Infantry, armour and artillery formations of the Army's 57 Division have overrun LTTE forward defences and reportedly entered into general area Mallavi in Mullaittivu district, following fierce fighting since this morning (Aug 31).

According to military, troops have gained control over key LTTE outposts in the area and positioned tactically in the probable fall of the garrison township, despite heavy resistance from LTTE.

Mallavi is a strategically important LTTE garrison located along the Vellankulama - Mankulama main road, linking the Mannar- Pooneryn (A-32) main road and the Kandy- Jaffna(A-9) trunk road. Due its significant positioning this area has been used as the hub of LTTE's administration and logistic activities, accommodating over dozens LTTE offices, defence observes state.

Initial reports from Wanni military sources further said that the troops are engaging heavy artillery and increasing the forward thrust into the Mallavi town area.

Pro-LTTE media have remained tightlipped and declined to comment on the latest ground situation, defence observes further noted.

Troops of the 58 Division operating Northwest of Nachchikudha in the Western Mullaittivu battlefront, have reportedly gained control over an LTTE built earth bund located West of Vannerikkulama, Sunday (Aug 31) afternoon.

According to Wanni security sources, 7 LTTE terrorists were confirmed killed and 9 others wounded in the fighting repoprted since this morning.

Troops are now consolidating defence in the area, sources further said.

A fire broke out in the generator room of the navy vessel 'Sagara' which was at the Colombo Port last night. Police say a short circuit was believed to have been the cause of the fire. An investigation is underway.

A JVP parliamentarian has been deported from Japan after being detained and questioned at the Japanese airport by officials, well informed sources said.
The MP together with another party official had reportedly been questioned on Friday for several hours, among other issues, on the purpose of their visit to Japan.

Subsequently the MP was deported while the other JVP member was permitted to proceed with his visit to Japan.

Though the actual reason for the detention and deportation is still not clear, there is speculation that illegal fund raising may have been one of the reasons.

When contacted by media, Ambassador Ranjith Uyangoda said yesterday he had heard of reports of such an incident taking place but was unable to verify the details as the Immigration and Emigration offices in Japan were closed for the weekend.

However JVP general secretary Tilvin Silva said he was not aware of any JVP MP being detained or deported from Japan.

The JVP maintains an office in Japan with a strong membership base which supports and funds its political activities in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile in May the JVP branch in Japan said it had severed all connections with the party over the ousting of Wimal Weerawansa, ten other MPs and a large number of party members.

The branch claimed that its comrades in Japan had credited the money they earned to the party fund and also funded all elections except the Eastern Provincial Council polls.

It also claimed in a statement that it had loaned a large sum of money to the party on various occasions yet none of it was repaid but the JVP said it had no connections with the branch in Japan.

Chartered Accountant and Management Consultant Brian Angunawela relinquished duties as Chairman EDB from August 31. Mr. Angunawela was appointed to the post in the year 2005. During the past three and a half years he served for two Cabinet Ministers.Coming from the private sector Mr. Angunawela was instrumental in re-organizing the Mushroom Development and Training Centre a project under the purview of the EDB into a profit making venture.
Under his leadership the EDB was able to resurrect and commence operations in the Uva Paranagama Export Production Village and the Tissamaharama Export Processing Village.

During his tenure of office the EDB launched several programmes in the provinces linking the rural producer with the exporter in Colombo thus creating avenues to open the flow of export revenue directly to the rural sector.

Fruits and Vegetables, Spices, Coir Products and Ornamental Fish were among the sectors promoted in Matara,Hambantota,Angunakolapelessa,Thambuttegama, Polonnaruwa,Tissamaharamaya,Kuliyapitiya Uva - Paranagama and Embilipitiya during this period.

Sri Lanka’s National Gem and Jewellery Authority decided to modify the detailed certificate issued for gems, in the interest of the trade.
Currently the certificates are issued only by a gem stone’s family or mineralogical name. This system however, has led to confusion among gem traders. According to them this unfamiliar mineralogical name in certification makes customers confused leading to the possibility of loosing a particular sale.

In trading gem stones, the seller and buyer both generally use trade names such as Blue Sapphires, Rubies and Alexandrites.

Hence when a customer requires a certification for a gem he expects the certification by the trade name.

Certificates are issued by the NGJA branches in Colombo, Ratnapura, Beruwala and the World Trade Center, Fort. The services of all valuers /gemologists are utilized for this purpose on a daily roster basis.

When the system of certifying gem stones by the NGJA commenced in 1980, the detailed certificate was initially issued by trade names. Later on however due to conflicts of practicing criteria, usage and other matters, the trade name was changed to the mineralogical name.

Corundum is Sri Lanka’s most valuable gem resource. In the trade Blue Corundum is called the Blue Sapphire; Pink Corundum is called the Pink Sapphire, Pinkish Orange colour Corundum Padmaraga, red colour Corundum Ruby, yellow Corundum the Yellow Sapphire and so on. Most of the trade names for corundum are formed with the stone’s body colour used as a prefix.

Some gems are formed with two or more colours. Then the colour combination can be interpreted by two pairs of human eyes in two different ways. Due to this customer confusion can arise. Padmaraga, orange sapphire and Alexandrite fall into this category. To minimise such conflicting errors certificates for such gems will be issued only at the NGJA Gem Laboratory in Colombo by a panel comprising three valuers / gemologists.

Five LTTE caders including four women fighters were killed in a clash with troops in Palamudai in Vavuniya on Sunday night.

Troops recovered their bodies this morning and handed them over to the Vavuniya hospital from where they would be handed over to the LTTE by the ICRC.

Seven individuals and one organization from India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand and Sri Lanka received Asia’s premier award, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, for the year 2008 during presentation ceremonies at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City yesterday, the birth anniversary of the late president.


The awardees are:

Grace Padaca, from the Philippines, for Government Service. She was recognized for "her empowering voters in the Philippines’ Isabela province to reclaim their democratic right to elect leaders of their own choosing, and to contribute as full partners in their own development."

Center for Agriculture & Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI), from the Philippines, for Public Service. It was honored for "successful adaptation of microfinance in the Philippines, providing self-sustaining and comprehensive services for half a million poor women and their families."

Therdchai Jivacate, from Thailand, for Public Service. He was honored for "his dedicated efforts in Thailand to provide inexpensive, practical, and comfortable artificial limbs even to the poorest amputees."

Prakash Amte and Mandakini Amte, from India, for Community Leadership, who were recognized for "enhancing the capacity of the Madia Gonds to adapt positively in today’s India, through healing and teaching and other compassionate interventions."

Ahmad Syafii Maarif, from Indonesia, for Peace and International Understanding. He was honored for "his guiding Muslims to embrace tolerance and pluralism as the basis for justice and harmony in Indonesia and in the world at large."

Akio Ishii, from Japan, for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts. He was recognized for "his principled career as a publisher, placing discrimination, human rights, and other difficult subjects squarely in Japan’s public discourse."

Ananda Galappatti, from Sri Lanka, for Emergent Leadership. He was recognized for "his spirited personal commitment to bring appropriate and effective psychosocial services to victims of war trauma and natural disasters in Sri Lanka."

The eight 2008 Ramon Magsaysay awardees joined 263 other laureates who have received Asia’s highest honor to date, according to the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF). This year’s winners each received a certificate, a medallion bearing the likeness of the late President, and a cash prize.

Established in 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s highest honor and is widely regarded as the region’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. It celebrates the memory and leadership example of the third Philippine President, and is given every year to individuals or organizations in Asia who manifest the same sense of selfless service that ruled the life of the late and beloved Filipino leader.

"The Magsaysay awardees of 2008," said RMAF President Carmencita T. Abella, "are indeed pathfinders in a changing Asia, charting new ways to address persistent, often intractable problems in their societies.

"Working in different countries on diverse issues of poverty, prejudice, politics, livelihoods, and health, these awardees nevertheless share an uncommon faith in the tremendous potential of people and social institutions.

"They share as well an indomitable will and persistence to tap into this potential and thus create greater, and lasting, good. Mobilizing many others to join their efforts, their accomplishments bring us reassuring news of progress, justice, healing, reform, and hope.

"In a world grown increasingly fragmented and cynical, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation is uniquely privileged to be the bearer of such inspiring news from Asia," Abella said.

The Magsaysay Award is currently given in six categories:

Government Service — for "outstanding service in the public interest in any branch of government, including executive, judicial, legislative, or military."

Public Service — for "outstanding service to the public good by a private citizen."

Community Leadership — for "leadership of a community toward helping the disadvantaged have fuller opportunities and a better life."

Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts — for "effective writing, publishing, photography, or use of radio, television, cinema, or theater as a power for public good."

Peace and International Understanding — for "outstanding contributions to the advancement of friendship, peace and solidarity as the foundations for sustainable development within and across countries."

Emergent Leadership — for "outstanding work of an individual, 40 years of age and below, on issues of social change in his/her community, but whose leadership is not yet broadly recognized outside of this community."

During the Foundation’s four decades of existence, Asia has made great progress, some nations more than others. Yet the region continues to grapple with problems of poverty, malnutrition, disease, and violence, as well as with newer problems that have come with progress itself, the Foundation said.

In recognizing individuals and organizations who have addressed these issues with extraordinary vigor, integrity, and selflessness, the Foundation seeks to honor the memory of President Ramon Magsaysay and to place living examples of exceptional service before the public.

Currently, India leads the number of awardees with 47, followed closely by the Philippines with 46. The other countries whose citizens and organizations have received the Magsaysay Award are Japan, 22; Thailand, 21; South Korea, 19; Indonesia, 18; Pakistan, 12; Malaysia, 11; and China and Taiwan, with 10 winners each.

Other winners have come from Bangladesh, with nine; Sri Lanka, eight; Hong Kong, six; Vietnam and Nepal, with four each; Burma and Cambodia, with three winners each; Laos and Singapore with two winners each; and East Timor and Tibet, with one laureate each.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award was established by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) based in New York City in April 1957. With the concurrence of the Philippine government, the prize was created to commemorate late president of the Philippines and to perpetuate his example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society.

In May 1957, seven prominent Filipinos were named the founding board of trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, the nonprofit corporation tasked with implementing the awards program.

Invited to serve as honorary chairman and vice chairman, respectively, were Sergio Osmeña, former president of the Philippine Commonwealth, and Don Exequiel Magsaysay, father of Ramon Magsaysay. Belen H. Abreu, then legal counsel of the Commission on Elections, was asked to serve as executive trustee.

In 1959, the Philippine Congress donated to the RMAF a parcel of land on Roxas Boulevard equivalent in value to the original RBF grant and, in subsequent legislation, gave the Foundation full tax exemption privileges.

Additional grants and a loan from the RBF made possible the construction of the Ramon Magsaysay Center which, since 1968, has housed the RMAF staff and provided revenue to support the Foundation’s work.

Contributions from private individuals and companies in the Philippines and abroad have enabled the RMAF to accept custodianship of the Magsaysay Papers and Memorabilia, to maintain a public library on contemporary Asia, to sponsor national and international symposia on subjects of vital current interest, and to fund continuing projects of awardees through the Program for Asian Projects (PAP).

Today, the awards program is managed by a board of trustees composed of nine Philippine citizens serving staggered fouryear terms. An appointed president oversees the fulltime administration of the program.

The RMAF recognizes and honors individuals and organizations in Asia regardless of race, creed, sex, or nationality, who have achieved distinction in their respective fields and have helped others generously without anticipating public recognition.

The awards were orginally given in five categories: government service; public service; community leadership; journalism, literature, and creative communication arts; peace and international understanding.

In the 2000 Magsaysay Awards Presentation Ceremonies, the Foundation announced the creation of the sixth category, Emergent Leadership, which was established with the support of a grant from the Ford Foundation.

The award for Emergent Leadership honors "individuals, forty years of age and below, doing outstanding work on issues of social change in their communities, but whose leadership is not yet broadly recognized outside of these communities." An award in this category was given for the first time in 2001.

The RMAF solicits award nominations from selected persons throughout Asia who are qualified by virtue of position, expertise, or experience each year. Nominations are carefully investigated and the awards themselves are determined following rigorous evaluation by the Foundation’s board of trustees.

Presentation ceremonies are held annually in Manila on August 31st, the birth anniversary of the late president.

by Jehan Perera

The Sri Lankan diaspora broadly defined consists of all those who have left the shores of Sri Lanka. Some of them have gone abroad only for a short time, such as the migrant workers in the Middle East. But others have been in their adopted lands for over a hundred years, such as those in Malaysia. The Sri Lankan diaspora covers all its communities, Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers. But the most influential, and most controversial, has been the largest group, the Tamil diaspora.

The vast majority of those in the Tamil diaspora left the country in the aftermath of the events of July 1983, the 25th anniversary of which was commemorated only recently. The Sri Lankan government sought actively to play down those commemoration events, warning its embassies abroad that there was an LTTE campaign against Sri Lanka. Even within the country, those who organised commemoration events in order to show their solidarity with the Tamil people, found their efforts were viewed with suspicion.

The Tamil diaspora is seen by the Sri Lankan state as an important actor in the ongoing war against the LTTE that needs to be checked. It is a fact that many, if not most, who left the country did so in circumstances that were extremely painful and bitter to them. They left homes that were burnt, families that were scattered, and a larger society that did not trust them and equated them with the violence of the Tamil militancy. They left for an uncertain future into alien cultures and societies, in which they would be an underclass for many years. But due to the essentially egalitarian and merit-based nature of the Western societies to which they migrated, many of them and their children have finally prospered.

It is no surprise then that large sections of the Tamil diaspora should feel alienated from the Sri Lankan state that failed to nurture, give them opportunities and protect them as equal citizens. The Tamil diaspora has become a source of support for the idyllic vision of a Tamil homeland which the Tamil people can govern, develop themselves, and live in security. Members of the Tamil diaspora, who once were part of the intellectual and social elite of Sri Lanka, have been very effective advocates for the notion of Tamil Eelam and the main source of support for the LTTE which continues the fight for separation.


MAIN CONCERNS

At the same time, however, there is diversity within the Tamil diaspora. One is the difference between the first generation of the diaspora who left the country well before the ethnic conflict got into its violent phase, and the second generation who left after the violence had commenced. The Sri Lankan diaspora in Malaysia includes a small number of Sinhalese as well, and consists largely of the first generation who left Sri Lanka in happier times and have correspondingly happier memories.

Last week I was able to participate in a conference organised by the Federation of Malaysian Sri Lankan Organisations, which is an umbrella group that has been able to bring together many of the Sri Lankan diaspora members of all ethnic communities in Malaysia. Most of the participants at the conference came from the Tamil diaspora in Malaysia, but also from other parts of the world, including Australia, Europe and Canada. One of the highlights of the conference was the participation of a large and multi ethnic group of Sri Lankans belonging the Association of Justices of Peace (JPs) for Human Rights, a Sri Lanka-based organisation.

As could be expected one of the main concerns expressed at the conference was to find ways to sustain the life of the people and families left behind in Sri Lanka. The participants at the conference were acutely aware of the tragic situation currently facing many of the Tamil people of the north. With the Sri Lankan military advancing on LTTE-held territory, the government has been advising the people in leaflets dropped from the air to flee their homes for government-held areas. More than 200,000 people have been rendered homeless due to the recent rounds of fighting.

Ever since the mass exodus of Tamils abroad 25 years ago, the Tamil diaspora has been in an oppositional mode with the Sri Lankan state. There has been little or no attempt on both sides to engage in a constructive manner. A large part of the reason has been the confidence of the Tamil diaspora that the LTTE's armed struggle for separation, which they support, will end in success. So long as this belief, and desire, continues there will be little incentive on the part of the Tamil diaspora to engage constructively with the Sri Lankan state.


RETHINKING GOALS

However, recent developments on the ground and in international politics suggest that the struggle for Tamil Eelam will not be successful. The minds of its different ethnic communities may be separated, but the geographical boundaries of the country will remain intact. The worldwide war against terrorism which is gaining in intensity, the opposition of India to an independent Tamil Eelam led by the LTTE on its doorstep and the determination of the vast majority of the people of Sri Lanka to pay any price to keep the country's borders intact, are most unlikely to be overcome.

This means that if the Tamil diaspora wishes to come to the aid of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka, they need to be prepared to engage constructively with the Sri Lankan state, and find ways to do so. It also means that the Tamil diaspora has to reconsider its separatist option and be prepared to accommodate themselves to the reality that the LTTE's military force will not win peace, happiness and prosperity for the Tamil people in the homeland.

The Sri Lankan state also has an obligation to reach out to the Tamil diaspora instead of viewing them suspiciously as agents of the LTTE and of separation. The Tamil diaspora consists of people who were citizens of Sri Lanka, and their children, who continue to yearn for the home they once had in a beautiful island, with people who are closer to them racially and culturally than any other people in the world. One of the anxieties of the Tamil diaspora is that with the passing of the years, and the growing up of their children in foreign lands into the third generation, they will lose their unique identity. But this need not be.

During the period of the Diaspora conference in Malaysia, former Indian President Abdul Kalam paid a visit to the University of Malaya, where our conference was being held. More than 2000 students, nearly all of them members of the Indian diaspora in Malaysia came to listen to President Kalam speak. These were third generation members of a diaspora, and citizens of another country, but their emotional bonds to their Indian homeland were powerful and visible. Even the Sri Lankan diaspora participants could not feel unaffected by the tide of emotion that bonded everyone in the auditorium at that time.

This emotional bonding of the former President of India and the third generation of Indian-origin citizens of Malaysia was not simply a spontaneous phenomenon. It is also one that is carefully cultivated and nurtured by the Indian state, that recognises and calls out to its children and their children living in faraway lands. As a result, wherever there are members of the Indian diaspora, India has its loyal. proud and willing representatives. So must we make it happen for Sri Lanka, with our own Tamil diaspora. Increasing the number of Tamil officers and diplomats in the foreign service and stationing them in Sri Lankan embassies abroad with the specific mandate of reaching out to the Tamil diaspora could be a first step.

The Secretary of Defence, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksha, accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Donald Perera and the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, visited Mannar yesterday-the 30th August 2008, in order to assess the security situation in the area.

The itinerary of the visit comprised of visiting and assessing security condition of the area under North Central Naval Command. They had visited the naval detachment at Irrukkalmpiddy- the naval installation closest to un-cleared areas, the naval base in Thalaimannar, Special Boat Squadron and the Rapid Action Boat Squadron. He also declare opened the newly constructed two-storied North Central Naval Command Headquarters in Mannar which was built by the naval personnel in the civil engineering branch of the navy within a short span of time like three months saving a large sum of money that would have incurred.

In his visit, the Secretary of Defence, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakshe, had inspected the Special Boat Squadron and the Rapid Action Boat Squadron which has been imposing a severe threat to the LTTE activities in the Mannar Sea and had also spoken to the troops. The boats and the craft used by the Special Boat Squadron and the rapid action Boat squadron, on board one out of which the Secretary Defence sailed around in his inspection tour, have been constructed by the personnel in the naval engineering branch utilizing indigenous material and expertise. The SBS and Rapid Action Boat Squadron very recently raided the Iranativu Island which was under the presence of LTTE cadres.

The naval troops deployed in the North Central Command have successfully been putting in a blockade on the sea route of smuggling weaponry and other war-like materials by LTTE from the narrow sea strip in the Gulf of Mannar.

The 29th GSM Asia Pacific Conference of the GSM Association is scheduled to kickoff on September 7, 2008 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

This year’s conference themed ‘Beyond 21’ will coincide with the 21st anniversary of the GSM. The selection of Colombo as the event in the regional GSM calendar indicates the stature of the local telecommunication industry and the acceptance of Sri Lanka as a preferred location for international summits.

GSM Asia Pacific, the regional interest group of the GSM Association consists of 49 countries and over 130 GSM operators. The Asia Pacific Interest Group spans the Pacific rim and includes Australia, New Zealand, China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.

Elected members of the Sabaragamuwa and the North Central Provincial councils will sworn in as Provincial Councilors within this week and the General Secretary of the SLFP Maithreepala Sirisena said their existing Chief Ministers namely Berty Premalal Dissanayake and Maheepala Herath would be appointed as the Chief Ministers of the respective provincial councils.
However UNP is still on discussions to select their Opposition Leaders .In Sabaragamuwa former Opposition Leader A.A.Wijetunga has shown his interest to hold the post of the Opposition Leader, but Ranjan Ramanayake also shown his interest to hold the similar position.
Major General Janaka Perera who obtained highest votes at the North Central Provincial Council’s election shows his willingness to represent the Opposition Leadership.
Meanwhile Minister Mithreepala Sirisena said a number of new comers who obtained highest votes would be received minister portfolio.
“It is under consideration, he said.
He said another batch of UNP parliamentarians are discussing with the UPFA to join the ruling party.
He said there is no final agreement with these MPs and the UPFA.

Defense Ministry report said that Sri Lankan peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) have helped victims of Hurricane Gustav in the aftermath of the storm.

In the immediate aftermath of the storm, members of the Sri Lankan battalion distributed food and water and provided medical support. The peacekeepers have helped clean up the waste and rubble that blocked the main streets.

Sri Lanka contributes almost 1,000 troops and police to the United Nations peacekeeping force in Haiti.

Hurricane Gustav has left a trail of death and destruction in several impoverished Haitian communities leaving 71 people dead in the Caribbean, including eight in the Dominican Republic bordering Haiti.

A Sri Lankan fishermen's trade union Sunday sought the release of two fishing boats held by the Indian authorities for poaching.

Sirimal Pinto, spokesman of the union, told reporters that they have alerted the Sri Lankan ministry of fisheries on the matter.

'Two boats have been held since Aug 28 by the Indian authorities. They are now being held at Visakhapatnam port,' Pinto said, adding that the two boats were seized by Indian Coast Guards Aug 17.

G. Piyasena, secretary to Sri Lanka's ministry of fisheries said the government was aware of the seizures.

Both Indian and Sri Lankan navies have intensified patrolling in the maritime borders mainly to prevent Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka's north from smuggling in military hardware.

The Sri Lankan Navy early this month refuted Indian allegations of firing at Indian fishing boats and killing several fishermen.

(AP) _ People in the poor, mainly Tamil neighborhood in Colombo described it as a harrowing day.

It was 5 a.m. on a Wednesday when police started knocking on doors. They searched hundreds of homes, then forced thousands of men, women and children to get dressed and walk through the narrow streets lined with soldiers to a nearby sports field. Over the next six hours, authorities questioned, photographed and videotaped the neighborhood's inhabitants.

Still, few of those rounded up expressed surprise at the intrusion.

Members of Sri Lanka's minority Tamil community say police raids, harassment, arbitrary detentions and even abductions have become routine in recent years as violence has escalated in the 25-year civil war between the government, dominated by the Sinhalese majority, and the Tamil Tiger militia fighting for a separate state in the island's north and east.

"They think every Tamil-speaking person is a terrorist. They want to control us," said Sanjeevi Ramiah, 47, one of the few residents of the Kimbulla Ela neighborhood willing to speak publicly about the July 2 raid.

While Tamils and human rights advocates complain about police excesses, most agree this Indian Ocean island nation is faced with a serious threat from the rebels.

The Tigers have been blamed for deadly attacks over the past year that have spread fear across the capital, Colombo, in the south. A June bombing on a crowded suburban bus killed 21 people, two days after a blast targeting the railroad in the city narrowly missed a passenger train.

"No one suggests for the moment that there should not be security measures and precautions," said Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director of the Center for Policy Alternatives think tank. "At the same time, we need to be a lot more serious in finding the balance between democratic rights and human rights and the right security measures. We can't alienate an entire community, an entire section of the citizenry."

Emergency regulations renewed by parliament each month give the government wide-ranging powers to arrest terror suspects and detain them indefinitely.

With each new attack in the capital, the complex web of checkpoints, road closures and random searches tightens. And many Tamils say their lives grow harder.

They say police assume they sympathize with the rebels' fight for a homeland for ethnic Tamils and single them out at checkpoints and during searches on buses.

Many are routinely detained on minor infractions or for no reason at all, according to residents and human rights groups. Those who fled the northern war zone, where the rebels control a de facto state, say they risk arrest for not registering with police or for having overnight guests without police authorization.

In June 2007, authorities briefly expelled more than 300 Tamils from Colombo boarding houses before the Supreme Court forced them to back down.

Following a pair of bombings in November, the government detained more than 2,000 Tamils in a mass arrest sweep, a common tactic after major attacks. It released nearly all of them days later after a groundswell of criticism.

In addition, nearly 200 Tamils have "disappeared" from the capital in recent years, said Mano Ganesan, an opposition parliamentarian who heads a group that catalogues the disappearances. The government denies any connection to the phenomenon.

"The root cause of this is the unresolved ethnic issue," Ganesan said, referring to the historic tension between the country's mainly Hindu Tamils and the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese. A Sinhalese nationalist movement arose after Sri Lanka's independence from Britain in 1948. The civil war began after a 1983 rebel ambush killed 13 Sri Lankan soldiers and sparked an anti-Tamil riot in the capital that human rights groups say killed more than 2,000 people.

Keheliya Rambukwella, a government minister and its chief defense spokesman, acknowledged Tamils were singled out for scrutiny in Colombo, but only because rebel attackers — who have killed members of all ethnic groups — routinely hid among the capital's large Tamil community.

"It is not a bed of roses. You have to undergo certain kinds of inconveniences," he said. "I really don't think it is discrimination. It is for their own good."

Tamils, just 18 percent of the country, make up as much as one-third of the capital's population, according to officials. And they are an important part of the fabric of Colombo. Some are doctors, lawyers or other wealthy professionals. Some, such as Rambukwella himself, are even government ministers.

While upper class Tamils are rarely inconvenienced, the majority of Colombo's Tamils are poor or lower middle class and feel powerless in the face of the mainly Sinhalese security forces.

Unknown armed men shot and killed two youths Sunday afternoon east of Jaffna District Secretariat in Chu'ndikkuzhi, Police said. The victims were identified from the identity cards in their possession as 26-year-old Nithyananthan Thushyanthan, from 120 Brown Road, Jaffna and 29-year-old Kanagaratnam Narmathan, from Kantharmadam 119/2. One of the victims is a student of a Malaysian University, who seems to have come to Jaffna recently.

Police recovered the dead bodies and handed them over to the mortuary of the Jaffna Hospital for identification after Acting Magistrate of Jaffna, Sinnaththuai Kesavan, inspected the crime site.

The killings have taken place in a by-lane, 200 meters from Jaffna Kandy Road.

The Government is expected to appoint a new Chairman to head the vital Ports Authority on Monday after its incumbent Saliya Wickramasuriya’s resignation was accepted by the Ports and Aviation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa early this week.

Mr. Wickramasuriya said that his letter of resignation submitted in July was accepted by the Minister on Tuesday and his last day at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority would be tomorrow. The delay in acceptance of his resignation, Mr.Wickramasuriya attributed to him being away in London and the Minister being involved in SAARC summit activities, provincial council elections and the marriage of his youngest son.

According to well placed sources the Government will appoint present Vice Chairman Priyath Bandu Wickrema to the top post . His relations with the unions have been such that in 2004 unions requested the Government to appoint him to the Board of SLPA as their representative.

Present SLPA Executive Director Dr Sanjaya Senarath is expected to be elevated as Vice Chairman.
While Dr Senarath is from the medical field, Mr. Wickrema is a chartered Mechanical Engineer, who joined the Ports Authority as a young BSc graduate in 2001. Hailing from Walasmulla, he completed a PhD in Port Management recently.

Contacted to get a confirmation, Ports Ministry Secretary T. Hewage, however, said he could not answer any of our queries as he was abroad. Ports Minister Chamal Rajapaksa could not be contacted.

More than one million could benefit if new proposal is adopted
The retirement age of some 1.1 million public servants may be raised to 63 in keeping with worldwide trends and the increase in life expectancy of Sri Lankans,Pensions Director K.A. Thilakaratne said yesterday.

He said the move was also aimed at preventing officials from drawing double salaries by retiring at 55 and rejoining to do state jobs, thus getting both a state pension and a state salary. Mr. Thilakaratne said President Mahinda Rajapaksa had studied the proposals and called for trade union observations on the issue before deciding on it.

Under current regulations, the retirement age is 55 but state officials can extend their service until 57 without seeking an annual extension. They face compulsory retirement at 60. Some officials told The Sunday Times the negative aspects of raising the retirement age to 63 would be the blocking of job opportunities of new recruits to the public service and promotions of junior officers.

Mr. Thilakaratne said both positive and negative aspects of the move were being considered with the unemployment issue being given priority. He said there were cases where those who retired rejoined the public service even as secretaries to ministries – thus drawing a big pension as well as a big salary.

Mr. Thilakaratne said the government had taken into consideration the fact that the life expectancy rate had also increased over the years and some of the countries had now increased the retirement age to 65.

President’s men entitled to extension

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has vested in himself the power of extending the compulsory retirement age of any public officer appointed by him. No time bar has been proposed on the extension.

An amendment to the Public and Judicial Officers (Retirement) Ordinance has been effected by the President through an Extraordinary Gazette notification. The Attorney General, the Auditor General, the Ombudsman, the Inspector General of Police, Service Commanders, Ministry Secretaries and Provincial Chief Secretaries are among those appointed by the President.

However, the move would not apply to the Chief Justice and judges of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and High Courts as their age of retirement is specified in the Constitution.

An STF personnel was killed in a sniper fire in the Rufaskulam camp in Kanjikudichchiaru camp in the east, police source said.

The victim was identified as Indika.

Shell Gas Lanka limited will increase the price of a 12.5kg domestic cylinder by Rs.126 with effect from midnight today a company spokesman said. Accordingly the new price of a domestic cylinder will be Rs. 1863.

Mob assaulted security of Minister P. Chandrasekaran including two police officers, after his vehicle collided with a three-wheeler killing one passenger on the spot, at Dehiowita in Avissawella this evening. The Minister was not in the car at the time of the incident.

A veteran broadcaster and Chairman of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Hudson Samarasinghe instructed to re-launch English Commercial Service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation to provide additional valuable hours for their listeners.
According to Mr.Samarasinghe the re launching of the English service would commence from 1st of September.
Earlier SLBC management has reduced local programmes of the English Commercial service and allocate more time belt for the BBC World Service.
Mr.Samarasinghe has mediated with the BBC management and later reduced BBC time belt , which were used to broadcast BBC daily programmes .
Due to this decision local listeners could listen to more programmes , music and other entertainment programmes.
“It will once again resume its pristine glory. Programmes like Breakfast drive, Classic gold, Bright Spot, Your choice in music, Hits of the past will be aired, said Mr.Samarasinghe. .
Existing Programmes have been re-vamped and new programmes will be added to the channel. At present Sri Lanka has a number of English Radio Channels. However the English service has continued to receive a good response from listeners, he explained.

Army's elite Special Forces (SF) troops in pursuit of terrorists encircled at Konketiyawa, East of the Padawiya tank have reportedly observed at least 10 LTTE bodies scattered in the area, according to latest reports received, Sunday (Aug 31).

Intermittent gunfire exchanges were reported in the area since this morning our Welioya correspondent said, citing military, as troops further claimed to have sealed all 'way-routes' combined with the Civil Defence Force(CDF) personnel in the area. Details of the latest confrontations are not available our correspondent said, adding that the terrorists' chances of survival are minimum in the area, given the mobility and fire superiority of the Special Forces (SF).

Troops have already seized an LTTE body, a T-56 assault riffle and 3 belt orders in subsequent search operations conducted. The SF troopers were immediately reinforced after clashes broke out between CDF personnel and LTTE since 6.30 a.m, Saturday, when troops on patrol observed a group of terrorists in Army guise attempting to infiltrate into the area. A civilian was also reported wounded due to the indiscriminate LTTE gunfire attack and later transferred to the General Hospital at Anuradhapura.

According to military, the LTTE group may have been given specific orders to infiltrate into the liberate areas and cause destruction to both civilian and military targets triggering a slow down of the military advances into the last LTTE bastions at Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu Districts.

3 personnel were killed including a Civil Defence Force (CDF) trooper, while similar numbers were reported injured in yesterday's confrontation, according to reports received.

Meanwhile, Police have also reported killed a terrorist in general area Vahalkada and subsequently recovered the body, according to defence sources.

Police found no truth in the bomb rumor in the Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission office in Chennai.

According to sources, Tamil Nadu police thoroughly searched the premises of the Deputy High Commission office, located at 196 TTK Road, Alwarpet, Chennai for suspected explosive materials and found nothing.

Sources said , that Tamil Nadu Police received an anonymous call around 8.30 PM yesterday of bombs being planted in the Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission office.

Immediately Police rushed to the Office of the Deputy High Commission and requested office be opened and searched thoroughly, in the presence of High Commission staffs till 2.15 AM this morning and found nothing suspicious inside the chancery building.

Mohammed Rasooldeen

DAWADMI: The interpreter who translated the statements of a Tamil-speaking Sri Lankan maid sentenced to death for the alleged murder of a Saudi baby in her care is an ethnically non-Tamil Kannadiga speaker.

The revelations were made during a high court hearing held here yesterday.

Kateb Al-Shammary, the lawyer representing the maid, Rizana Nafeek, asked whether the interpreter, Karim Mawiya Cader Mohammed, was qualified to accurately translate Tamil into Arabic.

He told the court that he wanted to know whether Mohammed — who has been working for an electronics company in Dawadmi for 20 years and is originally from the Indian state of Karnataka — is proficient enough in Tamil to interpret Nafeek’s police and court statements.

The court told the attorney that it would summon two witnesses to the next hearing to vouch for the translator’s honesty, integrity and ability to translate from Tamil.

Mohammed told the court that he translated Nafeek’s statement in May 2005 when she was brought to Dawadmi, from Jezma, some 100 km from Dawadmi.

“I come to courts on request for translation purposes and I am paid SR100 per case,” Karim told Arab News. He added that he knows Tamil which is widely spoken in India’s Tamil Nadu state and Sri Lanka.

In his written submission, Al-Shammary also argued that Nafeek, who was 17 when she came to the Kingdom on a passport that stated she was 23, was never hired to be a nanny and that the death occurred due to her inexperience in dealing with newborn children.

A three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Sheikh Abdullah Al-Rosaimi, decided to hold the next hearing on Nov. 5.

Also attending the hearing was Nafeek, the father of the deceased Naif Jiziyan Khalaf Al-Otaibi, Sri Lankan Ambassador Abdul Ageed Mohamed Marleen and a team of officials from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh.

Yesterday marked the fifth time Nafeek appeared at Dawadmi High Court since the baby’s death in May 2005. The court first sentenced her to death in June 2007; the ruling was then appealed a month later. In December 2007, the Cassation Court sent the case back to Dawadmi. In March this year, the Dawadmi court sent the case to the Supreme Judicial Council, which ordered judges to hear the defense attorney’s objections.

Nafeek came to the Kingdom through an unidentified placement agency, which — in violation of Sri Lankan and international laws on trafficking minors — forged the age on her passport to make it appear she was 23.

Nafeek’s birth certificate states she was born on Feb. 4, 1988, meaning she was 17 when she came to the Kingdom.

The family maintains that Nafeek committed premeditated murder. On the day of the baby’s death, the Sri Lankan housemaid was taken to a police station in Dawadmi where she is alleged to have signed a murder confession.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has emphasised the need for enhanced cooperation among Member States of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to combat terrorism.

The Minister expressed his ideas addressing the tenth session of the BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in New Delhi on Friday (August 29). The Foreign Minister said, "Terrorism is an abominable phenomenon that affects all of us, big and small, directly or indirectly, today. Terrorist groups network with one another globally. Their operations, in our own experience include fund raising through the narcotic trade, human smuggling, procurement of arms and ammunition, and money laundering, all of which pose a grave threat to our societies in more ways than one.

Sri Lanka views the BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating Terrorism, Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking as an important landmark of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Sector, which would intensify our cooperative efforts in combating terrorism.

The Group on intelligence sharing relating to Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime has had two meetings in Colombo. These meetings have been useful in exploring ways and means to share information to combat terrorism and transnational crime. Enhancement of cooperation in all sectors relating to combating terrorism is crucial. I therefore emphasize the urgent and dire need to further enhances cooperation within BIMSTEC in this important area", Bogollagama said. BIMSTEC had its origin in BIST-EC, when Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand joined to form this new sub-regional grouping in June 1997 in Bangkok. In December 1997, Myanmar was admitted as a full member and subsequently Bhutan and Nepal were admitted to its ranks in 2003.

At the first Summit in July 2004, the leaders of the group agreed on the new nomenclature. Minister Bogollagama held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from India, Pranab Mukherjee, Thailand, Tej Bunnag, Myanmar, U Nyan Win and Nepal, Upendra Yadav, on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting. He is also scheduled to call on the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh prior to his return to Colombo.

The National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) Export Awards will be held on September 26 at the Hilton Colombo.

The Annual Export Awards conducted by the NCE, is the most glamorous and looked forward to event in the business calendar of Sri Lanka.

The NCE which is the only Chamber exclusively serving Sri Lankan exporters has been conducting this event since 1993 annually. It recognises and rewards export excellence of Sri Lankan exporters, who make an indispensable and vital contribution for the sustenance of the economy.

This year the Chamber received around 140 applications.

Award winners are selected from each of the three major areas of Export of Products, Export of Business and Professional Services and Suppliers and Service Providers to Exporters.

Enterprises which are selected for awards are sub divided into Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large categories to ensure a level playing field for enterprises by comparing the achievements of enterprises of similar size.

The export of products which has been the main area recognised from the inception of the scheme has undergone several refinements to recognise the contribution made to national exports by emerging new product sub sectors such as manufactured jewellery and processed food products.

The export of business and professional services area gives special recognition to the export of financial, educational, medical and legal services, consultancy services, ship repair services, development and export of software and IT related services, services provided by call centres and employment agencies, as it has potential to develop into a major export area as in the case of the apparel sector which has developed to comprise almost 50 percent of Sri Lankan exports over the last two decades.

Security forces have launched a fresh attack targeting LTTE bunker defences in general area Muhamalai killing one terrorist and injuring 7 others in early hours this morning, 31 August.

Troops have launched this attack around 2.45 a.m on selected terror points observing their activities. Terror transmission also confirmed their damages, intercepted LTTE communication revealed.

The former military commander of the LTTE and Leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan has called upon international human rights agencies and the UN to urge the LTTE to free innocent civilians as the LTTE is now rounding up civilians to make its human shield for its last stage of the battle in Kilinochchi.

The TMVP Leader also called upon human rights agencies and the UN for a strong commitment to prevent these civilians dying in the battlefronts in Kilinochchi.

Muralitharan, who was better known as Colonel Karuna Amman, accused the international human rights organisations of ignoring the plight of these civilians who are being forcibly used in the battlefronts. "I know the mindset of Velupillai Prabhakaran better than any one else. He is now under severe tension as the LTTE is getting badly defeated. He will use this human shield for his survival," he told the Sunday Observer.

According to Muralitharan, over 200,000 people are suffering in Kilinochchi and they are being forcefully kept by the LTTE as the Tigers have closed all possible routes to government controlled areas. He questioned the role played by the international human rights agencies and the UN to highlight the sufferings of these people.

He said, "so far none of these agencies has protested that the LTTE is using civilians as a human shield. They always clamour for human rights when the security forces are heading for Tiger strongholds. Why are they now so silent", the one-time most trustworthy LTTE Leader of Prabhakaran queried.

Muralitharan who broke away from the LTTE accused the LTTE of ill-treating the Eastern cadres and added that the LTTE still keeps over 300 Eastern cadres with the outfit and does not allow them to flee to government controlled areas. "These people are denied all basic human rights and conscription goes on unabated as the LTTE cadres die in the battlefields in numbers", he said.

He said that the LTTE has ordered all government and private sector employees to undergo weapons training and attributed this as a gross violation of human rights as most of these civilians were not properly trained in the use of offensives. "They are being sent forcibly while keeping their loved ones in LTTE custody. These civilians are not left with any option other than to die in the fierce battlefronts", he said.

"Why can't they have a strong lobby against the LTTE", he said.

Muralitharan said that according to information the LTTE leadership had called Pottu Amman to the Muhamalai front.

"He is not a good leader in the battlefront and he does not know anything about ground battles. He has mastered killing people by planting bombs. Soosai has also been called to lead ground battles but he is not a good leader in ground battles", he said.

Meanwhile, Muralitharan who appreciated the efforts by the government to welcome civilians fleeing Kilinochchi said according to information people grouped in numbers are planning to flee terror stricken LTTE controlled areas.

He said that civilians would flee to government controlled areas without heeding LTTE's orders.

The World Bank has allocated Rs. 385 million to rehabilitate the Giant's Tank in the Mannar District under the Re-awakening project launched by the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development, the Project Director, P. H. Sugathadasa said.

The tank which was the main reservoir in the Mannar district had been abandoned due to the conflict situation for the past two decades.

As a result of the channel system the tank has been filled with mud and its bund has been eroded due to lack of proper maintenance for a long period, he said.

The total capacity of the tank is 31,500 acre feet and it provides irrigation facilities for over 32,422 ha of paddy lands through 223 medium and small tanks in the area, he said.

With the completion of rehabilitation work on this project over 19,887 families will benefit and they would be able to cultivate their lands throughout the year, he said.

REPORTS RECEIVED from National Hospital COLOMBO revealed that a few more civilians with injuries sustained in the explosion on the OLCOTT Mawatha, COLOMBO this morning have sought admission for treatment by 2.30 p.m..

Forty one males and seven females including two children were treated at the National Hospital after they were brought in.

According to initial investigations, the explosive device had been placed at a wayside stall where wristwatches were kept for sale.

Police together with Security Forces are conducting further investigations.

By Chathuri Dissanayake and Damith Wickramasekara,


Media organisations have come out strongly in condemnation of an attack last week by a group of medical students on two photographers and a video cameraman. The journalists, who were conducting random interviews relating to the marking of Advanced-level exam papers, were attacked by students in the vicinity of the Bloemfontein Men’s Hostel of the University of Colombo’s medical faculty, in Colombo 7.

The media groups, who have demanded a full police enquiry, say the government has created an atmosphere that puts journalists in jeopardy. Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association secretary Podddala Jayantha said the government should take responsibility for having created a volatile environment that was dangerous for the media to work in. “A culture where people assault any journalist with a camera or a notebook has been created in our society,” he said. “This is a serious situation, and the government is responsible for it.”


Colombo university medical students give their statements to the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station.
Mr. Jayantha said the country had reached a point where the public believed that journalists could be manhandled and assaulted and their equipment damaged or stolen and that nothing would be done about it.

“The government has worked towards establishing a Mervyn Silva-media culture in the country,” Mr. Jayantha said. “This is why medical students assaulted journalists who were collecting material for a current news matter.”

