Govt. imports 8 super luxury Benz cars

From Sunday Leader
The government has ordered eight super luxury, high security Benz cars from Germany at a duty free cost of over US dollars four million, The Sunday Leader learns.

Informed sources said each Benz was in the region of US $ 500,000 duty free.

The super luxury vehicles are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka next month.

It is learned that the value of each vehicle with full cumulative duties of 500 per cent would be in the region of US$ 2.5 million or approximately Rs. 267 million.

The luxury vehicles are to come at a time the government citing the global oil crisis is to introduce tough economic measures including the curtailment of the school week to four days by increasing the current daily school duration by 90 minutes.

In terms of the duty structure the value of the eight super luxury vehicles will be approximately Rs. 2.13 billion.

President Mahinda Rajapakse in a memorandum submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers last week called for a one year suspension on the importation of motor vehicles other than vehicles imported for the provision of health, security and similar purposes unless the importers pay the full duty and taxes on the importation of vehicles.

"At present the government has imposed cumulative duties up to 500 per cent on luxury vehicles but very often various types of vehicles are imported under concessionary arrangement, thereby weakening the impact of duties and taxes imposed on such vehicles," the President said in the May 28 memorandum.

Informed sources said the official reason for the importation of the luxury vehicles is for use in the three-day SAARC Summit in August after which the vehicles will be attached to the Presidential fleet.

It is learned several ministers have called for high security vehicles and the President had indicated some vehicles from his existing fleet would be allocated once the SAARC Summit is concluded and the new luxury vehicles are allocated to his fleet.

Tracking system for buses

By Shezna Shums

The National Transport Commission (NTC) is hoping to launch a vehicle tracking system for public transport buses.

The NTC has already asked the public for expressions of interest regarding this project and will be calling for local expertise on tracking technology to be used in the buses.

The first phase of this pilot project is to cover around 3000 inter provincial buses and will be expanded to about 25,000 buses.

The NTC initially intends to only track the location of the buses. It is expected to develop this project to provide web based real time information to operators and passengers.

Director General, NTC, M.A. Jeffrey told The Sunday Leader that initially the tracking devices will only be on public buses recording the time the bus leaves and arrives at the bus depots, and the time taken for each journey to determine the speed at which the bus has been travelling.

"This will be a pilot project to see if the buses are conforming to the given time tables," said Jeffrey.

UNP to seek legal redress against elections

The United National Party is to seek a Supreme Court order against the conduct of any elections until the establishment of independent commissions.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that the party would go to courts next week for an injunction to the Elections Commissioner.

He said that there was no credibility of free and fair elections being held until the independent elections commission becomes existent under the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.


Mr. Attanayake also noted that the Elections Commissioner had no power or an administrative mechanism to act against poll malpractices and violence.

Government appoints Hudson as chairman of the SLBC

Hudson Samarasinghe has once again been appointed chairman of the state-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

On the directive of the President, Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa has made the appointment with effect from Saturday (May 31st).

Mr. Samarasinghe previously had two stints as chief of the SLBC.

9 terrorists killed, 6 wounded in yesterday's clashes

Nine LTTE terrorists were killed while another 6 suffered injuries due to the clashes erupted in Jaffna and Wanni theatres yesterday, May 31, MCNS sources said. In addition 4 soldiers have laid their lives and 6 others reported wounded, MCNS added.
On Jaffna theatre, citing a finalized military report MCNS said that 3 terrorists were suffered injuries due to yesterday's clashes. An army soldier was killed while another suffered injuries clashes ensued in the same front.
On Wanni theatre, in Vavuniya front, 7 terrorists were killed while no casualties were reported for own troops. In Mannar front, 3 soldiers suffered injuries and they were evacuated to the Mannar hospital.
In Welioya front, 2 terrorists were killed while another 3 suffered injuries due to yesterday's clashes. 3 soldiers have laid their lives while 2 more received injuries in the same front, MCNS stated.

LTTE would have stolen 17,000 detonators from a Tamil Nadu warehouse- TN Police

(By Walter Jayawardhana)
The Police in Tamil Nadu has confirmed that the 17,000 detonators missing from a Trichy Warehouse would have been stolen by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The LTTE terrorists is facing the brunt of an offensive of the armed forces of Sri Lanka and is allegedly increased its offences against civilians in the South of the country.
Around 17,000 detonators were reported from a godown in Karur near the Tamil Nadu city of Trichy and the Tamil Nadu police ruled out the Indian terrorists, Naxals, as the culprits behind the theft and pointed their finger at the LTTE terrorists.
The incident once again raised fears in the Indian security circles that the terrorist group could be still using neighbouring Tamil Nadu as their weapons supply base despite all sorts of precautions taken by both governments.
The Director General of Police in Tamil Nadu, K.P. Jain told an Indian television station, "Definitely there is a security concern. That is why we have procedures to check storage facilities and other shops, to ensure that they are not given out to wrong people. But still these cases happen. We do not suspect Naxals. But it could be for the LTTE."

