Visiting Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr.Iftekhar Ahamed Chowdhury who condemns the terrorism concept and said the Bangladeshis successfully eliminate the terrorism concept from the country.
“We ended poverty level of the masses and we also obtained support of the all level of the masses to increase gross domestic production, increase food products and develop the country using their man power. We used micro credit plans and some other financial assistance to encourage masses to obtain their participation for the development activities of the country.
“We used these concepts to improve the quality of the life of the masses ,he said.
Speaking at an exclusive interview with the ASIAN TRIBUNE he said the terrorism is one of dangerous arm for the entire Asian region but in Bangladesh there is no bombs .
“ We condemned the terrorism, he said .

“We done our development plans successfully and addressed it through the concepts of micro credit applications, through non-formal education and government efforts to improve the economy and the social life. This strategy assisted us to improve quality of life of the masses and end food crisis, he said.
“We are self sufficient in the food producing sector .We also propose to set up a Food Bank for the Asian Region, he said.
“We have done all possible things to increase the food production in Bangladesh and now maintain good growth at this sector, he explained.

Explaining his views on the ongoing ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka he proposed peace is an important role to end the ethnic problem.
Replying questions he said Bangladesh has taken steps to strengthen trade ties with SAARC countries and the rest of the world.
“We expanded our national Air services to Sri Lanka.We invite investors to invest in Bangladesh and the government of Bangladesh would provide better concessions for them, he said.
“Four decades ago the Bangladeshis obtained Sri Lanka as their development model, he said.

Malaysia has abolished the visa on arrival (VOA) scheme for 27 countries, effective from today. According to a statement issued among the countries are India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and the latest entry, Pakistan.

Seven LTTE bodies were recovered following a fierce gun battle erupted between the security forces and LTTE terrorists in general area north of Mundampiddi in Mannar front this afternoon, July 31.
The latest report received from the battlefront said that troops in Task Force-1 attacked at terror stronghold located in north of Mundampiddi around 2.15 p.m. inflicting maximum damages to the enemy. 3 T-56 weapons, 2 hand grenades were also uncovered along with the 7 bodies of the slain LTTE cadres during the search operation conducted, the report added.
Troops have gained total control over 5 square kilometer area as the terrorists fled with their casualties in a face of effective fire power launched by the advancing troops. The further consolidating operations are now underway.

Chamber of Construction Industry Sri Lanka (CCI) will once again collaborate with the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) to host an interactive session for construction industry stakeholders including Construction Contractors, Architects, Designers, Property Developers and Furniture Manufacturers, which will be held on 12th August 2008 at Trans Asia Hotel, said Dakshitha Talgodapitiya, CEO of the CCI.
Malaysian Timber Council has also facilitated the visit of a ten member trade delegation comprising Manufacturers of Furniture, Mouldings & Flooring, Suppliers of Plywood, Particle Boards and Sawn Timber, with whom one to one business meetings will be arranged by the Chamber on 11th and 12th August 2008.

Dr. T. M. Wong, Director, Malaysian Timber Council will deliver a lecture on “Biodeterioration of Wood”. The lecture will be followed by a reception and dinner which will take place under the distinguished patronage of Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Minister of Construction & Engineering Services and His Excellency Rosli Ismail, High Commissioner of Malaysia, who will grace the occasion as Chief Guest and Guest of Honour respectively.

This initiative of the Chamber is designed to augment the supply of raw materials for the Construction Industry and Timber Processing Industries, while providing a valuable information service to the timber trade. Malaysian Timber Council is a state owned organization established in the year 1992 to promote the Development of the timber based industry in Malaysia and marketing of timber products. With Malaysia being endowed with a profuse variety of timber species, it has emerged to be a global leader in the supply chain of timber and timber based products. MTC and CCI have developed a strategic alliance and similar events have been hosted since the year 2006. This is another endeavour of the Construction Chamber to facilitate enhancement of Construction Industry Capacities and Competitiveness.

All those who are interested in Participating at this event are requested to contact the Chamber Secretariat on 2577812 and 2577815 since participation is by invitation only.

Pakistan has submitted the draft of a defence cooperation agreement with Sri Lanka, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said today.

Addressing a selected group of journalists, Mr. Qureshi said the draft was handed over to Sri Lankan authorities for their consideration.

He said his country had stood by Sri Lanka in difficult and challenging times and he was glad Sri Lanka acknowledged it.

Mr. Qureshi also assured that Pakistan’s defence assistance, which included weapons and training, to Sri Lanka would continue.

The Lanka Private Bus operators Association has decided to join a proposed three day strike to be organized by the National Trade Union Centre. The date for the strike is yet to be confirmed.

Customs has deferred a proposed ban on sale of high capacity electric and electronic home appliances by duty-free shops at Katunayake Airport till September 1.

The eye witnesses of the attack on a shop belonging to a JVP supporter in Arnaganwila had identified that Minister Mervyn Silva was among the attackers, Aralaganwila Police said. However the Minister denied any involvement in the incident.

Sri Lanka Air Force MI-24 helicopter gun ships launched a close air support mission targeting LTTE defences in 1Km west of Wellankulam junction, Mannar front, today, July 31.

The Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, speaking to the defence.lk said that the air raid was launched around 11.30 a.m to assist the ground troops of Task Force1 engaged in offensive march in Mannar front.

The target was accurately hit, spokesperson added.

Two Indian journalists who are in the country to cover the India-Sri Lanka Test series were briefly detained yesterday (July 30th) in Galle on security grounds, the Free Media Movement says.

The FMM said in a statement that it was relieved that both of them were released without much delay.

Indian Techvision cameraman Ali Ekram of RP TV was detained by police while doing a story on the Galle cricket stadium's backdrop, the Old Dutch Fort.

He was released after other journalists covering the test match intervened.

Another TV journalist Mustaque Ali working for Zee news was detained by a group of fishermen while he was filming the beach close to the Galle Fort.

He was able to contact fellow journalists to explain that he was there to cover the cricket match but until the Navy arrived he was not allowed to go back to his hotel.

He was asked by the Navy to delete the footage of beach close to the harbour, the FMM press release said.

Both these incidents show the difficulties and hostile environments faced by journalists working in Sri Lanka especially photo and television journalists.

In the past too, a number of foreign photojournalists were detained on security reasons only because they were covering normal day to day arrangements, the FMM said.

The FMM said it hopes that Galle cricket authorities will take necessary steps to ensure safety of the journalists in light of the two incidents.

Kalutara Chief Magistrate, H. Anura Seneviratne yesterday (July 30th) directed to further remand an OIC of a police station until August 06th for allegedly sexual harassing a 14-year old girl.

HQI of the National Child Protection Authority, W.D.V. Wijesena presented a lengthy description of intimidatory phone calls by the main suspect, Harold Rex Janson, to witnesses in the case.

He said that a videoed statement from the girl has also been recorded.

He further said that the witnesses of the case could be threatened if the main suspect was released on bail, which was requested by lawyers of the main accused.

The second suspect, who is the victim’s boyfriend, was released on two sureties of Rs. 250,000 each, as he is to sit for the GC.E A/L examination this year.

He was, however, ordered to give a statement to the HQI of the National Child Protection Authority.

The Kalutara Chief Magistrate criticized the police media spokesman for making public statement regarding the case.

An All Ceylon Muslim Congress which includes four ministers and eastern provincial council minister M.L.A.M. Hizbullah are meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Issues concerning Muslims and development of the eastern province are due to be taken up, Mr. Hisbullah said.

Meanwhile Eastern Provincial Council Chief minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan who has made a request to meet the Indian Prime Minister has so far failed to gain a positive response.

The TNA is to meet with the Indian PM on Saturday.

Dubai-based Al Futtaim Engineering LLC, the new owner of Sri Lanka’s Associated Motorways Ltd (AMW), on Thursday announced the customary offer to purchases the remaining (29.8 percent) shares in the company.

On Monday, the De Zoysa family sold their majority 51 percent stake in AMW and at the same time John Keells Holdings sold its 20 percent stake in the company, both to the same Dubai firm which now has a 71 percent stake in the firm. The De Zoysa brothers – Ajita and Tilak – however remain in management control at the request of the new owner.

A statement issued by Al Futtaim to the Colombo Stock Exchange today said that the company was offering to buy at Rs 174.50 per share the remaining 16 million or 29.84 percent of the balance shares at AMW. The mandatory offer is required by law once a company owns a certain amount of shares.

A number of bilateral issues related to the 15th SAARC Summit were discussed by the Foreign Ministers of Sri Lanka and India on Thursday evening.
According to the local foreign ministry officials the both Foreign Ministers discussed elimination of terrorisam from the both countries .
Meanwhile Buithan and Nepal prime ministers will meet on mid night of Thursday in Colombo.
According to the ministry sources Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukarji was arrived on Wednesday with tighest security.Meanwhile heads of the SAARC states will arrive on Friday and the local police said it would restrict a number of roads due to these VIP arrivals.
According to the sources Australia and Myanmmar will receive observer status of the SAARC summit and the further discussions would be held on Friday to approve their observation status.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two Day Summit of SAARC Foreign Ministers commenced on Thursday and their topics were defeating terrorism regional wise, food security and using resources of the region as a solution for the global energy crisis ..The draft statement on food security compiled at the yesterday’s SAARC Foreign Secretary standard committee forum be presented to the summit. Setting up a SAARC Food Bank and 300 million dollar Regional Development Fund will also be discussed in the two day Summit. India has already pledged 100 million dollars in this regard. During the press briefing at the Summit held in Colombo Pakistan Foreign Minister Mathdum Sha Mohamed Kurshi agreed to assist Sri Lanka to eliominate terrorisam. He said that his country also provides military training for the Sri Lankan forces. He said that terrorism is a challenge not only to Sri Lanka and Pakistan but also to the entire world
Meanwhile, the SAARC Heads of State Summit will begin on Saturday. The government said it has made arrangements to welcome the heads of state who will arrive at the international airport at Katunayake to attend the SAARC state leaders’ summit The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said four agreements would be signed during the Summit. Reaching a common consensus on defeating terrorism setting up a SAARC Development Fund and including Afghanistan to the SAFTA will be the main focus under the agreements.

The UNP yesterday challenged the Government to enumerate, if possible, the benefits that the country would derive from this SAARC summit without making statements to hoodwink the masses.

UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella told reporters yesterday that his party did not oppose any international conference being held here, yet this was not the appropriate time for it.

Mr. Kiriella said that the SAARC Summit was scheduled to be conducted in the Maldives, but it declined to do so citing political and economic reasons.

“Sri Lanka grabbed the chance despite the country undergoing numerous problems. This may be the first international conference to be held causing inconvenience to the public. Many houses have been demolished in the name of SAARC,” he said.

He said that the country would not benefit in a substantial measure from this summit though the Government was spending public money in billions of rupees.

He said that the Foreign Ministry had planned to host an expensive dinner for 400 guests.

“Besides, millions of rupees have been spent on floral and electrical decorations,” he said.

Commenting on the upcoming provincial council elections, he said that garment factory workers in particular living in these two provinces should exercise their franchise wisely at the election.

“If this government continues to be in power for another several months, Sri Lanka will lose the GSP+ facility extended to our garment exports to Europe. If it is removed, our textile industry will be in jeopardy with thousands of workers losing employment. Therefore, they should use this election to send a clear message to the Government,” he said.

Criticizing the Government for its failure to keep its election pledges, he said that the Hambantota district had been recorded as one of the worst malnutrition-hit area in the country.

“This is despite the Mahinda Chintana pledges to give nutritious packages for pregnant mothers and free mid-day meals to school children. None of these pledges have been kept today,” he said.

Advancing troops of the Task Force-2 operating in Palamoddai general area at the Wanni battle theater mounted heavy mortar and artillery attacks Wednesday (July 30) killing at least 8 terrorists, injuring 19 others, military sources said.

According to finalized reports received from the battlefront troops have advanced into LTTE bunker positions overwhelming terrorists and seizing control over 8 bunkers killing at least 7 terrorists alone, while LTTE transmission were cited as another 15 seriously injured. Troops pounced at the LTTE defences in a surprise assault launched in general area Palamoddai, at around 6p.m. 3 soldiers were also reported wounded in the skirmishes, military said.

Earlier, at 10.45a.m, troops clashed with a group of terrorists and have reportedly killed a terrorist and injured 4 others in the same area.

The Kandy Police Wednesday (July 30) took custody of a terror suspect alleged to be an employee of a LTTE bank run in Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaittiuvu.

The suspect a 26 year old youth was arrested by a special team of officers, Kandy Police said adding that the suspect had conferred that he was visiting his sister now resided in Kandy.

The Kandy police are conducting investigations to establish whether the suspect was involved in any terrorist activities, the sources further said.

The European Union (EU) says the aircraft for the visiting EU delegation to visit Trincomalee was picked after considering security issues and refuted the allegations raised by EU Member of Parliament Niranjan Deva Aditya over the issue.
The Sri Lankan born EU MP had told the media on Tuesday the leader of the delegation turned down an offer of a Government aircraft to visit Trincomalee on the grounds that the EU could be seen to be partial.

“This decision did not really belong to the Chair of the Delegation, and had nothing to do with being partial as a Parliamentary delegation. To undertake missions abroad we have to be authorised by the EP's conference of presidents, i.e. by the political leaders of the House, including the EPP-ED, i.e. the political group M. Deva belongs to. This authorisation was granted under the explicit condition that in planning our mission paramount consideration would be given to the safety of our Members,” Philippe Kamaris, Director General, External Policies of the European Parliament said.

Mr. Kamaris recalled that last February when the Government organised a flight for the EU Ambassadors to Batticaloa the helicopter came under heavy attack from the LTTE, upon landing, resulting in one of the participants being injured.

“Of course, since last February the situation on the ground has changed; nonetheless, it was deemed safer for our mission to use the good offices of the UN and to fly with a plane bearing the UN colours.

All participants were informed of this when we were planning our mission and there were no objections,” he added.

Niranjan Deva Aditya had said the EU delegation did not go to Trincomalee, as had been planned with the full support of the Foreign Ministry and the Government of Sri Lanka, for many reasons.

One reason was that instead of the Government aircraft an aeroplane from South Africa was chartered for the delegation through a private company by the EU Delegation Office in Colombo through the United Nations.

The plane yet to be certificated as airworthy according to Sri Lanka Civil Aviation Rules did not arrive in Colombo from South Africa until Sunday (July 20) for a flight for Wednesday (July 23), though plans of the EU delegation were known at least two months in advance by the EU office in Colombo.

UPFA members of the Attanagalla Pradeshiya Sabha have taken a decision not to attend any meetings and rallies which former President Chandrika Kumaratunga would attend in the future.

UPFA member Priyantha Pushpakumara, who is also a coordinating officer of the President, said that the former President had requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa to appoint Pradeshiya Sabha member Ranjith Rupasinghe as the SLFP’s Attanagalla district organizer.

However, President Rajapaksa had appointed Parliamentarian Sarana Gunawardane as the SLFP’s Attanagalla district organizer.

Local Media minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa inaugurated the IV SAARC Journalist Summit of the South Asian Free Media Association –SAFMA in Colombo on Wednesday.
Around 130 local and foreign Journalists attended the media summit and highlighted grievances on media men in the Asian region and said most of Journalists were killed and harassed by the Para military forces and separatists.
Speaking at this occasion Sri Lankan media minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said the government has taken positive steps to look after local media men and already appointed a special committee made up of ministers to look into the complaints of journalists. This is an additional bodies set up as institutional safeguards against rights violations.
“Our system in short though imperfect is certainly less compromised in its imperfection than most other nations facing similar threats and endowed with problems associated with development lag, he said.
He said local media industry was liberalized by the government .The government has taken the form of encouraging private media organizations and creating conditions for their development. With 14 television stations , 32 radio stations and 23 news papers with nation-wide circulations, with the private media out numbering state media with ever-expanding internet access, with the proliferation of news related websites. State media cannot lie and get away it, he said.
He further said media has played a crucial role. On the one hand, it has empowered the people by providing necessary information and cogent analysis of economic , political and social processes ; and on the other , responsible sections of the media.
He said the SAFMA has reiterated its commitment to playing a progressive role in the region’s development.
Addressing the occasion president of the SAFMA Laxman Gunasekara said Journalists of the Asian Region face similar things, but work together to achieve a common goal.
“War, violence, harassment, assault or killing of journalists are common things, but we have to avoid this situation, he said.
Secretary General of the SAFMA Imitiaz Alam said journalists also face travel restrictions among the SAARC countries.
“We must ease these restrictions with the help of SAARC heads, he said,.
Mrs.Sadaf Arshad said most of journalists in this region face various threats .She also presented a detailed country reports on media harassments, rights violations and killing of media men in the region. The SAFMA plans to declare its declaration at end of the four-day summit.

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets bombed a training facility of LTTE suicide bombers also known as Black Tigers located in the Iranamadu area, 3km southeast of Kilinochchi this morning (July 30). MAP

Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara speaking to defence.lk confirmed that the terror camp was destroyed in the air raid carried out at 6.35 AM. He said, citing fighter pilots that the camp was in flames after the bombing mission.

Meanwhile, defence intelligence sources said the targeted "Black Tiger" camp was operated directly under guidance of LTTE's notorious intelligence wing leader Pottu Amman. The target was obtained after receiving real time ground information that an activity of suicide bombers was going on at the camp, said the sources. The exact location of the target was in the Thirivaiaru area , just 3 Km off from the LTTE's main stronghold at Kilinochchi, the sources added.

LTTE is a ruthless terror outfit fighting for a mono ethnic separate homeland for the Tamils in Sri Lanka since 1983. The organizations operates under extreme tribal ideologies created by its megalomaniac leader V. Prabhakaran and has unleashed one of the most barbaric terrorist wars in the world against the citizens of Sri Lanka.

Security Forces operating at the combined Mannar- Vavuniya front led continuous attacks at identified terror positions Monday (July 29), inflicting heavy damages to LTTE as finalized military reports state 16 terrorists killed, 3 wounded in addition to 16 others believed either killed or wounded in the battles.

According to the reports, troops of the 57 Division operating at the eastern flank of the battlefront have killed 4 terrorists in general area Northwest of Kalvilan, Southeast of the Vellankulam-Thunukkai main road, and 2 others killed by troops of the Task Force 2 now operating in Navvi and Palamoddai general areas, West of the A-9 trunk road.

2 soldiers sustained injuries in separate confrontations ensued with LTTE in general area Kalvilan, while another soldier laid his life and 2 reported wounded in separate fighting erupted in general area Vavunikulam, Southeast of Mallavi, military further stated.

Meanwhile, troops of the Task Force-1 flanking the western edge of the combined Mannar- Vavuniya front had reportedly killed 9 terrorists in yesterday's clashes. According to reports, 10 terrorists were either killed or wounded during a fierce exchange of gunfire between troops and LTTE in general area Admpamkulam, at 2.25p.m., in addition to 4 others reported killed in a SLA laid ambush in the same area at around 2.45p.m.

Also, troops confirmed killing 5 terrorists during a confrontation with LTTE in general area Kalmadu, at 2.30p.m.

During a subsequent search operation conducted troops recovered an LTTE body, 05 hand grenades, a T-56 assault riffle and a dog-tag, sources stated. Military citing ground troops said that, 3 terrorists were either killed or wounded in general area Kalmadu at 2.35p.m.

On the Welioya battlefront, security forces have killed a terrorist and injured 3 others on Tuesday's fighting in addition to 2 Army soldiers who were reported wounded in the incidents, according to military. Troops have also uncovered 103 anti-personnel (AP) mines and 11 IEDs during separate search operations conducted North of Janakapura, Kiriibbanwewa and Nittukkaikulama. Meanwhile, troops also have attacked and overran 8 LTTE bunker defences either killing or injuring 3 terrorists during the offensive North of Kiriibbanwewa at 5.30a.m., reports further stated citing ground troops.

Sri Lanka Navy Off-Shore Patrol (OPV) vessel 'SLNS Sayura' responding to a distress message received, have rescued a multi-day fishing trawler and its crew Tuesday(July 29) in the high seas, 85 nautical miles off Foul Point, Trincomalee.

The trawler, 'Hiruni II' and its crew of 5 were drifting for 13 consecutive days after the trawler experienced an engine failure approximately 52 nautical miles off Pulmoddai and drifted further into the deep seas, Navy said citing the rescued. The vessel was also constrained in her manoeuvrability after she began to take in water due to a fracture in her hull worsening the situation in the choppy waters, the sources said.

On receiving the distress signal, navy launched a rescue operation and reportedly has detected the drifting trawler on Monday, as Navy further said that the boat and its crews were towed to the Trincomalee Harbour yesterday.

The trawler belonging to one N.H Sugath, had cast-off from Trincomalee on 4th July, Navy sources further added.

Major General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander, Security Forces Headquarters-Wanni (SFHQ-W) on Tuesday (July 29), following directives given by Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, formally requested Mannar Bishop Rt Rev. Dr Rayappu Joseph to resume the custody of the most sacred Madu Shrine on total completion of Army repairs and renovation.

Rt Rev Dr Rayappu Joseph who used the Madu Road for the first time to reach the holy Madu Shrine today (July 29) after it was cleared of terrorists and their explosive devises was conducted to the Shrine premises by Major General Jayasuriya where His Lordship had a tour of close inspection of the inner chambers and surrounding premises. The holy Shrine area fell to the Army hands in April, this year.

The Army Engineer troops, consequent upon instructions from Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, undertook the challenge of repairs to the holy church at a cost of Rs1.5 million, allocated from the Army budget. Last Tuesday (July 22) the holy 'Our Lady of Madu' was brought back to the Mannar Bishop House after an informal discussion Major General Jagath Jayasuriya has had with Rt Rev. Dr Rayappu Joseph on 21 July.

Wanni Commander also pointed out that Army Engineer troops have by now de-mined and cleared one square km of land surrounding the Shrine of landmines, booby traps and other explosives, left buried by LTTE terrorists when they retreated after inflicting damages on the church building some months back. Major General Jayasuriya also gave an assurance to the Bishop that his troops would not serve in the reserve area to the premises in uniforms or with arms once the holy statue is returned and feast organized.


Rt Rev. Dr Rayappu Joseph, pleased with the speedy renovation of the premises, in turn has expressed the hope that the holy statue could be consecrated again in the near future after sending a team of Catholic priests in advance to the venue for prior administrative work. Mannar Bishop after extending his greetings to the Security Forces has told that the precincts appear to be conducive to conduct of routine religious services in accordance with the traditions.

An unknown gunman riding a motorcycle opened fire at a group of five police guards deployed at the residence of TNA. M.P. T.Kanagasabai at Kalawanchchkudi, injuring one of them on Wednesday evening.

Police said the injury was not serious.

The MP was in the house at the time of the attack.

John Keells Holdings (JKH) said on Wednesday night that its directors at a special board meeting were fully briefed of the judgement in the Lanka Marine Services Ltd (LMSL) and the board had decided to ‘fully implement’ the Supreme Court decision.

“The board resolved to meet full compliance with the judgement,” JKH Deputy Chairman Ajit Gunawardene said .

The board meeting which all 10 directors attended was called by JKH Chairman Susantha Ratnayake to discuss the judgement over the 2002 privatization of LMSL, in which JKH has a 90 percent stake, and discuss the financial implications and other issues arising out of the verdict.

Mr Gunawardene said it was a ‘normal’ board meeting. “The board was briefed by the executive directors of all the facts of the judgement. The board also resolved that John Keells will continue to serve its customers and stakeholders to the highest standards as maintained by the company,” he said. The JKH Deputy Chairman said they were discussing with the authorities on fulfilling the tax obligations as listed out in the judgement.

The 10-member board comprises executive directors -- Susantha Ratnayake - Chairman, Ajit Gunewardene - Deputy Chairman, Sumithra Gunesekera and Ronnie Peiris - Group Finance Director, and non executive, independent directors -- Franklyn Amerasinghe, Tarun Das, Steven Enderby, Mohamed Muhsin, Deva Rodrigo and Ms Sithie Tiruchelvam.

Last week the Court declared that the 2002 privatisation of LMSL was illegal, unlawful and arbitrary. It ordered Treasury Secretary Dr P.B. Jayasundera (who was chairman of the Public Enterprise Reforms Commission at the time) to pay compensation of Rs 500,000. Directors of JKH were asked to pay Rs 250,000 as costs. Court also ordered that the land on which the bunkering facilities lies should be returned to the state and that all taxes – since LMSL got tax-free status – should be paid from the date of privatization onwards.

South Asian leaders are to urge the UN to expedite the finalizing of a UN charter against terrorism, Foreign Secretary Dr.Palitha Kohona said today.

Foreign Secretaries of the eight countries of SAARC ended their two day discussions this evening and said terrorism is an issue that affects all the countries in the region and needs to be addressed at a regional level as well as an international level.

“The UN charter has been seven years in the making and needs to be expedited,” he said.

Dr.Kohona who now heads the standing committee of foreign secretaries also said that Sri Lanka has proposed the creation of a food bank which would enable food be to stock piled in SAARC member nations so as to be used when they were food scarcities in the region.

He added that the Secretaries had also almost finalized the guidelines on the role of the countries that participate in SAARC as observers.

World fuel prices, which are on an easing trend, on Wednesday fell to $122.37 per barrel for the Brent variety while the OPEC basket was trading at $121.73, the Central Bank said.

The trend in world prices was also reflected in the Colombo stock markets today where a large parcel of LIOC shares were traded at a higher price with investors believing that lower crude prices would help to generate more volume sales for LIOC and in turn raise profits. In the refined products market in Singapore, petrol traded at $124, diesel at $154.50 and kerosene at $156.90.

Police will shortly submit a report to the Attorney General on the incident where Minister Mervin Silva had forcibly entered a shop belonging to JVP supporters in the Polonnaruwa district and opened fire damaging his shop and a motorbike.

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said that Aranaganwila the Police are wrapping up the investigations and a report will be sent to the AG soon for legal proceedings to commence.

However a JVP spokesman said so far no action ahs been taken against the Minister despite a complaint being lodged with the Police.

The skeletal remains of two people stacked in a gunny bag were found by a group of fishermen in a canal in Kadawatta today. Police are investigating the discovery.

A top LTTE operative, in-charge of procurement module in Sri Lanka, was arrested in Chennai today, Indian police said. The Q-branch, intelligence wing of the Tamil Nadu police, today arrested Thambianna (46), "in-charge of the LTTE's procurement module" in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka will cut the number of maids it sends to the Middle East, a labour official said, citing increased complaints of abuse by women migrant workers.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama says the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) would get stronger under an Iranian leadership. The Minister made these remarks in his address to the 15th Non-Aligned Movement foreign ministers meeting which opened in Iran yesterday with a speech by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The Attorney General C.R. De Silva suggested establishing a special High Court to hear bribery cases to expedite the legal process and to eradicate bribery and corruption in the country.