According to Jatila Wellabada, secretary of the Editors Guild of Sri Lanka, incidents of this kind occurred because of apathy on the part of the authorities in cases relating to violence towards media people. He said that such indifference even suggested that the harassment of journalists would be condoned. “They make the best use of the journalists, and then attack them. This is a regrettable situation,” he said.

Mr. Wellabada called on politicians and responsible citizens to take action against harassment of the media, pointing out that freedom of expression reflected a free society. “Media freedom is strong evidence of democracy and a free society. No one here understands what a free media really is,” he said.

Sri Lanka Photojournalists Association president SriLal Gomes said the state had a responsibility to reassure the people that incidents of this kind would not recur. “First, politicians started assaulting journalists, and now civilians are following their bad example. This should not be allowed to happen. We are asking the government to conduct an independent inquiry and punish the wrongdoers. We are waiting for the state to take action,” he said.

Media organisations are threatening union action if the government failed to take action. “If the police do not take action, we will take action against the police,” Mr. Jayantha said. The assault on three journalists, representing the Lankadeepa daily newspaper and Sirasa TV, occurred on Thursday. Reporters Yamuna Gallearachchi and Janaka Gallappaththi were interviewing members of the public about the ongoing marking of A-Level exam papers.

According to Ms. Gallearachchi, the incident occurred just after the reporters had finished interviewing two students and a family in the vicinity of Carey College, and had stopped to talk to a medical student who was on his way to the medical faculty hostel. The medical student, Nadun Kiribathgoda of Kolonnawa, had agreed to be interviewed.

Photojournalist Ms. Gallappaththi said she had asked the student to turn in the direction of the medical faculty hostel for a photograph, saying she needed to angle her camera away from the glare of the sun. When the reporters were about to leave, they were approached by a young man, dressed in shorts and a shirt, who demanded to know with whose permission they had taken the photographs.

“We were on the road, and none of the photographs we took showed any building in the background. Janaka [Gallappaththi] presented his media ID and explained that the student had given his permission for the photograph. The picture we took did not include the hostel. Janaka further explained that only the student’s profile would appear in the published photo, without any background structures showing,” Ms. Gallearachchi said.

The man in shorts, later identified by the university as a security guard, then attempted to seize the camera from Mr. Galappaththi, at which point Mr. Galappaththi backed away. As he was moving away, he took a snapshot of the man in shorts for reference.

“Janaka then fell, and the man tried to grab the camera, and then others came and started to beat Janaka,” Ms. Gallearachchi said. “They then went back into the university premises, taking with them the camera equipment. We stopped outside the gate of the hostel and asked for the camera. In the meantime, we called the Sirisa office, and we also called 119. The police came on the scene some time later.”

According to Ms. Gallearachchi, a group of medical students emerged from the hostel and surrounded Mr. Galappaththi and started assaulting him. Meanwhile, other students started to threaten and hurl abuse at Ms. Gallage.

“All the while, we remained outside the university premises. When the police arrived, they put us inside their jeep,” Ms. Gallearachchi said.

Lankadeepa’s Shantha Rathnayake, the other photojournalist, said that when he arrived on the scene he saw both Mr. Galappatti and Ms. Gallearachchi standing on the road and being harassed by students.

“I saw the Sirasa cameraman recording the incident. I quickly took a few photographs, put my camera away inside my vehicle, and ran to help the Sirasa journalist who was being attacked by a crowd of about 50 students. I couldn’t do anything. They dragged him into the hostel premises and continued to attack him.”

Lankadeepa’s Mr. Rathnayake said the police arrived before the students could turn on him, but found his camera equipment missing when he returned to the van. Dushantha Manoj, another Sirasa TV employee, said that when he arrived on the scene, he saw Mr. Galappatti being attacked.

“I immediately started to record the incident. The students then came up to me and grabbed my camera. I showed them my ID and told them I had come to help my friend. They seized my ID and hit me. Some police officers were looking on as I was dragged into the hostel grounds and beaten up. Shortly after, police officers intervened and put me into their jeep.”

The medical students, on the other hand, have a different story to tell. According to Medical Faculty Students’ Union president Kasun Weerakkody, the Lankadeepa journalists had forced their way into the hostel premises, and refused to produce any kind of identification. “The photojournalist would not identify himself, and acted aggressively towards our sub-warden, who was only doing his duty. We got involved in order to defuse a tense situation,” he said.

He added that the Sirasa TV journalist had attempted to film the university premises without permission.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, the University of Colombo vice-chancellor, Shanika Hirimburegama, said she would decide on what action to take once she had received the police report on the incident.
She added the university required permission through the proper channels for photographs to be taken of the university. “We are in high security zone,” she explained.

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara told the newspaper that the police had already submitted a report on the incident to courts.

“All parties involved have been ordered to appear in court on October 10. Meanwhile, we are continuing our police investigations,” he said.

They are supposed to heal, not wound: Publishers

The Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka issued a statement condemning the assault on three journalists by students of the Medical Faculty last week.

‘It is with a sense of regret and even greater concern, that the Newspaper Society unreservedly condemns the meaningless assault on Lankadeepa Journalists Gallappaththi and Gallearachchi, and Sirasa correspondent Manoj Dushantha. This violence was perpetrated by a group of students of the Medical Faculty’ the statement said.

The Newspaper Society further said the public pays for the education of these students in the anticipation that they will be the healers of the future. Instead they have chosen to be those inflicting injury on this occasion, on media personnel who were merely going about their duties. ‘Students of the Medical Faculty comprise the elite of our youth who must aspire to the highest levels of professionalism in their discipline. The crude behaviours of some of them, have cast a sad reflection on the entire faculty,’ it said.

Infection has spread: Editors Guild

The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka has condemned the attack by Medical Faculty students on two photographers and a video cameraman and pointed out that failure to take action against high profile individuals have created an atmosphere for sections in low ranks to carry out attacks on journalists.
The statement said: The Editors Guild of Sri Lanka vehemently condemns the despicable attack on four journalists and seizing of their camera equipment, by a group claiming to be students from the Medical Faculty and security personnel of the faculty hostel.

The Guild does not approve of these continuing acts of violence and intimidation targeting journalists and requests immediate legal action against those responsible.

In recent times journalists have been subject to assault and abduction. Action not being taken against the perpetrators of these crimes has resulted in an increase of such incidents. It was high profile individuals who were behind a majority of violence against journalists in the recent past. However, since no action was taken against any of these individuals, the infection has spread to others.

This trend of intimidating the media by persons of all walks of life has a negative effect on the freedom of expression of a democratic society. The Guild will continue to support the action taken against this trend by various media personnel and organisations.

The body of a member of the LTTE team that attacked Padaviya Police post last morning, was found in Kahatagasdigiliya with gunshot injuries last night. Police fired at the LTTE cadres when they attacked the police post.

A team of 125 Sri Lankan police personnel today landed in Chennai en route to New Delhi for a month's training. The team, which had come from Baticola, would be leaving for Delhi later in the day.

In the wake of the Eastern, North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council elections, the government is now planning to hold elections to the Jaffna Municipal Council to gauge public opinion in the northern capital, a Minister said yesterday.

EPDP leader and Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda said the election would be conducted soon and the government was holding a series of discussions to work out the preliminaries. “We will be able to conduct it before the end of this year.

This is to test the waters in the peninsula,” Mr. Devananda who represents the Jaffna district as an MP said and added that this would be followed by elections to the Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas in the district.

He said in lighter vein that this election would be a battle between him and TULF leader V. Anandasangaree.

The elections to the Jaffna Municipal Council were last held in 1998 after the peninsula was liberated from the LTTE. The TULF won the elections at the time and took over the administration of the council.

TULF member Sarojani Yogeswaran was elected Mayor but she was gunned down allegedly by the LTTE soon after her election to office.

Her successor K. Sivapalan also died in a bomb blast in September 1998 that targeted a Jaffna meeting between the councilors and security officials. He was succeeded by parliamentarian N. Raviraj.

Meanwhile, EPRLF leader P. Sritharan said that he too had heard about government plans to hold elections.

“We will definitely contest if there is an election,” he said.

The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society made a donation of CHF 10000 (US dollars 9100) to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on 30th of August for utilization in its services in the emergency phase in multilateral programming aimed at the recent flood affected people in Bihar State in India.

SLRCS made this donation from the money generated through public donations and cooperate funding collected through the Emergency Disaster Response Fund of the Society.

President of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society Jagath Abeysinghe handed over the cheque to Paul Emes, Head of Delegation, IFRC Colombo to send it to Regional Office in India.

Mr. Emes while thanking the SLRCS for the contribution said that this was a sign of Federation had become global. He recalled that the SLRCS had made similar donations when people affected by disasters in China and Myanmar.

National Secretary of the Red Cross Society S.H.Nimal Kumar was also present at the handing over.

A local newspaper is exposing an attempt by a privatized insurance firm to swindle its insurance assets in the event of it being reacquired by the state. ‘Ravaya’ reports that Sri Lanka Insurance management has unsuccessfully tried to register two institutions - Sri Lanka Life Ltd. and Sri Lanka Insurance General Ltd.

The aim of this attempt was said to be to prevent the insurance deeds SLI is already having from being going into the hands of the state.

However, the registration applications had been rejected by Registrar of Companies, as the use of ‘Sri Lanka’ as part of a company name should receive consent by the Minister of Commerce.

Furthermore, no permission has been sought from the Sri Lanka Insurance Board, the state regulatory authority, for the two proposed companies, its directress Lasini Serasinghe has told the newspaper.

The Supreme Court has heard two fundamental rights petitions that challenge the privatization of SLI and only the verdict remains to be delivered.

The hearing of an appeal against the death penalty handed down to Sri Lankan housemaid in Saudi Arabia, Rizana Nafeek has been postponed.

The Dawami District Court, which was due to take up the appeal today (Aug. 30th), had put off the hearing for November, after the services of a translator had not been made available for the case.

Nafix, whose appeal was allowed by KSA's topmost judicial body, had earlier been sentenced to death by the Dawami Court which found her guilty of the charge of murdering the baby in her charge.

However, she has maintained that the infant had suffocated while being bottle-fed.

The leadership battle in the crisis ridden United National Party (UNP) is set to explode in the coming weeks, with a rigid Ranil Wickremesinghe unexpected to make any moves to please some of his party members who are demanding his immediate resignation.

However, an equally adamant group – led by several seniors of the likes of Lakshman Seneviratne, Johnston Fernando, Jayalath Jayawardena and Thalatha Atukorale – has threatened to launch a campaign to ensure his removal from the party.
During a meeting on Friday evening with Wickremesinghe, Parliamentarian Johnston Fernando had warned the UNP Leader that he and his group were like “suicide bombers,” ready to fight for the good of the party.

He had added that even in the event Wickremesinghe sacked him and the other vociferous members from the party, they would fight to ensure his removal from the UNP leadership.

At the meeting, the group – comprising Fernando, Seneviratne, Jayawardena, Atukorale and Indika Bandara – had instead proposed that Wickremesinghe should hold a position similar to that of India’s Congress Leader Sonia Gandhi, but that it should be a powerless position.

However, it is learnt that Wickremesinghe had not responded to any of the calls positively and had instead told the group that he would look after them well with ministerial positions once the party won an election.

The group had then retorted that as long as Wickremesinghe led the party, it would not win any election, and asserted that past records were proof of this.
“The party needs a change; we have been very faithful to Ranil Wickremesinghe, we have protected him in the past during other crises, but today he has to step down if the party is to survive and perform. We have made it clear that we will fight until he makes way for a new face as the party leader,” party front-liner Fernando told The Nation yesterday.

He was of the opinion that Wickremesinghe should move out and let party strongmen Rukman Senanayake, S.B. Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa take over its leadership.

“There are rumours that we are going to join the government. This is utterly false. We are not looking for a party change. We are only looking for a party leadership change. Some interested parties are attempting to shift the attention from the crisis by creating false rumours,” Fernando noted.

At the meeting, the group had also challenged Wickremesinghe on how he hoped to win elections if he decided to remain in his post. In response, the UNP Leader had pointed out that he had brought in many new faces such as popular actor Ranjan Ramanayake and Major General Janaka Perera, who amassed a large number of preferential votes at last Saturday’s election.

However, the group had pointed out that there was no point in them performing well if the hierarchy was not performing well.
They had also said that most new faces had a tendency of coming and going from the party, which would not help the UNP in any way.

“If a vote is called for, Wickremesinghe will stand no chance even within the party. So why should such a person be the leader?” the UNP MP queried.
“He has no option but to leave, we are going to bring in amendments to the Party Constitution after we get approval, then we can move him out from the party,” Fernando said.

“We will do everything possible to ensure he resigns,” Fernando added. The group, which apparently has the backing of some 27 UNP Parliamentarians, intends to hold close door discussions in the coming days to discuss the amendments that should be brought in.
Meanwhile UNP rebel turned Government Minister Rajitha Senaratne has disclosed that his group was willing to enter into a dialogue with a new UNP leadership to discuss a possible return. “We have always wanted Ranil Wickremesinghe out. If he does leave and if a new leader is appointed, then, yes, we are ready to discuss a possible return to the UNP,” Minister Senaratne said.

A transfer order given to a Government Agent (GA) on August 22 and then cancelled the very next working day has raised eyebrows in the public sector.

Mullaitivu GA Imelda Sukumar was in a state of shock when she was transferred to Vavuniya on August 22 (Friday) and was informed the next working day (Monday) that her transfer had been cancelled.

She was informed by the government that while accepting the transfer to Vavuniya she should also oversee Mullaitivu as the Vavuniya GA was being transferred to the Public Administration Ministry.

Accepting the government directive, Sukumar left Mullaitivu and came to Vavuniya to commence her duties on August 25.
The following day (Tuesday) she had been directed by the government to visit Mullaitivu to attend to some official matter. During her stay in Mullaitivu on Tuesday she had been informed that her transfer to Vavuniya had been cancelled.
The Nation learns that a top politician is responsible for this turn of events.

A fibre glass boat builder, also manufacturing trailer covers and furniture at the Fullerton Industrial Estate at Kalutara has recently signed a BOI agreement to develop an export project targeting Europe and the Middle East where potential markets have been identified.

Danusha Marine Lanka Exports (Pvt) Limited, has plans for a joint venture with a reputed foreign company and is also applying for ISO certification of its products.

The company’s Managing Director G.S. Fernando and Mrs. Nilmini Fernando, a director, said that Danusha Marine will make an initial investment of Rs.25 million on this project.

The Danusha Marine group which was incorporated in 1990 currently has a capacity of over 50 boats per month exported mainly to European and Asian markets.

The company builds speed boats, leisure boats, transport vessels, fishing boats, kayaks and paddle boats as well as dinghies.

The new BOI approved company expects to commence production next February investing in an experienced team of professionals and state-of-the-art equipment.

Mahavilachchiya farmers received loans from the Lankaputhra Development Bank on easy terms to purchase hand-tractors at an event held at the Mahavilachchiya Divisional Secretariat recently.


Apart from hand-tractors, loans were also disbursed for investments in diverse sectors such as agriculture and agricultural development, livestock farming and jewellery manufacture.


Lankaputhra Development Bank has been set up with the aim of encouraging and facilitating small and medium scale entrepreneurs who form the backbone of the economy. The Bank has come a long way in fulfilling this objective within a short period of time, providing concessionary credit to these entrepreneurs. According to the Chairman of the Bank, Mr. Sarath de Silva, the Bank should expand the opportunities available to entrepreneurs in rural areas in order to achieve its prime objective of encouraging small and medium scale entrepreneurs. On this premise, the Management at Lankaputhra Development Bank made arrangements to provide Loan Certificates and hand-tractors for projects in the Mahavilachchiya area. This initiative is the first stage of activities that seek to achieve village based development.

A new programme Nildiyawara was launched to dredge sand deposited in fisheries harbours at the Fisheries Harbour in Negombo on Thursday (28), the Fisheries Ministry said.

Minister Felix Perera also opened a fishing net mending centre at the fisheries harbour.

The cost of the entire project was 200 million rupees. About 5,000 fishermen and about 400 deep sea fishing trawler crews will benefit from the project, the release noted.

Labour Minister Dr. Mervyn Silva refuses to honour his pledge that he would resign his ministerial portfolio if Maj. Gen. (retd) Janaka Perera obtained more votes than a disabled soldier who contested the NCP polls on the UPFA ticket.

The Minister said he had no intention of resigning but would do so only if President Mahinda Rajapaksa requested him to step down.

"I am not prepared to dance to the tune of Janaka Perera but if my leader asked me to resign, I will step down immediately," he said.

Janaka Perera polled more votes and demands that Mervyn Silva honours his pledge.

A Sri Lankan student was assaulted and robbed in India on Wednesday, the Indian media reported yesterday. Two suspects were arrested over the incident which took place in Noida, police said.
Aslam Marika from Sri Lanka and Backkoo from Kenya, students of Marwah studio institute in Noida, were robbed on Wednesday night when three motorcycle borne-men snatched the bag of one of them containing a passport and other documents.

The arrested duo has been identified as Sanju and Saluddin, while the third one is still absconding, they said, adding that the bag along with the documents had been recovered.

UNP MP, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene, lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, stating his right to manifest his religion was denied after being turned away from the Madhu Shrine during the annual feast of the shrine.

Dr. Jayawardene through his lawyer requested the HRC to conduct an inquiry into the complaint, and declare that his fundamental right guaranteed by the articles 12(1), 12(2) and 14(1) (e) of the Constitution had been violated.

He also requested the commission to recommend to the authorities that he and other Catholic pilgrims be permitted to stay at the Madhu Shrine to take part in evening religious activities and prayers.

Dr. Jayawardene said he had been praying on August 14, 2008 in the Madhu Church when a soldier had informed him that a General, who was in the Mission House of the church at the time, wished to speak to him. He had therefore gone to the Mission House and Major General Lalith Daulagana informed him that he had to leave at once as The Secretary, Ministry of Defense had not given him permission to stay there. He had then left the Madhu Shrine and stayed at the Bishops House in Mannar for the night and then returned to Madhu the following morning.

The photojournalists association yesterday condemned Thursday’s attack on their colleagues allegedly by a group of Colombo medical faculty students and urged that their profession be respected.

They urged the government to take stern action against the brutal assault on the Lankadeepa and Sirasa journalists allegedly carried out in the presence of policemen.They said they expected the government to intervene and look into the matter as there was little confidence in the impartiality of the police.

The association’s President Srilal Gomes told a news briefing at the Sri Lanka Press Institute that the journalists were assaulted by the medical students in the presence of the policemen who did not even want to intervene.

He said the Registrar of the faculty had said that the journalists had reportedly entered a High Security Zone without permission and that the students had been instructed to be on their watch. He questioned when and where the area had been declared as a High Security Zone.

Mr. Gomes asked why the police had not taken action against those responsible if the cameras grabbed from the journalists had been recovered.

Meanwhile the association’s Secretary Suranimala Perera asked how medical students who are considered to be part of an intellectual community of the country would serve the people if they adhere to this kind of behaviour now.

He also reminded how some media institutions went out of their way to raise a huge fund of Rs. 30 million to cure a female medical student Samitha who sustained serious spinal injuries recently.

They asked why people treated media in such a shabby manner way when they always tried to help the society in various ways.

The main opposition UNP has established a special fund for the payment of compensation to party supporters who were affected by violence unleashed by pro- government elements during election time.

UNP media spokesman Gayantha Karunatilake told a news conference yesterday that this fund was established at the Working Committee meeting held on Thursday with leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in the chair.

Mr. Karunatilake said the party was able to collect some Rs.3.5 million at the meeting.

“We have decided to pay compensation to our party members whose properties were damaged during the election period. We will continue to maintain this fund for future elections as well,” he said.

Mr. Karunatilake said the Working Committee passed a resolution to compel the government to fully implement the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.

A security officer of former beauty queen and UNP member Rosy Senanayake was arrested last night for attacking Wijeya group employees opposite their advertising office at Union Place- police spokesman.

Sri Lanka has been ranked second among South Asian countries which faced the most violence so far this year. Pakistan tops the list while Bangladesh was the most peaceful country in the region.

National Hospital Director Dr. Hector Weerasinghe said that no one had suffered life threatening injuries in the bomb blast in Olcott Mawatha, Pettah. Among the 47 injured persons, he said, three were discharged after medication while the others are still being treated.

As the annual festival at the most sacred nallur 'Sri Kandaswamy' Hindu Kovil (temple) in Jaffna is reaching its climax with culminating Theru Pooja (offerings), Security Forces in the Jaffna peninsula, have completely lifted the curfew hours from the Nallur Divisional secretariat area during August 29 - 31.
The colourful festival at this historic sacred place, commenced this year on 6th August generally draws thousands of devotees from all corners of the island every year in view of its religious significance. On the instructions of Major General G.A. Chandrasiri, Commander Security Forces, Jaffna, troops in coordination with the Police and other civil organizations have mapped out elaborate arrangements in order to facilitate the movement of devotees for the festival with the least inconvenience.
Removal of total curfew hours from the area has enormously eased passage of the devotees even late at night during next three days, it was declared. However, curfew hours outside Nallur Divisional sector remain unchanged due to security concerns (9.00 p.m.- 4.30 a.m.)
More significantly, Security Forces have also cooperated with temple arrangements by way of supply of many extra state buses, attached to the Jaffna bus depot on a request made. Troops are also planning to distribute some 10,000 lotus flowers and meal packets among devotees, expected for the finale on Sunday ( August 31).
History of this most venerated Hindu temple goes back to the reign of the King Parakramabahu IV who was compelled to appoint Prince Sapumal (Sembaka Perumal), the new Count for Jaffna region, since his predecessor has deceitfully tried to evade paying taxes to the King. The newly appointed Prince Sapumal in turn has fought a great battle against the expelled Jaffna Count and drove him away from the area before establishing his new rule in Jaffna. The new Count finally succeeded. Later, the victorious Prince, a pious Hindu from birth, built a Kovil, dedicated to God Katharagama (God Muruga), closer to his palace and continued his offerings.
However, that Kovil was later destroyed by Portuguese, Dutch and British invaders. The present Murugan kovil was afterwards erected, about 1 km away from the old premises by Mudliyar Mapa and his clan who are said to be inheriting the family legacy until to this date. Nallur Sri Kandaswamy Kovil is well known for its conduct of Poojas, according to precise Hindu traditions and rituals sticking to highest standards of punctuality and discipline.

The Japanese Government has extended further support for humanitarian de-mining activities in Sri Lanka and has provided a grant assistance of US$ 1.6 million (approximately Rs. 170 million) to FSD (Swiss Foundation for Mine Action) and DDG (Danish De-mining Group) to accelerate de-mining activities in the conflict-affected areas, particularly Jaffna, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, so that the resettlement of the IDPs will be further facilitated.
Japan has contributed more than US$ 15 million (approximately Rs. 1,635 million) for mine clearance activities through INGOs as well as for the creation of the "De-mining Unit of the Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation" (DUTRM) in Sri Lanka since 2003 through its "Grant Assistance for Grass roots Human Security Projects" (GGP).
The humanitarian mine clearance directly contributes to the resettlement of the internally displaced persons and human security in the conflict-affected areas.
The FSD project carried out in 2007/2008 directly supported 730 families to resettle and restart their normal life in conflict-affected areas.
The humanitarian mine clearance directly contributes to the resettlement of the internally displaced persons and human security in the conflict-affected areas. The FSD project carried out in 2007/2008 directly supported 730 families to resettle and restart their normal life in conflict-affected areas.
The DDG project carried out in 2007/2008 also directly contributed to the resettlement of 938 families and expects to resettle an additional 500 families in Trincomalee and Jaffna.
Along with the cooperation for Humanitarian De-mining Activities, the Government of Japan extended the GGP assistance for livelihood and food security projects to the conflict-affected communities through the local NGOs such as "Sarvodaya" and "Sewalanka Foundation" as well. These projects are being implemented very effectively, creating synergy effects between the de-mining initiatives and the resettlement of IDPs.

An LTTE attack on a joint army and police guardpost was repulsed killing one of the LTTE cadres in Konketiyawa, Kumbukwewa of the Padaviya police area today morning.

A civilian girl caught in the attack also has been injured.

The weapon of the LTTE cadre was found in the area and a search operation is on.

Ten Army deserters who had been arrested by the Military police escaped from detention from the Pelawatta camp on Friday night, Police spoeksman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara said

The deserters had cut the barbedwire fence and escaped from detention, he said.

Colombo-Badulla and Badulla-Colombo night mail trains will be cancelled tonight due to a passenger train derailment at Ohiya at 4.00pm this evening, Railway Controller Nihal Fernandez said.

He said that due to heavy rains railway authorities were not able to attend on the repairs immediately. However, operations would be normal by Sunday evening.

The body of a Sri Lankan housemaid who was killed 10 months ago was bought to the country today.

Ihalagedara Indrani who was a resident of Dodangaslanda, Pansalwatte had gone to Saudi Arabia as a housemaid in March 2005 and her family had not heard any news from her after 6 months.

The Airport police said that the job agency which provided her the job had called her home and informed that she was killed in September 2007 and that the Saudi police is investigating the murder.

The police said that later had removed the buried body and sent to Sri Lanka and Burnt marks are visible in the dead body.

Chief Inspector of the Airport police, Eric Perera told that a post mortem would be held soon according to a complaint which had been lodged by the brother of the deceased. The body lies at the Negombo base hospital.

The Colombo District Judge Sisira Rathnayake, Court yesterday (August 29th) issued summons on the leader of the UNP, Ranil Wickremesinghe to appear before Court on an allegation of contempt of court.
Accordingly, the UNP leader is to appear before Court on September 18th.
The Court issued summons after taking up a petition filed by former UNP MP Anura Bastian and Western Provincial Councillor Sunil Kumara Wijesinghe, which cites the UNP leader and the Convener of the SLFP’ Mahajana’ Wing, Mangala Samaraweera as respondents.
The plaintiffs charged Mr. Wickremesinghe had filed a false affidavit in court in the case filed by them challenging that the alleged agreement entered into between him as party leader and Mangala Samaraweera as being in violation of the UNP’s constitution.
Noting that the MoU that was signed without the approval of the party working committee and the majority of party members was illegal, the two plaintiffs requested the court to issue an order to make the agreement null and void.
The Colombo District Court also issued an interim order that directed to suspend implementing the MoU until the end of the case.

A soldier of the Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps, who resisted sexual harassment in the Maduru Oya Army camp has been shot, the ‘Ravaya’ reports.
Afterwards, a statement has been obtained from the victim, identified as Y.K. Sandya Kumari that she shot herself in an attempt to commit suicide, it adds.
The victim has been hospitalized after being shot in the back on March 29th. The bullet has surfaced from her lower abdomen.
The victim’s mother, Mrs. D.M. Siriyawathi has told the ‘Ravaya’ that despite her daughter being hospitalized in a critical condition; she was not briefed on the details until she herself contacted the chief of the Maduru Oya Army camp.
According to Mrs. Siriyawathi, the chief of the Maduru Oya camp, Major Kumarasighe has told that her daughter was hospitalized after shooting herself, the ‘Ravaya’ says.
Also, a lady soldier posted at her daughter’s bedside has told that the victim has shot herself and there was a video tape to prove it, it adds, citing Mrs. Siriyawathi.
This lady soldier has also placed a pen in her hospitalised daughter’s hand and forced her to sign a document, which was given to a SLA officer who arrived for investigations, the ‘Ravaya’ further reports.
Though the condition of the victim has improved after receiving treatment for over three months, she will never recover completely, the weekly tabloid says.
It adds that Mrs. Siriyawithi has lodged a complaint on the true issue with the police headquarters after a complaint has lodged with the Aralaganwila police proved to be in vain.
Though the DIG of the North Central Province has initiated an investigation on the matter, Mrs. Siriyawithi says that she cannot expect justice from the SLA as her daughter’s life is at jeopardy, it further says.
Citing military spokesman, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the ‘Ravaya’ says that the victim has arrived at the Minneriya camp with her mother and as a second statement, said that she was shot.

However, she has deserted her ranks at the present. Investigations cannot be continued until she re-joins her regiment, the ‘Ravaya’ says, further citing the military spokesman.

The Sri Lanka Chapter of Transparency International (TISL) has been severely censured for its collaboration with persons of questionable conduct in the corporate sector, in a letter written to the Director, Global Private Sector Programmes of the TI, by a concerned Sri Lankan citizen.
In a world of very intricate and dubious collaborations, Mr. Amrit Muttukumaru is questioning the credibility of the seminar “Building integrity and transparency in business relationships” organised by TISL with 03 of the 05 listed panellists who were/are Directors of JKH, a corporate entity that has been proved wholly corrupt in its LMSL dealings, with its present Chairman Susantha Ratnayake named for such corruption.
TISL is also questioned for its extravagance in having this seminar at Cinnamon Grand hotel on 03rd September, a five star hotel with JKH shares. Registration for the seminar per person is Rs. 7,500 thus excluding the public in its discussions and Mr. Muttukumaru notes in his letter to Mr. Jermyn Brooks, “If the seminar is serious about 'Building Integrity and Transparency', should it not have specifically included this judgment (LMSL privatisation) in its 'programme' and given it due importance ?”
The said letter also says “It is noted that the programme includes 'suggested next steps for an action plan'! This is indeed very strange because it was only last year that a staggering Rs. 250 Million USAID funded 'Sri Lanka Anti-Corruption Plan' was inaugurated. It was dominated by a handful of NGOs which included Transparency International Sri Lanka, in the absence of any meaningful financial accountability.”

On the special invitation of the Indian government, a group of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians is to tour New Delhi in early September, embassy sources say.
During the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s visit to Sri Lanka for the SAARC summit, a group of TNA leaders has requested an opportunity to discuss the current political situation of the North- East region of Sri Lanka.
The invitation is extended as a response to their request, reports say.
Accordingly, a delegation of TNA parliamentarians including the party leader, R. Sampanthan is to leave for India during the first week of September.
They are to hold discussions with several leading figures of the Indian government including Prime Minister - Dr. Manmohan Singh, Minister of External Affairs - Pranab Mukherjee and National Security Advisor - M.K. Narayanan.

A bomb explosion in the heart of Sri Lanka's capital blamed on separatist Tamil Tiger rebels wounded at least 45 people Saturday, the military said.
Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara accused the rebels of targeting civilians with the blast.
"They are desperate because of defeats in the northern front lines and are targeting civilians," Nanayakkara said.
Hospital spokesman Dr. Anil Jasinghe said 45 people were receiving treatment for injuries received in the blast.
"Most of them have suffered minor injuries," he said, adding that no deaths were reported.

President of the Chamber of Sri Lanka Pharmaceutical Industries Adrian Basnayake said yesterday it was not only unethical but also illegal for doctors to accept offers such as holiday packages from drug companies.

Mr. Basnayake said any such offers should be reported to his association for action against errant companies.

He said so in response to an allegation made by Dr. Ananda Wijewickrema at yesterday’s national colloquium on health issues, at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, that he was aware of bashes organised by drug companies for doctors.

Dr. Wijewickrema said such practices militated against professional ethics of doctors and amounted to measures to influence doctors. There were some pharmaceutical companies bribing doctors by giving them weekend holiday packages to market their products, he said.

Several doctors rising in support of Dr. Wijewickerema said it was common knowledge that drug companies resorted to such methods to market their brands.

Consultant Paediatrician Prof. Priyani Zoysa said unfair marketing practices had infiltrated the medical profession and doctors were sponsored by pharmaceutical companies on foreign trips and given other perks to promote their brands of drugs.

There was corruption. It was not fiction, but the truth. "I have brought this to the notice of the profession but somehow it goes on," she said.

Director, Medical Supplies Division of the Ministry of Health Dr. Hemantha Beneragama said if such practices existed, both the giver and the taker were at fault.

Prof. Krishantha Weerasuriya, (WHO) South East Asian Regional Office, said pharmaceuticals represented a very imperfect market, where the one who decided (the doctor) did not pay and the one who paid (the patient) did not decide.

In such a situation, having an unlimited number of products for the same disease with a price variation up to 1,000 percent could cater to a very small minority who could afford it while those who could not afford expensive brands might have to sacrifice other essentials like food, education or shelter to buy medicine.

The Sri Lanka government in the 1960s had focused on providing affordable generic medicines in keeping with the late Prof. Senaka Bibile’s policies on pharmaceuticals for both the public and the private sectors. This had benefited the people to buy medicine at affordable prices, Prof. Weerasuriya noted.

He said: "Some pharmaceutical companies produce both expensive branded products and the same medicine as an affordable generic product––both of the same quality. Is this defensible in health, legal and commercial terms? It certainly is not defensible in health terms, but that is to judge pharmaceutical companies by an irrelevant yardstick. Companies are commercial organisations whose object is profit maximisation."

Health was a basic right and it was the responsibility of the State to continue to provide quality medicine to achieve the goal of health for all, he said.

WHO Country Representative Dr. Augustiono Borra said he was happy that the WHO with the help of PANOS Sri Lanka with The Island had been able to organise a national colloquium to draw public attention to some contemporary health issues of national importance. Involvement of the media as partners in health was very important as the public expected credible proven scientific information on medicine, Mr. Borra said.

Panos Programme Manager Public Health and The Island Health Editor Dr. Prasanna Cooray said the colloquium had been a huge success in that it had managed to bring professionals from various backgrounds together and generate a national debate, which he said had to be continued in the public interest. He said the colloquium would be taken out of Colombo and opened for those who spoke only Sinhala and Tamil as well. He thanked the WHO and its Resident Representative Dr. Borra for having readily sponsored the colloquium.

Country Representative of Panos South Asia Suvendrini Kakuchi made the welcome speech. Prof. Siri Hettige moderated the colloquium.

The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka signed agreements for new projects. Mr. Dhammika Perera, Chairman / Director General signed the agreements on behalf of the BOI and formally presented the investors with the BOI Certificate of Registrations.

The agreement signed with Direct Technologies Limited is for a project to develop and export software and provide IT related services for overseas clients. The investment is made by Saudi Arabian company, National Technology Group.

The company provides Online Stock Trading Solution, "Mubasher". The project will integrate the global solution with reputable banks and brokers to trade with the solution.

Director / General Manager of the company, Arjuna Nanayakkara said "This is our second BOI project and we have been operating is Sri Lanka for over 7 years. We looked at investment opportunities in other Asian countries but decided on Sri Lanka because we have a good base in Sri Lanka for expansion". He also commended the fast service offered by the BOI.

The venture is an initial investment of US $ 300,000 and will generate around 100 employment opportunities. Mr. Arjuna Nanayakkara (Director / General Manager) signed the agreement on behalf of the company.

The agreement signed with Korea Lanka Plastics is for a project to manufacture woven plastic bags for industrial use. The investment for this project is sponsored by Hyosungo & Tec Company, South Korea.

The venture is an investment of Rs. 54 million and will create employment opportunities for a work force of 100.


The manufacturing plant will be located at Horana and will commence commercial operations in September. Mr. Jung Ki Soo (President) signed the agreement on behalf of the company.

BOI also signed an agreement with Bam Apparel to manufacture garments for export by taking over assets and employees of an existing garment manufacturer in Kitulgala. This project is an investment of Rs. 63 million and is expected to generate employment opportunities for 400. Mr. Harshana Mahipala (Director) signed the agreement on behalf of the company.

An earlier travel advisory imposed by the government of Belgium advising visitors to refrain from non-essential travel to Sri Lanka has been revised since Friday, August 29, 2008, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) said.

The new advisory allows tour operators from Belgium to market Sri Lanka aggressively for the upcoming winter season, a release from the Bureau said.

Sri Lanka's government is to build a 250 metre tall common broadcast tower for television, radio and telecom firms, information minister Anura Yapa said.
"The building of towers in a haphazard manner cannot be allowed," Minister Yapa said. "The tower will be a national icon, like those in China, Kuala Lumpur and Tehran."
Sri Lanka's telecom regulator, Priyantha Kariyapperuma said that the tower will be located in the greater Colombo area and will be open to the public with a restaurant and observation deck.
While the government will fund and construct the tower, it has not ruled out a sale later if companies are interested.
The BT Tower in London, UK also originally opened with a revolving restaurant at the top - but this was closed following a terrorist attack.
Despite being opened to the public initially, and dominating the skyline, until the mid-1990s, the BT Tower was officially a state secret, and did not appear on official maps. Its existence was finally "confirmed" by Kate Hoey, MP, on 19 February 1993: "Hon. Members have given examples of seemingly trivial information that remains officially secret. An example that has not been mentioned, but which is so trivial that it is worth mentioning, is the absence of the British Telecom tower from Ordnance Survey maps. I hope that I am covered by parliamentary privilege when I reveal that the British Telecom tower does exist and that its address is 60 Cleveland Street, London."

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI, Associated Press Sri Lanka urged civilians living in Tamil Tiger rebel-held areas to flee to government-controlled territory as fighting escalated in the embattled north, officials said Friday.

Tens of thousands of Sri Lankans have been driven from their homes in the north in recent months as government forces seize large chunks of territory that had been controlled by the separatist guerrillas, international aid groups say.
Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said government helicopters dropped leaflets Thursday in rebel-held areas urging villagers to come to government-controlled territory and assuring their safety.
Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said authorities were urging civilians to leave areas of fighting because "the government's main concern is to protect them."
U.N. spokesman Gordon Weiss said about 150,000 people have been displaced from their homes in rebel areas, including about 50,000 within the last three months.
Aid agencies say health authorities are struggling to meet the basic needs of the displaced, but the government insists it is providing adequate food and shelter. In an uncommon arrangement, the government maintains agents and offices inside rebel-held territory to provide services to the population.
The civil war flared 2 1/2 years ago, and the government drove the rebels out of the east last year. The two sides were locked for months in a virtual stalemate along the borders of the Tamil Tigers' de facto state in the north, but troops broke through the rebels' defenses in recent weeks and have seized a series of key towns and bases.
Government officials say they hope to crush the group by the end of the year.
In the latest fighting, air force planes bombed a northern rebel base Friday, and ground battles across the northern region killed 34 rebels and one government soldier, the military said.
Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not immediately be reached for comment.
Both sides routinely exaggerate enemy casualties and underreport their own. Independent verification of the fighting is not possible because most journalists are barred from the war zone.
The rebels have fought for an independent state in the north and east since 1983, following decades of marginalization of ethnic Tamils by governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority.
More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

Sri Lanka Transport ministry is planning to restart the train service between Medawachchiya and Thalaimannar that was discontinued nearly 25 years ago due to the ongoing war in Northern Province.
Ministry officials said that the preparations are now under way to restart the train service between the two cities. Transport ministry hopes to finalize the arrangements before the end of this year.
“Then we can restart the train service between Medawachchiya and Thalaimannar at the beginning of the next year,” a Ministry official said.
Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma had taken this decision with regards to the government development programs in the liberated areas in Northern Province of Sri Lanka.
According to the Sri Lankan Railway Department the train service on the northern track, which headed to Jaffna and Thalaimannar is now limited to the Medawachchiya.

Handicraft products produced in Kegalle District of Sri Lanka is quite renowned among craft lovers across the world. In order to make this sector more proficient, the National Crafts Council (NCC) has decided to take the exquisite craftsmanship of the region to newer heights.

According to Mr Buddhi Keerthisena, the Chairman of NCC, construction work for two common facility centres has already been started, to provide training to craftsmen of the region. Even, a crafts showroom has been opened at Kitugala by the members of the ‘Kelani Kala Crafts Society’ – Yatiyantota with assistance of NCC.

New training programmes will be introduced by NCC for the artisans of Kakurugammana and Thellka villages, to sharpen their skills. These trainings would include application of latest technology to handicraft industry, new designs to handicraft making.

NCC has arranged marketing opportunities for ten crafts people in Kegalle District at the trade fairs conducted at National Art Gallery Colombo and Kuliyapitiya Town Hall.

The President has extended the one-year maximum period of detention without a court order by another six months, 'Ravaya' reports.
Through gazette extraordinary 1561/11 of August 05th 2008, the president has appointed the Defence Secretary as the executing authority.
According to the newspaper, the gazette extraordinary says the Defence Secretary order the holding of a detainee for further six months after the lapse of a year, if his release endangers national security.
The detainee will have to be produced before a magistrate every 60 days, and cannot be freed without prior written permission by the Attorney General, it adds.

Police have been severely reprimanded for failing to produce Labour Minister Mervyn Silva before court in connection with a poll-violence incident in Polonnaruwa.
Taking up a case pertaining to an attack on a shop during the recent provincial polls, Magistrate Ruwan Pathirana also asked the OIC of Dehiattakandiya Police as to how Attorney General's advice could be sought without court permission.
The magistrate ordered the DIG of the North Central Province and the SP of Polonnaruwa to inquire into this and submit a report on September 29th.
Mr. Pathirana also inquired from the police as to how the law could be enforced differently for different persons.
Meanwhile, Minister Mervyn Silva was at the Colombo Magistrate's Court today (Aug. 29th) to face charges of assault of a SirasaTV cameraman, but the police had not turned up for the proceedings.
The minister was accompanied by Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Prasanna Ranaweera and 'Munchee' Nihal.
Peliyagoda Police had given no reason for their absence, and additional magistrate Manjula Tilakaratne postponed the hearing until September 14th.

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets conducted two air raids targeting a Sea Tiger training facility and a mortar location in the Wanni this morning and afternoon (Aug 29).
Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara speaking to defence.lk said that the first air raid was launched around 11.30 AM targeting a Sea Tiger training facility located 4.5km Northwest of Poonaryn junction in Kilinochchi. .
Later, the fighter jets targeted an LTTE mortar location situated 3km North of Nachchikudha , around 1 PM. The air raid was conducted in support of Task Force 1 troops operating on the South of Kilinochchi warfront, said the Air Force spokesperson.
The SLAF sources said that both targets were accurately acquired.

Security forces continued multi-pronged counter terrorist operations at the Wanni and Northern battlefronts Thursday (Aug 28), as military reports confirmed 20 LTTE terrorists killed and 10 wounded in the fighting.
6 other terrorists were also believed either killed or seriously wounded during the day's operations. A soldier has laid his life and 26 sustained injuries military reports further stated.
Heavy fighting was reported in the Vavuniya- Mullaittivu battlefront in general areas at Palamoddai and Navathkulama: 14 LTTE terrorists were killed, 7 injured and 4 others reported as either killed or wounded in the clashes.
According to reports, troops of the Task Force 2, have increased offensives at LTTE strongpoints in the area since yesterday and reportedly have overrun an LTTE garrison located at the Palamoddai area. 4 soldiers had received injuries during the confrontations, sources said, in addition to another soldier who was reported wounded due to an AP mine explosion.
Meanwhile, troops have also recovered 2 LTTE bodies following a separate confrontation with LTTE at Palamoddai, around 4p.m.
Confrontations were also reported between troops of the 58 Division and LTTE at VANNERIKKULAM, North East of Nachchikudha yesterday. According to military, a soldier has laid his life while 18 others were reported injured during the day's confrontations.
At the Eastern Mullaittivu battlefront, at Andankulama skirmishes escalated between troops of the 59 Division and LTTE, killing 5 terrorists and injuring 3 others according to reports. 2 soldiers were also wounded during the confrontations, military further said.
On the Jaffna theater of battle, a soldier was reported wounded due to an AP mine explosion in general area Nagarkovil, at around 8.40a.m.

