June 2 (MoD) Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona has said, it is time the international community clearly distinguished between the concerns of the Tamil community and the violence perpetrated allegedly in its name by the LTTE. Dr. Kohona made this observation in an address on "Combating the LTTE at home and Overseas - Engaging the International Community" more..

June 2 (FI) Ailing president of Cuba, Fidel Castro Ruiz, wrote recently an article responding to some observations made by US President George W Bush. In the last part of that article Fidel related an anecdote from his halcyon days of revolting against Batista. This is what it was. “Ideas cannot be killed,” Sarr­a emphatically said. Sarra was the black lieutenant, a patrol leader in Batista’s army who arrested us, more..

June 2 (ALRC) Sri Lanka's legal system was originally a combination of the Roman-Dutch Law and English Law. The present system of judicial administration and organization is based on the current Constitution, introduced in 1978. The judiciary comprises the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Provincial High Courts, District Courts, Magistrates' Courts and Primary Courts. more..

June 2 (DR) A group of eight Tamil men are taking their fight for social equality to the streets walking to Ottawa from Toronto to "stop errorism." Errorism, as described by walk organizer Mayuran Rhaashivam, is when "a majority community uses stigmatized terms to bully a minority community for its own self interests." The walk began on May 22 from Nathan Phillips Square and is due to be completed June 11 on Parliament Hill. more..

June 2 (AP) In this photo released by the President's Office, President Mahinda Rajapakse, second from right, speaks with family members of civilians who have gone missing in various places on the island, at his official residence in Colombo, June 1, 2007. more..

June 2 (BBC) "This is the best flower show in the world," says Ramya, a Sri Lankan woman delighted with the combination of different kind of flower on display in Chelsea Flower Show. She was among the thousands of visitors in the stall organised by Borneo Exotics, the company that represented Sri Lanka in the show. The company has been representing Sri Lanka in the prestigious show for the last three years. more..

June 2 (PTI) Taking exception to India insisting that the island nation should not seek weapons from Pakistan or China, a Sri Lankan Minister has said that Colombo was 'compelled' to transact with countries, which actually fulfill its military requirement. D M Jayaratne said the island nation, whose forces have been battling the Tamil Tiger rebels in the troubled northeast, had to purchase the right kind of weapons to fulfill its needs and therefore had to look for those who prepared to provide them to Sri Lanka. more..

June 2 (AP) Sri Lankan soldiers and separatist Tamil rebels clashed in northern Sri Lanka on Saturday leaving three guerrillas dead, as airstrikes pounded a guerrilla stronghold in the east, the military said. Fighting broke out early Saturday across the de facto border that separates government and rebel territory in Omanthai village, northern Sri Lanka, a Defense Ministry official said on condition of anonymity, citing ministry policy. more..

June 2 (Reuters) Sri Lankan jets pounded two Tamil Tiger bases in the island's restive east on Saturday, the air force said, but the rebels denied any of their military installations were hit and said there were no casualties. Air force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha De Silva said fighter jets bombed Tiger bases in an area of jungle called Thoppigala in the eastern district of Batticaloa, where the government is seeking to stamp out the insurgents. more..

June 2 (LBO) Sri Lanka's media minister has condemned the attack on a photo journalist of a Sri Lankan daily and has asked security forces to respect the accreditation issued by his ministry, the Department of Government Information (DGI) said. The DGI which accredits journalists, quoting Mass Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana says that the government condemns the attack on the ‘Lakbima’ newspaper staff photo journalist Sajeeva Chinthaka Kahadagamage. more..

June 2 (AP) Day and night, warplanes roar over this rebel-held town as the steady thump of artillery echoes from afar -- a preview, many fear, of a military showdown in Sri Lanka that could leave thousands dead. "All we hear is war," says Tavakumar, a 43-year-old anti-government rebel who only uses one name, patrolling a road a few miles from the front. "I'm ready to fight." Five years after a cease-fire brought a measure of relief to Sri Lanka, more..

June 2 (AFP) Sri Lanka said Saturday it would not allow trucks coming from rebel-held areas in the northeast into Colombo after police claimed to have discovered explosives destined for the city in a goods carrier. Residents in areas bordering rebel-held Wanni in the northeast were told not to send trucks south after police on Friday said they had seized 1,052 kilos (2,314 pounds) of C-4 type explosives from a truck. more..

June 2 (HT) The Sri Lankan media has lambasted India's National Security Advisor MK Narayanan for saying that Sri Lanka should not buy arms from China or Pakistan and that it should come to India for its military requirements even though New Delhi will not supply offensive weapons. Daily Mirror carried a cartoon by Gihan Chickera on Saturday, which showed Narayanan standing near an overflowing garbage bin with the caption saying: "India can force Sri Lanka to buy its garbage." more..