SAARC Leaders visit Parliament next Sunday (August 3) morning and a reception will be accorded to them in the House, Sergeant at Arms Anil Samarasekara said.
SAARC leaders last visited Sri Lanka for the summit held in 1998. The present summit will host leaders from Afghanistan, the new member of SAARC, along with Bangladesh, Bhutan, India Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the BMICH for two days August 2 and 3.

Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan who is attending his first international leaders’ meeting, Dr. Farukhddin Ahmed, Chief Advisor to the Government of Bangladesh, Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigmey Thinley, Prime Minister of India Dr.Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of Nepal Girija Prasad Koirala, President of Maldives Moumoon Abdul Gayoom, Prime Minister of Pakistan Yousuf Riza Gilani will be the guest leaders who will attend the reception in their honour at the Parliament.


SAARC summit this year will adopt a special declaration on mutual action against terrorism in the region that had witnessed the assassination of several of its leaders during the last two decades, including the Premier of neighbouring India Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa.

Minister of Labour Dr. Mervin Silva yesterday vehemently denied accusations that he was involved in attacking a JVP supporter’s shop at Aralagangwila.

He said the JVP was divided and were trying to blame him for their troubles.

After the alleged incident on Sunday night, Aralagangwila Police visited the Minister at the Mahaweli holiday bungalow and recorded his statement. "I came here only last Sunday. This place is unknown to me and how could anybody expect me to get involved in a shooting incident. While trying to canvas for votes why should we antagonize the JVP?" he asked.

When media contacted JVP spokesman Vijitha Herath he said it was not anyone else but Mervin Silva himself who was responsible for the fracas at Aralagangwila on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, a special police team has been dispatched to Aralagangwila from Anuradhapura to conduct further inquiries. DIG North Central Province K. P. P. Pathirana said the Police report would be forwarded to the IGP as soon as he receives it. Meanwhile, General Secretary of the SLFP Minister Maithripala Sirisena when asked to comment said that he only heard of such an incident but was unaware of anything else.

The Government Medical Officers Association warned they would resort to trade union action if the government does not abandon the idea of signing an MOU with India on Tele-medicine. Spokesman for the GMOA Dr. Upul Gunasekara said yesterday such an agreement would only place a big burden on the shoulders of the government.

The Sri Lankan doctors already practice tele-medicine "as we don’t hesitate to confer with our counterparts in other countries, mostly when seeking a second opinion on a difficult case. Our consultants are trained in the UK, USA and Australia and they are able to get in touch with the senior consultants in those countries to seek secondary opinions," he said. However, the present situation is different as the government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) is attempting to sign an agreement with a company which is affiliated to the Government of India – namely Telecommunication Consultants India Ltd," a GMOA source said.

If entered into, the whole executive authority of the one-year project in tele-medicine would be with the Indian company while Sri Lanka will provide the financial resource and should on any account a medical mishap occur while the patient is being treated by an Indian doctor, then compensation would also have to be borne by Sri Lanka.

He claimed that this was highly unethical and foolhardy on the part of the GOSL to enter into such pact where it was at the losing end. "The Indians would definitely not seek our assistance when treating their nationals."

He said that the agreement should work both ways. "They should at least seek our assistance in the field of primary health care because our health care system is on par with that of the developed countries. "Our infant and maternal mortality rates rank amongst the lowest," Gunasekara said.

The spokesman urged the government to go through the right channels by discussing the matter with the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC), The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) and the thirty eight medical colleges for expert advice and suggestions.

The SLMC in Sri Lanka ensures that the nation is provided with a proper health care system. "I wonder who is going to stand by the people of Sri Lanka should the Indian doctors err in their medication. I doubt the Indian Medical Council will take responsibility for the people of our country," the spokesman said.

Meanwhile the JVP accused India of trying to worm its way into our medical field. They have already taken over petroleum, electricity and mineral sand while one finds many Indian drugs also in the market. "Now it seems that India is trying to take over our human resource as well by imposing this scheme of tele-medicine on us."

The government has finally decided against signing the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with India.

After years of talks, the pact was decided to be inked on the sidelines of the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa informed the Economic Advisory Committee meeting at Temple Trees yesterday (July 29th) of the decision, saying that CEPA would not be economically beneficial for Sri Lanka.

The Free Media Movement says it is deeply disturbed over the remarks attributed to the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka in recent interviews he has granted.

One such interview appeared in the state run Sunday Observer newspaper of 20th July 2008, the FMM said in a statement.

The contents were later posted on the website of the Ministry of Defence ( www.defence.lk) thus giving it official credence.

Another interview was published in the Sunday Sinhala weekly Lakbima and was posted thereafter on their website (http://www.lakbima.lk/archive/last 20.07.08/index.htm).

We reproduce below relevant excerpts of the interviews where Lt. Gen. Fonseka is quoted as justifying the recent attacks, intimidation and harassment of journalists.

"If Keith Noyair has not done anything wrong, he does not have to live in fear. If he has done some damage to our organisation or to a person, especially when he has done something which he is not suppose to do, then it is natural he must be living in fear. If they think that they have done something of that nature the best thing for them is to correct themselves and rectify the mistake".

"We know that journalists are being bribed, given 'drinks', treated in restaurants and they have their own vested interests.. . We know very well about those media people who take bribes, write and voice their opinion for some personal gains.

These so called media guys are not responsible to the people and they are not entitled to such media freedom.

That Keith Noyair who was assaulted was returning from a restaurant with his friends and they were drunk. We do not know that somebody in the restaurant had got annoyed with them, followed him and assaulted.

So, especially the media people should behave well and set an example to others. To me, those who stage protests with unshaven beards, long hairs and wearing costumes like in fancy dress competitions are not scribes who are clamoring for media freedom but a gang of thugs". (Interview with the Observer, reproduced in www.defense.lk )

In another interview with Sinhala language weekly Lakbima the commander had said the attacks on Keith Noyahr, Iqbal Atthas and Namal Perera could be the consequences of their “misdeeds”

If indeed Lt. Gen. Fonseka has made the remarks attributed to him, the FMM is of the view, that it is unbecoming conduct of a highest military officer.

At a time when he is spearheading a war against Tiger rebels, it is unfortunate that he has chosen it fit to justify indirectly the recent attacks on journalists.

(The FMM waited for a week before making this statement to see if there would be any corrections to the interviews form the commander.)

In reporting any public interest issue, no doubt, independent journalists may express dissenting views. Such views may sometimes be uncomfortable to various persons in the echelons of power.

The time honoured tradition under successive Governments have been for those concerned to counter those views, correct the facts if they are known or state their own.

If they violated the laws of the land, they would also have recourse to Courts.

However, if the remarks of Lt. Gen. Fonseka are in fact correct it clearly leaves an indelible impression that the might of the military is being brought to bear on unarmed and unprotected journalists.

This in the form of a hate campaign to threaten harasses, intimidate and force them into silence. This is an extremely disturbing trend and is unprecedented in Sri Lanka.

Making this even more disconcerting, the FMM strongly believes, is the deafening silence of the Government.

Not so long ago, they announced the appointment of a Ministerial Committee to alleviate the problems faced by journalists. Several Ministers made pledges to protect them and ensure media freedom.

The FMM says it believes that it would be the responsibility of the Government to make its position clear.

Otherwise, FMM fears, their silence or indifference would only pave the way for more journalists to be killed, brutally assaulted, intimidated and harassed.

Private bus owners are being reached for support for a three-day work stoppage planned by the National Trade Unions Centre.

Head of the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association Gamunu Wijeratne and four other bus union leaders will meet the NTUC tomorrow (July 31st) to discuss matters.

Convener of the NTUC Samantha Koralearachchi said they expected trade unions in other sectors too, to join hands in the union action.

Dr. P.B. Jayasundara need not be removed from his positions as Secretary of the Finance Ministry and the Treasury, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has stressed.

Innocent public officials should not be blamed for the wrongs of political leaders and politicians, the president said, referring to the Supreme Court ruling against the top official.

Mr. Rajapaksa was speaking at the economic advisory committee meeting at Temple Trees yesterday (July 29th).

Dr. Jayasundara and Ministers Karu Jayasuriya, Milinda Moragoda and Bandula Gunawardena attended the discussion.

Top Sri Lankan fixed line phone operator Sri Lanka Telecom's SLTL.CM group June quarter net profit jumped 168 percent to 1.5 billion rupees ($13.95 million), a local business website reported on Wednesday.
The website www.lbo.lk cited a Sri Lanka Telecom statement in its report published ahead of the results release on Thursday by the bourse.
An official from Sri Lanka Telecom said it had given the quarterly results to the bourse although he was unable to confirm the numbers. A stock market official confirmed it had received the results and hoped to publish them on Thursday morning.
"Sri Lanka Telecom, the island's top fixed line operator, said June quarter net profit shot up 168 percent to 1.5 billion rupees from 560 million rupees in the same quarter a year before," the website said.
It said group revenue went up by 21 percent to 11.8 billion rupees in the same quarter.
Company net profit went up 129 percent to almost 1.3 billion rupees, it said.
Sri Lanka Telecom shares closed 0.56 percent up at 45 rupees a share on Wednesday, calculated on a weighted average.
Sri Lanka Telecom, which is 49.5 percent state owned, is among the most heavily-weighted firms on the Colombo bourse, accounting for 10.2 percent of the market's capitalisation. ($1=107.54 rupees)

Officials from eight South Asian nations have outlined an ambitious set of goals for the 15th SAARC summit, underway in the Sri Lankan capital. From Colombo, VOA correspondent Steve Herman reports the group is hoping to transform itself from a reputation for a lot of talking, but little action.
Poverty alleviation, ensuring food security, tackling energy shortfalls and fighting terrorism are all on the agenda of the 15th Summit of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation. There is skepticism the organization, known as SAARC, can tackle such a to-do list.

The group has a reputation for issuing declarations with little follow-up, and that is when the summit has actually been held. Some years the leaders have failed to gather, due to the hostilities or disagreements between member nations.

Sri Lanka's foreign secretary, Palitha Kohona, says that is now in the past.

"Over the last year or two the countries of the region have left their bilateral issues aside in order to achieve the common good," Kohona said.

But all is not calm. Border incidents and simmering tensions among SAARC countries, including between Pakistan and SAARC's newest member, Afghanistan, threaten to overshadow this year's gathering and its goals.

The 15th Summit is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of the region's residents. The South Asian countries have the largest number of people living in poverty.


Summit spokesman, Sri Lankan Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, says leaders this year are serious about moving SAARC to the implementation stage.

"Implementation means you reach the people and you work with people to make something meaningful and to feel it in the ground," he said. "So, for 20 years we were more on declaratory process and now we are transforming ourselves into implementation."

SAARC, which was established in 1985, includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Noting the decades of evolution it took for such bodies as the European Union or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to achieve effectiveness, the head of the Center for Policy Alternatives, Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, believes it may be premature to expect much from SAARC.

"Arguably SAARC is ahead of its time," he said. "The level of development and maturity in terms of political institutions and institutionalization of democratic culture - that has yet to happen in sufficient measure."

SAARC officials say ministers of state have agreed on nearly everything to be included in the summit declaration, which will be endorsed by the heads of government on Sunday.

The leaders are to sign an agreement establishing a regional development fund. India is pledging to fund one-third of the $300 million fund, which will be dedicated to eradicating poverty.

-London/Colombo/Mumbai/Singapor-30 July 2008: Fitch Ratings Lanka has today affirmed Sri Lanka-based Hayleys MGT Knitting Mills PLC's (HMGT) National Long-term rating at 'BBB+(lka)'. The Outlook is Stable.The rating reflects HMGT's strong credit matrix and market position.
However, the rating is currently constrained by a potential withdrawal of the Generalised System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) scheme by the European Union (EU), due to HMGT's significant volume of indirect sales to the EU. In addition, a tightening of global demand for garments, higher local competition in the medium-term and significant cost increases remain challenges.
The EU's decision on re-awarding or withdrawing GSP+ scheme to Sri Lanka acts as an overhang on the rating, as approximately 70% of HMGT's sales in FY08 were indirectly to EU-based brands. Fitch also views the slowdown in sales of final garment products in the developed markets (Q109 - Marks & Spencer: clothing down 3.6%; Next Plc: retail down 5%) and cost increases in input cotton yarn and utilities as key operational constraints for HMGT. Over the medium-term, the possible entry of a large Indian knit manufacturer by 2009 is also expected to increase competition within the local industry.However, HMGT's encouraging financial and operating performance over the last three years, with continuous revenue growth (FY06-FY08 compounded annual growth rate: 26%), margin stability within a low volatility band (Gross Profit:2 4%-26% ; Profit After Tax: 9.8%-10.5%), improved working capital management, and the forecasted leveling-off of capital expenditure in the short-term are expected to act as a cushion to the above negative effects.HMGT's coverage and leverage ratios (as measured by funds from operations/ gross interest expense and total adjusted debt, net of cash/operating EBITDAR) have gradually improved over the last three years to 5.9x and 1.6x respectively (FYE08).
Its lower liquidity and the reduced undrawn credit facilities will be, to some extent, negated by the expected reduction of capital expenditure in the short-term, and the possible increase in access to credit lines due to an enhancement of banks' "single borrower limits" subsequent to main shareholder Hayleys' divestures.HMGT is the second-largest independent knitted fabric manufacturer in Sri Lanka, with predominantly local sales (transactions in USD) to large garment manufacturers based in Sri Lanka.
HMGT remains a key player in the backward integration process for local value addition under the GSP+ scheme, and has obtained accreditations from global brands such as M&S, Next, and Bhs. HMGT, with 15 years of experience, remains the only factory in Sri Lanka capable of producing 100% polyester fabric, and currently manufactures a wide range of products.

An expected meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sri Lanka's only Tamil chief minister may not take place - amid grumbling that the former Tamil Tiger is being denied powers to succeed as a guerrilla-turned-administrator.
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, who is chief minister of the eastern province, was to have called on the Indian leader when the latter visits Colombo Aug 1-3 to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, informed sources said.

It would have been the first time in two decades that any former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) member would have an audience with an Indian prime minister. It would have also shown India's continuing interest in Sri Lankan affairs, in the northern and eastern provinces in particular.

According to the sources, Sri Lankan authorities did not favour a meeting between the prime minister and Pillayan in particular when Manmohan Singh was coming primarily for a South Asian summit. The Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP), a radical Sinhalese nationalist group, is already branding Pillayan "an Indian agent".

Pillayan was among a large number of LTTE fighters who revolted in March 2004 and eventually formed the Tamil Makkal Vidhuthalai Puligal (TMVP). He became chief minister of the multi-ethnic eastern province in May this year after the TMVP fought the provincial elections in alliance with President Mahinda Rajapaksa's ruling coalition.

According to informed sources, Pillayan has since been complaining that he is being denied powers due to him as the top elected man in the eastern province, made up of the districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai.

For almost all his ills, Pillayan is blaming Mohan Wijewickrama, a confidant of the president who has been the undisputed eastern province governor for some time and who, according to Tamil sources, is reluctant to give up his powers. The governor could not be reached for this report.

An informed source told IANS: "The government has accepted the (India-backed) 13th amendment (to the constitution of 1987) to devolve more powers to provinces. But they are not giving even those powers to the chief minister. The governor makes appointments the chief minister should make. He seems to look at the chief minister as his advisor.

"The whole thing is very frustrating. The chief minister does not have powers over the police. Can you think of a chief minister in India minus police powers? And the governor is exploiting genuine Tamil-Muslim differences in the region to his advantage. In simple words, the governor is proving by his actions that no Tamil chief minister can ever think of genuine autonomy in the north or east. This is exactly what the LTTE says."

The LTTE has repeatedly said that its fight for an independent Tamil state is necessitated by Colombo's refusal to genuinely share powers with the Tamil minority.

India is opposed to a break up Sri Lanka but believes that Colombo has to do a lot more for genuine power sharing. India conducts friendly interactions with almost all political forces in Sri Lanka. In recent times Western representatives have also called on Pillayan in Trincomalee despite levelling charges of human rights violations against his TMVP.

Kathmandu - Nepal's main political parties Wednesday agreed to allow the caretaker prime minister to lead the Nepalese delegation to a regional summit being held in Sri Lanka, a government minister said.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's attendance at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit on August 2-3 was in dispute following opposition from the country's Maoist party.
However, a meeting of the four biggest parties in Nepal's constituent assembly, which includes the Maoists, agreed to let the former prime minister represent Nepal at SAARC.
'We have agreed that Prime Minister Koirala will lead the Nepalese delegation to the summit,' Minister for Peace Ram Chandra Paudel told reporters.
'The decision was taken under special circumstances where a new government would not be installed by the time of the summit and Nepal not attending the meeting would have postponed the summit altogether,' Paudel said.
Koirala will lead a 35-member Nepalese delegation and is expected to leave Kathmandu Thursday.
The SAARC summit requires all its member nations to attend the meeting or the conference will be postponed.
The Maoists had opposed Koirala, saying his resignation had already been accepted and he would not be able to sign agreements representing the country.
They instead proposed President Ram Baran Yadav to lead the Nepali delegation, but this was rejected by the Nepali Congress party.
The Maoists emerged as Nepal's biggest party following elections in April. However, the formation of a new government has been delayed because of a dispute over power sharing mechanisms.
Kathmandu - Nepal's main political parties Wednesday agreed to allow the caretaker prime minister to lead the Nepalese delegation to a regional summit being held in Sri Lanka, a government minister said.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's attendance at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit on August 2-3 was in dispute following opposition from the country's Maoist party.
However, a meeting of the four biggest parties in Nepal's constituent assembly, which includes the Maoists, agreed to let the former prime minister represent Nepal at SAARC.
'We have agreed that Prime Minister Koirala will lead the Nepalese delegation to the summit,' Minister for Peace Ram Chandra Paudel told reporters.
'The decision was taken under special circumstances where a new government would not be installed by the time of the summit and Nepal not attending the meeting would have postponed the summit altogether,' Paudel said.
Koirala will lead a 35-member Nepalese delegation and is expected to leave Kathmandu Thursday.
The SAARC summit requires all its member nations to attend the meeting or the conference will be postponed.
The Maoists had opposed Koirala, saying his resignation had already been accepted and he would not be able to sign agreements representing the country.
They instead proposed President Ram Baran Yadav to lead the Nepali delegation, but this was rejected by the Nepali Congress party.
The Maoists emerged as Nepal's biggest party following elections in April. However, the formation of a new government has been delayed because of a dispute over power sharing mechanisms.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee arrived in Colombo on Wednesday night to participate in SAARC Council of Ministers meeting on Thursday.
Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister MK Hussain Bahila and Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad received Mukherjee at the airport.
The SAARC Council of Ministers' meeting will finalise the agenda for the August 2-3 summit.
Mukherjee arrived in Colombo from Tehran where he attended the 15th Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
This year's SAARC summit is being held under the theme of 'Partnership for our people' and will also focus on launch of the SAARC Development Fund, establishing a South Asian Regional Standards Organisation, and increasing cooperation among SAARC nations with regard to criminal offences.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit is also likely to be discussed the expansion of the regional grouping.
The Sri Lankan government has stepped up security across the capital for the SAARC meeting.
]

Due to the SAARC rehearsal some roads were closed within the Colombo city limits. Here the traffic congestion on Kelaniya road when the roads were closed.

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) - Nepal's major political parties demanded Wednesday that the caretaker prime minister withdraw plans to take part in a regional conference in Sri Lanka.
Girija Prasad Koirala,, who resigned earlier this month but is continuing as head of a caretaker government, is planning to fly to Colombo this weekend for the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation summit.

"It is not right for a prime minister who has already resigned to represent the nation in an important conference like that," said C.P. Gajurel of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the party of the former communist rebels who have emerged as the largest political entity.

Gajurel said the newly elected president should go to the summit instead, even though he holds only a ceremonial position with no executive powers.

Bhim Rawal of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) also said it asked Koirala to cancel his summit plans.

The SAARC summit is regarded as an important event involving heads of government of the eight South Asian nations -- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

SAARC requires all member countries to participate or the conference will be postponed.

Elections in Nepal were held in April but formation of a new government has been delayed because the political parties have not been able to agree on a coalition.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is yet to accept Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera’s ‘resignation’ but in the event that happens some names including Central Bank Governor Ajit Nivard Cabraal have been mentioned as possible replacements for this position, a senior Presidential Secretariat official said on Wednesday.

He said a short while ago that the weekly cabinet meeting will not be held today, as normally scheduled, due to the SAARC summit and thus no changes in the Treasury Secretary’s position will be made until next week. Dr Jayasundera came under fire from the Supreme Court last week in the court’s judgement on the privatisation of Lanka Marine Services Ltd. The court ordered that the Treasury Secretary pay a sum of Rs 500,000 as compensation which the latter did on Monday.

The official said Dr Jayasundera, in his letter to the President, has asked that he be ‘relieved of his duties’ and suggested that Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Sumith Abeysinghe be appointed as the acting Secretary to the Treasury. While Mr Cabraal’s name has been suggested to the President as a possible candidate for the Treasury Secretary’s job, other names being mentioned for this position are Highways Ministry Secretary S. Amarasinghe, Additional Secretary to the President Gamini Senarath and Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Sumith Abeysinghe. No names have been mentioned for the Central Bank Governor’s job if Mr Cabraal moves to the Finance Ministry, he said.

Colombo stocks were quiet in early trade on Wednesday with some interest in Lanka IOC mainly because global fuel prices are falling, brokers said.

There was interest in the outcome of the John Keells Holdings (JKH) board meeting which is on today to discuss the LMSL privatization judgement by the Supreme Court and the company strategy in this connection. “With fuel prices falling globally, Lanka IOC saw some buying interest,” a broker said. LIOC prices gained by Rs 1.75 with a block of 556,000 shares traded.

Turnover was modest in the morning at Rs 33.6 million while the All Share was up 20.9 points at 2,429.62 and the Milanka up by 38.56 points at 2,905.36. A little-known stock, Tess Agro also saw 817.300 shares being traded, up 10 cents at Rs 1.20.

JKH stocks didn’t trade this morning and brokers said interest was unlikely unless the company issued a statement with the outcomes at the end of today’s board meeting. Stock analysts said the market was also awaiting JKH’s quarterly to June 2008 results which are due any day, now. “This won’t contain any numbers relating to the LMSL privatisation issue and the offloading of its 20 percent stake in AMW. However there may be a post-balance sheet statement referring to these issues,” an analyst said. Hayleys is another stock that’s likely to pick up during the day with aggressive stockmarket trade Dhammika Perera picking up parcels as he keeps increasing his stake in the company.

The Supreme Court today ruled that the Urban Develoment Authority (UDA) and the residents of the unauthorised buildings should come to a mutual settlement by August 19.

Kingsley Rodrigo, head of PAFFREL claimed today that state owned weapons and vehicles are being used for campaigning purposes by some ministers.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa granted a pardon to CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman -- who was found guilty of contempt of court and imposed a suspended sentence by the Nuwara Eliya Magisrate last morning.

“Under section 34 of the Constitution, the President has granted a pardon to Mr. Thondaman,” an official from the Presidential Secretariat said.

The order was issued against Mr. Thondaman and two others last morning. The President granted the pardon that same evening.

The Nuwara Eliya Magistrate had imposed a suspended sentence on Mr. Thondaman, Minister Muttu Sivalingam and CWC Provincial Councillor, V. Radhakrishnan after they were found guilty of contempt of court yesterday.

Magistrate Amali Ranaweera imposed six months simple imprisonment, suspended for three years, on the three accused who had been charged with forcibly entering the former CWC office at No 21, Lady McCallum Road, Nuwara Eliya.

The order was issued following a complaint made by Mr. S. Sathasivam, the secretary of the Ceylon Workers United Front (CWUF). The court also imposed a fine of Rs. 1000 on each of the accused and discharged the six other accused.

In 2000, the former Deputy Chairman of the CWC and the present secretary of the CWUF had a dispute. On August 31, 2000 the Nuwara Eliya Magistrate issued an order directing that Mr. Sathasivam be allowed to use the said building. Later the CWC filed an application in the Court of Appeal against the said order. Meanwhile, a group of CWC members had forcibly entered the said building and Mr. Sathasivam had complained to the magistrate that the CWC had violated the court order and thereby the accused had committed contempt of court.

The JVP yesterday alleged that the government was using Minister Mervyn Silva and a group of TMVP members led by Mangalam Master to unleash violence in the North Central Province.

JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to reveal whether he sent Minister Silva to the North Central Province to enlighten people about future development plans or to attack rival candidates from other political parties.

“Besides Minister Silva, TMVP candidate Mangalam Master too takes a hand in carrying out acts of violence. TMVP members are involved in extorting money and harassing people in the area,” he alleged.

Mr. Dissanayake said Provincial Councils could play a major role in developing the respective areas and uplifting the life standards of the people in the area.

“Almost all provincial councils have failed to fulfill the needs of the people as the chief ministers are dancing to the tune of the central government. Provincial councils should be able to function on their own with the funds allocated to them.

But they exhaust the budget allocated for a year within a month and then pass supplementary estimates monthly for the rest of the year but still there is nothing to show as the work done,” he said.

The JVP has prepared a five year development plan for each provincial council covering main areas like education, health, agriculture, small and medium enterprises.

The JVP development plan for the Anuradhapura district will be launched today while plans for Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura and Kegalle districts will be placed before the public within the next week.

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) went into an uproar yesterday forcing the Deputy Mayor S. Rajendran to adjourn the session for 15 minutes after SLMC, WPF and UPFA Councillor Vasudeva Nanayakkara staged a walk out opposing the manhandling of two SLMC Councillors Arshard Nizamdeen and M.A. Sharrifdeen allegedly by police when they brought the stay order which was issued by the Supreme Court stopping the demolition of houses in Glennie Street.
SLMC Councillor Arshard Nizamdeen charged during the sessions that he was manhandled when he brought the court order. He blamed the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor for neglecting the people of Slave Island and charged that none of them visited the area that day. He alleged he was manhandled by the police and that some government servants who were present there threw the court order away and got on with the demolition.

The SLMC MPs staged a walk-out after making this statement while the Opposition Leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara also joined them stating that he is also walking out in protest of what took place at Slave Island.

In addition four WPF Councillors also staged a walk out.

UPFA Councillor Ariyaratne Wedage said a similar event took place when the Maligawatte flats were being constructed by a previous UNP government. He alleged that alternative houses were only given to party supporters then.

Criticising Opposition Leader Nanayakkara, Mr. Wedage said he had made a complaint to the President about him but the President had ignored it. “He said that I was destroying the SLFP,” Mr. Wedage alleged.

However Mr. Wedage condemned the attack on the Councillors and the media at Slave Island during the demolition of the houses.

The sessions ran into chaos when some UPFA Councillors tried to block the JVP Councillors from making a statement. The Deputy Mayor S. Rajendran who was in the Chair suspended the sitting for a while.

