanide capsule around his neck. The hunt for LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran is so elusive and intricate that you could easily brand it as the Mission Impossible! Sri Lanka's Army chief General Sarath Fonseka claims these bunkers in the Vanni jungles were used by Prabhakaran. more..

'We will aim for World Cup semi-final'

Jan 28 (CI) Thanuga Ekanayake, the chairman of the Sri Lanka women's selection committee, is confident the tri-nation series in Bangladesh will be the ideal warm-up ahead of the World Cup, where she said Sri Lanka would aim to reach the semi-finals. "Only one change has been made from the last squad for the West Indies series and all players are in good form and are confident as they did well against West Indies and also were runners-up to India in the Asian series," more..

Batting stars give India the advantage

Jan 28 (CI) India begin a short limited-overs series in Sri Lanka after success in both forms of the game over the last six months. They beat England 5-0 in November 2008 and had earlier notched up an impressive 3-2 series win in Sri Lanka - and they have a much stronger side this time, with Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar both fit. India were pretty clueless against the spin wizardry of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis in the Test series last year, but tackled them well in the limited-overs contest. more..

Govt offers bonus interest to draw forex deposits

Jan 28 (LBO) Central Bank said the government will pay a 20 percent bonus interest in rupees on the interest earned on foreign currency deposits in banks from February 1. The move is part of efforts to promote inward remittances and deposits of foreign currency and build foreign exchange reserves. The tax-free bonus interest will be credited to a rupee account opened in the account holder's name or to any other nominated account. more..

Murali set for new record in India series

Jan 28 (AFP) Sri Lankan ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who is already the world's leading taker of Test wickets, is poised to become the leading bowler in one-day internationals. Barring injury or a spectacular sudden loss of form for the 36-year-old, that new record is likely to come in the five-match one-day series against India, starting here on Wednesday. more..

Sri Lanka port to get new cranes

Jan 28 (LBO) Colombo port will start taking delivery of the first batch of new cargo handling equipment to replace aging cranes from May this year, Sri Lanka Ports Authority chairman Priyath Wickrama said. Two pier-side gantry cranes to load and unload container ships and four transfer cranes to move containers within the port's terminals will be delivered by its manufacturers, Zhenhua Port Machinery Company (ZPMC) of China. more..

Shares down, rupee at all-time low

Jan 28 (Reuters) Shares fell 0.94 percent on Tuesday as investors locked in profits on some shares, while the rupee closed unchanged at its all-time closing low on importer demand for dollars. The Colombo All-Share index .CSE fell 17.07 points to 1800.99, from its highest close since Nov. 13. It had risen 5.7 percent in the previous three sessions on a surge in investor confidence driven by the military's capture of rebel strongholds, more..

Central bank says end-Nov total FX reserves $3.9 bln

Jan 28 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's total foreign foreign reserves stood at $3.9 billion at the end of November 2008, the central bank said on Tuesday as it sought to clarify recent media reports about the country's reserve levels. "The country's total reserves as at end November 2008 stood at $3,914 million -- sufficient to finance 3.3 months of imports," the central bank said in a statement. more..

UN says thousands of civilians at risk

Jan 28 (IRIN) The UN has warned that hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in areas of heavy fighting in Sri Lanka's north are in serious danger. At least 230,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have retreated to a small patch of territory where government forces are engaged in heavy fighting with cadres from the LTTE in the Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi Districts about 300km northeast of the capital, Colombo. more..

Parliament to vote on anti-conversion laws

Jan 28 (ONN) The Parliament may soon enact laws designed to restrict religious conversions. A standing committee assigned to consider a draft “Bill for the Prohibition of Forcible Conversions” presented its report to Parliament on Jan. 6, suggesting minor amendments that clear the way for a final vote in February. The provisions of the bill criminalize any act to convert or attempt to convert a person from one religion to another religion by the use of force, fraud or allurement. more..

Aussie aid worker trapped during battle with Tamil Tigers

Jan 28 (TA) AN Australian aid worker is among 80 UN staff and their families trapped within the conflict zone between Sri Lankan troops and rebel Tamil Tigers. UN spokesman in Sri Lanka Gordon Weiss told The Australian yesterday that staff had been pinned down by heavy artillery fire over the weekend as troops seized the northeastern coastal town of Mullaittivu, the rebels' final urban stronghold and their last arms supply route. more..

Ranil hails government victory

Jan 28 (BBC) The main opposition in Sri Lanka has congratulated the security forces for victories in the northern battlefront against the Tamil Tigers. Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe also praised the political leadership that paved the way for military victories. "We also welcome the way the President, Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers supervised the military operations," he told in a statement read out to journalists in Colombo. more..

Govt. responsible for consequences of its arbitrary moves! – JVP

Jan 28 (LT) The government has to be responsible for the consequences of its arbitrary moves states the JVP issuing a statement regarding the re-enforcement of ‘hedging’ agreement due to the Supreme Court’s decision to revoke all directives given relevant to the agreement. Full text of the JVP statement: Deplore arbitrary moves of the government. The government neglected implementing the directives imposed by the Supreme Court regarding price of petrol. more..

Sri Lanka army 'securing coast'

Jan 28 (BBC) Sri Lanka's military says it is trying to secure the north-east coastline to encircle Tamil Tiger rebels as part of a final assault. Troops are moving north from the captured rebel town of Mullaitivu to take the 30km stretch. The military says it hopes to control the entire north within weeks. Meanwhile the UN secretary general and the European Union have expressed deep concern for civilians who are caught in the fighting. more..

Sri Lanka: Tamil diaspora voices

Jan 28 (BBC) After the Sri Lankan army took control of the remaining rebel town of Mullaitivu, Tamils in the UK and Canada discuss the future for Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism. INTHU KUMAR, DOCTOR, LONDON, UK: The land may have been captured but they they haven't won the people. This isn't a victory. I have lived through much of the war. I was born in Jaffna. In 1981 I woke up seeing the Jaffna library in flames. We lived very close by and the army set it on fire. more..

Winning war and peace in Sri Lanka

Jan 28 (BBC) The fall of the last major rebel-held town of Mullaitivu in north-eastern Sri Lanka has further raised questions over the ability of Tamil Tiger rebels to withstand the current Sri Lankan military offensive in the coming weeks. Since the beginning of January, the rebels have lost their de facto capital, Kilinochchi, Elephant Pass, a land bridge that links the Jaffna peninsula with the mainland and recently the coastal town of Mullaitivu, which acted as one of their key military bases. more..

Red Cross: Hundreds killed in Sri Lankan war zone

Jan 28 (AP) At least 300 civilians were wounded and scores feared killed by Sri Lankan army artillery shells fired into a designated "safe zone" for ethnic Tamils trapped by fighting between the military and Tamil rebels, a health official alleged Tuesday. The shelling comes as the rebels continue to fall back, pulling their forces and civilians into the last remaining areas of dense jungle still under their control and leaving behind ghost towns. more..

Dambulla pitch prepared in hurry: Curator

Jan 28 (SL) The curator here today conceded that he got little time to prepare the pitch but said the 22-yard for tomorrow's first one-dayer between India and Sri Lanka will have something for both batsmen and bowlers. "We had very short time to prepare the pitch and the outfield. But it would be a good pitch," Sri Lanka Cricket's official curator Anurudda Polonowita said today. He said continued rain throughout Saturday had forced the pitch to be kept under covers. more..

Jayawardene eagerly awaits Murali's milestone

Jan 28 (CI) Muttiah Muralitharan, with 500 ODI victims, starts the first game against India in Dambulla needing three wickets to overtake Wasim Akram and become the highest wicket-taker. Murali, 36, also holds the Test record with 769 wickets from 125 matches. "We will be very happy once he [Muralitharan] gets the record. It is another milestone for him and another one for Sri Lankan cricket," Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene said. more..

Church center celebrates harvest festival despite cyclone devastation

Jan 28 (UCAN) Cyclone damage to crops in Jaffna combined with a rising population and a falling number of farmers means food scarcity, according to people celebrating the annual Tamil harvest festival. The Centre for Performing Arts (CPA) conducted a Jan. 14 Thai Pongal celebration to encourage farmers to produce more food even in difficult times, according to the organizers. The Church-run arts group has its headquarters in the war-torn Jaffna peninsula more..

Sri Lankan rapper MIA nominated for prestigious Grammy and Oscar awards

Jan 28 (AT) Maya Arulpragasam, better known as MIA, has become the first Asian woman to be nominated for both Gammy and Oscar Awards which are considered the highest prestigious awards in the world of Music and Cinema. Maya's nomination in the Grammy Award is in the 'Record of the Year' category for her single Paper Planes. The five nominees for the award are: 'Chasing Pavements' - Adele; 'Viva la Vida'- Coldplay; more..

A bag of anti-aircraft ammunition recovered from Rajagiriya

Jan 28 (LeN) Welikada police this morning (27) recovered a bag containing anti-aircraft .50, T-56, 9 mm and .38 mm ammunition from a place near Madinnagoda junction, Rajagiriya. Police found the bag hanging on the sides of a bridge following a resident of the area saw a motorcyclist was throwing something into the waterway. The bag contained three .50 ammunition, 10 T-56 bullets and five .38 mm ammos. more..

Butchering peace and appeasing butchers

Jan 28 (ML) For a government that has specialised in using the maximum deaths and casualties in minimum time strategy as the bedrock of its military effort, the exuberance last Sunday of Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka that the war is 95 percent over is perhaps premature. The LTTE which has time and again demonstrated it cares little for civilians has nothing to lose and everything to gain by continuing its struggle albeit on a different tack. more..

The silent diplomacy of India

Jan 28 (ML) Despite calls made by Tamil Nadu politicians for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka, the war has reached its final stages with the troops bringing Mullaithivu town under control for the first time in 12 years. As the military crushes the LTTE from all sides, the civilians are bound to be affected due to the operations targeting LTTE strongholds and bunkers. The reason is obvious. The civilians are trapped in the same area with the Tigers. more..

LTTE leaders' luxury life exposed; a swimming pool located

Feb 26 (MoD) A swimming pool which is believe to be used by the high profile LTTE leaders have been located by the troops of 58 Division advancing towards LTTE's only remaining stronghold, Puthukkudiyiruppu built-up, yesterday, 25 February. Troops of 9 Gemunu Watch (9 GW) and 6 GW operating in west of Puthukkudiyiruppu captured the swimming pool and its surrounding fortifications following hours long fighting, military sources said. more..

LTTE suicide bomb factory, Susai's bunker captured

Feb 26 (MoD) Infantrymen of 58 Division following fierce confrontations were able to capture the LTTE sea tiger leader Susai's camp and suicide bomb manufacturing camp located in west of Puthukkudiyiruppu yesterday, 25 February. Following days long fighting troops of 7 Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (7 SLSR) under command to 58 Division have captured the location which is believed to be used as suicide bombs, claymore mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) manufacturing yard. more..

Option for female teachers to join W&OP

Feb 26 (DN) The amended Schools Teachers' Pension Act will provide Widows and Orphans Pension (W&OP) benefits for female teachers as well, a Pensions Department official said. The new amendment gives the option for female teachers to join the W&OP scheme too. Only male teachers were eligible to enjoy W&OP benefits as provided for by amended Act No. 44 of 1953. It had been made obligatory for the new applicants to contribute to the W&OP scheme from August 01, 1983. more..

'Smart Card' case dismissed

Feb 26 (DN) The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed the rights application challenging the cost of the proposed "Smart Card" new driving licence. The Court was of the view that there was no prima facie case for the petitioner. The petitioner R.G. Rohana of Anuradhapura, complained to the court that the cost of the proposed licence was disproportionately higher, just for the addition of finger print impression and the traffic violations data, over that of the licence currently in use. more..

Bloody clashes: Kelaniya Uni closed indefinitely

Feb 26 (Island) The Kelaniya University has closed all its faculties, except its Medical Faculty in Ragama, until further notice after two student factions clashed again yesterday. It was the second clash within a fortnight. Two undergrads were warded at the Colombo National Hospital and Ragama Teaching Hospital and a large number, injured in the clashes, were treated and discharged. Students belonging to Science and Arts Faculties attached to the Students Council had been involved in the clashes. more..

Minister invites Jayalath to join govt.

Feb 26 (Island) Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva invited UNP MP for Gampaha District, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardana to join hands with the government to help the people as he has shown much keenness in the recent past to do so. Minister De Silva extended the invitation following Dr. Jayawardana’s claim that he had been instrumental in getting down the much wanted pain killer Pethidine vaccine from India. more..

Tamil Editor ‘abducted’ for questioning

Feb 26 (TW) Chief Editor of newspapers Sudar Oli and Uthayan, N. Vidyatharan, earlier reported as ‘abducted’ in Mount Lavinia by Colombo media outlets was actually being taken in for questioning according to Police reports. The Daily Mirror initially reported he was abducted by an ‘armed group’. The ‘arrest’ has taken place around 10:00 a.m. at Mahinda Florist in Galkissa on Galle Road while Mr. Vithyatharan was attending a funeral of a close relative. more..

Govt. plans new taxes, privatisations after WPC election says JVP

Feb 26 (DM) The JVP charged yesterday that the government was planning to bring in a host of new taxes and privatise state institutions by using the election victories. The party alleged that the government would use the achievement of the brave security forces to win the coming Western Provincial Council election as well and bring in new taxes that would put more burden on the people. more..

JHU commission to look into British colonial destruction

Feb 26 (DM) The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) will appoint a committee to look into the damage caused by the British invasion of Sri Lanka, JHU Western Provincial Council candidate Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday. “We hope to find evidence that will help us build our case and eventually take the British government to courts internationally and file legal action in their own courts,” Mr. Gammanpila said. more..

Tamil Tigers suspected of buying time

Feb 26 (TS) As Sri Lanka's military edges closer to a victory over the Tamil Tigers, a government official called the rebels' recent call for a ceasefire little more than a strategy to buy time to rearm and strike back. Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said the government has evidence the Tigers recently tried to buy anti-aircraft missiles and thermobaric munitions on the international market. Thermobaric weapons release high-temperature energy bursts – which have been compared to a fireball combined with a shock wave – that more..

India to send emergency medical unit to Sri Lanka

Feb 26 (IANS) India Thursday said it would send a full-fledged emergency medical unit to help civilians wounded in the conflict in Sri Lanka and work with Colombo to spur reconstruction process in that country. 'India and Sri Lanka have agreed to work together to address the urgent medical needs of these civilians,' external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said in a statement here. more..

Sri Lanka approves finance sector bailout package

Feb 26 (LBO) Sri Lanka's cabinet of ministers has approved a bailout package for finance and leasing firms in a move to release assets seized from defaulting borrowers back into productive commercial use. International trade minister G L Pieris said assets like vehicles and lands seized from defaulting borrowers became unproductive and were a drag on the economy. The 4.2 billion rupees stimulus package approved by the cabinet would help to restore public confidence in the financial system, more..

Sri Lanka says 11 rebels killed in battle

Feb 26 (AFP) Sri Lankan troops have killed at least 11 Tamil Tiger rebels in the battle for the last urban area still in the hands of the guerrillas, the defence ministry said Thursday. The deaths occurred Wednesday when soldiers pushed toward Puthukkudiriruppu, a town on a narrow strip of land in the northeast controlled by the LTTE, the ministry said. "Ground troops have positioned for a final thrust towards the remaining LTTE foothold," the ministry said. more..

Lalith Kotelawala arrested

Feb 26 (LBO) Lalith Kotelawala, chairman of Sri Lanka's Ceylinco group, has been arrested and remanded over an alleged fraud that caused the collapse of group firm Golden Key Credit Card Company. The magistrate court order to remand Kotelawala was given when the case on an alleged fraud at Golden Key was taken up Thursday, court officials said. The magistrate ordered that Kotelawala and another director be remanded till March 11, more..

Editor held, accused aiding rebel strike

Feb 26 (AP) Police arrested the editor of a Tamil-language newspaper in the middle of a funeral Thursday, accusing him of aiding a rebel air attack on the capital last week. The arrest of Nadesapillai Vithyatharan came as the government faced growing criticism for a recent spate of attacks on journalists viewed as critical of the offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels in the north. Last month, a prominent newspaper editor critical of the war was killed by gunmen, more..

Lent, a time for forgiveness in war-torn Sri Lanka

Feb 27 (AN) “We, too, are called to take up daily crosses in our life and go forward to forgive and forget the past and reconcile ourselves because the love of Christ urges us to do so,” is the thrust of a message issued for Lent by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Sri Lanka (CBCSL) in a booklet sent out to all the faithful, so harshly tried by the war between the Sri Lankan army and the rebels of the LTTE. more..

Lanka ask for security step-up in Lahore

Feb 27 (PTI) The Sri Lankan team management has asked for beefed up security during their stay in Lahore for the second Test following protests against disqualification of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother from contesting elections or holding public office. PCB sources said the Sri Lankan team manager Brendan Kuruppu has asked for a security update and also requested to beef up the security cover for the team in Lahore where the second Test is due to start from Sunday. more..

Sri Lanka: organizing medical evacuations by sea

Feb 27 (ICRC) Thousands of displaced civilians are currently seeking safety, food, water and medical care. Entire families have moved and are still moving towards the coast to escape the fighting. They hope to find something to eat – fish, for example. However, because there is not enough drinking water in the Putumattalan area, they end up moving back inland in search of water. The lack of clean water is a major humanitarian concern: more..

On Sri Lanka, requests for UN council session languish

Feb 27 (ICP) As the UN defers all Sri Lanka questions until the belated return of its top humanitarian John Holmes to New York on Friday, even those expressing concern for civilians seem to lack the courage of their convictions. While the UK's David Miliband was quoted that in London that "a failed resolution -- one that faces a veto -- is worse than no resolution at all... I can assure him that our diplomats, whether in New York or in the region, are all working off the same script," more..

New container terminal attracts port operators

Feb 27 (LBO) A call for bids to build a new container terminal in Colombo port has drawn the interest of some of the world's top port operators and shipping lines as well Sri Lankan conglomerates. "All the big guys are there," said a senior Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) official familiar with the call for bids for the project. "All the companies which bid the last time, as well as new ones, have collected the bid documents." more..

LTTE 'DPU' teams on the prowl

Feb 27 (DW) With their back against the sea, Tigers have started preparing for suicide missions and deep penetration operations. Two teams of Tigers were detected and engaged by the 59 Division at Alampil and Mullayaweli within the matter of two weeks with the latter being detected just yesterday when a team of around 30 Tigers made an amphibious landing at a shaded grove in the Mulaitivu lagoon. more..

Worthing Sri Lankan family's anguish

Feb 27 (SE) A Sri Lankan family from Worthing are desperately afraid for the lives of close relatives caught up in the country's civil war. Gopalan Ketheeswaran, 38, who runs South Farm Food and Wine in South Farm Road, said his father, his sister and her young children have been caught up in the Sri Lankan government's ongoing offensive against the terrorist Tamil Tigers group. Government forces have surrounded the Mullaitivu District in the north of the country in a bid to crush the Tigers, more..

Japan funds to improve health and livelihood

Feb 27 (RW) The Government of Japan through its "Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP)" has provided a total of US$ 173,710 (approximately Rs 20 million) to three projects. These projects are expected to improve health and livelihoods of conflict affected communities in Batticaloa and Vavunniya and of plantation communities in Rathanapura. "The Project for Developing basic infrastructure and Agriculture at a conflict affected area in Batticaloa District" will be implemented more..

Summary of the Cabinet decisions

Feb 27 (GDI) The cabinet approved a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Public Estate Management and Development Milroy S. Fernando to extend the relief package given to the RPCs and private tea factory owners on the same condition to SLSPC, JEDB and EPL providing a subsidized loan to meet one month’s Working Capital requirements based on their respective Turn Over in the Month of October 2008 from Commercial Banks with 100% Treasury Gurantees. more..

Stoking the flames

Feb 27 (Economist) With kerosene and a box of matches, Sivaprakasam, a 60-year-old former civil servant, turned himself into a screaming fireball on February 21st. He was the fifth resident of Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state that is home to 65m Tamils, to burn himself to death this year in protest at Sri Lanka’s brutal campaign against its Tamil Tiger rebels. Tamil Nadu is known for self-immolation. Chennai, its capital, is dotted with monuments to seven “martyrs” who died in 1965, more..

Sri Lanka postpone Zimbabwe's visit

Feb 27 (CI) Sri Lanka have postponed Zimbabwe's tour next month in order to give their players rest ahead of the IPL. The news comes just 24 hours after New Zealand postponed their visit to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe were due to play a tour match and five ODIs in Colombo, the first scheduled for March 13. But with the IPL due to get underway in April, Sri Lanka Cricket want their players to have sufficient time off beforehand. more..

Ahamed to take up 'killing' of fishermen with Sri Lanka

Feb 27 (PTI) The issue of Indian fishermen being reportedly killed by the Sri Lankan Navy will be taken up by Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed with the island government during his visit to Colombo for the SAARC meet at this month end. Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy on Thursday said, "I spoke to Ahamed over phone and explained about the current situation regarding our fishermen. more..

Spirit of SAARC

Feb 27 (LG) Thirty Sixth session of the Standing Committee (Colombo – 25-26 February 2009), Closing Remarks by the Chairperson Dr. Palitha Kohona : We have now come to the end of the Meeting. I am happy that we have been able to deliberate at length on all the agenda items and make important recommendations and take decisions - decisions that will set the tone for the future for our organization. more..

Tamil editor arrested, as family fears abduction

Feb 27 (RFI) Sri Lankan police say that they have arrested the editor of two newspapers, after the man's family accused the authorities of abducting him. His brother-in-law told RFI that N Vidyatharan is being persecuted for fighting for the rights of the minority Tamil community. The family sounded the alarm after Vidyatharan was taken away in a white van from the funeral of a realtive in a suburb of Colombo. more..

France expresses interest to provide humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka

Feb 27 (ISRIA) During a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama today (26 February 2009), French Foreign Minister Dr. Bernard Kouchner expressed his happiness at the conflict in the North of Sri Lanka coming to a conclusion and inquired on how best humanitarian assistance could be extended by France. He also expressed concerns at the civilians being held hostage in the conflict area. more..

Parliament defers debate on anti-conversion bill

Feb 27 (UCAN) Debate on a religious-conversion bill in Sri Lanka's parliament has been deferred amid opposition from Christians. A parliamentary committee comprising Christian parliamentarians and leaders of political parties on Feb. 18 examined the bill and agreed it might have serious consequences on religious activities, spark interreligious conflict and possibly violate the country's constitution. more..

Sri Lanka may need bailout as war debt, currency drain reserves

Feb 27 (BN) Sri Lanka may need a bailout from international donors to help pay its debts as the island’s 26- year civil war draws to a close. Since August, the South Asian nation has spent half its foreign reserves, now $1.7 billion, on supporting its currency, paying debt and buying imports. That doesn’t leave much after the government shells out another $900 million due in 2009. The reserves aren’t getting replenished as the ailing world economy pummels exports and more..

US, Britain Dancing Naked

Feb 27 (LG) When Bin Laden blew down the Twin Towers in New York in one single attack, and when the US intelligence erroneously reported that Sadam Hussein has WMDs, the US lost no time in harnessing support of Britain and other world leaders to destroy the whole of Iraq, and Afghanistan. Did the US heed the UN call not to attack Iraq in the first place? No it didn’t. In that instance, the UN was reduced to the mere state of a neutered dog, which could produce nothing than a feeble whine against the US and its allies. more..

TNA Leader writes to the President

Feb 27 (LG) ‘Some in your Government, may have been irked by what transpired at the conference, and this so-called investigation, despite the courtesy extended to me by the CID officials, constitutes an unwarranted interference in my freedom of thought and action as a democratically elected representative of the people, and the leader of a political party which very substantially democratically represents the affected people,’ more..

'Avoid human tragedy, declare ceasefire'

Feb 27 (AT) To avoid a human tragedy, declare ceasefire, appeals Indian Union Muslim League. As the terrorist outfit LTTE are holding innocent Tamil civilians as human shield at gunpoint, Sri Lanka Government should consider seriously a ceasefire to save the innocent Tamil civilians, it was urged. The Indian Union Muslim League said that LTTE should immediately lay downs their arms and surrender to safeguard the civilians. more..

Sri Lanka 61st Anniversary of Independence was celebrated in Lebanon

Feb 27 (AT) The Sri Lanka Embassy of Lebanon celebrated 61st Independence on two occasions with a participation of vast Sri Lankan community and Lebanese community as well. The official ceremony was held at the Embassy premises on 4th February with nearly 200 participants of Sri Lankan expatriates amidst being a working day in Lebanon except Embassy staff members where officials from UN-Beirut, more..

Exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, to herald in peace

Feb 27 (AT) An exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Lord Buddha will be held from 6 to 16 March 2009, to herald in a new era of peace and unity in Sri Lanka. The exposition is held to invoke the blessings of the sacred relic on the entire population of Sri Lanka, to live in peace and harmony and to shed the differences that have held back the true potential of the island nation, for nearly three decades. more..