Thilanga, Duminda SLFP organisers

Former Chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka Thilanga Sumathipala and UNP provincial councillor who switched allegiance to the government recently, Duminda Dissanayake are to be appointed as the SLFP organizers in the Colombo district, political sources said.
During the Presidential Election in 2005, Mr. Sumathipala acted as the UNP organizer for the Anuradhapura district.

Two Lankan kids stabbed to death in UK

Two Sri Lankan children aged four and five were stabbed to death in their family home in South London and their six-month-old baby sister is critically ill in hospital with knife wounds. Their Sri Lankan parents have been arrested over the crime.

President meets EPC governing party

Sunil C. Perera in Colombo
President Mahinda Rajapakse met the members of the governing party of the eastern province at Temple trees on Saturday .
At the meeting, Hassen Maulav was chosen as the Leader of the House of the Eastern Provincial Council while Thuraiappa Navarathna Raja was appointed as the chief organizer of the ruling party.
Mr. Faiz was proposed as the Chairman of the Council and N.K.D.S. Gunawardena was named as the Deputy Chairman of the council. Provincial Minister M.A.L.M. Hisbulla proposed to hold a workshop on administration for the members of the Eastern Provincial Council.
Responding to the proposal the President stated a local and an international training would be provided to newly elected councilors on local government issues in the near future. He also instructed authorities to provide necessary security for the members of the council.

Special attention focused on the teaching vacancies in the Eastern. Minister Susil Premajayanth disclosed 400 teachers will be recruited shortly in both Sinhala and Tamil media based on the results of the recently held teacher examination.
He pointed out it would fill 90 percent of the teacher requirement in the province.
Meanwhile, the President added the international community including government of Japan has agreed to provide grants to uplift the infrastructure facilities in the province.

One killed due to gun shot in Horana

Selliah selvarajah , owner of a private shop in Horana was killed due to gunshot injuries.
Horana Police is conducting investigations.

Two killed in wellawatta Bomb blast

Two were killed and another eight were injured due to the hand grenade attack at Wellawatta a short while ago.
Bomb blast occured near Arpico centre in Wellawatta , the Police said.

Three injured due to Bomb blast in Wellawatta

Sunil C. Perera in Colombo
Bomb blast occured near Arpico centre in Wellawatta, a short while ago.At least three people were injured due to the blast. The blast was caused by a hand grenade, the Police said.

Bomb blast in Wellawatta

Bomb blast occured near Arpico centre in Wellawatta, a short while ago.Await for details .

Pillayan to Chief in Chief Minister's forum appoints Pillayan as their head for another four month period

Sunil C. Perera in Colombo
Ex-militant and present first eastern Province Tamil Chief Minister S. Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan who had a good public response from the eastern province was appointed as the Chiarman of the Chief Minister's Forum which began Saturday at Badulla, Central hills Sri Lanka.
He will hold this chiarmanship for next four months.Mr.Pillayanhas requested the chief minister's forum to organise next CM's forum in Batticalo , in the eastern Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka seeks food crisis loan: World Bank

The World Bank is considering giving Sri Lanka a crisis loan to tackle galloping food prices, the global financial institution's vice president said on Friday.
The island, which is battling 30 percent inflation and over three decades of separatist war with Tamil Tiger rebels, has sought funds from the World Bank's emergency Food Crises Response Trust Fund.
"The Bank is currently discussing with the government what kind of assistance would be useful and whether the Bank can provide such assistance," vice president Praful Patel said.
"Sri Lanka has made a request" for a loan from the emergency fund, Patel said .
"It is difficult to say how much, but we are not talking about 10 million or 15 million dollars. It will be around 100 million -- in that range," he said.
His statement came after an announcement last week by the government that the World Bank was giving 100 million dollars to Sri Lanka in emergency food aid.
The Food Crises Response Trust Fund was created to fight soaring global commodity prices and aims to assist countries most seriously affected.
"The fund is targeting some 800 million dollars for countries such as Sri Lanka that have been hit by the food crisis," Patel said.
The solution for Sri Lanka, he said, was not to import more food, but to improve agriculture productivity.