When the sittings resumed after about 15 minutes, JVP Councillor Hemantha Kumara said that giving houses to those who were living in unauthorized structures was a good thing but the government should have done this good deed in an acceptable manner. He said evicting these people in a hurry because of the SAARC was unacceptable. “One cannot do wrong things giving SAARC as an excuse,” he said. The JVP also condemned the attack on media and the councillors during the demolition.

Meanwhile it also transpired that the Mayor had given a letter permitting a banning of parking vehicles in R.A. de. Mel Mawatha without referring it to the Standing Committee on Traffic in the CMC as per the procedure. This was revealed by UPFA Councillor Milton Liyanage.

However Council Member Ajantha Liyanage said this was a temporary measure taken for the SAARC summit.

The SriLankan Airlines, the country’s national carrier has terminated the services of a foreign licensed pilot who was found to have submitted a falsified letter to the airline and initiated an inquiry into the incident.
In a statement, the SriLankan Airlines said yesterday that this particular employee, holds a valid Airline Transport Pilot’s license from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Federal Republic of Germany, which endorsed his rating as a Captain on the Airbus A340, A330 and A320 aircraft. This license is in accordance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the global governing body of the industry It also said that prior to joining the SriLankan Airlines in October 2007, he had worked for European, Asian and Middle Eastern airlines. However, the pilot had submitted a false document in order to satisfy a criteria specific to SriLankan which stipulates that directly recruited Captains require 1000 hours of flying experience as a captain on a particular aircraft.

On July 22 the SriLankan Airlines received information that this employee had not held a captain’s post in the airline he was employed at immediately prior to joining the SriLankan. A clarification of this information was sought by the SriLankan Airlines from his previous employer who replied with a confirmation of the information the next day.

The pilot was dismissed after a formal inquiry held by the airline on July 23. The airline has informed the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka about this incident, it added.

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets bombed a training facility of LTTE suicide bombers also known as Black Tigers located in the Iranamadu area, 3km southeast of Kilinochchi this morning (July 30).

Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara speaking to defence.lk confirmed that the terror camp was destroyed in the air raid carried out at 6.35 AM. He said, citing fighter pilots that the camp was in flames after the bombing mission.

Meanwhile, defence intelligence sources said the targeted "Black Tiger" camp was operated directly under guidance of LTTE's notorious intelligence wing leader Pottu Amman. The target was obtained after receiving real time ground information that an activity of suicide bombers was going on at the camp, said the sources. The exact location of the target was in the Thirivaiaru area , just 3 Km off from the LTTE's main stronghold at Kilinochchi, the sources added.

Keells Foods and Elephant House Ice Cream have signed up as the Official
Supplier of Food and Ice Cream for the India tour of Sri Lanka. Handing over the sponsorship cheque to Duleep Mendis, Chief Executive of Sri Lanka Cricket is Neil Samarasinghe, Head of Frozen Confectionary, Ceylon Cold Stores . Also in the
picture are Lakith Peiris (Promotions & PR coordinator, Sri Lanka Cricket), Nalin
Jayasooriya (Brand Activations Manager, Ceylon Cold Stores) and Saliya Nanayakkara (Asst. Brand Activations Manager, Keells Food Products Ltd.)

Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya presented his Credentials to U.S. President George W. Bush, at the Oval Office of the White House, on July 28, 2008.

During the ceremony, President George W. Bush warmly welcomed Ambassador Wickramasuriya to Washington D.C. and said that he looked forward to deepening the relationship between the two countries. He added that the United States values its friendship with Sri Lanka, noting that the two countries established a trade relationship as early as the 18th Century, and since then, time has seen the expansion of ties between the two countries, in tourism, education, investment, and common interests.

Ambassador Wickramasuriya responded with equal warmth and conveyed President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s appreciation of U.S. support to Sri Lanka in its continuing struggle to combat terrorism, especially the pro-active measures taken by the U.S. toward this end. For three decades, Sri Lanka has suffered the social, psychological, physical and economic consequences of terrorism, which has taken the lives of countless innocent civilians, who have become victims of war.

The Ambassador commented that the United States and Sri Lanka have shared diplomatic relations spanning over a period of more than 60 years. The two countries have pledged a comprehensive alliance, sharing common values of democracy, rule of law, human rights, human dignity and free trade.

President Bush said that the United States looked forward to working with Sri Lanka to advance a common agenda and to deepen the strong and abiding friendship between the two countries.

President Bush engaged in friendly conversation with the family of the Ambassador, enhancing the easy informality that followed the formal ceremony.

SAARC Journalist Summit of South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) will inaugurate another regional conference in Colombo on Wednesday.
Around one hundred local and foreign journalists from the SAARC region will attend the two-day conference in Colombo under the SAFMA banner to talk on Freedom of Media in Conflict Situations.
National Organiser of the Sri Lanka chapter of SAFMA N.M.Ameen said this conference would discuss freedom of media and plans to declare its recommendations before the SAARC Foreign ministers.
“We could get approval of the SAARC heads to provide free LIBERAL VISA FOR JOURNALISTS from the last SAARC Summit held in New Delhi .Now we are moving to prepare a criteria to issue liberal visa for the journalists in the SAARC region, he said.
Speaking to media through telephone on Tuesday he said the SAFMA plans to obtain approval from the SAARC heads to allow mass media products distribution among the SAARC countries.
According to the SAFMA organizers this year conference will begin on 30th Wednesday and local Media minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Parliamentarian Lauxman Kiriella will grace the occasion.

Leading media-practitioners, from the SAARC countries are now in Colombo to attend the prestigious media event of the year.
“Everything is ok, we are still welcoming the SAARC journalists, he said.
Explaining current free media concept of the region Mr.Ameen said right of freedom of information was recognized by the international community even before the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights when the UN General Assembly declared in a 1946 resolution that “freedom of information is a fundamental human right and the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the UN is consecrated.”

“ The right to freedom of information has been guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and in regional treaties, such as the Inter-American Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression, European Convention on Human Rights, he said.
SAFMA notes that nearly all SAARC countries have recognized the need for freedom of information laws but their initiatives need to be reinforced.
Meanwhile Minister of Mass Media Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said all facilities have been provided for foreign journalist who have arrived the country to report events in 15th SAARC Summit. Two centres have been established for them in BMICH and Trans Asia Hotel. The Foreign Media Personnel are coordinated by online system operated under the purview of Government Information Department. Computer Science Department of the Colombo University contributes for this project. According to the government sources around 75 journalists have arrived the country from SAARC countries and another 150 journalists are to arrive from those countries to report SAARC Summit soon.

The LTTE has announced its intention to declare a unilateral ceasefire from July 26 to August 4 to cover the duration of the SAARC Summit in Sri Lanka which brings together the heads of state of the eight South Asian countries. This is not the first occasion on which the LTTE has made such an offer. The Sri Lankan government has rejected the LTTE's offer as a ploy to gain a respite from the government's military operations and to obtain the sympathies of the international community. The government has recently said it is ready for talks only if the LTTE lays down arms which the LTTE has rejected outright.

As the host of the SAARC Summit, it is the responsibility of the Sri Lankan government to take all steps within its power to prevent any form of violence during the course of events in which several Heads of State will participate. The presence of the Heads of States of SAARC countries in Sri Lanka in the days ahead is a good occasion for both government and LTTE to show their intention of resolving the ethnic conflict through political negotiations. It also provides a platform to showcase regional cooperation and integration, which has been lacking in the past years. The fact that the LTTE has extended its support, for whatever reason, is an indication that it too places strategic importance on this Summit.

Whatever its motivations, a ceasefire offer is not to be lightly rejected as it offers a new space and a new opportunity for peace. Small steps can lead to forward movements that build trust and the possibility of a new peace process.

The absence of positive responses by the international community to the offers of talks and ceasefires is indicative of a credibility problem that accompanies such offers and points to the need for both the government and LTTE to reassess their past behaviour and to find ways to rebuild their credibility. The LTTE's unilateral ceasefire offer, for instance, would have had more credibility if it had been accompanied by clear and convincing evidence of a change of heart and approach in the direction of a political and negotiated process of conflict resolution. It would have been even more encouraging if a proactive stance had been taken by the LTTE directly with the government and its representatives, instead of an indirect effort through the media.

However, the National Peace Council believes that the positive aspects of the LTTE's unilateral ceasefire must not be discounted and could be built upon. The international community has an important role to play in creating the conditions for a new ceasefire agreement in the future. We call on the government to relax its embargo on peace emissaries going into the Wanni to meet with the LTTE so that this effort can be made both internationally and locally as well. It is disappointing that the visiting EU parliamentary delegation was unable to visit the east, as this could have created a concrete opportunity for international representatives to evaluate with goodwill the efforts taken by the government to restore normalcy in that area.

The ongoing war is creating tremendous human suffering and violations of human rights. The quest for a peaceful solution is a humanitarian obligation, and the right to life, and to live peacefully is now a necessity.

Exide Industries, that enjoyed a 76 per cent market share in automotive batteries, will increase exports from its Sri Lankan subsidiary to India by 15 to 20 per cent this fiscal to take advantage of tax benefits in trade among South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation(SAARC) countries.

Exide subsidiary Associated Battery Manufacturers (Ceylon) shipped around 88,000 batteries to India during 2007-08. The ABML facility was upgraded earlier during the fiscal that resulted in the rise in exports as well as local sales.

While exports more than doubled from Rs15.9 crore in in FY07 to Rs33 crore in FY08, the local sales shot up 35 per cent to Rs111.4 crore during the same period. Field trials have started for the Advanced Hybrid Maintenance free technology based batteries at ABML, Sri Lanka.

The batteries will be introduced in June this year. Tests were also in progress for a maintenance free version of a flat plate inverter battery which was scheduled to be introduced later during this year.

We import the batteries from ABML to service the small and medium buyers in India, informed P K Kataky, director, automotive, Exide Industries.

This apart, the company would start delivering batteries for the Tata Nano from its facility at the vendor park area of the Singur factory in a year's time.

As senior officials of the SAARC wound up the two-day programming committee meeting in preparation for the August 2 and 3 summit, the regional grouping is believed to be engaged in an informal debate on the pros and cons of expanding the membership. According to diplomatic sources here, the subject figured informally during talks . “The opinion among the member-countries is divided at the moment. All one could say at this juncture is that the issue is on the table for a possible debate at a future stage.”

The SAARC was created in 1985 as a seven-member organisation with Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as the founding members. In 2007, Afghanistan was inducted as the eight member.

The Association in 2005 created a category of countries with observer status. China, the E.U., Iran, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mauritius and the U.S. are the observers.

The representations from Australia and Myanmar would be considered at the summit.

As per diplomatic sources, some of the neighbouring countries in the region with observer status in the SAARC have expressed a desire to become full-fledged members.

The argument of those in favour of expansion of SAARC by including some of the neighbouring countries in the region is that it does not conflict with the charter and gives a boost to the Association.

Those who advocate a more cautious approach are of the view that the Association would lose its distinctive identity with inclusion of countries outside the South Asia region even if they are contiguous to the region.

The military today handed over the Madhu Church to Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph after renovation. The Bishop for the first time visited the Church premises since the military took over the holy shrine.

The Police will temporarily close several key roads connecting the route between the Old Parliament and the BMICH tomorrow as a part of traffic control rehearsals to be put into effect during the SAARC Summit. The regular traffic will be controlled along the Galle Road from Old Parliament to the Kollupitiya Junction as well as several other main roads leading to the BMICH between 9.45am to 11.30 and 12.30 to 2.00pm as result of this programme.

The LTTE took (assassinated Indian Prime Minister) Rajiv Gandhi for a ride but the Mahinda Rajapksa Government will not be taken for a ride by a false declaration of a unilateral ceasefire by the Tigers, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said this evening.


Speaking at a pre SAARC summit press briefing, the Minister made the comments when asked for a government reaction to the LTTE’s violations of its own unilaterally declared ceasefire by firing artillery into the Muhamalai Forward Defence Lines (FDL) s earlier today.

“The LTTE signed an agreement when Rajiv Gandhi as in power and then withdrew into the jungle and violated it. Another Ceasefire Agreement was signed with the UNP and they violated it more than 10,000 times but we will not be tricked into such situations again,” the Minister said.

He added that the Government has taken all measurers to ensure security of all delegates attending the SAARC summit and they could go about their work without any fear.

Another row broke out on Tuesday at Hunter’s whose auditors quit in a dispute over disclosures, after a shareholder opposed a statement issued by the company this morning to the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

According to letters sent to the CSE, Hunter’s said at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on July 23 called by a shareholder to discuss two resolutions in a dispute over a cheque issue and directors remuneration, that, “… with the consent and agreement of the shareholders present at the meeting the said two resolutions were not voted upon at the meeting.”

Soon, after shareholder Talib T. Al. Nakib, who called for the EGM, wrote to the CSE saying the Hunter’s position was misleading, as “it omits the main point agreed upon by the Board of Directors, namely, the EGM was incomplete in the absence of the auditors.”

He said the Board agreed to reconvene to enable it to call upon the auditors (Ernst & Young) to be present, adding that the resolutions proposed required the explanation of the auditors covering the relevant period. Ernst & Young resigned as auditors some weeks back after being asked by the company to explain why some information was including in the 2007 annual report. The auditors were not present at the July 23 meeting.

Courtesy –Lankaenews.com
Mind-boggling huge amounts of the tax-payers' money are being spent lavishly on entertaining and throwing parties to SAARC summit VIPs, the 'Lanka-e-News' learns. The government got a supplementary estimates bill for Rs. 2880 million passed for expenditure on the summit but it is learnt that certain ministers and government top bureaucrats are trying to grab a lion’s share for throwing dinner parties and other extravaganza paying exorbitant rates.

While President Mahinda Rajapaksa's dinner to 200 invitees cost only Rs.4000/- per head, the dinner being arranged by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama for 400 invitees at the BMICH (Committee Room A) costs Rs,10,000/- per head without cock-tail, it is reported. Charges on cock-tail would cost another one million rupees. Floral decorations and lighting that has been entrusted to a private Lighting and Sound System company would cost another Rs.2.5 million, it is learnt.
Another dinner party being given by Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohana costs Rs.5000/- per head while expenditure on accommodation to about 100 Foreign Ministry senior officials who are staying for 10 days at the Cinnamon Grand, Trans Asia and Intercontinental hotels will cost another Rs.10 million. They are being provided vehicles and all facilities in the hotels but no coordination work for them with visiting VIPs has been assigned, it is reported.

Military reports received form Muhamalai Forward Defence (FDL) indicate that LTTE terrorist have launched artillery attack at troops manning the area this morning (July 29).
Military spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the terrorist have fired about 10 rounds of heavy artillery at troops between 6 to 6.30AM . Two soldiers have sustained injuries due to the attack, he further said. He added that terrorist have used their guns located in the Poonaryn area for the attack.
LTTE recently announced through its media network that it would maintain a unilateral ceasefire since July 27 in view of the SAARC summit which is currently being held in Sri Lanka. However , observers of LTTE activities raised doubts about LTTE's intentions over this sudden decision. The government maintained that it would only go for a ceasefire when the LTEE have laid down their arms. According to observers, the latest attack has substantiated their doubts about the integrity of the LTTE.

Troops continuing their liberation operation in the Wanni region yesterday (July 28) reported that 33 terrorists were killed while 34 others wounded and 11 more were either killed or wounded. Also, 3 soldiers laid down their lives in the battlefield while 8 others suffered injuries.

Troops of Task Force 2 operating at the right flank of the combined Vavuniya- Mannar battlefront had several clashes with the terrorists in Navvi area and claimed 9 terrorists were killed 12 others were wounded.

Troops attacked a terror bunker around 4 in the evening and claimed to have killed 3 terrorists and wounded 8 others. One soldier suffered injuries in this incident.

In a separate confrontation occurred in the same area around 4.20 PM troops claimed 3 terrorists were killed and 4 others were wounded. A soldier suffered injuries due to an Anti Personnel (AP) mine explosion during the incident. In a similar confrontation occurred around 1 PM troops claimed 2 terrorists were killed. Meanwhile, a sniper deployed in the area confirmed shooting down of one LTTE cadre around 14.20 PM.

In the general area Kuttimulai a soldier of 57 suffered injuries due to an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) explosion last afternoon. This injured was air lifted to the Anuradhapura military hospital.

Meanwhile, troops of 56 division operate separately from main battlefronts in Vavuniya, lunched an assault at an LTTE bunker located in the Navatkulma area around 11 AM. Troops claimed one terrorist was killed and found 3 AP mines during the clearing operations. In a similar incident occurred in Vilakkvittakulam area around 2.40 PM troops claimed 2 terrorists were killed.

Troops operating under Task Force 1 continued their march towards Vellankulama along the left flank of the Vavuniya- Mannar combined front engaged indirect fire at the terror targets located North of Iluppaikkaddavai last forenoon . According to the details received from both ground and technical sources, 8 terrorists were killed and 5 wounded in these attacks.

On the Welioya front troops of 59 division had daylong clashes with the terrorists in the areas North of Janakapura, Kiriibbanwewa, and Kokkuthuduvai areas and claimed 13 terrorists were killed , 17 others wounded and 11 more were either killed or wounded. Also, 3 soldiers were killed and 5 others were wounded during these clashes.

Meanwhile, troops engaged in clearing operations in the area removed 61 AP mines and 7 IEDs during the day.

The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) extends its sincerest
congratulations to H.E. Dr. Tej Bunnag, Chairman of the AIT Board of
Trustees, on his recent appointment as Thailand’s Minister of Foreign
Affairs.

This past weekend Dr. Tej was sworn in as foreign minister with
immediate effect by His Majesty the King who issued a royal command on
Saturday July 26. His Majesty the King then gave his good wishes to
the new foreign minister at an oath-swearing ceremony at Klai Kangwon
Palace, Hua Hin, on Sunday.

The President of the Asian Institute of Technology, Prof. Said
Irandoust, offered warm congratulations to Dr. Tej on behalf of the
Institute.

Dr. Tej, who is a former ambassador of the United States, France, and
Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations, has had an
illustrious diplomatic career in the foreign service of Thailand, first
joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1969.

Dr. Tej joined AIT as member of its Board on 25 April 2005 and was
appointed as Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee the same year. He
was elected as Chairman of the Board on 30 October 2006, replacing H.E.
Mr. Anand Panyarachun, the former Prime Minister of Thailand, who
served as AIT Board Chairman for 6 years.

Following his appointment as Thailand’s Foreign Minister, H.E. Dr. Tej
has resigned from the Chairmanship and Board of Trustees of AIT.

Popular Restaurateur Harpo Gooneratne announced plans to take his popular
Sri Lankan home-grown brand “Harpos Pizza” to the neighbouring Maldive Islands, as part of an ambitious plan to expand into the SAARC region.
‘Harpos Pizza’ is already one year old in Sri Lankan market and enjoys a fast growing clientele, comprising both Sri Lankans and expatriates.

A delighted Gooneratne said that he was proud to market a Sri Lankan brand beyond the shores of this country. “The trial runs in fact proved very successful with an excellent feedback all round.
Potential in the Maldives market is great. Since ours will be the only 'crispy base' authentic Italian pizza on the island, we are confident of a very high demand and thus good sales in the local market”.

He added that his target market would be both resident Maldivians and expatriate hotel guests in Male. The operation will be initially run by three trained and skilled Sri Lankans with high speed delivery bikes taking ‘Harpos Pizza’,
piping hot to customers around the Male island. “Depending on the success of this operation in the capital Male, we plan to expand delivery to the adjoining resort islands and will then use the traditional dhonis and bikes for quick delivery”, he said.

The range of Hapos Pizza to be marketed will be from the standard variants and Sri Lankan flavours together with a special Tuna-based pizza for the Maldivian palates, developed according to local tastes and flavours. All pizzas will be strictly Halal and free of pork-based products.

Gooneratne whose popular Colombo restaurants include ‘The Commons’ Coffee House and ‘The Bay Leaf’, the City’s finest Italian restaurant, will also spearhead F&B operations at the 25 room Bed & Breakfast ‘Park House’ property in the capital
Male, owned by Maldivian entrepreneur / hotelier Abdul Rasheed.

In its continuous efforts to uplift the ICT industry in the country, Dialog Enterprise Solutions, an integrated business division of Dialog Broadband Networks (DBN), has come forward to sponsor the National Best Quality Software Awards 2008, the only national competition of its type in Sri Lanka. The event is organized by the British Computer Society, Sri Lanka section.

The competition which marks its tenth anniversary this year, has made a remarkable contribution to the ICT industry in Sri Lanka by recognising and promoting exceptional local ICT achievements, since its inception in 1998. The annual event has also played a significant role in improving the standards and quality of locally developed ICT products and services while creating a new gateway to the global ICT market.

Speaking about the sponsorship, Mr. Kavan Ratnayaka, Chief Executive Officer, Dialog Fixed Telephony & Broadband Services said, “As a company which has made extensive investments in introducing world class broadband technologies to Sri Lanka, we are extremely proud to be part of this prestigious event which recognizes and supports local ICT achievements. Software applications form a key component of the ICT industry and we would like to commend BCS, Sri Lanka branch for fuelling its growth by creating a platform for local Software developers to showcase their achievements at both national and international levels.”

The National Best Quality Software Awards are judged by an expert panel of judges from diverse disciplines including IT, Engineering, Management, Accounting, Marketing etc. from the Private Sector and Academic circles. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be presented to the winners of six categories ranging from Applications and Infrastructure tools to Media and Entertainment Applications. They will also be eligible to compete at the Asia Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA) which is an international awards program initiated to increase ICT awareness in the community and assist in bridging the digital divide.

Unlike past governments that were tricked by ceasefires declared by the terrorists who had fallen on hard times, the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime will not fall for any ploy of the sort, said Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake.

Speaking at the passing out ceremony of 55 cadet officers of the Diyathalawa military academy, the PM said many questions were being asked about the government’s stance on the recent unilateral ceasefire declared by the LTTE.

The terrorists declare a ceasefire whenever they are weakened, to reinforce their military power, he added.

Noting that others question whether the government is not prepared for talks with the LTTE, the Premier said that the LTTE is an armed group which has declared war against a government elected by the people.

As a responsible government, we request the LTTE declare a ceasefire after disarming and renounce the demand for a separate regime, he said.

VAVUNIYA: TROOPS CONFRONTED LTTE terrorists operating in the general areas of NAVATKULAM, VILAKKAVETTIKULAM, KUTTIMULEI and north of NAVVI in VAVUNIYA on different occasions Monday (28). Nine terrorists were killed and four terrorists injured in confrontations.

One soldier in the advancing team sustained injury due to explosion of terrorist IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and two others were injured in LTTE mortar fire.
Three anti personnel mines were removed by the troops during a search following confrontations at NAVATKULAM.
Meanwhile, confrontations in the the MANNAR front erupted at ADAMPANKULAM and ELUPPAKADAWELI Monday (28) killing twelve terrorists and injuring five more.

One soldier was injured in the confrontations.

Similar fighting north of JANAKAPURA, north of KOKKUTHUDUWAI and north of KIRIIBBANWEWA in WELIOYA killed nine terrorists and injured over twenty five the same day.

Three soldiers were killed and six soldiers injured during Monday’s confrontations in WELIOYA.

The Standing Committee of the 15th SAARC summit constituting the Foreign Secretaries of the eight member states of SAARC will commence deliberations today on the key issues to be taken up at the main Summit to be held from August 2 to 3.

This is the 35th session of the SAARC Foreign Secretaries. The present chair of the Foreign Secretaries of SAARC nations, Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon wills formally handover the chairmanship to Sri Lanka Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona at the meeting.

The Foreign Ministers' meeting is to be held on July 31st and August 1st. The SAARC leaders will meet on August 2nd and 3rd.
Four agreements including the topic of eliminating terrorism from the region are expected to be signed at the leader's summi which will also see the launching of a SAARC Development Fund.

Members from seven non-SAARC countries will also take part at the summit as observers. They are, the USA, Japan, China, South Korea, Iran, Mauritius and European Union.

Meanwhile, various functions including cultural shows have been organized in line with the SAARC Summit. Accordingly, a SAARC dancing show organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Heritage will commence from today to the 1st of August at thr Kularatne Hall in Ananda College, Colombo.

Security forces conducted a search operation based on information received from civilian sources , had found some explosives , bombing accessories and few ammo in Nuwara-Eliya last evening (July 28), sources said.

TNT explosive, iron bolls, detonators and other items had been concealed on the ceiling of a house in Seethaeliya, in the suburb of Nuwara-Eliya, said the sources. Also, two people had been taken in to custody in connection with the incident , the sources added.

The Supreme Court today ordered the Inspector General of Police to provide a security contingent of not less than 8 Ministerial Security Division officers to the UNP Chief Minister candidate Major General Janaka Perera.

CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman and Minister Muttu Sivalingam were today given a 3 month simple imprisonment suspended for six months CWC spokesman R. Yogarajan confirmed.

The next of kin of victims of serious violations of human rights will be amply compensated and legal action taken against the offenders if proved guilty, the presidential Commission of Inquiry said yesterday.

CoI Chief Nissanka Udalagama said the Commission – appointed by the President to investigate 17 cases of serious violations of human rights during 2006 -- hoped to submit its interim report by September on the killing of five youth in Trincomalee and the 17 aid workers of the French NGO in Mutur.

“The public inquiry into these two investigations could have been concluded if the Commission met without interruption. But the Commission’s activities were severely hampered due to various functions taking place at the BMICH where our office is located.

Because of the SAARC summit all Commission proceedings have been suspended again,” Justice Udalagama said.

He said the interim reports would outline remedial measures to prevent the repetition of crimes of this magnitude, the amount of compensation that has to be paid to the next of kin of victims of the 17 crimes, facts and circumstances pertaining to the crimes and the naming of perpetrators.

“The resignation of Dr. Devanesan Nesiah and Javid Yusuf, reducing the eight-member Commission to six is not bound to hamper its proceedings,” Justice Udalagama said and added that the participation of two French retired judges as observers during the public phase of the Commission of Inquiry during the past few weeks had been helpful,” he said.

The Free Media Movement (FMM) expresses its serious disquiet on the arrest and temporary detention of Nagalingam Kennyoodsan, Tamil Programme Producer of the Independent Television Network (ITN) by the Dehiwala Police.

He was taken from his boarding room at Malwatte Road, Dehiwala, on 26th July 2008, on mere suspicion.

He has worked at the state-controlled ITN for more than ten years.

He was released on the same day, but only after representations made by media organizations.

However, he has been asked not to come to work and to go on leave by the management of ITN, again without any lawful reason being given.

FMM also learns that a friend of Mr. Nagalingam, Mr. Kathirkamanathan Ragulan, who is also boarded at the same address, has also been arrested by the Dehiwala Police, produced in courts, and remanded in the Welikada prison.