June 4 (ANI) Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said here today that the Sethusamundram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) across Palk Bay got its final nod only after careful scientific studies. The project was cleared only after taking into consideration the facts received from the bio-diversity and the fragile eco-system of the area falling between Palk Bay and the Palk Strait, Sibal told reporters here. more..

June 3 (TW) While a political game is being played out over the arrest of Tiran Alles, behind the man who irked the administration is a family dealing with their grief over this unfair treatment meted out to him. The name Tiran Alles may only be well-known in political and media circles, but his father, R.I.T. Alles is the renowned founding principal of D.S. Senanayake College and counts amongst the tens of thousands of children he has taught in his lifetime, more..

June 3 (HM) In recent months, Sri Lanka’s ‘undeclared’ conflict has undergone a dimensional transformation, literally and metaphorically. Starting with the 25 March attack on the Katunayake Air Force base, in the next 35 days the LTTE deployed its fledgling air wing, the Tamil Eelam Air Force (TAF), on three ‘successful’ missions. Although the amount of damage inflicted by the TAF is debateable, the awesome shock of this turn of events has clearly rocked the island. more..

June 3 (TW) Kannaki Amman festival was celebrated in Batticaloa from May 25th to June 01st 2007. Amman devotees flocked to the Kannakai Amman temple to worship and get her blessings. Special poojas were performed at noon and night daily. The Kannaki Amman temples open only once annually, and Kannaki Amman temples in Batticaloa opened for the devotees during the festival. Pictorial of celebrations held at Kannaki Amman temple in Thaandavanveli, near Batticaloa, East of Sri Lanka: more..

June 3 (TW) The victory of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the recent Uttar Pradesh (UP) State Assembly elections is a huge political step forward in the slow transformation of the Indian caste society. BSP leader Mayawati Kumari has been sworn in as the new Chief Minister of a single-party government, the first in Uttar Pradesh since 1991. more..

June 3 (AT) Speaking to this correspondent after presenting the Best Child Actor award to Sri Lanka’s child star Sarala (11), Maureen Dragone , the President of Hollywood’s Young Artist Foundation said her organization was thrilled by Sarala’s outstanding performance in the film and she could be easily named world’s best. “It was outstanding for a child to show her emotions in such talented fashion by more..

June 3 (Hindu) The recent statement by National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan that Sri Lanka should look to India for its defence needs and not go to China and Pakistan has evoked sharp criticism from virtually all quarters in the island nation. Two key parties in the ruling coalition, the SLFP and the JHU, in their comments to the local media, have said India could not dictate terms to this country. more..

June 3 (BBC) Two more businessmen have been abducted in Colombo. Two Muslim businessmen were abducted on Friday evening while a high level meeting presided by President Mahinda Rajapaksha was held at the Temple Trees to discuss recent abductions. A group of people who had approached the two businessman running there business opposite the Maradana police station had forcibly taken them away said their relations. more..

June 3 (TIN) Pakistan and Sri Lanka have great potential to expand their trade relations which will be supplemented by the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries. This was stated by Dr S B Dorakunbura, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Pakistan, at a meeting with Tanvir Ahmad Sheikh President, FPCCI, at the Federation House, Karachi, on Saturday. more..

June 3 (AT) Investigations reveal that Switzerland is being taken for a ride by Tigers cadres who are posing as victims of Tiger terror. This is the latest people-smuggling racket operated by the Tigers. Already there are 40,000 Tamils settled down in Switzerland. They are a part of the Tamil diaspora that funds Tiger terror operations in Sri Lanka. more..

June 3 (AT) Arguably, the most serious problem faced by the Tigers is the dearth of manpower. Money and weapons can be obtained; not so new members. The LTTE needs North-Eastern Tamils to stay in the war zone, vulnerable to its conscription/recruitment efforts. Since civilian Tamils are Vellupillai Pirapaharan’s cannon fodder, excuse and justification, he does not want them to escape the war by fleeing either to Colombo or abroad. more..

June 3 (TW) Today is the 47th birthday of Tiran Alles. It is far from being a happy birthday. In fact, it is the bleakest birthday ever experienced by this man whose parents have done more for other people’s sons and daughters than it is humanely possible in this lifetime. Ralph I.T. Alles has been acclaimed as teacher, principal and educationist par excellence. more..