US govt and Sri Lanka create first energy efficient lighting center in South Asia

Feb 27 (USE) Sri Lanka will host the first energy efficient lighting Center of Excellence in South Asia, thanks to funding from the USAID. The Regional Center for Energy Efficient Lighting (RCEEL) will serve as a research hub to develop new lighting technology to be used in Sri Lanka and South Asia. Rebecca Cohn, USAID Mission Director, and Dr. Krishan Deheragoda, Chairman of the Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) of the Government of Sri Lanka, more..

Sri Lanka parlaying fight "against terror" as an incredible propaganda tool

Feb 27 (TC) Michael Freund wrote of the "unfair treatment" Israel gets in the international arena in the Jerusalem Post recently. His argument was that, "Sri Lanka's conflict, which has claimed twice as many lives as our (Israel's) foray into Gaza, has barely seemed to register on the international radar screen." Dr. Ellyn Shander MD, of Stamford, CT, USA, a humanitarian activist has written to Michael Freund explaining that Sri Lanka's current war is not exactly a "war on terror". more..

Controversy over arrest of Tamil newspaper editor

Feb 27 (TC) Controversy surrounded the arrest of Sudar Oli Editor N. Vidyadaran in Mount Lavinia last morning after police initially said, he was abducted by an unknown gang which had come in a white van. But later they said he had been arrested by the police and was being questioned over the recent LTTE air attack in Colombo. There was confusion on the fate of the senior editor with even the police initially saying they did not know anything about his whereabouts and more..

Desperate and unacceptable situation for trapped population

Feb 27 (DWB) Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is urgently calling on both parties in the conflict in the Vanni area in northern Sri Lanka to ensure the safety of civilians and to allow access to humanitarian assistance. MSF teams are still unable to enter the Vanni to evaluate the needs of the affected population and provide urgently needed medical care. Together with other international organizations, MSF has been denied access since September 2008. more..

Emirates to add planes, start new routes

Feb 27 (LBO) Emirates Airline has said it plans to increase the number of flights across its network by 14 percent in 2009 and add 18 new passenger aircraft to the fleet. The Dubai-based carrier said in a statement this will enable it to start new routes as well as increase frequencies on many existing routes. It will also expand cargo capacity by 17 percent. "The additional frequencies will afford passengers a greater choice of flights, more frequent connections with more..

Australian vigil denounces Sri Lankan government atrocities

Feb 27 (wsws) About 250 people, mainly from the Tamil community, joined a candlelight vigil at Parramatta, in western Sydney, last night to protest against the atrocities being committed by the Sri Lankan military in the war against the LTTE in the northern Wanni region. Many of those participating—who included entire families, as well as students and young workers—have relatives who have perished or remain trapped in the small area still under LTTE control, more..

'President Rajapakse was informed before special envoy was appointed'

Feb 27 (LT) British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband says President Rajapaske was informed of the appointment of former Secretary of State Des Browne as the Prime Minister’s special envoy and President Rajapakse had agreed to such an appointment. He said in the Parliament yesterday that a letter had been sent by the British Prime Minister to President Rajapakse and more..

Ampare farmers have no water to cultivate during ‘Yala’ season

Feb 27 (LT) The government has decided to reduce the paddy cultivation by 20% during the ‘Yala’ season as the water level of D.S. Senanayake reservoir in Ampare has fallen drastically. This decision has been informed by the Director of Irrigation to the District Coordinating Committee yesterday. Accordingly, 30,000 to 35,000 acres would not be allowed to be cultivated said JVP Parliamentarian Wasanthe Piyatissa to ‘Lankatruth.’ more..

Farm hounds and moose hunters

Feb 27 (LG) Ever spend a summer's night on the farm? Sometime ago, while traveling through the flat lands of Canadian Prairies, I was invited to stay at a farm. After enjoying mid-Western hospitality of barbeque and chat around the fire pit, I retired for the night in the farmhouse. In the middle of the night I was woken by loud barking at the farm I was staying at, which immediately followed by many barks from dogs in neighboring farms. more..

Sri Lankan civil war enters last phase

Feb 27 (LG) It is indeed no surprise that the painfully repetitive lessons of history have never ever been imbibed by the ilk of dictators, terror chieftains and megalomaniacs. The ruthless pursuit of power to satisfy their grandiose ambitions have invariably brought to their people, followers and all those who do their bidding, voluntarily or under coercion, nothing but ruin and destruction. more..

President reiterates govt’s cautious approach to avoid civilian casualties

Feb 27 (AT) President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated his Government’s consistent stand in preventing collateral damage being caused to civilians in the final phase of the current military operations to defeat terrorism in the country. He made this observation during a courtesy call on him yesterday, 26 February, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Upendra Yadav in Colombo. more..

'Executive Presidency helped us to unite the country'

Feb 27 (GDI) The UPFA secured a clear two-thirds majority in the NWP Provincial Council. If it had been based on first-past-the-post system (FPPS), it would have been a massive 5/6 victory. However, we expect a clean two-thirds majority in the parliament and make amendment vital to true representation of the electorate, Minister G. L. Peris said. “Peoples’ power is not clearly reflected in the form of proportional representation (PR). more..

Development projects in Hiriyala

Feb 27 (GDI) A special plan has been drawn up by the Kurunegala district Assistant Samurdhi Commissioner's office to develop 30 selected villages taking one village from each DS division in the Kurunegala district. The main objective of this program is to convert these villages into self-sufficient villages where the ancient cultural features and moral values are preserved. A sum of Rs. 290,322 has been allocated for this program, more..

UNP seeks real casualty figures

Apr 24 (DM) UNP yesterday paid tribute to the security forces who were engaged in humanitarian operations to save Sri Lanka, and asked the government to allow an all-party parliamentary delegation to visit the refugee camps set up in government-controlled areas. Opposition UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told a news conference the government should resettle the displaced people in their original places of residence within three months. more..

Injured Tamils overwhelming hospital, says doctor in Sri Lanka

Apr 24 (IANS) The unfolding human tragedy of weary civilians fleeing the LTTE-held area in the island's north has 'overwhelmed' a 450-bed hospital in Vavuniya which now tends to 1,700 badly wounded patients, a doctor said. Paul McMaster, a doctor who works MSF at Vavuniya hospital said: 'We've been seeing very severely wounded patients, the numbers of patients have increased rapidly over the last three or four days, so we're seeing a stream of badly wounded people being brought into us.' more..

LTTE`s Masters to be grilled in Colombo

Apr 24 (LNP) Masters Daya and George Master were due to be brought to Colombo for further interrogation. Thereafter the Government intends rehabilitating them, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said. After the interrogation, if it is found that they had indulged in criminal activities, they would be prosecuted, he said. Both were involved in LTTE propaganda in the past. They had joined the mass exodus of civilians from the No Fire Zone to the Government held areas and more..

Hostage rescue operation: Graphical details

more..

Rupee steady after volatile week

Apr 24 (LBO) The rupee weakened to 120.70 levels against the US dollar, with a foreign bank on the buying side Friday, but recovered later in the day ending a week that saw the domestic currency fall about four rupees. In late afternoon trade the spot dollar was quoted at 120.0/30 levels after opening at 120.30/60 rupees. Dealers said state bank activity was muted, though they bought dollars a day earlier just under 120.00 rupees. more..

Sri Lanka to decide on LNG after Japan study: official

Apr 24 (LBO) Sri Lanka will decide on whether to call proposals for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant after a study funded by Japan is completed, a senior government official said. Though much cleaner than coal, diesel or furnace oil, LNG, which is kept liquid under high pressure requires expensive infrastructure to handle. There is intense lobbying for LNG use, but it has been resisted by engineers at the more..

Central bank task force probes failed firm

Apr 24 (LBO) Sri Lanka's central bank has asked customers of the failed Golden Key Credit Card Company to submit details of their deposits and company officials to declare assets. Sri Lanka's Supreme Court last month ordered the Central Bank to probe the company after a group of depositors petitioned court saying it should have been regulated under central bank law. more..

Narayanan, Menon meet Rajapaksa, discuss current situation

Apr 24 (PTI) Amidst concern over the political fallout in Tamil Nadu of the ongoing army campaign in Sri Lanka's north, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon on Friday held talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and discussed the current situation. It was not clear whether the Indian special envoys, who rushed here on Friday morning, put forward the demand for an immediate ceasefire during more..

Reporter near Sri Lanka's front line

Apr 24 (BBC) Thousands of civilians continue to pour out of Sri Lanka's war zone as they try to escape crossfire between government troops and Tamil Tigers. The UN is sending a humanitarian team to northern Sri Lanka, where it says 50,000 people are trapped by fighting. The BBC's Charles Haviland is travelling with the Sri Lankan army near the front line in the north east of Sri Lanka. more..

India presses for Sri Lanka truce as casualties rise

Apr 24 (Reuters) Indian envoys flew into Sri Lanka on Friday to urge a truce in the closing chapter of a 25-year war in which U.N. data showed nearly 6,500 civilians have been killed in the last three months. A few kilometres from the front, thousands of refugees languished in the blazing tropical sun awaiting transport away from the battlezone, where the army is trying to deal a death blow to the LTTE. Explosions boomed and smoke billowed from the remaining battlefield, more..

'Prabhakaran may flee in a submarine'

Apr 24 (PTI) Cornered LTTE chief V. Prabhakarn, who is still holed up in a small strip of land in embattled north, may flee from the island using a submarine, a top Sri Lankan Army official said on Friday. "Prabhakaran, who is present in the no-fire zone along with his son Charles Anthony, Tigers' intelligence chief Pottu Amman and Sea Tiger chief Soosai, might have retained a submarine to escape from the island," more..

Sri Lanka army says Tamil Tiger leader trapped

Apr 24 (AFP) The leader of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers is trapped in a small strip of jungle and intends to make a final stand with his surviving forces, an army commander said Friday. The commander said a rebel spokesman who surrendered to government troops earlier in the week had reported that Velupillai Prabhakaran, 54, was still in charge of his cornered and depleted separatist army in the island's northeast. more..

UN says nearly 6,500 civilians dead in Sri Lanka

Apr 24 (AP) Indian officials took a demand for an immediate cease-fire in Sri Lanka's civil war to the country's president on Friday as the U.N. reported that nearly 6,500 ethnic Tamil civilians were killed in the last three months. Concern for the safety of the civilians trapped in the ever-shrinking war zone has increased in recent weeks as the government pushed ahead with its offensive to crush the rebels and more..

Sri Lankan amateur Perera continues dream run

Apr 25 (MR) Leading Sri Lankan amateur Mithun Perera continued his fine run and took the sole lead at the Surya Nepal Masters at the end of third day at the Gokarna Forest Golf Resort on Friday. With a flawless round of four-under 68, Perera totaled ten-under 216 and went one clear of his compatriot and overnight joint leader Anura Rohana. Rohana stayed in the hunt with a round of three-under 69, and is the leading professional in the field. more..

Chennai archbishop denounces Sri Lanka failure to act

Apr 25 (CN) Archbishop Malayappan Chinnappa has denounced the international community's failure to act to prevent a "mass massacre" in northern Sri Lanka while people were killed when a shell struck a church in the conflict zone yesterday. Sri Lanka pleaded for international help on Thursday in what it called an "emergency humanitarian situation," after a medical relief group warned that civilian casualties are rising rapidly more..

Priest injured while aiding trapped Sri Lankans

Apr 25 (Zenit) A Caritas director in the Vanni region was seriously injured in the bombing of a Church today, prompting a renewed appeal from aid agency for the rescue of endangered civilians. Caritas reported that Father T. R. Vasanthaseelan's legs were injured, and one had to be amputated after shells hit St. Anthony's Church in Valaignarmadam this morning. Civilians took refuge in the church to escape the fighting more..

Q+A-Plight of civilians at end of Sri Lanka's war

Apr 25 (Reuters) Diplomatic pressure is building for a humanitarian truce in Sri Lanka as the military and the LTTE rebels fight to the finish in a 25-year war, with tens of thousands of people still trapped in the combat zone. Here are some questions and answers about their plight: HOW MANY ARE TRAPPED? That is the subject of great debate and confusion, but the International Committee of the Red Cross has said it is less than 50,000. more..

Tigers routed, but what now for Tamils in Sri Lanka?

Apr 25 (Age) His realm once spanned a third of Sri Lanka and boasted a well-equipped army, navy and air force. But Tamil Tigers supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran now controls just eight square kilometres of sand and swamp in north-eastern Sri Lanka. Rumours have circulated in Colombo that the feared leader of the LTTE, who rarely appears in public, was smuggled out of Sri Lanka months ago. more..

Editorial: LTTE a traitor organization

Apr 25 (CC) LTTE is a terrorist traitor organization of Sri Lanka and is also an anti-Indian revolutionary organization. The Dravidian parties of Tamil Nadu is forcing the ideology of LTTE over India only on the context of similar language 'Tamil'. Keeping in view that at present Sri Lanka government has started the final operation against LTTE, and the ongoing elections in India, it has become a matter of concern in Tamil Nadu. more..

Sri Lanka aviation policy mulls further opening

Apr 25 (LBO) A new Sri Lankan aviation policy aims to encourage investment and open the sector up for more carriers, ground handling and caterers as the economy recovers from war and the market grows, officials said. A draft policy now being discussed by government and industry suggests allowing private local airlines to operate international passenger and cargo services under existing or future air services arrangements. more..

Central bank gives nod for five buyers for Seylan

Apr 25 (LBO) Central bank has cleared five out of six bidders who expressed interest in buying a 33.3 percent stake in Seylan Bank to look into the bank in detail and submit bids, officials said. Among the approved are, Samapath Bank, Lanka Orix Leasing Company (LOLC) group, National Development Bank and John Keells Holdings, and V V Karunaratne & Company a construction firm. The short listed investors would be given a detailed information memorandum on Seylan Bank to conduct 'due diligence.' more..

Sri Lanka's chance to end war mentality

Apr 25 (UPI) As the LTTE have virtually lost the war against Sri Lankan forces, pressure is mounting on the government to address the humanitarian problem brought about by the conflict. From all over the country people have been sending food, clothes and other relief items for the people in the no-fire zone, which is under the control of the LTTE. The generous donations from all communities clearly indicate that people do not view the situation as the conquest of one people by another, more..

Aid groups scramble for funds for Sri Lanka crisis

Apr 25 (Reuters) Aid agencies are launching multi-million dollar appeals for Sri Lanka where tens of thousands of traumatised civilians are streaming out of the war zone as the army seeks to crush the Tamil Tiger rebels. Camps are bursting at the seams, with one aid worker saying some families are living in a space the size of a sofa. Hospitals are also overflowing as doctors work round the clock to treat civilians emerging from the conflict area with horrific blast injuries. more..

How will Sri Lanka reconcile after a bitter war?

Apr 25 (CSM) Whether victory is declared within days or weeks, Sri Lanka's once seemingly endless war against the LTTE appears, finally, to be drawing to a close. But while the battle may be won, there are concerns that the ethnic conflict that lay behind it will continue to simmer and boil. The probable final showdown in one of Asia's longest-running wars began Monday, when the Army broke into the last remaining redoubt of the LTTE, located in a narrow strip of coastland in the north. more..

Sri Lanka camps struggle to cope

Apr 25 (BBC) Tens of thousands of people are teeming towards government camps outside Sri Lanka's conflict zone but officials are struggling to cope with the mammoth task of feeding, clothing and sheltering them, writes Swaminathan Natarajan of the BBC's Tamil service. Civilians who have just moved into the camps say the conditions are cramped and no attention is paid to individual needs. more..

'Informed voters' in WPC elections

Apr 25 (BBC) The ruling party in Sri Lanka has rejected accusations by the opposition that it is exploiting military gains against the Tamil Tigers to win provincial elections. Meanwhile, Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) says that over 43,000 voters are registered twice in Colombo district. The main opposition UNP accused the government of using military victories to whitewash voter intimidation, corruption and other malpractices. more..

Govt. appeals for relief supplies

Apr 25 (BBC) The Sri Lankan government has appealed for urgent relief supplies for the displaced people who recently arrived in government controlled areas. The director of government information department, Anusha Pelpita, has appealed for food, water, clothes and other essential items to distribute among the displaced. In a statement, Mr. Pelpita has urged Sri Lankans to bring aid to Sirimavo Bandaranaike exhibition hall at the BMICH. more..

End game in Sri Lanka?

Apr 25 (Forbes) There is little room for hope or optimism in the endgame now unfolding in Sri Lanka, in spite of the surgical cutting down by the armed forces of the ruthless and authoritarian LTTE. The LTTE edifice has surely collapsed. Not only is the formerly formidable war machine--veteran of a 30-year secessionist war--now reduced to smithereens, and its remaining cadre cornered into a 12-square-kilometer strip of land in the Northern Province, but defections have begun. more..

Responding to Sri Lanka's crisis amid chaos and uncertainty

Apr 25 (AN) Today has been an entirely chaotic day - not unexpected. By the time I got into the office, I'd already had 10 or so phone calls about responding to what has become a dire humanitarian crisis in the north, where the army is battling Tamil Tiger rebels. As often happens in Sri Lanka when there's calm before a storm, the sleepiness of the last 10 days of extended holidays has suddenly been shattered by frantic and almost panic-ridden attempts to get into areas where more..

UNHCR starting emergency airlift of relief to Sri Lanka

Apr 25 (Reuters) The United Nations refugee agency said on Friday that it was starting an emergency airlift of tents and other supplies to Sri Lanka, where tens of thousands of people have fled fighting in the northeast. The airlift, which could begin as early as this weekend, will carry 5,000 tents suitable for families and other items from the agency's stockpile in Dubai to the capital Colombo. more..

Last stand in the jungle for Tamil Tigers

Apr 25 (AFP) The coastal village of Puttumatalan, once a vital Tamil Tiger supply lifeline, now overlooks the scene of what seems sure to be the rebels' final defeat after decades of struggle. "This is the new front line," an army official said as the sound of explosions and automatic gunfire could be heard from the sliver of jungle where Sri Lankan government troops have cornered the rump of the once-powerful Tiger rebel army. more..

Indian PM calls for review meeting

Tamil civilians endured horror

Apr 25 (GP) This week an estimated 100,000 ethnic Tamils fled from the no-fire zone turned battlefield between Sri Lanka's government and the LTTE in the country's northern Vanni region. This dramatic mass exodus comes after civilians survived for four months on a 17 kilometer (10.5 mile) strip of land abutting the Indian Ocean. There the civilians were reportedly kept hostage at gunpoint and used as a human shield by the LTTE, while being shelled repeatedly by military forces. more..

Shed no tears for Tigers

Apr 25 (IE) At the peak of the IPKF operations in Sri Lanka in the winter of 1987, when the Indian army was still suffering more casualties than at any time during the war in Kargil, I had a conversation with then-Lt Gen (and later chief of army staff) Bipin Joshi, its director of military operations. “These LTTE people,” he said, “were just macho young people with no other purpose in life but to kill and die.” I thought, then, that it was in fact Gen Joshi’s remark that sounded so much like a macho soldier talking. more..

Patrol bombs hits on Sri Lankan embassy in Berlin

Apr 25 (LG) "I urgently appeal to both parties involved in the conflict in Sri Lanka, to insure the protection of civilians and international humanitarian law to be respected", said the German Foreign Minister, Vice-Chancellor and the next chancellor candidate off the Social Democratic Party on Thursday evening in Berlin. "International aid agencies must have immediate access to all refugees." more..

What the world needs to learn from Sri Lanka’s humanitarian rescue operation

Apr 25 (AT) Instead of appreciating the humanitarian rescue operation being carried out by Sri Lanka and its armed forces, world leaders are exerting pressure upon the Government to enter a ceasefire ….their belief being that a ceasefire would help rescue these civilians. It is more than apparent that the world leaders and even media channels are clueless about the reality of the situation in Sri Lanka & more..

Church wants political candidates to declare assets

Apr 25 (UCAN) A Church-run social movement in Colombo is campaigning for contestants in the upcoming provincial council elections to declare their assets. Members of the Christian-led Forum for Social Justice, an umbrella group of six social movements working for a just society, held a meeting at a Church center in Colombo on April 22. Ten political candidates and Catholic priests and nuns attended the meeting. more..

Church assists civilians fleeing war zone

Apr 25 (UCAN) The Church in northern Sri Lanka is helping thousands of sick, injured and fatigued Tamil civilians fleeing the war zone there. State television recently showed men, women and children moving out of a strip of land in the northern coastal Mullaitivu district after government troops entered the last remaining base of the LTTE. The LTTE, which wants to establish a Tamil state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, more..

Interview with Dr. Nalin de Silva

U.N. council to Sri Lanka: Let U.N. into conflict zone

Apr 25 (Reuters) The Security Council urged Sri Lanka on Friday to cooperate with a U.N. humanitarian mission that wants to visit the conflict zone in northern Sri Lanka, where tens of thousands of civilians are trapped. "We underlined today the immediate and pressing priority of addressing the grave humanitarian situation in northeastern Sri Lanka," said Mexican U.N. Ambassador Claude Heller, the current president of the Security Council. more..

God of war and peace

Apr 25 (RNW) My elderly aunt has for many months asked me to join her on a sort of pilgrimage to the little town of Kataragama - in the South East of Sri Lanka - to visit what's become a kind of interfaith shrine. Mami, as I call her, is my father's elder sister and is an active woman of 84. She puts her good health down to her devotion. So I decided to make the eight hour journey with my aunt and visiting parents in tow. more..

Letters to the Editor: Mirage of Eelam

Apr 25 (Hindu) The article “The mirage of Eelam” by Malini Parthasarathy (April 24) was excellent. It nailed the myth that the LTTE is the sole protector of the Tamils in Sri Lanka; a myth created and fuelled by most of the political parties and the media in Tamil Nadu. It is clear that the LTTE, in order to safeguard its top leadership, is causing immense hardship to the Tamil civilians caught in the war between the Tigers and the security forces. more..

‘No peace-keeping force needed’

Apr 25 (Hindu) The situation in Sri Lanka was grave but it did not warrant India sending a peace-keeping force there, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said here on Friday. “It’s an evolving situation and the crisis is grave. We’ve expressed our concern especially on the humanitarian aspect. But it does not demand sending a peace-keeping force,” he said when asked whether India would do so as it had done when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister. more..

'Exert pressure on Sri Lanka'

Apr 25 (Hindu) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday called on the Union government to impress upon the Sri Lanka Government to immediately stop military operations in a situation where the lives of thousands of civilians were at stake. In the light of the United Nations Security Council resolution asking both the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE to cease hostilities and allow international aid agencies to enter the area, more..

Rajapaksa ‘receptive’ to India’s concerns

Apr 25 (Hindu) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa was “receptive” to India’s concerns about the civilians trapped in the no-fire zone, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan said here on Friday after returning from Colombo along with Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon. The two senior officials were sent to Colombo on the directions of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to urge the Sri Lankan government to immediately stop the military offensive in an area where civilians were also trapped. more..

Wretched of the Wanni earth break free of bondage

Apr 25 (DM) Latest developments on the Wanni war front have brought much relief to all people yearning for the safety of entrapped civilians in the coastal strip of northern Mullaitivu district currently controlled by the LTTE. The long awaited military operation to break through Tiger defences and facilitate the evacuation of civilians that began at midnight on Sunday April 19 has been a success in terms of numbers. more..

US envoy to Sri Lanka named to top South Asian post

Apr 25 (AFP) A veteran diplomat most recently tasked with the delicate job of Sri Lanka envoy was tapped Friday by President Barack Obama to serve as the assistant secretary of state for South Asian Affairs. If approved by the Senate, Robert Blake will replace Richard Boucher in a job that deals with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. more..

Obama White House urges halt to Sri Lanka fighting

Apr 25 (Reuters) U.S. President Barack Obama's administration on Friday urged the warring Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers militant group to halt their fighting immediately and allow civilians to evacuate. "The United States is deeply concerned about the plight of innocent civilians caught up in the conflict between the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers, and the mounting death toll," the White House said in a statement. more..

The agony in Sri Lanka

Apr 25 (BG) One of the world's longest, bloodiest conflicts is coming to a gruesome conclusion on the island nation of Sri Lanka. The United Nations estimates that some 6,500 civilians have died and 14,000 have been injured in the government's merciless offensive against the Tamil Tigers in the northeast of the country. The Obama administration and other governments, particularly India and China, should pressure both the Sri Lankan government and the Tigers to halt the fighting and permit trapped civilians to escape. more..

Malini Parthasarathy: The Mirage of Eelam

Apr 25 (LG) The adage hitting the nail on the head could not have been more forcibly expressed in what Hindu’s Malini Parthsarathy has written in the quest of a mirage called Eelam. In what could have been a lengthy thesis, she has quite briefly sailed smoothly through the salient and significant issues in an easy to read manner leaving the reader in doubt how a legitimate demand soon turned into a terrorist nightmare. Along the way it became counterproductive. more..