We note with concern that dozens of people of Tamil origin have been arrested around the capital Colombo, as part of security measures that are being taken for the SARRC summit.

On the 25th anniversary to the month of the anti-Tamil pogrom of July 1983, and in the light of the continued detention of journalist J. S. Tissainayagam on extremely tenuous legal grounds since March 2008, we consider this to be an act of ethnic discrimination.

While FMM fully acknowledges the duty of the authorities in respect of the security of the capital during an international conference, we are deeply worried about Mr. Nagalingam's arrest made on mere suspicion, and treating him like a criminal by taking fingerprints before releasing him only on personal bail.

It is also regrettable that even after a Cabinet sub-committee for the protection of media professionals has been established, acts of intimidation and attempts at the humiliation of journalists are continuing.

FMM cannot see any positive influence on the curbing of the on-going suppression of the media as a result of the establishment of this ministerial sub-committee.

Adding an element of farce to the unfolding tragedy, we note that the sub-committee's telephone hotline, announced with tremendous fanfare, has been dead for days.

EU Praliamnetarian Niranjan Deva Adithya hitout at the EU delegation head for coming to Sri lanka and attempting to preach democracy.
However he said the recent visit by the European Parliament Delegation set up to improve Relations with South Asian countries has generated much controversy.
Speaking to media in Colombo on Tuesday he said last weekend’s newspapers carried embarrassing headlines stating that we had been misled.
Full text of his statement:-
Far from improving relationships with Sri Lanka - the visit on the contrary, has led to recriminations, finger pointing and mistrust.
This was claimed by the Government, by the democratic Tamil political parties including PLOTE, Mr Anandasagaree, by the JHU and even the JVP. One newspaper even claimed that the Labour Party Member and Leader of the European Parliament delegation Mr Evans was an LTTE propagandist having appeared on LTTE platforms in London.

This is deeply disturbing news. As a Sri Lankan born Conservative Member of the European Parliament elected to represent 8 million British people some of whom have great affection for Sri Lanka I am now making this statement in order to redress this situation.

I do so with a consistency of principle I have maintained throughout my 40 year long political career in the UK and Europe.

I have always put what I consider to be the national interest first, then my constituency interest second and finally my party interest third.

I have never put the interest of the Conservative Party before the interests of the United Kingdom. This has led me on occasion to challenge the views of the Party leadership.

Similarly now, in the European Parliament I have voted many times against my Party whip when I believe that the interest of the UK come before those of Party political expediencies.

As a dual citizen, proud of my Sri Lankan heritage, similarly I would never put the interests of any party before those which I believe to be in the national interest of all the Sri Lankan people.

One of the stories claimed that Mr Evans as an alleged LTTE supporter had a hidden agenda which made him avoid meeting the new Chief Minister of the Eastern Province Mr Pillayan in Trincomalee; thus aborting the visit to Trincomallee.

So let me deal with this first.

We did not go to Trincomallee, as had been planned with the full support of the Foreign Ministry and the Government of Sri Lanka, for many reasons.
First mistake was because the leader of the Delegation turned down the offer of a Government aircraft on the grounds that we could be seen to be partial; whatever he meant by that.

Instead an aeroplane from South Africa was chartered for us through a private company (Expo Aviation) by the EU Delegation Office in Colombo through the United Nations.

The plane yet to be certificated as airworthy according to Sri Lanka Civil Aviation Rules did not arrive in Colombo from South Africa until Sunday the 20th for a flight for Wednesday the 23rd July; though our plans were known at least 2 months in advance by the EU office in Colombo.

We were therefore going to be put on an inaugural flight in a 20 year old aircraft which had yet to be certificated as airworthy by the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka and flown by South African pilots who had never flown the route before.!!

Second, the Civil Aviation Authority rushed the clearance procedure by 14.30 on the 23rd July but insisted that a local flight director from Expo Aviation were to fly in the aircraft for our safety as the pilots who were hired by the EU/UN were not cleared for the route.

We did not know any of this nor were we told by the EU/UN office about this except that we were to be flown in a new UN aircraft and given assurances that all would be well by various Sri Lankan authorities.

Third, on the day of the flight we reported to the Ratmalana airport at 12.00 as scheduled and at 1.20 pm the South African pilot who had been hired came on board the MEPs bus and informed us that “this flight is not going to take off and I am not cleared to fly the aircraft”. Having made this statement he then left..

Naturally mild panic ensued in a bus full of MEPs who demanded that we return to Colombo at 13.30 that day.

So what do we glean from this?

1) That the EU office in Colombo having passed the matter over to the UN to charter the plane, washed their hands of the whole affair and did not even bother to check nor monitor whether the plane had been chartered, whether it had arrived, whether it had been cleared as airworthy and whether the pilots had been security checked and route cleared before we set out for the airport.

2) The Civil Aviation Authority rushed through an airworthy inspection based on a South African airworthy test conducted weeks before.

As an Aeronautical Engineer I know how long it takes to do an “a” and “b” check on a 20 year old aircraft especially after arriving from South Africa and probably used on wildlife safaris.

I am appalled that we have been put at such risk by the misfeasance of the EU Commission Office in Colombo who did not carry out their duties in a timely manner and on my return to Brussels it is my intention to question the Commissioner on the floor of the House as to whether this was indeed a matter of malfide.

I am now also requesting the Government to carry out its own enquiries as to the sequence of events and the various decisions taken by the private company, the EU office, the UN and the SLCAA which culminated in this fiasco, by holding a Committee of Enquiry so that we can end speculation and clear the air.

I also belatedly record my sincere thanks on behalf of the whole Delegation to all the Government Officials for the unstinting assistance provided to us to make this journey to the Eastern Province which alas did not happen for the aforesaid reasons.

Rather than increase the influence of the EU in Sri Lanka I deeply regret that the Parliamentary visit has diminished the EU’s standing as an authoritative friend.

The same “shooting ourselves in the foot” tendency has developed among some (though not all) of the Embassies of the Member States, who have lost the plot and forgotten that they are not some glorified single issue NGO but rather that they are here to promote their countries national, economic, trade, environmental and social interest for the benefit of their own people back home.

In my view the national interest of all the Sri Lankan peoples demands the eradication of terrorism, the establishment of the primacy of the rule of law, the concept of being equal under the law , constitutional liberties, democratic governance and equality of opportunities for all the people applied uniformly throughout the whole of the island.

These principles are also the foundation of the European Union.

The EUs relations with Sri Lanka are unique.
There is no other country in the world that can match the longevity of the relationship which Europe through Portugal Holland and Britain, has had with Sri Lanka.

The British were in India for only 150 years and yet British attachment even now for India is strong as ever.

Yet for over 450 years Sri Lanka was connected to Europe and the European peoples. That is why Sri Lanka is held in such high esteem and much love by the people of Europe.

The outpouring of grief in Europe over the Tsunami in Sri Lanka was an eye-opener to me. That is also why anything Sri Lanka says or does is minutely examined. This is a fact and the sooner we accept this truth and turn it to Sri Lanka’s advantage , the better for all concerned.

Instead of resisting this unrequited love, we should embrace it as I have done and build on it for the benefit of the peoples of this country.
The European Union above all else is a construct of compromises. The very ethos of the EU is truth, reconciliation, forgiveness and the identification of a common democratic interest under the rule of law and sharing power through unity in diversity.

How else could millions of Germans, French, British, Dutch, Belgians and Italian peoples have come together in 1958 to create the modern European Union, forgiving and forgetting the hatreds generated by the bloody wars in Europe when 70 million of their fellow countrymen were slaughtered by one another.

What has been achieved by the Government in the Eastern Province in turning previous terrorist into Chief Ministers and civil administrators in a peaceful democratic forum and resettling over 90% of the internally displaced people in a short time is truly remarkable. We should acknowledge this, not carp about it.

Far from belittling this achievement, the European Union must do everything in its power to support the Government in the development of the Eastern Province, empowering the democratic process by capacity building and encouraging inward investment to enable life opportunities, youth employment, health and education services for 3 million people who for over 20 years have lived without freedom in utter despair and abject poverty under terrorism.

So let me say a few words about freedom and democracy.

Sri Lanka is one of the oldest parliamentary democracies in the world, having gained self governing status under universal adult franchise in 1931 – only a few years after the UK itself.

Since independence in 1948 Sri Lanka has peacefully transferred power through the ballot box on 7 occasions holding 12 general elections and 5 presidential elections.

Compare this with the EU.

Germany has had 16 general elections having earlier been a Fascist dictatorship from 1932 to 1945. Spain has had 10 general elections having been a Dictatorship between 1936-77.
Portugal was a dictatorship from 1933 to 1976 and had the first of its 9 democratic elections only in 1975. Greece was a dictatorship from 1964-74 with the first of its 6 democratic elections held only in 1976. The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia Romania, Bulgaria were totalitarian states since 1948 only becoming a democracies less than 12 years ago.

Sri Lanka is an older and more mature democracy than 21 of the 27 current Member States in the EU.

It then becomes absurd for European Parliamentarians to come to Sri Lanka and lecture the Sri Lankan polity about the nature of democracy. In fact Sri Lanka could teach a thing or two to some of these newly emerging democratic nations in the EU particularly about her robust and independent judiciary which is vigorous in determining breaches of fundamental rights.
This over arching point was wholly ignored during the press conference given by the Chairman of the European Parliamentary Delegation.

The European Union is not some Utopia. It is not a land of milk and honey where sweetness and light reigns supreme and the streets are paved with gold.

It is a area of land where nearly 70 million people were slaughtered in 9 years during two world wars; where millions of innocent women and children were bombed and gassed to death as recently as 60 years ago at a time when Sri Lanka was a self governing country living in communal harmony and peace

As a European legislator for 500 million people in 27 states, I have to confront on a daily basis rising unemployment, a tide of crime, shootings, and knife attacks.

I have to confront discrimination against Gypsies and minority communities, a trade in sex workers and young girls sold into prostitution from some of the poorer EU member States, waves of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers whose human rights are unprotected, corruption in the newer member states where the independence of their judiciary is highly questionable, a huge drugs problem with the young being turned into useless lifelong addicts; and with overcrowded prisons where 70 percent of the prison population are from the ethnic minority communities.

We are in David Cameron’s words “A Broken Society”.

In Britain we face the challenge of terrorism on a daily basis. Prime Minister Brown against our opposition breached the most fundamental of our rights and freedoms, blew a hole through the Magna Carta which has underpinned British freedoms for 800 years and pushed through legislation to lock up suspected potential terrorists for 48 days, yes 48 days, without charging them.

Today notwithstanding 25 years of conflict generated on three occasions by bloody JVP terrorist uprisings in the South and by separatist suicide terrorism by the LTTE in the North, Sri Lanka still functions as a mature parliamentary democracy where the rule of law not only prevails; it is being constantly strengthened by the Supreme Court and a highly visible independent judiciary.

In the SAARC region in particular Sri Lanka is a model of institutional stability and rectitude; given what has happened in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives to name a few.

This is a phenomenal achievement over the last 60 years due largely to the maturity of the UNP and the SLFP working to maintain the fundamental democratic ethos whatever the sometimes overwhelming external challenges.

These are attributes which we in the EU must cherish, not denigrate. Those of us who come here with an open mind and without a predetermined agenda recognise what has been achieved and what has been secured.

Now I come to a matter of paramount concern to all my colleagues in the European Parliament even if they have never set foot in Sri Lanka.

There is genuine concern about the human rights and collateral damage inflicted on innocent people fuelled by enduring conflicts the world over; be it in Kosova, Iraq, Afghanistan, Chad, DRC or Sri Lanka.

In times of conflict there is a difficult balancing act between the protection of human rights under the rule of law and its neglect under the rule of expediency; particularly when many innocent lives are at stake and time is of the essence.

In other words, “when is it right to torture someone to find out where he has hidden a big bomb which, if it goes off, will kill thousands of innocent civilians”?

If you believe in the supremacy of the rule of law, the answer is “never”.

Because carrying out the act of torture is in fact carrying out an act of terrorism and nullifies the moral imperative of going to war to end terrorism in the first place.

This was a point repeatedly made by the European Parliament to the United States over allegations of torture in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and in Guantánamo Bay.

This is also why the UK Government three weeks ago successfully prosecuted seven Queens Lancashire Regiment soldiers on charges of murder and abuse in Iraq. The government agreed to pay nearly 3 million pounds to torture victims and admitted liability for 'substantive' human rights breaches.

By locking up a few rotten apples, the Government could say with pride and without contradiction that the many thousands of other British soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan were honest, brave, loyal and law abiding and were conducting themselves 'to the highest standard of behaviour.'

By enacting the rule of law and punishing the few, the British Government won a huge accolade for the many.

Similarly in Sri Lanka given various allegations of disappearances and abuse, a few indictments and arrests would do the Government a power of good. By applying the rule of law and by being seen to apply it; such actions would immediately promote Sri Lanka as a nation where the rule of law even in times of the bitterest conflict reigns supreme.

I this regard I look forward to receiving soon the report by Justice Udalagama on the Presidential Committee of Inquiry set up to investigate the killing of 5 youth in Tricomalee and the 17 aid workers in Muttur in 2006.

Of equal importance is the ability of 21 million ordinary Sri Lankans from all communities including the Tamil community, the majority of whom live prosperously side by side with the Sinhalese in the South, to live a life of equal opportunity in democratic freedom.

The promise that was a peaceful multicultural multilingual multi religious Sri Lanka where the Sinhala, Muslim and Tamils with other minorities lived together in peace in the 1950s was destroyed. Destroyed by separatist LTTE terrorism due to the chauvinistic and short-sighted policies of some Sinhalese leader’s in the 1960 and 1970s and the terrible dreadful events of July 25th 1983 which the Government of the day allowed to happen.

I recently met the Ven Bhramanawatte Sivali Thero of the Amanapura Nikkayar at a Conference in Europe where he astounded the chauvinistic Tamil Nadu politician Vaiko by speaking Ancient Tamil to him. This set me thinking, having travelled through out Asia where I have met Thai speaking Buddhists, Chinese speaking Buddhists, Cambodian speaking Buddhists and even Hindi speaking Buddhists but never Tamil speaking Buddhists.

Frequently now I wonder whether Sri Lanka would have been a much more peaceful and much more homogeneous place if say 40% or so of the Tamil speaking population had been Buddhists and not exclusively Hindu or Christian.

Is taking the Buddhist religion to Tamil people such a difficult task ?

Today the Sinhala democratic polity of Sri Lanka has learnt from its past mistakes. This is evident to all who are living in Sri Lanka. However to those living abroad and are at the receiving end of a constant barrage of LTTE propaganda, this change is not so self evident.

It is therefore vital to inform and educate the opinion formers and decision makers in the international community of the changes that this and previous Governments have made in regard to equality of the ethnic groups, equality of the languages and even about the teaching of Tamil to Sinhalese students and Government servants.

And for the EU the lesson is simpler still.

We need to learn - not to lecture.

We need to learn to make statements that encourage good governance - in the spirit of friendship while at the same time not strengthening the hand of the terrorist in any way at all.

We need to engage Sri Lanka in a dialogue of equals as an ongoing and regular process, without employing megaphone diplomacy.

This was something, which we failed to do, last week, and for which, on behalf of the British Conservative Members of European Parliament, I do now apologise.

Like our rich cultured past, Sri Lanka and all her peoples have a great future. Together, side by side, as friends, lets join hands across the continents, go out, meet the challenges, overcome every obstacle and build that future.

Security forces personnel engaged in counter terrorist offensive operation inching further towards LTTE territory have gained control over more LTTE areas inflicting damages to the enemy, the finalized military report received from the forefront said. 13 LTTE terrorists were killed and 6 others suffered injuries due to the clashes ensued between security forces and LTTE yesterday, July 27. In addition, 19 more terrorists reportedly either killed or wounded due to the yesterday's clashes. Two security forces personnel have made utmost sacrifice for the sake of motherland while 8 others received injuries.
Troops of 57 Division operating in Vavuniya front launched an attack targeting a group of LTTE terrorists in general area Parappukkal. Intercepting LTTE communication, it is revealed that 4 LTTE terrorists were killed in this attack. An army solder received injuries was admitted to the Ampara hospital.
Army snipers deployed in Kuttimulai area gunned down an LTTE terrorist during day hours yesterday while another army soldier injured in a separate confrontation took place in Mallavi area.

On information received from a civilian, troops have found a LTTE suicide belt while conducting a search operation in Pattaikadu area in Vavuniya this afternoon, July 28.
According to the information, the suicide belt had been buried in a bare land in the area when it was recovered around 12.40 p.m.

Oslo - A Norwegian aid group Monday rejected allegations that is has given trucks to Tamil rebels fighting the government of Sri Lanka, reports said.
Sri Lanka's Defence Ministry posted an article on its web site Sunday stating that Norwegian People's Aid had given trucks and other vehicles to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The article said the LTTE was using the vehicles 'for its military operations in the North, and intends using them for disinformation activities, too.'
Norwegian People's Aid secretary general Petter Eide rejected the allegations, saying 'the trucks were stolen,' Norwegian news agency NTB said.
'These allegations are just fabricated. The vehicles were stolen, taken by force,' Eide added, saying the aid group had no interest in equipping the LTTE.
Norway in 2002 helped broker a ceasefire agreement that has since collapsed.

Dr. P.B. Jayasundara extending his letter of resignation today, sought to be relinquished from his current position as Secretary to Ministry of Finance after paying the landmark fine imposed by the Supreme Court.
Dr. Jayasundara who happens to be the longest serving Treasury Secretary after former Secretary R. Paskaralingam was ordered to pay Rs. 500,000, the highest ever compensation in a fundamental rights case, after finding him guilty of having concealed facts to the Cabinet and being party to an act of massive corruption.
However, the sources said that it is doubtful that President Mahinda Rajapakse would accept the letter of resignation, having considered the appeals made by Ministers and other Senior Government officials at this juncture.
Meanwhile, Private sector shaken from the recent judgment expressed their concern over UPFA Government resorting to legal remedy in taking-over profit making private ventures which were loss making state burdens before being privatized.

Girija Prasad Koirala will represent Nepal at the 15th SAARC Summit to be held in Colombo on August 2 and 3.
Though Koirala resigned as Prime Minister on June 26, he would represent the country as the political parties could not form the new government even after more than three-and-half months of the Constituent Assembly election.
The cabinet meeting on Monday decided to send a 35-member delegation to the SAARC Summit under Koirala’s leadership. The ‘caretaker’ Prime Minister’s daughter Sujata Koirala is also part of the delegations.
Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat, who is also officiating as the Foreign Minister, will lead the Nepali delegation for the SAARC ministerial meeting.
Interestingly, the Maoists and the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) ministers did not attend the meeting as they have already resigned from the government.

TULF Leader V.Anandasangaree sent an open letter to the leader of the LTTE V.Pripaharan and asked to declare five declarations to end the ongoing civil war and find a solution for the ethnic issue.
He asked a permanent unilateral ceasefire, lay down arms to find solutions for the ethnic problem, give up idea of the separatism, accept seven heads of the SAARC countries as arbitrators and accept their solutions to form a united Sri Lanka.
He said he would talk to the President of Sri Lanka to find a best solution and follow a long tern ceasefire.
In his letter he mentioned the international community has rejected the LTTE claim for separatism.
“If you agree to give up demand for separatism the whole world and the SAARC will intervene and help to solve the ethnic problem, he said.
“This is the golden opportunity to give up the armed struggle and enter the democratic path .The happenings of the Eastern Province can be taken as a good example for the LTTE to come into the democratic path .You will be welcomed to take part in the administration .I will do my best to help you to come into the democratic path, he said.
He said the country would gladly agree to change their present attitude and help to find a satisfactory solution.
“I am not aware into whether the ethnic issue of ours is in the agenda of SAARC conference. But terrorism will certainly be a subject for discussion and therefore discussion of the ethnic issue will become unavoidable. I will make a request to the president Mahindha Rajapaksha to take up the issue of the Sri Lankan ethnic problem for discussions with other heads of the SAARC countries, he said.

A protest by staff running the SAARC foreign media unit at Hotel Trans Asia has ensured them a meal costing Rs. 4,000 per head after mediation by Sajin Vaas Gunawardena.

Earlier, these officers from the Information and Police Departments had alleged they had not been provided with adequate facilities.

Head of the Presidential Media Unit Lucien Rajakarunanayake and SSP Amarasinghe of the Presidential Security Division had complained about this to the Presidential Secretariat.

Foreign Ministry sources said the Information Department had been given Rs. 10 million to provide facilities for journalists from the South Asian region.

In addition, Rs. 400,000 has been granted to cover food expenses.

However, the supporting staff at the media unit had earlier been issued with coupons to buy their food from the hotel's staff canteen, at Rs. 450 per head.

They had protested to the hotel management against this treatment, but were told that the Foreign Ministry had made the decision.

In spite of a previously estimated staff of around 50, nearly 100 officers, including 70 from the Information and Police Departments, had asked for meals, thus aggravating the situation.

Foreign Ministry sources noted that this was not a question about facilities for the foreign media, but about the meals of the supporting staff.

Ports and aviation minister Chamal Rajapaksa has asked the airports and aviation services authority to make arrangements to shift the planned second international airport to a new site in Mattala in the Hambantota district.

Two Indian warships INS Ranvir and INS Mysore will be anchored just outside Sri Lankan territorial waters to provide security to the Indian Prime Minister and other high ranking officials who will be in Colombo to attend this week’s SAARC Summit. “The two ships will only operate just outside the Sri Lankan waters and the Sri Lanka Navy will provide security in the Sri Lankan waters during the summit,” a top defence official said.
“They will be called in the event any emergency situation arise during the period of the summit,” he said.
The official also said the Sri Lanka Navy’s Off-shore patrol vessels and a fleet of Fast Attack Craft were already deployed to meet any emergency situation that arise during the summit. “The ships would stay until the end of the summit,” he said.
The ships INS Mysore a Delhi-class destroyer and INS Ranvir a Rajput-class destroyer will be equipped with Sea King and Chetak helicopters.
The 6,900-tonne Delhi-class destroyer, with a 360-crew, for instance, is a power-projection warship capable of operating even in an NBC (nuclear-chemical-biological) environment, with a wide array of missiles and weapon systems.
Indian military bases along the coastline, like Ramnad in Tamil Nadu, will also be on high alert to meet any contingency during the summit, reports said.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Navy activated a tight security blanket with deploying a large naval fleet in the West coast during SAARC summit period. A senior navy official confirmed that a fleet consisting Off-Shore Petrol Vessels (OPV), Fast Attack Craft (FAC-Dvora), Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC), Fast Gun Boats (FGB) and newly set up Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) will carry out sea patrolling around the clock.
In addition to the sea coverage, two boats team from RABS were also deployed for the inland waterfront security.
Two teams each consisting more than five boats of the RABS had been deployed in Diyawanna Oya and Beira Lake security.

Treasury Secretary Dr.P.B. Jayasundera today paid up the fine of Rs.5 lakhs to the government over the illegal deal carried out between JKH and Lanka Marine Services Ltd.

At least 18 treasure hunters were arrested in the Galgamuwa area, Police said.

They were identified as residents of Ja-ela, Gampaha and from same area as well, police said.

Most Colombo city residents and those living in the immediate outskirts have opted to remain indoors or travel to outstations during the week as meetings of the SAARC got underway on Sunday.

Less number of vehicles entered the city on Monday compared to other weeks and most shops and offices plan to reduce their business activities later in the week expecting less number of customers to turn up.

Most residents said they would opt to stay back at home than traveling and caught in traffic blocks.

Hotels in the outstations including Kandy and the southern coastal line said they had received more bookings compared to other weeks and were expecting more visitors.

The Sri Lanka Tourism organized Hikkaduwa Beach festival 2008 is also expected to draw out crowds from the city in addition to Cricket fans traveling down to Galle to witness the second test match between Sri Lanka and India starting on Thursday.

Security is being further intensified in an around the city with 12,000 policemen and 8,000 security personnel.

On Monday residents witnesses sudden interruptions of traffic with roads being closed at short notice for the movement of delegates between hotels and the main venue at the BMICH.

Meanwhile the official level meetings opened on Sunday and the Foreign Secretaries are due to meet from tomorrow before the Foreign Ministers meeting opens on Thursday followed by the heads of state meeting on Saturday and Sunday.

Those using the Negombo road have been warned that they should expect sudden interruptions of traffic for long hours on Friday as the heads of state are due arrive on Friday.

Associated Motorways Ltd, (AMW) Chairman Ajita de Zoysa told reporters on Monday afternoon that the decision for Associated Electrical Company (AEC) to sell its 51 percent stake in AMW to Dubai-based Al Futtaim Group was because of a need to raise capital.

“My uncle, Sir Cyril de Zoysa, who was a pioneering industrialist started this company which my father Mr. V.T. de Zoysa headed later on,” he said, touching on AMW history. He said this deal was entered into as the company needs large capital infusion to start the projects that the board has foreseen for the company. Earlier in another report this morning on TimesOnline, it was erroneously reported that Ajitha and Tilak de Zoysa, are sons of the founder Sir Cyril.

The new owner of AMW was introduced to the company by Dubai-based, Sri Lankan investor Alex Lovell.

“Mr. Alex Lovell introduced the Al Futtaim Group to me and on Saturday Mr. Bob Farrow (Senior General Manager- Business Development) from Al Futtaim offered to buy the AEC stake in AMW. I took board approval and then we decided to do the market transaction today,” he said.

Mr. De Zoysa said he will be retiring within three months and then his younger brother Mr. Tilak de Zoysa will take over the Chairmanship at AMW. However, Mr. Ajita de Zoysa will continue to be the Chairman at AEC.

After the 51 percent stake of the 59-year-old AMW Group was sold, John Keells Holdings’ (JKH) also disposed its 20 percent to the same party. Mr. Farrow told TimesOnline that after the AMW board had sanctioned the transaction, Al Futtaim had approached JKH. “Then they decided to sell,” he said. He said the AMW-JKH- James Finlay property development project that was announced some months ago will contine as Al Futtaim is also into property development.

This acquisition follows Al Futtaim’s recent control of Singapore’s retailer, the Robinson Group. A press release by AMW said that in line with the Takeovers and Mergers Code of the Colombo Stock Exchange the share offer will 'go unconditional' following official confirmation of acceptances above the 50 percent threshold.

When asked whether there were any depressing sentiments when ‘selling the De Zoysa heritage’, Mr. Ajita de Zoysa said, “There is no heritage or sentiment, but this is for the greater good of the company and the country at large in terms of investment.”

He said this is the second large foreign investment he has brought into the country during the last 18 months (Union Bank investors were the first) and that Sri Lanka’s investment potential is great. He said that Al Futtaim will set up a car assembling plant to manufacture cars for the local market as the prevailing tax structure makes it difficult to import cars.