June 3 (AFP) Government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels were locked in heavy combat in northern Sri Lanka Saturday night, as the military bombed rebel positions elsewhere, official sources said. Heavy shelling was heard in Pampaimadu in the district of Vavuniya, which borders the rebel-held Wanni region, residents and officials said. There were no details of the extent of the clashes, but military officials said reinforcements had been rushed to the area. more..

June 3 (GDI) Police investigations to some true abduction cases too get delayed unnecessarily due to majority of false allegations which keep the sleuth busy, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told a gathering of families of abducted and disappeared persons at "Temple Trees" on Friday. "Certain persons with ulterior motives like asylum seekers in foreign countries and, others become cat's paw of some politicians make complaints of abduction disappearance and threat giving more work to the police", he said. more..

June 3 (GDI) Construction work on the Rs. 3.6. billion Hambantota port with financial assistance from the Chinese government will commence within two months, the project engineer, Janaka Kurukulasuriya told the media. The Chinese government has agreed to provide funds at the request of President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his recent visit to China, he said. The construction work has been jointly undertaken by the China Harbour Engineering Company and Sino Hydro Corporation. more..

June 3 (GDI) Tamil Tiger agents abroad are going all out to draw crowds from the European Union countries to join in the proposed protest rally outside the UN office in Geneva on 11 June. The protest march will be held on the opening day of the 5th session of the Human Rights Commission (June 11 to 18.) This march is an annual event organized essentially by the LTTE to impress the international community. more..

June 3 (LeN) The former chairman of the Air port and Air port services, Mr. Tiran Alas was discharged from the Nawaloka hospital where he was being treated and has been admitted to Colombo general hospital to day. This admittance has been done followed by a request made by the prison's department. During the last presidential elections, Mr. Tiran Alas is said to have funded for the candidate Mahinda Rajapaksha. more..

June 3 (LT) NGO activists whose visas were withdrawn return to the island using tourist visas says Parliamentarian Vijithe Herath, Chairman of Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate NGOs. The Ministry of Defense had taken steps to debar certain NGOs that had supported tiger organization and cancel the visas of foreign activists of the relevant NGOs on recommendation by the Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate NGOs. more..

June 3 (CI) Marvan Atapattu is likely to play his first Test for Sri Lanka in nearly 18 months later this month when Bangladesh arrive for a series of three Tests and three ODIs. Atapattu has been a near-permanent presence in most squads but has played little part in Sri Lanka's recent resurgence. He was part of the World Cup squad but failed to get a game in the Caribbean. That may be about to change now, with Ashantha De Mel, chief selector, backing Atapattu's return. more..

June 3 (PISL) Police investigators suspect that the deadly consignment of 1052 kilograms of high explosives found concealed inside a lorry at Kotawehera, Nikaweratiya in Kurunegala would have been sufficient to wipe out a considerable area such as a township. The chance discovery of the powerful C4 explosives cleverly hidden on either side of the body of the lorry in 47 specially made flat boxes by the police at the Palugas handiya (junction) road block was the biggest haul of explosives recovered in Sri Lanka, more..

June 3 (LNP) An Indian youth who suddenly became restless aboard a SriLankan Airlines flight from Kuala Lampur to Colombo died six days after admission to Ragama Hospital. The 20-year-old man identified as Sannachi Ganesan, a resident of Addinil, Chennai, had turned aggressive in mid air and hurled bottles of water and whatever he could lay his hands on at shocked passengers on board, an inquest was told last week. more..

June 3 (LNP) Sri Lanka is expected to come under heavy flak for its recent human rights record when the European Parliament`s Development Committee holds an open hearing on Tuesday in Brussels. Several local and international NGOs and human rights groups and activists are expected make critical observations when they too are present at the afternoon hearing at which the 35-member Committee on Development evaluates Sri Lanka`s human rights performance more..

June 3 (LNP) Moves are reportedly underway down under to ban the LTTE as a terrorist organization. Although the Australian government has not officially announced its position on the matter, The Australian has reported that the government is working towards the proscription. The LTTE fronts are vehemently campaigning against the reported move. If the ban comes through, the LTTE will be ranked alongside 19 other proscribed groups such as Al-Qa`ida and Jemmah Islamiah. more..

June 3 (LNP) Heavy exchange of artillery fire between the army and LTTE cadres broke out last night in the Vavuniya district and continued close to midnight, military sources said. Military officials said they launched retaliatory attacks around 8 p.m. after an army camp in Pompaimadu, west of the Vavuniya town, came under a barrage of artillery fire from the rebels. There were no immediate details of casualties from both sides, more..

June 3 (SAMN) The University Trade Union Front is to launch union action on Monday to protest against the anti-trade union stance of the university administration, its organisers said. This is a sequel to the action taken against the non-academics who came back to work after staging an eight-day strike based on several reportedly justifiable demands. more..