President crowned the motherland with glory - SLFP

May 20 (DN) The SLFP yesterday extended its warmest greetings and good wishes to the new path of freedom the Sri Lanka motherland has started after defeating cruelty, violence and barbarism. The party in a press release issued yesterday said it would make use of this opportunity to thank Commander-in-Chief President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Armed Forces chief’s including General Sarath Fonseka and more..

Dead, no doubt!

May 20 (Island) Close on the heels of pro-LTTE Tamilnet claim that LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran had survived Monday’s bloody military onslaught, Army Chief General Sarath Fonseka yesterday declared that his troops had found the body of the terrorist leader. General Fonseka, in a special statement aired over Rupavahini, said that he made the announcement on behalf of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and more..

Defining moment for Sri Lanka

May 20 (DN) It was certainly a defining moment for Sri Lanka which harkened back to Independence Day a half century ago when the country became liberated from the British. Only this time it was a different kind of liberation - the liberation of the country from the grip of a three decade long terrorist campaign seeking it’s dismemberment and undermine that hard won Independence. No patriotic Lankan could have failed to be moved by the emotionally charged speech of President Rajapaksa when more..

Govt ready for DNA test on Prabha’s body

May 20 (Island) Defence spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday said that if the need arose the government was prepared to subject the body of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to a DNA test. Responding to a question he said Prabhakaran’s body has been identified. There was no need to go for a DNA test unless required for a legal matter. He was speaking at a news conference held at the Information Department. more..

China agrees to develop liberated areas of North and East

May 20 (Island) On a request made by Agriculture Development Minister Maithrepala Sirisena, the Chinese government agreed to assist Sri Lanka to develop agriculture in the newly liberated areas of the North and East. China has also expressed its willingness to provide livelihood opportunities to the conflict affected people sheltered in welfare centres and assist Sri Lanka to overcome the impact of the financial recession, more..

Landslide kills 6 in Hatton

May 20 (Xinhua) At least six people were killed in a landslide Wednesday in central Sri Lanka, relief officials said. Keerthi Ekanayake of the National Disaster Management Center said the police confirmed the deaths at Norton Bridge area in central parts of the island, 160 km from capital Colombo. He said a house in the hilly area was swamped by a large pile of earth. Two children were among the dead. more..

Actress remanded for criminal breach of trust

May 20 (DM) A film and tele drama actress who is alleged to have deceived three persons amounting to Rs 196,500 upon the promise of employment as security personnel in Dubai was remanded by the Colombo Additional Magistrate Ravindra Premaratna. The Narahenpita Police arrested the actress Dulika Marapona, sequel to a complaint made on April 24 to the Narahenpita Police by one Dharshana Indunil Edirisinghe of Nawala Road Narahenpita. more..

TNA not present in Parliament

May 20 (DM) The TNA did not participate in the parliamentary session yesterday when President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressed the nation from the House announcing the defeat of the LTTE militarily. TNA leader R. Sampanthan, General Secretary Mavai Senathirajah and MP Suresh Premachandran are currently in India. Besides, a few other members such S. Gajendran, Pathmini Sithamparanathan, M.K. Sivajilingam have been in Europe for several months now. more..

President joins street crowds celebrating the victory

May 20 (GDI) Having accomplished the most important and impossible national task of wiping out LTTE terrorism from the face of the Sri Lankan earth, the man who traversed many a street and every corner in his life and journey in politics, last night was seen mingling with the crowds celebrating the victory over LTTE terrorism in the city of Colombo. more..

Natural gas power plant begins construction in Kerawalapitiya

May 20 (DM) The Ministry of Power and Energy yesterday said the foundation stone will be laid for the first natural gas power plant tomorrow at Kerawalapitiya by the Minister of Power and Energy John Seneviratne. $ 600 million was estimated to complete the Kerawalapitiya power plant and it will provide 488 MW electricity for the national grid. The investor of the project has assured that the power plant would be completed within 18 months. more..

Sri Lanka's bloody victory comes at a price

May 20 (ANN) President Mahinda Rajapaksa was in a jovial mood when he declared that his government had finally won the civil war against the separatist LTTE, which has been trying for decades to forge a separate homeland for the Tamil population. Now that the 25-year-old war is over - leaving more than 70,000 people dead and over 250,000 as refugees - it is time for the Sri Lankan government to start considering future needs. more..

'Danduwam Madalali' shot dead

May 20 (LBO) A man who ran an illegal Ponzi-style 'investment' scheme in Southern Sri Lanka, offering high interest rates until its collapse last year when he failed to repay investors, has been shot dead, police said. Piyadasa Ratnayake, from the southern Sri Lankan township of Hungama was abducted in the early hours of Wednesday, by an identified group that came in a pick-up truck, police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekera said. more..

Prabhakaran's ex-aide wants to meet Gandhis

May 20 (IBN) LTTE chief Prabhakaran’s closest aide of 22 years, Colonel Karuna says he wants to meet Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi to explain to them the “circumstances that led to Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination”. Col Karuna was flown to Jaffna on Tuesday to identify the body of the slain LTTE chief, who was reportedly shot dead by the Lanka Army on Tuesday. Karuna identified the body as that of Prabhakaran and told CNN-IBN that there was no doubt that it was the LTTE chief’s body. more..

Sri Lanka war over but war of words continues

May 20 (TS) The Sri Lankan consul general in Toronto yesterday shot down new pleas from the federal government and local Tamils to allow international help for civilians in the island war zone. And the Canadian Tamil Congress rebuffed Ottawa's condolences, telling Canada to go "beyond words" to help civilians in Sri Lanka. The 26-year war in Sri Lanka is over but the war of words goes on. more..

UNHCR concerned about conditions in IDP sites in Sri Lanka

May 20 (UNCHR) As the fighting in north-east Sri Lanka comes to an end, the scale of the challenges facing UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies on the ground become more apparent. It is now estimated that up to 80,000 people have left the former fighting zone in the last three days, which brings the total who have fled the fighting in the last several months to 280,000. Some 230,000 have been screened and registered and are currently accommodated in 41 sites more..

Army ceremonially silences their guns

Tamils suspicious of president's 'unity' offer

May 20 (AFP) Sri Lanka's president marked victory over Tamil Tiger guerrillas with a vow that Tamils would not be victimised, but the minority community remains deeply suspicious after years of discrimination. Accounting for about 13 percent of the island's 20 million population, Tamils have long been wary of governments run by the Sinhalese-majority, which they accuse of treating them like second-class citizens. more..

Aid groups ask for access to Sri Lanka battlefield

May 20 (AP) Aid groups pushed for access to Sri Lanka's former battlefields to check on any wounded civilians stranded there, as the country celebrated a holiday Wednesday to honor the military's victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels. Though the president officially declared the country free from terror on Tuesday, government forces shot and killed two squads of rebel fighters — a total of eight insurgents — who were preparing ambushes in eastern Sri Lanka, the military said. more..

Will Tamils' 'Sun God' live on?

May 20 (TS) There was no glamour about the shattered remains of Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, shown yesterday by Sri Lankan TV. And little resemblance to the charismatic Che Guevara, the murdered Argentine-born fighter who became a pinup for a generation of young rebels. Prabhakaran, pronounced dead by the Sri Lankan government, but said by Tamil supporters to be in hiding, was a violent figure in life. And his drawing power, like Guevara's, may continue after his demise. more..

Brothers led decisive victory over Tamil Tigers

May 20 (NYT) President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on Tuesday savored a victory that had eluded every Sri Lankan head of state before him: he declared on television that after more than 25 years, his troops had defeated one of the world’s most enduring guerrilla armies on the battlefield. Behind that victory speech was a historic and bloody family triumph, guided by two of the president’s brothers: Gotabaya, the influential secretary of defense, and Basil, a so-called special adviser more..

The Jaffna Tamils

May 21 (LG) As I watched TV visuals of the death of V.Prabakaran, the head of the LTTE, and read and heard accounts of the way his dead body was disfigured and rolled in dirt by the Sri Lankan Army , my mind went back to the years 1951-55 when I was a student of the Loyola College of Chennai, run by the Society of Jesus. Every class, including mine, had four or five Tamils from the Northern Province of Ceylon as Sri Lanka used to be known before 1972. more..

Is it the end of struggle?

May 21 (LG) Is it true? Has Prabhakaran met his inevitable end? Sri Lanka watchers in India will find it difficult to believe, for the simple reason that those who are opposed to the Tigers have claimed that Prabhakaran has been killed on earlier occasions also. To illustrate, during the IPKF interregnum, the Indian media had headlines in the front page that Prabhakaran has been killed. Two days later the LTTE published a photograph of Prabhakaran, alive and kicking. more..

Q&A: After Prabakaran

May 21 (OI) Q: Can the LTTE stage a come-back like the Baloch freedom movement did in Balochistan and the Taliban did in Afghanistan? A: Unlikely. The late Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto could destroy only the cadres of the Baloch freedom movement through his Army and Air Force. He could not destroy the leadership which managed to take sanctuary in Afghanistan and re-built the organization before starting a new phase of their freedom struggle. more..

Chronicles of a death foretold

May 21 (OI) The termination of the 2002 cease-fire agreement with the LTTE by the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and of the role of the foreign cease-fire monitors and facilitators underlines the determination of the government of Sri Lanka not to let anything stand in the way of its military operations against the LTTE reaching their logical conclusion. In its objective, such a logical conclusion would be the disruption, if not the destruction, beyond recovery of the command and more..

Sri Lanka : likely Scenarios

May 21 (LG) No reason to doubt the statement of the Sri Lankan Army about the death of Prabakaran, the leader of the LTTE, and other leaders of the LTTE. Doubts about the circumstances relating to their death will remain. These doubts will have no impact on the ground situation. Pointless wasting time and space analyzing the doubts. Almost the entire Northern component of the LTTE, including the leadership and a large number of cadres, wiped out. more..

Wijeweera and Prabakaran: Rebels within a dysfunctional democracy -Part 2

May 21 (AHRC) Exactly what made both movements represented by these two leaders (The JVP and the LTTE) abandon the struggle for democracy and rule of law altogether and resort to violence reflects on the limitations of other political movements within the country. At no time was there a single political party or tendency in Sri Lanka which made it their aim to construct and improve the institutions of the rule of law and democracy. more..

Wijeweera and Prabakaran: Rebels within a dysfunctional democracy -Part 1

May 21 (AHRC) Following the demise of the LTTE leadership there is now much discussion about the LTTE itself. In 1971 a similar movement in the south to the LTTE was the JVP and this movement, lead by Rohana Wijeweera, took to arms again from 1987 to 1991. Today there is much to be gained by studies and reflections of both movements. Of course there are vast differences in the two movements. more..

"Decency in War, a Lost Art?"

May 21 (LG) As fireworks are lit in the streets and a thousand parties in Colombo celebrate the fall of the LTTE and the death of their leadership, the Sri Lankan Army continues to mop up remaining pockets of resistance and begins the grim task of identifying the dead. Finally proving the total success of the military, Sri Lankan troops have identified the body of the founder and leader of the LTTE, Velupillai Prabhakaran. more..

I hope …

May 21 (LG) Finally, with the defeat of the LTTE, the war is done. A piece of me feels a bit of sadness at the LTTEs demise - only because of the ‘what-ifs’. They were born out of a necessity - the need to counter the violence and terror the state and its goon squads visited upon Tamil citizens from the time of Sinhala only, long before the Tigers came on the scene, culminating in the atrocities of 1983. more..

War over, Sri Lanka's next fight lies ahead

May 21 (Reuters) With a quarter-century civil war in the history books, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will now put to the test his theory of using a military victory over terrorism as the first step to tackling its root causes. Flush with the success of victory over the LTTE in a 25-year war once dubbed unwinnable, Rajapaksa offered compromise and reconciliation with the Tamil minority in a victory speech Tuesday. more..

Eight Tiger rebels killed as Sri Lanka marks victory day

May 21 (PTI) Eight LTTE rebels, who had evaded the military offensive in the northeast of the island, were killed by troops in shootouts today, as the UN asked for "unfettered access" to civilians camped near battle field. Small groups of LTTE militants still remaining in the eastern Batticaloa and Ampara districts staged attacks on the security forces, but were gunned down even as more..

Acid attack: home invaders still unknown

May 21 (SMH) Police say they have no leads on the men responsible for the violent home invasion in Sydney's west in which two Sinhalese men were badly burnt after being splashed with acid. A police spokeswoman this morning said there was still no known description of the attackers and no further updates in the efforts to find them. Jayasri Watawala, 22, and Chathurika Weerasinghe, 27, were badly injured when at least four men broke into their home more..

Criticism and sadness amidst Sri Lanka’s celebration

May 21 (AN) The Government of Sri Lanka decreed today to be a day of victory over the Tamil Tigers. This has been met by enthusiastic crowds celebrating the end of the war but also by criticism and fears for the future. Crowds have invaded the streets of Colombo and other major Sri Lankan cities following the announcement that rebel forces were finally beaten and President Mahinda Rajapaksa publicly joined in the celebrations last night. more..

Sri Lanka welcomes Russian Statement on the defeat of terrorism

May 21 (LG) Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has welcomed the official reaction by the Government of the Russian Federation to the historic victory achieved by the Sri Lankan security forces against LTTE terrorists, resulting in the restoration of Government control over the entire territory of the country and the freeing of civilians held as human shields by the LTTE. more..

UN urged to probe child abuse in Sri Lanka

May 21 (IANS) Children under 18 years are being abducted from refugee camps and from Vavuniya town in northern Sri Lanka by paramilitary groups who enjoy the tacit support of the Sri Lankan government, the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers said Wednesday. The Coalition welcomed the initiative by the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on children and armed conflict to send a special envoy to Sri Lanka to investigate these and other abuses against children. more..

A Tragic Misdiagnosis

May 21 (HP) "We are in fear, not just for my life, but for all the civilians and patients and staff." It was just 24 hours later that an injured Dr. Varatharajah, and several other government physicians who had remained to serve patients in the "No Fire Zone" in North Eastern Sri Lanka, were taken into military custody. Perhaps he was relieved. Though his fate in government hands will be no less than that of other dissenters ("traitors"), more..

Sri Lanka appreciates Malaysia's assistance for IDPs

May 21 (RW) Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama telephoned the recently appointed Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Datuk Anifah Bin Haji Aman, and congratulated the latter on his new appointment. The Minister said that he looked forward to working closely with his Malaysian counterpart for the mutual benefit of the two countries. Further, he conveyed the Sri Lankan Government's appreciation for more..

Prabhakaran made two last-minute attempts to flee: Navy

May 21 (PTI) LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran made two last-minute attempts to escape to India or Malaysia, but these came too late as the Sri Lankan Navy had put up a effective naval blockade by then. These failures left no option for Prabhakaran, who had earlier hoodwinked and outmaneuvered the Sri Lankan security aparatus, to stay put in the northern war zone and fight to the last. more..

Tiger by the Tail

May 21 (NYT) I met Neelan Tiruchelvam, a prominent activist who had entered Sri Lankan politics, on my first trip to the island nation 15 years ago. Over several cups of tea he patiently explained the complexities and risks for ethnic Tamils who were critical of both the government and the separatist LTTE. He believed that as a member of parliament, he could help bring peace to the country, mired in a brutal civil war since the mid-1980s. more..

End of the LTTE and future of the Tamil Struggle

May 21 (GV) The LTTE which claimed to be the sole representatives of Tamil people, one of the most feared and considered as one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations in the world is vanquished. LTTE guerillas who once considered them in an equal footing with the SLA are silenced with their first and second rung leaders all killed. One of the bloodiest civil wars ended with all the due recognition given to more..

Prabhakaran was with 18 men when he was killed: Karuna

May 21 (IANS) Tamil Tigers chief Velupillai Prabhakaran was with 18 of his most loyal bodyguards when he was trapped and killed by the Sri Lankan military, one of his former rebel associates said on Wednesday. Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan alias Karuna, whose 2004 revolt played a vital role in the weakening of the LTTE, also said the Tigers would never rise again. more..

Aid group halts Sri Lanka operation

May 21 (AJ) An international aid group has suspended its aid operations in Sri Lanka due to restrictions placed on it by the government. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told Al Jazeera on Wednesday, a day after Sri Lanka's government declared victory over the Tamil Tigers, that "additional restrictions" meant it had no choice but to halt its activities. About 265,000 ethnic Tamils were displaced in the military's recent offensive against more..

Lawyer seized from family car in Sri Lanka

May 21 (Guardian) The abduction of activists and relief workers in Sri Lanka has undercut the message of compromise and reconciliation from the president of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, human rights groups said yesterday. Campaigners highlighted the kidnapping of Stephen Sunthararaj, of the centre for human rights and development in Colombo, who was snatched by men in military uniform on 7 May while travelling in his lawyer's car in the capital. more..

A close encounter with Prabhakaran

May 21 (HT) The 12th cross street in Chennai’s neighbourhood of Indira Nagar may be one of the posh addresses today. But 23 years ago, it was the home of names that went on to become among the most dreaded terrorists in the world. Vellupillai Prabhakaran was one of them. I met him in one of the rare audiences he gave to journos on the “Lanka beat” in the company of his mentor and LTTE’s ideologue Anton Balasingham. more..

War-zone access becomes flash point

May 21 (CSM) As the Sri Lankan government basks in newfound victory against Tamil Tiger rebels, United Nations and other aid agencies are clamoring for unfettered access to the war zone, something they say is crucial to aid the wounded and to lay the groundwork for rebuilding trust in the divided nation. The former theater of war in northeastern Sri Lanka has been out of bounds for aid workers for months, more..

Naval troops celebrate the Victory

Learn from the past, look forward with hope, say Church leaders

May 21 (UCAN) Church leaders have urged all Sri Lankans to put the 25-year civil war behind them and look to the future with hope. State president Mahinda Rajapakse declared the end of war in parliament on May 19. "We have to leave the sad and bitter memories of the past and look positively and optimistically towards the future in hope," Archbishop Oswald Gomis of Colombo said on national television that day. more..

Inside Sri Lanka's camps

May 21 (AN) Close to a quarter of a million men, women and children have arrived in camps in the north of Sri Lanka. They've fled months of heavy fighting between government and rebel forces, endured a lack of food and medicine, and witnessed unimaginable suffering. Caritas is one of the few international aid agencies with access into the camps, where its staff provide hot meals, medical assistance, and counseling. more..

Quarter of a million Sri Lankans face two years in camps

May 21 (Guardian) Many of the quarter of a million people held in internment camps in Sri Lanka face up to two years behind razor wire, a government official said today. Despite international concern over conditions inside the camps, the defence ministry spokesman, Lakshman Hulugalle, said Sri Lanka was not prepared to let the UN dictate terms over the length of time people could be held. more..

Tales from the Sri Lankan refugee camps

May 21 (Time) Prema and her family escaped the supposedly safe "no-fire" zone at Mullaivaikal by wading across the Nandikadal lagoon, which is studded with landmines and cratered by bombs, leaving deep waters where many people have already drowned. Tamil Tiger cadres opened fire on the civilians as they tried to escape. Her ten-year-old daughter went missing while crossing the lagoon, and her mother died in the water. more..

'We take new Sri Lanka, the land of peace, to the world'

Jun 24 (GDI) The Ministry of Tourism unveiled a new Sri Lanka tourism brand. “This is an event we have been preparing for since 2008 after we held our initial strategic planning sessions in October and November the same year. And, it’s high time to materialize our aspirations and goals with much enthusiasm, “Deputy Minister of Tourism Faiszer Mustapha said. more..

A Statutory White Van!

Jun 24 (LNP) The government has drawn flak from eight media associations including the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka and the Editors` Guild of Sri Lanka over the re-activation of the draconian Sri Lanka Press Council (SLPC) Law of 1973 in spite of the existence of the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka (PCCSL) to regulate the press. In a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, those associations have accused the government of having reneged on its earlier commitment to the promotion of self-regulation of the media. more..

Ex-Sri Lanka Rugby star Hadji Omar dies

Jun 24 (LNP) It was with deep sorrow and shock that we came to know about the sudden demise of a Rugby colossus of Sri Lanka Nizar Hadji Omar on Monday evening. It was hard to believe that Hadji is no more as, he was a charming figure full of life with a permanent smile on his face. Hadji began his rugby career at St. Peter`s and on leaving school was an automatic choice for CR and FC. For nearly two decades Hadji played as a prop forward for CR more..

Depressed prices lead to downturn in coconut industry

Jun 24 (ANN) President Coconut Growers’Association, (CGA) Parakrama Jayatilleke said concerns facing the industry would be discussed at the CGA AGM at the BMICH on the 27th of this month. He said there were substantial depressants causing serious dissent among coconut growers which led to dangerous consequences to the industry; more importantly that many such coconut land owners would eventually be lead to penury. more..

Dengue eradication: PHIs seek police protection

Jun 24 (DN) The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is seeking the assistance of 19 police stations in the city to curb the dengue menace as some of the Public Health Inspectors who had gone to inspect premises had been threatened by certain residents, Commissioner Badrani Jayawardana said. Already 58 people have been prosecuted for keeping stagnant water in their premises, breeding grounds for mosquitoes and more..

Ragging and ‘teaching sessions’

Jun 24 (DN) During this time, the student union and its leaders congregate to plan for ragging and they also invite hardcore supporters several days, sometime weeks before the beginning of the term. Together they organize a series of parallel activities to be carried out often before and after the official working times on weekends and sometimes during official working times sabotaging the activities organized by the University. more..

Rs. 1,058m worth projects for displaced children’s education

Jun 24 (DN) Concurrent to the Uthuru Vasanthaya Northern Development Program launched by the Government to bring normality to the lives of people displaced from terrorism in the North, the Government has launched projects worth Rs. 1,058 million to provide higher education facilities to children of the displaced funded by the ADB and the World Bank. This follows a survey which gathered information about students who have missed their higher education due to the conflict in the North, more..

The guns still talks, says TULF leader

Jun 24 (Island) TULF leader V. Anandasangaree has written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa complaining that despite the defeat of the LTTE the ordinary citizens of the North and East still live in fear of the gun, the culture to which they have been used to for the last twenty five years. "Contrary to your expectations that Spring will dawn in Jaffna, the people here are experiencing a silent cyclone. more..

Sri Lanka sozzled to the gills

Jun 24 (Island) The local production and import of liquor had shown a marked increase since 2005, the year in which Mathata Thitha under the Mahinda Chinthana programme commenced, Parliament was told yesterday. The production of local liquor in 2006 increased by 16.9 percent, 30.2 percent in 2007 and 19.4 percent compared to 2005, State Revenue and Finance Minister Ranjith Siymabalapitiya said. more..

Limited time for University functions

Jun 24 (Island) In a bid to avert violence in universities, the Ministry of Higher Education has decided to limit all university functions to one day and ban outsiders from attending them. The Ministry has notified the University Grants Commission of this decision and the UGC will circularize it to all universities shortly. Higher Education Minister Professor Wiswa Warnapala told The Island that this was an initial step to combat violence in universities. more..

Defence Secretary Vs Leader Publications: Defence Counsel withdraws from case

Jun 24 (DN) Mount Lavinia Additional District Judge Macki Mohamed yesterday issued notice on the Leader Publications and two others, Lal Wickrematunga and journalist Fredrica Jansz, to appear in Court on July 9 and to show cause why they should not be dealt for contempt of Court. At the commencement of the two cases where, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa had filed against the Leader Publications, more..

Ministry accused of attempt to force workers out of hostel

Jun 24 (Island) The Inter Trade Zone Employees Association has accused the Child Development and Women’s Empowerment Ministry of trying to force 76 garment workers out of a ministry-run hostel set up for the benefit of workers of the Biyagama Export Processing Zone. The union, affiliated to the JVP said that its General Secretary Janaka Adikari wrote to Minister Sumedha Jayasena urging her immediate intervention to settle the issue. more..

'Sri Lanka still negotiating IMF deal'

Jun 24 (LBO) Sri Lanka is still negotiating with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout package, and the first tranche may come in two months, a senior minister said, indicating that an unfinished economic agenda remained to be resolved. "We are still working things out; the doors are not shut yet," Amunugama told LBO Wednesday on the sidelines of a conference on poverty more..

Rajapaksa may seek re-election before the year-end, also call for general election

Jun 24 (AT) President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his aides are considering advancing the Presidential and parliamentary elections to cash in on the euphoria created by victory in the Wanni War. The present thinking is to hold Presidential election sometime in November-December, followed by general election after a gap of couple of months, anytime after February 2010. more..

Our big guns never turned up at Lords

Jun 24 (DM) Sri Lanka may have gone into the T20 World Cup with a new Captain and a new player's kit but they also carried with them old and familiar problems to do with their batting' which has plagued their success in the shorter formats of the game for too long. Ironically it was those old and familiar problems with their batting that made them miss out on winning the T20 World Cup which should have been theirs for the taking had they just scored 15 or 20 runs more. more..