Demonstrating its commitment to add value to the Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry in the country, Dialog Telekom, Sri Lanka's leading telecommunications service provider, has come forward to sponsor Infotel 2008 as the strategic partner- Communications and Broadband. Infotel 2008 is one of the biggest ICT showcases in Sri Lanka.

The week long ICT event commencing on the 27th of October, will bring together various segments of the IT industry including industry experts, professionals, academics and the user community on to a single platform.

Speaking on the company's sponsorship, Mr. Thivanka Rangala, Group Chief Commercial Officer, Dialog Telekom said, "As front-runners in technological advancements in Sri Lanka, we're extremely glad to partner Infotel 2008 as strategic partner- Communications and Broadband. We believe that this event will be an ideal opportunity for individuals and organizations to harness the full potential of the ICT industry in Sri Lanka while also gaining a deeper insight into the industry's unique business drivers and logistic needs. The event I'm sure will help generate awareness among the general public at large about the unlimited possibilities of this dynamic industry"

Infotel 2008 will not only display hardware and software solutions but will also feature a 'career section' which will serve as a career guidance centre for job seekers and students aspiring to take up ICT for their higher studies. The event, which will be held in conjunction with the national ICT week, will be an effective meeting place for both service providers and prospective local and foreign clientele.

"Infotel 2008 will be an ideal platform to showcase the combined strengths of the ICT industry of Sri Lanka and to pitch this message onto the international arena. It will highlight the enormous growth potential in the country and the comprehensive policies, infrastructure and conducive business environment in place to fuel and sustain this growth," said Minister for Science and Technology Hon. Tissa Vitharana.

The 10th International IT Conference (IITC) organized by the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC) and Cyber Security Week are other events that will be held as parallel events to Infotel 2008. e-Sri Lanka segment which is a new addition to the event, aims to create awareness among the general public to use more online services for their requirements.

Infotel 2008 will comprise of over 250 stalls and nearly 25000 guests are expected to participate at the event.

by Jehan Perera

Five days before the commencement of the SAARC Summit meetings on July 27, the LTTE announced its intention to declare a unilateral ceasefire from July 26 to August 4 to cover the duration of the event. This announcement was initially made through a statement issued to the world at large through the media, and was subsequently conveyed to the government by the Norwegian facilitators. The LTTE’s offer was immediately rejected by the government as a ploy to gain a respite from the government’s military operations and to make a play for international attention.

The government’s negative response to the LTTE offer was not surprising. Ceasefires between warring parties usually occur in situations of protracted stalemate, when both sides find themselves stuck and hurting. The present news from the war front is invariably of government progress. The media carries stories of one LTTE camp after another falling to the government forces. There is little or no reliable information about government losses, although there are hearsay accounts that the casualties in hospitals are larger than the government is prepared to admit.

What is noteworthy, however, is the lack of positive response of the international community to the LTTE’s offer. Sections of the international community have been assertive in affirming the need for a political solution to the ethnic conflict, as opposed to a military solution. But there have been no reports of either foreign governments or international organizations urging the government to reciprocate the LTTE’s unilateral ceasefire. This is indicative of the severe crisis of credibility that accompanies the LTTE in relation to its commitment to peace and to which it needs to give its mind.

The absence of any positive response to the LTTE’s ceasefire offer points to the need of the LTTE to reassess its past behaviour and to find ways to rebuild its credibility with the world at large. The scant respect that the LTTE showed in the latter stages to the Ceasefire Agreement that it entered into with the government in 2002 has seriously eroded the credibility of the organization as a partner in any future peace process. It is difficult for anyone who has been following recent events to forget how the LTTE provoked the present government by its crude military actions shortly after the Presidential election of November 2005 which it had subverted by its imposed boycott of Tamil voters in the north and east.


POSITIVE ASPECTS

Despite its lack of credibility, the positive aspects of the LTTE’s unilateral ceasefire must not be discounted. The immediate beneficiaries would be the visiting foreign delegations for the SAARC Summit. It is unlikely that the LTTE could have penetrated the very tight security measures that the government has taken, closing main roads in Colombo and requiring staff at the conference venue to stay on without going home for the entire duration of the Summit. But the assurance of the LTTE’s unilateral ceasefire would also add to the sense of security of all the participants at the meetings.

Another important gain would be to bring back the issue of a ceasefire into the public debate. There is no doubt that the former Ceasefire Agreement got very much discredited due to the LTTE’s conduct in the final stages in 2005-06. Thereafter the government was able to project its own abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement and military actions against the LTTE as justifiable ones. From that time onwards the general population has been acquiescing in a brutal military conflict, with its terrible human rights violations, on the premise that victory will be quick, even by the middle of this year, as the government had promised.

On the other hand, it is becoming increasingly clear that the government’s battlefield successes notwithstanding, the war is dragging on beyond the government’s earlier time tables. The suffering of the civilian population in the war zones is immense. Both the Bishops of Mannar and Jaffna, whose areas of religious authority cover the present battle zones, have issued statements describing the plight of tens of thousands of people, driven from place to place by the shifting of battle zones. The LTTE’s recruitment of virtually all able bodied adults and use of human shields, and the government’s artillery and air bombings add to the catastrophe of the civilians.

Despite the repeated claims of military success, it is not advisable to disregard the possibility of the past repeating itself. So far the government victories have been in the western part of the Wanni, whereas the LTTE’s core strength lies in the eastern part. As the areas cleared of the LTTE get larger, the amount of soldiers needed to hold the territory effectively grows exponentially. Independent military strategists are agreed that the harder battles and LTTE counter attacks are yet to come, and there is no guarantee of success.


SUSTAINABILITY QUESTION

There are also questions that need to be asked about the sustainability of the government’s military strategy. This is not the first time that government forces have regained large tracts of land from the LTTE in the course of the war. In the period 1988-90, the Indian army took control of nearly all of the north and east, driving the LTTE into hiding in villages and in the jungles. Operation Jayasikuru conducted by the Sri Lankan army in 1997-98 also led to the capture of large tracts of land, so much so that the government was emboldened to say that 96 percent of the war had been won.

No less an authority than army commander, General Sarath Fonseka has said that the imperatives of Tamil nationalism are such that the LTTE can remain a guerilla force of about a thousand for ten to twenty years. In such circumstances it is clear that there cannot be real peace or reconstruction of the north and east for decades, and this in turn will impact upon developments in the rest of the country. This is why a second track of a negotiated political solution needs to be kept open. The government’s initiative to evolve a political solution through the All Party process is an important contribution in this regard. A ceasefire could be another, though it would need to be linked to the political solution that includes acceptance of Sri Lanka’s unity and the decommissioning of weapons.

The international community has an important role to play in creating the conditions for a new ceasefire agreement in the future. It was reported in the media that prior to the LTTE’s unilateral ceasefire offer, they made contact with their offices abroad to ascertain their views. One possible task for the international community is to engage in dialogue with the LTTE’s branches abroad and assist the LTTE to make a self-criticism of those elements of their past strategies that have led to disaster to the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. If the government relaxes its embargo on peace emissaries going into the Wanni to meet with the LTTE, this same effort can be made locally as well.

The LTTE’s ceasefire offer would have more credibility if it is accompanied by clear and convincing evidence of a change of heart and approach in the direction of a political and negotiated process of conflict resolution. The stopping of forcible recruitment, killing of civilians in terror attacks, and the killing of political leaders, such as TULF MP and human rights activist Dr Neelan Tiruchelvan, whose 9th death anniversary was commemorated this past Sunday, would figure high on this list. Whatever its motivations, a ceasefire is not to be lightly offered or rejected as it offers a new space and a new opportunity for peace. Creating the ground for a ceasefire is a humanitarian obligation.

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Sri Lanka will not be signed on the sidelines of the two-day Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit, starting August 2.


Political opposition as well as discontent amongst some companies have been blamed for the delay in the signing of the agreement, talks for which were sealed early this month.

“It is almost certain that the agreement will not be signed during the Saarc summit, as some political parties are not in favour of it. It seems, the Sri Lankan government does not want any controversy to crop up during the Saarc summit and hence wants to delay it. We hope the agreement will be signed later during this year,” said a government official.

India and Sri Lanka have a functional free trade agreement (FTA) covering goods since 1998. The CEPA would have covered goods, services and investments and ensured deeper economic ties between the two nations.

According to experts, most of the industry and the political set-up in the island nation support the agreement, but some Left leaning parties, known for their anti-India stand, are not in favour of it.

“Such political opposition is normally seen when such agreements are finalised. Sri Lanka would have benefited from a deep economic integration with a growing economy like India. This is because such economic engagements have a trickle-down effect. Moreover, asymmetries of both parties are taken care of in such agreements through checks and balances,” said Saman Kalegama, executive director of Institute of Policy Studies, Colombo.

According to a recent analysis by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci), bilateral trade between the two countries increased by four times to reach $2.7 billion in 2006-07, from $865 million in 2000-01. During the same period, Indian exports posted an annual average growth rate of 25 per cent, while Sri Lankan exports increased by 47 per cent.

Officials maintain that the agreement would have benefited Sri Lanka more than India. For instance, India would have cut more number of items from its existing list of 429 items than the island country, which at present has 1,180 goods in the negative list.

“Moreover, India’s offer on opening up the services sector is better than that of Sri Lanka, which is not comfortable in opening up the sector for Indian companies. But we are not going to push for signing of the agreement. The initiative has to come from Sri Lanka,” the official added.

Sources said some companies in Sri Lanka are also not in favour of the CEPA.

“These companies have had problems while interacting with India on non-tariff barriers as well as other legal issues. Indian companies have also faced similar problems in Sri Lanka but it does not mean that these problems should come in between important economic engagements,” said an observer of India-Sri Lanka relations.

The 15th SAARC Summit which got off the ground in Colombo yesterday is set to adopt a series of measures with the main focus on a joint approach to combating terrorism, maximising energy and water resources, food security, poverty alleviation in addition to several other key issues concerning the region.

Addl.Secretary to the Foreign Ministry cum Media spokesman for SAARC Prasad Kariyawasam addressing the media after the first day's deliberations said that the intention of the programming committee meeting which is set to continue today as well was to prepare the groundwork for the upcoming Foreign Ministers and Heads of State meetings.

Kariyawasam added that the programming committee would mainly focus on the twin issues of evaluating progress made since the last summit and introducing new vistas accordingly and preparation of the SAARC Declaration.

The SAARC Declaration which would focus on the above mentioned issues in addition to several other key issues concerning the region is to be agreed and adopted by the leaders at the end of the Summit after careful deliberation.

Also according to Kariyawasam deliberations would focus on meaningful ways to uphold this year's SAARC theme "Partnership for Our People". Thus SAARC would deliberate regarding practical and meaningful ways to propel the vision of growth for our people through partnership, Kariyawasam said.

Kariyawasam said that the leaders had realized that SAARC had to evolve into a more people centered organisation and thus this year's theme was a progression from last year's theme of connectivity.

He further noted that in comparison to other such regional gatherings SAARC's progress in a relatively shorter span was very encouraging and said it was on the threshold of greater prosperity on both economic and social fronts through enhanced co-operation.

Also during its 15th Summit SAARC is set to adopt four agreements such as SAARC Development Fund, South Asian Standards Co-ordination, South Asian Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters and Protocol of Afghanistan's accession to SAFTA.

In addition the economic, social and technical cooperation among the countries of South Asia is to be considered as a factor, which would contribute significantly to national and collective self-reliance.;

In addition several key issues pertaining to the progress of members and the region are slated for deliberation and discussion which could open up new vistas in regional cooperation.

A noteworthy aspect of the last Summit held in India was the 30 point declaration made by the Heads of States which covered areas of crucial importance to the SAARC membership. Some of the important areas of the declaration have a bearing on key connective instruments of SAARC.

This is inevitable since there has to be back up organs not only to formulate particular policies based on the decisions taken by the leaders but also to implement such policy.

Thus the 15th SAARC summit is expected to carry progress from that point onwards - in other words the implementation of the different proposals is what is most relevant and practical to SAARC.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) comprising eight countries of South Asia, i.e. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka first came to be according to an idea mooted in May 1980 by then Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman.

The Foreign Secretaries of seven countries in South Asia met for the first time in Colombo in April 1981 and identified five broad areas for regional cooperation.

Next After a series of meetings the Foreign Ministers met in New Delhi in 1983 where they adopted the Declaration on South Asian Regional Cooperation (SARC).

During the next two years South Asian nations committed themselves to form this South Asian alliance and the process culminated in the First SAARC Summit held on 7-8 December in 1985 in Dhaka where the Heads of State or Government of seven countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka adopted the Charter formally establishing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Moreover, the cooperation of the SAARC is also based on broader principles of respect for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs of the Member States and on mutual benefit. The highest authority of the Association rests with the Heads of State or Government.

The SAARC Charter provides that the Heads of State or Government shall meet once a year or more often as and when considered necessary by the Member States. The country which hosts the summit holds the Chair of the Association. Thus Sri Lanka will hold the Chair for the next year.

(By: Walter Jayawardhana)

Norwegian People's Aid - One of Norway's biggest non-government organizations which is alleged used by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for its terrorist activities is also learnt was accused of secretly smuggling in weapons for at least another insurgency in Sudan in the past, according to Ministry of Defence sources.

Several political parties in Sri Lanka, in the past, have accused the Norwegian government of using its aid outlets like Red Barna, to aid the LTTE. The Norway government has been accused of training covertly the LTTE frogmen in underwater warfare at secret locations in Thailand in the past.

This is in addition to the powerful broadcasting and military communication station the Norwegians more overtly granted the LTTE, through the clearance of the 2002-2004 government. The Norwegians working in the ceasefire-monitoring mission were alleged openly engaged in pro-LTTE activities during the Mavil Aru crisis(2006).

The website of the NGO which is currently controversial declares:

"Norwegian People's Aid is a voluntary humanitarian organization, which has deep roots in the labor movement struggle for political freedom, social and economic freedom, equal rights and cultural growth. It is a value-based organization, which stands up for the oppressed and poor. The premise of NPA's undertakings is based on five values: Unity, Solidarity, Human dignity, Peace and Freedom."

According to other reports it was established in 1939 and the Norwegian intelligence services are suspected to be involved in the NGO to aid foreign insurgencies in the past.

"The Norwegian People's Aid, earlier has been accused of smuggling in with its humanitarian aid arms, ammunition and landmines for a Sudanese insurgent group by air - a group accused of some of the worst human rights violations like the LTTE despite the group's de-mining activities elsewhere.

"The European Sudanese Public Affairs Council charged the aid agency of supplying arms and ammunition to the insurgent group Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) :

"Norwegian People's Aid had became involved in Sudan in 1986, and almost immediately began providing support to the SPLA, and its 'humanitarian' wing, the Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Association. There had always been speculation as to whether Norwegian People's Aid was involved in the supply of war material to the southern rebels, and this documentary confirmed that NPA had for several years organised an air-bridge for the supply of weapons to battle zones within Sudan under the supervision of its Nairobi office. One of the NPA pilots involved in the gun running, Svein Kristiansen, stated, that his plane had landed at SPLA bases with some 2.5 tons of weapons.

It was stated that between 80-100 tons of arms were carried to the Nuba mountains and elsewhere in NPA-controlled airplanes supposedly carrying humanitarian assistance.

Another Norwegian People's Aid pilot, interviewed by the documentary makers, related how when he began working for NPA he believed that he would be flying NPA humanitarian assistance into the Nuba mountains. He then realised that NPA was also transporting weapons, including land-mines, into Sudan:

The purpose was to fly aid, blankets, medicine, food, clothing etc. from Lokichokio up to the Nuba mountains to the people there that didn't have anything. That was the main purpose that we served there. That was also my understanding of what we would be doing when I arrived in Lokichokio. And to my surprise we ended up flying more than just aid. We did some other trips where we took off from Lokichokio empty, and we picked up crates, boxes, and so forth, of ammunition, weapons, and other things, and flew it up to the Nuba mountains so that they could fight the war they had going up there.

They were mostly ammunitions, and arms, also some anti-aircraft weapons. And I found out later that there was also land-mines in quite a few of the boxes.

Pressed by the interviewer on how he could be sure the cargo contained land-mines, the pilot stated that there would be papers stating what was in the cargo and how much everything weighed. The crew would check the manifest as well as the cargo to make sure it was the same weight in order to know how heavy the plane would be when it left the ground. The pilot also stated that out of curiosity he had opened up several of the boxes and had "looked in them and saw what was there".

"The callousness shown by Norwegian People's Aid in cold-bloodedly supplying land-mines to war zones in Sudan must be measured against NPA's official position with regard to land-mines and their use, stating that they are a "deadly legacy killing and maiming innocents everyday". NPA is also ostensibly committed to advocacy work with regard to land-mines, and, for example, is a member of the Coordinating Committee of the International Campaign to ban Landmines.

"The above-mentioned Norwegian documentary also provided evidence that Norwegian People's Aid's involvement in actively assisting and facilitating the SPLA's military activities dated back to the 1980s. In September 1989, for example, the Norwegian Red Cross offered the International Committee of the Red Cross a large barge funded by the Norwegian government.

The barge, with a cargo capacity of up to 60 tons, arrived in July 1990 and was soon in place on the Nile. It had been intended to use this barge for the delivery of food aid by river. NPA was allowed to take responsibility for the operation of the barge. The documentary also showed that the SPLA had clearly used the river barge for military purposes, including the transport of hundreds of SPLA soldiers in order for them to engage in fighting elsewhere - all this with the active assistance of NPA.

Norwegian People's Aid's activities in Sudan had led to the Norwegian government commissioning COWI, an independent consultancy, to investigate NPA's use of the considerable funds it had received from the Norwegian government. The report, entitled Evaluation of Norwegian Humanitarian Assistance to the Sudan, documented that Norwegian and similar relief funds were being used to support SPLA soldiers, and thus prolonging the conflict. The report stated, for example, that by the early 1990s Norwegian People's Aid:

Began to adopt more closely the aims of the SPLA and developed from 1992 a growing field presence. The report went on to state:

NPA's intervention is that of a solidarity group. It has taken a clear side in the war. It supports the causes of SPLA/M and its humanitarian wing SRRA. NPA's solidarity approach means that in practice the activities of NPA are closely related to the political and military strategies of the rebel movement.

"The report placed on record that Norwegian People's Aid's humanitarian activities were said to "support the political and military struggle of the SPLA/M". With regard to whether the NPA was directly supplying the SPLA with food, the report stated that:

Many sources, including some within the NPA confirm that food relief has also been used to feed SPLA troops. A 1995 USAID audit, for example, revealed that in early 1995 some 200 metric tons of sorghum, valued at about US $100,000, and under NPA control, was diverted to feed SPLA soldiers.

Documentation in this example relating to the diversion of aid had been "fraudulently stamped" by SRRA officials. The report spoke of "other cases showing insufficient control". The report stated that:

The food relief supplied by NPA has been extremely important to the SPLA which managed to sustain its position as a strong rebel movement.

The Danish media further reported that Norwegian People's Aid had allowed the SPLA to sell emergency aid in order to purchase weapons of war.

Norwegian aid funds were also diverted to buy the SPLA food, houses and cars, and to was pay for the schooling of the children of SPLA officers.

The report also made it clear that Norwegian People's Aid may have increased the level of tension in parts of southern Sudan.

The support of NPA to the higher levels of the SPLA has reinforced the tendency of SPLA to rely on its own external diplomacy to obtain critical resources, such as food, rather than seeking the support of the indigenous populations of the areas where it operates. There has been a marked lack of interface between the SPLA's higher ranks and the "traditional" chiefs and governance structures of the tribes, particularly the Equatorian tribes.

"The report also examined the NPA's position with regard to working towards a peaceful solution to the Sudanese civil war. It was stated that the NPA did not see:

The reduction of violence in the Sudan as [its] main objective. It was not considered appropriate for a "solidarity".organisation like NPA. The cause of the SPLA, as expressed by John Garang and his leadership group, is just according to the NPA. The prevention of conflict, in this context, is entirely subordinated to the pursuit of partisan advantages.

In December 1999, Human Rights Watch stated that:

The SPLA has a history of gross abuses of human rights and has not made any effort to establish accountability. Its abuses today remain serious.

Human Rights Watch has pointed to summary executions, arbitrary arrests and food aid theft from civilians in famine areas by the SPLA. Established and respected humanitarian organisations such as CARE, Save the Children, World Vision, Church World Service and the American Refugee Committee have jointly stated that the SPLA is guilty of "the most serious human rights abuses". The BBC has reported growing friction in SPLA-controlled areas of southern Sudan, specifically within Didinga areas: "The Didinga have accused the SPLA of becoming an army of occupation in the area."

These are the very areas in which Norwegian People's Aid is active. It is obvious that NPA and the money which supports it, is helping to artificially sustain the SPLA in these and other areas of "occupation". Without the support of external forces such as Norwegian People's Aid, the SPLA would have had to negotiate an end to a stalemated conflict.

It is clear that Norwegian People's Aid serves not merely as a propaganda adjunct to the SPLA, but also as an organisation willingly involved in the supply of weapons and war material to southern rebels. It nutures a deeply unpleasant organisation, and helps perpetuate Sudan's civil war.

The activities of NPA have done a great disservice to all genuine humanitarian organisations active in Sudan. Their activities have highlighted the need for aid agencies to operate within the United Nations-managed Operation Lifeline Sudan. NPA's military aid to the SPLA has made the Sudanese government all the more suspicious of those groups that do not."

These accusations appeared in the website:

http://www.espac.org/norwegian_pages/norwegian_aid.asp

The website also said : "A November 1999 Norwegian television documentary, entitled 'Weapons Smuggling in Sudan', has highlighted the role played by some aid agencies in logistically and politically perpetuating the Sudanese civil war. The documentary clearly outlined the actions of Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) in supplying the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) with weapons in the course of the Sudanese civil war in the 1990s."

Associated Motorways Ltd (AMW) called a press conferencetoday to explain the reasons for the sale of the De Zoysa family-held stake in the company.

Stock brokers and analysts said the De Zoysa family stake (51 percent held through Associated Electrical Company-AEC) had been on offer for many years at various times. “They (AEC) got a good price,” one analyst said. The name of Dubai-based Sri Lankan investor Alex Lovell (who AMW Chairman Ajita de Zoysa introduced to the Union Bank as an investor some years ago) also figured as a party connected to today’s transaction, the anayst said.

While the transaction of the family-held company seemed to stump many in the media, it was no surprise in the Colombo bourse. It was also unlikely that the JKH sale of its stake in AMW was connected to last week’s judgement against the privatisation of LMSL.

The JVP today charged that the Indian intervention in internal matters of Sri Lanka has intensified during the current regime of President Mahinda Rajapaksa than in 1987 under J.R. Jayawardene administration.

Video calling company iPoint-media Plc. said Monday it has signed an agreement with Sri Lanka-based systems integrator CNT International Ltd. to offer services throughout Asia-Pacific.
Financial details were not disclosed. As per the deal, CNT will offer iPoint-media's 3G video calling and participation TV platforms to mobile operators, service providers and television broadcasters across Asia-Pacific, the British company said.

Colombo stocks saw its indices on the rise in morning trades today after the Associated Motorways Ltd, (AMW) controlling stake (held by Associated Electrical Company (AEC)) and the John Keells Holdings (JKH) 20 percent stake in AMW were both sold to to Dubai based Al-Futtaim Engineering, stock brokers said.

This came back on the negative market activity seen during most of last week dragged by JKH which was slammed by the Supreme Court over the privatisation of Lanka Marine Services (LMSL). The land and most assets wered ordered to be returned to the state. The All Share Index was up by 16.18 points to stand at 2,386.71 while the Milanka dropped by 19.95 points to stand at 2,833.12. Total turnover stood at Rs.7.59 billion.

THOOTHUKUDI: A donation slip book bearing a Kilinochchi address in Sri Lanka was found with other items like camera, video cassettes, Rs. 25,000 in cash and two film rolls in a bag and was seized by the police, here on Thursday.
The bag was found abandoned near the Thoondigai Vinayagar Temple in Tiruchendur by a daily wage labourer. Local police took custody of the bag on Thursday.

Kilinochchi houses the headquarters of the LTTE and the book contained the address, "Society Upliftment Centre, Headquarters, Kanagapuram, Killinochchi."

Today, a Q Branch team led by the Deputy Superintendent of Police Antony Gnanasekaran and a team from the Special Branch arrived in Tiruchendur for investigation.

DSP, Tiruchendur N. Samydurai Velu said the recording in the video cassettes was not suspicious in nature since it was of a family function and the New Year celebration. Police suspect that the bag could have been left at the spot either by some Sri Lankan tourist or supporters of the LTTE.

Solidar Consortium was advised to utilize unspent donor money from the suspended Post Tsunami Reconstruction and Community Development (RECODE) Programme (due to the on-going civil conflict) in Vadamarachchi East, on a similar project elsewhere in a tsunami-affected area. Solidar felt that the district of Ampara provided the most stable platform where the long-term viability of the project can be better assured while the conflict continues .

The eastern districts have a large imbalance of unfulfilled housing, infrastructure and socio-economic development needs as a result of the 2004 tsunami. Many areas are also conflict-affected.

In the housing sector alone, unfulfilled commitments and delays in construction have left thousands of families languishing in transitional shelters for more than 26 months. This has created heightened tension and between families that have been re-housed and those that have not. the case of tsunami housing requirements, details provided by various authorities have been scrutinized, and information has been collected on commitments by other INGOs and UN Habitat. All of this indicates a clear and unfulfilled requirement for further support for owner-driven housing (where owners contribute labour to the building of their house).

As a result of discussions with donors and partners in the housing sector, there is a view that owner-driven housing, as opposed to donor-driven projects, is a more effective mechanism of delivery.

In most instances the government has provided an initial grant of US$2,500 to families in the owner-driven housing scheme, but there is a significant shortfall in the number of families that received top-up assistance from additional donors to complete construction activities. (We have also come across cases where tsunami registered families appear to have missed out on the government grant).

Solidar focuses on owner-driven housing and predominantly on those families that have already received base grants but lack funds to complete their houses and are still often in temporary shelters. When timeframes are considered, these families are a priority as appreciable vetting of families has already taken place prior to the provision of the base grant, and land issues are already addressed in most cases.

Minister Mervyn Silva has stormed a shop owned by a JVP member in the Aralaganwila area of Polonnaurwa and opened fire and caused damage to the shop on Sunday night, the JVP said.

The MP and 25 others had stormed the shop in the Nuwaragala area and carried out the attack.

The owner of the shop, Kithsiri Gayan has lodged a complaint at the Aralaganwila police claiming that he was threatened by the minister not to engage in political campaigns during the upcoming provincial council election.

Police said they are investigating the case.