June 3 (SAMN) The government will take stern action against doctors who engage in private practice if they fail to register with the newly formed Private Health services Regulatory Council before June 22. All medical practitioners in the country need to register with the Council and should inform the council the time and place where they engage in private practice. "Private healthcare institutions should display the names of all doctors and the time that they can be consulted", more..

June 3 (SAMN) Board of Investment Chairman Dhammika Perera said it’s now important that we align ourselves with the world. Invariably common perceptions were that we take things easy. This had to change. Rather than continue to depend on archaic systems it is now essential that new technology be the driving barometer for progress and investment. He was speaking at the launch the new on-line investor friendly export cusdec system last week. more..

June 3 (SAMN) Several recently established government owned companies will come under the purview of the parliamentary committee looking into the workings of public enterprises. The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), which in January issued a damning report against 26 public institutions, will now have the power to scrutinise Mihin Lanka, the controversial budget airline and Lanka Logistics and Technologies Ltd, the procurement company of the military. more..

June 3 (SO) Minister of Health and Nutrition Nimal Siripala de Silva has assured that the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) would not be privatised and in fact it was a good example to show that the state sector could compete with the private sector when using good management strategies. "Some international agencies such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank say the state sector institutions are inactive and not competitive. more..

June 3 (SO) The leader of the EPDP and Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare Kathriravelu Nithyananda Douglas Devananda, MP says that the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) which gave undue advantages to the LTTE should be amended to bring back peace. In an interview with the Sunday observer he said that the CFA, was signed to make the guns silent. Today it has become a nightmare to the majority of Tamils who believe in the preservation of human rights, political pluralism and democracy in the North- East. more..

June 3 (SO) The 105th birth anniversary of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody OMI, the well-known Catholic priest, musician, poet, lyricist, author, journalist and patriot falls today June 03, 2007. On this occasion I would like to present the pleasant memories of my close association with Fr. Jayakody. We were small children in 1940's and 1950's, specially around Independence when Fr. Jayakody produced some magnificent hymns like 'Ronata Vadina Bingu Obay' , 'Nelum Pipeela Pethi Visireela' and 'Suvanda Jale Pipi Kumudiniye' with a national flavour. more..

June 3 (ST) Politico-military issues continue to be the uppermost priority for the Mahinda Rajapaksa Administration -- as security forces in the North and Special Task Force commandos of the Police stepped up their offensives against Tiger guerrillas in the two theatres of conflict. In what seemed clearly a retaliatory move, the guerrillas exploded a claymore mine at Ratmalana in Greater Colombo on Monday evening. more..

June 3 (ST) The controversial sale of a bigger slice of the NTT stake in Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) may have been prompted by calls by the Supreme Court forcing the refund of excessive tariffs amounting to billions of rupees which would leave the Japanese firm in financial ruin. A proposal submitted earlier this year for tariff reductions was also turned down which also precipitated the decision to partly exit, industry sources said. more..

June 3 (ST) Top corporate leaders are coming together with the village, the government and groups like the JVP in a “Buy Lankan” campaign to promote local industries and products. “It’s a unique effort to bring together all groups for the sake of growing the village economy, nurturing local industry, making quality products, saving foreign exchange and providing a vehicle for the sale of locally-made products,” a member of the group said. more..

June 3 (ST) Hambantota may have been in Lanka’s backwater for a very long time and a pertinent question that used to be asked by political rivals here from the most powerful clan from this backward district, the Rajapaksa’s of Giruwapattuwa was what they have done for the region all these years? Rajapaksa’s may have been thinking of the greater national good while holding many ministerial posts over the years, instead of merely enriching a pocket borough, but now with them being at the helm of the country, Hambantota is being truly transformed into the 21st century. more..

June 3 (ST) The Government has approved a proposal to clear 20,000-25,000 hectares in the Maduruoya forest in Uva-Wellassa area for a new sugar factory, without an Environmental Impact Assessment, Padma Udayashantha, Moneragala District MP charged. He said the proposal had been approved by the Cabinet on January 10.“The Central Environment Authority is making the assessment now and it is reported the place is not suitable for a sugar factory,” he said. more..

June 3 (NS) The Karuna-Pillaiyan crisis has reached new heights with Karuna cadres running riot in Batticaloa and Ampara harassing pro-Pillaiyan cadres and their families. Sources based in the East speaking to The Nation on condition of anonymity claimed that more than 75 cadres who support Pillaiyan have been held hostage in camps under extremely deplorable conditions in Ampara and Batticaloa. more..