Sri Lanka Ambassador to Saudi Arabia passes away

Jun 24 (AT) Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the death of it’s Ambassador to Riyadh, Abdul Ageed Mohamed Marleen PC on 23rd, while he was on an official visit in the Republic of Yemen to attend the IOR-ARC Ministerial Meeting. He was 71 years at the time of his untimely demise. Ambassador Marleen was appointed as Sri Lanka’s envoy to Saudi Arabia on 24th March 2008. more..

Tamil parties want foreign monitors

Jun 24 (DM) A leading polls-monitoring group in Sri Lanka said yesterday it was looking at the possibility of bringing in foreign observers for the elections to the Jaffna Municipal Council and the Vavuniya Urban Council, an official of the group said. “We will have about 700 local observers for the Uva Provincial Council polls and about 100 for the Jaffna and Vavuniya polls. But Tamil political parties are calling for foreign observers to monitor the polls in Jaffna and Vavuniya,” more..

Failed states: Sri Lanka’s ranking improves

Jun 24 (DM) Sri Lanka’s rankings have improved in the 2009 Failed State Index of the FOREIGN POLICY magazine with the country dropping down from the critical category last year to the danger category in the latest rankings. The annual report produced by the FOREIGN POLICY magazine and the Fund for Peace, ranks the world’s most vulnerable states in order from most down to least. more..

Sri Lanka hosts meet to thwart terrorist nuclear ambitions

Jun 24 (LBO) Sri Lanka is hosting a South Asia workshop organised with the United States to prevent terrorist groups from acquiring nuclear weapons or trafficking in nuclear materials, the foreign ministry said. The workshop, on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 dealing with non-state actors and weapons of mass destruction (WMD), is being held in Sri Lanka from 23 - 25 June 2009. more..

Season of the Spirit Bear: Part 1

US to "carefully assess" Sri Lanka IMF loan: official

Jun 24 (LBO) The United States is not blocking an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan to Sri Lanka but the US Treasury and State Department "will carefully assess" the program, an official has said. "We are not threatening to block the loan and we will carefully assess any program in light of the conditions in Sri Lanka at the time," Gregg Sullivan, state department director public diplomacy in South and Central Asia said more..

Sri Lanka spruces up tourist attractions

Jun 24 (LBO) Sri Lanka has launched an initiative to provide better access and facilities at tourist attractions in an effort to draw more visitors to the island, beginning to recover from 25 years of war. Tourism ministry secretary K A D George Michael said the government had allocated funds to improve basic infrastructure such as water and sanitation at tourist sites to cater to both foreign and domestic visitors. more..

Child soldiers fight LTTE ghosts

Jun 24 (TOI) Kumudha absent-mindedly fiddles with her left forefinger. Then, looking embarrassed, she hurriedly tucks it into the folds of her skirt. She often forgets that she has no forefinger. Only a stub. The finger was sliced off by a sniper's bullet while she was guarding an LTTE bunker in Konavil village in Kilinochchi in 2008. Heavy fighting had broken out as the Sri Lankan army pushed ahead in the north. more..

Jewellery found from LTTE occupied areas

Jun 24 (PTI) Security forces have recovered 100 kgs of gold jewellery and a large amount of cash from an area in Wanni in north of the country where senior Tiger leaders were hiding. A sum of Rupees 64.91 lakh in cash and a few boxes containing about 100 kgs of jewellery were found during search operations by the troops. "On Information, received from a LTTE cadre in custody, troops on Tuesday found large amount of money and jewellery from Velamullivaikkal area in Mullaittivu more..

Tigers remain terrorists: US

Jun 24 (DM) The United States says it does not recognize the provisional transnational government of Tamil Eelam announced by the LTTE head of international relations S. Pathmanathan and once again listed the Tigers as a terrorist outfit following its latest review. Senior U.S. State Department official Gregg Sullivan said that although the US welcomed reports that the LTTE has renounced violence and more..

'Prabhakaran's surrender could have saved 500 LTTE cadres'

Jun 24 (PTI) The lives of at least 500 Tiger rebels would have been saved had LTTE Supremo V Prabhakaran surrendered during the last phase of the battle after the army encircled the top rebel leaders in Nandhikadal Lagoon in Mullaitttivu, a defence ministry report said. After the special forces encircled Prabhakaran, Intelligence Chief Pottu Aman and Sea tiger chief Soosoi, who were boxed into a 100m x 100m area, the rebel chief could have avoided the battle that would have saved the lives of the Tiger fighters, it said. more..

Economic centers to be set up in North

Jun 25 (GDI) The Ministry of Trade, Marketing Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs has taken steps to set up economic centers in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Medawachchiya and Batticaloa and these centres will be inter-connected with the economic centres in Meegoda and Dambulla. It is expected to set up another five stalls of Lak Sathosa affiliated relief villages in the north, Minister of Trade Bandula Gunanwardena said. more..

'Rice & chicken will be imported if artificial shortage is created'

Jun 25 (LT) Measures would be taken to import rice and chicken if prices are increased by creating an artificial shortage says Minister of Trade, Marketing Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Bandula Gunawardene. Speaking at a media meeting held on the 22nd he said upcountry vegetables have gone up in price. He said the government is unable to control the prices of vegetables. more..

LTTE's defeat failed to ensure people's rights - Ranil

Jun 25 (CT) The defeat of the LTTE has failed to ensure democratic and other rights of the people as should the elimination of terrorism guarantee, said opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. He made this remark while addressing a meeting organized by 'Platform for Freedom' in Negombo yesterday (June 23). Mr. Wickremesinghe noted that the people should now be brought together to win these rights for themselves. more..

Police arrest underworld gangster during Colombo raid

Jun 25 (CT) Police have arrested an underworld gangster along with a pistol during a raid in Maligawatte and surrounding areas of Colombo yesterday (June 23). Two hundred police and 100 Army soldiers took part in the search which followed a close monitoring of underworld figures for some time, police sources said. All access routes to the raided area remained closed for the duration of the operation. more..

Colombo reporters decry new body

Jun 25 (BBC) The main media organisations in Sri Lanka have urged the government not to re-establish a body that can fine and imprison print journalists. They say that self-regulation, introduced six years ago, is working. Seven media bodies, headed by the Editors' Guild which groups the main newspaper editors, have written to President Rajapaksa. They say that the reactivation of the Press Council fills them with deep concern and disappointment. more..

Asian Netball: Sri Lanka show might by whipping Pakistan 102-12

Jun 25 (Bernama) Three times winners Sri Lanka showed their might by whipping Pakistan 102-12 in a lop-sided Group B match of the Asian Netball Championship at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara here on Wednesday. Showing their prowess right from the start, Iresha Koralagodage, 23, led the Sri Lankan charge with 41 goals while Sashika Samarasinghe added 36 while Tharjini Sivalingam scored 25 times for the victory. more..

Thai business shows enthusiasm in ivesting in Sri Lanka as peace returns to the country

Jun 25 (AT) Thailand said it “fully supports” the security measures taken by Sri Lanka to bring normalcy to the country and its foreign ministry was ready to help coordinate any assistance that Colombo may require in the reconstruction effort. Thailand’s Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Panich Vikitsreth said so in discussions with the visiting Sri Lankan Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa at the Foreign Ministry in Bangkok. more..

Season of the Spirit Bear: Part 2

'Seylan Bank would be attractive with larger stake'

Jun 25 (LBO) There would be more interest in Sri Lanka's Seylan Bank if a larger equity stake than one third is offered to a strategic investor, the head of cash-rich NDB Bank which dropped out of the race said. The banking regulator, Central Bank, is selling a third stake in of Seylan’s equity after a run on deposits was triggered by the collapse of a firm in its controlling Ceylinco group. more..

Sri Lanka 'agree' to unload ship

Jun 25 (BBC) The Indian government says Sri Lanka has agreed to accept a cargo of relief aid brought by Tamil expatriates in Europe and meant for people displaced by the now ended war in northern Sri Lanka. Earlier this month the Sri Lankan authorities had turned away the ship carrying the aid. The news that the vessel, the Captain Ali, will after all be allowed to offload nearly 900 tonnes of food and medicine, came after talks in Delhi between India’s foreign minister, more..

Lanka assures India Tamils will return home from camps

Jun 25 (PTI) Sri Lanka on Wednesday assured India that it would ensure that Tamils, displaced during the military operations against LTTE, return to their homes after their camps are dismantled within six months. The assurance was conveyed by a high-level Sri Lankan delegation which included Basil Rajapaksa, President's Special Envoy and G B Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary, which met foreign minister S M Krishna here. more..

Primate writes PM on Sri Lanka

Jun 25 (ACC) What follows is the text of a letter by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, the Anglican Primate, to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. In the letter, the Primate, writing on behalf of the House of Bishops, urges the government to "assume leadership roles in international efforts to guarantee and protect the civil liberties of Sri Lankans at this critical time." Dear Prime Minister Harper, We, the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada, write to urge the Government of Canada to assume leadership roles in more..

Elmo Jayawardena's Sam's Story

Jun 25 (IANS) The year is 2001. And the country is Sri Lanka. Sam, a dim witted boy, ekes out an existence with his mother, brothers and sisters in a tiny village that has fallen off the map. His fortunes change when he gets a job as a houseboy in Colombo. But life is not a cakewalk as ethnic violence grips Sri Lanka. Sam is the window to the social and political landscape of Sri Lanka, ravaged by violence for 15 years, in Elmo Jayawardena's award-winning book, Sam's Story, more..

Media not highlighting the human tragedy in Sri Lanka: filmmaker

Jun 25 (Hindu) “The media has been generally shy of highlighting the magnitude of the human tragedy in Sri Lanka during the long civil war. Even after the defeat of the LTTE, the whole of the island nation is under military control. Human rights are violated and journalists are assaulted and imprisoned,” says S. Somatheeran, a Sri Lankan journalist participating in the ongoing International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala. more..

Dilshan likes to be an opener

Jun 25 (AP) Tillekaratne Dilshan, whose innovative batting earned him the player of the tournament award in the recently concluded World Twenty20, says opening the innings has provided a late spark in his career. “I feel happy and proud about becoming the player of the series in a World Cup,” Dilshan told reporters on returning home on Wednesday after finishing runners-up in the tournament. more..

Asiri Hospital targets expat market

Jun 25 (LBO) Asiri Surgical Hospital has launched a round-the-clock emergency care service targeting expatriate Sri Lankans who have relatives in the island, an official said. Ashok Pathirage, managing director, Asiri group, said the service was aimed particularly at Sri Lankans living and working overseas who had to care for elderly parents in the island. "This service is especially targeted at expatriates," said Pathirage. more..

Devananda – undisputed leader of the nation

Jun 25 (LG) The United Peoples Freedom Alliance is poised to win the forthcoming Municipal Council Elections due to support lended by Minister Douglas Devananda. Minister Douglas Devananda’s popularity was seen on Wedneday, June 24 when thousands of men, women and children flocked around him shouting “Amaicher Devananda Vaalga”(which means in Tamil that they support Minister Devananda). more..

The devils with the Scriptures!

Jun 25 (LG) The Westminster style of government and the democratic ideals it represented, the system of dispensation of justice, the ‘audi alteram partem’ rule, fair trials, humanitarian aspects and consolidation of high standards, are all ingredients for the cake of five-star democracy which the West, particularly the Americans and the British, baked for others to taste. They were the self-appointed watch dogs in this respect for the rest of the world. more..

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama rebuked

Jun 25 (LG) The Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Rohita Bogollagama received an official rebuke from the President by not allowing him to lead an important delegation visit to India. According to news reports, Sri Lanka's top leadership team comprising of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse, President’s Secretary Basil Rajapakse and Lalith Wiretunge have met the India's top officials on Wednesday. more..

Sri Lanka Red Cross provides scholarships

Jun 25 (AT) Serving in Sri Lanka for the past 73 years Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) that engaged in serving the public primarily by providing first aid and emergency health services is now poised to assist students from the less privileged families who have obtained excellent results in their examinations to pursue higher education with annual grants. Deviating from their regular role, SLRCS, having met the many needs of more..

Tamil Tiger mobs attack Sri Lankan Cricket fans after the ICC Twenty 20 Final

Jun 25 (AT) Several Sri Lankans were attacked by Tamil Tiger mobs in London soon after the ICC Twenty20 Final cricket match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan on 21st (Sunday) June 2009. These despicable incidents were happened near the main gate (Taverns Stand entrance) of the Lord’s Cricket ground despite the police presence. So far eight such incidents had been reported and 16 youths were injured. more..

Move to implicate Muslims & white wash TMVP

Jun 25 (PSM) Attempts are made to attribute the crimes committed by TMVP in Batticloa district to Muslims youths by vested elements. Meanwhile, Two TMVP members of Mawadivembu who were wanted by the police on robbery charges surrendered to Eravur Police yesterday morning. They had allegedly attempted to rob some houses in the area but went missing when the villagers were out to capture them. more..

TNA submits nomination list for local elections in North

Jun 25 (TN) TNA Jaffna district parliamentarian, Mavai Senathirajah submitted Thursday the list of TNA nomination list of 29 candidates contesting Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) election with Mudiyappu Remedius, a leading lawyer and a human rights activist as its principal candidate, under ‘House’ symbol of Ilangkaith Thamizh Arasuk Kadchi. The list includes one Muslim and four women candidates. more..

Wholesale attack on Jaffna newspapers

Jun 25 (TN) All the local newspapers of Jaffna that defied publishing an anonymous and defiling notice against the LTTE came under attack by an armed group in the early hours of Thursday. The notice was brought out in the name of 'Tamil Front Protecting the Country' allegedly linked to a paramilitary group operating with Colombo. Thousands of copies of the local newspapers, Valampuri, Uthayan and Thinakkural (Jaffna edition), were burnt down more..

Prime minister denounces newspaper lawyers as “traitors”

July 25 (wsws) Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake made an extraordinary statement in parliament on July 21, branding five lawyers as “traitors” because they had appeared for the Sunday Leader in a defamation case filed by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse. Wickremanayake also endorsed an article that appeared on the defence ministry website attacking the lawyers in a similar fashion. more..

IMF approves 2.6 bln dlr loan for Sri Lanka

July 25 (AFP) The IMF approved a 2.6-billion-dollar loan for Sri Lanka to support its economic reform program and help the country weather the severe global downturn. The IMF executive board approved the loan as the Asian country emerges from a 37-year civil war. The so-called Stand-By Arrangement is in an amount equivalent to 1.65 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), an IMF asset that is based on a basket of currencies -- the dollar, yen, euro and pound -- and calculated daily. more..

How Sri Lankan railways came into being

July 25 (LG) The origin of the Sri Lanka Railways would have been in the ‘tram-ways or wagon-ways’ of the mineral district of England in the middle of the 16th century. It was nearly 151 years ago that the first sod of earth was cut at Maradana, in Sri Lanka, by the Governor Sir Henry Ward, ceremonially, for the laying of the main railway line (Colombo to Kandy) on August 03, 1858. more..

‘Enemy of the State’ (Bureaucracy) –Part 04

July 25 (LG) No one would question the authenticity of the senior administrators’ commitment to ‘Development.’ What needs to be examined is the specific approach to Development which they manifest in their action with regard to the “internal inquiry.” It is state centred approach to Development and is aimed at preserving, at any cost and trouble, the state which is symbolized by the authority of the senior administrators. more..

Access to Justice – Legal aid is not a favour -“It is a Basic Human Right”

July 25 (LG) Citizen is entitled to justice and fair play at an affordable price with easy access to. Legal profession has been an honourable profession and was practiced as a service with no remuneration. Laws delays and cost of litigation is common worldwide. Access to justice and due process are basic requirements in an ideal Democratic Society without which law of the jungle and survival of the fittest will take control over. more..

“Uthusru Wasanthaya” a concept to resettle the IDPs

July 25 (GDI) The main aim of the “Uthuru Wasanthaya” programme is to resettle the families liberated from the terrorists and 2404 families have already been resettled in the District. This programme is targeted at the rehabilitation of the Northern polity who were rescued from the LTTE, head of the “Uthuru Wasanthaya” Task Force Basil Rajapakse told a meeting to review progress of development in the Mannar District. more..

President pays homage to Dalada Maligawa

July 25 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa this morning paid homage to the Sri Dalada Maligawa and paid respects to the Asgiri-Malwatta Mahanayakes', a news realease from the President's Office said. The President is in Kandy these days attending official work. Despite his busy work schedule he found time to make religous observances at the his toric Maligawa. He briefed the Mahanayakas' on the future development plans in Kandy and added that Rs.300 million was allocated for that purpose. more..

Reaching out for a better tomorrow

July 25 (LG) I have returned this afternoon from a visit to Vavuniya - a visit that enabled me to see, at first hand, the conditions under which the internally displaced are being housed and cared for by the Government. I must inform this House that what I saw and learned from the several parties that I talked to was the fact that conditions have improved since the critical period in the third week of May when more..

Sending Dayan home: the triumph of folly in Sri Lankan politics?

July 25 (GV) I was tempted to write this article after a few days of reading different news reports about the ‘sacking’ of His Excellency Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva. Different explanations have been provided by different quarters about the ‘reasons’ that led to Colombo’s decision to recall its most gifted diplomat. more..

The way forward in Sri Lanka: Demilitarisation, the rule of law and democratisation

July 25 (GV) The way forward in Sri Lanka involves demilitarisation, restoration of the rule of law, and democratisation. These are interlinked so closely that it is impossible to separate them, and on their fulfilment depends not only the political future of Sri Lanka, but also its economic survival. Perhaps the most urgent issue is the fate of IDPs, more..

Factional clash kills 2 Muslims in Beruwela

July 25 (PSM) Two people were killed and 9 others were injured while a mosque in the area was also set on fire following a clash between two Muslim groups in Beruwala late last night. The fire in the mosque was doused by the fire brigade. Muslim religious leadershave condemned this unruly and ugly incidents. Police have brought the situation under control. Religious leaders have appealed all concerned to restrain and respect law and order. more..

Premajayanthe wants action against officers responsible for faulty question papers

July 25 (LT) The Minister of Education Susil Premajayanthe has written to all chief ministers of provincial councils to hold investigations regarding the officials who had acted in an irresponsible manner and with indifference in preparing question papers for term tests. He has pointed out that promotion of unqualified officers to higher positions in the education offices as the main reason for the chaos more..

'Those who preach charity, should help the IDPs'

July 25 (Island) Its time Sri Lankans proved that they can be compassionate towards the Internally Displaced. Those who practice the main religions, who build temples, kovils, mosques and churches, should now practice what they preach towards the 300,000 internally displaced Sri Lankans (IDSLs) in the island, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Ferial Ashraff said. more..

An anti-aircraft weapon emerges from Batticaloa

July 25 (LP) Troops conducting search operations in Batticaloa recovered an anti-aircraft weapon yesterday. According to the MCNS troops of the 23 Division recovered the 12.07 mm anti-aircraft weapon with a tripod from Thivchena. Troops also recovered a 120mm weapon from Narakamulla in Batticloa. Army troops recovered a haul of military equipment the same around 2.00pm in Sarasalai in Jaffna. more..

First to be infected with A/H1N1 locally reported

July 25 (LP) First to be infected with A/H1N1 (swine flu) locally was reported yesterday (24). The patient is a resident of Pannipitiya. It is believed that the person is an adult who has contracted the disease through her sister who had come to Sri Lanka a week ago. Speaking to Lankapuvath Director of the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) Dr. Anura Senanayake said that 52 cases of A/H1N1 cases were reported from the island. more..

'Scholars give wrong interpretations of the 13th amendment'

July 25 (LNW) Kalawana UNP organizer Nanda Muruththettuwegama says that government advisor on Constitutional matters, Justice Gomin Dayasiri was misleading the people by making a wrong interpretation on the powers vested with the provincial councils under the 13th amendment. Muruththettuwegama made this comment during a live discussion on the 13th amendment on Neth FM radio channel. Dayasiri participated in the discussion on behalf of the government. more..

The new CA told to clean up corruption in CMC before he cleans up drains

July 25 (UNP) Though the new Competent Authority of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has showed an inclination to clean up drains in the City, there is a section which is agitating for the cleaning up of the corruption in the CMC first, which is stinking worse than the drains in the city. It has been pointed out that since of late, corruption and malpractices have soared so high that apparently, no one can reach that high to bring them down. more..

Of those political role models

July 25 (LNP) Yesterday, we carried an inspiring news feature on Pakistani Prime Minister Raza Gilani. Politicians usually come in for flak for misconduct but Gilani has earned plaudits from the media. When his son was recently booked for a motor traffic offence using the high beam within the city limits of Islamabad Gilani dutifully went to the police station like a good father, paid the fine and thanked the police officer concerned for having acted without fear or favour. more..

Kasun sets first record

July 25 (LNP) Kasun Kalhara of the Mahaweli B zone established the first new meet record at the 23rd Mahaweli Games at the Mahaweli Ground, Bakamuna yesterday when he won the men s 400m with a timing of 48.7seconds. The opening ceremony of the 23rd Mahaweli Games took on a festive air with over three thousand athletes in attendance under the patronage of Minister of Mahaweli Development Maithripala Sirisena. more..

President tells people :Join Nation Building

July 25 (MoD) President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday requested all sections of the people to come forward and become active shareholders of the nation building effort. The Government is totally committed to develop the whole country on an equitable basis without any communal or regional distinctions, he said. The President was addressing the Muslim community in the Badulla district at a meeting more..

Leading heroin dealer surrenders

July 25 (CT) A leading heroin dealer and Colombo underworld figure identified as ‘Dematagoda Kamal’ surrendered to Hulftsdorp courts in Colombo yesterday. He had his heroin dealings centred in Matara area, to where the narcotic drug was illegally brought in bulk from India. Also a contract killer, he is connected to around 15 murders, police said. He had invested earnings from his criminal acts in five luxury hotels in Panadura, Ahungalle, Ambalangoda and Kataragama. more..

Lakshman Seneviratne strongly opposes change to UNP symbol

July 25 (CT) UNP MP Lakshman Seneviratne has strongly objected to any change whatsoever to the party’s ‘elephant’ symbol, saying that a move of that sort would be an impossibility. He warned that a majority of party activists, including himself, would leave politics should there be any such change. Mr. Seneviratne said the UNP has not taken a decision to function as an alliance, and the agreement was only for reaching political consensus with other parties.

University teachers call for stern action

July 25 (DN) The University of Colombo Arts Faculty Teachers Association (AFTA-CU) in a media release issued yesterday called for stern action against students resorting to violence in the University. During a clash between two groups of students on July 21, 2009 extensive damage was caused to the University property. In addition, teachers who intervened to hold the unfolding violence were verbally abused and physically threatened. more..

Pilgrims trek through Yala for Kataragama festival

July 25 (DN) A large group of Pada Yathra pilgrims, walking from as far as Trincomalee, have entered the Yala jungle and some have already reached Kataragama sacred city for July 22 flag hoisting ceremony at the Kataragama mosque marking the beginning of Kataragama Esala festival. A large number of pilgrims are expected to reach Kataragama on foot through traditional jungle routes in the Yala National Park from eastern districts. more..

After the war in Sri Lanka, what next ?

Export of fruits and vegetables : Huge potential untapped

July 25 (DN) In keeping with all other desired development in the country we are positive that we could emerge as the most vibrant sector next year. This is mainly due to the existing markets. What needs to be done is to produce quality and quantity desired by the end users, said Secretary, Fruits and Vegetable Exporters’ Association of Sri Lanka Zuraish Hashim. The world market for vegetables and fruits is huge. Sri Lankan exporters have not tapped the potential and more..

Dengue control: The Cuban way and the Sri Lankan way

July 25 (DN) Cuba is a country that has successfully combated dengue epidemics. Its expertise is sought by many countries to combat dengue. Now two Cuban epidemiologists are in Sri Lanka to assist her in combating the epidemic. How did Cuba achieve success? What was its approach to the problem? The Cubans followed three basic principles in working out their approach. First, they relied on scientific data that determined how to confront and eliminate the epidemic. more..

New take on Vada Kaha Sudiya

July 25 (Island) Very few who today join lustily in singing the popular song "Bivva Neda Vadakaha Sudiya" associate it with the total eclipse of the Sun that took place in 1955, when Sri Lanka was one of the best locations to view it, when darkness dispelled the light of day for nearly five minutes around 10 am; as the Sun, Moon and Earth aligned on a single trajectory. It was darkness at day, when even the birds began flying back to their nests. more..

Transfer of nurses in Cancer Hospital suspended

July 25 (LT) The Court of Appeal has suspended the transfer of 53 nurses of Cancer Hospital Maharagama to the Eye Hospital Colombo and the IDH, Angoda till 3rd August. The nurses were transferred by the Ministry of Health and Nutrition in response to the trade union action they launched demanding a risk allowance and demanding that they should be given special training in the administering of drugs to cancer patients. more..