Saudis Offered Islamic Investment in Sri Lanka

A leading Shariah-compliant financial services provider in Sri Lanka has called on Saudi corporate clients to invest in the Colombo Stock exchange for attractive dividends.
Mohammed Riyas, director of Sales and Business Development of Colombo-based Amana Securities Limited, said that he had come to offer unique services to Saudi clients to identify and trade in companies complying with Islamic Law based on the parameters prescribed by internationally accepted Shariah scholars.
“Our unique portfolio of services will include a white list of stocks that comply with Shariah parameters and provide access to local and foreign funds that require Shariah-complaint investment avenues. “
Riyas said that Amana Securities Limited has displayed a clear vision and leadership by launching the DJIM Amana Sri Lanka Index, a pioneering distinction that brings global exposure and a wider vista of investment opportunities.
“It is one of the 20 companies permitted to trade on the Colombo Stock Exchange,” he said.
The Lankan bourse has 235 listed companies representing 20 business sectors. The market capitalization in March was 835.3 billion Sri Lankan rupees (SR28 billion) and the CSE recorded its highest daily turnover of 33.4 billion Sri Lankan rupees (SR1.151 billion) on April 1. It is one of the top performing markets in Asia, with an average annual index growth rate of 27 percent.
Share trading in Sri Lanka dates back to 1896 when the Colombo Brokers Association commenced the share trading in limited liability companies which were involved in opening plantations in Sri Lanka.
“The trading activity was automated with the installation of the Automated Trading System in 1997,” he said, adding that the technology introduced by the bourse has significantly enhanced its competitiveness and has provided a more efficient and transparent market. The exchange is currently in the process of introducing a debt securities trading system for trading of fixed income securities.
Companies listed on the exchange have seen a large increase in foreign investment following the improvement in the security situation in the country.
“Besides reputed international company like Marks & Spencer, Maxis, the largest telecommunications company of Malaysia, and Bharti Airtel of India have invested a substantial volume in the communication fields,” he noted.
Buoyed by improved investor confidence due to positive political developments and strong corporate results, the exchange has continued to achieve strong growth in 2007, as the ASPI passed the 3,000 mark for the first time in its history on February 13 reaching a record high for the seventh consecutive day.
Speaking about Sri Lanka, Riyas said that the island with a population of 24 million enjoys a 92 percent literacy rate, second to Japan among the ASEAN countries.
“Its per capita income is $1,617, next to Maldives in the region,” he said, adding that his country has the highest number of CIMA qualified accountants in the world after Britain. He added that the island country is strategically located only 25kms from a major international shipping lane — 14,000 ships sail through the channel — and can be a launching pad for investments in the region.

Sri Lanka’s inflation hits 26.2pc

COLOMBO, May 30: Annual inflation in Sri Lanka hit 26.2 per cent in May, according to official data on Friday, driven by higher food, fuel and other prices.

The inflation rate was calculated using the new Colombo Consumer Price Index which tracks price movements since 2002, the statistics department said.

The level was a record high according to the index, which was released for the first time on Friday.

The statistics department said it was discontinuing the previous Colombo Consumer Price Index, which has been tracking price movements since 1952. Under the old index, inflation hit a decade-high of 29.9 per cent in April.

Sri Lanka rebels show no signs of peace: government official

SINGAPORE (AFP) - The Tamil Tigers have shown no sign they are genuine about wanting peace even though the door remains open for a return to negotiations, a senior Sri Lankan official said Saturday.
"We are looking for a negotiated end to this conflict... so far they have shown no inclination to enter into any constructive dialogue with a view to ending this conflict," Palitha Kohona, a secretary with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters on the sidelines of a regional security summit.
He said "the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) is free to come back to the negotiating table but... must do so genuinely with a commitment to negotiating a sustainable peace and for that it must also leave aside its weaponry."
Kohona's comments at the Shangri-La Dialogue -- or Asia Security Summit -- came as the separatist Tamil Tigers rejected government plans to devolve more power to the island's north and east, while a pro-rebel website said they had killed 31 troops in the latest fighting.
There was no immediate comment from Sri Lanka's defence ministry.
Kohona said President Mahinda Rajapakse's government had learned the lessons of the past and will only enter into peace talks with the LTTE if they show they are genuine and willing to put down their weapons.
Fighting has escalated sharply since Colombo pulled out of a six-year Norwegian-brokered truce with the LTTE in January believing it had the military strength to crush them.
The Tamil Tigers launched their armed struggle for a separate Tamil state in the north in 1972, and the ensuing conflict has left tens of thousands of people dead in the Sinhalese majority island.
Kohona said the LTTE re-armed itself to hit back after the truce began in 2002, and vowed the present government "is no longer willing to simply agree to a ceasefire agreement without a commitment on the part of the LTTE to achieve a final solution to this problem."
Rajapakse vowed last Tuesday to press on with a military campaign to crush the rebels, a day after guerrillas set off a bomb inside a train killing nine people and wounding 84.
B. Nadesan, head of the political wing of the LTTE, denied the Tigers had attacked civilians, and accused Rajapakse of "paying lip service" to a political solution while pursuing a "war against the Tamil nation."