Mr. Chris Du Toit, Chief Security Advisor, United Nations Department of Safety and Security Sri Lanka and Mr. Steve Ray, Field Office Coordinator and Deputy Head of Office UN-Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs, on Wednesday (27) met Major General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander Security Forces, Wanni (SF-W) in order to receive an update on the present security and civil situation in the Wanni area.
Major General Jagath Jayasuriya briefed the visiting UN representatives on ongoing humanitarian operations in the Wanni and many relief measures in operation for relocation of civilians, arriving in cleared areas under the troops. Special attention was particularly focused on developments taking place in the Kilinochchi sector villages as LTTE violence was on the rise.
Major General Jagath Jayasuriya told the visiting delegates how the SOS plans now put into practice with coordination of ICRC, UNHCR and other government and non-governmental organizations. Security provided to those displaced people also figured during the discussion. Meanwhile, representatives of the ICRC, UNHCR and Mrs. Ketheeswaran, on behalf of the Vavuniya District Secretariat, during a separate meeting with Wanni Commander, Major General Jagath Jayasuriya Wednesday (27) afternoon, discussed elaborate arrangements now in place to receive hundreds of civilians, reaching cleared areas under the troops due to LTTE atrocities. It was decided that those people from un-cleared areas should be received warmly and provided them with initial basic needs on arrival in cleared areas and be directed afterwards to temporary shelters. As the second phase, those displaced people are to be housed in major centers for Internally Displaced Persons, the meeting was told.

Kanthan, a leader of LTTE in Batticaloa, who was arrested by Special Task Force (STF) yesterday (28) with a cache of arms committed suicide by drowning himself in Batticaloa lagoon while travelling in a boat with STF to show another hideout of LTTE weapons.

Police Media Spokesman Ranjith Gunasekara said that Kanthan was arrested with a large cache of arms, ammunition and other military gear. They included; a claymore, two T-56 rifles, 475 numbers of T-59 ammunition, three magazines, 29 numbers of 9mm rounds, two hand grenades, a camouflage LTE uniform, shirts, Army uniforms and a large stock of medicine.


Another cache of arms was recovered last evening following information obtained from Kanthan. He promised to show another stock of arms and when STF was taking him to the hideout he jumped into the lagoon and drowned himself, police said.

Sri Lanka Freedom Party People's Wing (SLFP-PW) leader Mangala Samaraweera says that an alternative media center on war will be set up since the Media Center for national Security (MCNS) and state media do not reveal the truth of war.

He said that the alternative media center will hold media conferences every fortnight to reveal the truth to media.

Mr. Samaraweera says that the state that launched a media operation until August 23 upholding the view the security forces were close to capture Kilinochchi, went into a suspicious deep silence after that. He says that establishing a media center that will relate the truth regarding war to public cannot be delayed in this context.

He further stated that the contrast between the statements made by state authorities and the other news sources regarding the LTTE air raid in Trincomalee increases the necessity of such media center.

United National Party (UNP) Media Spokesman Lakshman Kiriella points to the contrast between the results of opinion polls and the real election results and says that the UNP is conducting a study to find if this election made a long time tradition collapse or if it was done artificially.

MP Kiriella says that five opinion polls held by National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), NGOs, civil organizations, the government and the opposition calculated that the percentage of the winners would be between 0.5% and 1%. He questions how all five opinion polls were faulted and the opinion polls did not reflect the people's opinion.

Addressing a press briefing held in the official residence of the Opposition Leader yesterday (28) Mr. Kiriella said, "In each election, the polling agents were allowed to seal the ballot boxes. It is questionable why it was not allowed in this election. Political party agents were not allowed to follow the motorcade that transported the ballot boxes to the counting centers. Some ballot boxes were handed over to people clad in clothes similar to Army uniforms. As a whole, there were many unacceptable phenomena in this election."


The way the government funded LTTE before the Presidential was revealed one and half years later. In the same wasy things behind the Provincial Council election would also be revealed in the future and UNP is currently studying them, he said.

ONE of the two Tiger terrorists who had tried to harm troops at ARIYALAI, JAFFNA Thursday (28) was gunned down and his dead body with two hand grenades and a cyanide capsule was found by the troops, a few meters ahead of them.

Those two terrorists, pretending to be ordinary civilians had come closer to the troops in the area and unsuccessfully tried to throw a hand grenade at them, but alert troops overpowered their criminal attempt after firing at them. Troops immediately searched the area and found the dead body of one terrorist along with two hand grenades and his cyanide capsule. The dead terrorist was handed over to the JAFFNA hospital through the Police. The other terrorist mingled with civilians and slipped the scene.

Meanwhile, one soldier was injured due to explosion of an anti personnel mine on Thursday (28) at about 8.40 a.m. in NAGARKOVIL, JAFFNA.

Former fruit and vegetable exporter to Maldives C.P.Jayatunga, 49 whose body was found at Cooray Mawatha, Welikada Rajagiriya had been strangulated to death before leaving behind his body in his own car, Police investigations have revealed.

An unidentified body has been found close to the Ethulkotte junction away from the Parliament road, Rajagiriya police said.

The National Trust Sri Lanka, which operates as a national body, for protecting and safeguarding the tangible and intangible heritage of Sri Lanka, including: sites, monuments, sculptures, paintings, artefacts, music, dance, and the fauna and flora, has linked with Sri Lanka Tourism, in a joint bid at conservation.

Investor attention waned in Friday morning trade at the Colombo bourse for property shares after yesterday's heavy punting in this sector with the market being sluggish most of the day, stock brokers said.

The curfew in the Nallur AGA division in Jaffna has been relaxed from the 28th to the 31st of August in view of the Nallur Hindu festival.

At least six prisoners including four EPDP cadres were injured when a grenade went off inside the Batticaloa prisons today morning, police said.

Ports Authority Chairman Saliya Wickramasuriya tendered his resignation with effect from September 1 citing personal reasons, Ports Authority Spokesman said.

A prominent businessman was found shot dead in a vehicle at Welikada, Rajagiriya this afternoon, Police Spokesman confirmed.

An Army Major in civil attire who was not given permission to enter a high security zone had physically assaulted a police constable in Sugaskanda today. The Police officer had been admitted to the Kiribathgoda hospital.

IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne has appointed a special police team to hold an inquiry into the incident of burning down the house of Dr. Raja Johnpulle, UNP district manager of Anuradhapura, assaulting him and causing damages estimated at Rs. 500, 000.

The special police team headed by SP Kuliyapitiya Ranjith Padmasiri on Wednesday commenced investigations at the residence of Dr. Johnpulle at Harischandra Mawatha, Anuradhapura.

The team recorded statements from Dr. Johnpulle, his wife and the nurses present at the medical centre at the time the house was set ablaze.

The IGP appointed this team after the Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge of Anuradhapura Ruchira Weliwatte on Monday (25) directed the IGP Jayantha Wickremartne to discontinue investigations into the incident by the Anuradhapura police and promptly appoint a special police team for the purpose.

The rights petitions of MTV channel and its journalist against Minister Mervyn Silva and the IGP claiming Rs 110 millions as compensation was yesterday (28) re-fixed for support on September 4.

The matter was listed to be taken up yesterday before a Bench comprising Justices Ms Shirani A. Bandaranayake, Saleem Marsoof and P.A.Ratnayake. However Justice Marsoof was not in attendance and Justice Ratnayake also was disinclined to hear the matter.

The Registrar was directed to list this matter before a Bench of which Justice Ratnayake is not a member.

The MTV channel and its media personnel J.K.A.Waruna Sampath cited Minister Mervyn Silva, Peliyagoda SSP K.D.Somapala, IGP, Peliyagoda HQI Jagath Rohana and the Attorney General as respondents. Sanjeeva Jayawardena with Manoj Bandara and Rajiv Amarasuriya instructed by Sudath Perera Associates appeared for the petitioners.

Petitioner Waruna Sampath stated that his employer on July 31 received a communication from the Media Unit of the Ministry of Highways and Road Development inviting them for the ceremonial opening of the second stage of the Jeyaraj Fernandopulle memorial fly-over bridge and on August 1 a further communication from the Media Unit requesting them to provide media coverage for the said event. On August 4 too they received another invitation from the Department of Information requesting them to provide a media team to cover the event.

He stated that the said opening was to be held at the very same location in Kelaniya where Minister Mervyn Silva had previously abused and threatened MTV and told its personnel not to attend any government function within the Kelaniya electorate.

Petitioner Sampath stated he had expressed concern for his safety to News Director Susil Kindelpitiya who in turn telephoned the Highways Minister’s Media Secretary Shirantha Premawardane and inquired as to whether adequate security would be provided to the MTV media personnel at the event. He stated the Media Secretary had informed Kindelpitiya that there was no need for concern and that he too would be present at the ceremony.

In view of this re-assurance as well as the fact the function was one which had state patronage and the occasion was to be graced by the Prime Minister, he and MTV were confident that there would be harm coming to either him or his crew and consequently agreed to cover the event.

The Petitioner was detailed to cover the event together with a camera assistant, Deeptha Ranasinghe and MTV provincial correspondent, Saliya Ratnayaka.

He said while he was recording the events/activities prior to the ceremonial opening, Minister Mervyn Silva together with his security contingent and associates, arrived at the location and told MTV media personnel to leave the place immediately.

Minister Mervyn Silva then approached the petitioner and first asked for the video camera and tried to forcibly grab his video camera, which is the property of MTV, from him. When the petitioner refused to release the video camera several associates of the Minister surrounded him and grabbed him by his shirt collar. He claimed he had spotted SSP Somapala close to where the incident took place but he had walked away without rendering any assistance or protection to him or his crew.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa says giving timeframes for the completion of northern military offensives would be a pointless exercise.

The commanders of the three armed forces are having a clear-cut war strategy, and the operations to liberate the north are progressing successfully, he told the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo .

The Wanni offensive is being carried out as a precursor to a political solution to the national conflict, Mr. Rajapaksa added.

Speaking further, he condemned the Air Tiger raid on the Trincomalee naval base three nights ago, but stressed it was no indication the military has weakened.

The Defence Secretary also elaborated on the plight of the war displaced in the north.

Foreign diplomats have been briefed about the homeless, he said, adding that it was an achievement of the military that there have been zero civilian casualties.

Mr. Rajapaksa said the Sri Lankan armed forces were one of the best disciplined in the entire world.

Only the armed forces could bear arms and anyone else armed will be considered terrorists, he added.

Being well-prepared and capable of fast and effective triage (the sorting and treatment of patients based on the degree of their injuries) are the key to caring for war-wounded.

That is the core guidance given by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in war surgery seminars it has been conducting in Sri Lanka, Morven Murchison, the ICRC health coordinator in that war-torn country, said.

Treating those injured in battle requires specialised training and knowledge of traumatic injuries caused by bullets and explosives, she said. "It is different to what you would get under ordinary circumstances. War surgery is not something that you would learn in-depth at medical college."

The ICRC has been conducting - in Sri Lanka since 2001 - a series of war surgery seminars for medical personnel who work with victims of conflict. In July 2008, it concluded the sixth such series for personnel working in the conflict-affected northern areas. The seminars were conducted by two experienced war surgeons from the ICRC's headquarters in Geneva.

"This year the programme targeted personnel working in hospitals in the conflict zone like Jaffna, Padaviya, Mannar and Vavuniya," Murchison told IRIN. "The participants include doctors and others like nurses and physiotherapists involved with treating the wounded."

Two seminars were held in 2008 - one in Anuradhapura, a north central town, and the other in Jaffna in the north. A total of some 50 participants attended the two training sessions.

Murchison said the aim of the seminars was to give medical personnel the latest knowledge on treatment and management of the war-wounded in the field.

Awareness of wounds

Medical staff needed to be aware of the damage that could be caused by a ballistic wound and how best to treat it.

"You have to know what a bullet will do when it hits the body, or a fragmentation mine or a landmine. And when the wounded start coming in [in large numbers] triage is very vital. you classify cases based on the [extent] of the injuries," she said.

Newer techniques in triage and managing the wounded were two vital issues examined at the seminars, according Champika Abeyakoon, medical officer at the government hospital in Padaviya town in the northeast, who was a participant.

"We got a chance to compare our management methods with those from other situations in the world," Abeyakoon told IRIN. "There was a lot of emphasis on newer techniques in triage and treating trauma."

Since 2006, on several occasions his hospital has had to deal with civilians injured by fragmentation mines, some of which had targeted public transport buses.

Need for practical training

Abeyakoon said that in future seminars he would like to see practical training sessions and the inclusion of more surgeons working in the field. "That will help us to gain greater knowledge of the wounds and what needs to be done."

ICRC's Murchison told IRIN such suggestions would be considered.

"The next seminars in 2009 will have a component in which we will have practical sessions involving the use of dummies for training," she said. "We try to structure the seminars according to the needs and feedback of the participants."

Sri Lanka's health infrastructure was in a better position to deal with the war-wounded compared to other countries where the ICRC works. "It is not like in Darfur where there is hardly any equipment and facilities," she said. "Here the hospital network is pretty good but what we need is more training."

SriLankan Airlines recently marked a significant milestone in the country's aviation history when Captain Anusha Siriratne was appointed as the National Carrier's first Lady Captain.

Congratulating Ms. Siriratne , the airline’s CEO, Manoj Gunawardena said that it is a significant event for the National Carrier.

“Sri Lanka has been in the forefront of women’s empowerment and it is certainly high time that a Sri Lankan woman took command of an airliner.”

SriLankan has several female managers in senior positions in most of its nine Divisions. It has also employed women in areas that have traditionally been dominated by men such as aircraft engineering.

Leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mahajana Wing Mangala Samaraweera has called for unity among all progressive forces in the opposition under a common symbol to come out strong from the present political abyss.

Speaking to the media in Colombo today (Aug. 28th), he said, "President Mahinda Rajapaksa had won the provincial polls by claiming the battlefront victories of the three armed forces as achievements of his own and by selling their fame. We should admit that the opposition and social forces have weakened after the election. All progressive forces in the opposition should join hands under a single symbol to come out of this political fall down."

According to him, the ruling party with executive powers always emerges winner at provincial or local government polls.

Former president Chandrika Kumaratunga had overcome that challenge by bringing small parties together and building up the People's Alliance, Mr. Samaraweera noted, adding that it is obvious in Sri Lankan politics that the opposition could not triumph without such a broad alliance.

The SLFP (M) leader went on to say that he was confident as a person who had led and won election campaigns for 14 years from 1993 that a union of opposition parties would find it easier to defeat the anti-democratic Rajapaksa junta at a provincial or local government election.

However, he warned that remaining inflexible along political, religious and other lines would make it difficult to form such alliances.

Despite the JVP's opposing stance on the national issue, the party could become a member of a wide-ranging political union in order to reestablish democracy, Mr. Samaraweera stressed.

Speaking further, he said the government's victory at the polls for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces was nothing to be proud about, as, unlike the UNP, the UPFA had failed to improve on its votes from the 2004 elections.

The SLFP (M) leader is of the view that giving unconditional support in politics is the shortest way to dictatorship.

"History has proved that people's vote could also create an authoritarian ruler. Adolph Hitler was the result of the absence of a strong opposition. It was the beginning of a tragedy of massive proportions that both the opposition and Hitler were of the same stance," he said.

Through his craftiness, the dictator had painted Jews and Bolsheviks as the worst enemies of the German people and misled them. Similarly, the showing of the LTTE as the common enemy of the suppressed people of Sri Lanka prevails over President Mahinda Rajapaksa's inefficient governance, Mr. Samaraweera added.

Chief Editor of 'Nawamani' newspaper, M.P.M. Azhar, passed away this morning (Aug. 28th).

UNP M.P. Lakshman Kiriella said, the Govt. converted its defeat which was writ on the wall before election into a victory by election law violations, violence, deception and manipulation. Like how the President won the last Presidential elections by the illicit pact with the LTTE which came to light only later ,after one and half years in power , when his own Ministers exposed the fraud ; even in these elections , all the deceits and malpractices indulged in by the Govt. are beginning to seep through , only now.


The malpractices are so many that he cannot recount all of them at once, he added. However, he explained how the usual practice of sealing the ballot boxes with wax and even the vehicles travelling behind guarding them were obstructed. This was definitely a premeditated plan by the Govt. to racket. In some instances, the ballot boxes were carried and transferred by men in army uniforms without proper identification. These malpractices among others were further confirmed because , this is the first time all the pre election survey results conducted by all recognized bodies including the State bodies and NIB ( which conducted 5 surveys ) , went wrong. All of them projected a very close fight and stated either party, whoever may be the winner cannot get more than 1% votes over the other.

The UNP is continuing its investigations and evidence is mounting against the Govt. in confirmation of the suspicions, he exhorted.

The President by moving heaven and earth to abstain from implementing the 17th amendment is only proving that, if the independent Police Commission, the Elections Commission, the Public service Commission and others are appointed duly by the Constitutional Council as required under the 17th amendment , he cannot use and manipulate the Police Force , the Elections procedures and the State media in the way he wants and he will be bound to adhere to the laws of the country and constitution which is not the case now , he regretted.

The Govt. would have suffered a humiliating defeat if it had had elections lawfully and democratically , which fact not only the opposition parties , but even the voters are aware. A robber is not a winner even if he maneuvers and aligns all the powers with him, because some day he has to face the consequences. Hence, it is a victory for the UNP who seeks victory on the genuine votes of the people, he concluded.


The UNP is to find out as to how the government had proved all opinion polls wrong and emerged winner at the election for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils.

He said they would inquire into malpractices at the polls at district level.

He said the national intelligence, civil society groups, pollsters supporting the government and the opposition as well as the media had all maintained in the run up to the election it would be a very close one and that the difference between the two main parties would be around one per cent.

A feature of this election was that a higher number of women had exercised their franchise to protest the 'war in the kitchen' due to escalating commodity prices, Mr. Kiriella said.

A high turnout of around 60 pc in both provinces would have been advantageous to the opposition, going by the accepted political and electoral traditions.

Speaking further, he said that election officials had failed to seal the ballot boxes at the conclusion of the voting, as is the usual practice, and UNP observers were refused to accompany their transport to counting centres.

In some instances, the ballot boxes had been taken into the care of persons in military uniform, upon whom the UNP spokesman cast doubts whether they actually were military personnel.

At many polling centres, the ballot papers made available had been tampered with, as in the case when the party's Medirigiriya organizer K. Nelson had gone to vote.

Despite all these obstacles, it was quite an achievement for the UNP to poll around 40 pc of the votes in both provinces, he said.

The non-execution of independent commissions under the 17th Amendment helped the government to misuse the state media and property in its electioneering and unleash terror against its opponents, Mr. Kiriella alleged.

The government promised to completely defeat the LTTE and capture Kilinochchi by Election Day, and the president had said that war would have to be reconsidered if the election was lost, which were clear indications that it had waged war to win elections.


Mr. Kiriella reiterated the UNP challenge to the government to conduct a general election, which Minister Dallas Alahapperuma had accepted, but the president had immediately intervened and refused, because he was certain of defeat, Mr. Kiriella added.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the European Union (EU) Ravinatha Aryasinha recently protested to the President of the European Parliament Dr. Hans-Gert Pottering, on the aspersions cast on the Sri Lanka government by Robert Evans, Member of the European Parliament, who headed a group of MEPs to Sri Lanka in late July.

The row between the Government and the visiting MEP delegation arose after Mr.Evans told journalists at a press briefing that the government had sabotaged a pre panned visit by them to visit the east during their five day trip to Sri Lanka from 21-25 July 2008.

Ambassador Aryasinha said Sri Lanka was keen to engage with the European Parliament cutting across country and party lines, and it was in that spirit that a comprehensive programme was arranged for the visiting EU Parliamentary delegation, in the period requested by them, despite the heavy commitments of the SAARC Summit the following week.

The EU President appreciated Sri Lanka’s efforts to engage the European Parliament through the South Asia Delegation and also the Friends of Sri Lanka group and stated that he looked forward to welcoming a parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka to the EU Parliament. President Pottering expressed concern about the turn of events concerning the recent visit and requested a report from his office on this matter. He also emphasised that this should not discourage Sri Lanka’s engagement with the European Parliament.

Earlier, Ambassador Aryasinha expressed appreciation to President Pottering for the personal role he had played in expediting the rapid Tsunami assistance package which was granted to Sri Lanka through the European Parliament and also for his intervention in obtaining assistance from the German Government.

Security forces have taken control of the Palamoddai town, ahead of Vavuniya marking a significant milestone in the ongoing military operations, the Defence Ministry said.

The town is located 10 kilometres north west of Omanthai, the last point held by the Security forces on the A 9 (Kandy- Jaffna road) above Vavuniya town.

Troops of Task Force 2 advanced along the northwestern border of the Vavuniya district on the west of the A-9 road have gained the total control over the Palamoddai town despite LTTE resistance.

At least seven LTTE cadres were killed and 12 others were injured.

Earlier, troops of Task Force 2 recapture the the Navvi village on July 11.

The UNP reforms on reorganising the party will be ready by, party General Secretary Tissa Attanayaka said.

He said that the decision was taken at the party’s executive committee meeting.

Mr. Attanayaka ruled out that any decision was taken to amend the party constitution.

Earlier in the day, an official at the UNP headquarters said a group of four party MPs had met leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and asked him to step down.

Given this situation, the official predicted the WC meeting to be a heated one.

However, the four MPs - Johnston Fernando, Lakshman Seneviratne, Indika Bandaranayake and Thalatha Atukorale - had all agreed with the seniors' proposals.

Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene has ordered the IG Police to take immediate action and apprehend the medical students allegedly behind the mob-style attack on a group of journalists near Carey College Punchi Borella.

A photo journalists from the independent Wijeya Newspaper group were allegedly assaulted by a large group of medical students while they were taking pictures during the course of a mild newspaper interview and their camera equipments forcibly taken away.


Later a Sirisa and Lankadeepa cameraman who had arrived at the scene to cover the incidents were brutally assaulted by the students resulting in the hospitilisation of the Sirisa journalist.

At least 10 students were later questioned by the Cinnamaon Gardens Police and later released after their statements were recorded..

Meanwhile several Media Rights organizations strongly condemned the incident and called on the police and relevant authorities to hold an urgent inquiry and apprehend all those behind the attack saying it was a real threat to media freedom in the country.

A mission of the Cyprus division of Doctors of the World is currently in Sri Lanka to hand over to the Sri Lankan authorities a series of projects that have already improved the standard of living of locals, especially after the December 2004 tsunami and its consequences.

Member of the mission Aphrodite Christinaki has told CNA that the first official visit of the mission was to Honorary Consul of Cyprus in Sri Lanka Sicille Priya Carmini Kotelawala, who referred to the work of the organisation in the years following the tsunami.

During the visit, Neapolis Bishop Porfyrios, who is participating in the mission on behalf of the Church of Cyprus, said the people of Cyprus, who have suffered in recent history, are concerned and help others.

The Malaysian government has revoked the visa-on-arrival (VOA) facility for nationals from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, a Malaysian news report said Thursday. According to the report the ruling came into effect on Aug 1.

Malaysia has introduced the VOA scheme in September 2006 to promote tourism in the country. However the Malaysian cabinet recently has made the decision to revoke the VOA privilege to nationals from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka Afghanistan, Colombia, Israel, Montenegro, Serbia and 21 countries in the African continent as well.

The foreign nationals with VOA overstaying the 30-day visa period is reportedly the reason for the government to take this step. According to the Deputy Home Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung 5,093 Sri Lankans have overstayed the visa period. Indian nationals are the largest group of violators.

Sri Lankans can obtain a Visa Without Reference (VWTR) or Visa With Reference (VWR) at the Malaysian Embassy. VWR is issued for those traveling only on business or investment for two months initially with a four-month extension while the short term travelers with VWTR gets a visa for one month initially with another month extension.

A total of 29 Tamil civilians from the non-liberated areas at Mullaittiuvu and Kilinochchi Districts have sought protection with security forces yesterday (Aug 27) at Pulmoddai (Eastern coast) and Iluppaikkadavai (Western coast) military detachments.

According to military, 17 civilians including 3 women, 2 girls, a boy and 11 men were among those who had arrived at the coast of Pulmoddai, in a fiberglass boat at 2p.m. The civilians have fled due to unprecedented hardships experienced in the hands of LTTE, including forced abductions and fear of child conscription by the outfit who are running blank of fighting cadres.

Earlier, on Wednesday, 10 more Tamil civilians had arrived at Pulmoddai and sought protection with security forces, according to military reports received.

In addition, 2 more civilians found protection with troops at the newly liberated Iluppaikkadavai area in the Western Wanni battlefront, at around 8.45a.m.

EAST: TEN CIVILIANS including of four women, one girl, one boy and four men belonging to four families from un-cleared areas in MULLAITTIVU, reached PULMODDAI in government controlled areas seeking Army protection on Wednesday (27) at about 6.25 p.m.

They were handed over to the Police for relocation.

EAST: ALERT TROOPS serving recovered ten chargers containing 700 gram gelignite, five non -electric detonators, four ft safety fuse, one T-56 weapon, one magazine, thirty rounds of ammunition and portable radio set from GANDHINAGAR, KANGANKUNGU and IRANKULAM areas in TRINCOMALEE on Wednesday (27).

Those items, believed to have been kept concealed by Tiger terrorists intending a bloodbath in civilian dominant areas in the east were handed over two Police authorities.

Meanwhile, members of the Special Task Force of Sri Lanka Police found two hand grenades and one 15-kg heavy claymore mine from KATHTHANKUDY in BATTICALOA area on Wednesday (27).

WANNI: WEDNESDAY’S (27) pitched confrontations in the VAVUNIYA front covering areas such as PALAMODDAI inflicted death on eleven more Tigers and injuries on thirteen more terrorists.

One brave soldier in the same area fell victim to explosion of an improvised explosive device, planted by the terrorists on Wednesday (27). Two more soldiers sustained wounds during confrontations and blast of LTTE anti personnel mines.

Meanwhile, forward-marching troops of the 59 Division in the WELIOYA sector were able to capture three more LTTE trench lines on Wednesday (27) killing five more LTTE terrorists. Fighting wounded seven more terrorists during clashes in the general area of ANDANKULAM. Troops, engaged in de-mining work in the same area unearthed 26 anti personnel mines and 7 improvised explosive devices. Troops confirmed that they were able to overrun three LTTE trench lines in the same ANDANKULAM area during Wednesday (27) fighting.

TRINCOMALEE: AIRMEN of the Sri Lanka Air Force on ambush following reliable information were able to kill two Tiger terrorists moving about in VELLANKULAM area in TRINCOMALEE late night on Wednesday (27).

Those two T-56 weapon carrying Tiger terrorists including an area leader called, VINEETHAN perished in the attack according to the Air Force. Both dead Tigers were removed to TRINCOMALEE hospital for post-mortem and investigations. Recovered two T-56 weapons were handed over to the Police. The incident took place at about 9.15 p.m.

Police investigations are in progress.

KILINOCHCHI: DETERMINED and advancing troops of the 57 Division, bagging more and more gains in the battle-front late Wednesday (27) evening expanded their territory further and amalgamated ALANKULAM area with rest of the areas captured by the troops in TUNUKKAI to the west of MULLAITTIVU.

Fighting in the east of TUNUKKAI, ALANKULAM and areas, about 2 km to the east of NACHCHIKUDA in KILINOCHCHI district that lasted till Wednesday (28) dusk inflicted death on nineteen Tigers. Heavy fighting was effectively backed by Sri Lanka Air Force fighter craft intermittently taking precise terrorist targets as terrorists were resisting troops’ advance.

A well-fortified LTTE bunker line was reduced to the ground during those clashes in TUNUKKAI area as the heat of the fight escalated.

Four valiant soldiers made supreme sacrifice during the day’s fighting. Thirty-two injured in the clashes were admitted to hospital for treatment immediately after their injuries. In the meantime, troops dominating newly captured areas with the help of engineers were able to unearth sixty-two LTTE anti personnel mines from TUNUKKAI areas.

ONE HUNDRED and twenty-two soldiers attached to HENANIGALA Army camp in DEHIATTAKANDIYA were admitted to DEHIATTAKANDIYA hospital this morning (28) following a history of food Poisoning.

Reports said soldiers after consumption of their breakfast with fish have developed vomiting and fainting due to reasons still to be investigated.

All 122 soldiers in hospital are reportedly out of danger but the medical experts maintain it would take some time for full recovery. A sample of the food is to be referred to the government analyst and the Medical Research Institute in Colombo 8 for further investigations.

An LTTE local area leader for Trincomalee North and another member was shot dead in Vellankulam in Trincomalee in ambush by the air force on Wednesday night.


It was not immediately clear as to how the two LTTE members were operting from a cleared area in the east.

Meanwhile the STF recovered a claymoremine of 6.5 kilograms, a hand grenade and two detonators in the Kalmunai area on Wednesday.

Dehiattakandiya police have started preliminary investigations into the food poisoning of that resulted in 272 soldiers being admitted to hospital.

The soldiers attached to the Sennanigama army training camp fell ill this morning after their breakfast, Police sources said.

Police sleuths suspect that it could have been a case of the food being deliberately adulterated.

Six of the soldiers are reported to be in critical condition.

A newspaper photographer and a video cameraman of private television station were beaten by the security and students of the Medical faculty hostel and their camera equipment damaged today afternoon.

The photographer attached to the Lankadeepa newspaper had been assaulted when he was photographing a student who was being interviewed. The student had consented for the interview.

Initially the security officer had objected for the photographs being taken claiming that the board of the hostel was also being photographed. After the security guard assaulted the photographer students too had intervened and also assaulted the cameraman.

A video cameraman of the Sirasa TV station also who arrived there had been assaulted and his camera damaged.

Complaints have been lodged in the police.

Meeting their leader Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning (Aug. 28th), UNP MPs Thalatha Athukorale, Lakshman Seneviratne, Johnston Fernando and Indika Bandaranayake have requested him to step down.

Responding, the UNP leader has assured them that their request would be raised at the party's Working Committee that meets later in the day.

Party MP Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena had earlier agreed to accompany the four WC members to meet Mr. Wickremesinghe, but had later changed his mind, saying that he did not want the leader to resign at this moment.

The UNP WC has 90 members, but only these four called for change in the party leadership.

Former opposition leader of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council A.A. Wijetunga is seeking a reappointment and has written to UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe over the matter.

Mr. Wijetunga is reportedly receiving the backing of Ratnapura District MP Thalatha Athukorale, said sources at the UNP headquarters.

The position was likely to go to Ranjan Ramanayake, but the ex-opposition leader has pointed out that he had contested only for chief minister.

Mr. Wijetunga is also asking the party leader consider the services he has rendered to the party and the province in that position.

At last week's Sabaragamuwa PC polls, Mr. Ramanyake polled the highest number of preferential votes (130,258), while Mr. Wijetunga obtained only 26,280 votes.

Meanwhile, the North Central Provincial Council is facing no such situation as its former opposition leader A.M.R.B. Abeysinghe failed at the election.

The Justice and Peace Commission in the Wanni has written to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on the plight of internally displaced people in the area.

Its president Fr. James Pathinathan handed over the memorandum to the Resident Representative of the UNHCR in Wanni on August 26th.

The appeal notes that epidemics were threatening the people in the absence of sufficient medical facilities.

The JPC staged a protest march, joined by hundreds of people, including religious heads that began from Kilinochchi St. Theresa’s Church.

Following is the full text of the appeal:

JUSTICE AND PEACE COMMISSION - WANNI
ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF JAFFNA
St. Theresa's Church, Kilinochchi

His Excellency Ban Ki Moon
The Secretary General
United Nations

Date: 26 August, 2008

Your Excellency,

PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF WANNI

Wanni has been the eye of the war storm for the past two years. Deaths, injuries, displacements and attendant misery pervade the lives of the innocent Tamil civilians. The Draconian economic embargo imposed slyly on Wanni has become a monstrous obstacle even in giving relief and solace to the 170,000 persons recently displaced. Day and night, Wanni is thundering with Artillery Guns, Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers, Supersonic fighter jets and Naval gunboats.

A great human tragedy is exploding in Wanni which is calculatedly concealed from the world outside.

The Sri Lankan Government and its Security Forces with scant regard to, leave alone the Geneva Ethical Codes on the Conduct of War, humanitarian concerns for their fellow citizens, wage an aggressive and ruthless war in Wanni. The sanctity of the civilian settlements, hospitals, schools and places of worship are blatantly violated with impunity.

The Sri Lankan security forces heavily bombard villages after villages forcing the people to flee from their traditional homeland. Not once, but again and again displacements continue. Even before the displaced people begin to settle down in one place, they are shelled to flee again. This inhuman exodus goes on and on. People are languishing under trees and on the waysides under the scorching sun and dusty winds, and in pouring rain and thundering blasts of artillery and mortar shells. Only a few of the displaced take shelter in schools, places of worship and with friends and relatives. All these innocent people continue to live amidst severe deprivations.

The assistance that reach the people from GOs, NGOs, INGOs and the people of goodwill, even though praiseworthy, are not adequate to cater to the basic human needs of theirs. Even though the Government claims to allow all the necessary amenities, essentials such as Tarpaulin sheets, water containers, fuel, medical supplies and food are drastically slashed at the entry-exit points in reality. There are severe restrictions imposed on the movement of the INGOs thus hampering their humanitarian services to the helpless displaced people.

Besides the old and the sick, pregnant women and lactating mothers and children are the most affected ones. School children are subjected to untold hardship and bitter and traumatic experiences. The General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) examinations is being held in the country now and imagine the plight of these children who are sitting this exam under these tragic conditions. If the situation is such with the grown ups, imagine the plight of Grade 5 children who sat for the scholarship exam on the 17th August, 2008. Epidemics are threatening the people in the absence of sufficient medical facilities. Drinking water has become a scarce commodity.

These innocent people continue to live amidst dire distress.

These fundamental human rights violations strike all over Wanni, and the truth of which doesn't reach the world at large. There are numerous obstacles calculatedly laid across the path of truth so that the dissemination of it is effectively arrested. Instead, diabolic lies are spread with ease. Prevention of the media personnel from entering Wanni and reporting impartially on the horrendous situation of the innocent Tamil people is the most cruel and cunning mode of the repressive violence perpetrated by the Sri Lankan Government.

The call of the hour is urgent. Protect the people of Wanni who are threatened with death and destruction and dehumanization.

This is an ardent appeal from the Justice and Peace Commission - Wanni to the people of goodwill all over the world.

Fr. James Pathinathan,
The President,
Justice and Peace Commission – Wanni

President Mahinda Rajapakse has expressed his regrets to UNP Anuradhapura District Manager Dr. Raja Johnpulle whose house and dispensary were set on fire by a gang right before the elections. President had agreed to help him to recover the losses, Dr. Johnpulle said.

While warning that the victory in the provincial council election would lead to a government dictatorship, SLFP (M) Convenor Mangala Samaraweera called for the setting up of a joint opposition alliance a short while ago. He also added that he would initiate an alternative defence information centre to educate the masses on the real situation of the war.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) yesterday said the government’s bid to show that the party is week by getting other minority parties to contest alone at the recently concluded provincial council election to show their strength had failed.
SLMC General Secretary Hassan Ali in a statement said yesterday that the government’s effort had failed because of the miserable performance of some pro government political Tamil parties who contested alone.

Mr. Ali said the government used intimidation and violence to win the provincial council election just as it did at the provincial council election in the East. He said holding a free and fair election without the implementation of the 17th Amendment has become impossible. The SLMC said the party has been successful in getting its candidate in Kegalle District Rawuther Naina Mohamed elected to the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council while Hussen Ahamed failed to get elected narrowly. However he said Mr. Ahamed will be the next in the list and has the chance of entering the council in the event one of the UNP members resigns.

The Sinhala speaking jury in the murder trial of slain journalist Sivaram Dharmaratnam was dissolved since one of the prosecution witnesses was not present for the case or his whereabouts was not known.

When the case was taken up for inquiry before the High Court Judge W.A.T. Ratnayake yesterday it was revealed that the Sinhala speaking jury had been dissolved since the third witness for the prosecution Prasanna

Pubudu Ratnayake was not present for the case.

The court appointed a Sinhala speaking jury to hear the trial on the request of the defence. The journalist Sivaram Dharmaratnam was killed on or about January 05, 2005 and the suspect Arumugam Sri Skandaraja was indicted for the killing before the Colombo High Court.

The hearing was fixed for October 4.

Netherlands Ambassador in Sri Lanka Leuni Cuelenaere expressed her concern on the TID interrogation of WPF leader and parliamentarian Mano Ganeshan.

She expressed her concern when she met Mr. Ganeshan at his office yesterday.

Deputy Head of Missions Netherlands Embassy Ferdinand Lehnstein also accompanied the Ambassador.

TID questioned Civil Monitoring Commission Convener and Western Peoples Front Leader Mano Ganeshan for six hours from 11am on Tuesday.

The questions were based on his peace delegation visits to Killinochchi during the CFA period in 2002 and 2004.

He was questioned for more than nearly seven hours during which he was asked whether he had developed any special relationships with LTTE during those visits.

Mr. Geneshan has said he had visited Kilinochchi several times and carried a message to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran from then president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to Karuna Amman in 2005. This has been his last visit to Kilinochchi

WPF Leader accepted the written request extended to him by the Director of TID. This is in accordance with our policy of supporting the maintenance of Law and Order and cooperating with the legal system.

The Sri Lankan authorities have expressed hope that the Sri Lankan woman in death row, Rizana Nafeek, might soon be released.
The Supreme Judicial Council in Saudi Arabia has ordered the lower court to hear an appeal against the death sentence.
Sri Lankan ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Abdul Ajeed Mohammed Marleen, told BBC Sandeshaya that the appeal hearing is scheduled to be taken on 27 August in Dawami.
Rizana Nafeek was found guilty by a court in Saudi Arabia of killing an infant on her care and sentenced to death in 2007.

The conviction was based on the statement given to the police by Ms. Nafeek, allegedly admitting killing the baby.
However, Ms. Nafeek has told the court that she did not admit killing the infant, Mr. Marleen said.
The counsel hired by the embassy on behalf of Ms. Nafeek has submitted a written appeal based on a couple of grounds, he added.
Suspicions were raised on the interpreter whose services were hired by the Saudi police.
“According to our information, the interpreter was a Malayali national from Indian state of Kerala. We have genuine doubts over his interpreting Rizana’s statement at the police,” the ambassador told BBCSinhala.com.
Mr. Marleen added that the interpreter was not called in to the trial to cross question over the accuracy of his translations and it will be difficult to call him now as he has left Saudi Arabia.
He stressed however that although not taken as the final say in Sri Lanka, confessions are considered as valid evidence according to Saudi legal system.
The ambassador expressed hope that Rizana Nafeek would be released on Wednesday as the Supreme Judicial Council has already upheld the objections by transferring the hearing to the lower court.

By Dayan Jayatilleka, PhD

Foreign policy derives from a country's efforts to best represent its national interests in the world, and to reconcile those national interests with existing yet changing international realities.

The challenge before Sri Lanka's current foreign policy is to correctly identify and defend the country's fundamental interests in a changing world. As a small country, our foreign policy should always be globalist. It should build bridges cross-regionally, reduce or diversify our dependence and give us more scope to engage in power-balancing. A concerted effort must be made to reach out at a high political level, to all three continents of the global South, and we must reaffirm our commitment to our traditional non-aligned foreign policy stance.

What are Sri Lanka's fundamental national interests? The defence of the nation's independence and national sovereignty and the restoration of territorial integrity are clearly fundamental to the country’s interests.

In concrete and contemporary terms, this translates itself into the eradication of the LTTE as a military enemy. In terms of foreign policy, this means obtaining external support for and limiting external opposition to, the elimination of the LTTE's military capacity.



In this struggle, we need the support of our neighbours, particularly the support of Asia's rising super-powers: India and China.

China is a reliable and long standing friend and shares our views on state sovereignty and secessionism. However, we also need the support of our closest neighbour- Asia's other rising power-India. A laissez-faire policy on her part would enable the LITE to operate relatively freely from or through Southern India. Given the simple realities of geography - India is a vast and very near neighbour; we will not be safe if India turns against us, or simply turns away from us.

For its part, the West has demonstrated that it is not averse to the fragmentation of existing states and the proliferation of new ones. The recent recognition of Kosovo by Western countries is a clear example of this. Moreover, other powerful phenomena, such as transnational capital, neo-liberal economic policies, international NGOs, the influential Tamil Diaspora, and the Sinhala and Tamil 'federalists" also give the West both incentives and instruments for undermining this nation's sovereignty.

The West therefore would consider the military victory of the Sri Lankan state over the LTTE an undesirable outcome and would prefer a negotiated settlement.

However, we Sri Lankans know from bitter and bloody experience that negotiations with the LTTE cannot lead to a settlement within a united Sri Lanka, and that entering negotiations would only give the Tigers a respite while debilitating the morale of our soldiers. Therefore, as long as the LTTE remains possessed of hostile intentions and a military capability, there will be a conflict between Western perception and policy on one hand, and the fundamental strategic and security interests of the Sri Lankan state on the other.

The answer to this does NOT reside in a foreign policy that is isolationist or even purely Asiatic (which is but a regional version of that isolationism). It resides rather in building as broad as possible a network of allies among those nations which privilege state sovereignty and oppose any attempts to weaken the state through external (interventionist) or internal (secessionist) means.

This means a foreign policy that is firmly anchored in Asia but not restricted to our home continent; a foreign policy that constantly renews its non-aligned credentials and character (reaching out to Latin America and Africa); and strengthens strategic ties with those states (chiefly but not exclusively Russia and China) that value state sovereignty and act as counterweights to the forces who would weaken sovereignty and the state.

Our foreign policy must constitute a set of concentric circles. The innermost circle will inevitably be our regional South Asian identity but this should be enveloped by considerations of our broader Asian identity. However our Asian identity too should in turn be surrounded by our developing country (G 77) and non-aligned identities, our Euro-Asian identification and finally by our character as a (legitimate, democratic) state fighting terrorism.

However, this last objective cannot be pursued unilaterally, and for the moment, the West refuses to treat us on the basis of this identification. Sri Lanka has to operate within this context and maximise the political space available to it while striving to prevail over the LTTE.

A foreign policy is only as good as those who represent and implement it, and if we are to secure the external strategic environment that will enable us to win the war-indeed to continue waging it - the principle of merit has to be rigorously observed or re-instituted.