Union to increase awareness among students

July 25 (Island) The All Ceylon Nurses Union (ACNU) commenced a series of seminars to educate nursing staff of 20 hospitals on the situation in the Allied Health Sciences faculty, Peradeniya, where students have been unable to continue their clinical training from the beginning of the month. While 135 nursing students of the Faculty are to have their training at the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital, the students of physiotherapy and Radiology are to be trained at more..

Bacteria alone cannot curb dengue menace – Tissa

July 25 (Island) Professor Tissa Vitharana on Thursday stressed that the dengue menace cannot be controlled solely by introducing bacteria. The public has a huge responsibility in keeping the environment clean, thus depriving the deadly mosquito of breeding grounds, he said. Prof Vitharana was the Chief Guest at a ceremony to mark the transfer of mother culture of the ‘Sri Lankan Strain of Bacillus thuriengensis (Bt) for Mosquito Control’ developed by the more..

Remand prisoners stripped naked: TNA

July 25 (DM) The Justice Ministry’s parliamentary consultative committee has taken up the matter of remand prisoners being allegedly stripped naked when they return to the Welikada prison after attending courts. TNA members N. Sri Kantha and Sivanathan Kishor made these allegations at a committee meeting chaired by Justice Minister Milinda Moragoda on Thursday. more..

New security measures for CDMA phones

July 25 (DM) The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) is to introduce new security measures for Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) CDMA phones. Accordingly there would be only one digit number at the front of the phone number instead of the three digit number used earlier. TRC Director General Priyantha Kariyapperuma told Daily Mirror yesterday that the number would start from digit 3 instead of 060 which was used earlier. more..

We too are for the use of elephant symbol: Mano Ganeshan

July 25 (DM) Leader of the Democratic People’s Front Mano Ganeshan yesterday said that Deputy Secretary of the UNP, MP Lakshman Seneviratne and others in the party need not get excited over the elephant symbol since nobody in the proposed alliance wanted to change it. “The general consensus is for the elephant symbol as this symbol is accepted by all sections of the people,” he said. more..

EPF loans for housing and medical expenses

July 25 (DM) The Labour Ministry is to grant loans equivalent to 30 per cent of the balance in the Employment Provident Fund (EPF) for housing and medical treatment, Labour Minister Athauda Seneviratna said yesterday. He said the EPF Act No. 15 of 1958 would be amended shortly and this would benefit some two million EPF account holders. Mr. Seneviratna said the amendments would allow EPF members to obtain loans to more..

IMF loan: Britain, key powers abstain

July 25 (LBO) A 2.6 billion US dollar loan from IMF to Sri Lanka's central bank was passed by the lender's decision making executive board with key Western powers abstaining from voting for the program, media reports said. Western powers, led by the United States had made noises against giving the loan leading to at least a three month delay, but in July US told Sri Lanka's foreign ministry that it would not block the loan. more..

Stop searching for scapegoats in Sri Lanka

July 25 (NP) Despite what the authors of Wednesday's National Post editorial -- disgracefully entitled "Sri Lankan blood on Liberal hands" -- would have you believe, the Liberal Party of Canada is not the source of all the world's ills. The Liberal government was not the determining, or even a contributing, factor in the civil war in Sri Lanka, which started in the early-1970s. more..

Sri Lanka court blocks porn websites

July 25 (GDI) The Colombo Chief Magistrate, Nishantha Hapuarachchi on Friday ordered the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to restrain twelve websites which indulged in pornography exhibiting sex videos and other anti-social material harmful to the interests of the society. The magistrate observed that the websites in question dealth with pornography material of children and adults causing irreparable damage to civilised norms of the society. more..

Man dead, another to face court after crash

July 26 (Age) A SRI Lankan man, 24, has been charged after the car he was driving was involved in a fatal collision at Mount Waverley early yesterday morning. Police initially believed the incident was the result of drag racing, but later ruled that out. Police said the drivers of a Suzuki and Honda Prelude were driving on Highbury Road, about 100 metres east of Middleborough Road, about 2.50am when their cars clipped each other. more..

Madhu pilgrims to be registered at checkpoint to enter church premises

July 26 (TN) All pilgrims attending the annual feast of “Our Lady of Madhu” will have to be registered at a checkpoint that would be set up at Madhu Road Junction, Police Spokesman Ranjit Gunasekara said. Madhu Church festival is to begin on August 14. He said the registered names of pilgrims would be computerized by the Sri Lanka Army. Those leading the pilgrims are expected to submit three copies of name lists giving details of persons in their respective groups. more..

“To say that Tamils are being persecuted in Sri Lanka is bunkum"

July 26 (LG) The comments made by George Master’s daughter Gayathri Jude of her experience about meeting the law enforcement authorities (LEA) and their response is an open book for those LTTE apologists in the Tamil Diaspora who continues to disseminate false propaganda in the western countries against Sri Lankan Government, its armed forces and law enforcement authorities (LEA). She says “to say that Tamils are being persecuted in Sri Lanka is bunkum”. more..

Black July and Post-war Sri Lanka

July 26 (AT) The Black July was a collective punishment imposed on the Tamil community for a crime committed by a handful of Tigers. The Black July would not have happened if a segment of Sinhala society did not regard all Tamils as (real or potential) Tigers and acted on that belief – and acted as if the rule of law and common human decency were not tenets to be observed but ballast to be discarded. more..

Sri Lanka: Between two worlds

July 26 (LS) Like a piece of driftwood, I was carried by the river for miles as it languidly meandered its way through the jungle. Coconut, jackfruit and rubber trees lined the bank from which a huge lizard watched me impassively. A few locals who were busily washing their clothes in the water smiled as I floated by. Buoyed by a lifejacket, I gently swished my arms and legs in the deliciously cool water as the morning sun warmed my face. more..

Dear Minister Bogollagama, this lifestyle is unacceptable

July 26 (SLW) Repeatedly, the painful news about you is your extravagant lifestyle and that too at the cost of the people of Sri Lanka or some other party like a foreign embassy. I am making this observation from what I have read in various features such as the one below. There are so many forces that are acting against the government and people of Sri Lanka and especially at this time, every minister of the state must be a proud example to our people. more..

Pillayan rejects President’s request to lease out land in the East

July 26 (LNW) Provincial Land Minister Wimalaweera Dissanayake said the Eastern Provincial Ministers have decided to reject a request made by the central government ministers to lease out 15,000 acres of land to a Japanese firm for plantain cultivation in the Kanthale area. Opposition Leader of the Eastern Provincial Council Basheer Segudawood said that all efforts would be taken to defeat such a request if it is presented to the council more..

JVP under attack in Uva

July 26 (LNW) Many acts of violence instituted against the JVP in the run up to the Uva Provincial Council elections has been reported, Deputy Executive Director, PAFFERL, Rohana Hettiarachchi said. Among the reported incidents of violence include arson attacks on JVP offices, attacks and acts of intimidation against its members. JVP’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the Uva Province, R.M. Jayawardena said there have so far been 28 incidents of violence against the JVP. more..

Army must be taught about human rights – Udalagama Commission

July 26 (LNW) The presidential commission investigating into incidents of human rights violations has proposed that members of the military be made aware of human rights. The presidential commission headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Nissanka Udalagama to investigate into alleged incidents of human rights violations that took place in the country since August 2005 recently handed over the mission concluding report to the President. more..

Schoolgirl commits suicide after rebuked by teacher for using mobile phone

July 26 (CT) A grade nine student of a popular girls' school in Colombo has committed suicide after reportedly being ashamed in public by a teacher for having talked over her mobile phone. The incident had taken place yesterday (July 24). A resident of Malabe, Kavindya Jayawardena had gone to the washroom and hung herself with her tie after the teacher had rebuked her. The girl died in hospital today. more..

'Thirty Black Tiger suicide cadres were to be sent to Colombo'

July 26 (CT) Defence authorities have found information that 30 Black Tiger suicide cadres had been prepared to be dispatched to Colombo to disrupt the Wanni military offensive, ‘Divaina’ reports. The newspaper says the LTTE leader had personally planned the missions by these suicide cadres. However, they had failed to leave Mullaitivu, where they had been killed by the advancing Special Forces troops. more..

13th Amendment ghosts still rule

July 26 (SL) The Presidential helicopter was busy from Saturday (18) onwards: The President choppered over to Embilipitiya to have a series of meetings and for lunch with the Chairman of ‘The Firm’ (‘without shares’ as he points out) Chamal. He used the Pelwatte Sugar Company’s auditorium to listen to his son Namal making his maiden speech in front of him. Namal chose this meeting to endorse his cousin Sashi Rajapakse’s entry into politics more..

five-Judge Bench to decide Jayasundara’s request for a ‘comeback’

Aug 25 (LT) A five-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court will hear the motion filed by former Secretary to the Treasury Dr. P. B. Jayasundera, seeking to revoke a pledge he had given the Supreme Court that he would not hold any government position. The order was given when the motion was heard yesterday by the three-bench judges of Chief Justice Ashoka N. Silva and SC Judges Saleem Marshoof, Jagath Balapatabandi. more..

Stop harassing the teacher!

Aug 25 (LNP) 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 more..

'UNP bracing for a good fight in South'

Aug 25 (Isand) The UNP said yesterday despite facing an all powerful Executive President, it was bracing for a "good democratic fight" at the forthcoming Southern Provincial Council Election. The party’s Hambantota District MP, Sajith Premadasa, when asked, at a news conference in Colombo, if the UNP was bracing for a huge defeat at the SPC poll,considered its weakest link, answered in the negative. more..

Proposal to ban parties under racial and religious names rejected

Aug 25 (LeN) The Parliamentary select committee which was to decide on a constitutional amendment regarding the banning of racial and religious named political parties for Parliamentary elections, rejected this proposal, it is reported. The selective Committee headed by Minister Dinesh Gunawardena took the decision after a section of the membership of the selective Committee including Constitution Minister Dew Gunasekera, more..

What is required now is full implementation of 13th amendment

Aug 25 (TC) US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake could be ‘way off the mark’ when he questions Sri Lanka’s progress in resettling and rehabilitating the IDPs of the North but has given the country and its political leadership something to deeply ponder over and be concerned about when he says that they are very wanting on the question of bringing reconciliation to Sri Lanka. more..

UN Says president's nephew was murdered in Tanzania, genocide theory offered

Aug 25 (ICP) Following the death in Arusha, Tanzania of the nephew of president Mahinda Rajapaksa, Shyamlal Rajapaksa, who served as a prosecutor for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, allegations have been made in Sri Lanka that the UN is involved in a cover-up of the death. Inner City Press Michele Montas, the Spokesperson for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, to respond to the allegations, including about UN insurance coverage. more..

Teenage couple jumps down cliff

Aug 25 (CT) A couple in their teens had reportedly committed suicide by jumping from a 300-foot cliff in Gampola. According to police, their bodies were found at the foot of the cliff last night. Aged 14, the girl, and her 18-year-old brother-in-law had had an affair secretly, which had become only after their disappearance a few days ago, relatives said. The postmortem examinations were conducted at Kandy General Hospital today.

Sri Lanka Cricket foots bill of secretary's private party

Aug 25 (CT) Sri Lanka Cricket has footed the bill of a private party hosted by interim committee secretary Nishantha Ranatunga to celebrate Sri Lanka?s win against New Zealand in the first Test in Galle, report said. Only top 21 officials of SLC, the interim committee and their families had been invited to the tamasha at Hotel Fortress in Koggala. However, interim committee chairman D.S. de Silva is at odds with Mr. Ranatunga for SLC having to foot the bill. more..

More jobs generated

Aug 25 (DN) The total number of employed persons in the country during the first quarter of 2009 was 7.7 million while the active labour force during the same period was estimated at 8.2 million persons, the latest Census and Statistics Department survey stated. The average literacy rate among the population was 91.4 percent. The literacy rate among males was 93.1 percent while among females it was 90 percent. more..

Human rights leader receives death threat

Aug 25 (Guardian) The director of one of Sri Lanka's leading human rights thinktanks has been warned he will be killed if the European Union decides to withdraw the country's preferential trade benefits. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu received the anonymous death threat in a letter sent to his home in the capital, Colombo. "We swear on all that we hold sacred you will be killed," the letter says. more..

Lanka extends cultural ties

Aug 25 (DN) The 11th Asia Arts Festival of China, hosted by China's Cultural Ministry was held in Ordos city, Inner Mongolia from August 18 to 26. With this year's theme "Auspicious prairie, blissful Asia", the Arts Festival aimed at displaying the miracle and glamour of Asian arts, promoting cultural, trade and tourism exchange and cooperation between the Asian nations. Cultural Affairs and National Heritage Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana led a delegation to the city of Ordos to more..

NTB improves literacy level in rural schools

Aug 25 (DN) Nations Trust Bank (NTB) recently undertook a project aimed at improving literacy levels amongst rural and less privileged schools in the country through a corporate social responsibility initiative in partnership with CandleAid Lanka (known as AFLAC International). The Bank made a commitment to improve the libraries of 12 schools Seewali Vidyalaya in Rupawatta, Udahena Kanishta Vidyalaya in Udahena, Galabadawatta Kanishta Vidyalaya in Rangala, more..

Hangman to be called back to curb crime

Aug 25 (Isand) Despite objections from Human rights and religious groups the government had decided to re-introduce Capital Punishment as a means of curbing the alarming increase in organised crime, sources said yesterday. Recent protests by the public calling for the re-introduction of capital punishment for those who murdered two youth in Angulana last week caused the High level joint Task Force, headed by more..

Status of IDP’s and the ‘Right to Protect’

Aug 25 (GV) The ‘divide and rule policy’ of the British colonial administration in Sri Lanka covertly took advantage of the country’s ethnic profile to appoint better educated Tamils in key government positions to act as a buffer against possible sedition by the Sinhalese majority. With the declaration of independence emerged extremist Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism as a response to such discriminatory policy which more..

'Sri Lanka foreign reserves US$3.2bn'

Aug 25 (LBO) Sri Lanka's foreign reserves have topped 3.2 billion dollars after a large inflow into the country's government securities market, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. Sri Lanka has seen large flows of capital into government securities markets after the float of the currency in March and even before a 2.6 billion US dollar International Monetary Fund stand by loan came on July 24. more..

Govt. to provide seedlings, fertilizer to Samurdhi recipients, rehab 18 tanks

Aug 25 (Isand) The Government under its livelihood development programme has decided to provide seedlings, fertiliser and other inputs to 10,000 Samurdhi recipient families and rehabilitate 18 tanks at a cost of Rs 18 million in the Trincomalee district. The newly appointed SLFP organiser for Trincomalee and Minister Susantha Punchinilame said that he was happy to take forward the development to the people of the Trincomalee district more..

Cultivating paddy - the SRI way

Aug 25 (DN) Sri Lanka was known to be a country self-sufficient in food as we had a good agricultural background. Fortunately everyone has realized about the value of agriculture for the development of the country. More than 70 percent of Sri Lankans earn their living from farming. Of them, 56 percent of people are engaged in paddy cultivation. Most of them have to face lot of difficulties when growing paddy. more..

Mismanaging WPC financial resources

Aug 25 (DM) The Western Provincial Council (WPC) has allegedly ended up losing more than Rs 700 million due to financial mis-management, while they have also lost Rs 233 million by investing money in errant financial institutions. Leader of the JVP in the Western Provincial Council, Waruna Deeptha Rajapaksa said yesterday he would call on the Governor, Alavi Mowlana, to conduct an independent investigation into the matter. more..

Opposition MPs to submit amended papers in FR petition

Aug 25 (DM) The opposition Parliamentarians who are seeking access to the camps for the IDPs yesterday (24) undertook to make amended papers in their fundamental rights petition reflecting the contents specifying the reasons and to submit it within one week. The Bench comprising Justices Shiranee Tilakawardane, N. G. Amaratunga and P. A. Ratnayake listed the matter for support on September 29. more..

No statue for General Janaka

Aug 25 (DM) North Central Province Chief Minister Bertie Premalal Dissanayake yesterday turned down a request by UNP members to put up a statue of assassinated opposition leader Janaka Perera. Mr. Dissanayake said there was no reason to erect a statue of Major General Perera in Anuradhapura Town. “We don’t mind his statues being put up in Welioya where he served during the war or his home town in Colombo but we cannot allow it in Anurdhapura Town,” he said. more..

Sri Lanka coconut exporter wins agribusiness award

Aug 25 (LBO) Renuka Agrifoods, a Sri Lankan exporter of value-added agro-based products, especially coconut, has won a top award for agribusiness. The company, a subsidiary of the listed Renuka Holdings, said in a statement it was named Overall National Winner (Gold Award) at the recent National Agribusiness Awards 2009. It also clinched the Gold Award for Food Processor (Large) Category. more..

Place for Sun Sea and Seafood: Part 2

Army begins discharging of deserters

Aug 25 (DM) The army yesterday began de-listing those who deserted from service, while the Air Force and Navy too were engaged in a similar process. Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said the Army will discharge all soldiers who deserted the service on or before May 31. He said on the first day there were a considerable number of deserters applying for their discharge certificates. All deserters coming under the above category have been requested to report to their regimental camps. more..

Seylan Bank public offer gets bourse approval

Aug 25 (LBO) Seylan Bank said the Colombo stock exchange has approved its application to list new ordinary shares in an effort to raise fresh capital. The bank said in a stock exchange filing that it will offer almost 54.3 million shares at 35 rupees each with subscriptions opening on September 22, 2009. Existing ordinary voting shareholders as at the end of trading on September 2, the date of an extraordinary general meeting, will be entitled for more..

Vettori banks on batsmen to recover form

Aug 25 (CI) Daniel Vettori will have mixed memories of his only Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club. He bowled with splendid control and variation to take his 50th Test wicket in 14 matches at the age of 19, turning in a then career-best 6 for 64. But there was scant support from the other end and Sri Lanka, through a last-wicket stand of 71, set New Zealand a target of 296 in six sessions and 22 minutes. more..

Sri Lanka to create courts in former rebel-held towns

Aug 25 (BN) Sri Lanka will establish courts in the main towns held by the LTTE before the rebels were defeated in May after a 26-year conflict. The Ministry of Justice will create a high court and a magistrates’ court in Kilinochchi, the town where the LTTE had its headquarters, and a magistrates’ court in Mullaitivu, the northeastern port where rebel forces made their last stand, the government said on its Web site. more..

Piyasiri refuses to answer queries

Aug 25 (Isand) Cultural Minister, Piyasiri Wijenayake yesterday refused to answer queries by journalists at a press briefing on his exorbitant car rental, saying that he had summoned the briefing to get journalists take down what he said, but not to answer their questions. "I called you here to take down my statement. Your questions could be answered next time. Thank you," he said getting up from the conference more..

US Court rules against attempt to de-list the LTTE

Aug 25 (CBS) A law that allows the U.S. president to designate groups as terrorist organizations, freeze their assets and block aid to them was upheld by a federal appeals court in San Francisco today. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act was enacted by Congress in 1977 and was originally used by presidents to impose economic sanctions on foreign nations considered a threat to national security. more..

Roy Dias – Magician with the willow

Aug 26 (NC) The mere mention of his name conjures up visions of a magician with the willow. He was the artist who touched your heart. The game was supreme and in that game he was the artist of artists. No figures can tell the story of his artistry. Words fail to picture him. But then the maestro was never the one to bat for records. His batsmanship was not a thought, but a feeling. Roy Luke Dias was born on October 18, 1952, in Colombo and was educated at St. Peter’s College. more..

Jaffna fishermen not allowed to fish without radar reflectors

Aug 26 (TN) Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in Jaffna has barred around 2,750 fishermen to fish during night time in their seas without installing radar reflectors on their boats and catamarans, according to S. Tharmalingam, the Deputy Director of Fisheries and Sea Resources in Jaffna. Meanwhile, the Non-government Organization, IMO, has come forward to purchase 2,750 radar reflectors for the fishermen, Tharmalingam said. more..

Sri Lanka leave out Bandara and Fernando

Aug 26 (CI) Sri Lanka have named a largely expected 15-man squad for next month's Champions Trophy. Among the changes are the dropping of legspinner Malinga Bandara and seamers Dilhara Fernando and Isuru Udana from the side that played Pakistan earlier this month. There was no place either for Chaminda Vaas, who retired from Tests but wants to play one-dayers till the 2011 World Cup. more..

JTC students’ boycott of lectures continues

Aug 26 (TN) The boycott of lectures launched by the students of Jaffna Technical College (JTC) 18 August in protest against alleged malpractices by the JTC principal continues up to Monday, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Intelligence Unit had arrested some representatives of the student union alleging that they were supporters of LTTE but had released them due to students’ agitation after detaining the arrested students for a night, the sources added. more..

Solid Sri Lanka remain favourites

Aug 26 (CI) Over the past year, debate about the top teams in Test cricket has usually centred on three teams: Australia, South Africa and India. Sri Lanka are almost never mentioned but they now find themselves at No .2, thanks to a superb record over the past three-odd years during which they have lost only one series. To remain second, though, they need to defeat New Zealand (who haven't won any series against strong opposition in the same period) in Colombo. more..

Death of Mgr. Fernando, "voice of the voiceless" in Sri Lanka

Aug 26 (AN) The Church of Sri Lanka mourns death of Msgr. Frank Marcus Fernando, Bishop Emeritus of Chilaw, who died on August 24. Voice of the voiceless, defender of the environment, fierce prosecutor of injustice and corruption: the faithful of the diocese where he served for 41 years remember him as a father who has spent his life for his community and for the good of society. more..

House hunting in Colombo

Aug 26 (HT) I am currently in the exasperating middle of a third round of house hunting in Colombo. On the positive side, hunting for homes means meeting new people and getting a peep into current trends in a society. It gives you insights into the property market and its posh nooks and creaking crannies; a handy tool in a tedious party played by dull, incoherent men and jaded women. Three days of house hunting could also leave you frayed, confused and more..

Undergrad stabbed to death by brick maker boyfriend

Aug 26 (CT) An external graduate of Ruhuna University has been stabbed to death by her brick maker boyfriend, whom she had refused to marry after a 12 year affair. Twenty-six-year-old Lakmini Kumari had 26 stab injuries in her body, police said. The suspect had confronted her with a knife as she had been returning home in Kamburupitiya from a private dispensary where she had been employed. more..

'Exhume' child workers' bodies

Aug 26 (BBC) The judiciary in Sri Lanka has ordered the police to submit a new post-mortem report after exhuming the bodies of two teenage girls from plantation sector. Bodies of two Tamil girls from estate sector, Lakshmanan Sumadhi, 13, and Madhuraweeran Jayarani, 16, were found in a canal near Torrington Place, Colombo on 15 August. The two teenage girls have been working as domestic servants for ULM Kaushik and WM Fazar in Baudhaloka Mawatha in Colombo, more..

Sri Lanka’s Issadeen Idolizes Ronaldinho

Aug 26 (Goal) M. Issadeen plays for Sri Lanka’s Army Sports Club and is considered to be the fittest and the most versatile player in the squad. The tournament’s joint top scorer is very happy with his performance so far but is still looking for improvement. Speaking exclusively to Goal.com he said, “I am very happy with my contribution so far but I cannot stop here. I have to keep on improving in every match.” more..

Sangakkara unfazed by No. 2 ranking

Aug 26 (CI) There's a significant buzz within the local media given that Sri Lanka, after England's stirring reclaiming of the Ashes, sit pretty at the second spot in the Test world. But Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lankan captain, is having none of it. When asked the question whether Sri Lanka's possible ascent was an added incentive, Sangakkara had the look of a man who was fed up of the question but he hid it well. more..

Sri Lanka: India’s latest security nightmare

Aug 26 (TD) Sri Lanka is fast emerging as a security nightmare for India. Basking in its military success against the separatist Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka is cementing its ties with China and Pakistan, ignoring Indian security interests. By embracing India’s enemies and inviting them home, treating them as guests, and doing business with them, Sri Lanka is embarking on a dangerous foreign policy that has the potential to undermine India’s national security. more..

Sri Lanka’s Hollow Victory

Aug 26 (ME) The problem with running a disingenuous military campaign is that victory is never as sweet as it should have been. In a world on alert against bombings and gunmen randomly attacking civilians, the Sri Lankan government had expected to be congratulated for concluding the twenty-six-year civil war on the island by defeating one of the world's most abusive armed groups, the LTTE. It is hard to mourn the passing of a group that pioneered suicide-bombings, more..

Sri Lanka rating outlook lifted to 'stable' by S&P

Aug 26 (LBO) Standard & Poor's has lifted the outlook on Sri Lanka's speculative 'B' sovereign rating to 'stable' from 'negative' on expectations of better policy under an IMF program and capital inflows. A sovereign rating measures the creditworthiness of the government. Sri Lanka's high spending governments, ythat frequently borrows from the central bank (prints money) has a history of de-railing monetary policy and pushing inflation up and the exchange rate down. more..