Sri Lanka woos Indian beauty queens, swamis to boost tourism

P K Balachandran
Faced with a steady fall in tourist arrivals due to the worsening security situation, Sri Lanka’s Tourist Board has roped in Indian beauty queens, holy men and intellectuals to tout the country as a safe and worthwhile destination for Indians, who have in recent years emerged as the largest group of tourists visiting Sri Lanka.

Parvathy Omanakuttan, Miss India World for this year, and Tanvi Vyas, Miss India Earth, are expected to set the ramp on fire at a fashion show in Colombo this weekend. And in August, three Hindu holy men from North India are to arrive with a retinue of 1,000 devotees of Lord Rama to visit 34 important sites on the island associated with the epic Ramayana.

“Those on the Ramayana trail will be Swami Ajayji of Triveni Seva Mission at Delhi; Swami Krishnanandji of the Rashtriya Go Raksha Samithi; and Swami Gyananandji Maharaj, an exponent of Krishna Katha,” said Ashok Kumar Kainth, a Tourist Board researcher on sites relating to the Ramayana in Sri Lanka.

The Indian intelligentsia is being tapped, too.

In July, a 20-member delegation of the New Delhi-based Antar Rashtriya Sahyog Parishad headed by veteran journalist Baleshwar Prasad and former Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha, will tour Sri Lanka, meet its leaders across the board, and hopefully propagate the virtues of the island on return to India. “The aim is to get favourable publicity in India for Sri Lanka in the midst of all the negative publicity the world over because of the war and the bomb blasts,” said Director General of Tourism, S. Kalaiselvan.

“We want to promote this beautiful and culturally rich island as a destination for the young and trendy, as well as seniors, intellectuals, and those with a religious bent of mind,” he told this website’s newspaper here on Saturday.

The Tourist Board is worried about the fall in arrivals from almost every country, including India. Comparing the data for the period January-April 2007 with those for a similar period in 2008, there had been a 14.3 per cent fall in Indian arrivals. The number had come down from 37,964 to 32,547.

Most of the arrivals have been from South India. The Sri Lankan Tourist Board thinks it’s time it tapped the North Indian market, too. Hence the bid to get all India beauty queens, holy men, intellectuals and publicists from North India

UNP plans to launch an island wide protest campaign against recent fuel hike.

Sunil C. Perera in Colombo
Sri Lanka's main opposition the United National Party has decided to launch an island wide protest campaign against government's unreasonable fuel price hike. According to the Secretary General of the UNP Tissa Attanayake the UNP will request all vehicle owners to stop their vehicles and blow the horns and glare the lights for five minutes from 12.00 a.m. on Tuesday 3rd June.
"This campaign is to be covered island wide ", said Mr.Attanayake .
He said the price hike on fuel and Kerosene oil is not because of World Market fluctuations as the Govt. is falsely claiming. It is because of the losses that have to be covered up due to Govt.’s corruption, profligacy, mismanagement and maintenance of its largest Cabinet of Ministers and President’s 168 advisors who are enjoying the best of perks and benefits at the expense of the common man.
“The Govt. is appropriating Rs. 57.00 as tax on every liter of oil. If the Govt. wishes it can cut back on this tax and pass the benefit to the consumers, which it is not doing, he asserted, Mr.Attanayake explained.
He said the UNP, which has always stood steadfastly with the people.

Reggie no more

Reggie Ranatunga, MP for Gampaha passed away at a private hospital in Colombo, a short while ago in a private hospital. He was ailing for some time.

A staunch SLFPer and he held important posts in the party and the Government. The former Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province last entered Parliament after fellow parliamentarian from Gampaha, Sripathi Sooriyarachchi died in a car accident a few months ago.

Ranatunga is the father of Sri Lanka's legendary cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga, at present Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, who is also a Member of Parliament representing the Colombo District.
UPFA member Neil Rupasinghe is next in line to succeed MP Reggie Ranatunga who passed away today. Mr. Ranatunga was the fourth parliamentarian from the Gampaha district to die this year. The other three MPs were Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, Anura Bandaranaike and Jeyaraj Fernandopulle.