However constructing this architecture is not the main challenge to Sri Lanka's foreign policy. That challenge springs from the changing, transitional nature of the world order. Today that world order is living through the effects of recent changes and current ones. We live in a period of history that is post-Cold War, and post 9/11, but also in the throes of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. We are living through an era that will see the end of uni-polar hegemony but not of uni-polarity since the US will remain the sole superpower, the resurgence of Russia and the rise of Asia led by the explosive economic rise of India and China. All this is known, if insufficiently digested, but it is not all, and the most dramatic changes may be yet to come.

It is probable that a new, positive cycle of world history will commence If Barack Obama wins the forthcoming US presidential elections. If he succeeds, be may not only legitimise and complete the liberal democratic revolution in the US metropolis and thereby hasten its globalization, he may also, being himself a synthesis of civilisations, pave the way for addressing clashes of civilisations.

That change, the paradigm shift represented by Obama, epitomising anti-discrimination, equality, multi-culturalism and meritocracy, is already underway in the USA and will eventually influence the world at large. Is the Sri Lankan mindset ready for such a change? Defending our vital interests in such an era of dramatic change will require nothing less than a change within our collective consciousness and identity. Our policy, profile and we ourselves will have to change. We shall have to evolve.

That is the main challenge before our decision makers and policy makers. Particularly those policy makers and diplomats responsible for conceptualising and managing our relations with our external environment in a changing world.

Dayan Jayatilleka is Sri Lanka's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, and holds a PhD in Political Science from Griffith University, Brisbane. The views expressed in this article are his private ones.

SLAF MI-24 helicopter gunships launched successive air strikes at identified LTTE bunker defences located 2km East of Nachchikudha in Kilinochchi, today (Aug 27) at around 4.30 p.m.

The air strikes were launched, also in support of the Army troops advancing along the Mannar-Pooneryn main road, Air Force sources said.

WELIOYA: A GROUP of civilians numbering 17 of ten families arrived in PULMODDAI area in WELIOYA sought protection from the troops on Wednesday (27) around 2.00 p.m. Those civilians from MULLAITTIVU un-cleared areas have fled in a fiber glass boat leaving their homestead due to LTTE harassment. Two girls, one small boy, three women and eleven men were among them.

At the same time two more civilians reached the troops in ILUPPAKADDAVAI, MANNAR on Wednesday (27) morning around 8.45 a.m. They were hand over to the Police for onward investigations.

Lanka IOC, the only Sri Lankan fuel retailer other that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, saw its post-tax profits more than double to Rs 1.0 billion in the quarter to June 2008 from Rs 490 million in the corresponding 2007 period despite fluctuating fuel prices and higher costs during the period under review.

LIOC, in a communication to the Colombo Stock Exchange late on Wednesday, said interest/finance costs fell sharply while turnover increased marginally to Rs 10.9 billion from Rs 9.7 billion in the periods under review.

Gross profit at Rs 1.2 billion was marginally up from Rs 973 million but the lower interest costs boosted net profits. World fuel prices have been easing in recent months to a low of $109 per barrel against a high of $140. The LIOC share in the Colombo bourse has gained in recent weeks (before June) in anticipation that the company profits will rise with overseas crude rates falling.

Police have detected some explosives and T -56 bullets from a jungle area in Sinnanagar in Muttur this evening.

Among the recovered explosives were a claymore mine weighing five kilos, a rocket and eight grenades, Police said. They also found 630 T 56 bullets.

The rising cost of food and the urgent humanitarian needs of newly displaced people in Sri Lanka's war-torn districts have forced the UN and other aid organisations to appeal for increased donor funding. The UN's resident representative in Sri Lanka, Neil Buhne, told IRIN non-governmental organisations (NGOs), were asking for US$190 million - up from about US$145 million sought at the beginning of 2008 - mainly for emergency relief, protection and early recovery projects.

The All Party Representative Committee (APRC) will submit a document to the UNP in the course of this week outlining the progress it has made in its deliberations so far and on the issues on which a consensus had been reached, Chairman Science and Technology Minister Prof. Tissa Vitarana said today.

The University of Kelaniya has given a punishment transfer to its employee R. Keerthi Tennakoon, who is also spokesman for local election monitor Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE).

Secretary of CaFFE Senaka Wattegedara has informed the Free Media Movement that in addition to Mr. Tennakoon's transfer from the Faculty of Social Sciences, he is to face a disciplinary inquiry.

Five Media, including the FMM, said in a statement that this constituted an infringement of fundamental and freedom of expression rights.

Mr. Tennekoon acted as CaFFE spokesman during the recent polls for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces.

Quoting from the establishment code of universities, the statement said campus staff has the right to express their political viewpoints.

Five Media said it considered the action as politically motivated, and urged university authorities to halt exacting revenge from Mr. Tennekoon.

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Colombo High Court’s indictment of journalist J.S. Tissanayagam on terrorism charges for articles he published in 2006.

In a news alert, CPJ says that the Terrorist Investigation Division arrested Tissanayagam, the editor of news Web site OutreachSL, and five of his colleagues within a few days in March 2008.

Three of the group were released later that month, according to the Free Media Movement.

‘Tissanayagam and two others, OutreachSL manager N. Jasiharan and his wife, remain in custody without charge. It is not clear if Jasiharan and his wife have also been indicted,’ it adds.

Charges against Tissanayagam cite a magazine, North Eastern Monthly, which the journalist edited in 2006, according to his lawyer, M.A. Sumanthiran, who spoke with CPJ by telephone on August 25th.

Two charges relate to articles Tissanayagam wrote for the magazine.

The journalist’s lawyer told CPJ that the government said the articles incited communal disharmony, an offence under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

A third charge says he furthered an act of terrorism by collecting money from NGOs to publish the magazine, he told CPJ.

Tissanayagam, an ethnic Tamil, is also a columnist for the Sri Lankan weekly The Sunday Times.

FMM's Sunanda Deshapriya told CPJ that North Eastern Magazine was a known as a pro-Tamil English-language publication that was not considered pro-LTTE, he said.

It closed down over a year ago.

“We condemn J.S. Tissanayagam’s long detention and harsh charges for publishing a magazine, which should not constitute an offence,” said Bob Dietz, CPJ Asia Program Coordinator.

“This is the latest step by the Sri Lankan government to intimidate journalists who write about security issues.”

Tissanayagam pleaded not guilty because he does not believe he committed a criminal act, Sumanthiran told CPJ.

He was denied bail and will go to trial on September 18, the lawyer said.

Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, denied to Human Rights Watch on August 12th that Tissanayagam had been detained for criticizing the government.

“Some of their publications were designed to embarrass the Sri Lankan government through false accusations,” Wijesinha said of Tissanayagam and “his business associates,” according to the text of the letter, which is published on the website of the Sri Lankan permanent mission to the UN in Geneva.

He does not name the business associates in the letter.

Tissanayagam’s Sunday Times column, written from a Tamil viewpoint, frequently tackled issues sensitive to the Sri Lankan government, including security issues.

One of his final columns before his arrest was titled “Child soldiers: What the govt. report did not report.”

Addressing a press conference held in the office of the Opposition Leader, Major General Janaka Perera said that he would permanently reside in Anuradhapura district to fulfill the task he was given and the oppressed party men would be supported by him.

Denying a state media report that stated ‘Janaka Perera leaves for Australia’, the retired Major General said that he would be committed to politics in North Central Province.

He further said: “This election was not free and fair at all. Since thousands of people stood against state terror and violence, the government moved to a strategy to change ballot boxes. A group that went from the Presidential Secretariat bribed the Senior Polling officers and District Secretaries to implement this scheme. Polling agents were not allowed at this election to seal the ballot boxes. UNP is collecting data from each and every polling center and the party leadership will decide what action to take accordingly. Minister Mervin Silva challenged that he would resign from his portfolio if I would achieve more votes than disabled soldier Upali. Since I have gained more preferential votes than the top runner of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Berty Premalal Disanayaka, now he can submit his resignation to the President amidst the fire cracking of the happy supporters.
“It was reported that I had achieved 136,000 preferential votes while Berty had gained mere 79,000 before his son Minister Duminda Disanayaka rushed into the counting center and assaulted the officials. Later my preferential votes reduced to 116,000 while Berty’s rose to 105,000. Some respectable polling officers rejected the proposal to change the ballot boxes. Duminda’s operation followed it. If it was not there, UNP’s votes could be further risen while my preferential votes could go up to the level of 250,000. Mr. Ranjan Ramanayaka said that other than state terrorism, state media aimed at insulting him personally. The photo of injured Ramanayaka was published in a newspaper in mirror form and Ministers sling mud at him based on it. The newspaper apologized for this in its front page and a half page advertisement of Mr. Ramanayaka was published free of charge while the Ministers were silent on it.

He charged that the government hired several artists each paid Rs. 15,000 to praise the government war strategy through public media after the election propaganda was over.

He said that some Ministers blamed the organizers without getting on to the rally stages since there was no crowd. In such background, the result could not be admitted since it was gained through frauds, malpractices, terror and wrong manipulation of state power, Mr. Ranjan Ramanayaka said.

An unidentified group attacked a business place belonged to Rizvi Mohammed, the Media Secretary of Major General Janaka Perera who gained the highest number of preferential votes from North Central provincial Council .

The café run by Mr. Mohammed was attacked by a group that came in a double cab and in several motorcycles around 1.30 AM on 26th , according to the complaint lodged by Mr. Mohammed’s uncle.

Mr. Rizvi Mahammed lives under cover due to threats to his life. He has received threats that two houses and another business place belonged to him will be destroyed.


Mr. Berty Premalal Disanayaka said in election rallies that he would ‘look after’ the people of Anuradhapura after the election. Mr. Mohammed is also a resident of Anuradhapura.

SriLankan Cargo has recently introdued an air-conditioned storage area in addition to its wide range of facilities at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport.

The new facility at the BIA Cargo Centre has a temperature range of 15-25 degrees Celsius, and is ideal for temperature-sensitive items that should not be placed in traditional cold rooms where the temperature is below freezing.T he BIA Cargo Centre already has facilities such as Freezer Rooms (0 to minus 30 Celsius), and Cool Rooms (0 to +10 Celsius).

Customers with perishable or temperature-sensitive items of cargo are advised to instruct their agent or supplier at the point of origin to indicate the required storage temperature range in the Airway Bill.

SriLankan Cargo is the freight handling arm of SriLankan Airlines, and has positioned Colombo as the “Hub in the Ocean” to carry all types of cargo into and out of South Asia, in particular linking the fast-growing Indian economy with the rest of the world.

SriLankan Cargo is also the handling agent for cargo carried by all airlines through BIA.

Spices and Allied Products Producers' and Traders' Association (SAPPTA) states that 2008 will be a record breaking year for Sri Lanka clove exports which earned Rs. 3 billion exporting 5,000 metric tons.

According to SAPPTA, during January - June 2008, Sri Lanka has already exported 4,838 tones of cloves and should end up by the end of the year, exporting around 5,500 tonnes. Earnings from exports during January - June 2008 was Rs. 2.7 billion and for the year 2008, this figure should go past Rs. 3 billion.

“Exports of cloves from Sri Lanka have been mainly to India as Sri Lankan cloves enter India duty free under the Indo Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) as against a tariff of 27 to 35% applicable to other origins. Of the total exports from Sri Lanka, over 90% is exported to India and this trend will continue as long as the advantageous tariff continues to be made available to Sri Lanka,” explained SAPPTA sources.

(KUNA) -- Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Tourism Faizer Musthapha said on Wednesday that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tourists to Sir Lanka increased 30 percent in 2008, marking a noticeable improvement.
Musthapha told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) upon his meeting with Kuwaiti tourism officials that he was expecting this number to double next year, according to Sir Lankan tourism plans.
He pointed out the his country was keen to attract more GCC tourists, in the light of future tourism plans to develop the tourism sector, asserting on the importance of providing all possible means to facilitate Kuwaiti-Sir Lankan tourism cooperation.
Musthapha explained that the security situation in Sir Lanka would be restored soon.
On his part, Acting Commerce and Industry Undersecretary Jamal Al-Shaya said that Kuwait was seeking through such meetings to activate that role of local tourism through benefiting from other countries successful experiences.
Al-Shaya who is assistant undersecretary for corporate licensing tourism affairs pointed out that Sir Lanka obtained a lot of potentials that enables the country to be tourism hot spot.
He said that promoting bilateral cooperation between both countries, namely in the area of commerce topped their meeting talks, as well as activating the role of joint commercial committees Kuwaiti investors best interests.
Al-Shaya further noted that the ministry was sparing no expense of effort to revive local tourism through family projects strategies.

Six naval personnel were killed and 24 others injured in an air raid by the LTTE on the Trincomalee Naval Base last night (August 26th), defence sources said.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry website, citing Navy sources, said the navy base was warned by the Air Force of an approaching Air Tiger aircraft around 9.00 pm.

"After few minutes, naval troops detected the aircraft and engaged it with anti aircraft guns. The machinegun fire caused the aircraft to make away without entering the naval dockyard," it adds.

Noting that the LTTE craft dropped two bombs into the camp, the website says that only one had exploded.

Communication was cut off with the eastern port city following the incident.

The LTTE is yet to confirm the said air attack.

A journalist was injured in an accident involving opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe's vehicle in Anamaduwa today morning, eyewitnesses said.

The accident occurred when Mr. Wickremesinghe was on his way to the residence of the journalist to visit his father who is ailing.

The vehicle had collided with the motorcycle of the Journalist, Terrance Wanigasinghe close to the residence of the journalist.

The journalist attached to the Divina newspaper is reported to fractured his leg in the accident.

Mr Wickremesinghe was in the area to visit the offoce of UNP MP Ranga Bandara which was set on fire on Sunday.

Air Force fighter jets bombed LTTE bunkers located two kilometres west of Nachchikudha in the Kilinochchi district on Wednesday morning, a military spokesman said.

The attack was carried out in support of ground troops advancing in the area.

The military said the attack was successful.

The Special Presidential Commission Investigating Serious Violations of Human Rights (Commission) will begin public hearing on the two terrorist attacks at Kebitigollawa and Digampatana in 2006 after the conclusion of the ongoing probe on the massacre of 17 aid workers of the French NGO Action Against Hunger in Muttur and five youth in Trincomalee in 2006.

Upon returning to the country today morning from the Beijing Olympics sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe stated that she would retire from athletics very soon.

Mano Ganeshan, the Western People’s Front (WPF) leader and Civil Monitoring Commission against Disappearance (CMC) convener, was questioned by the Terrorist Investigation Division for more than six hours yesterday -- causing panic among party members and the entire opposition.

Mr. Ganeshan said that he was questioned about his tour of Kilinochchi during the ceasefire period. He said the TID personnel had asked him whom he had met while in Kilinochchi. They had also asked him whether he had any LTTE connections, to which he had replied in the negative.

He had also given full details of his meeting with Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa and Mr. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle prior to the presidential election -- when they had asked him to help them to communicate with the LTTE.

Mr. Ganeshan had been asked to come to the TID office in Colombo and give a statement in writing. He had accordingly gone there at around 11.00 am last morning. Questioning had ended at around 6.30 pm.

The WPF Leader said he was a law abiding person as he was a Member of Parliament. He said he would not engage in any unlawful activity: “We try to achieve our goals within a democratic framework and cannot understand why the government subjected me to an interrogation,” he said.

He asked why only he was questioned when there were a number of government ministers facing charges who had not been questioned.

Mr. Ganeshan denied reports that he was questioned about one of his party’s candidates who contested the provincial council elections and was accused of involvement with the LTTE.

A number of UNP MPs, including Johnston Fernando, Lakshman Seneviratne, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene and Thalatha Athukorala had rushed to the TID office. Some of them had stayed there till Mr. Ganeshan was released.

The European Union (EU) will examine a draft report on Sri Lanka sometime next month before it is put forward to the EU Parliament, an EU official said.

The report prepared by an EU delegation which visited Sri Lanka recently is expected to tilt heavily against the government.

Philippe Kamaris, Administrator, Directorate General for External Policies of the European Parliament said the European Parliament's delegation for relations with South Asia would examine the draft mission report on Sri Lanka most likely by mid next month.

“From a procedural point of view, what I can say is that the situation in Sri Lanka will again be on the agenda of the EP's Delegation for relations with south Asia when it will examine the draft mission report, likely in mid September,” Mr. Kamaris said in a short email to the Daily Mirror.

He said the report would subsequently be forwarded for a follow up to the relevant Parliamentary Committees of the House including the Foreign Affairs Committee, the International Trade Committee and the Human Rights Subcommittee.

The report is likely to have an impact on the deliberations by the EU when it considers the extension of the GSP Plus trade concession for Sri Lanka in October.

The government on its part, the Daily Mirror learns, has initiated moves to counter the report and is of the view that most of the delegations members who visited Sri Lanka recently led by EU Parliamentarian Robert Evans, were biased in their findings and are mainly after votes from the Tamil Diaspora in the EU at the next elections to the EU Parliament.

Under the GSP Plus concession awarded in 2005 to help Sri Lanka rebuild after the 2004 tsunami, Sri Lankan exporters enjoy preferential tariff treatment from the EU. As a result, the EU is Sri Lanka ’s biggest export market, accounting for annual sales of around $1 billion; about half are covered by GSP Plus.

Beneficiaries must however comply with 27 international conventions, on environmental, labour and human rights standards to be eligible for the concession.

Sri Lanka's failure to address human rights concerns, including a "frightening" number of abductions, could cost the island nation a lucrative trade concession, the European Union warned last month.

"The European Parliament delegation remains extremely anxious about the impact a possible loss of GSP+ status would have on the economy and employment in Sri Lanka," the EU said last month.

Holcim Lanka, the Sri Lankan subsidiary of the Swiss cement multinational, says it is interested in bidding for a defunct cement plant in northern Jaffna that is eyed by India's Birla group.

Holcim Lanka chairman Manilal Fernando said Tuesday he believes the government will give all interested parties a chance to bid on equal terms for the plant.

"Holcim is interested," he said. "We're sure the government will go about it in a transparent manner so all those who are interested can be given the chance to bid on equal terms."

Construction minister Rajitha Seneratne, who has been promoting the Birla deal, said other cement firms could also bid although they had not made any proposals so far.

"Any foreign investor can come and make an offer," he said. "We are having talks with the Birla group."

The government plans a site visit with company officials to assess the current state of the plant in Jaffna, which is cut off from the rest of the country as the Tamil Tigers control the land route. The only access is by air and sea.

Asked if others firms too could bid for the plant if they are interested, Senaratne said: "They can if they want to. But all this time there were no bids. Everybody said they were interested but nobody came."

India's Aditya Birla group had proposed reviving the defunct cement plant in Kankesanturai in the northern Jaffna peninsula following talks in Colombo earlier this month.

The plant is sitting on a rich limestone deposit in Jaffna and had long drawn the interest of other cement producers such as Holcim, and Tokyo Cement, which is partly owned by Japan's Mitsui.

But they had been deterred so far by the risks of the war, with the plant now part of a sprawling military base and damaged by shelling by Tamil Tigers in previous battles.

The plant is owned by Lanka Cement, a government firm listed on the Colombo bourse, whose share price has been rising in recent weeks after reports of the Birla deal.

Senaratne has said he was keen to revive the plant in Jaffna both to meet the current cement shortage and bring down high prices and also to provide youth of the peninsula employment opportunities.

Birla's interest was sparked by the current worldwide shortage of cement owing to a construction boom, especially in emerging economies like China and India, which have sent up cement prices.

The Defence Ministry today stated that 10 Navy personnel were injured after the LTTE air raid on Trincomalee Naval base and harbour.

MTV Channel, and one of its journalists who was allegedly attacked, have filed two fundamental rights applications in the Supreme Court against Minister Mervyn Silva and the IGP, claiming Rs. 110 millions as compensation.

MTV Channel (Pvt) Limited and MTV journalist J. K. A. Waruna Sampath filed these applications citing Labour Relations and Manpower Minister Mervyn Silva, Peliyagoda Police SSP K. D. Somapala, The Inspector General of Police, Peliyagoda Police HQI Jagath Rohana and the Attorney General as respondents.

The petitioners complained that Mervyn Silva manhandled, assaulted and forcibly snatched two video cameras from media personnel attached to the television company who were present to cover the ceremonial opening of the second stage of the flyover bridge at Kelaniya on August 8, 2008, on an official government invitation.

They complained that the media personnel were subjected to cruel and degrading and inhuman treatment and their freedom of movement and freedom of expression were violated by the respondent.

The petitioners stated that, when they were at the scene to cover the ceremony, Mr. Silva had come there and told the MTV media personnel to leave the place. When they informed him that they had come at the invitation of the media secretary of the Minister of Road Development, their cameras had been snatched. When the media personnel protested Mr. Mervyn Silva had grabbed Waruna Sampath by his collar and asked for the cassettes.

This unlawful incident had taken place in the presence of senior law enforcing officials and, unfortunately, instead of providing security they had left the place despite the victimised media personnel pleading for help. Later, when the petitioner went to make a complaint to Peliyagoda SSP D. Somapala, he had asked the media personnel why they had come to Kelaniya when Mervyn Silva had ordered them not to.

The petitioners also stated that President Mahinda Rajapaksa and several senior government ministers and other groups had condemned Mervyn Silva’s alleged conduct.

The petitioners complained that their fundamental right to freedom of expression had been infringed due to the attack by the minister and the failure of the police to enforce law and order. They asked court to declare that intimidation by Mervyn Silva against the MTV journalist and his colleagues and his seizure of the cameras and cassettes were wrongful and illegal. Journalist Waruna Sampath claimed Rs. 10 million as compensation while MTV asked for Rs. 100 million.

Elephants, Ceylon Tea, Kandyan Dancing and Sri Lankan costumes vividly punctuated the Asian Elephant Day celebrations, held at the United States National Zoological Park in Washington D. C. on 23rd August 2008, while as many as 15,000 visitors attended the attractions scheduled for the day. The celebrations, organized jointly by the prestigious Smithsonian Institution, Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ), an NGO working with the Smithsonian, and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C., highlighted the efforts being made for protecting wildlife in the Asian region with special emphasis on Sri Lankan elephants. At the center of attraction were Shanthi, a female elephant donated to the National Zoo by Sri Lanka in 1977 and Kandula, a male elephant born to her in 2001.
The activities planned for the day kicked off with a breakfast reception, which was attended by a large number of VIPs, including the newly appointed Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Jaliya Wickramasuriya, Mr. John Berry, Director of the National Zoological Park, Mr. Robert Lamb, Executive Director of FONZ, a host of senior officials representing US Departments of State, Commerce, Agriculture, Office of the USTR, the FBI, media and many animal lovers and enthusiasts.
Director of the Zoological Park, Mr. Berry, having extended a warm welcome to all the VIP guests, briefed them on the on-going construction project of Elephant Trails, a facility designed for providing a larger area for elephants within a natural setting. He also highlighted the new strategies, pursued by the authorities concerned in Sri Lanka, in particular, the Center for Conservation Research and the Department of Wildlife in close collaboration with the National Zoo for mitigating the human-elephant conflict.
In his remarks, Ambassador Wickramsuriya touched upon the cordial relations continuing between the Smithsonian and the wildlife conservation authorities in Sri Lanka and the efforts being made for protecting elephants. He was pleased to note that Shanthi and Kandula had become a symbol of the strong friendship established between the people of the United States and Sri Lanka. The Ambassador assured that the Embassy would extend every possible support and cooperation to the Smithsonian Institution and FONZ in further enhancing the existing relations.
The Ambassador also thanked the United States for all the assistance and cooperation extended to the people of Sri Lanka. He said that fostering closer relations between the people of the two countries would certainly help them have a deeper understanding about each other and understanding each other would help them effectively overcome the common challenges and difficulties they face today in the international arena.

The public events, commenced after the VIP reception and continued till evening included many attractions such as Sri Lanka dance performances, demonstration of sari wearing, tea tasting, elephant bath and weigh-in, logging and mud wallow demonstrations, 60th birthday celebration of Ambika, a female elephant donated by India and research and conservation projects carried out by the Smithsonian Institution and the FONZ around the world.
The dances, performed by “Sigiri Lalanavo” a group of young Sri Lankan female artists with soothing background music combining Kandyan drums and fusionistic rhythms provided a fitting environment to the celebrations, toughly enjoyed by thousands of visitors.
The female staff, who manned the demonstration of sari wearing, hardly had any time for their lunch, as well over hundred ladies, young and old, lined up to enjoy draping themselves in saris, both Kandyan and Indian styles, and taking pictures with their friends.
The tea tasting stall was another hive of activity from the beginning to the end with many queuing up for a cup of world famous Ceylon tea, served both hot and iced. By the end of the day, the stall had served staggering seventy gallons of tea, mainly iced, to the traditionally coffee drinking Americans. Walters Bay International, a Texas-based business partner of Bogawantalawa Estates in Sri Lanka, supported the Sri Lankan Embassy by providing teas and all the iced tea brewing equipment on complementary basis. It is pertinent to mention that Walters Bay International was adjudged the best iced tea at the World Tea Expo for four consecutive years from 2004 to 2007. The celebrations ended around 4.00pm in the evening, providing an informative and enjoyable experience to the visitors on the one hand, while injecting a new impetus to the US – Sri Lanka relations on the other.

A 37 year old man identified as Alighah Yoganathan was shot dead inside his shop at Nawakkuda in Kattankudi by an unidentified gunman on Tuesday night around 9.00p.m, Police said.

The motive for the killing is still unknown.

Major General (retd) Janaka Perera yesterday called on Labour Minister Mervyn Silva to honour his pledge to resign from office if he (Perera) got even one more vote than Upali, a disabled soldier who contested the North Central Provincial Council Election on the UPFA ticket.

"Mervyn, like a true gentlemen should now go before President Mahinda Rajapaksa and hand over his resignation, since I have obtained the highest number of preference votes in the North Central Province," he told a news conference in Colombo.

"I don’t intend wasting my time with Mervyn Silva who got only 2200 votes at the last parliamentary election. Not only did I disprove him, but also beat the UPFA’s chief ministerial candidate Berty Premalal Dissanayake on the preference count."

The Supreme Court yesterday granted leave to proceed with the fundamental rights violation application of two police inspectors attached to the Permanent Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption.

The petitioners complained that they were given a surprise, mala-fide transfer, on July 31, 2008, merely because they continued to investigate a complaint against a Minister. Certain authoritative persons at the commission had persuaded the petitioner to stop the investigation, but they had not responded. They were then transferred.

The first petitioner, A. M. Nihal Amarasiri had been transferred to Vavuniya, the second, K. A. Sujatha Kumari to the IGP's Command and Investigations Division.

The petitioner alleged that the investigations so far carried out had revealed that the Minister had wealth amounting to Rs. 450 million, but he had never declared his assets.

The petitioners requested the Court to cancel the transfer orders.

The Court advised the Deputy Solicitor, General Sanjay Rajaratne, to look into the possibility of finding a more conducive station, other than Vavuniya for the first petitioner.

The petition will be argued on September 10, 2008. M. A. Sumanthiran appeared for the petitioners.

The Bench comprised Justice J. A. N. de Silva, Justice Saleem Marsoof and Justice K. Sripavan.

The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka signed an agreement with Energy Generators to set up a small scale hydropower plant. Dhammika Perera, Chairman / Director General signed the agreement on behalf of the BOI and formally presented the investor with the BOI Certificate of Registration.

The project will setup a hydropower plant in the Matale District using the Mahaweli waters to generate renewable energy. This venture is an investment of Rs. 280 million and will provide employment for 10 locals workers.

The power plant will commence construction shortly and is expected to be completed within 2 years. The power plant will provide electricity to the National Power Grid. Initially the plant will generate 2.8 megawatts of electricity which is expected to be increased up to 4 megawatts at a later stage.

S. R. Perera (Director) and Ms S. R. Gunasekara (Director) signed the agreement on behalf of Energy Generators.

Four sailors were injured when a LTTE aircraft dropped two bombs in the Trincomalee Dockyard, and escaped, military and Navy officials said.

A Navy spokesman confirmed that four sailors had received slight injuries in the attach which they believe was targetted at the Jetliner vessel.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that air craft had escaped, though the security forces had activated the air defence system around the Trincomalee harbour.

The jetliner ship has been the target of the LTTE earlier as well. Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the ship was due to carry food to the north.

The Defence Ministry in a statement on the incident said "LTTE terrorist have carried out an abortive air raid attempt at the naval base Trincomalee short while ago. According to the available information, the terror aircraft have dropped two improvised bombs and fled the area"

The Pro-LTTE Tamilnet website said there was sounds of heavy explosions inside the harbour. They said the LTTE was yet to confirm the attack.

"Residents panicked following the outburst of firing rockets targeting the sky from SLN (Navy) headquarters side in Trincomalee", Tamilnet said.

Electricity had been cut off in the area.

Soon after the incident The air force also was put on alert in the north western coastal line.

The incident comes two days after the miltiary carried out a training exercise in Colombo, flying one of the miltary aircrafts at a low altitude.

Member of Parliament Mano Ganeshan was questioned by the Terrorism Investigations Division (TID) over his visits to the Wanni among other matters today.

A party spokesman said that the questioning lasted for more than six hours and the MP had left the TID after 7.00 p.m.

Earlier the TID had told Mr. Ganeshan to call over at the TID to record his statement. The MP had requested that he be permitted to take a lawyer and accordingly was allowed, but the lawyer was not allowed to be present when the questioning took place, the MPs brother Prabha Ganeshan said.

LTTE terrorists have launched an abortive air raid at the Trincomalee Naval base tonight (Aug 26).

According to Navy sources , the navy base has been alarmed on approaching terror aircraft by Sri Lanka Air Force around 9 PM. After few minutes , naval troops have detected the aircraft and engaged them with anti air guns . The machine gun fire has caused the aircraft to make away without entering into the naval dockyard, said the sources.

However , the terrorists have dropped two improvised bombs into the the navy camp. The sources said that only one out of two bombs has exploded. According to the available information , 4 sailors have suffered injuries in the attack.

Troops made further progress along Wanni battle lines on Monday (Aug 25) claiming 18 terrorists were killed, 13 others wounded and 25 more were either killed or wounded during the day's clashes. Also, 7 soldiers laid down their lives and 18 others suffered wounds during these incidents.

Troops of Army 56 division maintaining active defence on the Vavuniya front attacked a terrorists' movement detected in the Velarchinnakulam area around 8.15 in the morning and claimed 2 terrorists were killed.

Meanwhile, 2 soldiers were killed and one injured due to an explosion occurred in the Periyamadhu area last evening. Elsewhere in the same area, a soldier suffered injuries due to an AP (anti personnel) mine explosion in the evening hours.

In the general area Palamoddai, 2 soldiers suffered injuries due to an AP mine explosions during evening hours.

On the Mullaittivu western front, troops of Army 57 division continued their offensives in the Tunukkai area with in course of the day. During the confrontations 2 soldiers were killed and 2 others wounded. Separately, a soldier suffered injuries due to an AP mine explosion occurred in the Yogapuram area during morning hours. A sniper deployed in the Tunukkai claimed shooting down of a terrorist around 6.15 in the evening.

In the Kilinochchi southern front, troops of Task Force 1 confronted with a group of terrorists in the Vannerikkulam area around 7.45 AM. Radio monitoring reports confirmed 6 terrorist were killed and 4 others wounded in this incident. Also, one solder reported killed and 4 others wounded.

In Nachchikudha, snipers claimed confirmed shooting down of 2 terrorists in the evening hours. Further, Army reported two AP mine casualties from the Panaikandamadu on the same day evening.

On the Mullaittivu eastern front, troops of Army 59 division made a significant battlefield victory by capturing an 800m stretch of Thannimurippu tank bund. Troops claimed at least 25 terrorists were either killed or wounded in this incident. Also, 2 soldiers sustained injuries. Troops destroyed one LTTE boat and found 2 bodies of LTTE cadres along with a T-56 rifle. Whilst consolidating the own defence troops removed 121 AP mines and 5 IEDs (improvised explosive devices) from the area.

In the general area Andankulama, troops had several confrontations with the terrorists during day time. Troops claimed 5 terrorists were killed and 9 others wounded during these incidents . A soldier was killed and 2 others suffered injuries during the same.

Separately in the Ranabapura area , a soldier suffered in juries due to LTTE small arms fire around 4.20 PM.

Meanwhile, troops engaged in mine sweeping operations removed 340 AP mined, and disposed 11 IEDs during the day's operations.

The Supreme Judicial Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has upheld the objection filed by the attorney of Sri Lankan housemaid, Rizana Nafeek, against the death sentence imposed on her.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo said today (Aug. 26th ) the case file has been returned to the Dawadmi High Court.

Rizana had been arrested on 22nd May 2005 by the Police in Dawadmi, a town located 220 km west of the capital, Riyadh and charged with the murder of the infant son of her employer, left in her care.

Rizana, who had recently arrived in the Kingdom and 17 years old at that time, claimed that the child had choked to death during bottle feeding.

However, the Dawadmi High Court had sentenced Rizana to death in June 2007, upon conviction for the murder of the infant, based on her initial confession to the Police, which she had subsequently retracted in Court.

The Sri Lanka Embassy in Riyadh arranged the law firm of Kateb Fahad Al - Shammary to represent Rizana, with the financial support of the Hong Kong based Asian Human Rights Commission.

The lawyer had filed objections against the verdict of the Dawadmi High Court to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) in Riyadh, the highest judicial body in Saudi Arabia.

The SJC has upheld the objection of the lawyer pertaining to the initial translation of Rizana's statement to the Court, upon which the death sentence had been issued.

The SJC has returned the case file to the Dawadmi High Court, which is expected to take up the case for hearing on Saturday, 30th August 2008.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Embassy officials in Riyadh have visited Rizana at the Dawadmi Jail on 17th August and found her to be in sound physical and mental condition.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has directed the Embassy to closely monitor developments of this case and extend all possible support and cooperation to Rizana's lawyer.

ANURADHAPURA: A COMBINED search operation conducted by the Army and the Civil Defence Force in ABHIMANPURA, KEBITHIGOLLEWA area Monday (25) around 7.00 a.m. uncovered one T-56 weapon, four T-56 magazines, one hundred and twenty rounds of (120) T-56 ammunition, two hand grenades, one map, one compass, two cyanide capsules, one mobile phone, one belt order, one pack, food items and some water cans.

Those arms and ammunition, belonging to Tiger terrorists were believed to have been brought to the area by Tiger terrorists intending a carnage.

WELIOYA: PANIC-stricken terrorists in the WELIOYA sector on Monday (25) fired on the troops serving in the general areas of ANDANKULAM and RANABAPURA Monday (25) while the troops were advancing in the WELIOYA front.

Two soldiers laid their lives in both attacks.

In the meantime, latest reports confirmed two valiant soldiers received injuries during clashes that brought 800 m stretch line of the THANNIMURIPPUKULAM tank bund under troops on Monday (25).

MULLAITTIVU: TROOPS MOVING past TUNUKKAI faced a shower of LTTE mortar rounds, that were directed from the east of TUNUKKAI and also from ARIYAMADU area to the west of MULLAITTIVU town center Monday (25).

Four valiant soldiers sacrificed their lives while resisting the enemy fire. Four more soldiers received injuries in the same incident.

Meanwhile, one more soldier sustained injuries due to terrorist fire in YOGAPURAM, about 5 km southeast of THUNUKKAI, Monday around 3.30 p.m. when fleeing terrorists fired on the troops.

According to the sources , a strong LTTE bunker line in VANNERIKKULAM, KILINOCHCHI District was attacked and destroyed by the troops Monday (25) afternoon using heavy weapons. Six terrorists were confirmed killed and four more were injured during confrontations.

One soldier laid his life during that encounter while four more soldiers sustained injuries.

In the meantime, several clashes in the same area during Monday (25) injured three more soldiers, while causing damages to the enemy.

Similarly, confrontations occurred in the general area of VELLANKULAM Monday (25) around 11.20 a.m killed one terrorist and injured two more.

Explosion of an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) trapped by the LTTE in the same area around 1.30 p.m. injured three soldiers, the same day.

UNP Member of Parliament Mano Ganeshan has been called by Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) to record a statement, Prabha Ganeshan, Western Provincial Council member said.

Mr. Prabha Ganeshan who is also the brother of the MP said that permission had been sought to take laywer, but although the lawyer was allowed into the TID premises, was not allowed into the room where the statement was being recorded.

Last week the TID had sent a letter to Mr. Ganeshan saying they wanted to record a “special statement” and wanted him to call over at the TID.

The MPs brother said the Speaker W.J.M.Lokubandara has been informed about the developments.

by Jehan Perera

Many years ago, a senior government official whose birthplace was Jaffna told me of the apprehension with which the people of Jaffna awaited the results of elections in the south. They knew their fate was being decided in the electoral verdicts that the more numerous southern electorate would be delivering, and which they in the north had little or no opportunity to influence. This is one indication of the psychology of resistance that developed in the north and east to the reality of ethnic majority rule over the ethnic minorities.

The day before the provincial council elections, at which the government obtained a thumping victory, I received a telephone call from Jaffna. On the other side of the line was a Tamil social worker I have known for the past several years when he worked in Colombo with a local humanitarian organization. He explained that the reason for his call was to see if anything could be done to alleviate the plight of the civilians trapped in the LTTE controlled parts of the north. An estimated 200,000 persons are reported to be on the move in the Vanni, looking for places of safety from artillery and air bombardments and enforced arms training and conscription.

In the past fortnight or so, the Sri Lankan military has been making rapid progress against the LTTE. With the expected and threatened LTTE counter attack not happening, the impression is growing that the LTTE is indeed weak in comparison to the Sri Lankan military that is advancing into their heartland. Military spokespersons say that the army is only 12 kilometers away from Kilinochchi town, which is the administrative centre of the LTTE. The fall of Kilinochchi would be a tremendous blow to the LTTE, both in terms of lost territory and morale. Kilinochchi possesses the LTTE's administrative infrastructure, including its judicial and police headquarters and peace secretariat.

The caller from Jaffna's immediate concern, which he immediately shared with me, was the plight of the people. They had been fleeing from the artillery barrage of the advancing Sri Lankan army and their space for movement was getting less and less. He proposed a method by which the civilian population could leave the war zones for safety. The first step would be to persuade the government, LTTE and International Committee of the Red Cross to open up a humanitarian corridor to enable the people to leave. The Bishop of Jaffna, Thomas Savundranayagam, has also made a similar appeal.

The second step in the process of ensuring safety to the civilian population would be to establish a safe sanctuary to which people could go to. Entry into this place of safety would be open to anyone, so long as they are unarmed. This would even enable LTTE cadre, such as those who have been recently and forcibly recruited, who wish to give up the fight to enter for their safety. The sanctuary would be managed entirely by the ICRC without either the military or the LTTE going into it. The question, however, would be whether the LTTE would agree to letting the people leave. This would be a huge blow to the LTTE, as they would lose a cause to fight for, a pool of recruitment and a human shield.


CONTRASTING SENTIMENTS

It was in this context of the divergence of interests of the LTTE and civilian population that I asked the caller on the other side of the line what the mood of the people of Jaffna was. His response echoed the Indian National Security Advisor, M K Narayanan's opinion, which enraged many in Sri Lanka. Mr Narayanan made a comment that the government may be winning the battle (for Kilinochchi) but it risks losing the war. He observed that the Tamil people in Sri Lanka were sullen in the face of the government's military approach to conflict resolution, and the government needed to do more to convince the Tamil people by means of a credible political package that it also had their interests at heart.

My friend said that the people of Jaffna continued to be fully alive to their rights and felt unhappy at the grim situation they found themselves in. He added that the common talk in Jaffna is that they will be treated like slaves if the war ends in the LTTE's defeat, until another Prabakaran comes along. This sense of alienation and apprehension amongst the Tamil people is the other side of the euphoria that the government and its supporters would be feeling today. The government's resounding victories at the recently held provincial council elections in the Sabaragamuwa and North Central provinces constitutes a vote of confidence in the government at its mid term mark.

The government's victory indicates that it has a set of policies and programmes of action at the present time that has won ethnic majority acceptance. The chief amongst these is undoubtedly the government's attempt to defeat the LTTE by military means. President Mahinda Rajapaksa's speeches expressing the government's determination to preserve the unity of the Motherland at any cost have been extremely powerful in keeping popular sentiment behind the government. The government is given credit for its success in retaking LTTE held territory at whatever cost. The general expectation is that this will be a one-time cost that will come to an end soon.


POTENTIAL DANGERS

The problem for the government will be to ensure the sustainability of its military victories if the LTTE continues to fight back militarily and target areas under government control. Government troops now appear poised to capture the big LTTE-held towns of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. But this will not necessarily mean the end of the war. As an organization that started as a small guerilla group, the LTTE will retain its capacity to go back to their origins. The havoc that even a small group of determined persons can do is inestimable.

It also needs to be remembered that this will not be the first occasion on which Kilinochchi has been retaken by the government. The army commander, Gen. Sarath Fonseka himself has warned that the forces of Tamil nationalism and the Tamil diaspora can ensure that the armed conflict goes on for another two decades if not more unless a political resolution is found. If my friend from Jaffna is to be believed, the LTTE will continue to have the support of a sullen but rights-conscious Jaffna population in the absence of a political solution that meets with their sense of justice. This is also the message of the Indian National Security Advisor who urged that the government give emphasis to a political settlement that would satisfy the Tamil people's sense of justice.

The government frequently projects the Eastern Province as a success story of having militarily defeated the LTTE, evicted them from eastern territory and of having conducted democratic elections there. However, the ground situation in the east continues to be tense and unstable, and not at all conducive to the rapid economic development that ought to accompany a sustainable peace. There is a very heavy military presence and armed groups continue to act outside of the law together with LTTE infiltration. In addition the elected politicians of the east continue to be relatively powerless, with major decisions on policy and financing being referred to the central authorities in Colombo, notwithstanding the claims of devolution and devolution plus plus.

The danger exists of short success that will not solve problems in the long term. The continued high level of expenditures on the war can become more and more unbearable in the longer term. The government's electoral victory in the two provinces, which have a large rural sector, suggest that the government's strategy of targeted subsidies, especially for agriculture, and rural road building delivered benefits to the rural sector. But those who do not get these benefits are likely to become disgruntled in the longer term, as the high level of inflation affects them severely. The vote of confidence in the government's mid term performance by a largely Sinhalese and rural electorate cannot end there. It must be built upon to include the other sections of the Sri Lankan population, especially the Tamil people of the Vanni who are presently running for their lives.

A cabinet paper on interim salaries of teachers would be submitted at parliament tomorrow, said Education Minister Susil Premajayantha.

He said that the present trade union action where a few groups of teachers have boycotted paper marking would not cause a delay in results or a delay in beginning of the 3rd school term would take place as a majority of teachers are indulged in paper marking.

“There are a considerable number of teachers indulged in paper marking and only a few groups involved in the trade union action since 20th. We hope that these teachers too would join following the submission of the cabinet paper” he said.