Sri Lanka firms told socially responsible investing does pay

Aug 26 (LBO) Companies should look closely at socially responsible business practices as they are more profitable and opens the door to alternative investments, a senior official from the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) said. "Socially responsible investment advocates argue that screening helps eliminate companies that have risks that are generally not recognized by traditional financial analysis," more..

Clergy 'to be released' from camps

Aug 26 (BBC) Hundreds of Hindu and Christian clergy are to be released from the camps for the displaced people in Vavuniya, authorities said. Vavuniya Government Agent PSM Charles told BBC Tamil service that 800 Hindu priests and six Catholic priests are scheduled to be released on Wednesday. Over 400 Hindu priests, she said, will be joining their relatives while the others will be resettled in their ancestral lands. more..

Prabhakaran killed, KP arrested and who is next?

Aug 26 (AT) 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. more..

Mahinda speaks of Kings and Customs

Aug 26 (BL) Spearheading the challenge of findings local funds for development President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday refreshed the minds of key revenue enforcement officers of historic lessons of Kings and Customs. Addressing the 200th anniversary celebrations of Sri Lanka Customs, President Rajapaksa said that the office of Customs plays an important role in the country’s development. more..

Sri Lankan enters the Guinness Book

Aug 26 (CT) Sri Lankan Wasantha Zoysa has entered the Guinness Book of World Records by breaking 12 concrete slabs with his head. Each of these concrete slabs is three inches in height, one feet in breadth and four feet long. He broke the previous record by Narre Laeret of Norway who broke seven concrete slabs with his head.

Census key to assess population shifts

Aug 26 (LG) An important newspaper item this week which have attracted little readership interest apart from a cursory glance, is about Sri Lanka’s first comprehensive census in the entire island in 30 years.The census by the Department of Census and Statistics is to be held in 2011 and Ms Suranjana Widyarathna, Director General of the Department is quoted as saying that they are currently preparing maps and residential lists needed for the census. more..

Media plays vital role in ending child domestic labour from plantations

Aug 26 (BL) Let the death of the two girls awaken our conscience. Like the Angulana killing of two youths that roused the public concern about police brutalities, the death of the two Indian Tamil girls in Colombo has begun to stir the conscience of the public. As in Angulana the political leadership had begun to show concern about the deaths of the young girls. After waiting for ten days, the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) leadership has expressed concern and more..

Obscene or not: Cross talk over

Aug 26 (BL) Hikka Fest might have been a blast, but trouble is brewing within the Tourism Ministry. Tourism Minister Nandana Gunethileke has launched an investigation into the alleged misbehaviour at the recently concluded Hikkaduwa Breach Fest, while Tourism Promotions Minister Faizer Mustapha denies any such events occurred at the four day fiesta. Gunethileke stated that such a measure was decided upon following complaints that more..

Major wrangling within BTF

Sep 25 (LG) Major strife has emerged within the British Tamil Forum structure since the defeat of the LTTE in May this year. Those who wish to pave the democratic path are being sidelined by the hardcore elements that are determined to continue with the military struggle in Sri Lanka. Those who advocate the continuation of the armed struggle are on the stronger footing, as they control the significant part of the defunct LTTE finances in the UK. more..

More Bangalore torpedoes recovered from Mullaittivu

Sep 25 (LP) Troops conducting search operations in Mullaittivu recovered more weapons yesterday. According to the MCNS troops of the Task Force VIII recovered 18 81mm Mortar bombs and a MPMG weapon body during a search operation conducted in Puthukudyruppu area. In search operations in the Udayarkattukulam area Troops of the Task of Force II recovered 09 T-56 Magazines, a T-81 Magazine, 07 RPG HE rounds, 02 RPG Charges, more..

Distorted history leads to unworkable solutions – Part II

Sep 25 (LG) Now that Robert O’Blake is back in his home base after leaving Sri Lanka, he has fallen into what William Pfaff calls the “policy community and the newspaper editorial pages, with nothing original or questioning” the conventional wisdom recycled within it. This “policy community” consists of ex-diplomats like Teresita Schaffer, Director of the CSIS and think-alike Tweedledums and Tweedledees from academia, armed forces etc. more..

Turning the Three-Monkey Approach into the National Circus

Sep 25 (LG) The silent are guilty, the guilty are silent. When the powerful remain mute, their complicity is deafening. The collective blind eye of a regime to the selective violation of the fundamental rights of citizens is its leadership’s surest admission that it benefits from these crimes. The orchestration of silence, and hence the nurturing of impunity on a national scale signals the end of even minimally ethical governance. more..

The Gulag Island

Sep 25 (LG) Aleksandr Solzhenisyn added the word 'gulag' to the human rights vocabulary to describe a type of experience that is being repeated in many parts of the world. His own three volume study was the experience of Russia from 1918 to 1956. Today, in Sri Lanka this same horror is being experienced by the entire population. The dreaded Cheka, the security organisation created in Russia exercised the function of being the informer, the arresting authority, the interrogator, the authority that decided on guilt or innocence and more..

Over Rs. 434 million for “Api Wenuwen Api” Fund

Sep 25 (LP) Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that various people , organizations and institutions have donated over Rs. 434.3 million to “Api Wenuwen Api Fund up to June 10, 2009. Minister added that entire fund is being functioned from the donations of people and various other organizations. Funds of Api Wenuwen Api has not been used to build houses at Ipalogama in Anuradhapura for more..

FM Bogollagama holds discussions with Commonwealth Secretary General

Sep 25 (LP) Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama held discussions with the Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma recently. Their discussions centered a round the developments on the internally displaced people in the North of Sri Lanka, technical cooperation to Sri Lanka, the situation in Fiji since it features on the agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and the envisaged outcome of more..

Sri Lanka no longer a Failed State

Sep 25 (LG) The Failed States Index 2009 has been published by the Foreign Policy magazine and The Fund for Peace organization. Sri Lanka is no longer a failed state. However the shift from 2008, when Sri Lanka was a failed state, is rather due to the worsening situation in Kenya, Yemen and East Timor than any improvement in Sri Lanka. In fact the situation has worsened by one (1) point! Total score in 2008 was 95.6 and in 2009 it has got worsened to 96.7. more..

Soma Kumari Tennekoon dies from a heart attack in Hambantota

Sep 25 (LNW) North Western Provincial Councilor Soma Kumari Tennekoon, who was removed as the SLFP Nikaweratiya organizer, died from a heart attack on Thursday (24). She had experienced the heart attack while taking part in election activities in the Hambantota District for the Southern Provincial Council election. She was taken to the Hambantota Base Hospital where she had died. more..

30 million text books for 4.2 million school children

Sep 25 (LP) Education Minister Susil Premjayanth stated that school text books for year 2010 will be distributed on 7th of December among 4.2 million school children in the country. He added that 30 million text books are needed to distribute for the year 2010. So far 12 million text books have been dispatched and 18 million text books are to be distributed in the coming weeks. more..

MP Kishore says IDP injured during clash at Poonthottam not dead

Sep 25 (LNW) The person, who was reported dead following a clash between the security forces and the detainees at the Poonthottam camp in Vavuniya on Wednesday where LTTE suspects are being held, is not dead and is receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit, TNA parliamentarian S. Kishore said. Sri Chandramogan who was a detainee at the Poontottatm camp was captured by the security forces on Tuesday night when he attempted to escape and had been severely assaulted afterwards. more..

Minister unable to meet public owing to the elections

Sep 25 (LT) At the entrance of the Ministry of Transport a notice board is displayed saying "Please be informed that the Minister is unable to meet the public until the elections are over”. It is alleged that the Ministers that they are ignoring the public matters concerning the public and only interested in winning the elections. But the Ministers do not hesitate to utter at Media conferences, that they have paid due attention for the development of the country. more..

I am the owner of Kelaniya – Mervin

Sep 25 (LT) Another extra-ordinary act by the eccentric character who was appointed to Parliament through UPFA list is reported from Kelaniya area. At a Billboard fixed opposite Peliyagoda junction, (Dr) Mervin Silva has mentioned that he is the owner of Kelaniya and not the care-taker. The board displays “Dr Mervin Silva’s vision – You and me are not care-takers of Kelaniya – but Owners.” more..

UN Envoy asked to address issues of expelled IDPs simultaneously

Sep 25 (PSM) Walter Kalin, visiting Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons has been asked to address the plight of the forcibly evicted Northern Muslims simultaneously when addressing the issues of recent IDPs. The expelled Muslim IDPs are languishing in the camps for the last 20 years. more..

Drug issuing packets with candidate’s details surface in Matara hospital

Sep 25 (LT) The patients who called over at the OPD unit of the Matara General Hospital were surprised to note that the name of a candidate of a major political party contesting the Southern Provincial Council election was printed on the packets of drugs issued to them at the hospital. Matara police said they had initiated an inquiry in this regard on a complaint made by the JVP Pradeshiya Sabha Member Charles Nandana saying that it was a violation of the election laws. more..

Sri Lanka needs a dose of politics of conciliation

Sep 25 (LeN) Mahabharata, the great epic story of war between Pandavas and Kauravas, says one should listen to advice from whatever quarter it may come. Going by this maxim, the Northern Sri Lanka should not brush aside the observations of Douglas Devananda, the EPDP leader, that the need of the hour in Sri Lanka is politics of conciliation. Douglas may not be eminently qualified to render such an advice since fellow Northerners see him as a survivor with a more..

Red light for Triposha?

Sep 25 (LT) Suppliers who provided raw material for the production of ‘Triposha’ have decided to stop their supplies due to the non-payment of monies due to them by the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry. A spokesman for the combined suppliers association said that the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry had stopped payment to farmer associations for about two months for the Soya, corn, and other raw material required for the production of Triposha. more..

Son of deputy minister assaults policemen, goes into hiding

Sep 25 (CT) The son of deputy minister W.B. Ekanayake has reportedly beaten up and wounded a police constable after an argument, and is now in hiding. The alleged incident had taken place last night in Anuradhapura, said police spokesman DIG Nimal Mediwake. The injured PC has been admitted to Anuradhapura General Hospital. Police have obtained a warrant to search the home of the suspect, Rasika Ekanayake who is a Pradeshiya Sabha member.

Govt allocates Rs. 142 billion for defence affairs

Sep 25 (LNP) Chief Government whip Dinesh Gunawardene told Parliament yesterday the Government has allocated over Rs. 142,144 million for defence affairs for 2009. A document tabled by the Minister in response to an oral question raised by JVP MP Premasiri Manage said there is no separate classification as war expenditure of Government and it was a humanitarian operation which was concluded recently. more..

Childcare Authority receives 20 complaints

Sep 25 (LNP) Minister of Women s Affairs and Child Welfare Sumedha Jayasena informed Parliament that Women and Childcare Authority had received 20 complaints recently for sending children under 18 years for employment abroad. Minister Jayasena said 26 persons who were involved in these cases have already been arrested. She also said that there might be more cases of this nature which were not reported and stressed that this trend should be arrested. more..

Govt. cheating public with various promises: JVP

Sep 25 (LNP) The JVP propaganda secretary Anura Kumara Dissanayake charged that the government collects application forms promising employment and other favours before elections and later they are found in garbage dumps. Speaking at a press conference yesterday MP Dissanayake showed a large number of letters given to the Chief Minister Uva Province Shasheendra Rajapaksa, by the public during the Uva Provincial Council elections. more..

Sri Lanka's crime

Sep 25 (LNP) Threats and international pressure Sri Lanka has come under because of her successful war on terror are highly disproportionate to her size and influence. Perhaps, no other small democratic country has suffered so much of harassment at the hands of global powers. What is Sri Lanka`s crime? She has defeated terrorism in spite of the US, the EU and Norway. A bony Chihuahua has beaten daylight out of the monster of terrorism which has sent the western mastiffs running for cover with tails between their muscular legs. more..

Northern resettlement: Infrastructure, first priority

Sep 25 (DN) It is not possible to re-locate IDPs in their villages without providing proper infrastructure facilities in their villages, Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa told the Cabinet press briefing yesterday. “To date we have re-settled 40,000 people. We have facilitated another 60,000 people to find their relatives to settle down with them,” he said. “Opposition Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe had said the Government is using the IDPs as a tool for election victory which is not true. more..

To clear backlog of cases: Five new judicial zones

Sep 25 (DN) The Justice and Law Reforms Ministry will shortly issue a Gazette Notification to set up five new judicial zones establishing five new High Courts, 14 District Courts and 21 new Magistrate Courts and 10 new Circuit Courts revamping the administration of justice to clear the backlog of cases pending for years, a Justice and Law Reforms Ministry spokesman said yesterday. more..

Pro-LTTE and anti-Sri Lanka lobby: It is time you take a 360° turn

Sep 25 (DN) With the exhaustion of the popular pet controversial topics regarding Sri Lanka, now the favourite topic of the international and national community used to flame the anti-Sri Lanka feeling throughout the world is the letters IDP. These three letters have become a gold mine for the said communities as well as for NGOs and their local acolytes. Thus the common and favourite slogan is ‘Resettle IDPs soon’. more..

'No private universities'

Sep 25 (DN) Higher Education Minister Prof. Wishwa Warnapala told Parliament yesterday that the Government has not taken any policy decision to set up private universities in Sri Lanka. The Minister said that the private universities established in Malabe is a BoI project which offers only foreign degrees. The degree programs available at the Malabe Private University are recognized by the University Grants Commission. more..

Police trail leading rebel of Tamil Tigers

Sep 25 (Xinhua) The Sri Lankan police Friday sought public alert on a leading Tamil Tiger rebel, who is said to be roaming around the capital Colombo. The police announced a hotline number for public information on a 32-year-old LTTE member named Giri. Meanwhile, police spokesman Nimal Mediwaka said two more members of the LTTE have been arrested at Settikulam in the northern district of Vavuniya. more..

LTTE sniper unit head arrested

Sep 25 (Island) Vavuniya Police yesterday afternoon arrested a youth suspected to be the leader of the LTTE’s sniper unit. Police said that after interrogating the suspect they were able to recover a sniper gun hidden in a jungle in Asikulam , Vavuniya. Identified as Radha, the suspect had arrived in Vavuniya from Kilinochchi in April this year, just prior to the last battle against LTTE in Mullaitivu. more..

SC grants relief to PB

Sep 25 (DM) The Supreme Court, by majority decision, yesterday, allowed P. B. Jayasundara to withdraw his own undertaking not to return to public service and take up public office as Treasury Secretary. The matter came up before a seven-judge bench, of whom six judges approved the application made by Jayasundara and one dissented. Chief Justice Asoka de Silva and five other judges, namely more..

I will not ask a cent from 2010 budget to pay SLTB employees’ salaries - Dallas

Sep 25 (Island) "I would not ask a single cent from the 2010 budget to pay Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) employees’ salaries. I will only ask for an allocation for the expenditure involved in monthly season tickets, Transport Minister Dallas Alahapruma said. He was speaking at the handing over ceremony of 13 CTB buses to 5 depots in the Galle district under the ‘Gami Diriya’ programme. more..

Tamil detainees in Sri Lanka: “Almost living in hell”

Sep 25 (wsws) The Sri Lankan government has underscored its determination to keep 280,000 Tamil civilians in internment camps indefinitely, in blatant violation of their basic democratic rights. UN Under-Secretary, Lynn Pascoe arrived in Sri Lanka last week for further talks on resettling detainees. Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse told him his government had a target of resettling 70 percent of the people within 180 days. more..

ICC plans to undermine Sri Lanka's Test status

Sep 25 (DM) In a move widely speculated by the world's media, ICC is likely to launch a world Test championship that would see Sri Lanka relegated to Tier B along with lesser powers of world cricket both on cricket strength and financial strength, but Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials are still blissfully ignorant of the plans. "This is news to me. We have not heard anything about this. It may be mere speculation in internet media reports. I cannot comment anything on it" more..

'Some NGOs trying to tarnish Lanka’s image'

Sep 25 (DM) President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday charged that there was a concerted effort by a section of the local and international media to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka and the armed forces by publishing and telecasting distorted news items and doctored video footage with the malicious intention of taking our war heroes before the war crime tribunal. He said the doctored news footage shown on some TV channels have been obtained by a certain NGO hell bent on damaging Sri Lanka’s image internationally. more..

Families of Disappeared seek peace of mind

Parliament passes parliamentary elections amendment bill

Sep 25 (CaFFE) Parliament passed the Parliamentary Elections Amendment Bill that sought to amend only the only the provisions relating to registration of political parties. Debating the proposed bill, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the amendment is a timely need for accepting or delisting political parties that are not active. According to the Minister currently there are 59 political parties in the country but only around 24 are active. more..

Lankan universities tumble

Sep 25 (DM) The standard of Sri Lankan Universities had fallen in international rankings, Higher Education Minister Wiswa Warnapala revealed yesterday. Prof. Warnapala told parliament measures had been taken to improve the quality of undergraduate studies and said our universities had continued to keep to traditional disciplines but now the government was making an effort to promote job-oriented degrees. more..

Bonds, post-war economy attract investors

Sep 25 (BN) Sri Lankan bonds are attracting increased interest from global investors as the government focuses on economic development after the end of the three- decade civil war, said Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama. “It’s our priority to make use after the long struggle and effort into meaningful economic development,” he said. The army’s victory over the LTTE in May has prompted economists to boost their growth forecasts and more..

Sri Lanka Air gone broke, how asks Ranil

Sep 25 (Island) The national airline, Sri Lankan Air is broke due to the irresponsible financial and administrative policies of the government, Parliament was told yesterday. UNP Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, said Air Lanka Catering Service, a subsidiary of the Sri Lankan, had earned a profit of Rs. 4,000 million in 2007, but the following year - in 2008, it had suffered a loss of Rs. 9,000 million. The government must inform the House the reasons for this loss. more..

JHU to force UN probe HR violations by US

Sep 25 (Island) The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) will shortly launch a campaign to collect one million signatures to petition United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki Moon to establish a commission to inquire into human rights violations committed by the United States. "The United States had violated the human rights of the entire world without challenge from anybody. We should expose the US," more..

Coastal village rises up from ravages of war, disaster

Sep 25 (IPS) Vakarai is a dust bowl of a village, right at the edge of the coast in Sri Lanka’s east. The last three decades have not been too good for this fishing village — located about 300 kilometres east of the capital Colombo — and its inhabitants, mostly from the minority Tamil community. From war and disaster to a state of normalcy, this village of about two thousand inhabitants has come full circle. But that is getting ahead of the story. more..

Time running out for Sri Lanka's IDPs

Sep 26 (WPR) Everywhere in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, posters featuring smiling soldiers holding rocket launchers and machine guns celebrate the recent end to the nation's 26-year civil war. But in the government-run camps that still house more than 250,000 ethnic Tamils displaced by the war's fighting, the mood is far from celebratory. In late August, heavy rains at the largest camp, Manik, flooded tents and led to unsanitary conditions. more..

Tamil refugees begin the return home

Sep 26 (BBC) Since the Sri Lankan government defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels in May, nearly 280,000 ethnic Tamil war refugees have been kept in government-run camps. The Menik Farm camp holds about a quarter of a million who left the war zone in the final weeks and the authorities are now starting to send some of these people home. The BBC's Charles Haviland travelled to Trincomalee in eastern Sri Lanka to meet some of the first to have come out of the camp. more..

Stocks rise on select shares

Sep 26 (Reuters) Stock market edged up on Friday as retail investors bought blue chips that fell to attractive levels after some profit-taking, traders said. On Friday, the central bank said it had temporarily asked brokers not to sell treasury securities to foreign customers, to maintain a cushion before the 10 percent foreign ownership limit is reached. "We don't have any serious funding requirement for right now. We can maintain the goverment cash flow from the present reserves," more..

"Dilshan has improved the most"

Sep 26 (ESPN) Spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan spoke to espnstar.com about his team's chances in the on-going ICC Champions Trophy. Q. What are your expectations in the Champions Trophy? A. We are playing good cricket at the moment. We really have got great momentum after beating South Africa in the inaugural match. We have to keep the momentum going. Q. What are main reasons that South Africa lost to you? more..

Sri Lanka exporters miss preferential duty access to China

Sep 26 (LBO) Sri Lankan exporters are not making use of lower import duty market access to China under a regional trade pact owing to lack of awareness and initiative, economists and trade officials said. The preferential trading arrangement, Asia-Pacific Trade Arrangement (APTA), previously called the Bangkok agreement, has helped increase trade between Sri Lanka and China, they said. more..

'Galle development expidited'

Sep 26 (GDI) The Government has allocated a total of Rs. 23, 365 million for the implementation of development projects in the Galle District. This amount is divided as Rs. 6565 million for projects worth over Rs. 10 million and the balance amount of Rs. 16,800 will be utilized on mega development projects worth over Rs. 10 million each. This was revealed at a meeting held under the patronage of Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena in Galle today (25). more..

Navy assists Resettlement of IDPs in Northern Islands

Sep 26 (SLN) Sri Lanka Navy is assisting the resettlement of five thousand Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northern islands. Under the direction of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, the Northern Naval Command is carrying out the humanitarian mission in accordance with the Government’s ‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ Northern reawakening program to resettle these IDP families. more..

Life as a Sri Lankan war refugee

Sep 26 (BBC) Tirumagal is sweeping the yard. The yard of an ordinary house in the palm trees. She, her husband and their three-year-old daughter are back home in Trincomalee from their war-time suffering and from Menik Farm. The largest and most controversial of Sri Lanka's refugee camps, Menik Farm holds about a quarter of a million Tamils who fled the war zone in the final weeks as the government finally vanquished the Tamil Tigers or LTTE. more..

Sacrificing essential liberty for temporary safety in Sri Lanka

Sep 26 (GV) Despite the successful military victory over terrorism, we continue to be warned by the state that a critical threat to national security continues to stalk the country. Consequently, we have passively assented to a persistent and invasive military presence in our daily life. Furthermore, over quarter of a million Tamils are continuing to be held by the state against their will in IDP camps as suspect terrorists until proved innocent through more..

Chathura Peiris to lead Sri Lanka Under-19s

Sep 26 (CI) Chathura Peiris, the left-arm seamer, will lead a 16-member Sri Lanka Under-19 squad for the tour of Australia next month. The team will play all five one-dayers in Darwin between October 2 and 11. The first three games will be played at the Gardens Oval, while the last two will be at the Marrara Cricket Ground. The team last toured Australia in 2001, a tour which ended in a 3-0 victory in the Tests for the hosts and more..

Keeping peace locked up

Oct 26 (TS) The principal challenge confronting Sri Lanka since the defeat of the LTTE in May of this year will be the transformation of the current postwar situation into a post-conflict one. This requires the prioritization of peace, reconciliation, national unity and, in particular, the restoration of the rights of more than 200,000 Sri Lankan citizens classified as IDPs and held in closed camps in the aftermath of the war. more..

President Rajapakse asks "assistance from India to thwart attempt to destabilize his government"

Oct 26 (LT) It is reported that President Mahinda Rajapaksa, fearing ‘a mutiny in the Forces engineered by those disgruntled with the Government’ sought assistance from India to thwart such an attempt. According to ‘Sunday Times,’ on the evening of 15th October President Rajapakse had sought a meeting with India's High Commissioner Alok Prasad as there “was fear of an attempt that night to destabilize the democratic system through illegal means.” more..

CPC Unions claim work to rule as 100 % success- Minister says salary demand reasonable

Oct 26 (UNP) The Govt. was completely stumped by the four day work to rule campaign launched by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Trade Unions from 22nd to the 25th, ending yesterday midnight. The entire country felt the acute problems the strike generated, with winding queues of irate consumers and vehicles at pumping stations, while the public transport too was crippled. The Unions claimed 100 % success. more..

'Reveal measures taken by minister regarding Rs.8000 fraud in CGR'

Oct 26 (LT) Frauds and corruption that have occurred in the Department of Railways exceed Rs.8000 million and the Minister of Transport Dullas Alahaperuma should reveal to the country what measures he had taken regarding these frauds and corruption states ‘Organization to Protect Railway Properties.’ The convener Sumathipala Manawadu states the 10 traction motor armatures bought spending Rs.32 million have been found to be scrap. more..

Early presidential poll will deny MR two years of his first term - JVP

Oct 26 (LNP) If Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa wins a second term at an early presidential election two years ahead of the scheduled time, he will have to forfeit two years of his first term, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, MP told a press conference at party headquarters yesterday. Responding to The Island queries, Dissanayake said that a Supreme Court ruling given during the tenure of President Rajapaksa s predecessor, Chandrika Kumaratunga said that more..

Prelate says envoy’s duty to dispel US misunderstanding about Lanka

Oct 26 (DN) It is the duty of the US envoy to Sri Lanka to take steps to dispel the misunderstandings America has towards Sri Lanka in that country, Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter Most Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera said. The Chief Prelate made these remarks when US Ambassador Patricia Butenis paid a courtesy call on him in Kandy. more..