Cabinet has approved the preparation of a Master Plan to develop the Kalpitiya peninsula in the Puttalam district as a Special tourist project on the instructions of Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda.
The Kalpitiya peninsula is a unique destination by itself with a cluster of 14 islands of varied sizes. Five of these islands are inhabited while the rest are frequented only by the seasonal fishing community.

The Kalpitiya Integrated Resort Project was initiated as far back as 2003 when action was initiated to prepare a Master Plan for Kalpitiya. However action on the project got delayed due to a scarcity of initial funding required in developing the basic infrastructure prior to other construction. To address this issue and to accelerate the project, Cabinet approval was obtained by the Minister of Tourism.

The Ministry of Tourism had already appointed a project Steering Committee and together with this a project office was set up. The project Steering Committee represents all the stakeholder agencies including North Western Province Land Commissioner, Chairman/Central Environmental Authority, Coast Conservation Department, Fisheries Department, Road Development Authority, Urban Development Authority etc. To cover various aspects of the project intensively in terms of immediate action required several sub committees were set up in the area of infrastructure development, land acquisition, investment, community awareness creation, legal and environment.

The project office will be headed by a Project Director and the rest of the staff will be Project Manager, Consultant / Architect, Engineer and support staff. The project office is in the process of reviewing the existing plans for Kalpitiya with a view to formulate a distinctive concept for the Kalpitiya Resort like in Bali in Indonesia.

The development envisaged will be strictly environmental friendly and ecologically sound and catering to the up market tourists.

Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona has clarified the circumstances that led to the cancellation of a planned visit by the European Parliamentary delegation to Trincomalee.

An EU press statement said the last minute cancellation and a catalogue of chaos and confusion meant that the Delegation did not fly to Trincomalee.

Despite repeated assurances, endless complications resulted in the party being turned back from the Ratmalana Airport, it said.

However, Dr. Kohona said the government had offered to transport the delegation in one of its aircraft which was declined by the European Commission office in Colombo, resulting in the latter seeking a private hire of an aircraft for this purpose;

The Ministry of Defence has then contacted the Civil Aviation Authority and requested that a flight to China Bay belonging to a private company be approved for this purpose.

It may be noted that although months of preparation time had been available, the said aircraft had arrived in Sri Lanka from South Africa only on 20th July 2008, with an operating crew inexperienced with the route.

Once the clearance for the aircraft by CAA had been given in the morning hours, and the final segment of the ensuing procedural process was taking place, the delegation had decided to return to their hotel from the Ratmalana airport, Dr. Kohona said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has failed to ensure adequate facilities for foreign journalists who are in Colombo to cover the 15th SAARC summit, reports say.

A unit, set up by the Foreign Ministry to into the requirements of the foreign journalists, has failed to provide even the basic facilities such as drinking water, reports add.

After being notified of the situation, the Presidential Secretariat has sent SSP Amarasinghe of the Presidential Security Division and Director of the Presidential Media Unit, Lucian Rajakarunanayake who have mediated to ensure facilities for the foreign media.

A special Indian security contingent has arrived for the security of the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh during his visit to Colombo for the 15th SAARC summit, sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs say.

In addition to the 70-member squad from the Indian Special Protection Group, three destroyers and three special helicopters are also in the island, sources add.

A fire broke out at a clothing store inside the Panagoda military camp. However the military says the fire was brought under control and there was no damage to the facility. The fire was believed to have been caused by an electrical short circuit.

Parts of Human skeletons were found from the Diyabeduma forest in Hingurakgoda today. Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera says investigations are underway.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa condemning terrorists attacks in India has said the government remains firm in their commitment to “jointly fight the menace of terrorism in all of South Asia”. The text of the statement follows:

I unreservedly condemn the cowardly terrorist attacks in Ahmedabad, India, yesterday, killing and injuring a large number of persons, as well as the terrorist attacks in Bangalore the previous day.

I extend my deepest sympathies to the families of all those killed and wish a speedy recovery to all injured in these wanton acts of terror by the forces ranged against democracy.

Sri Lanka being a country gravely affected by the scourge of terrorism for more than two decades, we understand well how the manipulators of terror seek to destroy the harmonious relations among communities and the democratic traditions that prevail in our societies.

My Government and I share the determination and commitment of the Government and people of India not to yield to this sustained threat of terror from those who seek to achieve their ends by inflicting maximum damage to the lives and limbs of civilians, disrupting their day to day lives and society at large.

My Government and I express our solidarity with India in these difficult hours, and remain firm in our commitment to jointly fight the menace of terrorism in all of South Asia.
According to the news reports at least two people were killed and 55 injured as more than a dozen explosions ripped through the bustling western Indian city of Ahmedabad.

Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BoI) has called a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for development of a textile manufacturing zone and a industrial park at Perth Estate in Horana.
State land extending to 223 acres, located 48 kilo meters southwest of the capital Colombo and accessible through Colombo – Horana – Ingiriya road via Wagawatte junction is currently offered for the project.
Approval of the Central Environmental Authority of Sri Lanka has already been obtained to set up the textile manufacturing zone and the industrial park within the particular land and approval is available to extract up to 20,000 cubic meters of water from the river Kalu Ganga located almost 2.5 kilo meters from the project site. Already, 33kV high tension power line capable of providing power supply up to 5 MVA has been constructed up to the site.

Sri Lanka's Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva has recently assured the public that legal system will continue the fight against injustice and corruption in Sri Lanka.
Chief Justice inaugurating the newly built Provincial High Courts for Uva Province of Sri Lanka has also said: “when fight against corruption continues, there can be instances where our directions and orders are not carried out."
"We are not shaken by these but know the next steps in overcoming such pathetic conditions,” he added.

Sri Lanka’s controversial Deputy Minister for Labour, Mervyn Silva who always steps on his own tail has put up a billboard at a prime location in Colombo city to convey his regards and wishes for a future 17th SAARC summit.

While Sri Lanka is hosting the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo Deputy Minister Silva has reportedly put up the wrong poster offering wishes to a 17th SAARC summit.

A Foreign Ministry official who prefers to remain anonymous said media on Sunday that such hoardings, showcasing the wrong information to the general public and the foreign delegates will tarnish the image of the country.

Troops of the 59 Division led by Brigadier Nanadana Udawatte Sunday (July 27) seized total control over 'Sugandan' base a satellite base of the LTTE's 'One-Four-base' complex located North of Kiriibbanwewa inside the thick jungles of Mullaittiuvu, following days of heavy confrontations.
Earlier, on 30th May 2008- troops captured the 'Munagam base' the main logistic link between the LTTE strongholds in Wanni and cadres in the east, across the Mullaittiuvu jungle, followed by the capture of 'Michael base' one of the strategic satellite bases of the 'One -Four base complex ' on 4th July. Troops are now consolidating the defences, sources said.
More information will follow.
Meanwhile, an LTTE area leader identified as 'Veandan' was reported seriously wounded during a separate confrontation with troops operating North of Janakapura today. 5 terrorists were killed and similar numbers injured including a senior cadre 'Maran' during the fighting reported from 10a.m., till 1p.m., defence sources said citing ground troops. A soldier has laid his life, while another sustained injuries, in the confrontation according to initial reports.
Troops have also recovered a body of a slain LTTE cadre along with an I-com set, during a subsequent search operation conducted in the area.
Also, troops operating North of Kiriibbanwewa have reportedly destroyed and gained control over an LTTE bunker defence and a mortar pit as troops said that at least 3 terrorists were wounded in the attack. Another terrorist was killed, 2 wounded in a similar confrontation with LTTE in general area West of Kiriibbanwewa, according to military.

Senior Officials of the Foreign Ministries of the SAARC countries attended their official meetings under the Chairmanship of Sri Lanka in Colombo with the tightest security on Sunday.
A heavy security blanket was setup by the Sri Lankan security forces and a number of roads were closed due to the meetings. The SAARC officials formed a
Steering Committee and Director General of SAARC and South Asian Affairs Mrs. Grace Ashirwadan was appointed to the post of Chairmanship.
During the meetings the SAARC officials prepare necessary preparations for the main SAARC summit.
SAARC Foreign Secretaries meeting will be held on the 29th and 30th of this month. Foreign Ministers will meet on the 31st of this month and the first of next month. SAARC State Leaders Summit will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of next month. Four main agreements will be signed during the SAARC State Leaders’ Summit.
Meanwhile the SAARC commuter transport summit has commenced at the Mount Lavinia Hotel and a number of SAARC officials were attended the occasion. Local transport minister Dalas Alahapperuma attended the occasion and said that the exchange of views between SAARC countries would benefit the transport sector. He stated ideas expressed in such meetings will mutually benefit the Asian region which is experiencing rapid change.
Eight hundred houses, which were constructed by the government under the SAARC Friend Ship Village concept, were donated to people of the Nawalapitiya area on Sunday. The government said another 800 houses would be constructed in Nawalapitiya under this scheme. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama handed over these houses to the selected occupants.

Parts of Human skeletons were found from the Diyabeduma forest in Hingurakgoda today. Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera says investigations are underway.

Forbes’ first-ever list of the World’s Top 50 Microfinance Institutions were chosen from a field of 641 micro-credit providers. The list was prepared by the Microfinance Information Exchange under the direction of Forbes magazine. To qualify, the institutions must have made available their audited financials and must have passed review by a Forbes panel of advisers.


Amongst the 641 Microfinance providers, SANASA Development Bank is ranked 5oth place, which is the only Microfinance provider in Sri Lanka ranked within the top 50 MFI’s.

Speaking to media Chairman of the bank P.A.Kiriwandeniya said the rank (out of 641) for the top institutions according to scale, which is based on the size of their gross loan portfolio, efficiency, which considers operating expense and the cost per borrower as a percent of the gross national income per capita of their country of operation, risk, which looks at the quality of their loan portfolios, measured as the percent of the portfolio at risk greater than 30 days, and return, which is measured as a combination of return on equity and return on assets. Each category is equally weighted for an institution’s overall ranking, he explained.


Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, Forbes magazine, is published bi-weekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published bi-weekly, and Business Week. Today the magazine is known for its lists, including its lists of the richest Americans (the Forbes 400) and its list of billionaires.

Despite several warnings by the Elections Commissioner (EC) against the misuse of State property in the election campaign , the Government has continued to flagrantly and deliberately violate the laws, said UNP Gen .Secretary and M.P. Tissa Attanayake at a media briefing in Colombo .
In the past few days, ahead of the forthcoming elections, the violations have increased rapidly. The Elections Commissioner whose powers are crippled without an Elections Commission being duly appointed by the Govt. had instructed the UNP to challenge these violations in a Court of law, Attanayake, exhorted.

South African judge Navaneetham Pillai has been appointed Human Rights High Commissioner of the United Nations.

She succeeds Louise Arbour, who ended her term in June.

According to UN spokeswoman Michelle Montas, Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has approved Ms. Pillai’s appointment which should be now endorsed by the General Assembly.

Other nominees to the position included Hana Gilani of Pakistan and Juan Mendes of Argentina.

Ms. Pillai has been serving in the International War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague since 2003.

Several countries, including France, have welcomed her appointment to the UNHRC.

The ministerial subcommittee tasked with matters of the media has become non-contactable, said UNP’s free media spokesman Dayasiri Jayasekara.

He said that telephones at the BMICH office of this subcommittee have been inaccessible for the past one week.

According to him, the 0602119241 telephone has been suspended by the service provider, while there is no answer to the 2669128 telephone.

The government appointed subcommittee comprises ministers Sarath Amunugama, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Dallas Alahapperuma, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and Faizer Mustafa.

KUWAIT CITY : Criminal Investigations Department (CID) securitymen on Thursday raided a prostitution den in Khaitan, resulting in the arrest of seven Asian women and a Sri Lankan man, reports Al-Qabas daily.
After receiving information about a prostitution den operated by two Sri Lankans — a man and a woman — in Khaitan, CID officers put the suspects under surveillance to check the veracity of the report. Police later raided the vice den, which led to the arrest of the operators, who were wanted by law for various charges, along with six women engaged in prostitution.

SRI Lankan police on Sunday detained a German man on suspicion that he used false documents to secure a job as a top pilot for Sri Lanka's national carrier, a spokesman said.
Mr Ranjith Gunasekara said the man had been flying for the company for 10 months before an internal probe found he was only qualified as a co-pilot, and not as a captain of a wide-bodied airliner.

'We are going to take over all the documents from personal files for our investigations', Mr Gunasekara said.

'The German national is now being held by the airport police'.

There was no immediate comment from Sri Lankan airline, which until April this year was fully-managed by Emirates of Dubai.

Sri Lankan airline sources said the German national was discovered when a junior pilot, who had been sent for routine training on a bigger Airbus A-340, noticed that the 'captain' was uncomfortable with the controls.

However, he had still captained Sri Lankan flights to European destinations including London, Frankfurt and Paris, as well as Dubai, the sources said.

Lawyers for film actress Anarkali are considering filing a Fundamental Rights application against the Police, if they fail to take action to arrest Western Provincial Council member Duminda Silva who has been accused of abducting the actress and her mother and holding them forcibly.

The move came after Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate and Additional District Judge, Dharshika Wimalasiri turned down an anticipatory bail application filed by the provincial council member.

Wellawatta Police Officer in Charge, Chief Inspector Mangala Dehideniya told Timesonline that there were no immediate plans to arrest Mr. Silva, though the Anticipatory bail application was turned down.

“He has to be present at the next date when the case is taken up on November 13”, he said.

Anarkali speaking to media she and her mother still live in fear as they have been threatened by Mr. Silva.

“We still live in fear and hope that action would be taken against Mr. Silva”, she said.

It is reliably learnt that the LTTE is using vehicles recently obtained from an International Non-Government Organization (INGO) operating in the North for its military operations in the North, and intends using them for disinformation activities, too.

According to the reliable sources in Wanni, said that the LTTE terrorists have obtained a large number of vehicles belonging to an INGO operating in the Kilinochchi district, for its use. According to our sources, the terrorists had obtained these vehicles from the office of an INGO named Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA) in Kilinochchi, early this week.

The vehicles, which the INGO claims was taken over by the terrorist outfit, included a few heavy earth moving vehicles, four trucks, a tractor, several land cruiser jeeps and a number of motor cycles, the sources said. According to these sources, the INGO had taken this fleet of heavy vehicles to the areas under terrorist control stating they would be used for Humanitarian Aid work in the area. The vehicles are now being used by the terrorists, to build bunkers, trenches, terror camps , and to transport terror leaders as well , the sources added.

Observers of LTTE activity have expressed concerns over the likelihood of the LTTE using these INGO vehicles to enact another "massacre" or bloody act to gain propaganda mileage. According to them, the LTTE has been very effective so far in engineering such crimes by attacking civilian targets in Wanni to point fingers at the Armed Forces. "An INGO vehicle attacked by the armed forces" would be a great headline for the terror propagandists to earn sympathy for the terror outfit, they said.

LTTE is a ruthless terrorist outfit that has been fighting for a mono ethnic separate homeland for the Tamils in Sri Lanka since 1983. During its 3 decades of existence the outfit has pioneered a large number of terror tactics particularly in the field of suicide bombing, that have been soon copied by the other terror organizations in the world . Fuelled by extremist tribal ideologies held by their megalomaniac leader, V. Prabhakaran, and largely foreign funds generated through its false propaganda, LTTE terrorists have killed tens and thousands of innocent civilians in many village massacres, bus bombings , train bombings, ethnic cleansing raids , and etc. The outfit is also included in the UN list of shame for using children for terror attacks.

The ICRC took over 11 bodies of slain LTTE cadres from Army yesterday (July 26) at the Vavuniya hospital. The bodies were then taken into non- liberated areas in the Wanni via Omanthai entry/exit point in order to be handed over to the LTTE .

According to the military sources, the bodies were a part of 33 bodies of LTTE cadres that had been left by the terrorists before they fled away from the Vavuinkulama area on Thursday (July 24). The remaining bodies are still lying at the Vavuniya hospital, the sources added.

LAHORE: Trade between Pakistan and Sri Lanka have increased a manifold after the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries since 2005, said Shoaib Hamid director Pak Sri Lanka business council- FPCCI Friday.

According to a press release, Hamid said air flights between Pakistan and Sri Lanka should be increased, as it was the main hurdle in man-to-man contact.

He said exchange of trade delegations between two countries should be ensured for the understanding of trade related issues between the two countries. He said a trade delegation was being proposed to visit Sri Lanka in September 2008.

The Housing project for those who would lose their houses in Slave Island would take at least one year to be completed, Secretary for the Urban Development Ministry and Acting Chairman of the UDA Dr. P. Ramanujam said.

The project is for those who would lose their houses in Glennie Passage and Sir Chittampalam Garden Mw.

He said the piling has begun and the residents who had been living in Glennie Passage and Sir Chittampalam Garden Mw near the railway line in Slave Island will be given permanent houses in Dematagoda.

“This project will take 9 months to 1 year. We have already given temporary houses to those residents at Ferguson road. Once the housing scheme project is done we will immediately resettle these people,” he said.

Many of the residents who had lost their houses are given 10X20 temporary houses constructed out of wooden planks in a water logged grounds on Ferguson Road Mattakkuliya,. These temporary houses that are similar to tsunami make shift homes are said to be insufficient for human habitation.

Many of the residents down Glennie Passage and Sir Chittampalam Garden Mw complain that despite a Supreme Court stay order officials from the UDA constantly visit them and ask them to leave.

However many of the adamant residents do not comply with the UDA as a case has been filed in the Supreme Court.

On Thursday when the case had been taken up the Supreme Court issued notice on Additional Defence Ministry Secretary S. Hettiarachchi to explain to the Court as to why he continued with the demolition of houses in Slave Island despite a stay order to stop it.

The case is to be taken up again this coming Wednesday.

The Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), currently headed by Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna, has asked the government to enroll 1,000 armed cadres to the Police and armed forces, a party spokesman said yesterday.

TMVP spokesperson Azad Moulana said they had made representations in this regard to the Defence Ministry and were waiting for a favourable response.

At least 1,500 TMVP cadres -- formerly armed militants -- were now going through a rehabilitation process with the coordination of the state, various NGOs and other groups to make them ready for duties in the state security forces, he said.

“The TMVP will be satisfied if the cadres are first recruited into the Civil Defence Force or (Grama Arakshayas) since it will provide them an opportunity to begin work at the village level. This experience could help them later on if they are taken in to the police or other security force services,” Mr. Moulana said.

He said another batch of TMVP cadres would be heading for South Korea shortly to take up employment once the rehabilitation process was completed. Civil Defence Force Commandant Sarath Weerasekera said he was aware of a move to recruit TMVP cadres but a final decision would be taken by defence authorities.

“As of now I have not received any orders to that effect” Rear Admiral Weerasekera said. He said the CDF was ready to take TMVP cadres as they had now shunned the separatist cause and were helping the Government in its fight against the LTTE.

“Naturally they are now terrorist targets and we should look into their welfare as well,” the commandant said. Military spokesman Udaya Nannayakara said any Sri Lankan, TMVP or otherwise, was always welcome to the security forces, provided he or she met the required standards such as education, fitness and so on.

He said defence authorities were, however, yet to take any decision on recruiting TMVP cadres.

The Foreign Ministry wants to establish a Dog-Free Zone at the BMICH -- the venue of the SAARC summit -- and the Viharamahadevi Park. Colombo Municipal Council workers, acting on a request made by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, began rounding up stray dogs in the area from yesterday.
The CMC’s chief veterinary Surgeon Dr. D. Illeperuma said the government policy was to vaccinate and sterilize stray dogs and let them live in their environment.

“Street dogs are a symbol of poverty. We are continuing with our policy of vaccinating and sterilizing these dogs. At present there are more than 3,300 stray dogs in the city and most of them are sterilized and vaccinated and we have allowed them to remain in the environment.

“It’s a difficult task to evacuate street dogs. Even if we remove all in one area another set of dogs would come to the same area but for the time being we are doing our best to take away the ones roaming near the summit venue,” he said.

Dr. Illeperuma said that twenty four dogs from areas around the BMICH had been taken to the CMC’s dog pound. He said the dogs were tagged and would be released in the same area after the summit.

He said dogs had destroyed newly-done flower beds in the Viharamahadevi Park which was revamped for the SAARC summit and therefore the dogs in the park too would be locked up until the end of the summit.

15 Anti- personnel mines were recovered by Troops conducting clearing operations in the DANGALIYADDE area, BATTICALOA on Saturday (26) afternoon around 3.00.

Meanwhile, 1130 rounds of T56 live ammunition, 163 Anti – personnel mines, 185 Anti – personnel mine fuses, 10 rounds of RPG and one 120 mm round was recovered by the Police conducting search operations in the KIRIMICHCHIYA, VAKARAI areas of BATTICALOA.

3.5 Kg of TNT explosives were recovered by Troops conducting a search from MILANKICHCHI area, BATTICALOA on late Saturday (26) evening around 7.10 p.m.

RIYADH: A four-member TV crew from the Kingdom has left for Sri Lanka to film a documentary titled "Faces and Places" to be shown on Saudi TV during the holy month of Ramadan.

In addition to the places where early Arabs had visited, the crew will visit several of the country's prominent tourist attractions.

"We have arranged this tour on a request made by Media Insight, a private company that works for Saudi television to prepare documentaries to project countries that would attract Saudi tourists," said Sri Lankan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Abdul Ageed Mohamed Marleen.

The embassy has arranged the tour in cooperation with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Sri Lankan Airlines.

The media group, which left on Wednesday, comprises Faisal Shadid Al-Otaibi, TV director and leader of group; Mubarak Al-Otaibi, producer; Assaleh Taha Mosa, cameraman; and Khaleddiya Al-Daghestani, interpreter.

Speaking to Arab News, Faisal Al-Otaibi said the purpose is to take Sri Lanka to every Saudi home through the local television to show them the country's natural beauty, culture, heritage and the contributions made by Arabs who visited the island centuries ago. "Some of the beautiful mosques in Sri Lanka were built by Arabs who visited the island as traders," he said.

Arab traders built Sri Lanka's Abrar Masjid. The well-known Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited the island in A.D. 1325.

Al-Otaibi said the program would be telecast in three 20-minute episodes weekly.

Sri Lanka's Hikkaduwa Beach Festival which is kicking off on July 30, will attract more young tourists to the island, and is positioned to become the South Asian equivalent of the Rio carnival, officials said.

The five day event has had organizers working hard to put Sri Lanka on the map for young people around the world.


"Looking at other markets, we find entertainment coupled with local culture as the key reason for people to go to these destinations," says Dileep Mudadeniya, Managing Director, SriLanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.

"So the Hikkaduwa beach festival is one step in a long journey to get the youth market back to Sri Lanka."



Officials say there is a booming global youth market of 20 to 30-year-olds and India and China are also emerging in to the field, with growing economic affluence. But Sri Lanka has been losing out so far.


"There was the idea that the youth market is not lucrative, they don't spend," says Mudadeniya.

"But now we call them flashpackers. They like to flash their money - to spend.



"It's an emerging market, especially Indians who have high disposable income. We have lost this market.
"Sri Lanka has rarely catered to the needs of this age group with little or nothing happening in the way of entertainment," says Mudadeniya.

Officials say at a time when high fuel prices are making long-haul flights expensive, attracting visitors from short haul destinations makes better economic sense.

The country's prime attractions – at least the actively promoted ones - are its archeological sites and cultural pageants.

The cultural pageants are strictly religious and allow no revelry among guests and onlookers unlike in some other countries.

Sri Lanka is also famous for its beaches, but with the ethnic conflict, the more beautiful ones, such as Nilaweli and Arugam bay in the east, have become no-go zones.


This leaves the southern coast with Hikkaduwa being one of the key spots.


Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Renton de Alwis says Hikkaduwa peaked in the 1960s. The 1960s was a time of change when post-second World War baby boomers revolutionized the culture of the western world.

The beach festival, however, hopes to re-engineer Hikkaduwa's image.

"Through events like this, Hikkaduwa can get rejuvenated and people will again begin to look back at Hikkaduwa," says de Alwis.

"We believe that Hikkaduwa will need a re-engineering of a sort, as a destination.

"This year we are looking at the festival as a take-off. More importantly Hikkaduwa will be getting a flavor as the carnival in Rio."

Hikkaduwa is already geared for the youth market, with local revelers going there from the capital on weekends in addition to a steady stream of foreign visitors.


A beach carnival last year had attracted mostly Sri Lankan youth. Foreign visitors had made up about 20 percent of the total.

This year the Tourist promotion office hopes to double foreign visitors to 40 percent.

Mudadeniya says most places in Hikkaduwa are already full. Hotels from Galle to Bentota up and down the coast are also expected to fill up, during a usually dull-period in a country where hotels fill up only during the European winter season.

The festival may generate about 16,000 room nights in all.

The tourist promotion office has launched a website, www.srilanka.travel/hikkaduwa for visitors to get more information.

Artistes and DJs from India, United States, Europe and UK will join popular Sri Lankan performers, giving the beach festival a mix of cultures across continents.

Bikram Jith Singh, a renowned flutist from India, Glamslam girls from UK, and international DJs such as Micheal Parsberg of Denmark and Lisa Littlewood of Scotland will be in action in Hikkaduwa next week.

A Magistrate dismissed the anticipatory bail application filed by the Western Provincial Councillor Duminda Silva.

Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate and Additional District Judge Dharshika Wimalasiri made the order sequel to a complaint made by film actress Anarkalli Aakarssha to the Kollupitiya police alleging that she was abducted by Duminda Silva and held in detention forcibly.

The Wellawatte Police told court that on the direction of the Attorney General, they conducted investigations into the complaint of an alleged abduction of the film actress on July 3 at Swarna Road Wellawatte.

Wellawatte Police OIC Mangala Dehideniya said they investigated into the complaint made to the Kollupitiya Police and recorded statements from Sujeewa Dharmawickrama, Mahendra Perera, Anuradha Jayasinghe and the residents in the vicinity.

Police also said they tried to record a statement from an important witness Mahesh Bandara who was absconding.

Police also filed a report saying the actress told the Police over the phone that she would call over at the station to make a statement but had failed to do so through fear.

Following the police submissions the Magistrate dismissed the anticipatory bail application of Duminda Silva and ordered the police to fully probe the incident and report to court on November 13.

Counsel Daya Perera PC appeared for Duminda Silva while

Counsel Denzil Gunaratne PC with Nalin Dissanayake appeared for Anarkalli Aakarssha.

The JVP yesterday said the vacancy caused by the resignation of its National List MP Wasantha Samarasinghe would be filled by Sujith Kuruwita, leader of the association of unemployed graduates amidst some speculation that the government was eyeing the position for Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

The Defence Secretary dismissed this as a figment of somebody’s imagination.

Samarasinghe, one of the three JVP National List MPs, resigned to contest the NCP poll as its chief ministerial candidate. The former MP said they had proposed Kuruwita as his replacement.