Civil Defence Force averts possible disaster - Rajanganaya

Civil Defence Force personnel on duty at Yaya 18 (zone 18) village on the borders of Wilpattuwa jungle confronted with a group of terrorists last night (May 30).

According to the defence sources in the area, the terrorists had forcibly entered into a civilian house around 7.45 pm and started butchering the innocent residents. Alerted by the wailing residents the Civil Defence Force personnel had rushed to the location and confronted with the terrorists who attempted to continue their cowardly attack at the civilians, said the sources. After a brief confrontation the terrorists had fled to the Wilpattuwa jungle, the sources added.

One Civil Defence Force personnel suffered gunshot injuries in the attack. Also, a 50 year old mother of the house that the terrorists had raided was killed and her husband was seriously injured. The two injured people later succumbed to injuries at the Anuradhapura hospital, said the sources.

LTTE is a ruthless terrorist organization that routinely target civilians in pursuit for a mono ethnic separate homeland for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. The outfit has killed tens and thousands of innocent civilians in number of ethnic cleansing raids at Sinhalese and Muslim villages in North and East.

Five suicide jackets found; suspect detained - Chilaw

Police acting on an information received from intelligence sources found 5 jackets designed for the LTTE suicide bombers from Maina Doopatha (an islet) in the Chilaw area . According to the police sources, only four out of the five jackets were filled with high explosives.

Police said the jackets were unearthed from a location close to an abandoned Hindu Temple around 6.30 pm. A person was also detained for further inquiries, the sources added.

LTTE is the terror outfit that pioneered the suicide terrorism and introduced recruitment, brainwashing, and technical expertise for suicide bombing to the terrorist organizations in the world over. It has carried out over 200 suicide attacks killing hundreds of people during its two and half decades of terrorist war against Sri Lankan citizens.

Pillayan the new chairman of Chief Ministers’ Forum

Eastern Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan was appointed as the chairman of the Chief Ministers’ Forum today in Badulla for the next four months. The Forum also decided to conduct the next session in Batticaloa.

Two killed, 8 injured in army vehicle accident

A soldier and a sailor were killed and eight others injured when a army unicorn met with an accident at Katagamuwa in Kataragama this morning.

Quake no threat to Sri Lanka

The Dissaster management center says there is no threat to Sri Lanka from the 6.3 magnitude earthquake which occurred in the sea, some 4,000 km south of the country at around 10.34 this morning.

Ten injured in train collision

At least ten people were injured when two trains collided at Botale in Mirigama on Saturday. Railways sources said train services on the main line were disrupted after the collision between the Medawachchiya train and a service train.

Mervyn to close down opponents' liquor shops in Kelaniya

Minister Mervyn Silva has reportedly said that he would close down all liquor shops in his Kelaniya electorate, except those owned by his supporters.

According to 'Divaina' newspaper, the Labour Minister also promised at a function yesterday to shut down all beef stalls in the area, and to free four cattle from slaughter every month.

He was speaking in the presence of Chief Incumbent of the Kelani Raja Maha Vihara Ven. Kollupitiye Sri Mahinda Sangharakkitha Thera at the opening of a new bridge across the Kelani River.


The temple's Basnayake Nilame Dhammika Attygalle, Highways Minister T.B. Ekanayake, Chairman of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Priyantha Kariyapperuma, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority Nalaka Bamunusinghe and several other politicians also attended, the newspaper reported.

New fee to be levied by Colombo courts

The Colombo High Court and the Commercial High Court will be charging Rs. 500 per case that is filed with them from June 01st, according to a government decision.

Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva has approved the new levy that goes to a fund, which will buy technological equipment needed by the two courts, their registrars said.

From May 26th, the relevant notification is on display at the Hulftsdorp Court Complex.

However, a legal expert said that this fee is going to be levied without backing from any piece of legislation, and that the decision was unfair and illegal.

It is the accepted practice to channel the monies collected through such a levy to a consolidated state fund in accordance with financial and administrative regulations.

The legal expert also questioned the transparency of the new fund that is not accountable to Parliament or the Auditor General's Department.


On average, the two courts daily receive around 150 new cases pertaining to divorces, land, finances and other matters.

UNP to table media freedom proposal before House

The United National Party is to table a special proposal before Parliament in the coming weeks for the protection of media freedom.

The party's General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told 'Lanka Dissent' that views and suggestions of media organizations and experts in the field would be welcome in this regard.

The UNP will seek their advice within the next few days before drafting the proposal, he added.