Sri Lankan tourism has tremendous potential

Oct 26 (LNP) The Sri Lankan tourism industry has tremendous potential to grow further with the dawn of peace. The opening up of the North and the East has brought positive hopes to the Sri Lankan tourism as two-thirds of the coastline, which was formerly under the control of terrorists, has been liberated making it accessible to tourists. `It is essential for Sri Lanka to promote tourism with professionally designed awareness programs to penetrate the market. more..

Ministry requests CID probe

Oct 26 (LNP) The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has requested the CID to probe the incident where pieces of broken glass were found in vials of vaccine. Strict legal action will also be taken against suppliers and manufactures of medicine not suitable for use if found at fault, Health Ministry sources said. Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry officials held a meeting on Saturday in connection with the discovery of pieces of broken glass inside two vials more..

Are Sri Lankan women visible only statistically?

Oct 26 (DN) A woman's place is in the home - that's what they used to say long ago. Today, only few would endorse that view. Ask ten of your male friends. Eight of them would agree that there should be equality in employment and wages. Seven would also agree that women should have the same rights under the law as men do. These are statistically proven facts. So what is a woman's real place - in society, in the home, and in the world? The question is both delicate and momentous. more..

Defeat trade union terrorism

Oct 26 (LNP) The CPC ca`canny aka known as a work-to-rule campaign entered the fourth day yesterday and most refilling stations around the country had gone dry for want of supplies and owing to panic buying. Long queues of vehicles near fuel stations could be seen in most parts of the country. Colombo was the worst affected by the fuel shortage. Protesting unions say a pay hike, which they are entitled to every three years, has not yet been granted. more..

Gamata Karmantha creates jobs

Oct 26 (DN) The Government has paid special attention for Regional Industrial Development and one of the successful projects which is being implemented by the Industrial Development Ministry is the Gamata Karmantha program. Under this program the Industrial Development Ministry has approved seven new investors to start industries. G. S. Enterprises in the Kurunegala District, N. Chandrarathne Constructions, Lihini Steel and Tropical Metals in the Puttalam District. more..

Regulations to standardize pesticide use

Oct 26 (DN) The registrar of pesticides will introduce three new regulations to minimize the public danger in application of pesticides in the country. According to the Government sources, the regulations are at draft level and the usage of pesticides is to be standardized thereby. The law and regulations related to the uses and the application of pesticide by employees or hired persons will be implemented before the end of this year. more..

Democracy and Governance

Docs won’t stoop to level of tampering with vital drugs, says GMOA

Oct 26 (Island) The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) plans to request President Mahinda Rajapaksa to appoint an independent committee to investigate efficacy of drugs being used in hospitals immediately as low quality drugs have endangered lives of patients. The GMOA representing 14,000 doctors had no faith in the existing drug distribution system, storage processes and drug quality assurance systems because more..

Delay in enrolment at AHS faculty, Peradeniya

Oct 26 (Island) Chairman of the University Grants Commission Prof. Gamini Samaranayake said the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) and the Health authorities should take the responsibility for the undue delay in enrolment at the Allied Health Sciences Faculty of the University of Peradeniya. Undergraduates of the Peradeniya Allied Health Science Faculty launched a Satyahraha opposite the UGC in protest against the delayed enrolment. more..

Chairman Tea Board wallops producers

Oct 26 (Island) Sri Lankan tea producers are engaging in producing low quality teas that threatens to bring disaster to the entire industry. About three weeks ago, Chairman Tea Board, Lalith Hettiarachchi convened an important meeting of the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority,(TSHDA) Private Tea Factory Owners Association, (PTFOA) and Regional Plantation Companies; (RPCC). Venue for the meeting was Kandy. The meeting was well attended. more..

Now, JVP threatens to cripple water and power supplies

Oct 26 (Island) Close on the heels of petroleum workers disrupting supplies to pressure the government to meet their demand for a salary hike, trade unions affiliated to the JVP yesterday threatened to cripple the power sector and water supply. Unions insist that collective agreements between them and the government should be finalized immediately. A spokesman for the CEB union told The Island that they had received increments once in three years and the last pay hike was way back in January, 2006. more..

Eastern Province land crisis worsens with complications

Oct 26 (DM) The land disputes in the Eastern Province have become more and more complicated with the authorities concerned planning to take action against certain Divisional Secretaries for effecting transfer of the ownership of lands to some persons in the absence of their original proprietors. For instance, there were some lands abandoned by their owners in the 1980s in Kuchchaveli, Trincomalee due to the escalation of fighting more..

Why JVP wants General Fonseka so badly

Oct 26 (DM) If General Sarath Fonseka wants to enter politics he may well do it without the support of any political party. However the week that followed made it very clear that more than General Fonseka it is the JVP that wants to make sure that the former Army Commander contests the next Presidential polls. And this after being the most destructive force against Sri Lanka’s war at least during the decisive last phase of the battle against the LTTE. more..

'Perform duties without fear or favour'

Oct 26 (MoD) A number of former governments were not able to protect social and moral values of our society resulting in permissive and immoral sections to dominate and the underworld to become strong, taking advantages of the laxity of the governments. The result was that the law abiding public had to suffer at the hands of undesirable elements but more..

Unions warn of more strikes

Oct 26 (DM) The JVP-affiliated trade unions yesterday vowed to pressurize the government by intensifying their trade union action during the week by launching more action in support of the ongoing work- to-rule campaign by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) workers. The CPC Common Services Union Secretary D.J. Rajakaruna said that the work-to-rule campaign was only planned for four days and the CPC workers would resume normal work from today as scheduled earlier and more..

Indian link in LTTE refugee ship exposed

Oct 26 (LNP) Investigations into the seizure of Ocean Lady , carrying 76 Sri Lankan Tamils have taken an unexpected turn with indications of a possible Indian link. According to reports, the vessel had left India early September before being intercepted off the west coast by the Canadians. Quoting international shipping records, the National Post writer Stewart Bell has said that the ship, sailing under the false name of Ocean Lady, had left an India port early last month. more..

Sri Lanka invites Russia for oil exploration

Oct 26 (Reuters) Sri Lanka has invited Russia to explore for oil off its northwestern coast, Sri Lanka's foreign minister said on Monday after a meeting with his Russian counterpart. Sri Lanka, after a quarter-century war with the Tamil Tiger separatists, is keen to rebrand itself as an attractive investment destination, and to commercially exploit resources that were largely untouched during the war. more..

Sri Lanka denies Tiger chief executed after surrender

Oct 26 (AFP) The government rejected fresh accusations that Tamil Tiger separatist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was executed after surrendering to security forces. Sri Lanka's military announced on May 18 the killing of Prabhakaran, who led a 37-year campaign for an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the majority Sinhalese country. The Sri Lanka Guardian reported over the weekend that Prabhakaran had surrendered, but was tortured and killed by the army. more..

Russian support for Sri Lanka appreciated

Oct 26 (LG) The Russian Federation’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey V. Lavrov, who is currently on a historic one day visit to Sri Lanka held discussions with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama. The Russian Foreign Minister, who is the first to visit Sri Lanka in that capacity since Sri Lanka and Russia established Diplomatic Relations 52 years ago, discussed a number of wide ranging issues with his Sri Lankan counterpart. more..

President appoints team of experts to look into US State Dept. report

Oct 27 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to appoint an independent group of high ranking intellects, comprising legal experts to examine carefully the substances of the report submitted by the US State Department to the Congress outlining incidents alleged to have taken place during the recent conflict in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a statement said that more..

Stop Sri Lanka's crimes

Oct 27 (Guardian) The US is the latest country to join the ever-growing list of nations that condemn Sri Lanka for its violations of international humanitarian law, crimes against humanity and related harms in its fight against the LTTE. The government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is complicit in almost all the acts listed in the Rome statute of the international criminal court in its definition of crimes against humanity, more..

Court releases Web site owner after 19 months in detention on terrorism charges

Oct 27 (CP) A Sri Lankan court on Monday ordered the release of a Web site owner who spent 19 months in detention on government accusations of supporting separatist rebels, the man's attorney said. Vetrivel Jasiharan was released after the state attorney withdrew the charges, said Jasiharan's lawyer, K.V. Thavarasha. The state attorney did not give a reason for the withdrawal and could not be reached Monday evening. more..

At least one Tamil of Sri Lanka has backbone

Oct 27 (LP) As most of the former Tamil heroes in the mainstream have gone to oblivion with the ultimate perish of ‘boys’ they themselves spoiled with too many praises, at least one Lankan Tamil has showed his strength of the backbone in a time most of the other leaders are looking for honorable surrender to the system they once identified as apartheid and going after the Tamil Nadu leaders that back the regime created their plight. more..

CPI leader questions Indian aid for Lanka

Oct 27 (PTI) CPI leader T Pandian today questioned the Indian government providing Rs500 crore aid for the internally displaced Sri Lankan Tamils when there were allegations of human rights violations by the island's army. Talking to reporters here, he said even US senators had charged the Lankan government with violating human rights and wanted to know why the Centre was giving aid. more..

Union leaders meet President Rajapaksa

Oct 27 (IL) Union leaders of Government and non Government departments and companies met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on 26th October. Ministers Dallas Alahapperuma, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, A. H. M. Fouzi, Ranjith Siyabalapitiya, Dinesh Gunawardana, Governor Alevi Maulana, Secretary to the President Lalith Weerathunga and Secretary of the Finance Ministry P. B. Jayasundara also participated the meeting. more..

Debrief News - 26.10.2009

Sri Lanka Oman air dispute: SriLankan can overfly desert state

Oct 27 (LBO) SriLankan Airlines will continue to overfly Oman, an official said, following reports that the island's aircraft may be denied permission to use Omani airspace over a dispute in implementing an existing bilateral air services deal. "Sri Lankan continues to fly-over Oman. That issue has been resolved," a SriLankan airline official said. Oman Air which was planning to resume flights to Sri Lanka on October 10 and more..

Sri Lanka to probe rights abuses

Oct 27 (BBC) Sri Lanka says it will appoint a high-ranking independent committee to probe US claims of human rights abuses during the final phase of its civil war. The US state department submitted a report last week to Congress, outlining serious violations allegedly committed by Sri Lanka's army and Tamil rebels. The United Nations has previously called for an inquiry to determine if war crimes were indeed committed. more..

Minister Faiszer Musthapha invites Kuwaitis to explore Sri Lanka

Oct 27 (LG) Tourism Promotions Minister Faiszer Musthapha, who was in Kuwait from 12th - 14th October on an official visit, appealed to Kuwaitis to visit Sri Lanka and enjoy its beauty and hospitality. This he said at a Sri Lanka promotional event held on 13th October 2009 organized by the Sri Lankan Embassy for the members of travel trade, media and well-wishers. The Sri Lankan Embassy as part of its promotional campaigns to more..

Uncle Sam and us -- hogwash from fact

Oct 27 (LG) The debate goes on about how Uncle Sam is treating us and how we should be treating Uncle Sam, and there are those who say that we should be more civil and less pesky. Some say that we should not call President Obama names, because, for one, thing Fidel Castro has lauded his Nobel Prize, and Hugo Chavez says there is an Obama 1 and an Obama 2 —— the good Obama and the other Obama. Really? Let’s see. more..

Laws of Wars: political and international aspects

Oct 27 (LG) The current violations of the laws or customs of war including murder, ill treatment and deportation of civilians, slave labour in camps, and similar offences and atrocities are parts of war crimes, which are recognized under international law as crimes against humanity since World War 1, World War 2 and onwards. The current debate is the proposition and the revelations in the international media, more..

Sarath Fonseka hints, about his future political plans in Washington

Oct 27 (LG) ‘Is the motherland going to be destroyed? I will involve changing the dire situation’ said the Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka on Sunday (25) in Washington. He said this while he was visiting the Buddhist temple in Washington. The Sri Lankan ambassador to the US Jaliya Wickramasooriya and the Defence attache Maj. General Samantha Sooriyabandara abstained from the event. more..

Indian perspective on post-conflict Sri Lanka

Oct 27 (LG) The Tamils of the southern Indian province of Tamilnadu – with a population of 60 million – have deep cultural, linguistic, religious and emotional ties with the Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka (3.5 million of Sri Lanka’s 21 million people). Tamilnadu sends 39 MPs to Delhi, accounting for the 6th largest number of parliamentary seats in the lower house of the Indian parliament (Lok Sabha).

Dayan’s name deliberately removed from the statement by Minister Bogollogama

Oct 27 (LG) The President has hailed his official three days visit to Vietnam as a success. He had visited some important historical places and also has signed a bilateral agreement between the countries. Meanwhile the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo released a statement that titled, “JOINT PRESS COMMUNIQUÉ: issued on the occasion of the State Visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, to Viet Nam from 22nd to 24th October 2009”. more..

Patriots and Traitors

Oct 27 (LG) The leadership crisis of opposition has been the theme of talk in Sri Lanka's politics for long time. Sometimes back Government top members passed hints to opposition leadership regarding it as a symbol of precious mark as it recorded most number of election defeats in SL history. Since arising nomination of Military veteran General Fonseka name to the common candidate of opposition it created entire set up upside down and maked immense pressure to Mahinda Rajapaksha. more..

US urges Lanka to probe war crimes: 'The boot is on the other foot'

Oct 27 (AT) The US in a document captioned "Reports to Congress on incidents during the recent conflicts in Sri Lanka", has urged Sri Lanka to probe allegations of war crimes committed by government troops and Tamil rebels during the final months of their conflict. According to the Report there are credible claims of atrocities by both sides. Some of the allegations against the government are, more..

Vietnam to reopen a resident Embassy in Colombo

Oct 27 (AT) Vietnam has decided to reopen a resident Embassy in Colombo. This was anounced by the Viet Nam President. The President of Sri Lanka welcomed this announcement and expressed confidence that a resident Vietnamese Mission in Colombo would help to further strengthen the friendship between the two countries in developing a comprehensive partnership with Viet Nam. Sri Lanka and Vietnam leader agreed to encourage bilateral trade and more..

GSP Plus And Government Responsibility

Oct 27 (AT) Anyone who saw the EU representative in Colombo being interviewed by Dr. Harsha de Silva on Friday night on television could not have failed to note the diplomatic skills of the EU agent with his brilliant command of the English language. He was firm and elastic at the same time, a unique feature, polite in his language which was not in the least offensive but his mission was to get Sri Lanka to agree to an investigation of alleged crimes more..

Strokes’ preventable and curable – but it is killer number four in Sri Lanka

Oct 27 (AT) Blockading blood vessels, ruptured blood vessels in the brain causes strokes and it has become the number two killer in the world and alarmingly it takes the fourth place in Sri Lanka. But, as these patients are prematurely sent home from hospitals and some are being treated with indigenous medicine the number of deaths at home and under the care of indigenous medical practitioners are not known and more..

Sri Lanka rehabilitates former child soldiers

“India has a stake in the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka”

Oct 27 (LG) “Indian Foreign Policy is not decided by any one individual. It is based largely on a national consensus. I do not see any great difference between the approach to relations with Sri Lanka of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the one hand and Prime Minister Manmohan Sigh on the other,” said Professor Gopalaswami Parthasarathy in an exclusive interview with the Sri Lanka Guardian. more..

Solving problems requires informed support of electorate

Oct 27 (NPC) Present day governance in Sri Lanka may be likened to a magic show, such as the one recently held by a famous South Indian magician in Colombo. The spectators eagerly await the next trick that the magician is to perform. Government leaders claim that the country is engaged in unprecedented development activities, assisted by a range of friendly and like-minded countries, ranging from old friends like China to new ones like Iran, and more..

Refugees and peddling fear

Oct 27 (OO) There may well be former members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on vessels bringing asylum seekers to Australia. The LTTE were, after all, the fighting component of one side in a no-holds-barred civil war in Sri Lanka over the past 35 years. It was a war in which terror was deployed by both sides, although there is something about state terror which is inherently more evil. more..

Patton Boggs in middle of Sri Lanka's battle for world public opinion

Oct 27 (Law) Now that the civil war in Sri Lanka is apparently over, the battle for public opinion is raging between the Sri Lankan government, human rights organizations, ethnic Tamils and other stakeholders. The main subject: the number of civilian casualties during the government's last push to destroy the Tamil Tiger resistance and which side was responsible for those casualties. more..

Basil moves to stop UNP-SLMC alliance for eastern polls

Mar 30 (SL) President Mahinda Rajapakse held the local government polls in the Batticaloa District with the intention of winning it and carrying out a massive propaganda campaign based on it. However, the government could not celebrate the victory as initially anticipated. The government had an easy victory at the elections as neither the UNP nor the TNA contested. more..

Jaffna student plays reflect society's undercurrent of fear

Mar 30 (TN) Traditional folk dramas and modern plays were showcased in a drama festival organized by the Outdoor Stage Group of Jaffna University Thursday at Kailasapathy Hall. The silent play named ‘Moodi’ (The Lid) in which actors had their faces covered by cloths, expressing the current denial of freedom of expression and movement in Jaffna peninsula, students spokesperson said. more..

Why Indian Attacks ‘Prabhakaran’ director?

Mar 30 (LG) Was it a petty racist reaction to a cinematic creation or an attempt to prevent Sri Lankan films coming into Indian theatre? Whatever the reason be, the inhuman attack on young Sri Lankan filmmaker Thushara Peiris who was subjected to cruel and merciless mob attack by hundreds of Indians including film producers, directors and technicians within an Indian Laboratory premises would not be condoned by any human being nor anyone who loves cinema. more..

Towards a National Policy

Mar 30 (LG) I thank the organisers for inviting me to deliver a Minister’s address at the inaugural session of the workshop that focuses on the need for developing a National Policy on Involuntary Resettlement in Sri Lanka. Though a mission to New York which I have been constrained to undertake at this very time precludes me from being present in person at the workshop, I take this opportunity to place before you, all, my own perspective on the issue of Involuntary Dislocation and Resettlement. more..

Cultural survival in a dangerous age

Mar 30 (LG) There are no reliable historiographers to give us a faithful account of the turbulent history of Buddhism in the ancient land of Lanka. Since its epochal introduction by the Arahat Mahinda, this strange and lofty religion has had its ups and downs - its fabled triumphs punctuated by episodes of regress and desolation. A fact that is plainly evident from even a casual perusal of the historical record is the coupling of the fluctuating fortunes of Buddhism with the overall health and prosperity of the Sinhala Nation. more..

What do the Tamils really want?

Mar 30 (LG) That all Tamils want Eelam is a facile assumption that needs further examination. When the ethnic problem escalated to its acute form in l956, none of the Tamils asked for Eelam. They really objected to being second class citizens in Sri Lanka and wanted to be regarded as equal citizens in every way with the Sinhalese. This was not granted although the Tamils kept on pressing for it continuously from 1956 to 1976. more..

Whither teaching in mother tongue?

Mar 30 (LG) Farsighted patriotic national leaders of yesteryear who recognized the value of using the mother tongue for education made Sinhala and Tamil the media of teaching in schools over fifty years ago. They were inspired and convinced by the universally accepted principle "the mother tongue of a child is the medium most appropriate for a child to learn effectively". more..

Otara animal lover programme first anniversary

Mar 30 (AT) Project – Embark – was launched to prevent cruelty to animals by Ms Otara Gunawardena, Chairperson, Odel and Patron, Embark one year ago. At the Press Briefing held to announce the anniversary celebrations at Odel Colombo Ms Gunawardena said that the intention of the project has been to protect and prevent cruelty to animal. She said that she was impressed of the support that Embark has received from the public, animal welfare groups and the corporate sector. more..

Discussing traitors past and present

Mar 30 (AT) A new school of academics are busy seeking a re-colonization of Sri Lanka by foreign powers. Social Scientist Dr. Susantha Goonatilake made this observation at the Second Research Conference of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RASSL) held at the Mahaweli Centre, Colombo on March 28-29. Dr. Goonatilake, who is the Convener of the Research Conference Committee, presented a paper on 'Colonial Knowledge Transactions – Early 20th Century and Early 21st Century.' more..

Update on rice prices

Mar 30 (VSL) After I wrote the article below yesterday, I heard on the news last evening, that the government has removed the Rs 20 per Kg duty on imported rice, so that there will be no price gouging by the large millers. Additionally it was stated in the news item, from the government owned media that due to this timely action the price of rice will come down for the avurudu season. This was stated by a senior minister with responsibility for agriculture and hailing from the Polonnaruwa district, more..

The Muthur Massacre: Are we any closer to the truth?

Mar 30 (TC) The thirteen men and four women who were killed in the deadliest attack on aid workers in Sri Lankan history would not have even thought for a moment that they were walking into a death trap. It is difficult to fathom what final thoughts crossed their minds while watching their colleagues being shot. There was a father, a driver and a daughter, a programme officer among the deceased. more..

SFD to Finance Hospital Projects in Sri Lanka

Mar 30 (AN) The Kingdom will fund the construction of a 242-bed, 15,000-square-meter epilepsy hospital in the Sri Lankan capital and an extension to a trauma center at the Colombo General Hospital. “Saudi Arabia will provide a soft loan of SR75 million for the construction ... and a supplementary loan of SR11 million for the extension of the Neuro-Trauma Center at the Colombo General Hospital,” Riyadh Al-Kheneini, charge d’affaires of the Saudi mission in Colombo, more..

Buddhist activism creates new stir in Tamil Nadu

Mar 30 (TC) Reporting on events in Tibet, Myanmar and Thailand, the Associated Press recently headlined a news story ‘Monk led protests show buddhist activism,’; “There is the responsibility of every individual, monks and lay people, to act for the betterment of society,” said Samdhong Rinpoche, prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile and a high-ranking lama to the Associated Press in Dharmsala, India, discussing protests in Tibet this month that were initiated by monks. more..

How northern war theatre is turning into a Sri Lankan quagmire

Mar 30 (TC) Doing the same in North, just as in the East is the mistaken belief that is hovering major diplomatic, economic and militaristic burdens for the Government of Sri Lanka today, says Irasiah Ilanthirayan, the Military Spokesman of the LTTE. Fighting a war for political reasons and unable pull out due to the fanfare shown at the start of the warfare is turning the Northern war front into a quagmire for Sri Lankan forces according to Irasiah Ilanthirayan. more..

Velu! We are both diabetics

Mar 30 (LG) Velupillai Pirapaharan (aka Prabhakaran) and I have one thing in common. We are both diabetics. I am a clinically confirmed diabetic - each morning a painful drop of blood put into a glucometer says so. Velu is diabetic - or at least presumed to be so - from diagnosis at a distance by government spy masters. There is justification for this diagnosis. more..

“Prabhakaran” may light the fuse

Mar 30 (LG) Chief Minister M Karunanidhi may face difficulty over the controversial yet-to-be-released Sri Lankan film Prabhakaran. Such difficulty comes when politicos expect ‘heated’ arguments between PMK and DMK on various issues in the ongoing Assembly session in the State. Reason, some portions of the film are said to be against the goodwill and spirit of the Tamils, their Tamil language and an anti-LTTE stance as well. more..

Lanka Teacher Service Union wins election

Mar 30 (LT) The group put forward by Lanka Teacher Service Union has won the majority of the members to the governing body of the Education Department Co-operative Society (EDCS) at the election held yesterday. 198 members of the team put forward by LTSU were elected in a body of 299 members. Only 72 members of the SLFP union were elected. SLFP union with the government backing made a strong attempt to secure the control of EDCS, which is considered as one of the largest co-operative societies in Asia. more..

36 girls, pregnant following rape, kept in special facility

Mar 30 (LD) The government is keeping 36 young girls, who are pregnant following rape, at a special facility, Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority Jagath Wellawatte says. The youngest among them is 14 years of age. According to the chief legal officer of the NCPA, the children’s home will keep them under its custody until the court cases pertaining to their rapes are over. more..

Israel: A Negative Model

Mar 30 (AT) It might make sense to buy weapons and military technology from Israel but only the congenitally inane would take political advice from a country that has been immersed in a conflict for more than half a century, with no end in sight. Israel has not only brought untold misery to the Palestinian people; she has also endangered her own health and future, as a nation. Her refusal to look at the root causes of the conflict and address them politically, more..

Soldiers nearly shot down one flying towards army camp

Mar 30 (LNP) Sri Lankans, set to take a hot-air balloon ride over Sigiriya during the second phase of a festival backed by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board, have been asked to step down by the organisers but foreign tourists have been allowed the ride. The Sunday Times learns that the organisers have been told by the Tourism Ministry to refund the Rs.10,000 per head ticket to the locals after a near-miss incident over Yala earlier in the week when more..

Pillayan demands CM post

Mar 30 (LNP) The TMVP is demanding a guarantee it will be offered the post of chief minister of the Eastern Province if it is to contest in alliance with the UPFA - but the ruling party is not saying yes or no to the demand while longstanding government allies LSSP and the CP have decided to break away for the polls. A senior minister said a deal had been struck with the TMVP but refused to divulge if there had been an agreement to give the Chief Minister's post to a member of the armed group. more..