He dismissed the possibility of the UPFA filling the vacancy as speculated by some quarters as the JVP contested the last general election on the UPFA ticket and the National List slots had been allocated to the UPFA.

The JVP said under the agreement with the SLFP, they were to receive five slots but gave up two after the then President had explained the difficulty in keeping the promise as their allocation wasn’t enough.

Otherwise, we would have 41 members (36 plus five National List) in the sixth parliament, the JVP said, adding one of the three National List members, M. Musamil had joined the Weerawansa faction.

The delay in filling Samarasinghe’s vacancy has triggered speculation the government would try to take the slot. Some have speculated Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa would enter Parliament through the National List to take the Defence portfolio.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday appealed to over 10,000 soldiers who had left the military for various personal reasons during the past four to five years to return to fight for their motherland.

"This is a very decisive juncture when the security forces have got the upper hand and need all the help they can get", he said.

The Tigers are in disarray - they are falling apart like a pack of cards and fleeing for safety leaving behind heavy guns and artillery as never seen before, Rajapaksa asserted.

The LTTE had left behind one 120 mm mortar and two 81 mm heavy mortars and bodies of 33 senior cadres of the elite Charles Anthony brigade, he said.

"We have spent a lot of money and time on training these soldiers professionally and they had subsequently left for personal reasons. We can expedite the process for them to return and all that they need to do is to come back", he assured.

He said that at one time when he had met TMVP leader Karuna and his deputy, the present chief minister of the Eastern Province and asked them to have faith in the political process and to enter the democratic mainstream through the ballot, they harboured doubts about such a possibility.

"Today, they have realized that what they could not achieve through the bullet they had achieved through the ballot".

"Similarly, request those LTTE cadres who have either been misled by Prabhakaran or realized the folly of their resorting to terrorism to surrender to the Government even at this late stage. We are ready to rehabilitate them and assist them to enter the democratic process", Rajapakse said.

"The LTTE cadres only need to place their faith in the ballot and not the bullet and we are genuinely prepared to help them as we have nothing against the Tamils. We are only against terrorism", he pointed out.

"We will help all those who surrender in the same way we helped the TMVP to develop the Eastern Province by entering the democratic process", he noted.

Time is running out for the LTTE, which is facing defeat. The LTTE is collapsing. It’s not very far away - it could be today or even tomorrow, the Defence Secretary said.

"I request the soldiers who left the military to return without delay to assist the ongoing operations in the North".

More than 175 South Asian media industry professionals are expected to attend the fourth SAARC Journalists Summit, to be held in Colombo from July 29 to August 1.

The participants will include many senior and experienced professionals from the print and electronic media, a spokesman for the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA)-Sri Lanka Chapter said.

"The theme for this year’s Summit is Freedom of the Media in Conflict Situations - the significance of which is obvious to all."

The Journalists Summit, held alongside the SAARC Heads of State Summit, has become a forum where matters of concern for the South Asia media industry are raised and discussed. The delegates will present their observations and proposals to all SAARC Foreign Ministers during a formal interaction with them, at the concluding session, the spokesman said.

Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa has been invited to inaugurate the Summit. Among the distinguished participants would be N. Ram,who is Chairman of the South Asia Media Commission.

SAFMA, which represents media professionals in the region, is an affiliated body of the SAARC Secretariat.

By Ashwin Hemmathagama of Lakbimanews

The government has sought the services of international lobbyists in the form of lobbying companies, at the cost of millions of rupees in order to stave off foreign sanctions on Sri Lanka.
LAKBIMAnEWS learns that the government has recently signed such a deal with an American firm to obtain ‘lobbying services’ at a cost of Rs.65 million (US $ 600,000) for a one year period in order to persuade some congressmen in the US Senate, to desist from taking action against Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, leader of the European Union Parliamentary delegation Robert Evans warned on Friday that the Sri Lankan Government will have to face consequences, due to its deteriorating human rights record.
The law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP (BHFS) which signed a deal with Sri Lanka will advise and assist the government with issues relating to Sri Lanka and the United States of America.
Proposed activities include arranging meetings and consultations for representatives of Sri Lanka with members of congress and executive branch officials in order to enhance “US awareness and understanding of Sri Lanka and to strengthen the relationship between the two nations.’’
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington called for tenders on the instructions of Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha T.B. Kohone.
Though several reputed US firms have submitted expressions of interest, doubts have been raised as to why BHFS has been selected ignoring many bidders who have a good track record in the field.
Former Sri Lankan Ambassador in Washington DC, Bernard Goonetileke has released the initial payment of US $ 300,000 on May 21, 2008 to BHFS for the first six months. The ministry is making arrangements to pay the balance US $ 300,000 before end of July, sources said.
Sources say that the next payment should be paid after an evaluation on work already completed by the BHFS LLP.
However, political sources also express their concern as to why the Foreign Ministry has kept this deal concealed not only from the citizens and the Parliament of Sri Lanka but also Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.

By Mendaka Abeysekera in New York
Despite his pledge to defeat the Taliban and al Qaeda terrorism in Berlin last week, White House hopeful Senator Barack Obama continues to remain mum on the LTTE, defined as the world’s most ruthless terrorist organisation by the FBI.
Last January, Senator Obama characterised the conflict in Sri Lanka as a “vicious civil war” at the ‘Candidates@Google’ meeting.

He described the Sri Lankan crisis as the inability of people to accommodate others “who are not like us,” and mentioned Sri Lanka as an example, pointing out that war rages even when “everybody there looks exactly the same.”

After his comment, the Consortium of Sri Lankan Expatriates, in a letter addressed to Senator Obama, urged him to review his stand on Sri Lankan conflict in the name of democracy and fair play.
They pointed out that following the Senator’s comments, it appeared that Senator Obama had been misled either by the Tamil Tiger terrorist lobby or misguided by the media.

However, Senator Obama or his office is yet to respond to the letter sent to him by the Sri Lankan consortium.
The Nation learnt that the Obama camp has been continuously lobbied by the US-based pro-LTTE supporters during the last few months.

As a result of this claimed bond between two groups, prominent LTTE supporter and Leader of India’s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) Party, Vaiko also briefly met Senator Obama at a function in Chicago on July 11.

Meanwhile, Senator Obama’s supporter, Democratic Congressman Danny Davis from Illinois, sent a letter of support which was read on July 25 on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka at a rally in the US capital, organised to commemorate the 25th anniversary of ‘Black July.’ The rally was organised by People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) and US Campaign for Burma (USCB).

By Aisha Edris
The Power and Energy Ministry had booked more than five circuit bungalows belonging to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) until August 30.
According to Lanka Viduli Sevaka Sangamaya (LVSS) General Secretary Ranjan Jayalal, the Ministry had booked several CEB circuit bungalows in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces.

The Ministry has booked the CEB circuit bungalows in Anuradhapura, Minneriya, Udawalawe, Samanalawewa and Thambahinna.

“Usually, when a CEB circuit bungalow is booked, they have to make the payment prior to using it. But, in this case, the Ministry was granted approval without making any payments, while CEB employees who paid for the bookings had been informed that they could not use the bungalows till August 30,” he said.

Jayalal further said that Power and Energy Minister John Seneviratne had transferred CEB Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Colombo, Wijetunga to the North Central Province to initiate an electricity supply project in the area.

“The Minister had transferred the Colombo City DGM to the North Central Province and they have initiated a project to supply electricity to all the households in the area. This, we fear, was done to win the elections,” he charged.

He also said that the Defence Ministry had damaged the CEB Ampara circuit bungalow, which was used for the Eastern Province elections, and the CEB now had to spend Rs. 200,000 to repair it.

“The Defence Ministry used the newly-renovated bungalow but it was severely damaged when they vacated it. The CEB had to spend a large amount to repair the damages while the Ministry is yet to make the payment of Rs. 159,000 for using it,” he added.

The relatively high government debt burden and under performance of the public investment programme has resulted in increasing inflation, which has hindered our economy, pointed out the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), in its report presented at its 169th Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Increases in the prices of oil and the rising costs of food are factors that also contributed to rising inflation and the CCC urged the government to address these factors on an urgent and immediate basis.

It further stated that the cost of money in today’s context could be in the range of 18%-24% or even higher depending on specific circumstances and that this situation would have a harsh impact on overall investment and a host of business decisions.

Since the country can no longer rely exclusively on fossil fuel and hydropower for the generation of energy, the CCC proposes to focus on solar and wind power as a matter of great urgency.

It also drew attention to the fact that the efforts to appoint the Constitutional Council were not successful. Pointing out that this issue was of high importance for good governance and to ensure law and order in the country, the CCC requested the government to address this issue without delay.

The UNP has decided to oppose any move to deprive former President Chandrika Kumaratunga of her civic rights through parliament on a matter of principle.

The decision to oppose moves to strip Kumaratunga of her civic rights was taken at a discussion of the party's political affairs committee last week.

Media learns the issue was mooted by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on the basis of a principle established in 1998.It is learned, UNP MPs Lakshman Seneviratne and Ravi Karunanayake had said the party should not defend Kumaratunga but the principle established in 1998 with which the committee had agreed.

Wickremesinghe had told the committee that in 1998, when the PA Government introduced a motion to nullify the civic disability imposed on former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the then President, Chandrika Kumaratunga had given an assurance that the Special Presidential Commission law will not be used in the future to deprive a person of his or her civic rights and based on that principle the UNP did not oppose the motion.

The UNP Leader pointed out that President Mahinda Rajapakse as a minister of the PA Government also supported that motion in parliament.

"It is that principle we want upheld and did not participate in the debate on Mrs. Bandaranaike's motion and state our case. But if the President wants to now go back on that accepted principle, then we must have the right to place in parliament the issues that led to his former leader, Sirimavo Bandaranaike's civic rights as well in the same debate," Wickremesinghe said.

UNP National List Member and former Finance Minister K.N. Choksy has informed the party he will not resign his seat for national organiser S.B. Dissanayake.

The UNP Political Affairs Committee last week requested Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to ask Choksy to resign his parliamentary seat for Dissanayake's appointment to 'test' the member's right to sit in parliament.

The Court of Appeal had in an earlier ruling said Dissanayake faced civic disability due to a Supreme Court conviction for contempt in which he was sentenced to two years imprisonment.

It is learned President's Counsels, Choksy and Tilak Marapone in separate opinions given to the party months earlier had also said Dissanayake suffered civic disability due to the judgement and that his civic rights would be restored only in December 2011.

The Sunday Leader learns Choksy had informed Wickremesinghe on Thursday, July 24 that he has no intention of resigning his seat for a newcomer to the party like Dissanayake and added he holds the seat in his own right due to the long standing contribution to the party.

"I am the only national list MP who has not crossed and is this the way the party shows its appreciation," Choksy had asked an embarrassed UNP Leader.

Choksy had also told Wickremesinghe he would be leaving for India today (Sunday) and on his return would come before the Political Affairs Committee and explain why he cannot resign his parliamentary seat as well as why Dissanayake will be deprived of his civic rights till December 2011.

The UNP Leader had earlier asked Dissanayake to test the issue of his civic disability by contesting the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council election as the party's chief ministerial nominee but he had declined the offer insisting on a parliamentary seat.

JVP members of the Kaduwela Pradeshiya Sabha have been allegedly assaulted by a group of thugs associated with the Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) Chairman G.H. Buddhadasa.

JVP sources told The Sunday Leader that the party members in the PS were assaulted allegedly by UPFA supporters because they objected to a request to make a special statement by Kaduwela PS member Prabath Dharshana, who defected from the JVP to join Wimal Weerawansa’s faction.

The Kaduwela PS had convened on Friday (25) at 9.30 a.m. and during the sessions; the four JVP members in the PS had supported a motion moved by Deputy PS Chairman, Jagath Kumara to object the involvement of a Kaduwela PS member in the distribution of liquor and narcotics in the Kaduwela area.

“The motion was moved against Buddhadasa. When the motion was taken up, over 150 of his thugs were in the gallery watching everyone who spoke in favor of the motion,” a JVP source said.

Former JVP member Dharshana had then requested time to make a special statement and the JVP members in the PS had objected saying he had no right to make such a statement. The governing UPFA members had then opposed the statement of the JVP members.

Following a heated argument between the JVP members and the UPFA members, several members had attempted to assault each other. However, the incident was settled and the session had continued. “The statement Dharshana intended to make was going to be against the JVP and the UPFA members wanted it made. That was why they created a disturbance,” the JVP source said.

At the conclusion of the PS sessions at 2.30 p.m., a group of about 150 thugs had allegedly arrived at the ground floor and assaulted the JVP members, who were about to leave the premises.

According to the JVP source, JVP PS member Asitha Niroshana was badly assaulted and his travel bag was also taken by the thugs. Niroshana is currently being treated at the Colombo National Hospital. JVP PS member Gamini Sarath Kumara had lodged a complaint regarding the incident with the Nawagamuwa Police.

Police Spokesperson SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said that the police has so far not made any arrests with regard to the incident.

He said that the Nawagamuwa police was still conducting the inquiries and that the JVP council member receiving treatment in hospital had said he was able to identify two people who involved in the alleged assault. “The police is now making arrangements for the member to identify the suspects,” SSP Gunasekera said.

Since the visit of Mahinda Rajapakse, President, Socialist Democratic Re-Public of Sri Lanka to the Islamic Re-Public of Iran and his diplomatic meeting with the President of Islamic Re-Public of Iran Mahmood Ahmadinjad have created a very good diplomatic relationship and trade opportunities between the two countries.

Sri Lankan delegation consisting Senior Coordinator to His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapakse of the social democratic re-public of Sri Lanka for the United States of America and Sri Lanka Consul General to Colombia and Venezuela Mr Jeff. M. Goonawardena and Chairman of National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) Mr Amal Senalankadhikara, along with Iranian counter part MS Farnaz Foroutan (BEHROUZ NIK CO) were able to organize successfully the first ever Gems and Jewellaries exhibition for 3 days in Teheran commencing from 28th, 29th and 30th of July, 2008 in association with Premadasas Gems & Jewellary Plc [ward place] of Sri Lanka. Over thousands of leading business people in Iran are expected to visit the exhibition

Further the Sri Lankan delegation met the Sri Lankan Ambassador in Iran His Excellency M.M. Suhair and discussed the ways and means how to introduce and attract the Sri Lankan hospitality to the Iranians and the opportunity available for learning English language for their children in Sri Lanka.

NAITA Chairman, Mr.Amal Senalankadikara have briefed Sri Lankan Ambassador that NAITA can facilitate the Iranian students to improve their English language and technical skills in association with Waltham Forrest College of London, Hotel School of Sri Lanka ,Thilanka Hotel group and Springfield international school in Kandy in order to improve and boost the tourism industry of the Islamic Re-Public of Iran. Also Mr Amal Senalankadhikara and Mr.Jeff Goonawardane have agreed to coordinate with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Iran in this regard

The Sri Lankan delegation will be visiting the leading institutions and industries in the Islamic Re-Public of Iran [Behrouz Food Industries a well reputed import and export in Iran for tea and food items] and to see the opportunity to organize an Iranian trade exhibition in Sri Lanka in a short while

Also the Sri Lankan delegation will be leaving to Dubai after leaving Iran on the via to Sri Lanka to organize the next exhibition on Gems & Jewellaries and travels & tourism in Dubai somewhere in October, 2008 where there also most of the leading business people are expected to visit the exhibition.

Sri Lankan security forces have already setup a tightest security blanket to protect SAARC dignitaries during the forth-coming SAARC Summit. The relevant authorities to achieve positive results have finalized security and other arrangements, said local political analysts.
The Police said 12,000 police officers backed by the armed forces and home guards will form one of the largest ever security dragnets and several security measures from searches to surveillance have already gone into place in the city and suburbs with the authorities taking no chances.
Apart from the local security setup, hundreds of foreign police and security forces personnel, largely from India are also listed to arrive in the country shortly to provide security cover for their respective heads of state or government with the coordination of the local authorities.

Surveillance at the Bandaranaike International Airport has also been stepped up mainly to monitor persons entering the country ahead of the summit.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the 15th SAARC Summit will commence on Sunday at the BMICH, Colombo.SAARC officials will hold their meetings from Sunday to 0th July and the SAARC Foreign Ministers would meet on 31st of this month and their meetings would be finished on 1st of August.
Heads of the SAARC states will attend their 15th Summit on 2nd of August and it would be ended on 2nd of August, said Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.
Afghanistan is the recent member country, which attended the SAARC umbrella, will attend the conference.
“Eight SAARC leaders will attend this year’s conference, said the Foreign Minister at a press briefing held in Colombo on Saturday.
Seven industrial countries will attend as the observers and China and Iran try to obtain membership of the SAARC, said the ministry sources.
Unofficial meetings among the SAARC heads will be held at the Parliament complex. Earlier unofficial meetings of the SAARC Summits were held at luxury hotels at the respective venues.
“This is a great change of this year’s summit, told the foreign minister.

The United National Party is in a jeopardy due to a recent proposal made by a senior member of the UNP John Amaratunga to appoint S.B.Dissanayake as a member of the Parliament. Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake seconded this proposal at the UNP’s Politburo meeting held on last Wednesday at the Parliamentary complex.
After the motion presented the politburo Leader of the Party Ranil Wickramasinghe said he would discuss with the relevant National list Parliamentarian to resign from the parliament to in order to appoint Mr.Dissanayake to fill the vacancy.At present SB holds national Organizer post of the UNP.

However the said MP who told the leadership that he cannot resign his seat, but assured to sacrifice his life for the UNP.
However the SB followers said the said national MP did not face the last general election and he would not face future elections as well.
The SB supporters said Mr.Dissanayake was in jail due to the party activities done by him. They said the UNP must honor this type of politician who wishes to face future elections behalf of the UNP.
The UNP’s internal sources said this was the second time SB’s proposal was failed before the politburo of the United National Party.

Several Cabinet Ministers are to request President Mahinda Rajapaksa to dismiss Secretary of the Finance Ministry and the Treasury, P.B. Jayasundara, the ‘Lakbima’ newspaper reports.
The Chief Justice, Sarath N. Silva recently ordered Dr. P.B. Jayasundara to pay Rs. 500,000, as compensation after finding him guilty of corruption during a sale of an 8.5-acre land of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and a transfer of 90 per cent stake of Lanka Marine Services Ltd to John Keells Holdings (JKH).
The Ministers are of the opinion that retaining such a corrupt official in his post could cause dejection in the public sector, the ‘Lakbima says’.
It is not appropriate to retain such an official who has been disliked since the UNP regime, it adds, citing the ministers.
Speaking recently, senior Vice President of the SLFP, Nimal Siripala De Silva said that the government would come to a decision regarding Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, after considering the recent Supreme Court ruling against him.

A corporal and five soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army who were detained on suspicion for killing five Tamil youths in the Kavusikulam area after abducting them in a white-coloured van were released on sureties amounting to Rs. 500,000 each.
Vavuniya High Court judge, J. Vishwanadan ordered to release the suspects - Harry Bandara, Ruwan Sudarshana, Anuradha Dhananjaya Wijekoon, Samantha Udaya Kumara Kodikara, Asanka Pushpakumara and Sudarshana Kulathunga on bail.
These SLA personnel attached to the Veppamkulam Army camp were accused of committing abduction and murder in the Kausikulam area near Veppamkulam in early November 2007.
Under the directions of the Attorney General, the CID arrested the suspects and detained them in the custody of the military police.
The case filed against the suspects identifies T. Kapil Dev, Vigneshwaran Kiritheepan, Vijaya Kumar Jeyandan, James Gajendran and Manoharan Jakuharan as the slain Tamil youths.

The controversial Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will be a key issue in diplomatic discussions between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, embassy sources say.
Both parties originally agreed to sign the CEPA agreement during the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo.
However, the Sri Lankan government has decided against it, claiming that the CEPA will not benefit the island’s economy.
Speaking at a media briefing on July 24th, Professor G.L. Peiris said that the would not bring about the downfall of local industrialists by taking a hasty decision on the matter.
The government is currently discussing this issue at length, he added.

Though President Mahinda Rajapakasa calls Ranjan Ramanayake an ‘outsider’, it is actually Basil and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who are the true outsiders, leader of the UNP, Ranil Wickremesinghe said.
Addressing a group of lawyers in Rathnapura today (July 26th) the UNP leader said, “Ranjan is a citizen of this country. However, Basil and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa are citizens of America.”
If we take a train as an example, the first class represents the Madamulana Walauwa. Sinhalese occupies the second class. The Muslims are on the footboard while Tamils are not even onboard, he added.
Today, people are divided everywhere as Sinhala -Tamils, upcountry and low country etc. Finally, even the Sinhalese are dividing themselves. Division leads to destruction of this country, Mr. Wickremesinghe said.
The United National Party is not a party with divisions. However, it is hard to solve these problems till everyone considers them as Sri Lankans, he added.

The Health Ministry, in collaboration with the medical teams of the army, navy and air force, will provide round the clock medical care to the various categories of participants in the SAARC summit to be held in Colombo. A Ministry spokesman said that the Katunayaka Airport medical division had been strengthened and an emergency treatment unit will be set up to provide treatment in emergencies.

He said that 250 personnel, including doctors and nurses will be on call while another 250-member medical team will be on duty 24 hours of the day during the entire period of the Summit. Five ambulances would be provided by the Airport and Aviation services. Two doctors and two nurses from the Negombo hospital will be available in case of an emergency while a general physician will be present at the airport emergency unit. Four consultants from the National Hospital of Sri Lanka and De Soyza Maternity hospital will also be made available to attend on women visitors if necessary.

Medical personnel from the National Hospital, Sri Jayawardenapura General hospital, Ragama, Kalubowila and Kandy Teaching Hospitals and the Negombo General Hospital would be on call to attend to any emergency.

Sri Lankan housemaids coming to work in the UAE will now compulsorily have a life and personal accident insurance cover under the latest directives of the Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare in Colombo.

The mandatory insurance cover, is set to come into effect from August 15, is a bid to enhance protection and social security of the island nation's domestic servants abroad and would soon be extended to the workers in other countries in the Gulf.

The local sponsor will have to pay a total premium of Dh200 while signing the employment contract, which is usually valid for two years. This cover is valid only for new contracts and would apply to existing contracts only when they are renewed after mid-August.

S. A. Zain, Country Coordinator of the Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment at the consulate in Dubai, told Khaleej Times, "This is an additional insurance cover for workers as the existing one is not adequate to protect them while they are working abroad and provide for their families after their death. It will also take care of their repatriation costs. It is a very useful cover for our migrant workers."

The Sri Lankan ministry has signed an agreement with the Oman Insurance Company to provide the insurance coverage in the UAE.

Though all workers travelling abroad to work now have an insurance cover in accordance with the Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare policy, officials cite this as inadequate especially in cases of death and repatriation.

Assistant general manager of Oman Insurance Usman Khadmi said, "This is a good move as it is very important to provide protection to the migrant workers since they are coming here to work hard for their families.

Oman Insurance would also cover the insured member in the event of death, permanent or partial disability up to a maximum of Dh30, 000 and repatriation of the mortal remains with costs up to Dh10, 000. In case of an accident, the member will be paid Dh15, 000 per annum for medical expenses. If the member is being repatriated because of harassment by the employer or if he/ she is medically unfit or in case of default by the employer like liquidation or bankruptcy, the member will be paid the cost of one-way ticket to Sri Lanka.

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) yesterday condemned the election of ministers to chair the highly influential Parliamentary Standing committees COPE and PAC, saying that it was an ‘intentional undemocratic move to weaken legislative scrutiny so that the irregular financial expenditure by the Executive would continue unabated’.

The International watch dog on good governance also urged the two ministers to resign from those positions and display their commitment, integrity and democratic values.

Ministers John Seneviratna and Anura Priyadharshana Yapa were elected as chairmen of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Parliament on Wednesday.

The action of the government is against all norms of democratic parliamentary traditions. The TISL on July 8, urged the government not to appoint Ministers to these committees in order to ensure a healthy environment to have an effective financial oversight, Executive Director TISL, J. C. Weliamuna said in a statement.

“We reiterate that Parliament should reconsider this questionable decision and uphold the fundamental value of appointing Opposition members to head the parliamentary oversight committees”, he said.

According to Parliamentary tradition, oversight committees are normally headed by members of the Opposition. This tradition has been maintained in Sri Lanka well over the years, Mr. Weliamuna said.

Meanwhile, Chief Government Whip, Minister Dinesh Gunawardana said that both Ministers were elected to the chair by the members of the two committees unanimously after the opposition members walked out.

“The government did not have a hand in it. It was entirely the responsibility of the members of the COPE and PAC and the two Ministers were elected without a fight. The numerical position of members of the committees was 16 to the government and 15 to the Opposition.

However, if there was a contest the situation would have been different. But there was no opportunity for that. Even the Speaker explained this situation to the Opposition,” Mr. Gunawardana said.

General Secretary of the UNP. Tissa Attanayaka MP said that the modus operandi of the government was to cripple the investigations of the two committees.

“The tradition in a parliamentary democracy is that the chairmanship of these two oversight committees is held by the Opposition. During the UNP rule we honoured this tradition. By appointing two Ministers to the chair of these committees the intention of the government is very clear” Mr. Attanayaka said

Mount Lavinia Chief Magistrate Harsha Setunga ordered the CID to obtain a report how the trishaw in which the assassinated journalist Sampath Lakmal said to have travelled with another army officer on the day of his assassination went out of fuel and how the fuel was obtained.

The Magistrate made this order sequel to an application made by Counsel Clinton Dabare, who watched the interest of the aggrieved party at the Magisterial inquiry yesterday.

The CID is probing into the killing of the journalist at Dehiwela on June 01, 2007 by an unidentified gunman.

The CID said they had recorded statements from 15 people including a Brigadier, a Lieutenant and a soldier and they were conducting further investigations based on the statement made by the soldier Warnakumara ,who had allegedly travelled with the victim in the trishaw on the day of the incident.The Magistrate ordered the CID to fully probe the incident and to report court on October 04.

The main opposition UNP yesterday took Finance Ministry Secretary P.B. Jayasundera to task for what it termed a breach of parliamentary privileges of parliamentarians by not providing required financial information to the House in keeping with the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake told parliament Dr. Jayasundera should provide a report about the economic status of the country to the House by July 1 every year.

Mr. Karunanayake said this was a requirement according to the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

However, he said two reports were presented to the House only after this deadline lapsed.

Yet, he said those two reports contained ‘mere accounting gimmicks’ with no relevant information as required by the Act.

“This is a breach of parliamentary principles,” Mr. Karunanayake said urging the government to look into the matter.

Jathika Nidahas Peramuna parliamentarian Piyasiri Wijenayake told Parliament yesterday that his vehicle had been damaged beyond repair after it was stolen from the parliament garage recently.

After JNP members broke ranks with the JVP in April this year, some of their vehicles were stolen from the parliament’s garage.