CONTRADICTORY POSITIONS ON MEDIA FREEDOM ENCOURAGE IMPUNITY

The silencing of journalists by killing and intimidating them has become a major problem in Sri Lanka. The National Peace Council condemns the killing of Paranirupasingam Devakumar who is the ninth journalist to be killed in the past two years. We are appalled at the brutal manner of his death by waylaying him as he was traveling and hacking him to death. This killing comes soon after the brutal assault and torture of senior journalist Keith Noyahr in Colombo.

International experience has shown that a key component of any political solution is its acceptance by the people of the country. It through public awareness creation, in which the media plays a central role, that the people's mandate for a sustainable political solution can be found. The National Peace Council notes that the government continues to stand by the position that it is for a political solution to the ethnic conflict and the ongoing military operations are meant to facilitate that political solution.

In this context, the killing of Paranirupasingam Devakumar, who worked for a national television network in Jaffna will be a further constraint on the free flow of information from the war zones of the north. We reiterate our concern about the continued incarceration of senior journalist J S Tissaianayagam, whose arrest and detention now continues into its third month without charges being made against him in a court of law.

We are perturbed by statements made by senior Defence Ministry officials that the military and its leadership should not be criticized by the media and that journalists working for the state controlled media had no right to criticize the government. While welcoming the Media Minister's statement that this is not government policy, we ask the government to ensure a unified media policy as contradictory statements may be taken by various groups as a further license to behave with impunity towards the media.

The National Peace Council expresses solidarity with those journalists who are courageously committed to revealing realities from the ground and to risking their lives in the service of truth. We express our admiration of the willingness of media personnel to continue their work in the face of such fatal risks. We call on the government to put in place protection mechanisms that would ensure the safety of journalists in Sri Lanka and the right of citizens to access a diverse media that provides free and accurate reporting on national affairs.

May UNP+SLMC boycott EPC inagural session ?

General Secretary of the UNP Tissa Attanayake says the selected UNP candidates of the Eastern Provincial Council will take oaths withing next few days .Replying media he said the UNP and the SLMC would decide their presence to the inagural sessions of the EPC.However unconfirmed reports of the SLMC said oppostion may be boycott the inagural meeting of the EPC .
The sources said the Government has failed to stand by its promises made at the recent Eastern provincial Council (EPC) elections to bring peace and prosperity to the people of the East.Due to this the SLMC is considering boycotting the inaugural sittings of the EPC.
The entire Eastern province is in turmoil and serious unrest after the elections with the Government. also unable to bring the situation under control.
Meanhile SLMC's spokesman Nizam Kariapper said there had been several attacks on Muslim civilians.

The inagural sessions of the EPC would be held on 6th June .After 20 years the public representatives will admit the administration of the Eastern province.

Government's politicos obstruct the motorcade of leaderof the Opposition

Tissa Attanayake, UNP Gen. Secretary, condemned the action of Government. politicos, led by Deputy Aviation Minister, Gunaratne trying to obstruct the motorcade of Ranil Wickremesinghe when he was returning to Colombo after his overseas tour.
These unruly and underworld elements also staged a Demonstration outside the Bandaranayake International Airport shouting anti Wickremesinghe slogans and carrying banners, alleging that the Leader of Opposition was seeking to undermine the GSP+ benefits, which is on the verge of being withdrawn, actually due to Govt.’s failure to adhere to the stipulations of the 27 Int. treaties to which the Government is also a signatory.

It is indeed a sad misconception by the Government as; it is all Apparel exporters who will be hit by this GSP+ withdrawal, who insisted upon the Opposition Leader to help them out by discussing with the European countries on their behalf in this regard. Ranil made this tour too for this purpose.

UNP vehicle protest on June 3

The UNP has requested the public to bring their vehicles to a stop on the roads at 12noon on June 3, as a mark of protest against the government implementing an unprecedented fuel price hike.

Air Force fighter jets pound LTTE artillery & mortar launching platforms - Poonaryn

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets pounded on LTTE artillery and mortar launching platforms located at Kalmunai point, in the Poonaryn general area this afternoon (May 30). According to the Air Force sources, to separate sorties were launched around 12 noon and 1.20 pm.
The targets were accurately hit, but the exact damages to the enemy are yet to be ascertained, the sources added.
According to the defence sources in Jaffna, LTTE terrorists had used the targeted locations to launch artillery attacks at the Tamil villages in the peninsula yesterday. 6 civilians including two children were killed and 20 others including a pregnant mother were injured in these attacks. Dozens of civilian houses and a catholic church were destroyed.