"We have got a mandate till 2010. Therefore, I am not in a hurry to hold a general election until then," President Mahinda Rajapakse said today (August 26th).

The President has emphasized this at a meeting with his cabinet at Temple Trees this morning.

However, Treasurer of the SLFP and Minister, Dallas Alahapperuma told the media yesterday that the government was prepared to take up the challenge by the UNP leader to hold a parliamentary election, without dissolving provincial councils.

Responding to this statement, General Secretary of The UNP, Tissa Attanayake said that the UNP repeated its call to the President not to hold min-elections and to go straight for parliamentary polls.

A loss amounting to millions of rupees will be incurred after the government yesterday (August 25th) signed a pact with an Iranian company to improve and expand the oil refinery in Sapugaskanda, said sources at the Ministry of Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development.

At initial discussions, the Sapugaskanda Refinery quality enhancement and expansion project was estimated to cost nearly US $ 700 million.

However, according to the agreement signed yesterday, the estimated cost of the project was US $ 1,500, an official of the Petroleum Ministry told ‘Lanka Dissent’.

The pact also demands that the Sri Lankan government should invest 30 per cent of the estimated sum to initiate the project, he added.

Noting that an enhancement project of a refinery would cost around $ 700 - 800, the ministry official said that spending such a huge sum was unacceptable.

He further said that the project has not even received approval of the cabinet.

Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Mohammed Reza Nematzadeh was in Sri Lanka recently to finalize the oil and petrochemical agreements between the two countries.

He met Petroleum Minister A.H.M. Fowzie and President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on August 23rd.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake yesterday said that as far as the Government is concerned there are no chemical weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction in the country.

Expressing his doubts on whether the LTTE has chemical weapons, he said he was certain of one thing, and that was, that the LTTE is on its last legs. "Our security forces have cornered them in their holes in a stretch of wilderness in the North of the country. We expect to be soon rid of this menace, weapons and all, but life must go on and people must always be alert," the Prime Minister said inaugurating Regional meeting of Asian Parliamentarians to discuss the National Implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention in Colombo where he was the Chief Guest.

"There is no harm in talking about such things, to be aware, and to guard against possible evil intentions harboured by others now, or in the future," he said.

As described by the CIA, LTTE is the most ruthless terrorist organisation in the world. "We have to be prepared and alert."

He stressed the need for all countries in the region to cooperate in combating the menace of terrorism as it is a scourge that afflicts and threatens all of us.


"Chemical weapons are weapons of terrorism. There are no peaceful uses for chemical weapons he said adding that when the British used gas to kill hundreds of Kurdish people in their wars in West Asia, early last century it was terrorism.

The arch imperialist Churchill justified it saying that "It is all right to kill niggers". That was the white man’s attitude, a lack of feeling for people of a different colour that accompanied the dropping of atomic bombs which massacred hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the World War II and those were weapons of mass destruction and that was terrorism. That was by the Americans, who were later to accuse Iraq’s Saddam Hussein of possessing weapons of mass destruction, despite the testimony of their own inspectors, that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Wickramanayake explained.

"These are the people who are now questioning our Human Rights record when we are fighting the "World’s most ruthless terrorist outfit," so named by them." He said.

The Prime Minister urged the regional leaders to cooperate in ridding the menace of terrorism and stressed that chemical weapons can be for no other purpose but terrorism.

Japan had offered employment opportunities under the Japan International Technical Cooperation Organization for welders, tailors, food processors, moulders and painters, Chairman Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Kingsley Ranawaka said.

A delegation from the JITCO, Japan will be in Sri Lanka on a two-day visit later this week to meet the SLBFE and employment agents.


The visit was on a request of the Minister of Foreign Employment Keheliya Rambukwella who visited Japan recently to discuss employment opportunities for Sri Lankans with the Japanese authorities, he said.

The SLBFE will train the prospective employees in the Japanese language, lifestyle and social habits as well as physical training to ensure that the candidates selected for employment were fit to work in Japan, he said.

At the moment there were a number of local agencies preparing people to go to Japan for employment and the SLBFE will coordinate with the agencies and ensure that a standard training is given to all candidates.

by Matthew Hemley

BBC Radio 4 is to explore the assassination of campaigning human rights journalist Richard de Zoysa, with a drama recorded entirely on location and featuring an all-foreign cast.

The Last Time I Saw Richard will run in the broadcaster’s The Friday Play slot in November, featuring drama alongside real-life testimonies from people who knew and worked with him.

It is being made by independent production company Art and Adventure, which makes its shows out of the studio and on location.

Last year, the company produced The Two Gentlemen of Valasna, an adaptation of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, for BBC Radio 3. The play transposed Shakespeare’s play from Italy to India and was recorded entirely on location in Maharashtra, with an all-Indian cast.

Producer Roger Elsgood told The Stage that recording the production in Sri Lanka would give it an authenticity that could not be achieved in a studio.

A well-known journalist and broadcaster, de Zoysa was shot and killed in 1990. After his death, reports claimed he was killed because of articles he had penned on human rights.

Elsgood said that he and the production’s director Willi Richards had used testimonies from those who knew de Zoysa to script the drama.

Meanwhile, Art and Adventure has also been commissioned to make an adaptation of the P C Wren novel Beau Geste.

A two-part serialisation, Beau Geste will be recorded on location in the UK and Algeria, and is scheduled to run on Radio 4 in the new year.

Elsgood, who is producing the drama, said: “It’s a rollicking boy’s own adventure. It just needed doing because it has not been done on radio forever. It was a commissioning opportunity Radio 4 seized.”

The story is being adapted by Graeme Fife. Casting has not yet been finalised, but Elsgood said the drama had parts for “good young actors” from the UK.

The new Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Hewa M.G.S. Palihakkara, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today.

Mr. Palihakkara, who currently serves on the Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters.

Network for Election Monitoring of Intellectuals for Human Rights (NEM IHR) continued its North Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial council election monitoring process since the beginning of August; and the following conclusions were arrived by taking the pre-election process, election day and post-election process in to consideration. NEM IHR concludes that the pre-election process was corrupted and post election situation is also considerably worst. However, when comparing to pre and post situations; the voting and casting on the election day was free of corruption.
Though irregularities took place in some areas they were not severe to affect the final result of the voting. Again post election violence has intensified causing damages to people and property of the area. NEM IHR came to this conclusion based on our observations and after analysing the reports we have received from our observers and the representatives of the political parties we used as a source of information in monitoring the election process. NEM IHR monitored the election since 01 st of August deploying observers on a divisional secretariat basis.
Results of the Election The election result was not corrupted due to several factors. Firstly, the new steps that have been taken by the Election Commissioner have been able to block the avenues that could make opportunity for fraudulent votes. New rule introduced by mandating the identity card to confirm the identification of the voters, is one such important measure. This has prevented vote rigging. However, our observers have reported that a large number of people were unable to cast their votes, due to unavailability of identity card and therefore they failed to prove the identification. Though the temporary identity cards were issued, there were issues in time taken to issue the temporary cards. Also, people were not introduced properly to the new rule and hence lack of awareness about the new rule caused problems for casting votes. This rule is a long felt need for the election process of the country and commencement of it is commendable. We, the election monitors can say the election result was not corrupted because of the situation created by this new regulation. Secondly, involvement of the civil society organisations, election monitors, religious leaders, media organisations and concerns expressed by the foreign missions in Colombo also contributed to prevent corruption. Despite the accusations made by opposition political parties on the biasness of the police during the pre election process, the Police’s services to prevent election malpractices on the election day was commendable. NEM IHR believes that this could be due to intensified pressure from civil society organisations and the media.
Pre election situation Although the election result is not corrupted, we cannot say that the election is free and fair, because the government used all the state power to win this election. This illegal and unethical election campaign of the gov ernment for the victory of the ruling party United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) violated all basic conditions that are essential for a free and fair election. First, the UPFA unleashed violence against the opposition political parties; Government ministers, UPFA candidates and supporters were involved in carrying out these violence activities. On the other hand the police turned a blind eye on it. Police miserably failed to maintain law and order in the two provinces and instead some of the police officers supported assault against the campaigns of the opposition parties. Activists of the opposition political parties were arrested without valid reasons while the complaints made by opposition parties against the UPFA violence was not even inquired. Secondly, a large number of government employees and public resources were used in the UPFA election campaign. A large number of vehicles belonging to ministries, government departments and other state institutions were also used in the UPFA campaign. Senior government officials used their power to gather junior officials and people for UPFA propaganda programmes. Public money spent for various development programmes such as infrastructure projects boldly targeted the election.
Thirdly, all the state media were used for the propaganda campaign of the UPFA and that had a massive impact on the election process. That impact was too significant at this election compared to previous elections in the recent pasts, the private media were unbiased or were in ethically acceptable limits in supporting one favored political party. According to all these factors, the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial councils election were not free and fair and as a whole it was a corrupted election. The result does not reflect the real opinion of the people. On the other side the violence that took place in this election, violatedthe democracy and freedom of the country.
All main political parties were engaged in organised violence during the election campaign, especially at the edge of the election, opposition political parties were also started to respond violently. NEM IHR recommends that, to ensure a free and fair election process in the country; v iolence, malpractices and use of public resources by the relevant parties should be stopped. This can be achieved by further strengthening the Election Commissioner’s power by empowering independent Election Commissioner and independent Police Commission. NEM IHR urges that it is right time to activate the independent commissions under the 17 th Amendment to the constitution.

At least 15 LTTE cadres and seven soldiers were killed in fighting in the Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Welioya areas as troops continued their offensive operations after capturing LTTE strongholds, military officials said.

Eight LTTE cadres were killed in Welioya area where the security forces said they have taken control of an 800 metre stretch Thannimuruppkulam tank after a fierce round of fighting.

Two soldiers were also killed in the Welioya area.

Two soldiers each were killed in Ariyamadu, of Mullaitivu and in Thunukkai on Monday while one soldier was killed in Pandiwelikulam in Kilinochchi.

Six more LTTE cadres were killed in Kilinochchi while another was killed in Vellankulam in Vavuniya.

Security forces were advancing into LTTE controlled areas after consolidating positions in the recaptured areas.

An ex-soldier was killed in a grenade explosion in Mudungoda, Balummahara in the Welieriya police area on Monday night.

The soldier identified as K.N.Ruwan Kumara, 34 was formerly attached to the Mechanical Engineering division of the Ambepussa camp.

Police said it was not clear whether he had exploded the grenade or he had been attacked with the greande.

An explosion has occurred in Kandalama today morning. The Police suspect a grenade to have caused the explosion. No one was injured from the blast.

The Geological survey Bureau said that there's no tsunami threat for Sri Lanka from the 6.6 magnitude quake close to Indonesia

Sri Lanka has assured India that there will be no firing by the Sri Lankan Navy on Indian fishermen hereafter, Indian National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan told Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi yesterday during a 40 minute long meeting.

Government defence spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday the need to hold another election did not arise, because of the decisive mandate given by the people in the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s war against terrorism.
“This election result is not only for war, but also for other government projects as well.
So the need to hold another election does not arise at this moment,” the Minister told the press at his Colombo residence.
He said troops were almost in the LTTE-held Kilinochchi area and would reach the east of Kilinochchi soon.
“I think our troops will gain control of Kilinochchi ahead of time,” the Minister said.
He said there was a time when Prabhakaran hiding in a bunker became the decisive factor in the southern political situation, but President Rajapaksa had changed it completely.
Referring to the comment made by UNP National Organiser S.B. Dissanayake the government had marketed military victories in the north at the provincial council elections, the Minister said.
“I thought Mr. Dissanayake is an experienced politician, but he has proved otherwise.
Any government would use its successful projects to win an election. This government too used its most successful project - the war against the LTTE - to win the election”.

Lanka Dissent
Dilan Perera has been asked to vacate his Justice portfolio by August 30th and to continue only as Port Development Minister, Justice Ministry sources said.
Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga had written to Mr. Perera yesterday (Aug. 25th), reminding him of a presidential directive that ministers having additional portfolios could retain only one ministry.
Only the late Sripathi Sooriarachchi had resigned from his additional portfolio the day after the directive came.
Several ministers, including Dilan Perera, Salinda Dissanayake and Ranjith Siyambalapitiya had earlier consented in writing to the request, and Mr. Perera had sent his undated letter of resignation.
Being busy with the provincial polls for the past few weeks, the president has now paid attention to the matter, and informed Messrs. Perera and Dissanayake that their resignations have been accepted.
In the meantime, the president had been notified of the trouble brewing in the Justice Ministry due to differences between Mr. Perera and Secretary Suhada Gamlath.
A senior official of the ministry told 'Lanka Dissent' that the acceptance of Mr. Perera's resignation had also been prompted by his remarks at the election platform that a senior SLFP minister would be appointed Prime Minister shortly, which had displeased the president.
Our attempts to obtain a response from Mr. Perera were unsuccessful, as he is overseas at present.

The leader of the Western People's Front had been summoned to the Police Terrorist Investigation Department at 11.00 am today (Aug. 26th).
A statement was to be obtained from Mano Ganeshan regarding a testimonial by a suspect in TID custody.
Speaker of Parliament W.J.M. Lokubandara has permitted the police to record a statement from the WPF leader.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has announced that the EU is seeking ways to use EU trade policy to provide relief for regions and businesses affected by the Tsunami in the Indian Ocean.
A possible measure is the fast-tracking of the adoption and implementation of the new Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) scheme which provides preferential access to imports from vulnerable developing countries. Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and India would be among the greatest beneficiaries of GSP scheme, with Sri Lanka receiving duty free access to the EU for almost all its GSP exports including its vital textile and clothing exports.

By Gaurav Ghose,
Dubai: With the number of outbound Arab travellers on the rise, a direct outcome of the region experiencing unprecedented economic prosperity, Sri Lankan tourism is diverting increased attention to tap into the growing traffic, a top Sri Lankan government official told Gulf News.
"Strong growth, especially with oil at more than $100 a barrel, the whole world is looking at the Middle Eastern travellers and we don't want to be left behind," said Faiszer Musthapha, Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Tourism. "We have been focusing on the region for the last two to three years and it has paid dividends."
For 2006 and 2007, traffic from the region has grown at an annual rate of 30 per cent and for the first six months of this year the growth has maintained the same momentum, the minister pointed out.
"Last year, we had about 20,000 Arab travellers and 30,000 expatriates of this region travelling to Sri Lanka," Musthapha said. "In terms of growth this has been the fastest growing market for our tourism industry when compared to other regions. Our promotion budget for the region has grown fivefold in the last two years."
Marketing strategies have included promoting Sri Lanka on Al Jazeera television, media familiarisation trips for the regional media and setting up a tourism promotion bureau in Dubai.
Air connectivity with the region over the last few years has also grown with more than 100 flights a week to the island nation. Emirates airlines, in this year's brochure, has promoted Sri Lanka as a prime holiday destination.
"We are very competitively priced. If you look at hotels, our rates are $150 per night compared to $200-$300 in other destinations and the facilities we offer is second to no other. It is value for money destination."
On a visit to UAE, Musthapha has been meeting hoteliers and tour operators to see how to drive up the traffic from the region to the island nation. Tourism strategies of the country are undergoing a change with an eye on this market, especially catering to the cultural and geographical needs of the travellers, the minister said. Malaysia comes in for a mention, by way of comparison.
"If you look at geographical proximity, you see a lot of Arab nationals going to Malaysia on holiday which is a long-haul destination. But Sri Lanka is only four-hour flight and we have all the diversity of what Malaysia has to offer," Musthpha said. "The country has a lot of greenery and cool destinations. Nuwereliya, Kandy and Colombo are some popular spots and with a 10 per cent Muslim population, the visitors can profess their faith without any worry."
Previously catering to European visitors primarily as a beach destination, the tourism board's recent focus on the Middle East has meant initiating a series of steps such as halal food being made available and ensuring privacy and more family type of accommodation and providing Qibla directions.
"Menu cards are now in Arabic and there are Arabic translators in hotel, with more and more staff of hotels being trained to speak in Arabic," the minister said.
Investments from the region to set up hotels and hospitality training schools are in the talks, he said.

Government of Sri Lanka says if the UNP wants a general election the government would arrange it in three months time. Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said on Monday the government would not avoid elections and follows democratic path.
Minister Dalas Alahapperuma requested the public cast aside political differences since the election is now over and contribute to defeat terrorism and build the national economy.
Responding government’s proposal General Secretary of the UNP Tissa Attanayake compared to the 2004 Provincial Council elections the UNP vote base has increased while the Government vote base has decreased.
"We challenge the govt to hold a general election instead of PC polls" he added.

Speaking to the Media on Monday he said voters faced a number of
obstacles created by the government against them. Despite all the treachery, tyranny, blatant lies, deceits ,election law violations , violence and corrupt activities , the government could not increase its number of votes received in both electorates . The number of votes were much lesser than what it received in 2004, he stated. On the other hand, although the Govt. is making bombast of its so called victory, the UNP had received over 70,000 votes in Sabaragamuwa and over 100,000 votes in NCP more than in the 2004 elections in these provinces, he added.

The Govt. is trying to paint a picture to the world that the elections was peaceful making just the election day look calm, after engaging in all the lawless activities and election violence .But, during the 60 days leading to the elections, it used all its thugs, hooligans, Ministers and stooges to commit the worst crimes of violence and assault on the opposition parties. Until the last day, just before elections it went on unabatedly on its rampage of death, despair and destruction against its opponents. On classic example is the wanton damage and assault inflicted on the UNP er Dr. John Pulle on the eve of elections. John Pulle’s residence and vehicles were burnt down causing a loss of over Rs. 50 million while he too was assaulted. Lawlessness in the country too was demonstrated when the Police who were there in hundreds, and a DIG present did nothing to obstruct the holocaust or protect the victim.

He asked why this government is wasting people’s money on untimely and uncalled for elections causing damage to person and property. If it really wants to prove its popularity, it can hold a General election whose result will be the people’s correct verdict. But, such elections cannot be allowed to be held as is done now by the Govt. without implementing the 17th amendment to the constitution which makes it mandatory the appointment of the Police Commission, Elections Commission, the Public Service Commission etc. The President is deliberately sidestepping and delaying this issue in order to exert his Executive powers illegally, politicize the State Institutions; and use the Police and State Bodies according to his whims and fancies, he exhorted.
Meanwhile Minister Keheliya Rambukwella charges that the UNP is presenting feeble arguments to cover up their severe defeat in the provincial council elections. UNP General Secretary Tissa Aththanayake has compared election results of 2004 and not the more recent election of 2005. The Minister pointed out that the JVP, which portrayed itself as the leaders of farmers, government workers and students have also experienced heavy defeat. He pointed out that the election is further proof of public approval to the President’s leadership in uprooting terrorism. The Minister added that this victory would be used as a blessing to advance towards an end to the terrorism issue.
SLFP General Secretary Minister Maithreepala Sirisena points out that the victory in the north-central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Elections is a victory of the President’s state policy and other affiliated parties.
UNP Democratic Group said that UNP claims that it has received a higher number of votes in Saturday’s election are totally false. Minister Dr. Rajitha Senarathne said in comparison to the last presidential election the UNP has lost around 100 thousand votes.

Troops operating from Welioya have taken control part of an irrigation tank after clashes in the area in which at least eight LTTE cadres were killed on Monday evening, the military said.

Troops were now in control of 800 metres of the Thannimuruppukulam tank bund and are continuing their operations .

Rebels made a futile attempt to come by boat and launch a counter attack on the troops.

Two bodies of the LTTE have been found while 11 others had been injured, the military said.

Colombo stocks came down at market close on Monday brought down by blue chips such as Bukit Darah, John Keells, Distilleries and Nestles.This sluggish trend is likely to continue tomorrow as well, stock analysts said.

Bukit Darah was down by Rs.44.25 to Rs.1555, John Keells was down by Rs.0.50 closing at Rs.99.50, Distilleries dropped by Rs.0.75 to Rs.82 and Nestles came down by Rs.3.75 to Rs.330.

Stock analysts said the market will show sluggishness and will be speculation driven with the indices showing volatility.

The All Share Index decreased by 4.74 points to 2,409.63 while the Milanka decreased to 8.36 points to 2,803.60 at stock market close and the turnover was at Rs.114 million.

The United National Party has assigned its two chief ministerial candidates at the provincial polls as members of the party's Working Committee.

Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided that Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera and popular actor Ranjan Ramanayake be appointed to the UNP WC with immediate effect.

This is in recognition of their contributions and skills shown at the polls for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils two days ago.

He made the announcement to the media at his office in Colombo on Monday.

The opposition leader designate for the NCP, Maj. Gen. Perera said he was more popular than Berty Premalal Dissanayake, comparing his 81 per cent preferential votes to his UPFA rival's 52 pc.

He claimed that Kachcheri sources had told him that he had polled 130,600 votes as against 79,000 votes for Mr. Dissanayake.

However, his son, the UPFA politician Duminda Dissanayake and a group had stormed the Kachcheri and changed the result, Maj. Gen. Perera alleged.

Also speaking at the media briefing, Mr. Ramanayake said the state media had excessively been used by the UPFA for its campaign.

Several artistes had been paid Rs. 15,000 each to sing hosannas of the present regime, he added.

The JHU says the result of the polls for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils is a public endorsement of the government's ongoing effort to wipe out Tamil separatism.

Secretary of the party Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera said in a statement that the people of the two provinces had given priority to the national issue over their educational, transport, health and other development problems.

Thanking the voters for handing down a landslide win for the UPFA, the JHU said it was also a defeat for the boastful words of UNP's Ranil Wickremesinghe that talks should resume with the Tigers.

The people are urging him to change his policies and go with the tide, without betraying the country and nation.

For the JVP, the JHU is advising to end its threats and strikes and extend support to overcome the challenge posed by terrorism.

Voters in the two provinces have also decisively crushed attempts by NGOs and foreign diplomatic missions to destabilize the government and to halt the forward march of the heroic soldiers in the Wanni offensive, the party statement added.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today issued show-cause notice to Ten Sports for not sharing feed of India- Sri Lanka ODI matches with Doordarshan in alleged violation of the government's notification on content sharing with Prasar Bharati.

A Bench comprising Justice Manmohan Sarin and Justice Veena Birbal sought response from Ten Sports by tomorrow on a petition filed by a cricket buff Ravi Dev Gupta seeking direction to Prasar Bharati to telecast the remaining (two) matches of the current ODI series.

"Show-cause notice be issued to Ten Sports as to why this court should not prohibit Ten Sports from telecasting matches scheduled for tomorrow and on August 29 unless they (Ten Sports) share live feed with Prasar Bharati," the court said.

D K Singh, counsel for the petitioner, contended that government had issued notification on October 3, 2007 under Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing of Feed with Prasar Bharati) notifying ODIs and T-20 cricket matches involving India as matches of national importance -- feed of which should be shared with Prasar Bharati by the respective telecast rights owner.

Counsel for Prasar Bharati Rajeev Sharma informed the court that on the request of public broadcaster, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued notice to Ten Sports for violating Sports Broadcasting Signals notification and threatened to cancel the channel's licence.

Directing the registry and the counsel for Centre to send the show-cause notice to the sports channel, the court indicated that it would pass ex-parte interim order if the channel failed to file its response by tomorrow.

CMEV deployed stationary observers in 420 polling stations, 11 mobile teams and 28 field monitors in the two provinces. During the course of the day 976 polling stations were visited of the 1768 polling stations in both provinces.

CMEV notes that apart from a few serious incidents and in comparison with previous provincial elections, Polling Day of the elections to the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial Councils was relatively incident free. The expectations of violence that were based on the incidence of violence in the last three days of the campaign in particular, were fortunately not met. Accordingly, CMEV acknowledges the positive impact of the announcement by the Election Commissioner that he would order a re-poll in areas where violence and malpractice were confirmed to have occurred, as well as his decision to strengthen law enforcement in the areas that recorded high levels of violence throughout the campaign. Likewise, CMEV also acknowledges the positive impact of the actions of the police in those areas where its presence and commitment was reinforced.

As emphasized in its earlier communiqué of today (Communique 6, August 23, 2008), the effective disenfranchisement of voters on account of them not having the required identity documentation, is a cause for serious concern. No citizen should be deprived of the fundamental right to exercise franchise. Be it because of a failure of communication or administrative delay, the resulting, effective disenfranchisement of voters has deprived citizens of the right to participate in the basic process of choice and change in a functioning democracy. This needs to be addressed as a matter of priority. CMEV strongly urges the Elections Commissioner to initiate an independent inquiry into what transpired and to hold to account officials found to be responsible for this. We also strongly urge the authorities to take similar action in respect of local officials who are found to be similarly responsible.

CMEV has supported the mandatory use of the National Identity Card (NIC) for voter identification, but reiterated that its use for this purpose should not result in the deprivation of fundamental rights and to the disadvantage of citizens. Consequently, we repeat our call for the expediting of the issue of NICs. The prospect of further elections in the near future, underscores the importance and urgency of this.

In this context, CMEV also repeats it call for the full implementation of the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the establishment of independent commissions for elections and the police - an issue which the constituent organizations of CMEV have, and continue to lobby and litigate on.

In the course of these elections, CMEV also monitored the media coverage of the election campaign. We found that in the case of both the print and electronic media, state controlled media organs were comprehensively biased in favour of the ruling coalition. The private print media organs were also found to exhibit partisan bias. CMEV calls on the Commissioner, to issue guidelines to the media, even during provincial elections and reminds the state media in particular, of a primary obligation to serve the public interest. We call upon all media organs to observe internationally recognized guidelines for reporting during elections.

An illustrative sample of the incidents of violence and malpractice reported by CMEV monitors is provided below.

Assault of a polling agent and parliamentarian
At least four JVP supporters were assaulted near the Galthamburawa Junior School (Polling Station 92) in the Polonnaruwa Electorate. One of the assaulted included JVP candidate Chandraratna Kumara. JVP parliamentarian S.K Subasinghe who rushed to the scene was instructed to report to the nearest police station. While Mr. Subasinghe was enroute to the station, he was pulled over by a gang of UPFA supporters and attacked. Mr. Subasinghe and three of his supporters sustained injuries. They were all admitted to the hospital with injuries. The JVP has alleged that the attackers were supporters of Minister Maithripala Sirisena's brother, Chaminda Sirisena, a UPFA provincial council candidate for the North Central Province. This incident, which occurred at around 4.45 p.m, was reported to CMEV by the JVP.

Two children hurt in attack on UNP candidate
A vehicle belonging to UNP provincial candidate G.P.K Kumara Nelson was stoned near the Bandiweva Maha Vidyalaya (Polling Station 71), Jayanthipura, Polonnaruwa Electorate, Polomaruwa District. Two children who were by the road side were injured during the course of the attack and were admitted to the Polonnaruwa hospital. They alleged that UPFA persons had stoned the vehicle.

Election monitor assaulted in Kegalle
A monitor connected to the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) was assaulted by supporters of UPFA Chief Ministerial candidate Mahipala Herath near the Walpola Junior School (No. 15) in Rambukkana. The mob had used a T- 56 rifle to carry out their attack. The victim, Sampath Kumara, was admitted to the Kegalle Hospital.

Threat and intimidation of candidates, polling agents and supporters
Prabath Weerawansa, son of the UPFA former minister G. Weerawansa, had threatened to kill National People's Party Polling Agent Senaka Chandana at the Polling Station at the Olambawa Community Hall (Polling Station 13), in the Kekirawa Electorate, in the Anuradhapura District. At the same Polling Station, Prabath Weerawansa and his supporters had also damaged the vehicle of Priyaranjana Rathnayake, a National People's Party candidate.

In Wiyeyaramaya Polling Station (Polling Station 11) in Kalaweva Electorate, Anuradhapura District, a UPFA Rajangana Pradeshiya Sabha representative D.M. Wimarshana Prabath Vithana threatened a UNP supporter named P. Sampath Rajindra.

Voter intimidation
Two separate incidents of voter intimidation were reported from Wee-Oya Junior School (Polling Station 29) and Malalpola Maha Vidyalaya (Polling Station 18) both in the Yatiyantota Electorate, Kegalle District. In both incidents unidentified persons who drove in Defender Jeeps had shot into the air. CMEV was informed by the Senior Presiding Officers in both stations that they had not witnessed the incidents but had heard gunshots. CMEV was informed that other Polling Officers had witnessed the incidents. It was also reported that police officers were witnesses to the incident but had not taken any action.

A JVP supporter reported to the CMEV an incident at the Aralaganwila Ruhunagama Veeralanda Junior School (Polling Station 7), in Polonnaruwa Electorate, where UPFA supporters threatened JVP supporters.

In R/Udugala Vidyalaya (Polling Station 17) and R/Pimbura Vidyalaya (Polling Station 19) in the Kalawana Electorate in the Ratnapura District, UPFA candidate Lambert Bandara and his supporters threatened and intimidated voters.

Voter Impersonation
It was reported that 12 persons attempted to cast their votes at 9.40 a.m. at the A/Heambawewa Junior Secondary School (Polling Station 29), Anurdhapura West Electorate, Anurdhapura District using false identification.

At Sumanagala Vidyalaya (Polling Station 28) in the Anuradhapure West Electorate, a farmer named R.M Ratnayake was not allowed to vote as the SPO informed him that his vote had already been cast. He was told that his vote had been cast via a postal vote by an army officer of the same name. The application to file this vote was requested by Maj. Gen. M.J.K Jayapriya, commander of the Kavachikkuda army camp.

Voter transportation in Mihintale
UNP provincial council candidate H.M Prasanna Sugath Herath transported voters to the A/Ganthiriyagama Maha Vidyalaya (Polling station 42), in the Mihintale Electorate, Anurdhapura District. He used a white Tipper vehicle bearing license plate number 48-5961 for this purpose.

Damage to property
Supporters of Chief Minister candidate of UPFA in Sabaragamuwa Province, Maheepala Herath who had arrived in seven vehicles and attacked a cab bearing the number plate 56-2218 belonging to the JVP in front of the in Pinnawala Central College (Polling Station 27), Rambukkana, Kegalle District.

Inability to vote due to lack of proper documentation
CMEV has reported that a number of voters both in the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces were deprived of their right to vote because of the lack of appropriate identity documents. CMEV spoke to the National Organiser of the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC), Mr. Yogarajan who stated that out of approximate 95,000 Upcountry Tamils who are registered voters in the Sabaragamuwa Province 10% were unable to cast their vote because of this. CMEV has also received reports from its monitors and political parties of other incidents of this nature, suggesting that the overall figure in both provinces of those who were effectively disenfranchised could be high. As at the close of polls, CMEV had received reports of over 570 persons being so deprived in the areas of Dedigama, Deraniyagala, Eheliyagoda, Kegalle, Kolonna, Mawanella, Rambukkana, Ruwanwella and Yatiyantota in the Sabaragamuwa Province and Anuradhapura West, Horowapathana, Kekirawa, Medawachchiya, Polonnaruwa in the NCP.

According to a notice issued by the Election Commissioner on 16th July 2008, eight forms of identification were listed as accepted documentation for voting. A clear procedure was set out in the above notice which provides alternatives for those who lack any of the eight forms of identification.

Some of the incidents encountered were:

Sabaragamuwa
The majority of incidents reported to CMEV regarding the lack of proper documentation were made in the Kegalle District. In the Kegalle Electorate at the Hettimulla Bandaranaike M.V, 40 persons were not allowed to cast their votes as the SPO did not recognize the identification presented by the voters, which was authorized by the Grama Sevaka. A similar incident has been reported in the Ambuwangala Junior School (Polling Station 44) Rambukkana Electorate, Kegalle District. 10 persons were denied permission to vote in this instance. As the SPO was unable to recognize their IDs as valid, 15 persons were turned away from the Polling Station at the Hinguralakanda Maha Vidyalaya (Polling Station 36) in the Deraniyagala Electorate, Kegalle District. At Deewala Maha Vidyalala, Hall number 1 and 2 (Polling Stations 6 and 7) in the Kegalle Electorate, 36 voters were turned away due to ID issues. In the Kegalle District, in the Mawanella Electorate, 20 voters were turned away from Udamakadawara Junior School Hall Number 1 (Polling Station 20) as the SPO was unable to verify their identification. In two different polling stations in the Ruvanwella Electorate, Kegalle District voters were turned away. Also in the Ruvanwella Electorate, the Anguruwella Pre School (Polling Station 33) 3 persons were turned back at 7 45 am and at the Gonagala North Kanishta Vidyalala (Polling Station 24), 5 persons were turned back at 8 am.

CMEV received reports of differing standards being used in neighbouring polling stations. For example, there were reports of persons being able to vote without the requisite documentation in the Garagoda Muslim Vidayalaya (No 10) in Yatiyantota Electorate, Kegalle District. In contrast, persons were not allowed to vote in the nearby Panawatta Tamil Vidyalaya (No12) due to the lack of proper documentation.

CMEV monitors also received complaints from the Rathnapura Districts. In the Eheliyagoda Electorate of Ratnapura District at the Minnawa Sri Muchalindaramaya Polling Station (Polling Station 07), a large number of persons were turned away from the Polling booth due to the lack of National Identity cards.

North Central Province
There were a few incidents of voters not being allowed to vote in the North Central Province, particularly from Anurdhapura District. In the Anuradhapura Morahewa Vidyalaya (Polling Station 10), Horowpothana Electorate, Anuradhapura District, between 7:00am to 1:20 pm, CMEV monitor reported that about 100 voters were sent back by the SPO because they did not have a proper ID card and thus were unable to vote. In the Adampane Sudharshana Maha Vidyalaya (Polling Station 04), Anurahapura West Electorate, four voters had turned up without any of the eight forms of identification, but with the Grama Seveka certification. The Senior Presiding Office did not, however permit them to vote. Five persons have turned up without Identity Cards but with GS certification to vote at the Maha Bulankualama Vidyalaya Polling Station (Polling Station 54), Anuradhapura West Electorate, Anuradhapura District but the Senior Presiding Officer has not permitted them to vote. Eight persons were not allowed to cast their votes because the Senior Presiding Officer has refused them permission to vote because the IDs that they presented were a form of identification authorized only by the Grama Sevaka. This incident occurred in at the Anuradhapura Maha Bulankulama Vidyalaya (Polling Station 54), Anurdhapura West at 9.10am. Approximately 25 voters were sent back between 7:00am and 1:50pm,by the Senior Polling Officer at the Anuradhapura Moragahadigiliya Viduhala (Polling Station 07), Horowpothana Electorate, Anuradhapura District reportedly due lack of identity cards.

In Yodhaela Maha Vidayalaya (Polling Station 50) in Minneriya, Polonnaruwa District the JVP complained that persons were able to vote with a document attested by the GS. At the Yodhaela Maha Vidyalaya Polling station, Mineriya Electorate, Polannaruwa District, voters were allowed to use a letter issued by the GS as formal identification. However, at polling stations in some of the other polling stations, the Senior Polling Officers refused to recognize such a letter.

Continuation of campaigning on Election Day
In the Ruwanwella Electorate, Kegalle District, Kananthota Suleimaniya Muslim Vidyalaya (No.38)at 9 .05 am, supporters of Nihal Farook (UNP) had been seen near the polling station telling voters to vote for Nihal Farook.

A large numbers of leaflets and posters of UPFA Chief Minister Candidate Mahipala Herath were distributed at Polling stations Kalugala Rural Development Society Hall (Polling Station 1), Puwakdeniya Junior School (Polling Station 3), Beragala Junior School (Polling Station 22) and Paragammana Dharamapala Junior School (Polling Station 26) in the Kegalle Electorate, Kegalle District.

Supporters of UPFA Chief Minister candidate Bertie Premalal Dissanayake and UPFA candidate Udaya Nalin Wijeyaratne were seen distributing small cards bearing their names and candidate numbers to voters. This incident occurred around 10am within 200 metres of the Kidavarampulam Vidyalaya (Polling Station 50), in Madawachchiya in the Anuradhapura District.

The leaflets bearing the details of candidate no. 22, Dushmantha Mithrapala of UPFA, have been spotted near the polling station in Deraniyagala Junior School (Polling Station 22) in Deraniyagala Electorate, Kegalle District.

Distribution of election related materials
In the Pollonaruwa District, at the Sarvodaya District Center (Polling Station 83), in New Town Pollonnaruwa, UPFA candidate Peshala Jayaratne's supporters distributed election related materials using a trishaw bearing number plate QC- 8870.

Restriction of access to the Polling Station
In the Dereniyagla Electorate of Kegelle District, Sabaragamuwa Province, near the Basnagala Polling Station (Polling Station 04), obstruction of road access to the polling station had been engineered by cutting and placing of two trees on the road.

Monitor obstructed from entry
A CMEV stationary monitor was denied entry into a polling station by the SPO at A/Ganthiriyagama Maha Vidyalaya (Polling Station 42), Mihinthale Electorate, Anuradhapura District. After speaking with the police, and a further delay of 15 minutes, the monitor was allowed inside.

CMEV monitor reprimanded by SPO
In the Anuradhapura East Electorate, at the D.S. Senanayake School (Polling Station 39), the CMEV stationary monitor was reprimanded by the SPO. The polling officer had also refused to sign the CMEV personnel's monitoring sheet.

UPFA complains of bias
CMEV has received a complaint from the UPFA that at the Kadawathmaduwa Dharmapala Junior School (Polling Station 63), Polonnaruwa Electorate, that the SPO and his staff were biased toward the UNP supporters.

Sri Lankan journalist, accused under the country's Prevention of Terrorism Act, has been remanded in custody.
JS Tissainayagam was held for five months before he was charged with bringing the government into disrepute and stirring up communal disharmony.
Campaigners say Sri Lanka is fast becoming one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists.
They say that Sri Lanka's government is trying to stifle criticism of the war against the Tamil Tigers.
At least 12 journalists have been killed in Sri Lanka since August 2005.
Widespread attention
JS Tissainayagam stood silently in the dock at Colombo's High Court as his lawyers appealed for bail.
But the State Council opposed it on the grounds that he has been charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Mr Tissainayagam's case has received widespread attention in Sri Lanka.
Sunanda Deshapriya of the Free Media Movement said it showed Sri Lanka's government was willing to go to any lengths to suppress critical reporting of the war against the separatist Tamil Tigers.
Mr Tissainayagam was held for more than five months before he was charged with publishing and distributing a magazine, alleged to have brought the government into disrepute.
He is also accused of collecting money from non-governmental organisations for running the magazine.
Professor Rajiva Wijesinha of the Ministry of Human Rights said journalists had to be careful to make sure what they write could not be used by "terrorists".
If the security forces felt people were acting against national security, against the law, it was not for others to tell them not to proceed, he added.

Nine children between the ages of 3 and 12 and two adults have been admitted to the Kalutara hospital after mistakenly consuming a poisons fruit which has a cyanide content, Director of the Hospital Dr. Nanda Waduge said.

The children who had gone into the jungle to collect firewood in an area close to Aluthgama had collected these fruits assuming it to be ‘Himbutu’ which is usually eaten.

The children on return to their homes had made further inquiries whether it was safe to eat and some of the parents had said it was safe.

Soon after consuming the fruits they had started vomiting and fallen ill.

Dr. Waduge said one of the children was serious as he had eaten more fruits than the others. All of them are warded at the Kalutara hospital.

“These children may face complications in the future as it could have an impact on internal organs such as liver”, he said.

He said the fruit has been identified as “Hondala” and earlier the Health Education Bureau had educated the people on the danger of this fruit.

He said though there is popular yam known as “Hondala”, this particular fruit was from a different tree.

JVP Leader challenged the NFF to contest future elections to show their political strength and not making allegations against the JVP.He said the NFF wanted to remove him from the party leadership.
Responding NFF allegations Mr.Somawansa Amarasinghe said the JVP follows democratic path and the members of the JVP could remove or appoint their leadership in any moment.
Speaking at a press conference held on Monday in Colombo he said the recent election results show a setback of the JVP. However he said it would not changed political activities and the policies of the party .
“We faced similar setbacks during our party history .We could overcome those setbacks .Politically these election results do not show people’s verdict and it would not represent the whole country, he said.
Responding questions made by the media he said the JVP would not join with the UNP or the UPFA.
“It is not our policy, he explained.
On Saturday provincial council election the JVP obtained only three seats from Anuradhapura, Ratnapura and Kegalle. The party could not obtain a seat from Polonnaruwa which was a JVP supportive district.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake addressing a press conference today stated that compared to the 2004 Provincial Council elections the UNP vote base has increased while the Government vote base has decresed. "We challenge the govt to hold a general election instead of PC polls" he added.

Minister Dullas Alahapperuma today said today that if the UNP wants a general election now, the Goverment will go for one in three months.

JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said today that the Provincial Council Poll results do not portray the true mandate or opinion of people.

UNP MP Palitha Ranga Bandara's office in Anamaduwa has been burnt by an unknown gang yesterday night. Police said that the office had been totally destroyed and the damage estimated to be over Rs. 1 million.

According to the finalized military report received from the battle front said 7 LTTE terrorists were killed and another 2 suffered injuries due to the clashes ensued in Mullaittivu, Vavuniya, Jaffna and Welioya fronts yesterday, 24 August. 6 more terrorists also reportedly either killed or wounded.

Troops of Task Force 1 operating in Mullaittivu district gunned down an LTTE terrorist in general area Thunukkai. Meanwhile, another soldier suffered injuries while engage in mine clearing operations in Yogapuram area in same front. Separately, troops of Task Force 2 operating in Vavuniya district had confronted with a group of LTTE terrorists killing at least two.

Troops of 59 Division operating in Welioya front had series of confrontations in north of Janakapura, Kiriibbawewa and Andankulam areas. 3 LTTE terrorists were killed two others suffered injuries due to these confrontations. 6 more terrorists were either killed or wounded, the report said citing ground troops. Meanwhile, one soldier also suffered injuries while conducting mine clearing operations in general area Andankulam.

Troops have unearthed 34 anti-personnel mines and 4 IED's from Andankulam and north of Janakapura areas in 59 Division conducting mine clearing duties in recently liberated areas through out the day.

In Jaffna front, army snipers gunned down an LTTE terrorist in general area Kilaly. Two army soldiers suffered injuries while performing duties at forward defence positions in general area Ponnar and Muhamalai.

Separately, on information received STF personnel have found a T-56 weapon along with some other warlike items from general area Kurukulmadam, Batticaloa. 114 T-45 rounds, 2 Magazines, 3 Micro Pistol rounds are also found during this search operation.

CHENNAI: In a swift pre-dawn operation, Narcotics Control Bureau sleuths arrested a drug peddler who was evading arrest for many years, The Hindu newspaper reported.
Chellappa Saguneswaran, 42, of Vavuniya was picked up from a lodge at Periamet on Saturday.NCB sources said the police intercepted a person identified as Shanmuganathan a resident of Colombo at the Chennai international airport on Friday night when he was about to board a plane to Sri Lanka. A search of his baggage brought out 750 gram of heroin concealed in an oven and electric cooker.