Mr. Wijenayake said the engine of his vehicle could not be used due to the addition of ‘emery powder’.

“I bought this vehicle after getting Rs. 1.7 million under a loan scheme for MPs” he said asking Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara to look into the matter as he had no vehicle today.

The Speaker asked Mr. Wijenayake to meet him personally to discuss the matter.

Moving an adjournment motion in Parliament yesterday, UNP Colombo District member Ravi Karunanayake said Sri Lankan Airlines was taken over by the government on April 1, 2008, from the management of Emirates Airlines, but after takeover, it was said to be running at a loss. During the first 100 days after the takeover, it had incurred a loss of 5,700 million rupees.

The government was known for its mismanagement. It should not continue to allow recurring losses in the national airline.

He said Mihin Air which had proved to be a disaster was brought into existence to satisfy certain individuals. It had incurred a net liability of 3,700 million rupees. The government should explain why such a massive amount of public funds were wasted in this manner. Mihin Air had gone on losing revenue on all destinations from the very beginning. Now it it was a completely failed venture.

Public funds wasted could not be recovered as the main problem in both airlines was mismanagement. Like all the other loss making public sector enterprises such as the Sri Lanka Transport Board, the Railways or the Electricity Board, and the two airlines the government should take advice from competent persons and revive them to become profitable.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Kumarie Abeyratne yesterday asked the Cinnamon Gardens Police whether any person identified from the TV footage had been arrested in connection with the attack on Nuwan Udaya Gunatileke, an accomplice of Minister Mervin Silva, for assaulting the News Director T. M. Chandrasekera of the Rupavahini Corporation.

The Magistrate's query followed a submission by Attorney-at-Law Anton Senanayake, appearing for suspect Nuwan Udaya Gunatileke, alleging that his client was assaulted in the presence of the police.

Police said that investigations into the incident were not yet completed.

The Secretary, Public Administration and Home Affairs, D. Dissanayake yesterday said the Ministry has not received any intimation from the government to declare Friday, August 1 a Public and Bank holiday.
Commenting on the rumour going round that August 1 would be declared a holiday he said there was no such intimation so far.

“If the government intends to declare a Special Bank and Public Holiday, it must be gazetted by the Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry. The Labour Ministry makes a request from the private sector to do the same,” Mr. Dissanayake said.

The National Freedom Front yesterday in parliament criticised the Presidential Commission headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Nissanka Udalagama to investigate violations of Human Rights. It cited it as bias in carrying out investigations.

Making a special statement, NFF MP, Wimal Weerawansa said though the President could appoint various such commissions, public funds were spent to maintain them.

Mr. Weerawansa pointed out this commission had been assigned the task of conducting investigations into 16 incidents. “Twenty months have lapsed after the appointment of these commissions. Yet, it has failed to complete investigations into at least one case. During the entire period, it had concentrated only on two issues which were the killing of 17 aid workers in Mutur and another case in Trincomalee,” he said.

Mr. Weerawansa said the security forces were held responsible for these two incidents.

“We should not forget this fact,” he said.

He charged the commission had failed to initiate investigations into the cases such as the killing of 98 navy personnel in Digampathana and 13 civilians in Welikanda, for which the LTTE had been accused.

He noted there had been no investigations into the massacre of 68 persons in Kebithigollewa, and 14 persons in Mutur when they were in an ambulance.

“The government has spent over Rs. 80 million so far on this commission. At the same time, it has tried to get money by meeting the heads of diplomatic missions of the European Union, Germany and United States,” he said.

“The commission members have asked for money from the Ambassadors of these countries which have made allegations of human rights violations against Sri Lanka,” he said.

He asked whether the commission members asked for money from these countries by agreeing to work according to their interests.

The CID yesterday said they had received no complaints against Rupavahini Corporation employees regarding the incident that took place within the Corporation premises on December 8, 2007.

When the matter was taken up for inquiry before the Colombo Additional Magistrate, Ms. Kumari Abeyratne, the CID filed a report and stated that they were further probing into the incident and once the inquiries were over a report would be sent to the Attorney General for his advice.

The Counsel for the suspect inquired from the CID why they did not produce the suspect who had assaulted his client, Mesthriyage Upul Nuwan Gunathilake at the Rupavahini Corporation.

Sergeant Wasala Wijeratne of the CID said no complaint had been made to them in that regard but they were conducting investigations into it.

The Magistrate observed the public had seen the parties responsible for the incident on television and yet only one person was brought before the court as a suspect.

The suspect’s counsel said there were two parties involved in the incident but only one person had been brought to court as a suspect.

He pointed out his client was assaulted by the employees in the presence of the Police and no action was taken on his client’s complaint.

Once the statements were recorded from a few other persons, the extracts would be sent to the Attorney General for scrutiny and his opinion.

The Magistrate ordered the CID to send the report to the Attorney General and to report to court on August 17.

She ordered the suspect to make a statement to the CID. Counsel Anton Senanayake appeared for the suspect.

The Duty Manager at the Katunayake Airport (BIA) says it is advisable for passengers to arrive earlier than the usual three hours before their scheduled flight departure, during the period of the SAARC Summit.

The movement of motor traffic will be restricted from the Galle Face Roundabout to the BMICH and the New Parliament Road from 9am to 12.00 noon tomorrow in view of the SAARC summit. Similarly, vehicle movement will also be restricted along the Colombo- Katunayake road between 3pm to 6pm on the same day, police said.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, at a media briefing this morning, criticized the 'irresponsible' approach of the EU delegation by making statements after meeting people who met their own agendas.

VAVUNIYA: ICRC officials Saturday (26) afternoon at about 3.30 p.m. took away eleven more dead bodies of Tiger terrorists into un-cleared areas across the OMANTHAI Entry/Exit point.

BATTICALOA: TROOPS engaged in a search and clear operation in the general area of ERAVUR in BATTICALOA on Friday (25) around 10.10 a.m. recovered one T-56 assault rifle, two T-56 magazines and sixty T-56 ammunition rounds.

The same day (25) Special Task Force (STF) personnel engaged in a similar operation in the general area of PORATIVU recovered two hand grenade, forty-six T-56 ammunition rounds and two T-56 magazines.

WELIOYA: EIGHT TERRORISTS were killed and ten more injured during confrontations erupted in the general area north of JANAKAPURA on Friday (25).
One soldier also injured in the confrontations.

VAVUNIYA: CONTINUING CONFRONTATIONS in the general areas of PANDIYANKALLI, north of ODDANKULAM, PALAMODDAI and NAUVI areas in VAVUNIYA killed sixteen terrorists and injured ten more terrorists on Friday (25).

Eight soldiers were reported killed and ten were reported injured during confrontations. Troops also recovered one dead of a Tiger terrorist, one T-56 assault rifle and five ration packets.

JAFFNA: ARMY TROOPS operating ahead of the Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) in MUHAMALE killed one terrorist during confrontations on Friday (25) around 9.20 a.m..

VAVUNIYA: AS TIGER TERRORIST are now being defeated in the WANNI front, three LTTE cadres who deserted rank in the organization surrendered to the Security Forces Thursday (24).

Two of them who were residence in JAFFNA surrendered to the Army troops in WELIOYA while the other LTTE cadre from GAMPOLA area reached the troops at MALLAVI area.

Later, those surrenders were handed over to the MUNDIMURIPPU Police for further investigations.

India: Commodore P E Van Halteren, the top Naval Officer in Tamil Nadu yesterday categorically denied allegations that the Sri Lankan Navy was straying into Indian waters and firing at Indian fishermen.

"They (Lankan Navy) never cross into our territory," Halteren told PTI in Chennai.

He said incidents may be taking place when the Indian fishermen sail too close to Sri Lankan maritime boundary. "Especially at night, it is difficult for them to differentiate between fishermen and the LTTE. It would be better if our fishermen do not cross the International Maritime Boundary Line and enter their territory," he said.

The Indian Navy official suggested that boats should be fitted with Global Positioning System equipment to avoid crossing the maritime boundary line.

Some political parties in the State had been accusing the Sri Lankan Navy of firing at Tamil Nadu fishermen, charging them with crossing into their waters, a charge denied by the Sri Lankan Navy and the Government.

"If the fishermen carry GPS with them, it would warn them when they crossed the maritime boundary," Commodore Halteren said.

"The Global Positioning System (GPS) is easy to use and it is affordable," he said and suggested that an awareness should be created among fishermen about its usage.

Halteren said some of the fishermen crossed the maritime boundary hoping to get a better catch.

"On our side there is very little fish available. This is also one of the reasons why fishermen try to cross the IMBL."

He said about 18,000 boats of different kinds were operated for fishing activities. "It is very difficult for us to guard each and every fishermen when they venture into sea.

Helteren said, "Our duty is to just check whether any boat or ships are involved in any illegal activities. However, as an extra effort, we always warn our fishermen whenever they are very close to the boundary area." For its part, the Tamil Nadu government has already approved a Rs 7.7 crore pilot project to fit GPS devices being developed by state owned Electronic Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) onboard the fishing vessels from the Ramanathapuram district, from where a majority of fishermen set sail to Palk Straits.

Elcot officials had said they plan to fit 4,620 country boats and 1,697 country boats with GPS in coming months. While mechanised boats would be charged Rs 7500, the country boats would be provided hand held devices free of cost.

GPS provides the fastest and most accurate method for fishermen to navigate, measure speed and determine location.

The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to the reference made on the circumstances which led to the cancellation of the visit to Trincomalee by the European Parliament's delegation for relations with South Asia. The latter's press statement issued today (25/07/2008) states that "the last minute cancellation and a catalogue of chaos and confusion meant that the Delegation did not fly to Trincomalee. Despite repeated assurances, endless complications resulted in the party being turned back from the Ratmalana Airport,....".

In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to outline the steps taken by the Government of Sri Lanka in facilitating the said visit as follows:-

(i) During the planning stage of the European Parliament delegation's visit to Sri Lanka that just ended, the Government offered to transport the delegation in one of its aircraft which was declined by the European Commission office in Colombo, resulting in the latter seeking a private hire of an aircraft for this purpose;

(ii) The Ministry of Defence on 22 July 2008 contacted the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) and requested that a flight to China Bay utilizing a 1989 Beech King Air B 200 aircraft belonging to a private company be approved for this purpose. Upon the private operating company being contacted, they said that they were planning to operate the said flight on 23 July 2008, if they could meet the requirements of CAASL. This necessitated amendments to the documentation procedure, as the aircraft had not been authorized to operate on domestic routes.

(iii) In order to facilitate the visit by the European Parliamentarians to the Eastern Province, a thorough review was made by the CAASL in the morning of 23 July 2008 where all technical staff had been present and a one-off conditional approval was granted for the operation of this flight.

It may be noted that although months of preparation time had been available, the said aircraft had arrived in Sri Lanka from South Africa only on Sunday 20 July 2008, with an operating crew inexperienced with the route, and therefore CAASL was compelled to stipulate that the Director/ Operations of the private company was required to complement the crew of the said flight.

Once the clearance for the aircraft by CAASL had been given in the morning hours, and the final segment of the ensuing procedural process was taking place, the Parliamentary delegation which was scheduled to depart at 1330 hours had decided by 1300 hours to return to their hotel from the Ratmalana airport. Since this decision was made by the delegation itself, it is factually incorrect to state that the party was "turned back" from the Ratmalana airport.

It is therefore, abundantly clear that the Sri Lanka government had done its utmost in facilitating the European Parliamentary delegation visit to Trincomalee, including the granting of approval for the operation of the flight given the acute time constraints. Undoubtedly, the government wished for this visit to take place to showcase the developments in the Eastern province following its return to democratic rule. However, it is evident, especially noting the date of arrival of the crew and aircraft i.e. 2 days prior to the visit, that the private flight operator had not followed the required operating procedure in a timely manner to fulfill the regulatory and safety responsibilities of the Civil Aviation authorities to undertake the transportation of the European Parliamentary delegation as scheduled, to Trincomalee.

The position articulated by the Parliamentary delegation in its statement on not visiting Trincomalee is regrettable and is open to misinterpretation. Therefore, it would have been more appropriate if the statement released by the visiting Parliamentarians could have been more responsibly presented.

Three LTTE cadres surrendered to the Army on Thursday (July 24) at two different locations on the Wanni battlefront. According to the defence sources , two Tamil youth had surrendered themselves in the Mallavi area while the other on the Welioya front.

The two surrendered at Mallavi were residents of Jaffna while the other surrendered at Welioya was from Gampola area, the sources said.

According to the sources, All threes surrendees had stated that the LTTE is at its last legs and many of its cadres are waiting for an opportunity to seek protection with the security forces. The surrendees were handed over to the police in order to direct them for rehabilitation , the sources added.

Sri Lankans living in Finland yesterday (July 25 ) staged a mass protest demonstration in Helsinki against LTTE terrorism in Sri Lanka . The protestors held their demonstration for 2 hours in front of the Finish parliament with a strong participation of Sri Lankan of all ethnicities and Finns alike.

The protestor displayed banners saying that Sri Lanka is the homeland of Sinhalese , Muslims and Tamils but not of a single race. Many other banners and placard were seen held by the participants against recruiting of child soldiers , ethnic cleansing and civilian massacres, routinely carried out by the LTTE.

The protesters also urged the Finish government to curb LTTE's front organizations that engaged in fundraising for the terror outfit and other LTTE affiliated criminal gangs that collect funds from the Tamil people through extortion.

Also , they requested the Finnish Government to help Sri Lanka in defeating terrorism and building peace and harmony for the war torn nation.

Sri Lanka has approved a proposal for a mega underwater power transmission deal with India to meet a major part of the soaring power needs in the country the power and energy minister said on Friday.

Power and Energy Minister WDJ Seneviratne said that the proposed $450 million deal, once executed, would help export electricity through a 200-km submarine cable from the Madurai power grid in Tamil Nadu via the Palk Strait -- the narrow strip of sea that divides the two countries - to Thalaimannar, Mannar and to the Anuradhapura national power grid.

"This is a project acceptable to governments of both countries as it is a two-way traffic. We are hoping to sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) as soon as possible," Seneviratne said.

"Once completed, this project is expected to bring maximum economic benefits to both countries through the exchange of 1,000 MW of power," he said, adding the cabinet approved his proposal when it met on Wednesday.

Asked if there was any possibility that the MoU could be signed on the sidelines of the coming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, he said: "It cannot be ruled out."

According to preliminary studies, Seneviratne said the construction work, once it starts, would take 40 months to finish.

The cabinet has also granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the minister for the implementation of a rural electrification project with assistance from Iran.

The Tamil Tigers may have announced a unilateral 10-day truce but the Sri Lankan government is leaving nothing to chance for the upcoming SAARC summit. It has deployed 19,000 additional security personnel to provide protection for visiting leaders who include Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) truce between July 26 and Aug 4 was rejected by the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa as 'a trap'.

The 15th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) starts at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall here Aug 2. It will be attended by leaders of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

All these leaders will bring their own personnel to look after their security but media reports here and India indicate that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will come with scores of elite commandos of his Special Protection Group (SPG). India is also reported to be sending helicopters and bulletproof cars.

Military spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the Sri Lankan police and security forces would be in charge of the security cover for the summit.

'About 19,000 additional troops, including police personnel, will be deployed for the summit. It is a well coordinated security plan to ensure the best security cover for the summit,' Nanayakkara told IANS.

Deputy Inspector General Police Nimal Madiwaka added that the hotels where the VVIPs would stay, the convention centre and the roads leading to these venues had been declared high security zones (HSZs).

'The security for the SAARC summit will be an extension of the current security adopted in the country,' Madiwaka said, adding a special transport plan would be implemented for the HSZs Aug 1-4.

Some key roads would be closed for traffic during the two-day summit. People working in offices located inside these HSZs and important vehicles travelling into the areas would be issued special police passes. Vehicles without passes have been asked to use alternative routes.

Shuttle buses would be used to ferry passengers in the HSZ.

The Katunayake international airport has been named a high security zone, and there will be security restrictions on trains as well.

Describing the hosting of the SAARC summit as a 'significant moment' in the history of the island nation, Foreign Minister Rohith Bogollagama said President Rajapaksa was 'happy to showcase Sri Lanka to the international community'.

The US, Japan, China, South Korea, Iran, Mauritius and the EU will participate (at the foreign ministers level) as observer states. Australia and Myanmar are also seeking observer status.

Amid aggressive military campaigns against the Tamil Tigers in the north and a few bomb blasts in the south, the government has stepped up security measures in the capital of 650,000 people over the past year.

Ceylon Agro Industries Ltd, a subsidiary of Prima Company, has reportedly violated an agreement signed for receiving Board of Investment concessions and used same to defraud over Rs. 100 million of revenue to the state. Customs Department sources say its Automatic Data Processing Division came across this scam, and that it has detained six containers of hybrid maize seeds imported duty-free by the company from Thailand.

Ceylon Agro has used an agreement signed in 2001 with the BOI for the import of raw material to defraud more than Rs. 100 million of government revenue, the sources said.

Under this agreement, the company can import hybrid maize seeds free of duty for development and to assist farmers in the commercial cultivation of maize to be used as animal feed.

Instead, it has been importing palm oil and 20 other raw materials duty-free and producing noodles, Kottume noodles mixture, meat balls, sausages, bread, pastries and processed chicken, according to Customs sources.

In addition, Ceylon Agro has allegedly been selling the imported palm oil in the local market.

However, as per regulations in Section 17 of the BOI agreement, no approved company could sell its production in the local market without paying customs duty for the raw material imported.

According to estimations, the company had evaded the payment of customs duties and other taxes of more than Rs. 01 billion.
Its annual turnover exceeds Rs. 01 billion, Customs sources said.

A letter to grant concessions with reference no: EC/4/1047/92 has not been approved by the BOI, said the sources.

When media spoke to the A.M.C. Kulasekara, then Executive Director (Investment) at BOI, he maintained the company has been approved for duty-free concessions, including for the import of palm oil.

Meanwhile, the sources added that Customs officers investigating the alleged scam are under intense pressure to release the detained maize seed consignment.

The newly introduced regulation of mobile and CDMA phones is a violation of the people's right to expression, said Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera who is from the UNP.

He told parliament today (July 25th) that no country has laws to regulate the phones.

Mr. Perera called for more consideration and responsibility on the part of the government in deciding laws that directly affect the people.

In reply, Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake said the new laws are intended to prevent the use of mobile and CDMA phone for unlawful and criminal activities.

Troops engaged in counter terrorist offensive operations in combined Mannar - Vavuniya front confronted with a group of LTTE terrorists in general area Kalvilan, west of Tunukkai, Mullaittiuvu district, this morning, July 25.

According information received from the battlefront, 4 bodies of the LTTE terrorists killed in this confrontation were found along with 5 T-56 assault rifles and 2 radio sets, defences sources said.

Troops in 57 Division and Special Forces engaged in consolidation operations in north of Vavunikulam, in combined Mannar and Vavuniya front, have found 33 bodies of the LTTE terrorists along with a large stock of arms and ammunition this evening, July 25, a latest report received from the battle front says.

Eight senior LTTE cadres of the 'Charles Anthony' band were also among the terrorists killed during this gun battle, the report added.

The senior LTTE Terrorists killed during fierce battle were identified as Pallavan, Ambumani, Selvakannan, Sellappu, Muhi, Illambu, Sudar and Jenathan who were at the commanding level of the 'Charles Anthony' band in Mannar sector. LTTE outfit have given self-styled rank of "Lieutenant Colonel" to the Pallavan and Ambumani, the report further added.

Twenty-three T-56 weapons, one Rocket Propeller Gun (RPG), fourteen radio sets, four RPG rounds, two hand grenades, 1.5 kg of explosives, six T-56 magazines, one 15 m long detonator code, one motor cycle and several explosive items left behind or used by dead Tigers were also found by the troops from the consolidating areas.

SLAF MI-24 helicopter gunships Friday (July 25) have totally neutralized an LTTE mortar launching pad located 3.5km Southwest of Tunukkai in the Mullaittiuvu district, during close-fire-support missions launched assisting the advancing ground troops.

According to Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, 4 Mi-24 helicopter gunships have engaged in the daunting mission at around 3.45p.m., despite an array of LTTE counter fire.

The target was located at an abandoned construction site and ground troops also confirmed that the LTTE mortar shelling have died away following the air assault, the Spokesperson further added.

Heavy ground battles were reported between troops and LTTE in general area North of Vavunikulam Tank, Southeast of Mallavi in Mullaittivu District as troops mounted intense retaliation thwarting an LTTE counter attack killing over 30 terrorists including a leader of the 'Charles Anthony' band on Thursday (July 24) evening.

According to Wanni sources, fresh fighting broke out since last night till this morning(25), as troops have reportedly found 30 LTTE bodies scattered in the battle filed during subsequent search operations conducted. 'Pallawan' a senior leadeer of the Charles Anthony band was also among the killed, military said citing intercepted LTTE communication.

Yesterday the 57 Division troops led by Major General Jagath Dias and Special Forces troops gained control over the Vavunikulam Tank bund and 10sq.km of adjacent area, killing over 25 terrorists. The valiant soldiers further advanced towards Mallavi crossing the Paliaru waterway, neutralizing remaining LTTE elements in the southwestern edge of the Vavunikulam Tank, our defence correspondent said.

"Banu a senior cadre was identified speaking over the LTTE communication circuits leading the LTTE offensive and have reportedly fled deeper into Kilinochchi unable to withstand the military onslaught.

Army continued to pound identified LTTE positions dispersing its offensive wave as infantrymen and Special Forces hunted down remaining terrorists inflicting heavy damages", defence sources said.

"Despite continuous pleas made for reinforcement been turned down, frustrated terrorists have fled for safety leaving their dead and equipment behind", sources further said citing ground troops.

The Visiting EU delegation said the EU condemned LTTE activities and said the EU would not protect the terrorism.
Speaking to media in Colombo on Friday Leader of the delegation Robert Evans said the EU parliamentarians are fully aware that Sri Lanka is involved in the fight against terrorism but still believe that more must be done to defend human rights and put an end to the frightening number of abductions .The EU parliamentarian were hoping to see for themselves the new situation in the Eastern Province and to discuss matters directly with the Chief Minister.
Whilst welcoming the beginings of the democratic process in the region and that the TMVP seems to be joining the political mainstream , the EU parliamentarians were however concerned about the lack of a timetable for weapons decommissioning .
In addition the former paramilitaries now running the Eastern Province are reported to still be using child soldiers.
He said the last minute cancellation and a catalogue of chaos and confusion meant that the delegation did not fly to Trincomalee .Despite repeated assurances, endless complications resulted in the party being turned back from Ratmalana Air Port , destroying months of preparation, time and expanse.
In several meetings with the media , journalists spoke of continued harassment and fear of being critical of the Authorities .The delegation heard of many cases of media workers being arrested and learnt that 12 have been killed in recent months. The delegation intends to raise the case of M.Tissanayagam and of his conditions of detention in the European Parliament.
These stories came on top of documented abductions and disappearances .The EU parliament delegation urges the government of Sri Lanka as a top priority to organize investigations into these cases; the widespread belief that the military and police enjoy impunity does nothing to set ordinary people at ease and may even fuel the LTTE .EU Parliamentarians were informed officially that some 500 members of the military had been investigated for such abuses and 100 had been prosecuted /convicted .To date no evidence to substantiate this has been provided.
The delegation understands that the situation in Sri Lanka is extremely tense and support efforts to reform the structures of the country in a political way that reconciles the three communities in a constitutional framework. The delegation commends Prof.Vitharana for his attempts to make the APRC live up to its name by including all parties and regrets that despite numerous meetings there is no sign of this happening.
The delegation also stresses the need to implement the XVII th amendment and calls on the President to immediately re-establish the Constitutional Council and independent commissions as they are necessary to address the general crisis of governance.
In the light of all these apprehensions, the European Delegation remains extremely anxious about the impact a possible loss of GSP+ status would have on economy and employment in Sri Lanka and urges the government to do everything possible to effectively implement the international conventions that are required in order to address human rights concerns.
He said European Parliament as a friend remains ready to do all it can to assist Sri Lanka as it faces up to all these challenges in the months head.Answering questions he said today that if a decision on whether to renew GSP+ preferential status to Sri Lanka is decided today, it is “doubtful” if it will go in favour of Sri Lanka.

Robert Evans who lead the seven member delegation on a five day visit to the country said that this is his personal opinion and no final decision has been made on whether to extend the GSP+ status further.

When UNP parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake today raised the issue of the attack on Daily Mirror journalist Yohan Perera, Minister of Urban Development Dinesh Gunwardena said the journalist was not attacked by a UDA man but by a ‘political force’.

Army troops have killed 22 LTTE cadres and recovered all the bodies, North of Vavunikulam, Mullaitivu this morning - MCNS.

Local authorities have issued notices to occupants of a large number of buildings including houses in Kundasale, Kandy to vacate their buildings immediately as SAARC delegates are scheduled to make a trip to Victoria Golf Course, SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem told Parliament today.

Colombo Commercial High Court issued an enjoining order against MP Wimal Weerawansa preventing him from pulishing or printing his book.

The government has declared Friday (August 1), a holiday to ease traffic congestion on the opening day of the SAARC summit.

Western Province DIG Nimal Mediwaka yesterday said at a news conference said that the move would immensely help police control traffic congestion in Colombo.

With the next two days, Saturday and Sunday, being holidays the flow traffic to Colombo would be more controllable, he said.

Mediwaka said Police will introduce stringent security measures in the metropolis and certain other designated areas but the public will have to undergo minimum hassle though they will be subjected to body checks by the police and security forces personnel.

Those who are working in the High Security Zone areas in Colombo would be issued special passes.

On the day that the SAARC delegates will be visiting Parliament the roads surrounding Parliament would be closed for traffic from 6.00 a.m. to approximately 2.00 p.m.

Asked whether there would be restrictions on movement of traffic in the Mt. Lavinia area as the spouses of some of the delegates will be staying at the Mt Lavinia hotel he answered in the negative. The hotel will function as usual, he said.

According to well informed sources the First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa would be hosting 30 spouses of key SAARC delegates at the Mt Lavinia Hotel for a luncheon.

There will be 12,000 police personnel deployed to oversee the security arrangements during the SAARC in addition to the security forces personnel, he said.

The Colombo–Katunayake road would be closed for traffic intermittently for a maximum period of 26 minutes each time to facilitate the movement of State Heads and the key delegates as and when the flights transporting them would arrive the BIA Mediwaka said.

Train services will not operate between Colombo Fort and Bambalapitiya and a shuttle bus service will operate between the two points from 1-4 August. The passengers could use the rail tickets to travel in these buses he said.

The Galle Criminal Investigation Unit arrested seven suspected street-walkers in the Galle Kithulapitiya area.

Inspector Dammika Amarasena said that the 7 women were sent to Galle Mahamodara Hospital for an AIDS test. They will be produced before the Galle Magistrate.