21 terrorists killed , 11 wounded in yesterday's clashes in North

Munnagam base - North of Janakapura" pbshowcaption="true"Finalized military reports received form the warfronts in the North for yesterday (May 29) indicate that 21 terrorists were killed and 11 others wounded in counter terrorist operations conducted in the Jaffna and the Wanni theaters of battle. Further, 15 others were reportedly killed or suffered serious injuries, according to the reports.
In the Jaffna theatre of battle, troops confronted with the terrorists in the Elathumadduwal area last morning. A soldier suffered injuries in this confrontation. No details on terror casualties were available. Meanwhile, another soldier suffered injuries due to an anti personal (AP) mine explosion earlier on the same day morning.
In addition, army and navy repulsed a pre-dawn terror attack at the Chiranththivu islet located along the Jaffna - Mandathivu causeway. A soldier was killed, and two others were injured while a soldier and two sailors reported missing in this incident. Ground troops claimed that at least 15 terrorist were killed in the retaliatory fire. Following the attack the terrorist, engaged heavy artillery at civilian dwellings in the populated Kolombuthurai, Gurunagar and Pasiuura areas. 6 civilians including 2 children were killed and 20 others including a pregnant woman suffered injuries.
Elsewhere, suspected LTTE assassins gunned down a civilian at Kallikai in the Nelliady area. Police probes in to the incident.
Troops made significant gains in Wanni theatre of battle as multi front attacks on the terror defences were continued throughout the day.
On the Vavuniya front, troops confronted with the terrorist in the Periyamadhukulam, Muppankulam, and Palaimoddai areas during the daytime and claimed to have killed 4 terrorists and wounded 8 others. Also, 3 soldiers suffered injuries due to small arms fire in the confrontation that took place at Muppankulam. A soldier suffered injuries due to an AP mine explosion that took place in the Periyamadhu area last evening. Meanwhile, troops engaged in clearing operations in the Mundimurippu area removed 18 AP mines during the day.
On the Mannar front, troops raided an LTTE strong point located in Andankulama area last morning. Troops claimed that at least 6 terrorists were either killed or wounded while two soldiers also suffered injuries in this incident.
The major thrust of the on-going counter terror operation continued to remain on the Welioya front, as troops captured LTTE's main logistic base known as " Munnagam Base" located 6 Km North of Janakapura last evening. According to the defence sources, the base that provided the lifeline to the terrorists operating in the forward positions is consisted of 3 permanent buildings, 3 fortified command bunkers, and observation turrets. In addition, the base half-square acre in size has a large kitchen facility, and a storage room and an underground trench system linking each other. The sources further said that the camp was provided with electricity by a generator and facilitated with the water supply with two water towers and a well.
Separately , troops captured another fortified terror location with 7 bunkers and trenches located in the North of Janakapura area on the same day evening. During the subsequent search, troops found one T-81 riffle along with 7 magazines, 500 ammo used for the same weapon, 28 hand grenades, and other military gear.
Separately, in series of clashes occurred in the North of Kiriibbanwewa and North of Janakapura areas with in the course of the day , 2 terrorist reportedly killed and 3 others wounded. In addition, 9 others were either killed or wounded, according to the ground sources. Troops suffered no casualties in the Welioya front for the day.
Meanwhile, troops engaged in clearing operations in area removed 53 AP mines, 4 booby traps, 3 improvised bombs during the day.

Lanka IOC to withdraw from diesel sales?

Lanka Indian Oil Corporation is planning to further increase its diesel price with the ultimate objective of withdrawing from diesel sales and focus on the more profitable petrol sales, 'Lanka' newspaper says in its banner headline story.
Lanka IOC has been raising its diesel price without control after the government granted it permission to fix prices.
Since May 21st, it had increased the price by Rs. 20, Rs. 10 and Rs. 20 margins on three separate occasions, and a litre of diesel is presently sold at Rs. 130.
With its sale of petrol at Rs. 157 per litre, Lanka IOC earns an additional profit of Rs. 23, according to 'Lanka.'
The company is hoping that its higher diesel price will make consumers attracted more to filling stations run by the State Petroleum Corporation.
The longer wait and the longer queues created will result in more and more petrol-run vehicles soliciting Lanka OIC filling stations, thus increasing its petrol sales by unprecedented margins.
Having 100 filling stations in the country, it presently accounts for one-third of the local fuel market.
Experts note that neither the government nor the CPC has a way out of this scheme by Lanka IOC, the newspaper added.

Policeman injured in shooting in Monaragala

A police team came under attack by an unidentified group at Karakolagaspitiya in Monaragala this afternoon (May 30th), Police Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara said.
Around 20 persons clad in black fired at the police with an automatic weapon, injuring one policeman, he said.
The assailants had fled the area when the police returned fire.