Enquiries revealed that Mr. Shanmuganathan had no knowledge of the drug being stuffed in the baggage, and that he had only agreed to hand over the materials given by his friend, Saguneswaran, to a family in Colombo.

Based on the inputs given by the passenger, a NCB team launched a manhunt for the suspect in Chennai and neighbouring districts.

Taking its cue from the mobile phone communication and tower location, the team raided hotels in suspected areas. At about 2 a.m. the police located Mr. Saguneswaran in a lodge at Periamet.

He was in possession of another 750 gram of heroin. He confessed that on August 14, he smuggled to Sri Lanka 2 kg of heroin, with the help of an agent in Tuticorin.

“Saguneswaran is a big time drug peddler who was formerly a teacher in a school at Vavuniya. Though he was into drug business for years, he managed to keep his identity and movements secret. Investigations are out to find out the source and supply network of the contraband,” NCB South Zonal Director S. Davidson Devasirvatham told The Hindu.

The suspect was using carriers who had no knowledge that they were transporting drugs. The NCB was investigating the possibility of Saguneswaran’s links with the banned LTTE, the sources said.

Two wild elephants were killed after being knocked down by the mail train from Colombo Fort to Batticaloa causing derailment, the Anuradhapura Railway control office said.

The accident had occurred yesterday morning at Karandapatana close to the Horiwila railway station between Kekirawa and Palugaswela. A spokesman of the Anuradhapura Railway Control Room said that a wild elephant knocked down by the train lay dead under the engine while another was dying by the track.

Another two elephants were also hit by the train and have crept into the jungle with injuries, train passengers said. According to information, the villagers were looking for the injured elephants. The Railway Control Room said action has been taken to clear the track.

By Sunimalee Dias

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said that renovation of the Kankasanthurai port is a “tough task” in view of the current ongoing projects in four other ports in the country.

The government has expressed interest in opening up the Kankasanthurai port following the capture of some key areas, SLPA Acting Chairman Priyath Bandu Wickrama said.

In an interview with the Daily Financial Times he said that they were currently discussing the development of the harbour and believed it would take some time in view of the security clearance required in this respect from the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN).The opening of this harbour would be carried out in a bid to ensure that essential commodities are being transported to the North and East for which currently facilities are not in place, the acting chairman stated.

The required improvement has been called for by the government as they have come up with plans to ensure that the port will be operational and in full gear before the end of this year.

It was mentioned that currently the SLPA is engaged in work relating to the inspection of the breakwater of the port while at the same time conducting discussion with the SLN in addition to yard and road renovation.

SLPA is expected to obtain monetary assistance from the Treasury for the renovation work at the Kankasanthurai port. Meanwhile, the SLPA is gearing up to call for tenders for the Colombo South Port next month. He noted that the first tender was cancelled in view of the “national interest”.

The Colombo Port Expansion Project (CPEP) as it is referred to, is currently in progress, Wickrama observed adding that they were engaged in dredging work parallel to which they were building the breakwater.

The progress on the CPEP is lagging due to the policies adopted previously if not it should have completed work in 2007, it was pointed out. In the meantime, the Hambantota port is progressing according to the scheduled time which would be operational by mid 2010 while the CPEP is expected to be in operation by 2011/12, Wickrama said.

Construction work on the Oluvil port has commenced while tenders for the construction of the Galle port is currently under evaluation.

“We are planning to start construction by end October,” he said.

Army infantrymen and commandos of Task Force 1 continued their counter terror operations on the Kilinochchi southern front enduring heavy terror resistance on Sunday (Aug 24). Reports indicate that 4 terrorists were killed and at least 4 others wounded in the clashes occurred from 6 AM to 4 PM in the Nachchikudha area. Also, 10 soldiers suffered injuries during these clashes.

Separately in the Kariyalaimoddai area , 3 soldiers suffered injuries due to a booby trap explosion around 4.45 PM.

On the Mullaittivu eastern front, troops of Army 59 division attacked and captured an LTTE bunker and a Mortar pit located in the Andankulama last afternoon. Troops claimed 7 terrorists were either killed or wounded in the incident.

Army and Civil Defence Force personnel while conducting a search operation in general area Olugaskada at Abimanpura, Kebithigollewa have recovered few ammunitions and hand grenades today(August 25), at 7a.m.

A map, 01x compass and 2x cyanide capsules were also among the items found, security sources said. Several water cans and food rations was also found, the sources added.

Following is the list of items recovered during the combined search operation.

T-56 assault rifle 01

T-56 Magazines 04

T-56 rounds 120

Hand Grenades 02

Maps 01

Compass 01

Cyanide capsules 02

Mobile phones 01

Belt order 01

Pack 01

The Chief Ministerial candidates of the UNP, Ranjan Ramanayake and retired Major General Janaka Perera have received the most number of preferential votes at the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial Council polls.

Mr. Ramanayake received 130,258 preferential votes while the UPFA's Mahipala Herath received 98,120 votes in Sabaragamuwa.

In the North Central Province, Maj. Gen. Perera received 116,430 preferential votes while the UPFA's Berty Premalal Dissanayake received 105,588 votes.

MUMBAI: For a car that has caught the fancy of the world, getting the Rs1-lakh Nano out on time now seems a herculean task.
Tata sources say that, the ball is in the state government’s court. “Should the uncertainty continue, the Company will take a call and decide if it makes sense to continue in Singur. Till then, Tata Motors is determined to wait and stick to its original schedule for the Nano rollout from there,” they added.

But its vendor fraternity, which supplies key parts for the Nano, is not as optimistic.
“We will monitor the situation and then reach a decision on installing machinery there,” some key suppliers for the project told DNA. Most of them are wary that Tata Motors may relocate the plant, if the agitation gets out of hand. “Investments could be over Rs 50 crore for each supplier on an average, and this would mean a hefty loss, at a time when we are coping with high input costs,” they said. Many now feel that supply of parts can be done from their plants across India to Singur, if tension persists. That, this would increase their logistics cost, is a “small sacrifice”, they maintain.

And, even if Tata Motors decides enough is enough and commissions the project at Uttarakand, as is widely believed, it would take at least six months for the assembly line to be reinstalled in the new facility. This would mean the Nano will hit the roads in the last quarter of the fiscal (Jan-March) and not this October as planned.

Though the Company has not officially gone on record with estimates, the Singur impasse has caused production for the Nano to be halved from the original 96,000 units this year, to 50,000. Now, it looks this will be down to barely 30,000, though Tata Motors could make up in 2008-09 with over 150,000 cars.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States Jaliya Wickramasuriya has written to Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona, seeking his Ministry’s assistance to rebut a recent article published in the Washington Times.

However, Wickramasuriya’s request to Kohona has been frowned upon by Ministry officials, who pointed out that, the Sri Lankan Mission in Washington was availing the services of a US public relations company to the cost of some US$ 600,000 to counter any negative publicity on Sri Lanka and thus, in such a context, questioned the logic of seeking the Ministry’s assistance.

“What is the point in obtaining the assistance of a PR company for thousands of dollars, if they are going to continue to use the Ministry’s assistance for rebuttals? This is yet another display of wastage of public money,” sources noted.

Wickramasuriya, it is learnt, had written to Kohona on Thursday, requesting his Ministry’s assistance to draw up a rebuttal against an article titled ‘A Genocide Inquiry?’ published on August 20, written by Constitutional Lawyer Bruce Fein, who is also a representative for Tamils Against Genocide, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to the prosecution of perpetrators of genocide against Tamils.

The Sri Lankan Ambassador, it is learnt, had also sought legal advice on what should be done against the article, which lambasted Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
In his article, Fein had criticised Rajapaksa’s role in Sri Lanka and had also criticised the United States Government for adopting double standards on Sri Lanka.

The PR company services availed by the Lankan mission in the United States is tasked with lobbying to paint a ‘rosy picture’ on Sri Lanka and to counter and mitigate any negative publicity against the country or the government.
The company has also been tasked with interacting with human rights organisations, NGOs, political leaders and opinion makers in the United States to build Sri Lanka’s image.

The State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) may face closure soon due to the serious financial crisis it is facing.
All Ceylon Health Services Union (ACHSU) has pointed out that if the Health Ministry fails to pay the staggering Rs. 1.3 billion which it owes SPC for purchasing medicine during 2007, SPC might have to shut down.

ACHSU Chairman Gamini Kumarasinghe told The Nation that the Ministry was not taking any steps to pay the massive sum of Rs. 1.3 billion, but was continuing to make excuses instead.

“The latest excuse given by the Ministry officials is that the Treasury is not replying to their request. But they should realise that millions of people will be deprived of a place to buy medicine at a cheap price if SPC closes down,” Kumarasinghe said.

Kumarasinghe emphasised that SPC was facing a severe financial crisis and was running on the income it received by selling local medicines, since it was unable to import medicines from abroad.

“The SPC is not functioning properly, nor does it have sufficient money to buy medicines from the international market. This situation will ultimately lead to the closure of the SPC,” Kumarasinghe warned.

He further added that since the SPC was facing a financial crisis, it had not been able to pay staff salaries and other allowances properly, with most of the allowances being paid only partly.

People’s Action For Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) yesterday called on the government to implement the 17th Amendment before holding future elections.

It also claimed that if the independent bodies that should have been appointed if the 17th amendment had been implemented had been in place, it would have led to much freer and fairer elections.

“If we want to build confidence in democratic institutions, we should first implement mechanisms that ensure the independent functioning of these institutions,” said PAFFREL Chairman Kingsley Rodrigo. “We also ask the government to hold all the Provincial Council elections at once,” he added.

PAFFREL also criticised the political parties for basing their political propaganda on issues like the war in the north instead of focusing on more pressing issues like gaining the rights given to Provincial Councils by the 13th amendment.
“This is doubly important given the fact that the government wishes to implement this system in both the north and the east,” a press release issued by the PAFFREL stated.

Although the election was held under relatively peaceful conditions, PAFFREL expressed its concern over instances of post election violence.
Pointing at several violent incidents, including attacks on JVP MPs, PAFFREL requested the government to take action to ensure the safety of supporters and members of all parties.

Eleven market leaders and high-ranking officials of the Gem and Jewellery Trade Association of China will visit Sri Lanka to participate in the FACETS Sri Lanka 2008.

The FACET 2008, International Gem and Jewellery Show will be held from September 6-9 at the BMICH.

Having observed the market potential for the Sri Lanka jewellery industry in China, the Sri Lanka Embassy officials initiated this visit in consultation with the Gem and Jewellery Association of Sri Lanka.

China’s jewellery market is coming of age after years since the early 1990s. Statistics show that the jewellery market earns over CNY 100 billion (HK$ 96.1 billion) annually, and China is expected to become one of the world’s largest consumer markets.

"I see the convincing victory by the United People's Liberation Front (UPFA) at the elections to the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils held yesterday as a victory for all our people who love our motherland. It is an election where the country has won. While thanking the people of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura, and Kegalle Districts and all others, who contributed to this victory, I call upon them to enjoy their success in peace.

"I express my humble gratitude for the new people's mandate given to the "Mahinda Chinthana" through the free and fair election held yesterday.

"There is no doubt that public opinion represented in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces is the opinion of the entire country. While the majority of our people have been able to defeat the many vicious efforts of forces that were ranged against the country, the strength and morale that our heroic troops will receive from this victory in their battles to finally end bloody terrorism from our country is immeasurable.

"My government and I give foremost place to the country, and its people. This public mandate has given greater strength and courage to expedite and energize our march to protect the country and awaken the people.

I repeat the plea I made to you in the Presidential Election of 2005 to help build a country that is free of the differences of political party, colour and all such differences. I wish to state that the door remains open for those who have delayed to join us on that march.

"I also take his opportunity to extend my thanks to the Commissioner General of Elections, all public officers, and all sections of the armed services and police for the commendable work they have done for the conduct of a free and fair election.

Security forces continued multi-pronged offensives from its advanced positions in the Kilinochchi, Mullaittivu and the Eastern Wanni battlefronts Saturday (August 23) as military claimed killing at least 28 terrorists, while injuring 19 others according to the finalized military reports received.

The Army infantrymen has launched assaults at identified LTTE strong-points and gathering locations also assisted with heavy artillery and aerial fire support, Wanni security sources said. According to military, pitched fighting were reported from Vannerkerni, Palamoddai and Andankulama general areas respectively at the Kilinochchi, Mullaittivu and the Eastern battlefronts.

2 soldiers have laid their lives, while 9 others were reported wounded in the days' confrontations with LTTE in Wanni.

On the Eastern Wanni battlefront in Mullaittivu District, troops of the 59 Division have now advanced approximately 15km Northwards from its initial positions at Janakapura, Kiriibbanwewa and Kokkuthuduwai, security sources said.

The fighting was reported since 8a.m., and lasted till late evening at Andankulama military said. 14 terrorists were killed and similar numbers wounded as reported during the confrontations erupted between troops and LTTE. A soldier has laid his life and 3 others also sustained injuries in the battles, military added.

Meanwhile, troops of the Task Force-2 operating West of the A-9 trunk road have also gained tactical ground dominance in general area Palamoddai despite heavy resistance from the LTTE. 9 LTTE terrorists were reported killed and 5 others injured as troops further claimed destroying 2 LTTE bunkers and seizing control over a trench line in the same area.

According to military, an LTTE body along-with a T-56 assault riffle was also found during a subsequent search operation conducted in the area. Also, 2 soldiers have received injuries due to anti-personnel (AP) mine explosions at Palamoddai.

At the Kilinochchi battlefront, troops of the Task Force-1 advancing along the Mannar-Pooneryn(A-32) main road has reached Vannaerikkulama area in the outskirts of Nachchikudha, just days after Army took over a 1km stretch of earth hump build by LTTE in the area. 5 LTTE terrorists were killed and 4 soldiers reported wounded in yesterday's fighting East of Vannerikkulama, according to reports.

In the Mullaittivu battlefront in general area Thunukkai, a soldier has laid his life during confrontation with LTTE while 2 others were reported wounded in the same area.

Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said yesterday that whilst polling was brisk with voters showing much enthusiasm, the only hitch was the "unfair decision" of the Commissioner of Election to make National Identity Cards (NICs) compulsory without conceding to accept any alternate form of identification.


He asserted that 75,000 or more voters were disallowed to vote in the Anuradhapura district alone despite many of them producing various other forms of identification, including those issued by various government institutions.

"We protested to the Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake through the Assistant Commissioner of Elections Mahinda Deshapriya who was based at the Elections Secretariat at Anurahapura, but was told that our appeal had been rejected", the Minister said.

The Elections Commissioner could not be reached for comment yesterday, but H. M. K. Herath, the Chief Returning Officer and Government Agent for Anuradhapura district rejected the Minister’s claim that more than 75,000 voters had been turned away as they did not possess NICs.

The respective secretaries of the UPFA, UNP and JVP, Minister Susil Premajayanth, Tissa Attanayake and Tilvin Silva had at the final meeting with the Commissioner of Elections last week unanimously agreed that the NIC or an temporary Identity Card attested by one of the respective Assistant Commissioners of Elections in the four districts or in case of an estate worker, attested by the Superintendent would be compulsory for one to cast his/her vote

Herath said that 30,000 temporary identity cards were issued in Anuradhapura district alone. "Even yesterday, we issued these cards to enable people without NICs to vote".

Minister Yapa complained that despite being identified by the respective polling agent or gramaseva niladhari, the voters without NICs were turned away at the polling booths. "They were denied their right to vote and they had no option but to go away".

SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem, when contacted by The Sunday Island in the Horowapatana electorate in the Anuradhapura district around noon yesterday said that the polling was brisk and he had not observed anything irregular or any serious violence. "So far so good".

He confirmed that he had received complaints that a large number of voters had been unable to obtain temporary identity cards. "I believe that political parties are at fault as they had an obligation to make voters aware of the situation. Many had complained that their names had been struck off in the Electoral Register for 2007".

UNP sources said that several thousand estate workers had been denied the right to vote in the Sabragamuwa Province especially Kegalle district as they did not have either their NICs or temporary identity cards.

Peoples Liberation Front (JVP) leader Somawansa Amerasinghe said that polling all round had been brisk yesterday morning and the Police assisted by the

army had been able to maintain law and order.

He said his party had complained to the Department of Elections and Police of UPFA supporters grabbing NICs of voters in the Anuradhapura district.


PAFFREL, officially recognized by the Commissioner of Elections along with the CMEV said polling was brisk with the police and monitors doing a good job to ensure a largely free and fair election.

He said that it would be unfair and nonsensical if the UPFA were to say that they were unaware of the decision to make NICs compulsory for voting as this was communicated through the media by the Commissioner of Elections more than two months ago.

"Asking the Commissioner of Elections to revoke his decision taken to prevent impersonation is absurd and ridiculous".

"I don’t believe that more than 75,000 voters in the Anuradhapura district were deprived to vote. It could be around 5000 voters in actual terms", he said.

Ceylon Tea Services top billion rupee after-tax profit milestoneCeylon Tea Services Limited (CTS), owners of the well known Dilmah brand of tea, in the year ended March 31, 2008, topped the billion rupee after-tax profit milestone for the first time in its 27-year long history, the company’s annual report reveals.

This has been achieved on a turnover of Rs.4.35 billion with the company boosting after-tax profits 9% to Rs.1.07 billion.

The company’s Chairman, Mr. Merrill J. Fernando, announced that CTS subsidiary, MJF Beverages (Pvt) Limited, will commence the export of liquid tea concentrate and ready to drink tea during the forthcoming year.

"These good results are the outcome of careful cost and inventory management," the chairman said in the annual report which now with shareholders.

The company had continued doing well in the first quarter of the current financial year too with group revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2008 up 38.5% to Rs.1 billion while the profit after-tax for the quarter was up 29.9% to Rs.197.3 million.

Fernando said CTS had faced unprecedented challenges from every possible source during the year under review.

"Tea prices reached record levels, packaging material costs continued to increase, all service providers raised their rates and tea bag filter paper was in short supply causing serious production issues.

`` These setbacks were further aggravated by the appreciation of the rupee in the latter part of the year and retail buyers refusal to accept shelf price increases in several markets. However your company was able to withstand these challenges in improving last year’s performance," he said.

The year under review had seen Dilmah investing USD 6.3 million on advertising and promotion expenditure promoting Ceylon Tea generating benefits to all exporters of value added tea.

"We are not unhappy at this flow of free advertising and promotion to other Ceylon tea brands because their presence in the market adds to the strength of Ceylon tea," Fernando said.

The directors have proposed a final dividend of Rs.14.50 per share on top of an interim dividend of Rs.8 already paid giving shareholders a return of Rs.22.250 for the year, up 50% from the previous year.

Looking back on 20 years of Dilmah, Fernando said that the year marked the 20th anniversary of this brand which is widely regarded as the best known fully owned Sri Lankan brand.

"It is with a great deal of satisfaction that I look back on a very tough mission; a mission accomplished!! I remain humbled by this success, which I attribute largely to the fame and image of Ceylon tea enjoyed some years ago. I am very pleased with this achievement which is beginning to change the lives of our tea estate workers and the poor," Fernando said.

He said that sharing the benefits of the company’s success as a business is something that came instinctively to someone like him from a modest background.

"Whilst I describe this act of caring and sharing as an obligation that every business must shoulder, what has astonished me is the impact we have been able to achieve by integrating humanitarian service into the core of our business," he said.

He explained that revenue from the global sale of Dilmah tea together with his personal contributions funded the work of the MJF Charitable Foundation which applies business concepts and performance criteria to acts of humanitarian service.

"In its endeavour to avoid the dependency that can be associated with conventional models of charity, the Foundation has focused on empowerment," he explained.

Fernando also noted that the return on investment to shareholders over a 27-year period since the company’s founding had been remarkable. An investment of Rs.10,000 on 1,000 shares at the IPO had delivered Rs.1.4 million as dividends up to March 31, 2008 and the current market value of those shares would be Rs.6.1 million.

This worked out to an annual compound return of 34.9% with an original 1,000 shares, together with bonus issues, now standing at 20,000 shares.

"Tea is a very profitable business – unfortunately (the) profits go to the wrong pockets. In establishing a Sri Lankan owned brand all the company’s profits remain in our country and they are shared with our workers, the wider community and reinvested in making tea a sustainable industry," Fernando said.

Looking ahead, he said that the current year will pose many challenges to the company with tea prices continuing to remain high. Inflationary pressure and the strength of the rupee have direct impact on the performance of the company and the supply situation in relation to tea bag filter paper had not eased.

However he was confident that CTS will overcome these challenges and will continue to grow and remain profitable.

CTC has a stated capital of Rs.200 million, reserves of Rs.1.9 billion and retained earnings of Rs.2.6 billion in its books.

The company’s share traded at a high of Rs.325 and a low of Rs.201 during the year with the weighted average trading price of the share being Rs.324.10.

MJF Teas (Pvt) Limited with 65.38% followed by MJF Exports (21.28%), and CMBLSA Genesis Smaller (7.25%) are the major shareholders. All other shareholders own less than one percent of the company.

The directors of the company are: Messrs. Merrill J. Fernando (Chairman), Himendra S. Ranaweera (Deputy Chairman/CEO), Desmond Fernando, Malik J. Fernando, Dilhan C. Fernando, Minette Perera and Roshan Tissaaratchy.

The election watchdog, Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CaFFE) said 265 incidents have taken place during the period from July 1 to August 24.

The total includes election related violence, misuse of state property, and other incidents which has an impact over the election process.

According to CaFFE, 53 cases on misuse of state property, 194 incidents on election related violence, and 12 other similar incidents which have an impact on the election were reported.

Taking the District count, Anuradhapura being the most number of violations, has 99 incidents reported, Polonnaruwa with 61 reported incidents, Kegalle with 56 incidents, and Ratnapura with 49 reported incidents during the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council elections 2008.

The mandate received by UPFA at PC polls is one given to the troops and not for the jumbo Cabinet or corruption, National freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa said at a press conference in Colombo today.

The UPFA recorded an overall majority of 228,641 in both – the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial council elections.

The UPFA secured a total of 780,246 votes or 55.73 of the valid votes while the UNP secured only 551,605 votes or 39.41 per cent.

The JVP received only 45,806 votes or 3.27 per cent.

Of the 2.1 million registered voters 1.4 million had polled and of them 1.3 million votes were valid. The overall voter turn out was 68.1 per cent.

National Lotteries Board (NLB) and Development Lotteries Board (DLB) sweep tickets will not be sold by the dealers' islandwide from Thursday, August 28, until the Finance Ministry increases their sale commission, the All Island Lottery Dealers' Society (AILDS) said. Finance Ministry's failure to mediateontheproblems in the lotteries industry is to bring the country's lottery sale to a complete standstillcosting the state more than Rs.35 million daily to the NLB and DLB in sales according to the AILDS sources.

Lottery trade, one of the main money spinning industries in the country has now shown a sharp decline for the past three years under President Mahinda Rajapakse's administration and according to AILDS sources, Finance ministry's failure to remove Chairman DLB, Upali Liyanage despite many requests by the employees was the main reason for the presentcrisis situation. "Country's lottery industry hasfaced many hindrances during the past three years mainly due to malpractices and dropin sales which were due to the Finance Ministry's failure to increase commissions given to lottery dealers and to remove corrupted officers from office," Chairman AILDS, H.M.N.B. Herath said.

According to Herath, government's failure to increase the commission given for lottery dealers have compelled the AILDS to call for a complete halt on lottery sales in the country from Thursday August 28 till the Finance Ministry address their grievances.

"At present we get 1.5% commission from each ticket sold which is not sufficient to face the cost of living (CoL). From that we have to spend more than 1.35% on sweep ticket sellers.

Since we are helping the Finance Ministry to generate money we requested President Rajapakse to increase our commission to 2%, which is fair enough considering the high CoL," added Herath. Herath further said that their earlier attempt to put a halt to lottery sales on February 5 and 6 had to be called off due to Deputy Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya's assurance to address their grievances.

"The government on many occasions cheated us but this time we would initiate trade union action starting on August 28 - the day the National Lotteries Board (NLB) and the Development Lotteries Board (DLB) have planned to issue the new Rs.20 priced sweep tickets," Herath said.

The Department of Motor Traffic is implementing a new documentary transfer management system.

Speaking on behalf of the Department of Motor Traffic, B. Wijeratne said that as a result of this system, documents normally stored in the Department's record room will be scanned electronically, and the original documents will be returned.

"There are 300,000 motor vehicles being registered at this time, and 6000 transfers done repeatedly. We have built several new record rooms to accommodate the increasing amount of paperwork, but there is no space. I therefore wrote to the Attorney General about the problem," said Wijeratne, adding that after the enactment of the Electronic Transfer Act, the courts would recognise these scanned documents in place of the original documents, so that there is now more space.

In response to complaints about the issuing of temporary driving licences to several people who had qualified for licences, Wijeratne said that it was "a normal practice," adding "The capacity of the printing department, and outsourced company, is normally 25,000. However there are 40,000 applications currently for new driving licenses, amendments to name and extension of time. As a result we are in arrears. Wijeratne said.

Nearly 10,000 Up-Country Tamils who are eligible to vote were deprived from voting on Saturday at Ratnapura and Kegalle districts in Sabaragamuwa provincial council elections as they did not have National Identity Cards (NIC), a senior Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) member told media in Colombo.

The CWC has lodged protest with the Sri Lankan Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake.

Many of the Up-Country Tamils have applied for the NICs several months ago.

Also, a large number of Indian origin Tamils had applied for their NICs through a mobile service arranged by the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) in July.

On Saturday's election when the voters submitted the counterfoil at the polling station, they were turned away.

Most of the applicants' NICs were being held at the Divisional Secretary's Office in their respective electorates. Some of the NICs which were handed over to Village Officials (GS officials) were not distributed to the applicants.

The voters affected were from Panawatte, Lavent, Kelaniya, Halgolla, Nagasthenna, Edrapola and Yatidariya estates in the Yatiyantota electorate and Keselwatta, Noori, Maliboda, Sapumal Kanda and Maha Oya in the Deraniyagala electorate and also Morralioya, Jesterfor, Hatamata and Ruwanwella estates in the Ruwanwella electorate.

SLFP General Secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena said that the government’s victory in two provinces is a blow to UNP moves to stop military operations in the north.

Six JVP suspects were arrested by the police in Galnewa in the Polonnaruwa district while they were carrying clubs, bicycle chains in a van in the early hours today, the Police Spokesman said.

According to the JVP sources the JVP MP S.K. Subasinghe was transferred to the,
Colombo National Hospital ..
His condition is said to be critical with internal bleeding from head injuries after he was allegedly attacked by Chaminda Sirisena, brother of Minister Maithripala Sirisena, General Secretary of the SLFP.He was assaulted on Saturday when he visited Galthambarawa polling centre in Polonnaruwa to inquire into a dispute there.
He had received information that UPFA supporters had prevented his party's representative at the booth from leaving the place.
When Mr. Subasinghe had attempted to mediate, he was assaulted by a group led by Minister Maithripala Sirisena's brother Chaminda.

The long-awaited Provincial Council elections for the North Central and Sabaragamamuwa Provinces are over. The Government party has won the two Provincial Council defeating the Opposition. It has witnessed bloodshed as well as damage to the property of not only the politicians but also of the civilians who sincerely supported them.

It is a fact that the Government used it s all the power and authority to win the elections.

It was an issue of life and death for the Government and the Opposition since one side was supporting the war with the LTTE and the other which was leaned to peace also inclined to the battle to win the elections.

It is also a fact that whether the war with the LTTE has any significance with the elections to the Provincial al Councils. It is purely a matter of the people living in the particular province- that includes - their standard of living, education, welfare, health services and other factors that affects their day to day life.

However, the scenario in Sri Lanka is vastly different from other Asian countries as it pulls down the national issue to peripheral levels.

It is also a fact that some of the areas that are under the North Central Province were affected by terrorism. It is no doubt that the majority of the Sinhala speaking population wanted to secure their safety and protection from terrorism and voted for the government which says that it is committed to wipe out terrorism that ruined the country for more than a two decades.

Although the battle among the Blues, Greens and Reds are over, the cursed Preferential Vote System, which would create frictions among the own Party members is not over. It May take one or two days for the final, but the animosity it breeds would never cease.

The failure of the United National Party and the People’s Liberation Front is also an important factor to be considered.

We have to compare the previous elections with the present one to draw a line.

Most of the UNP parliamentarians elected at the elections joined with the Government. The People's Liberation Front, i.e. JVP also have been divided into two. Although the former President Mrs. Kumaratunge supported the UNP leader Ranil was not able to succeed in any elections except one.

In Sri Lanka it has become a fact that whether Right and Left is not a question any longer as the politics is divided between the two groups with the demise of two left parties, the LSSP and the CP.

The Government side could be proud of its success in the elections, but the cost of living and other problems faced by the people may be in the agenda of the future elections which should be the attention of the rulers.

The SLFP and its allied parties would like to Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe is in the helm of the United National Party as it would be beneficial for them.

However, the time has come for UNP to change the leadership so as if not only to lead the country but also be a good Opposition.

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) cantered to victory in 27 polling divisions by large margins in yesterday’s provincial council elections.The UPFA comfortablly won the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial council election.
The Election Commissioner said the UPFA has gained 25 seats in the Sabaragamuwa provincial council. These comprise 13 seats in the Ratnapura district, 10 in the Kegalle district and 2 bonus seats. The United National Party gained 17 seats in the Sabaragamuwa provincial council. The JVP has gained 2 seats. Thus the UPFA has a clear majority within the Sabaragamuwa provincial council.

The UPFA has gained 55 percent of the valid votes in the Ratnapura district. In the Kegalle district the UPFA has gained over 55 percent of the vote.

According to the Election Commissioner within the North Central Provincial council the United Peoples Freedom Alliance has gained 20 seats. These comprise 12 seats in the Anuradhapura district, 6 from the Polonnaruwa district and 2 bonus seats. The UNP has gained 12 seats and the JVP one seat in the provincial council. Accordingly, the UPFA has a clear majority in the north central provincial council.

From the Anuradhapura district the UPFA has gained over 54 percent of the total vote in the district. From the Polonnaruwa district the UPFA has gained around 60 percent of the vote in the district.
Meanwhile the government Ministers hailed UPFA victory and said it is the people's vision to defeat the terrorism. They said the victory reconfirms vision of the President Mahindha Rajapaksha to eliminate the terrorism.
SLFP General Secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena said that the government’s victory in two provinces is a blow to UNP moves to stop military operations in the north.

Police yesterday arrested over 50 persons including JVP Matara District MP Premasiri Manage and UNP Borella District Organizer Jayantha de Silva for involvement in election violence in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces.
Among the 50, 24 have been arrested in the NCP while and eight of them have been released after questioning, NCP and Wayaba Provinces Senior DIG Jayantha Gamage said.
Meanwhile, Police tried to fire at over a 100 UPFA supporters who tried to rig the polls at the Pinnawala Central College election centre, Senior DIG Gamini Navaratne said.
JVP Kegalle District MP Gamini Ratnayeke alleged that Sabaragamuwa Chief Ministerial Candidate Mahipala Herath, his son and security guards were among the over 100 UPFA supporters who attempted to rig the vote there.
It was also reported that JVP Polonnaruwa District MP S.K.Subasinghe had been admitted to Polonnaruwa hospital with head injuries after an assault. He had complained to Police that a group of armed UPFA supporters assaulted him. He had complained that a group headed by brother of Minister Maithripala Sirisena had assaulted him. In another incident JVP MP Piyasiri Manage had been arrested by Rambukkana Police over a complaint of injury to some UPFA supporters. Rabukkana Police will produce him in courts today (24), Police Election Secretariat Senior DIG Gamini Nawaratne said.
UNP Provincial Councilor Jayantha de Silva had meanwhile been arrested at Deraniyagala at a checkpoint with 11 others. They were arrested when iron bars, clubs and liquor bottles were found in their vehicle, Police said. The arrests were to prevent election violence, Police said. They have been remanded till August 25. Police also arrested five supporters of a Sabaragamuwa UNP candidate with grenades in their vehicle, and they too have been remanded. Meanwhile, three other persons with three walkie-talkies in Kelathawa were arrested and remanded. In addition, two JVP supporters were arrested with 12,000 posters.
Police also reported that about 80 incidents of pre-election violence were reported in the Sabaragamuwa Province and 160 such incidents happened in the NCP.

By Chamitha Kuruppu
People make films for many reasons - to entertain, to make money, to clinch a few awards and most often for all of the above... Whatever else may have been the reason for Chandran Rutnam creating The Road from Elephant Pass, one reason stands out as the most significant.
“This book says more about the country’s ethnic conflict than discussed in any peace conference,” says Rutnam in his emphatic signature style. Wearing a camouflage cloth cap that reads ‘The Road from Elephant Pass’, well-known director and film maker Rutnam quotes sections from the award winning novel of the same title by the late Nihal de Silva, on which he has based the motion picture, which is also directed by him.
“Five years ago, when I first read Nihal’s book The Road from Elephant Pass – I thought it would make a wonderful movie,” Rutnam recalls. “I called Nihal and told him that I was interested in buying the rights to his book.”

The original story
Running his fingers across the book Rutnam murmurs, “Nihal was very happy that I wanted to make a movie of his book. He was very supportive. Unfortunately he died before I started doing the movie.”
His eyes cloud over with sad memories of the late Nihal de Silva, whom Rutnam describes as a wonderful human being and a great author. “I think it’s great that being a Sinhalese, Nihal had the ability to present both characters of this story in a fair and just manner.”
He continues, “When writing the screenplay I was careful not to inject any private philosophies into the storyline. When people come to see the movie they will want to see Nihal’s original story. The book was a best-seller. I did not mess with the original story. I did not make my own interpretation.”
Isn’t it risky to do a film about the ethnic conflict especially given the present security situation in the country? Leaning forward for emphasis he says, “Controversy is essential. I am no more interested in making the good old girl-meets-boy type of movies. I want to do something different and worth watching. And to achieve that I am willing to take any risk.”
Asked about the difficulties he had to face creating a film that deals heavily with weapons, military operations and other aspects of conflict, Rutnam points out, “I don’t want to discuss any of that at this point. If the film does well and is recognised, I will tell you how I did everything.”
The film, produced by John Shiran Dissanayaka and Chandran Rutnam for ABC Films was shot in Kalpitiya, Puttlam, Maho and Udappu in sixty-eight days. Ratnam who also handled the screenplay, editing and direction of the film believes that the two newcomers who portray the main characters in the movie will be of significance to the film.

New faces
“I wanted new faces. I didn’t want an artiste who had already waltzed into the hearts of filmgoers to portray the role of Captain Wasantha. I wanted to introduce someone unknown – so people will later recognise him as the captain who starred in Chandran Rutnam’s The Road from Elephant Pass,” he says.
With alacrity Rutnam continues, “I was lucky to cast the extremely talented Ashan Dias as Captain Wasantha. He is a newsreader at MTV. The actress who portrays Kamala the woman informant is Suranga Ranawaka. She worked for me as a receptionist. She too did an excellent job. For both Ashan and Suranga, this was their maiden film.”
Apart from the two main characters the cast includes leading artistes such as Joe Abeywickrema, Sanath Gunathilaka, Veena Jayakody, Iranganie Serasinghe, Ranjith Wickremesinghe, Rohitha Mannage and Kumar Mirchandani. The cinematographer was Suminda Weerasinghe, the production executive Orwil Periera and the music by Ajith Kumarasiri.
The film has already been edited and is being spliced for sound effects at present. Finishing touches will be in India, and the movie is scheduled to hit local theatres in November this year.

Fondness for industry
Unlike many producers who complain about the present state of the film industry, there is a catch in Rutnam’s voice as he comments about the business of movie making. “I think the cinema industry in Sri Lanka is booming again.
Watching films is a habit. All we needed were quality movies that would make filmgoers get out off their chairs back at home and develop the habit of going to theatres to see a movie every month.
I am happy that Jackson Anthony has been able to do that. He has taken a chance and made something unusual. By making Aba Jackson has raised the standards of movie-making. Now as producers we have to retain. that standard.”

Chennai-based regional entertainment channel Kalaignar TV has entered into a distribution partnership with Sri Lanka’s direct-to-home (DTH) service provider Dialog TV .


As per the partnership, Dialog TV has introduced Kalaignar TV to its portfolio of international television content.

Kalaignar TV features women’s programmes, comedy shows, musical shows, dance shows, Tamil movies, children’s programmes among others.


Dialog TV CEO Nushad Perera said, “Kalaignar TV will feature the line-up of programmes for our Tamil viewers in addition to the progammes that are broadcasted on TBO (Tamil Box Office) and Star Vijay. I believe that, this will enhance the bond between Dialog TV and our Tamil speaking viewers.”
With the launch of channels such as TBO, Star Vijay and Shruthi, Dialog TV has tailormade its channel content to enthuse the Tamil community, said a company releae.

Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Mohammed Reza Nematzadeh met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees today.


Iranian minister who arrived in the country Friday (22) is here to finalize the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract of the billion dollar Iranian-funded improvement and expansion project for the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation-owned refinery at Sapugaskanda.


The Minister is also scheduled to have business discussions on the EPC contract with Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development Minister A.H.M. Fowzie.

Minister A.H.M. Fowzie, Treasury Secretary, Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, CPC Chairman, Asantha de Mel, Secretary to Petroleum Ministry W.B.Ganegala are also in the picture.

Opposition Polling Agents chased away from Horowpathana polling Station

In Horowpathana, in the district of Anuradhapura, polling agents for the UNP were chased away from the A/Mukkarawewa Vidyalaya Polling Station (PS # 06) by the Horowpathan Pradeshiya Sabha chairman, A.R.M Hussein. The incident, which occurred at 7.40 this morning, was reported to CMEV by UNP leader P. Saheel.

Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment has opened a centre in Kalmunai to register applicants for employment in Korea to encourage more people to go abroad from the Eastern Province. People who want to sit the open examination could get registration through this centre till August 24 but the Colombo SLBFE centre too would be open today and tomorrow for registration Chairman SLBFE Kingsley Ranawaka said.
Nearly 3,000 people had already registered at the Kalmunai centre and the Korean language examination would be held on September 20 he said.
Those who wish to apply for registration could get the forms from any SLBFE office in the the country as well as from Kalmunai centre after paying Rs.1,900 rupees as examination fees for the Korean Language exam conducted by the government of Korea.
When asked why people should go to get their registration at the Centre in Kalmunai, the Chairman said "all these years the people came to Colombo to get application forms for employment in Korea and other countries but we thought we should provide some assistance to the people in difficult areas so that the people from those areas too would get more opportunities. The next move will be to start centres at Moneragala or Badulla, he said.
Registration could be done through these two centres while the applicants who sat the examinations and did not get qualified last year too could get their registrations from other 12 provincial SLBFE centres as well he said.
"When the Korean employment opportunities were opened two years ago there were only 7,000 registrations but last year it had increased to 13,000 who sat the Korean Language examination. This year too we expect a large number to register," Ranawaka said.
There was no political interference in selecting people for employment in Korea and it was purely based on how they performed at the Korean Language examination, he said.

JVP parliament group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, raising a question about bunkering in Colombo, asked the Leader of the House Nimal Siripala de Silva why the Ports Authority had given the rights of bunkering to some private companies while the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation was doing the bunkering business in the port in the past and making profits on it.
In all countries of the world that are close to main shipping lanes bunkering was a profitable business and the CPC too made profits and passed the benefit to the consumer by reducing the prices of fuel. The Minister of Ports and Shipping may be from the family of the President, but bunkering should be handled by the CPC and not the Ports Authority.
The Chief Government Whip in his reply said the decision to give private sector companies equal rights for bunkering was made consequent a decision of the Supreme Court to restore the bunkering rights to Ports Authority. The decision of the Supreme Court cannot be ignored and if the members wished, the matter could be taken up for discussion at the Consultative Committee.

The GSP Plus facility is not a political tool meant to punish anybody. It is only a mechanism to measure implementation of 27 conventions to which Sri Lanka has been a signatory. This is administed by the different UN organizations and all we do is to be guided by the information available at the UN on the level of implementation by each of the signatories of these conventions which cover labour regulations and human rights, said the German Ambassador in Sri Lanka Jurgen Weerth.
He was addressing the 15th Business for Peace Forum on "Maintaining the balance of peace and economic growth in Sri Lanka: The German perspective" at the Jaic Hilton on Thursday.
He added "We have done our best to emphasize that the conflict cannot be solved through military means, the only way out is through a political solution".
We have been your friends in the past and at present and we will also continue to be your friends in the future as well. However we cannot go against our basic principles. It is now a question of waiting for Sri Lanka to come up with a home grown political solution and no soon peace returns, we will recommence our development activities which is now in a state of hibernation.
Our people question us as to why their funds should be sent to a country which spends more on arms than on schools and hospitals and why should their monies be spent on infrastructure which will not last through the next round of hostilities.
You make various statements about foreign investment, but must realize that an investor who ventures out of his own country leaves behind all the facilities that he could enjoy, why should he take such a decision unless sufficient facilities are available in such country.
Most important are basic infrastructure, followed by the level of corruption and the rule of law. If the rule of law is not effectively enforced, how do you expect foreign investors to establish business operations in such a country.
Sri Lanka is a respected member of the international community, with great potential that has yet to be exploited,and it is not being treated as a group of indisciplined terrorist who respect no law.
We are eagerly awaiting Sri Lanka to come up with its own solution and we, not only Germany or the European Union, but all developed countries will assist in bringing back Sri Lanka to its former pristine glory as a shining example of a vibrant democracy where all people live in peace and harmony.
This is our wish but we cannot impose our own solution to your problem, you have to come up with your own solution, you have the capacity to do so. Everything will fall in place thereafter, he concluded.

The fertilizer subsidy to paddy farmers had risen to over 25 billion rupees during the current year as the prices of fertilizer in the world market had risen to over 6000 rupees per 50 kilogram bag of super phosphate, urea 4200 rupees and muriate of phosphate was 6150 rupees. The prices for urea in 2004 was 1450 rupees per 30 kilograms while the prices of other varieties of fertilizer had also increased by almost the same proportions an official report of the Ministry of Agriculture stated.
Though the cost of fertilizer was so high the a bag of any variety of fertilizer was given to the farmers at 350 rupees by the government considering the subsidy as an investment for output of paddy crop of the local farmers, the report said.
In the 2008 budget the government allocated 15 billion rupees for the fertilizer subsidy but the total allocation for fertilizer subsidy was spent in the first five months of the year and the Minister of Agriculture Maithripala Sirisena had to introduce a Supplementary Estimate in Parliament recently to allocate an additional sum of 11 billion rupees to continue the subsidy,
During the year 2004 the subsidy was 60 percent of the cost of fertilizer but by the current year it had increased to over 92 percent with the government bearing almost the total cost of the fertilizers supplied to the paddy farmers. With the increased acreage of paddy cultivated in the current Yala crop season the government expected a higher yield of paddy and sought to reduce the imports of rice gradually in the next few years so that total import substitution could be achieved.