Series win - tops Sri Lanka`s shopping list

Mar 30 (LNP) What a week it has been for Sri Lankan cricket! Our first test victory on West Indian soil was the climax of five days of intense and often tense cricket, where we held our nerve to prove our superiority. And this achievement was made all the more memorable for me as I was able to contribute with both bat and ball. The wicket at the Providence Stadium in Guyana-rebuilt for last year s World Cup but more..

Viral flu hits troops in north

Mar 30 (SAMN) A new crisis has erupted in the northern war zone with a virtual epidemic of dengue and chikungunya viral fever among troops due to the heavy rains and resultant floods, officials said Saturday. Military spokesperson Udaya Nanayakkara said urgent measures had been taken to check the epidemic, while other officials disclosed that about 500 troops affected by the viral flu were being treated at hospitals in the Anuradhapura district. more..

‘War will continue till end 2009’

Mar 30 (SAMN) THE President was informed on Friday by the security forces top brass that the forces would take at least till end 2009 to defeat the LTTE. This message was given when the ground commanders in the north were summoned for a meeting with the President to review the progress made by the security forces in the north. Informed sources said the President had inquired why the earlier deadlines set by the security forces could not be met. more..

TNA moves to halt Eastern polls

Mar 30 (SAMN) The TNA has urged Tamil Nadu politicians to intervene on its behalf to stop the impending Eastern Province Provincial Council elections scheduled for May 10. According to informed political sources, the TNA is boycotting the election and is opposing any form of elections in the de-merged east. The North and East Provinces were de-merged consequent to a Supreme Court ruling, following an application initiated by the JVP, which sought the de-merger of both provinces. more..

Maids caught in diplomatic crossfire

Mar 30 (SAMN) Caught in a diplomatic crossfire, housemaids in Kuwait have been facing the brunt of rivalry among certain associations and the Sri Lankan embassy. Informed sources said 150 housemaids have returned and the Foreign Employment Bureau has taken steps to immediately repatriate the remaining 40 housemaids. “There are a few rival groups who are on the defensive and it came at a time when we had a number of housemaids were waiting to be repatriated to Sri Lanka. more..

'UNP will never come to power'

Mar 30 (SO) While the internal crisis of the JVP seems to be looming large indicating a party division, the Propaganda Secretary of the JVP said that the JVP will continue to be a 'force' in the country and that the future of the party was stable. In an interview with the Sunday Observer, he said that the JVP's stance on the 13th Amendment would not change and the party would use the Eastern Provincial election campaign to defeat separatism. more..

LTTE should denounce violence - EROS Gen Secy

Mar 30 (SO) Former military commander of the pioneer Tamil militant organisation Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS) in the east, Rajanathan Prabhakaran said that the armed struggle of the LTTE would not fulfil the political aspirations of the Tamils in the North and East and the LTTE leadership should denounce its violence and concentrate on achieving the rights of the Tamils politically. more..

'SAARC Payments Initiative to forge new links'

Mar 30 (SO) The demands of people are becoming complex. Therefore, they want all their transactions done at the click of a button which has made the payment systems of banks complex and the unsung heroes are those behind the screen who do the bulk of the work to make the systems work. Today we launch the SAARC Payments Initiative (SPI) to move forward together to help and learn from each other, said Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Ajith Nivard Cabraal. more..

The Good earth

Mar 30 (SO) For the thousandth time I wish the roles be reversed; my eyes remain open, my jaws remain shut. But at two in the morning it is hard not to fall asleep on my feet, hard not to yawn non-stop much to the amusement of Suresh, the eighteen-year old cowherd, as wide awake and as bright as the floodlights in the sheds around us. After two months on the job, milking fifty four cows at two in the morning is "work" he can dismiss with the flick of his hand. more..

A no holds barred contest contest

Mar 30 (NS) If the Batticaloa poll was declared free and fair, because it was free of any major untoward incidents, it was also a morally flawed election because the TMVP was armed to the teeth during the campaign, and there was a sense of subliminal intimidation of the voter. Given half a chance, that scenario will be repeated at the Provincial poll too. Already, coming events appear to be casting their shadows. more..

Alarming journalistic prejudice prevails

Mar 30 (NS) It is an extremely difficult period for journalists or scribes working in Sri Lanka, especially because of the ongoing military campaign against the LTTE. Journalists who collect information on various characters in the theatre of war, most of the time are being harassed or questioned as if they are part of a terrorist outfit. There had been numerous occasions where journalists have been subjected to harassment by more..

'All political parties have letdown this country'

Mar 30 (NS) Alleging that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has intentionally violated the Constitution by failing to appoint the Constitutional Council, the Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) intends to move a resolution for President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s impeachment. The resolution, which will call on all political parties to impeach Rajapaksa, will be moved on April 8. more..

Mihin flies into another sensational scam

Mar 30 (NS) The controversy-ridden, government-owned budget airline Mihin Lanka has been afflicted with what may turn out to be yet another sensational scam. Some months ago, when SriLankan Airlines refused to lower its ground-handling charges (albeit having already provided, by its standards, a handsome discount), Mihin Lanka CEO Sajin Vaas Gunawardena made use of his airline’s right to carry out his own ground-handling. more..

UNP says not agreed to no-contest pact with SLMC

Mar 30 (Island) The SLFP and the JVP are now in the process of finalizing their nomination lists in the backdrop of speculation that the UNP is declining to contest Digamadulla district (Ampara) under the SLMC ‘Tree’ symbol, though talks between the two parties for a no- contest pact were continuing, political sources said. However, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, refuted the claims that the UNP had agreed to a no-contest pact to allow the SLMC to contest the Digamadulla District under the ‘Tree’ symbol. more..

Personal staff get bonanza in Anura Bandaranaike’s purported will

Mar 30 (Island) A purported will of the late Anura Bandaranaike dated May 9, 1996 has been distributed to newspapers offices with an unsigned covering letter. "This copy is sent to you for your kind information as per request made by Hon, A. P. S. D. Anura Bandaranaike before his demise. Please make this public and take suitable action, the unsigned covering letter said. more..

How Anura lost his chance to lead the SLFP

Mar 30 (Island) "A man in a million, my mentor - farewell!" I dread to recall that moment when I penned the phrase in the condolence book kept in the glum surroundings of the Acland House on that fateful Monday morning. You were my childhood hero, a friend, a mentor and a guiding light. It was not until 1977 when you entered parliament that we made our first contact. more..

UNP asks Karuna faction to play fair at Eastern PC election

Mar 30 (Island) Amidst a simmering controversy over the Rajapaksa administration’s willingness for its own political gain to play ball with the TMVP which broke from the LTTE, the main Opposition UNP has urged the group to allow a free and fair election to the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC). The first ever election to the EPC is scheduled for May 10th. Asserting the March 10 elections to eight Pradeshiya Sabhas and Batticaloa Municipal Council swept by the armed TMVP hadn’t been free and fair, more..

Fox seeking shadow grapes here

Mar 30 (ST) In Sri Lanka's murky world of politics, contradictions or conflicts of interests are galore. They amply bear out the axiom that the left hand does not know what the right is doing. Among the many events that highlight this ever-increasing ambiguity is this week's visit to Sri Lanka by Liam Fox. In 1996, he made three visits to Sri Lanka, talking secretly to then Government and Opposition leaders. more..

President reviews progress of war

Mar 30 (ST) With just two weeks to go for the National New Year, what portends in the battlefields of the Wanni engaged the attention of both political and military leaders this week. It was not merely a task of assessing performance on the ground. More importantly, the move was to determine how the progress or the lack of it would influence all other activity. They include development work, festivity in the coming weeks, and the upcoming Eastern Provincial Council elections. more..

Passports of FORUT boss and wife seized and released

Mar 30 (ST) Secrecy surrounds an investigation the Department of Immigration has launched against Terje Heggernes, the head of FORUT, a non governmental organization (NGO) from Norway. P.B. Abeykoon, Controller of Immigration and Emigration told The Sunday Times yesterday that the Investigation Unit of his Department seized the passports of Terge Heggernes, the FORUT head and his wife. more..

Politico grabs Kotte marsh in day-and-night Operation

Mar 30 (ST) A vast, low lying marsh bordering Diyawanna Oya, situated at the bottom of Samarakoon Garden in Kotte is being filled day and night by a powerful politician and neighbours allege that complaints made to the Urban Development Authority, the Sri Lanka Lad Reclamation and Development Corporation and other responsible authorities have fallen on deaf ears. When we stealthily visited the location on Friday on appeals made by some neighbours we more..

Sri Lanka says new wave of fighting across volatile north kills 32

Mar 30 (AP) Battles between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels killed 28 insurgents and four soldiers across northern Sri Lanka, the military said Sunday. Also Sunday, air force fighter jets bombed a base of the Sea Tigers — the rebels' naval wing — in the guerrilla-held northern district of Mullaitivu, said military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara. He gave no details of casualties or damage, but said pilots confirmed hitting the target. more..

Lankan importers to ask India to reduce rice export price

Mar 30 (PTI) Sri Lanka, which has suffered damage to its paddy crop, is seeking 1,00,000 tonnes rice from India where stringent restrictions have been imposed on exports of the foodgrain. Sri Lankan importers want the country's President Mahinda Rajapaksa to ask New Delhi to reduce minimum export price to enable its imports. The island country reeling under the impact of damages to the paddy crop due to heavy rains in the growing area during the last fortnight. more..

Scribes deplore attack on director of 'Prabhakaran'

Mar 30 (PTI) Journalists in Sri Lanka on Sunday condemned the attack on the director of a movie based on the life of LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran in Chennai last week and sought India's intervention in getting back the "seized" copies of the film. "Our concern here is with the principle, not the content of the film per se. We believe that right to hold and express opinions are fundamental rights accepted by both our countries (India and Sri Lanka) and enshrined in our respective constitutions", more..

Domestic factors behind record Sri Lanka inflation -IMF

Mar 30 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's record high inflation is due mainly to loose fiscal and monetary policies, rather than high oil prices, the International Monetary Fund said. Sri Lanka has been battling rampant inflation, with soaring oil prices being blamed by the central bank in its monthly monetary policy reviews for the past few months. But the IMF said the oil price impact was just one of a number of other factors including more..

Sri Lankan director in Indian Tamil trouble

Mar 30 (AFP) A Sri Lankan film-maker has ended up in hospital after making a damning film on the Tamil Tigers and trying to have it processed in a studio in a Tamil-majority region of neighbouring India. Thushara Peiris was set upon by a furious mob outside Gemini Studios in Chennai, capital of southern Tamil Nadu state, on Monday, witnesses said. He was rescued by film studio staff and police, and flown back to Colombo -- but has lost the original film rolls which are still with the studio. more..

Emirates-Sri Lankan code share deal ends

Mar 31 (AN) With the 10-year management contract between Emirates and SriLankan Airlines coming to an end, Emirates will be terminating the code share arrangements between the two carriers. Code share arrangements between the two carriers will cease from March 31, with the expiry of the decade-long management agreement. However, Emirates airlines will continue to serve Sri Lanka with 17 weekly flights to Colombo, connecting the country’s travelers to 100 global destinations via Dubai. more..

SriLankan Airlines to launch ‘SmiLes’

Mar 31 (TA) SriLankan Airlines is set to launch ‘SmiLes’, its new frequent flyer programme which promises a wide range of exciting rewards for passengers of Sri Lanka’s award-winning national carrier. The airline’s previous frequent flyer programme, Skywards, ends on March 31, 2008, as SriLankan’s management changes hands. ‘SmiLes’ will commence from April 1, 2008. “SmiLes will be positioned as ‘the Frequent Flyer Programme that Rewards and Delights.’ more..

Police vow to nab politician's killers

Mar 31 (Xinhua) The Sri Lankan police said here Sunday that an investigation has been launched to nab the killers of a politician from the ruling party. Annamalai Narayanan Muttulingam, 60, was killed by an unknown assassin Saturday evening at Moneragala, about 255 km southeast of the capital of Colombo. The politician from the Tamil minority was the vice chairman of the Moneragala local council and a member of the ruling UPFA. more..

2009 to arrive not a second too soon

Dec 31 (Yahoo) Wait a second. The start of next year will be delayed by circumstances beyond everyone's control. Time will stand still for one second on New Year's Eve, as we ring in the New Year on that Wednesday night. As a result, you'll have an extra second to celebrate because a "Leap Second" will be added to 2008 to let a lagging Earth catch up to super-accurate clocks. By international agreement, the world's timekeepers, in order to keep their official atomic clocks in step with the world's irregular but more..

Is Seylan a predicament for more choppy financial waters?

Dec 31 (TC) "The bank is functioning normally and we are stable,” CEO of Seylan bank Ajitha Pasqual said today Dec 30th. But the matter continued to unnerve the financial markets today in Colombo. The second largest listed lender Hatton National Bank plummeted 7 percent to 69.75 rupees a share in thin trade, while development lender DFCC Bank shed 7.52 percent to 52.25 rupees, according to Thomson Financial News. more..

Sri Lanka will be affected if war breaks out between Indian and Pakistan

Dec 31 (TC) Analysts and commentators with expert knowledge of South Asian affairs have begun speculating about the distinct possibility of war erupting between India and Pakistan and how that would affect Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is caught in the middle with Pakistan helping it greatly to prosecute the war against the LTTE while India has been evincing great concern about the beleaguered Tamil civilians of the North. more..

Minority political parties must move away from victim mindset

Dec 31 (FI) According to people in the know, dissolution of parliament is imminent, perhaps a few months away. While the merits and demerits of dissolution are debatable, one fact remains unassailable; that elections put the minority parties in a quandary. In a covertly racial society, the legacy of minority parties is unenviable, because they symbolize the complexities of a racially divided nation and a belligerent ethno-majoritarian politics practised without purpose or vision in our country. more..

Muslim female students in traditional attire are being denied entry to schools

Dec 31 (TC) The Muslim community in Sri Lanka is upset and agitated over some Colombo schools denying entry to Muslim female students in traditional attire. While two schools have gone public with the so called dress code ban at least four other schools have also commenced implementing the ban quietly it is alleged. The Jathika Hela Urumaya is allegedly behind the “no – Entry” move in Schools and is plotting to expand the move to schools in the Island. more..

Govt holds emergency meeting as economy faces imminent collapse

Dec 31 (TC) The Sri Lankan Government held an emergency meeting as the economy faced imminent collapse. The emergency summit was convened by President Rarajapakse on Monday December 29th evening as the Lankan Rupee plunged to an all – time low and the share plummeted. With key industries on the verge of collapse and private banks saddled with bad debt gasping for survival even as deposit withdrawals sky rocketed and more..

Estate workers would rally against govt if no solutions found for crisis in tea industry!

Dec 31 (LT) The All Ceylon Estate Workers’ Union (ACEWU) would rally more than 3.5 million people against the government if it fails to take appropriate measures to find reasonable solutions at a time when the breakdown of the tea industry has become an issue that decides the fate of more than 3.5 million people including estate sector workers and tea small holders says President of ACEWU and Parliamentarian Ramalingam Chandrasekar. more..

Muslim boys school soon in Kandy

Dec 31 (MG) President Mahinda Rajpakse promised that a school for the Muslim boys would be constructed in Kandy. He made this promise when the Ulemas, intellectuals and the members of the business community of Kandy district met him at the Temple Trees. The representatives of the Muslim community of the Kandy district explained to the President that not having a Muslim school in the region was a big shortfall the Muslims there facing. more..

SLMC not stooping to UNP

Dec 31 (MG) “The decision of contesting the North West and the Central Provincial council elections along with the UNP was taken with the intention of defeating the UPFA which is functioning against the minority communities and not because we would lose the election. We have a vote bank in these two provinces. During the past, there were many of our members at these two councils” said parliamentarian and the Secretary of the SLMC Hassen Ali. more..

Sri Lankan roads are the most dangerous in the world

Dec 31 (AT) I have not driven on all the roads in the world but have driven in Europe, Canada and some parts of America. Based on that experience I can say that I have not seen any road more dangerous than our roads. If materially advanced countries have safe roads then why is it that or roads are the most dangerous in the world? There has to be a reason for that and I say that the primary reason is the IGP. more..

Beware of invisible forces

Dec 31 (AT) President Rajapaksa, while addressing a commissioning parade at the Sri Lanka Military Academy in Diyatalawa a week ago (Sunday Observer dated 21/12/2008), pointed out that albeit the armed enemies have been well identified as lethal and should be wiped out by our gallant armed forces. But some unscrupulous elements may act in diverse and subtle ways. They could be even disguised in the garb of human rights activists. more..

Inaugural session of Sri Lanka-Cuba joint commission

Dec 31 (LG) Deputy Minister of Foreign Minister Hussein A. Bhaila, led the Sri Lanka delegation for the inaugural session of the Sri Lanka-Cuba Joint Commission held in Havana recently. The delegation also included Minister of Nation Building A.P. Jagath Pushpakumara, Minister of Water Supply Mahinda Amaraweera, and Mr. Rodney Perera, Director General, Political Affairs (Americas Division) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. more..

Sri Pada Abode of the Gods

Dec 31 (DN) The Sri Pada season is on again. During the next five months until the Wesak Poya hundreds of thousands of devotees will climb the 7,362 feet high mountain to pay homage to the sacred footprint of the Buddha. Although Sri Pada is not the highest mountain in the country it is certainly the most conspicuous. more..

Maid assault charge against sponsor's wife

Dec 31 (GDN) A COMPLAINT has been filed at Isa Town Police Station after a Sri Lankan housemaid was allegedly attacked in the Labour Ministry yesterday. The Bahraini wife of the 28-year-old's sponsor has been accused of slapping her across the face with her handbag and pushing her around. The alleged attack took place in the arbitration office, when a ministry official left the room to photocopy some documents. more..

Sri Lankan held for bid to smuggle phones to LTTE

Dec 31 (PTI) A 30-year-old Sri Lankan national was taken into custody here by police on charges of attempting to smuggle communication equipments to LTTE. The youth, identified as Dileepan, was arrested last night and three satellite phones meant for the LTTE were recovered from him. He has been remanded to judicial custody, police said. Dileepan was a supporter of the LTTE and had come to the city to handover the satellite phones to a contact. more..

Helping Muslims forcibly evicted by the LTTE

Dec 31 (PISL) The Peace Secretariat launched a self employment programme for displaced Muslims in the Puttalam district recently, with the assistance of People’s Bank. One hundred young women are to receive loans of Rs. 50,000 each to help them start their own businesses. Dairy farming, brick making, home gardening and livestock development are amongst the sectors targeted. People’s Bank has allocated a sum of Rs. 5 million for the purpose, more..

The race begins

Dec 31 (SAMN) The main political parties - the United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the United national Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Tuesday started filing nominations to contest the elections to the North-Western and Central Provincial Councils. The ruling UPFA handed over nominations to the districts of Puttalam, Matale, Nuwara-Eliya and Kandy while the UNP filed its nomination papers only for the Kandy district. more..

Child abuse cases up by 45%: CPA

Dec 31 (SAMN) The Child Protection Authority (CPA) has claimed there has been a 45 percent increase in child abuse and child rights violations cases this year, compared to 2007. Within the first ten months of 2008, a total of 1014 cases of child violence had been reported, including 357 child abuse cases. However, CPA Chairperson, Jagath Wellawatte said the figure only indicated an increase in reporting child abuse cases and not an actual increase in child abuse and rights violations. more..

Champika to end human elephant conflict

Dec 31 (SAMN) Environment and Natural Resources Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said he would take further steps to minimize human - elephant conflicts and to promote co-existence between elephants and humans under the Gaja Mituro programme in 2009. He said that the major step towards reducing the conflict was to set up electric fences over a 660 kilometer stretch. Though this programme was initially intended to last 11 years, more..

Nugegoda flyover to open end Jan

Dec 31 (SAMN) The flyover bridge under construction at the Nugegoda junction to ease the traffic congestion will be commissioned by end January 2009, Highways and Road Development Minister T.B. Ekanayake said. The Minister said the construction of the flyover bridge at a cost of Rs. 656 million commenced under UK financial assistance. The flyover bridge is constructed into four lanes. more..

Four prisoners attempt escape from Matara prison

Dec 31 (LP) Two convicted criminals who attempted to escape from the Matara prison were shot dead by prison guards Saturday night. Another who also attempted to escape was arrested. The dead persons were identified as Manoj Jayasinghe, serving a 40-year prison term for 56 cases of house breaking and Galhewage Lakshman by the Police. Guards arrested Sunil Premaratne alias Honda Indika. more..

Media institutions should act with responsibility - Maha Sangha

Dec 31 (DN) At a time when the country has reached a critical juncture in national security, it is essential for all media institutions to act with a sense of understanding of responsibilities, the Maha Sangha stressed yesterday. Attention should be focussed on media institutions which deviate from such responsibility, stated the Maha Sangha at a discussion held with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Temple Trees yesterday. more..

‘Future Minds in Jaffna’ exhibition draws over 200,000 on last day

Dec 31 (Island) Close to two hundred thousand people attended the Future Minds of Jaffna Educational and Industrial exhibition on the last day (29). The three-day exhibition organised by the security forces of Jaffna was held in a carnival atmosphere with local and South Indian artistes bringing smiles to a people who know little about entertainment. By 5.30 p.m. on the last day the army’s head count of the people taken at the entrance was 173,500. more..

Maldivian President to pay official visit to Sri Lanka

Dec 31 (Island) The Maldivian President Mohammed Nasheed is scheduled to make a state visit to Sri Lanka from January 2 to 4. The Maldivian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Ali Hussein Didi said that Nasheed would be on a goodwill state visit, the first undertaken by him since clinching victory at his country’s historic Presidential Election held on November 11, this year. more..

Katuwanwila gripped by fear

Dec 31 (DM) An armed group extorting money has struck fear among people in villages like Katuwanvila and Welikanda in Polonnaruwa. Several villages who wished to remain anonymous told the Daily Mirror that this politically backed armed group based in the village called Thivuchchena is stalking the villagers day and night. They said these armed men extorted money from businessmen and cattle owners. more..

Director General, Public Finance slams IRD

Dec 31 (DM) Director General of the Department of Public Finance of the Finance Ministry, Wasantha Ekanayake said yesterday “the Commissioner General of the Inland Revenue Department should be held accountable for the VAT fraud committed in the department”. He was testifying at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to inquire into alleged fraudulent VAT refund of the Inland Revenue Department. more..

Brave Bangladesh fall 107 short

Dec 31 (CI) Bangladesh fell 107 short of pulling off the most miraculous chase as Sri Lanka clawed back after lunch to seal a victory they had taken for granted after declaring in the second innings. Mohammad Ashraful resisted with a hundred, and a 111-run stand between Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim gave the Sri Lankans a mighty scare. The game was still wide open, with Bangladesh needing 118 and Shakib and Mushfiqur going strong, more..

Sri Lanka inflation slows to 18-month low

Dec 31 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's annual inflation fell to an 18-month low of 14.4 percent in December, its sixth straight month of decline from June record highs, government said on Wednesday. Inflation fell from 16.3 percent in November and it record high of 28.2 percent, the Department of Census and Statistics data showed. Sri Lanka's annual average inflation eased to 22.6 percent from 23.0 percent in November. more..

Sri Lankans should deal with Seylan, regulated sector with no fear: CB Governor

Dec 31 (LBO) There is no danger in dealing with Sri Lanka's regulated financial sector and authorities have acted swiftly to build confidence in Seylan Bank by bringing it under a state-bank, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. The central bank dissolved the board of directors of Seylan Bank and put it under the administration of state-run Bank of Ceylon after a crisis at a member firm of Ceylinco group which controls the bank, led to customer withdrawals. more..

Sri Lanka says 12 Tigers killed as troops close in on rebel town

Dec 31 (AFP) At least 12 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed by government forces closing in on a key rebel-held town in northern Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Wednesday. Government troops recovered the bodies of six rebels while snipers killed another six as the military moved to the outskirts of the town of Paranthan on Tuesday evening, the ministry said. Troops had taken control of two villages adjacent to the town, it added. more..

Sri Lanka offers stimulus package to ride out global recession

Dec 31 (AFP) Sri Lanka announced Wednesday a 16 billion rupee (141-million dollar) stimulus package that included reducing fuel prices to shield the economy from the global slowdown. "We want to maintain our economic growth rate at six percent or more -- as it has been in the past few years -- through this economic stimulus package," Central Bank Governor, Nivard Cabraal, more..

Sri Lankan rebels open to peace talks

Dec 31 (AP) Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger separatists are open to restarting peace talks with the government, despite the continuing military offensive aimed at crushing the group, a senior rebel official said. The two sides have been fighting for more than 25 years over the rebels' demands for an independent state for minority Tamils in the north and east of this Indian Ocean island nation. A new military push deep into the rebel heartland in recent months has forced the Tamil Tigers to retreat from vast swaths of land they once controlled, more..