Another defence reporter warned

Five local media rights groups report that senior journalist attached to 'Divaina' newspaper Sirimevan Kasturiarachchi had been warned by a group against reporting on defence matters.
They said in a statement that the three intimidators had gone to the Veyangoda home of the former treasurer of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association on May 29th.
According to the statement, Mr. Kasturiarachchi is a former officer of the Air Force and has been a defence reporter for around 20 years.He is the brother of a senior army officer who is reported as missing while on duty many years ago.
The 'Divaina' journalist has told the group about all this, and also that he had never troubled the government or the armed forces through his reporting.
However, they had insisted that he should stop reporting on defence matters immediately.
Mr. Kasturiarachchi also says that since of late, he has been prevented from covering important events of the army at the instigation of its hierarchy.
The statement says that the five media rights groups strongly condemn the continued harassment, intimidation and attacks against journalists as part of intensifying curbs against media freedom.They reiterate to the authorities that they should immediately intervene and ensure the people's right to information.
The statement has been signed by the Free Media Movement, the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, the Federation of Media Employees Trade Union, the Muslim Media Forum and the Tamil Media Alliance.

NFF appoints 15 district organizers

The National Freedom Front, led by JVP breakaways Wimal Weerawansa and Nandana Gunatilake, has appointed organizers for 15 districts.
The most prominent of the appointees are Achala Suranga Jagoda for Colombo, Jayantha Samaraweera for Kalutara, Piyasiri Wijenayake for Gampaha, Samansiri Herath for Puttalam and Senaratne de Silva for Kurunegala.
The NFF is also having Priyantha Bellana as its organizer for Galle, Deepal Gunasekara for Ratnapura, Priyanjith Wijesekara for Kegallae, Weerakumara Dissanayake for Anuradhapura, Saman Cabraal for Polonnaruwa, Nimal Premawansa for Kandy, Shirley Aravinda for Matale, Nimal Piyatissa for Nuwara Eliya, Padma Udaya Shantha for Moneragala and Mohamed Muzammil for Batticaloa.The party said organizers for Matara, Hambantota, Badulla, Trincomalee and Ampara would be appointed shortly.

SLAF carried out more air raids

Sri Lanka Air Force has carried out more air raids to identified LTTE targets in north.
Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said the targets of the air raids were mortar and artillery positions located in Kalmunai Bay at Punarine. They were launched at 12 noon and around 1.20 pm. The pilots have confirmed the air raids were successful.

Dalles -acting Treasurer of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party

Minister of Transport Dalles Alahapperuma has been appointed as the acting Treasurer of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party .
The appointment was made at a Central Committee meeting of the Party held under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapakse at the Temple Trees yesterday. The Central Committee has unanimously endorsed the proposal to appoint Minister Alahapperuma, presented by General Secretary of the SLFP and Minister Maithreepala Sirisena.
Post of Treasurer of the party has fallen vacant due to the death of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle.

New political parties before EC

The election secretariat says several new political parties have applied for registration.
A spokesman of the secretariat said the applications for registration will be examined by Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake in the next few days.

Special attention will be focused on the colour and symbols. There are 58 registered political parties in Sri Lanka.

The Mihin Airline recommence its operations from July.

Sunil C. Perera in Colombo
The Mihin air service will re-start their activities from July this year. Chief executive officer of the company Savin Vas Gunwardena says the attention has been focused to buy a French air bus at a concessionary leasing basis. It is expected to re-start six journeys which were implemented earlier.
The main aim is to minimize monthly losses and to become a profitable institute by April next year. The objective is to amalgamate with the Sri Lankan airlines in order to conduct business on a commercial basis.
He added that the Mihin air services has recorded the the profit of 2.73 billion rupees in the past one year. The company has provided service to more than 200 thousand commuters. The company started services with a premium capital of 250 million rupees.
Mr. Gunawardena added that the airline has become a very profitable and popular service for both local and foreign commuters. The chief executive rejecting unjust accusations launched by certain parities against the airline has reiterated that the airline has never used Employees Provident Funds of employees for conducting of the airline.

Special loan scheme for local footwear industry

Lanka Puthra Development bank operates a special loan to assist the local footwear industry.
The ministry of industrial development and the Sri Lanka Footwear Manufacturer’s Association contributes in this measure.
A maximum of 500,000 rupees will be granted under this loans scheme. This aim of this loan is to minimise the import of footwear and manufacture the country’s requirement locally.

Buyer -Seller meeting in Sri Lanka

Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council of India will hold a buyer-seller meet in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on June 26 and 27.

A release from PDEXCIL in this regard says the meet Indiatex 2008 is to showcase products of manufacturers and exports who are members of the organisation.

The meet is in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Textile Development Industry, Sri Lanka, Indo-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce and Joint A