Ruling UPFA MP Sarana Gunawardena has been hospitalized following a failed attempt to rig votes in Ratnapura, reports said.

The Gampaha district parliamentarian, in cab 253-8917, and around 25 of his supporters, in private bus 62-8234, had gone to the polling centre at St. Joachim Tamil School at Karapincha.

Wearing red shirts and red caps, they had tried to disguise themselves as JVP supporters, but the attempt had failed when area residents had recognized the MP.

The angry crowds, hurling stones at the interlopers, had then driven them away.

The JVP has alleged that the vehicle of party candidate Sisira Kumara Sarachchandra has been attacked by a UPFA group led by former chief minister Maheepala Herath and his son in Rambukkana.

Mr. Sarachchandra's cab, 57-2218, was damaged in the incident, the JVP said in a statement.

The former CM, with his bodyguards, had gone to the polling booth at Pinnawala Central College, but had been prevented from entering the premises by the police.

The group had then tried to assault the JVP candidate.

The party statement said further that Mr. Herath, certain of defeat, was unleashing violence and engaging in poll malpractices, against which a complaint has been lodged with the Rambukkana Police.

UPFA activists had obstructed polling observation by JVP candidate Dhammika Jayawardena in Anuradhapura, the party said.

Led by the deputy chairman of the Galnewa Pradeshiya Sabha and his brother, the ruling party supporters had come in two vehicles to the Galnewa polling booth and interfered with his work.

However, the group had fled the scene when voters had intervened.

Mr. Jayawardena has lodged a complaint with Galnewa Police, after which its OIC and a SSP have provided him protection to continue with his observation work.

Ministers Ameer Ali and Hussain Bhaila narrowly escaped a grenade attack at approximately 11 pm Friday night in Nelumwila, Polonnaruwa, police said.

An unidentified person had lodged a grenade at the vehicle the two ministers were travelling in and it had exploded near the moving vehicle.

No one was injured in the incident, but the vehicle was damaged in the blast, police said.

As the voting to elect members to the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils continues, elections monitors report incidents of confusion arising over the identity of voters at various polling booths.

According to the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) several voters had been turned away for turning up with just a photograph signed by their respective Gramaniladhari instead of a valid document of identification. About 10 such cases have been reported so far in Balangoda, Ratnapura and certain areas in Polonnaruwa.

Meanwhile the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) reported that about 40 voters were turned away at the Gangabada Seevali Maha Vidyalaya, Ratnapura polling booth. The NICs of these voters had been washed away in the recent floods and they only had the temporary identifications issued by the Gramaniladharis at the time. But the senior polling officers do not recognize these identity cards.

About six voters had to turn back at the Walagamba Maha Vidyalaya polling booth in Rakwana as the NIC number recorded in their polling cards were incorrect.

The parents and their 11 year old son were killed in an accident at Kotugoda in the Seeduwa police area on Friday night, OIC Saman Sigera said.

He said that a private bus had made an attempt to overtake another vehicle on the Seeduwa - Kotugoda road on Friday night killing the three persons on a motorcycle.

He said the family was from Balapiitya, but living and working in the Seeduwa area.

The bus driver injured in the incident has been arrsted and admitted at the Negombo hospital under police guard.

UNP activist Dr. Raja Johnpulle and his wife Jenny John Pulle whose house was set on fire by UPFA mobs on Wednesday in Anuradhapura town was turned away at the polling booth today morning on the grounds they were not in possession of a valid identity card. Their NIC had been destroyed in the fire.

Dr. John Pulle said that he had voted at the same booth located in the town for the last 30 years and soory that he was not able to vote this time.

He said that the respective Grama Sevaka was present when he called over at the booth, but was turned away. He said he was trying to consult the election officials and look into the possibility of casting his vote later in the day.

"It is a common knowledge that my house has been set on fire and still was not allowed to vote", he said.

The Network for Election Monitoring announced that one of its observers, Sampath kumara was beaten up by a mob in Rambukkana, Kegalle and he was hospitalized with injuries.

Four UNP supporters have been arrested with their vehicle at a check point manned by Rakwana police today when they were transporting pamphlets and posters in their vehicle.

“There are no major incidents so far in NCP although there are isolated ones. Already a large number of voters have cast their ballot and I am confident of victory” UNP Chief Ministerial Candidate for North Central Province (NCP) Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera said.

Government’s chief organizer for Sabaragamuwa province at the PC polls, Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the election is conducted in the most peaceful way in Sabaragamuwa with a very high voter-turn out.

“There are incidents, moves by government to rig polls but despite all this I will be the Chief Minister” UNP Chief Ministerial candidate for Sabaragamuwa, Ranjan Ramanayake said.

Four UNP supporters had been arrested in Yatiyantota following a clash with a UPFA group. The Army had been called to control the situation.

At no. 13 polling station at the CV Tamil Junior School in Balangoda in the Sabaragamuwa Province, voters who turned up for voting had been allegedly chased away by supporters of the Deputy Minister Jagath Pushpakumara, Mahindanada Aluthgamage, the JVP had complained to the CMEV.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Mohammed Reza Nematzadeh is scheduled to pay a visit to Sri Lanka on Friday to finalize the oil and petrochemical agreements signed by the two sides.

Nematzadeh, who is also the President of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC), is due attend talks with Sri Lankan officials to finalize the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract of the billion dollar Iranian-funded improvement and expansion project for the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation-owned refinery at Sapugaskanda.

The refinery at Sapugaskanda was constructed in 1969.

The Sapugaskanda Refinery quality enhancement and expansion project, estimated to cost nearly US$ 1.1 billion is one of Iran's top project aid to Sri Lanka expected to make Sri Lanka self-sufficient in refining all its oil requirements within the country in addition to meeting over 75 per cent of the island's need to liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Bitumen, Jet Oil, Kerosene and Fuel oil, all bi-products of petroleum refinery.

The refinery produces only 10 per cent of the island's need to the said products.

Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Iran M.M. Zuhair said that Nematzadeh is one of those who had worked hard to facilitate this project for Sri Lanka, preceding the visit by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to Iran in November last year.

Since then the Iranian deputy oil minister has followed up on this project at every stage at the order of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who visited Sri Lanka, in May, the envoy added.

Another important project which Iran is funding is the US$ 450 million Uma Oya hydro power and irrigation project, the Ambassador pointed out.

The Iranian deputy minister is also scheduled to call on President Rajapaksa and will have business discussions on the EPC contract with Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development Minister A.H.M. Fowzie.

(LBO) - Sri Lanka tourism promotion office said it is negotiating lower airport fees and providing marketing support to keep Germany's Condor charter flying to the country, during the 2008 winter season.

"Condor’s uninterrupted operation every fortnight to Colombo will ensure a steady flow of German visitors to Sri Lanka," Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau managing director, Dileep Mudadeniya said in a statement.
"Sri Lanka Tourism having agreed to provide concessions in landing and handling charges, are currently engaged in discussions with Condor and their local agents Walkers Tours to carry out a joint marketing campaign to boost consumer sales to Sri Lanka."

Charter flights from Condor Airlines, which is owned by Thomas Gook AG, will start from November, the statement said.

Sri Lanka Tourism is to conduct joint promotions with Condor, such as teaser campaigns, info banners, advertising campaigns, video on board and in-flight magazine highlighting tourist attractions in Sri Lanka.

In the six months to June 2008, 17,300 Germans visited Sri Lanka up 4.3 percent from last year. UK has been the top Western European generating market for Sri Lanka this year with 39,500 visitors.

In 2007, Condor had brought 7,600 visitors to the island, mainly from Germany and the Netherlands. In that year 35,000 German tourists had come to the island.


Sri Lanka's tourism industry has been hit with travel advisories, though strong promotional efforts have helped.

Brain Tea is a French association that has just been created. Its vocation is to favor knowledge exchange and mutual enrichment between France and Sri Lanka. The association’s project is to organize conference cycles in Sri Lanka and France and publish books with the local language(s) translated versions of the conference texts. The chosen topics are aimed at providing intellectual tools for an in-depth resolution of the problems of both nations.


Brain Tea is a French association that has just been created along with its website.

It is an association with no Ideology nor any partisan sympathies. Brain Tea team agrees that knowledge should be presented with no artifice and with the scientific seal.

The association’s first project is to organize two conference cycles in Sri Lanka and publish a book with the Sinhalese and Tamil translated versions of the conference texts, in February 2010.

The conferences will be on four topics:

(1)The question of Identity under a psychoanalytical approach
It seems that the question of Identity is an important one for all the Sri Lankans. Hiding behind the history of civil war, there is a sour misunderstanding and fear on this particular question when the British power left a much confused and disoriented Sri Lankan to-be-born-nation. Understanding the question of Identity is important for a Nation composed of many different communities that may find it hard to find a Unity under an apparent set of differences.

(2)The Debt System in “third world” countries and liberal Economy
This topic will focus on the birth of the “debt” mechanism in Asia including Sri Lanka. The parts played by the IMF, World Bank and other leading debt contractors, the side-effects. The world “hunger” problem is also explained while the structural causes of poverty are highlighted.

(3)Socially acceptable, ecological, qualitative and quantitative Production Methods

According to the United Nations Organization, Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (2005), most of the environmental problems are the consequence of absurd food production methods.

Instead of putting a stop to the dramatic problem of Hunger in the world, a global system has been put in place that is disrespectful of the work of billions of people, and which is socially criminal.

Future can be guaranteed only by men and women that will produce food through the usage of techniques that are compatible with the rhythm of the planet, by re-valorizing traditional production techniques, by respecting biodiversity, gastronomic traditions strictly related to the culture and economy of each place in the world.

(4) A short Course in intellectual Self-Defense

Security Forces operating in the Mullaittivu, Kilinochchi and the Eastern Wanni battlefronts Saturday (August 22) claimed killing at least 27 LTTE terrorists while injuring 42 others during the day's fighting ensued with LTTE. According to finalized military reports received, 4 soldiers have laid their lives and 20 others wounded in the confrontations as troops encroached into the last LTTE battle grounds in Wanni.
Heavy fighting were reported in Thunukkai and Palaimoddai areas claiming a total of 4 and 11 LTTE fatalities in addition to 9 and 17 injuries respectively. Troops are now poised within 12km of the LTTE's main terror bastion township Kilinochchi following the downfall of Thunukkai yesterday security sources said. 2 soldiers laid their lives and a soldier was reported wounded during a series of confrontations erupted between troops and LTTE at Tunukkkai since 7a.m, till 3p.m., on Saturday. During subsequent search operations conducted in the area troops have recovered an LTTE terrorist body, 01x T-56 assault riffle and an armored tractor, security sources report.
Meanwhile, another LTTE terrorist was reported killed sniped in general area South of Uyilankulama. 7 soldiers also have received injuries during separate confrontations with LTTE in general area Mallavi East of Thunukkai, sources said.
Also troops of the Task Force -1 operating in Vannerkkulama general area clashed with a group of LTTE terrorists' yesterday reportedly killing 2 LTTE terrorists and injuring many others, according to reports. 3 soldiers have sustained inquires during the confrontation sources added.
3 more LTTE terrorists were reported killed in general area Palaimoddai and similar numbers injured in separate clashes sources said. A soldier also sustained injuries due to an anti-personnel mine (AP) explosion in the area.
Meanwhile, troops while consolidating defences in general area Mallavi have cleared-off 107 AP mines and 2 IEDs, sources said.
Also, at the Welioya battlefront separate confrontations were reported between troops and LTTE in general Andankulama as troops claimed killing 8 terrorists and injuring 10 others. 3 soldiers were also reported wounded in the fighting in general area North of Andankulama, according to reports. Separately, troops have recovered 25AP mines and 4 IEDs during a search operation conducted in the same general area yesterday.
At the Jaffna theater of battle, 2 soldiers were reported killed and another wounded following separate LTTE mortar attacks at general area Nagarkovil, sources finally reported.

3 LTTE terrorists were reported killed, sniped by troops of the 57 Division now consolidating defences in the newly liberated Thunukkai area, Mullaittivu today (August 23).
According to Wanni military sources, Army infantrymen are on the trails of those terrorists who now fleeing the area following yesterday's heavy fighting.
The 3 terrorists were killed in two separate attacks between 8.45 and 9a.m., the sources said.

4 LTTE terrorists were reported killed today (August 23) during an intense fighting erupted between troops and LTTE in general area Vendamkulama, Vavuniya at around 8.30a.m.
Fighting was reported in the area since this morning defence sources said.
Troops of the 56 Division are now operating inside the Palamoddai general area, a strong LTTE foothold in Wanni the sources further said.

Centre for Monitoring of Election Violations said over 39 election violations were reported from the North Central and the Sabaragamuwa provinces. However the Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake said no major incidents were reported from both provinces. He said the provincial polls were conducted peacefully.
According to the statement made by the Election Commissioner on Saturday evening he stated vote turnout was over 65 percent in both provinces.
Meanwhile local police said two public representatives were arrested in Rabukkana and Deraniyagala .JVP MP Premasiri Manage was arrested in Rabukkana and Western Provincial Councillor Jayantha de Silva was arrested in Deraniyagala who had clubs and Cycle chains .Later Mr.Silva was remanded .
According to our regional correspondents there were no major incidents in the North Central Province but Our Polonnaruwa Correspondent said group led by a powerful politician assaulted JVP MP S.K.Subasinghe at Polonnaruwa polling centre.

By Philip Fernando in LA
Recognition of Sri Lanka’s strength is an underlying trend beginning to take hold among all segments of people in the United States. Many I interviewed expressed their longing for strengthening of our common values rather than any negative aspects of division. It is quite visible judging by the comments of those in many of parts of the US. The beauty of togetherness is now being talked of among all sections of the people.
Sivanathakuru states that he had been to Kataragama as a child. We are united in spirit and our aspirations are for a united Sri Lanka. Despite the war, the Nallur temple in Jaffna has not been harmed, he said with a relief. It is a safe haven for everyone to raise their arms in prayer. They pray for “Shanthi” - peace and greater awareness of the inherent good in all of us.
Sivanathakuru is a Vedic scholar. He lives with his wife, son and daughter, occupying a beautiful home amidst a serene and quite setting in Lanham, Maryland. Sivanathakuru spoke of the ancient roots that brought out the modern trends on devotional activities.
In their beautiful home within close proximity to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington D.C., there is a sense of accomplishment and contentment. When the US Millennium project to help Sri Lankan was mooted, we thought it would be completed within a short time. But things took a turn for the worse and funds were cut off. Now there is a possibility that it will be resurrected, they said.
The Ranganathans added: “We celebrate the wholeness of life in its entire splendor. There are no divisions, but complete unity and spiritual awareness of the goodness surrounding all of us”. The forward looking attitude that has engulfed them is quite contagious judging by the people who feel the same way about the future in and around D.C. They have been supporters of the Sri Lankan embassy for years and would continue to do so.
Dr. Greg Fernandopulle of Washington spoke with an ardent desire to be instrumental in getting people together. He and his wife hailed from Dankotuwa, Sri Lanka and was a great supporter of late Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle who was assassinated by the LTTE this year. They said that their son and daughter graduated from Harvard and had seen the Sri Lankans living in harmony in all types of situations. The time for forging real unity is now, they believe. They are regular parishioners at the famous Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
They spoke with sorrow about the passing away of late Fernandopulle, a man of compassion, who inspired many to work for unity. He showed a lot of promise and led the path towards greater good of all. Dr. Fernandopulle said that the priorities are changing and we see a trend towards togetherness and a riveting demonstration of the Sri Lanka’s strength amidst diversity.
We are happy to note that the new Ambassador Jaliya wickramasuriya has visited the main churches, temples, mosques and kovils in the area. The impact he had augurs well for the future.

Do not allow anybody to pillage your right of franchise or plunder your vote, urged Tissa Attanayake, the Gen. Secretary of the UNP. Every voter has the liberty and right to exercise one’s franchise according to one’s wishes and with freedom, irrespective of what party one belongs, emphasized Tissa Attanayake.

This Govt. which is beleaguered and bankrupt, is stooping to the lowest levels and is prepared to descend to any act of lawlessness including plunder of the people’s votes exploiting its powers, warned Mr. Attanayake.

While stating it is the duty of every citizen to act with caution and take every step to protect their voting rights, Attanayake, requested all patriotic Forces and Organisations to unite towards achieving this end.

The UNP charges that the government has sent several retired top army officers to Anuradhapura to unleash a wave of violence and create a terror situation ahead of tomorrow's polls.
According to a spokesman at the party's district coordinating office, the schemers to this plan are three major generals and a brigadier.
The UNP is calling for an emergency briefing to inform the media about this development, he said.

by Charles.S.Perera

I am a jurist myself and to see Bruce Fein a Washington Attorney, writing to the Washington Times on "Sri Lanka Officials Complicit in Tamil Genocide ?" ( 20.8.2008), making baseless allegation against responsible persons in Sri Lanka is astonishing. His being an Attorney does not permit him to make irresponsible statements based purely on hearsay evidence from his distant law office in Washington.

This is character assassination on misinformation to bring disrepute to persons, which is condemned in civilized society. Mr. Fein is acting like an uneducated village hag who carries false libellous information of persons from house to house through sheer hate and ill will. Mr. Fein in defending the terrorists who have killed many eminent persons of both Sinhala and Tamil Communities of my country, is writing to earn blood money, He does not seem even to understanding the correct meaning of the words he uses.

Genocide is a systematic murder for the extermination of a race or a culture The government of Sri Lanka represented by the persons he mentions is far from committing any act of genocide. Though Mr.Fein jumps to his irresponsible, and questionable conclusions, the more intelligent Washington Post readers, I am sure will not take him seriously, and read what he writes only for amusement. In that situation to invoke the US Justice Department to carry out a genocide investigation is more ridiculous than absurd.

United States of America though often interferes into the affaires of sovereign states, through its self claimed right to police the world, may not pay heed to a coyote of a citizen howling absurdities against the Government of Sri Lanka and its accredited persons. It needs no great intelligence to understand that the Sri Lanka officials he names, are engaged in a justifiable retaliatary military action to get rid of a menace to the people and the country, in the form of a group of terrorists, accepted by people more informed than Mr;Fein as the most ruthless group of terrorists in the world.

If Mr. Fein's principle attempt is to get the American State Depoartment to make investigations on Mr. Gotabhay Rajapkse to divest him of his American Citizenship, it may not have the accepted effect, if the investigators are free intelligent persons, which I am sure they are. Such investigators will find that Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse's role as an Official of the Government of Sri Lanka has brought him credit, making him acceptable as a honourable citizen of America. The American people will be more proud of him as a compatriot, than with a penny seeking, tale carrying, slander mongering, Attorney.

I would like to ask Mr. Fein whether he has done any thing creditable in his life that would make the American people be proud of him. Has Mr. Fein done any act of heroism, initiated any action to help the unprivileged, and the needy ? Has he been to any place in the world where there is human suffering and invested himself to find out how their suffering could be alleviated ? Mr. Fein seems to be in the habit of writing a good number of poison pen letters based on meagre, unverified information, enjoying his cosy comforts, but he seems to be one who dares not step out side to bring a little comfort to those suffering in ghettoes or backstreet in America, let alone in Sri Lanka.

But Gotabhaya Rajapakse who Mr. Fein tries to vilify, insult, defame and denigrate, is a far greater person than Mr. Fein would ever be. Mr.Bruce Fein may never reach the heights Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse has reached. He was a war hero, before he became a citizen of America. He was in the forefront of the battle against terrorism in Sri Lanka. He drove the terrorists from the Jaffna Peninsula ( if you know where it is) to the jungles of Kilinochchi. He risks his life every day, while Mr. Fein writes his libellous articles from his well secured comfortable home in Washington.

One other matter comes to my mind before I go back to read Mr.Feins slanderous garbage. Some time back the Government of Australia, offered a public apology to the Australian Aborigines for the past mistreatments. Has the American Government offered an apology to the American Indians – the Mohawk, Creeks, Navajos, Zunis, Apachis, Comanches , Blackfoots and so on ? If you are working to bringing violators of human rights before the American State Departments OSI, why accuse people for imagined genocides in a far away country like Sri Lanka instead of investigating the American Past , to find out whether or not there had been a genocide against the American Indians ?

As far as Sri Lanka is concerned there had never been a genocide, by the Sri Lankan Governments, now or before. On the contrary we have had a very good relationship with our people despite the communal differences. Your letter is incomprehensible with all those irrelevant information collected from here and there crammed into it .

Problem in Sri Lanka Mr. Fein is simple. I will try to give it shortly. We in Sri Lanka have three principle communities-Sinhala (-the majority about 80% of the population), Tamils (about 13% of the total population), and a much smaller percentage of Muslims. Sinhala have the Sinhala as their language and are mostly Buddhists by religion. Tamils have Tamil as their language and are mostly Hindus by Religion. Muslims use both Languages of the Sinhala and Tamils, and they are Islamists by religion.

Sinhala and Tamils have their very early beginnings in India. Though their language and religions differ, they have a close cultural affinity. Sinhala Buddhists offer prayers to Hindu Divinity, and Tamils accept Buddha among their pantheon of numerous gods. The Sinhala visit Hindu Kovils and The Tamils visit Buddhist Viharas. Only significant difference is in the language of the two communities. There are even intermarriages between the Sinhala and the Tamils.

Muslims have their own religion Islamism and use both Tamil and Sinhala. Language wise the Muslims are closer to the Tamils. They live in villages close to Tamil or Sinhala villages and have a close relationship with both Sinhala and Tamil Communities. There is no intermarriage between the Muslims and the Sinhala or Tamils, but that does not stop Muslims keeping Sinhala or Tamil mistresses.

From time to time there had been tensions between the communities, and riots on three or four occasions There were massacres on both sides but never took the proportion of a genocide.

The problems that reached riot proportion, were the result of the Tamil Politicians, who asked for same rights enjoyed by the Sinhala majority. The ordinary Tamils cared less for equal rights, but they were brought into it through their sentimental attachment to the utterances of their politicians.

The Sinhala being the majority Community, were the majority at elections and formed governments, with consenting Tamils and Muslim political parties.. It was in 1956 that a government made Sinhala the Official language. The Tamils opposed this and that was the beginning of the politics of conflict.. The governments tried to reduce the effect of the legislation by making Tamil the second language.

In addition to that, there were only two Universities at the beginning and all students who passed the University entrance could not be admitted to the Universities, and the government passed legislation for admission of students according to a percentage system, that affected the Tamil Students.

This caused additional problems vis à vis employment. There were lot of students left without employment. This mostly affected the students from Jaffna who had to seek employment in the South, where the employment opportunities were greater. It was in this situation that a group of Tamil youth took to arms asking for a separate Tamil State. Perhaps they believed in having a separate State for Tamils, problems of education and employment could be more easily solved.

The notion of a separate Eelam State, made a heady sentimentality and the Tamils who had been compelled to leave the country during riots, and other ambitious Tamil politicians jumped into raise the idea of a Tamil Eelam to a giddy height.

The youths who took to arms became terrorists, murdering moderate Tamils, and intellectuals, and all their opponents. Money poured into the terrorist, from the Tamil diaspora, with which they bought arms and modern armaments, and trained kidnapped young women as human bombs.

The government forces which were not well armed, and lacked equipment to meet the superior armed power of the terrorists became the targets of the terrorists, killing them in large numbers. In this situation, the terrorists not being ready to come for a peace settlement, the government was forced to eliminate them though military action. The government forces had to be revitalised, equipped and trained. This enormous work was undertaken by the President of Sri Lanka Mhainda Rajapakse, with Gotabhaya Rajapakse and the Commander of the Army Sarth Fonseka.

Mr. Fein now has the basic information. The rest that Mr. Fein pretends to know are the feedings given to him by the Tamils, who have developed an anti Sinhala mentality. Therefore before Mr. Fein mixes up the real issues in Sri Lanka, with Bosnia, Hitler's Mein kamf , the Jews, Serbia, Karadzic, Mahavansa, the Buddhist priests, and so on and so forth, he should try to understand the situation by listening to both sides - the Tamils and the Sinhala..

Successive governments made all possible efforts to settle the terrorist problem through negotiations, but the terrorist throughout stood firm on their position of the demand for the establishment of a separate Tamil Eelam State. It was finally the Present President who inherited the problem aggravated by the signing of a CFA by a previous government, had to settle it. He failed in all his attempts to meet the terrorist leadership for negotiations..

It was then that he called his brother Gotabhaya Rajapakse, who is an experienced retired army officer, from America to coordinate the armed forces, and plan military strategies with the Commander of the Army Sarath Fonseka - an able military strategists who was seriously wounded by a suicide bomber, to eliminate terrorism for good. The armed forces had no political interference, and was given a free hand to plan, and execute their military plans. Basil Rajapakse is a political leader and he looks after the interest of the civilian factor in the war torn areas.

The government forces led by the Commanders of the Armed Forces, Commander of the Army Sarath Fonseka, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse carried out a successful military campaign against the terrorists and the terrorist only. It was not at all against the Tamil people. Let alone a genocide, it was not even military action against the Tamil people.

In fact the strategy was to destroy, weaken and eliminate the terrorist, without putting the Tamil civilians in the areas controlled by the terrorists, in danger. Basil Rajapakse looked after the possible social welfare of the Tamil people caught in the areas controlled by the terrorist, by providing food, medicine and other necessities, and even education facilities.

Where is then the so called genocide. As everyone knows the greatest danger to humanity today is the wide spread terrorism. The Sri Lanka being a country affected by terrorism, in the throws of it, having suffered through it for over quarter of a century is successfully eliminating the horror of terrorism. Mr. Fein accusing the Government of Sri Lanka and its most audacious military leaders, and government officials, is aiding and abetting terrorism in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Bruce Fein should understand that the use of denigrative terms in describing eminent persons of my country, making false accusations based on unverified facts make him liable for legal action for deformation, libel, and slander.

All arrangements have finalised by the Election Commissioner's Department to conduct free and fair Provincial council election. Over 20000 Police officials were deployed by the government and over 22000 officials are now engaged with the election works.
Sending an official letter to all embassies in Sri Lanka Minister of Media Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said in the recent past misleading and mischievous reports about Sri Lanka were highlighted ,But the government of Sri Lanka respects democratic rights. He said isolated incidents have been inflated and extrapolations widely circulated in order to paint a bleak picture of the country.
"You are probably aware also that there is no systemic violations taking place in the country and indeed that the government has spared no pains to restore democracy and normalcy in all parts of the country.
I write to bring to your notice a sequence of events that are deeply disturbing to the polity and the overall political culture in Sri Lanka, events which moreover serve to question the moral authority with which certain organizations make such claims.
I refer in particular to tendentious comments made by senior leaders of the United National Party at a rally in support of that party's candidates for the forthcoming Provincial Council Elections in Anuradhapura on August 19.
At this meeting attended by the Leader of the Opposition certain speeches deliberately incited party supporters to unleash violence on political opponents ."
He said the UNP activists began attacking supporters of the UPFA as well as the party offices. Armed thugs overrun the UPFA office in Kekirawa and also injured to UPFA members , damaged property of the party office .They also shot the Personnel Assistant of the Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayake and his official vehicle was set on fire. A number of assaults , damaging properties of the UPFA members and violation of election law were done by the UNP activists .
However the UNP made complaints against the government and said most of UPFA supporters violates election law and makes violence.
The Minister said that the UNP follows double standards.

According to the latest military information received, troops of the 57 Division operating in Mullaittiuvu Eastern battlefront have liberated Tunukkai and Uilankulam towns this morning, 22 August.
Troops have commenced approaching the strategically important Thunukkai town from the North and the West since last morning (21 August). Thunukkai town is situated on the halfway of the Vellankulama and Mankulama road and has been a strategic nerve centre for LTTE for last 25 years. Uilankulam is located around 5Km north of Thunukkai and it is also an LTTE's stronghold in Mullaittiuvu District as fierce gun battles reported in this area during the past few days.
With this newest victory, security forces have reached to a significant phase of the Wanni liberating offensive as these areas were liberated for the first time in nearly three decades long fighting between security forces and terrorists. The gain of Thunukkai adds advantage toward the security forces positioned in clear striking distance of Mallavi another vital terrorist's garrison along the Vellankaulam- Mankulam main road.
Troops of 57 Division led by Maj General Jagath Dias have made their fullest contribution for the Wanni offensive liberating Madhu Church Complex, Palampiddi, Mundumurippu, Periyamadhu, Naddakandal, Chiradikkulam and Kalvilan areas.

The three suspects who were produced in courts today in connection with Sirasa incident were enlarged on bail moments ago. They were each released on Rs. 50,000 cash bail and 500,000 personal bail.

An Improvised Explosive Device(IED) was found near a Mosque in Balagolla, Kandy, Police confirmed.

Lanka Marine Services Pvt Ltd (LMSL) said on Friday the impact on the company via the tax liability and other costs as a result of the recent Supreme Court judgement is estimated at Rs 704 million.

"In our view, the impact on the consolidated income statement and / or reserves of the group as a result of the additional tax liability, additional customs duty, asset impairment (if LMS does not continue in business) and other costs associated with the vacating of the premises is estimated at Rs. 704 million (consolidated at 99.44 per cent)," the company said in a statement.
The court on July 21 declared that the privatisation of LMSL, a John Keells Holdings' company, was improper, irregular and illegal. LMSL was asked to return its land to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and ordered to pay all taxes which it earlier didn't do as it received a tax-free benefit from the Board of Investment.

The statement said that if LMSL's export status is not immediately accepted, then a further Rs. 606 million will have to be treated as a contingent liability till the matter is finally resolved in terms of the Inland Revenue Act.

Grama Sevakas in certain areas in Ratnapura district are collecting National Identity Cards promissing them better Samurdhi benefits, a complaint lodged by the UNP said.

Grama Sevakas calling over with a printed form have calimed that they need to surrender their identity card inorder to obtain the Samurdhi benefits.

The UNP in a complaint lodged said that this was a ruse to prevent voters from voting on Saturday and the provincial council elections on Saturday.

Police said they are looking into the complaint.

The provincial council elections for the Sabaragamuwa and North Central provinces scheduled for August 23 have implications that go beyond ordinary politics and the contest for political dominance. The Provincial Council system was established in 1987 to provide the basis of a solution to the ethnic conflict based on the devolution of power. This has been reiterated by the present government which had pledged to fully implement the system to include the Northern and Eastern provinces.

The National Peace Council regrets that the conduct with regard to the two Provincial Councils for the Sabaragamuwa and North Central provinces indicates that the political agenda of the centre, and power politics, rather than the democratic requirements of the provinces have been uppermost. Both of these Provincial Councils were prematurely dissolved by the government, and the election campaign was undermined by violence in which politicians from the centre have been implicated.

There was a high level of violence and intimidation that took place in the course of the election campaign, especially in the final days of the campaign. As the criteria for a free and fair election includes the pre-election period this means a flawed election is about to take place on Saturday. Due to the upsurge in violence, and inability on the part of the Police alone to address the situation, the Election Commissioner has called on the army to be deployed the two provinces to ensure that normalcy is restored during the elections.

We trust that the government and the security forces will act with integrity to ensure that the basic foundation of our democracy, which is the people’s right to vote without fear and intimidation, is protected. We also appeal to the opposition parties not to take the law into their own hands on the grounds that the government parties have been engaging in violence with impunity, which would mean the law of the jungle. We call upon the Elections Commissioner to do his statutory duty and implement his promise to annul polling booths where there has been violence, intimidation or spiriting away of ballot boxes or stuffing them. As a longer term measure to ensure good governance in the country, we demand the implementation of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution by the government, which among others establish independent Elections and Police Commissions.

By Shihar Aneez
COLOMBO, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Inflation and wage pressure are cutting earnings in Sri Lanka's trademark industry -- garments -- to the point where fast-growing remittances could take over its top export earner status for the first time in two decades.
A possible loss of a lucrative EU concession, plus the fact that Sri Lankan garment workers earn more than those in competitor countries, has also dimmed the industry's outlook this year, officials and analysts said.
Export earnings from the garment industry rose 8.5 percent to $3.34 billion in 2007, accounting for 43 percent of total export revenue. In the first half of 2008, earnings have grown by a mere 1.5 percent to $1.6 billion.
Garments last year were the country's top source of foreign exchange followed by remittances of $2.5 billion and tea export earnings, which brought in $1 billion.
"The remittances can surpass the garment sector," Vajira Premawardhena, head of research at Lanka Orix Securities said.
Earnings from remittances have jumped 22.4 percent to $1.46 billion in the first half of 2008 period and are still growing, according to Sri Lanka's Bureau of Foreign Employment.
"When inflation is running at 26 percent, the wages you earn domestically are not sufficient for people to survive. So a lot of people are giving up their local jobs and moving overseas. So there is a good prosperity for remittances."
Sri Lanka's inflation is one of the highest in the Asian region, and had hit an 18-year peak in late 2007 mostly due to high government expenditure on a war with Tamil Tiger separatists and state salaries and pensions. RISING COSTS
The rise of global fuel and food prices propelled inflation upward since December to a high of 28.2 percent in June, before falling to 26.6 percent last month on a new index that reset the baseline year to 2002.
That has pushed Sri Lanka's working class to look for work elsewhere -- primarily as domestic workers in the Middle East where salaries are much higher -- and in turn eroded the traditional employee base for garment manufacturers.
Industry officials said Sri Lanka's competitiveness is suffering as much as anyone else from higher production costs because of high world food and fuel prices, but more so because of its more mature industry wage scale.
"Costs have been fairly high, higher than most of our competitors, particularly Bangladesh, Cambodia and Vietnam," T.G. Ariyaratne, the secretary general of the Joint Apparel Association Forum, said in a telephone interview.
Industry players said the average monthly employee wage in Cambodia and Bangladesh -- around $25 -- is similar to Sri Lanka's wage level 10 years ago. Sri Lanka's garment industry pays $45-60 a month per employee.
"Their wages are fairly low. So that's why their prices are low. So we will probably end up somewhere similar to last year on the basis of the present situation."
An EU trade concession has helped the industry boost export revenue since mid-2005, but the European body has warned it may not renew it after its expiry in December because of continuing human rights violations stemming from the civil war.
"Forty-seven percent of the export from the garment industry goes to EU. Assuming that GSP+ is not available from next year, then we will find it real hard to operate. The cost will obviously go up," Ariyaratne said.
The GSP+ scheme helped Sri Lanka net a record $2.9 billion from EU markets last year, 37.5 percent of total export income.

Hot on the heels of capture of Tunukkai, Uyilankulam and the southern edge of Akkarayankulam tank, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka flew to Wanni Security Forces Headquarters Friday (22) morning with a view to receiving an update on the ground realities.
Lieutenant General Fonseka, highly impressed by invaluable ground achievements, gained by his troops in the Wanni theater of humanitarian operations, commended General Officer Commanders in Divisions and all soldiers on their selfless commitment and contribution to the Nation at this critical juncture of our history.
"I am very happy with the progress so far made in all Wanni fronts. We are now quite close to Kilinochchi. Though our future targets would be more challenging, I am sure we would be able to face them. Try to maintain the highest degree of morale among soldiers by speaking to all of them. Let us reach our targets with determination in the near future," Lieutenant General Fonseka told the gathering of Divisional and Brigade Commanders who briefed him on current developments in respective areas.
At the outset, Major General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander, Security Forces, Wanni outlined the security concerns to the visiting military chief and drew his attention to several administrative and logistic matters. Lieutenant General Fonseka, afterwards gave a patient hearing to his General Officers Commanding and Brigade Commanders, during the meeting where he, in turn opined on matters of concern, raised by them and advised them accordingly.
Major General Athula Jayawardena, 21 Divisional Commander in Wanni received the Commander on his arrival. Several senior Army officers, attached to the Colombo Army Headquarters were also associated with the discussion at the Wanni Security Forces Headquarters.

WANNI: SRI LANKA Air Force MI – 24 helicopters, giving further backing to the ground troops carried two more aerial attacks targeting Tiger defences, about 17 km northwest of TUNUKKAI, to the south of VANARIKULAM tank in KILINOCHCHI district at about 6.30 a.m. on Friday (22).
Those strikes have caused extensive damages to the LTTE gatherings in those areas. Precisely three hours after that air sortie, Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets around 9.30 a.m. shelled another LTTE logistic base in DARMAPURAM area, about 5 km north of VISWAMUDU tank, from where vehicle spare parts and other combat items for the LTTE are distributed.

Troops of 59 Division on Thursday (21) had a series of confrontations in ANDANKULAM area killing five terrorists and injuring twenty-two more terrorists between 8.00 a.m.-7.15 p.m.

Meanwhile, troops fighting in TUNUKKAI and south of MALLAVI areas, to the west MULLAITTIVU on Thursday (21) got rid of seven more terrorists during the course of confrontations that began at about 9.45 a.m. and continued till about 6.00 p.m. Terrorist mortar fire and explosion of anti personnel mines caused the death of one soldier and injured two more in TUNUKKAI and MALLAVI.

Meanwhile, confrontations in NACHCHIKUDA and PALAMODDAI in WANNI sector killed five terrorists and injured at least five more. One valiant soldier lost his life during PALAMODDAI fighting which went on till about 2.30 p.m.

Similarly, an abortive attempt by Tiger terrorists in VANARAKULAM in the KILINOCHCHI District to overrun a troop position on Thursday (21) was challenged killing six more terrorists and injuring nine more.

The fierce VANNARIKULAM fights that persisted between 10.15 a.m.- 6.45 p.m. claimed the lives of two brave soldiers and injured seven more soldiers. The Army troops during this fight defended their defensive positions.

In the meantime, one LTTE terrorist was gunned down during a confrontation on Thursday (21) at about 8.30 a.m. in a location, ahead of the Forward Defence Line in MUHAMALE.

Meanwhile, a mortar fire attack directed by Tigers targeting soldiers on MUHAMALE defence line injured one soldier at about 9.45 p.m. on Thursday (21).

World crude oil prices rose to $117.26 per barrel on Friday for the Brent variety, from $109 last week while the OPEC Basket was trading at $113.63, the Central Bank said. In the Singapore Refined Products market, petrol was trading at $112.30, diesel at $128.30 and kerosene at $128.40.

With all campaigning for Saturday’s elections in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa halted, the supporter of one of the candidates in Ratnapura found novel way to campaign by flying kite with the candidates face on it.

(Lanka-e-News, ) Minister Mervin Silva advised media to take photographs of war heroes attacking Tamils and publish them.

He gave this advice to the photographers who were taking his pictures at the courts when the Minister arrived there with his counsels to surrender yesterday (22).

Lanka-e-News asked the Media Spokesman on National Security, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella to comment on Minister Mervin Silva’s statement that the security forces were attacking Tamils. He said that the war heroes were fighting against terrorism and terrorists. He says that it is not a war against a nationality and everybody must bless it.

Minister Rambukwella said that he could not comment on another Minister’s statement which he was not aware of.

Army media spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara also said the security forces were in a war against terror and he was not aware of the Minister’s statement.

The statement that the security forces were attacking Tamils is similar to stating that the security forces were engaged in genocide. The problem here is if it is government policy since Minister Mervin Silva is a government Minister.

(Lanka-e-News, }Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickramarathna has told that problems cannot be solved through street demonstrations and by ‘shouting and lifting clothes’ (redda ussagena kegahala prashna visandanna be.) He made these comments at a discussion with political party leaders held in the police headquarters today (22).
Several party representatives who were present in the meeting said to Lanka-e-News that although the parties were summoned to discuss the pre-election violence and the future programmes, the police chief indirectly blamed political parties and media without focusing to the aim of the dialogue.

The Inspector General said that the political parties were giving orders to the police and police was not ready to admit them. He said that his duty was to safeguard the respect of the police uniform.

The police chief said that police could not act against persons if there was no proved evidence although the media showed their faces circled. He said that although police was accused for inaction in the past, the problems would not be solved through street protests.

When Lanka-e-News enquired from United Socialist Party (USP) leader Sirithunga Jayasuriya about the discussion, he said that political parties were indirectly threatened not to give instructions from political platforms.

He said that although the police chief did not mention any name, his entire speech was a lament and the way he behaved was derogatory to the office of IGP.

Mr. Jayasuriya accused that the IGP who summoned the meeting did not show the due respect the political parties.

Convoy of vehicles of Western People's Front (WPF) member Ruban Perumal who is contesting the Sabaragamuwa PC polls on UNP ticket came under attack from goons belonging to the majority community in Kahawatta town.

Perumal and four of his party men who accompanied him in the convoy for election campaigning were critically injured. They were warded in the Kahawatta hospital. Four vehicles in the convoy were also attacked and damaged, according to reports.
They were on their way to attend an election meeting at Opatha which was to be addressed by party leader Mano Ganeshan MP. It is accused that the attack was staged by a group led by UPFA candidate and former PC minister Ranjith Soysa, according to reports.

A high level delegation of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and leading exporters will participate in the 3-day 8th SAARC Chambers of Commerce & Industry trade fair being held in Colombo from August 28.
FPCCI president Tanvir Ahmad Sheikh said on Friday that leading Pakistani exporters will establish their stalls at the fair to attract foreign investors.
“The fair will help us explore the potential market of Sri Lanka and SAARC member countries,” he said, adding that it will mainly focus on the importance of harnessing strengths available in the SAARC region, to jointly emerge as a regional force in seizing global market opportunities, leading to socio economic development.
Iftikhar Ali Malik, Vice President SAARC CCI, Pakistan chapter, will represent Pakistan, he added.
He said that export quality products manufactured in the SAARC member countries will represent a number of sectors like textiles, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, herbal medicines, automobile sector, jewellery, cutlery, agro-chemical industry, carpets, shoes, kitchenware and IT sector.
The FPCCI chief said that successful talks were held by Iftikhar Ali Malik with the organisers of the fair to ensure maximum space to our exporters.

A St. Paul businessman who emigrated from Sri Lanka decades ago is developing a $125 million health care facility in his home country with the help of several Twin Cities professionals.

Tariq Rauf, managing director of St. Paul-based Silvermere International Group of Cos., wants to build a 180-bed hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka, that would serve that region and be a destination for health care tourists. The Embassy Medical Center also would be one of the most eco-friendly health care facilities on the planet.

Rauf has spent the past two years getting Twin Cities experts to help, starting with Jim Rice, a well-connected international health care consultant based in Minneapolis and a former senior officer for Minneapolis-based Allina Hospitals & Clinics. He also retained Chuck Knight, head of the Minneapolis office of Perkins+Will, an international architecture firm with a significant health care practice.

Rauf and Rice also have recruited Brock Nelson, president and CEO of Regions Hospital in St. Paul, and Robert Stevens, CEO of Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia, to serve on the private, for-profit hospital’s six-person board of directors.

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was in Anuradhapura this morning (Aug. 22nd) to inspect the damage caused to the home and medical dispensary of the party's district manager Dr. Raja Johnpulle following an arson attack.
Armed UPFA supporters stormed the premises around 3.30 pm on August 20th and set fire to the property.
Mr. Wickremesinghe also visited the home of UNP candidate at the upcoming polls attorney Kasturi Anuradhanayake, damaged in yet another attack by ruling party supporters on the same day.
UNP chief ministerial candidate retired Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera accompanied the party leader during this tour.

Following the shooting incident which took place inside the premises of Eastern University last night the Vice Chancellor, Dr N Pathmanathan has decided to close the university.

University authorities have decided to escort all Sinhala and Muslim students out of Eastern Province.

A final year Sinhala student, Sucharitha Pasan Samarasinghe (22) was shot dead last night by an unidentified gunman when he was returning to his hostel after meeting up with some of the first year Sinhala students near their hostel.

The provincial council polls were forced on the public, says Chairman of People's Action for Fair and Free Elections (PAFFREL), Kingsley Rodrigo.
Speaking at a press briefing in Colombo this morning (August 22nd), he said that a satisfactory turnout cannot be expected due to the prevailing violent situation in the areas.
Speaking further, Mr. Rodrigo said that PAFFREL and the Elections Secretariat would open an all party monitoring office at 2.00 pm today and carryout observations until the Sabaragamuwa and North Central elections were over.
The Commissioner of Elections promised to nullify votes at polling centres from where complaints of poll rigging is reported, he added.
The PAFFREL Chairman said that the inaction of the police had attributed to the escalation of election violence.
Noting that incidents have decreased within the past 36 hours, he added that the situation has improved following the deployment of the army to assist the police in maintaining law and order.
Noting that 163 incidents of election violence have been reported so far, the PAFFREL Chairman said that incidents of assaults, numbering 48, were the most common in the two provinces.

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets pounded LTTE logistic base located at Vishwamadu in Mullaittiuvu District this morning, 22 August.

Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara speaking to defence.lk said that the targeted LTTE base was identified as one of the main LTTE's logistic facilities containing vehicle spare parts and other combat items adding that it is located in general area Dharmapuram, 5Km north of Vishwamadu tank in Mullaittiuvu district.

The air sorties were carried out around 9.30 AM and the Air Force confirmed that targeted LTTE base was destroyed completely.

Meanwhile, SLAF MI-24 helicopters launched an air raid targeting the LTTE defence line located 17 Km north-west of Thunukkai in general area south of Wannerikulam tank, Kilinochchi District around 6.30 AM today. The air bombardment carried out in support of ground troops of Task Force 1 advancing northwards in Wanni liberating offensive, Air Force spokesperson added.

Police personnel in Kandy Police have uncovered a bomb weighing around 1Kg from the Balagolla area, a suburb in Kandy, while conducting a search operation on information received this morning, 22 August.

The bomb contained gelignite sticks and C-4 high explosive, had been hidden in a sand mound near the privately owned residence in the Balagolla area, sources said.

The Army bomb disposal team later has defused the bomb, sources added.

A Gamma Irradiator facility will be established in Sri Lanka for use in the sterilization of medical products and reach out to the export market in the latex glove industry.

Secretary to the Ministry of Science and Technology A.N.R. Amarathunga yesterday signed an Agreement with Messrs SYMEC Engineers (India) Pvt., Ltd., of Mumbai, India, to supply, install, commission and train personnel in order to establish a Multi Purpose Gamma Irradiator Facility in the Export Processing Zone at Biyagama.

Gamma irradiation plants are widely used in many countries to sterilize medical products and for microbial disinfestation. This facility would also help the latex glove industry reach export markets. At present un-sterile gloves are exported. If they are exported as sterile surgical gloves, the value addition will be more than four times of the present value of the un-sterile product.

Medical equipment such as catheters, sterile dressing, syringes and saline are being currently imported for domestic use. But many local companies could have produced these products and even exported them if they had sterilization facilities and the proposed gamma irradiation plant would add value to locally manufactured products, save foreign exchange in regard to domestic requirements of such products and also create more employment opportunities. Sri Lanka annually produces 20,000 metric tons of rubber latex gloves and exports goods worth of Rs.8,000 million as un-sterile examination gloves and it should be noted that the three major glove manufacturers in Sri Lanka have expressed their willingness to use this irradiator service if such service is available. The production of surgical gloves would generate more employment opportunities as well.

This project would undoubtedly contribute towards improving healthcare and industrial output, increasing value added exports and food safety and reducing cost of imports. One of the greatest health benefits of food irradiation is its ability to destroy micro organisms and parasites that cause food borne illnesses and death.

On behalf of SYMEC Engineers (India) Pvt., Ltd., K. Champakavas (Managing Director) and A.K. Anand (Technical Advisor) were present while Dr. A.K. Kholi (Chief Executive) was present as the representative of the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology, Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India.

The project is an outcome of a continuing effort of the Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) to enhance the quality of locally produced rubber gloves, spices and other food and medical items produced by small and medium scale entrepreneurs. Moreover this project has been approved by the Government on the recommendation of Professor Tissa Vitarana, the Minister of Science and Technology, who himself is a micro biologist.

The estimated total cost of this project is around Rs.450 million which will be provided by the Sri Lankan Government under the “Mahinda Chintana” Crash Development Programme in the Science and Technology Sector. This amount is already allocated to the Ministry of Science and Technology. The International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna has also agreed to provide technical assistance such as training of personnel, expert services and some laboratory equipment.

Recently Ministry of Science and Technology signed an Agreement with BOI Chairman Dhammika Perera for the leasing of a two acre land at the Biyagama Export Processing Zone.

The project will undoubtedly make it possible to establish new industries generating employment opportunities, reduce importation of medical products, ensure a better market for rubber latex gloves produced locally and would even function as an alternative to chemicals that are at present being used for fumigation of export food products.

Some of the export products of Sri Lanka such as spices are irradiated in a third country before they are re-exported. Gamma irradiation is a viable solution to this problem.

It was noted that the commitment and initiative of a government to set up such a plant is important as it is relatively a new technology to Sri Lanka requiring a high investment with safety precautions and that critical demand is needed to operate the plant profitably. The participation of the Government will also ensure the project’s services to a range of different sectors. In addition to commercial operations, the plant will also make available opportunities for research and development activities.

Globally, more than 45% of medical products are sterilized using gamma irradiation plants. It is a well established technology being used by many countries. One of the major advantages of this technology is that it has the capability of sterilizing the products even after packing the product so that it prevents re-contaminating while packing. This method of sterilization does not leave chemical residues and is not energy intensive.

Six suspects were produced in courts today, in connection with the Sirasa incident.

A 22 year old student of the Eastern University in Wantharamulla Batticaloa, Pasan Samarasinghe was shot dead last night at the university hostel by an unidentified gunman.
At a press conference held yesterday JHU leader Ven. Ellawala Medhananda thera said the party had received complaints that Sinhala students in the Eastern University have been harassed by others.

CaFFE yesterday complained to Elections Commissioner regarding the sudden appointment of two senior DIG’s, DIG Jayantha Liyanage and DIG Mahinda Balasooriya to supervise the work of the present DIG of Anuradhapura DIG Mr. K.P.P. Pathirana.

CaFFE believes that this appointment is a “politically motivated move to make redundant the decision of the commissioner to deploy armed forces in Anuradhapura”

Speaking to the Daily Mirror Mr. Sudharshana Gunawardhana of CaFFE, said that such a move is suspicious, as during an election there can be no transfers without the approval of the elections commissioner.

CaFFE wrote to the commissioner expressing concerns regarding the escalation of violence, especially in the Anuradhapura district a few hours before the termination of the election campaign and holding of elections. “We appreciate the decision taken by you to deploy the army to assist the police to maintain law and order and to curb election violence”.

CaFFE monitors in Anuradhapura informed that the UNP has already m3et with Mr. Liyanage yesterday afternoon and Mr. Balasooriya is yet to arrive.

The Anuradhapura police department when contacted claimed they were not aware of such a situation.

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara told the Daily Mirror that due to the election violence which has occurred in the Anuradhapura district three new DIG’s have been appointed to assist the existing DIG. DIG Sarath Jayasundara and DIG Munasinghe were appointed to the Anuradhapura district and DIG Shantha Rajapaksha has been appointed to the Polonnaruwa district. He also stated that no one was appointed to supervise the present DIG’s work.

The Jathika Hela Urumaya yesterday complained that Sinhalese students in the Jaffna University and the Batticloa University are subjected to harassment in the hands of the Tamil students

Hela Urumaya Leader Ven Ellawala Medhananda Thera told a press conference yesterday that only the Sinhala students studying in the Jaffna University and the Batticloa are subjected to this kind of treatment while Tamil and Muslim students studying in the Southern universities experience no problem.

They charged that the Sinhalese students have been subjected to assault by the Tamil students. According to a study carried out by the JHU it has been found out that the assault of Sinhala students in Batticloa University has been a part of ragging while it has been a case of communalism in the University of Jaffna.

The JHU welcomed the decision of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to register students at the Jaffna University and allowing them to follow lectures at the Batticaloa University as a temporary learning solution to the security problem faced by Sinhala students.

However the party criticized the Inter University Students Federation and the JVP charging that they are encouraging the Tamil nationalism which is existent in the Northern Universities.

The party was referring to the suggestion made by the JVP to allow the Sinhala students who were taken to Jaffna University and the Batticloa University to study in any university in the South.

JHU said this will result in more communal unrest as there would be no interaction between the students of the South and North East.

The JHU said they would fight on behalf of the Sinhala students in the universities in the North and the South stating that it is they who have suffered most island wide because of the crisis in the university system.

The party said there is nothing wrong in university students engaging in politics but the political power should not be used to suppress other students and disrupt the universities.

By Gayani Perera
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in India is mandated to provide need based quality training for capacity building of human resources of rural financial institutions and other organizations involved in agriculture and rural development as well as for inputs for development interventions. On a request made by the NABARD from SANASA Development Bank Limited (SDBL) to conduct a regional workshop and study tour in Sri Lanka, the bank organized a regional workshop for 19 Indian banking professionals who hold reputed positions in the banking industry focusing on the practical aspects of micro finance in Sri Lanka. This study tour and workshop was conducted from the 27th of July to the 10th of August 2008. The Sanasa Development Bank has always stood in the forefront of the micro finance industry in Sri Lanka, and the bank's micro finance activities where recently rewarded where the bank gained momentum by being included in the Forbes list of the 50 globally effective micro finance institutions in world as well as being placed first in Sri Lanka.

The SANASA movement is currently 100 years old where its founder Dr. P.A. Kiriwandeniya is considered to be its leader. The SANASA movement comprises of trade organizations which are created with the intention of serving the financially deprived sectors in the society. The trade organizations comprise of the SANASA Federation which is considered to be the umbrella organization of the SANASA movement, the SANASA Development Bank, the SANASA Insurance Company, SANASA Campus, SANASA Producer Consumer Alliance Limited, SANASA Printing and Publishers, SANASA Engineering Development Company and the SANASA Motel. The Daily Mirror spoke to Ms. Nandani Gunersekera, Senior Manager, Development Finance and Project of SDBL to find out more about the study tour and workshop organized by the bank.

"The SANASA Campus became the main focus of the micro finance study tour in Sri Lanka, which is currently the educational arm of our organization. The SANASA Campus comprises of many departments which include the Banking College which at present conduct many international programmes. Through the Banking College we provided the Indian officials the theoretical as well as practical programmes giving them in-depth insights into the micro finance practices in Sri Lanka. During the study tour the Indian officials, where divided into separate groups where they visited the different SANASA societies in the districts of Kurunegala, Kegalle etc., which provided them the necessary on the job training which was the starting point of the programme", says Ms. Gunasekera.

The officials also received the opportunity to actively interact and participate in various panel discussions with the professionals of reputed universities, retired senior officials from Central Bank of Sri Lanka and SANSA Bank officials. The officials also received the opportunity to gain knowledge and insights from other micro finance institutes and banking institutions in Sri Lanka and NGOs dealing with micro finance, where they visited the Sarvodaya, Janasaviya and Samurdhi organizations. Through these visits they were able to accumulate various details and other aspects related to the process of micro finance, liquidity ratios etc. The training tour also provided the officials to experience micro finance with regards to commercial banking institutions, where they were provided the opportunity to visit the Hatton National Bank Training College. In addition to this they received the rare opportunity to visit the policy makers with regards to micro finance, where they met the Governor of the Central Bank, Deputy Governor and other regional directors where questions relating the national policy on micro finance were addressed. The Indian officials where therefore taken on an comprehensive study tour which began from the grassroots levels in micro finance and ended at the decision making and national policy levels, where ultimately the global issues relating to micro finance was also discussed.

"The study tour provided the ideal platform for us to interact with the Indian officials and learn about their experiences and exchange ideas and knowledge. We do not limit our services to merely providing financial assistance through our micro finance units but provide a credit plus service to our micro finance customers, which includes monitoring financial service capacities and management capacities thereby providing various knowledge built services, on the job training services which are provided to clients through our corporative development officers. The greatest advantage that we have is the fact that we have the ability to accurately and effectively channel our financial assistance to the low income segments in the country through the bank's SANASA societies", further stated Ms. Gunesekera.

On information received from a civilian, security forces have uncovered accessories of suicide jackets from a church premise in Olcott Mawatha in Pettah, this morning, 22 August.

According to the available sources, the recovery was made around 8.50 AM and detonators, switches and few other items had been concealed inside the Don Philip's church in Pettah, in Colombo.

19 detonators

23 switches (MR type -11, PT type -11, PR type - 1) and a hand baggage were among the recoveries, MCNS said.

Troops of Task Force 1 marching along the Mannar- Poonaryn road (A-32) on the Kilinochchi southern front today reached the outer defences of Nachchikudha LTTE stronghold.

According to the defence sources in the area, troops have been able to dominate about 1 km stretch of the earth hump made by the LTTE, located in the Vannerikkulam area, East of Nachchikudha. Fierce fighting prevailed in the area from morning to evening, sources said.

Meanwhile radio-monitoring reports confirmed that 12 terrorists were killed and 15 others injured on the Kilinochchi front alone, in the day's clashes. In addition, reports indicate that 4 soldiers suffered injuries during the same.

The UNP chief ministerial candidate for the North Central Province, retired Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera and around 2,000 of his supporters marched to the office of the province's Deputy Inspector General Jayantha Gamage and handed over a petition that calls for measures to halt poll violence.

The march began from the home of UNP organizer Dr. Raja Johnpulle which was extensively damaged in an attack by political opponents.

They also protested against the attack against party candidate Kasturi Anuradha.

Mr. Perera said the petition calls for impartiality of the police, arrest or eviction of thugs unleashing violence in the area, removal of an office of the Presidential Secretariat in Anuradhapura and action against the use of state property for campaigning.

DIG Gamage has promised to investigate all complaints of violence, deploy an ASP to every police division on Election Day and to obtain the Army's support to maintain law and order.

A frontline candidate for the main opposition UNP at Saturday’s election in the Ratnapura district has gone into hiding fearing for his life.

Mr. Asitha Muhandiram- also known as Sarappaya or serpent is currently staying in an undisclosed location speaking on telephone said he had been advised from the party that government-sponsored hit men were after him.

On Tuesday this week a group of police officers claiming to be from the Colombo Crimes Division had searched his house for weapons but had to return empty handed.

The UNP has also made a complaint in this regard to independent elections monitors.

Last week the tough-talking Muhandiram who is popular in the Ratnapura district told The Sunday Times that the Government side was planning mass-scale rigging in the Kalawana and neighbouring Nivithigala electorates.

He said he will not allow that to happen and challenged anyone to do so. The sources added that this may be the reason to threaten Mr. Muhandiram and force him into hiding before the day of elections.

Some 90 % of computers in Sri Lanka used pirated software last year, placing the country sixth in the global software piracy ranking, an anti-piracy advocacy body said.

Director-Marketing in the Asian Region of US-based Business Software Alliance (BSA) Roland Chan told reporters in Colombo on Wednesday that this co-relates to a loss of US$ 93 million for the software companies while globally they lost US$ 47.8 billion due to pirated software. This was among the findings of the 2007 piracy study conducted by the BSA and IDC, a market survey company. It has also been found that some of the most frequently pirated software is among the cheapest while the more expensive software is acquired legitimately. Identification of un-licensed software is very easy and can lead to corporate liability if a company is found to be running pirated and un-licensed software. Mr. Chan said that software piracy will also result adversely on the local software industry.

Sixteen members of the Presidential Security Division (PSD) were injured when the bus they were traveling in toppled near the Attanagalla bridge on Wednesday night, Police said.

Twelve of them are receiving treatment at the Watupitiwala hospital. Two of them are officers.

Two Muslim villagers were shot dead and four others were injured in Nilaweli on Wednesday night, Police said.

The bodies are yet to be identified.

Army has been called in quell violence and provide security for elections in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces ahead of Saturday’s polls, Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

He said that the army has been deployed following a request from the Commissioner of Elections.

He said if the police request the assistance of the army to provide security for the conduct of the poll, the army is willing to assist.

In the recent years this is the first time the army has been called in to provide security ahead of the polls.

Sri Lanka Air Force pounded terror strongholds in the Tunukkai town around 6.30, this evening (Aug 21). Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said, that the air raid was carried out using MI 24 helicopter gunships targeting locations where LTTE was giving resistance at approaching troops.

He said that the attack was carried out as a close air support mission to 57 Division troops who are in the process of rounding up the strategically vital Tunukkai town.

Director, National Blood Transfusion Service, Dr. R.M.Bindusara has been transferred to the Family Health Bureau with immediate effect by Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry Secretary Dr. Athula Kahndaliyanage on the instructions of Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva to facilitate the ongoing investigation into the activities of the blood bank, Ministry spokesman said.

Media rights groups have demanded the immediate sacking of the police chief over his failure to respect three court orders for the arrest of Minister Mervyn Silva over his anti-media behaviour.

Gathering in front of Colombo Fort Railway Station under the banner of Five Media, journalists in their numbers began the demonstration at 12.00 noon today (Aug. 21st).

Carrying banners and placards and shouting slogans, they also accused the president of protecting his errant minister.

Speaking here, Sunanda Deshapriya of the Free Media Movement said they only protested against IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne, and that they did not intend to hurt policemen who enforce and protect the law.

Meanwhile, Minister Silva, who surrendered to the court this morning, was released on bail.

Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC –DIMO which commenced its business since 1939 plans to celebrate its 70 year celebration in next year; now associate with Sri Lanka’s valued left-hand batsman and wicket keeper Kumar Sangakkara to promote DIMO’s products.
DIMO’s Chairman Ranjith Pandithage said the DIMO decided to appoint Mr.Sangakkara as their Brand Ambassador.
Speaking to media on Thursday Mr.Pandithage said prevailing business situation changed their business strategies , but serve their customers providing better service and maintain their vehicles using branded spare parts.
Kumar Sangakkara’s commitment to technique and his perseverance to achieve perfection has seen him top world rankings. He is an unparalleled batsman and an opinion leader boasting of unique character.
“Kumar’s approach to his game is very similar to the way DIMO approaches its business, said Pandithage.

DIMO holds sole agent ship for various popular motor vehicles such as Mercedes Benz, TATA, Chrysler Jeeps and the company has diversified its business as distribution of medical equipment , power transmission and distribution , agricultural machinery and storage and material handling.
DIMO sets very high standards and their attention to detail in evident, in whichever field they choose to be in. It is this reputation , which has made first in class brands like such as Mercedes Benz , Siemens, Bosch, TATA, Chrysler , MTU, Komatsu, Michelin, Osram , Mahindra, MRF, Zeiss, Schaefer etc, bind with DIMO and continue their relationship.
Over the last two decades , DIMO’s turnover has grown from Rs.100 million to over Rs.13 billion .

UNP chief ministerial candidate Ranjan Ramanayake says he does not expect a free and fair election from a president, whom he described as a ruler of thugs.

Mr. Ramanayake, who contests for Sabaragamuwa, told the media in Colombo today (Aug. 21st) that convicted criminals like 'Wambotta', 'Hal Etaya', 'Army Jine' and 'Thatta Some' had been close associates of Mahinda Rajapaksa before he became President.

Pointing out that Idi Amin, Pol Pot and all other dictators finally had a tragic end, the UNP candidate accused the president of being the big brain behind the wave of violence being unleashed against opposition parties.

President Rajapaksa sows the seed of state-sponsored terrorism, and does not practice what he preaches, Mr. Ramanayake alleged.

Speaking further, he referred to a statement by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva over the publication of a flipped photo of him, and said he would never get his sides wrong unlike the senior cabinet member on one infamous occasion some time ago.

Mr. Ramanayake also accused his rival from the UPFA Mahipala Herath of being a fraudster.

He had used thugs to steal the case file of a court proceeding against him over a cooperative deal, and had also closed down 24 schools in the province during his term as chief minister, the UNP candidate added.

Minister of Information Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah received at his office on Thursday Sudan's Ambassador to Kuwait Ibrahim Mairghani Ibrahim and Sri Lankan Ambassador to Kuwait Sayed Abdul Qader Muhammad Zuhaili.
During the meeting, the officials discussed ways of boosting bilateral cooperation.
Sheikh Al-Khaled praised the good and constant growth of relations between Kuwait and the two countries.
For their part, the two ambassadors stressed importance how strong their two countries' relations with Kuwait, particularly in the information field.

The Police Department says that the removal of all temporary party offices belonging to provincial council election candidates begins tomorrow.

According to police spokesperson SSP Ranjith Gunasekera, 21,000 security force personnel will be deployed to carry out election duties.

The police spokesperson confirmed that these officers have been given special training on proper procedures that are to be strictly adhered to during the elections.

Meanwhile, publicity campaigns for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial council elections concluded at midnight yesterday.

SSP Gunasekera stated that the removal of publicity posters and campaign announcements commenced this morning.

Airlines in India pay the most for fuel when compared with other Asia Pacific hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong and Colombo, mainly on account of higher tax rates. Aviation Turbine Fuel or jet fuel in Delhi, the city that houses the nation's second busiest airport, costs USD 1,291 per kilolitre while the same in Singapore is sold at USD 1,067 per kl. It costs USD 1,100 per kl in Hong Kong and USD 1,113 in Colombo.

For airlines, refueling cost in Delhi is 21.73 per cent higher than that in Singapore, according to a report by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Similarly, airlines in India pay 14.82 per cent and 13.87 per cent more than what those in Colombo and Hong Kong pay respectively.

Over the past four months, cost of jet fuel in Delhi has risen from USD 1,023 per kl in April to USD 1,291 per kl in August, a trend that was also followed in other regional aviation hubs. Airlines in India pay an eight per cent excise duty, besides sales tax that varies from 20 per cent (in Delhi) to 35 per cent.

The frenzied upswing in international crude oil prices, which touched a record high of USD 147 per barrel last month made public sector oil firms like Indian Oil Corp hike ATF prices on July 31 by 2.8 per cent. The fuel, which prior to the hike cost Rs 69,097.19 per kl, costs Rs 1,931.07 per kl more for domestic airlines from August 1 at Rs 71,028.26 per kl in Delhi. ATF accounts for 35 per cent of the total airline expenses.

Higher Education Ministry of Sri Lanka today said that they have decided to strictly implement the act prohibiting ragging and other forms of violence in all educational Institutions.

Higher Education Minister Prof. Wishwa Warnapala said the decision was taken at a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat to discuss the deteriorating student discipline in the universities.

It was highlighted at the meeting that the police can enter any higher educational institution for establishing law and order when and where that is required, Ministry further said.

The IGP expressed his willingness to cooperate with the vice chancellors and other heads of institutions to maintain peace and prevent possible security threats to these institutions.

Sri Lankan shares edged down in thin trade on Thursday to a new 3-week closing low, led by market heavyweight Dialog Telekom as investors sold shares expecting a further fall after its thin profits in June quarter. The Colombo All-Share index .
CSE closed 0.52 points or 0.02 percent weaker at 2,424.71, its lowest close since July 29. The bourse has fallen in five of the six sessions since market heavyweight Dialog Telekom DIAL.CM reported a 78 percent drop in June quarter net profit, and is down 4.6 percent this year.
But it had risen on Tuesday as traders snapped up leading firms that had fallen to attractive prices. "Dialog brought down the market," said Geeth Balasuriya,
assistant research manager at HNB Stockbrokers.
"Investors might be expecting Dialog shares to fall further and this expectation created a selling pressure on the shares." Dialog Telekom closed 2.08 percent weaker at its lifetime low of 11.75 rupees a share, calculated on a weighted average.
The share plummeted to that level for the first time a week ago, after the release of earnings. Top-listed conglomerate John Keells Holdings JKH.CM fell 0.25 percent to 100 rupees, while local alcoholic beverage manufacturer Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka DIST.CM closed 1.19 percent weaker at 83 rupees a share. Leading private lender Commercial Bank of Ceylon COMB.
CM closed 0.6 percent weaker at 123.25 rupees, while local oil retailer Lanka IOC LIOC.CM fell 1.05 percent to 23.50 rupees a share. Sri Lanka Telecom SLTL.CM, the country's top fixed-line telephone operator and second-most valuable firm by market
capitalisation, however, closed 1.66 percent up at 46 rupees. Traders said investors were buying shares in agro-chemical manufacturer Chemical Industries CIC.CM, expecting the firm to perform better due to a surge in global demand for agriculture commodities.
Chemical Industries shares closed 2.29 percent firmer at 44.75 rupees a share. It accounted for over 16 percent of the market turnover of 147 million Sri Lankan rupees ($1.36 million), less than half of last year's daily average of 400 million rupees. The rupee closed firmer at 107.78/80 a dollar from Wednesday's close of 107.90, as banks sold dollars when high call money rates made rupee borrowing expensive. The interbank lending rate CLIBOR rose to over 16 percent, before closing at 15.047 percent from Wednesday's 13.880 percent. Sri Lanka's central bank held interest rates steady on Wednesday for an 18th successive month, leaving them at their highest levels since 2002. It said monetary policy was reining in money growth and inflation was easing.

According to reports arriving from Mullaittivu Eastern battlefront, troops of Army 57 division are now encircling the Tunukkai town amid heavy resistance from the terrorists. Troops have commenced approaching the strategically vital town from the North and the West since early this morning (Aug 21).

Troops operating in the North of Tunnukai have so far found two bodies of LTTE cadres following a confrontation occurred around 11.35 AM.

Tunnukkai town is situated on the halfway of the Vellankulama and Mankulama road and has been a strategic nerve centre for LTTE for last 25 years.

A Civil Defence Force personnel was killed in a collision between his motorcycle and a vehicle belonging to the TMVP in Polonnaruwa yesterday (Aug. 20th). According to reports, the vehicle was carrying Mangala Master, who is contesting upcoming polls in North Central Province under the UPFA ticket, and five of his supporters.

Minister Mervyn Silva was enlarged on bail by the Colombo Magistrate moments ago. He was released on Rs. 50,000 cash bail and 500,000 personal bail.

Minister Mervyn Silva had surrendered to the courts through his lawyer a short while ago.

In a bid to develop the tourism industry, Sri Lanka Tourism is looking at investing in Micro Cars to cater to the requirements of up-market tourists.

An official source for the Sri Lanka Tourism Board stated that a variety of SUVs which include ‘Rexton’, ‘Kyron’ and ‘Actyon’ have been introduced by Micro Cars Ltd. for the up-market tourists who insist on having sports utility vehicles for their travelling purposes.

“High end boutique tourists and seasoned travellers insist on SUVs for their travelling purposes as they are comfortable four wheel drives which combine comfort and practicality. With this rising demand, Micro Cars Ltd. has taken the opportunity to introduce locally manufactured SUVs which meet international standards,” the official source stated.

Micro Cars Ltd CEO Dr. Lawrence Perera speaking with the Daily Financial Times said that the company was designing new vehicles to improve the standard of transportation in the country.

With locally manufactured SUVs gaining recognition in the tourism industry, Micro Cars Ltd. has introduced another new vehicle known as the Micro ‘Duodeck’.

The ‘Duodeck’ is manufactured by Micro Cars Ltd. with the technological expertise of a Hong Kong based company. According to Dr. Perera, the Micro ‘Duodeck’ comes in two versions; the city bus version (102 pax capacity) and the luxury version (64 pax capacity) which was already been manufactured and presented to President Rajapaksa last week. “The Micro ‘Duodeck’ is a custom built bus. For this reason many tourist companies have contacted us and have given us their requirements,” he said.

According to Dr. Perera, the city version could be used as a shuttle service for the office commuters that travel to and from the metropolis.


Though Dr. Perera is interested in changing the method of transportation in the country he stated that things cannot be done over-night but when commuters demand for quality and safety, the private transport sector would have to meet their demands. “In most developed countries, transport is given priority but in ours we have been importing buses that were used in the UK 25 years ago.

This has become a dumping ground and now we are unable to import these buses. If we can manufacture our own buses we can cut costs and generate a new income for Sri Lanka,” he stated.

Dr. Perera emphasised that if Sri Lanka begins to manufacture its own vehicles, it would be a great step forward not only in its image internationally but also as an industrial state. He added that by manufacturing buses and other vehicles locally it not only creates employment opportunities in the country, but that in the future Sri Lanka would be able to provide for its own transport needs as well as begin the exportation of quality luxury and dual purpose vehicles. Dr. Perera concluded that the company has already started the ball rolling and is preparing to begin exportation of the Micro ‘Rexton’ SUV model to the Middle Eastern markets early next year.

Starline Enterprises, Ratmalana a local industry, which has earned a reputation for manufacture of a wide range of Paper and Plastic Disposable Packages for Food Industry, has been awarded the "Sooriya Singha" Logo by Mawbima Lanka Padanama. The Programme for the promotion of quality local products and to encourage consumers to use more local products has been launched by Mawbima Lanka Padanama, which is being operated as a strategic partnership between SEMA Agency and the Ministry of Industrial Development.

Starline pioneered the introduction of Co-extrusion Sheet making Technology to Sri Lanka, thereby enabling the manufacture of Multi-layer Yoghurt Cups. The Company also pioneered the introduction of Thin-layer Forming Technology in Thermoforming and introduced a range of Products, known as ‘YELLOW-Line RANG’ whereby several Disposable Plastic Packages were introduced to the local market at much lower prices.

The latest addition to the Starline Product Range includes several Plastic and Paper Packages, used by Restaurants, Pastry Shops and Hotels in their TAKE AWAYS. The Products include Paper and Plastic Lunch Boxes, sauce Cups, Soup Bowls, Salad and Dessert Cups.

Rohan B. Fernando, Managing Director, Starfine Enterprises, expressed his gratitude to Mawbima Lanka Padanama for awarding the "Sooriya Singha" logo and also to the Starline customers who have been loyal to "them right through out the 28 years of its existence.”

The JVP today urged voters in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces to go out and cast their vote on Saturday without fear.

“The Government knowing defeat is at hand is trying to frighten voters by using violence. Do not be afraid but go out and vote for any Party of your choice,” JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva told a press briefing.

He added that Government would take advantage if votes are not cast and use it to stuff ballot boxes.

Mr.Silva added that the JVP and other parties contesting the pools have taken measurers to safeguard polling booths and prevent any attempts at rigging.

Minister Maithripala Sirisena's brother Wijayananda Sirisena and prominent businessman operating the rice mills better known as "Sudu Araliya" was seriously injured after unidentified persons attacked him at his house on Wednesday night, Police said.

The businessman better known as Dudly has fractured his leg in the attack and been rushed to Colombo for further treatment.

The UPFA said that UNP supporters were involved in the attack.

According to media reports, a cargo vessel, MV Badulu Valley owned by Sri Lanka's Vallibel Group sank off the Bangladeshi port of Chittagong Wednesday after colliding with a tanker.

The Sri Lankan and Burmese crew of the ship has been rescued from the vessel that was built in 1983 and registered in Sri Lanka.

The 2,700 GRT (gross registered tonnage) MV Badulu Valley was reportedly carrying over 3,000 tonnes of rice from India when it sank near Chittagong's outer anchorage. She had collided with the tanker that had been anchored but the circumstances of the accident were not available.

The Vallibel Group of businessman and Board of Investment Chairman Dhammika Perera owns a few merchant ships.

A high level travel delegation from Sri Lanka is to meet with prominent countries in the Gulf including UAE and Qatar in a bid to attract increased leisure traffic.

During the four-day visit between 24th and 27th August, the delegation will meet large scale hospitality industry operators including tour operators and travel agencies. Sri Lanka recently reported a surge in tourist industry arrivals, especially from the Middle East, which registered an increase of 80.6% in comparison with 2007.

Sri Lanka Air Force MI-24 Helicopters has accurately engaged an identified LTTE gathering place at Omanthai in Vavuniya district this morning, 21 August.

Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, speaking to defence.lk said that the air bombardment carried out observing an LTTE's gathering 7 Km north-west of Omanthai around 6.30 a.m.

The Sri Lanka Air Force is continuously carrying out air surveillances to locate the LTTE terrorists and to identify the intensified activities in the enemy territory. Yesterday, 20 August, SLAF engaged four identified LTTE targets using fighter jets and MI-24 attack helicopters in the surrounding areas of Nachchikuda.

Okaya Electric Industries Company, a listed company from Japan and the global leader in manufacture of electronic components for noise suppression and surge suppression has made a firm commitment to invest in a high-tech manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka.

The state of the art plant to be located at Katunayake EPZ with an initial investment of US$ 30 million will employ 1200 skilled workers and the company is already planning to send a batch of workers for training to Japan. The Katunayake factory, where the equipment and machinery, are being installed will manufacture for the first time in Sri Lanka film capacitors for noise suppression and spark quenchers, which is a protective device for electrical systems, and coil filters for export market. . The projected capacity of the plant is over 40 million pieces per month, said Chairman of the Company Ritsuo Maruyama.

He said the Okaya Electric, the parent company established in 1939 whose annual average turnover is Yen 15 billion ( US$ 150 million) has manufacturing plants in Japan, China, Hongkong and Singapore and marketing offices in USA, Shanghai and Taipei.

The decision of Okaya Electric Industries to invest in Sri Lanka is a strong endorsement for the investment environment of Sri Lanka, particularly the favourable conditions existing for the electronics industry and the manufacturing capability of the Sri Lankan skilled workers. The initial investment is likely to lead to their investment in Sri Lanka in the near future to manufacture the other products of the company,

Okaya is joining today the list of leading Japanese electronics companies who have already invested in Sri Lanka and operating successfully including FDK Japan (FDK Lanka Pvt Ltd) and Toslec (TOS Lanka Pvt Ltd) since 1990s. Okaya’s entry into Sri Lanka augurs well also for the economic cooperation between Japan - Sri Lanka. This investment has been discussed and finalized by the BOI team during the State Visit of the President of Sri Lanka to Japan in December 2008.
Dhammika Perera, Chairman / Director General of the BOI said that Mr. Maruyama is also a very well known voice of the Japanese electronics industry who has expressed the position of this important economic sector to the media and other stakeholders.

Okaya Electric Industries is a corporate giant from Japan and a listed company in the Tokyo Stock exchange, one of the world’s largest and dynamic bourses. The visit to Colombo of Mr. Maruyama is proof of the confidence of a major Japanese enterprise.

“I also wish to add that Okaya Electric Industries is a world leader in the manufacture of electronic components for noise suppression and surge suppression. The BOI is therefore delighted to announce that this company has made a firm commitment to invest in a high-technology manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka, he said.

The initial investment will be of US$ 30 million at the Katunayake Export Processing Zone and will employ 1,200 workers. These workers are skilled and the company has already sent an initial batch for training in Japan.

The BOI is proud of the decision to invest Sri Lanka by a leading Japanese company since it is a strong endorsement for the investment environment of Sri Lanka, particularly of the favourable conditions existing for the electronics industry and the manufacturing capability of the Sri Lankan skilled workers. The initial investment is likely to lead to further investment in Sri Lanka in the near future to manufacture other products in the company’s range,

Okaya is joining today the list of leading Japanese electronics companies who have already invested in Sri Lanka and operating successfully including FDK Japan (FDK Lanka Pvt Ltd) and Toslec (TOS Lanka Pvt Ltd) since 1990s. Okaya’s entry into Sri Lanka augurs well also for the economic cooperation between Japan - Sri Lanka, he explained.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has warned President Mahinda Rajapaksa against playing around with the people's voting rights, saying that he was in danger of suffering the same fate that befell Pakistan's Pervez Musharraff.

"President Musharraf had made tremendous services to Pakistan. But, he had to resign after he tampered with the people's vote," Mr. Wickremesinghe told an election rally in Anuradhapura yesterday (Aug. 19th).

He said, "If President Mahinda Rajapaksa tries to play around with the people's vote, people of entire Sri Lanka will rise up against him. That people's power cannot be stopped in any way."

The UNP leader urged people not to allow any element to rig votes at the August 23rd vote.

"Will the SAARC chairman allow vote rigging? Will the SAARC chairman use thugs against his own people? What has happened to those who had tried to tamper with the voting right of the people of South Asia?" he asked.

The leader of the Maldives announced recently that he would go for an all-party system, while Bangladesh has been forced to hold an election in November.

Similarly, Nepal's King has lost his position after attempting to halt a vote, Mr. Wickremesinghe noted.

He urged the UPFA government not to use the heroic soldiers to seek votes.

"A vote for the alliance will not be a vote for the heroic soldiers. It is clearly a vote for robbery, corruption, family administration and for hunger. The alliance is trying to strengthen its family power as the people of the north central province suffer. It wants to gain power by any means for five more years and swindle public money… I should say that every vote for 'betel leaf' will be a vote for robbery."

Speaking further, he said the province had around 40,000 families of soldiers, including those who have died in action.

"If you want to vote for the heroic soldiers, vote for the UNP and elect the heroic Janaka Perera as chief minister," Mr. Wickremesinghe said.

The UPFA elected Pillayan who had been with the LTTE, he noted, adding that however, the UNP wants to elect the war veteran Janaka Perera as chief minister.

US ambassador Robert O' Blake met Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake for discussions in Colombo today (Aug. 20th).

The upcoming polls for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces was the focus of their talks, EC sources said.

Later, speaking to the media, Mr. O' Blake said his country expected the August 23rd election to be a free and fair one.

He said he was satisfied with the arrangements made by the Elections Department.

Intense clashes are taking place in Anuradhapura on the final day of campaigning for the provincial council polls in three days time.

According to reports , supporters of the UPFA and the UNP are fighting street battles in the North Central provincial town.

Several election offices of both parties have been set ablaze and many injured in these incidents.

UPFA activists surrounded and set fire to the home and medical centre of UNP district manager Dr. John Pulle.

The two sides have also exchange fire, leaving a UPFA supporter and Mr. Pulle injured.

The ruling party member is reported to be in serious condition, hospital sources said.

Meanwhile, Western People's Front candidate Ruban Perumal who is contesting for Sabaragamuwa on the UNP ticket, and five of his supporters were injured in an attack in Kahawatte town today.

The WPF accused former provincial minister Ranjith Soyza and his supporters for the attack.

Media rights groups and civil society organizations are organizing a protest campaign in Colombo tomorrow (Aug. 21st) to demand the immediate arrest of Minister Mervyn Silva for continuously targeting the media.

Organized by the Five Media, the demonstration begins at noon in front of the Fort Railway Station.

Police have failed to arrest the minister and his thugs despite several court orders, organizers pointed out.

Police were ordered to act against him following his storming Rupavahini Corporation and assaulting its news director and for two separate attacks against Sirasa TV journalists this month.

The last order was given directly to the Inspector General of Police, media groups pointed out.

The Free Media Movement says it has learnt from reliable media sources that journalist J. S. Tissanayagam, being held by the Terrorist Investigation Department since 7th March 2008, has finally been indicted in the High Court, which has issued notice.

While FMM has not so far seen a copy of the indictment, reliable sources suggest that it contains the following charges against Mr. Tissanayagam.

(1) offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in respect of the printing, publishing, and distribution of the magazine known as the ‘North Eastern Monthly’ (sic) during the period between 1st June 2006 and 1st June 2007,

(2) offences under the PTA in respect of bringing the government into disrepute by the publication of articles in the said magazine, and

(3) the violation of Emergency Regulations issued under Gazette Extraordinary 1474/5 of December 2006, by aiding and abetting terrorist organisations through the raising of money for the said magazine.

The FMM said in a statement that it is dismayed that, after five months of detention purportedly for the purposes of investigations by the TID, and in which considerable procedural leeway has been given the authorities by the courts, the Attorney General has only been able to frame charges against Mr. Tissanayagam on such manifestly insubstantial and absurd grounds as these.

It appears that the authorities are desperately attempting to manufacture grounds on which to prolong the incarceration of Mr. Tissanayagam using legal provisions that can only be described as oppressive.

We note that at least in respect of the allegation of bringing the government into disrepute, there is no corresponding criminal offence recognised by the law of Sri Lanka, and are therefore at a loss to understand how someone can be charged for the commission of a non-existent offence, the FMM said.

These concerns raise several questions of very grave significance for the protection of fundamental human rights in general, and the freedom of expression and the independence and integrity of the media in particular.

The PTA has always been widely regarded as a ‘draconian piece of legislation’ that has led to the abuse of power, ethnic discrimination, the suppression of liberty, and is inconsistent with international standards of human rights protection.

FMM also notes that this is the first occasion since it was enacted in 1979 that a journalist has been charged under the PTA, in respect of matters arising directly from the practice of his profession.

The PTA not only undermines universal principles of procedural justice and confers inordinate powers in the hands of the executive; it also directly undercuts the freedom of expression and the media by allowing content control by the executive on pain of penal sanction.

Local and international human rights groups, including FMM, have consistently argued from the inception that the Emergency Regulations of December 2006 were wholly inconsistent with fundamental rights guarantees under both the Sri Lankan constitution and international law.

In our statement protesting the promulgation of these regulations in December 2006, we noted that the wide, overbroad language of several of the regulations, could allow for the possible criminalisation of a range of democratically legitimate activities of the media and civil society, and curtail free expression and dissent.

FMM was clearly of the view that, “Taken together, it is inconceivable that such a broad conferral of powers can be exercised without imminent abuse and violation of fundamental rights, especially in the context of the current challenging security environment”

The FMM is of the unequivocal opinion that the legal framework established by the PTA and the Emergency Regulations of December 2006 is inconsistent with international standards governing the balance between legitimate national security considerations and the freedom of expression, as reflected in the UN-endorsed Johannesburg Principles.

The language of the legislation is imprecise and overbroad, they require no rational nexus or proportionality between the restrictive measures and the harm sought to be averted, they do not provide meaningful means of review and appeal, impose disproportionate penalties, and are grossly discriminatory in operation.

Both these pieces of legislation therefore are, as the charges against Mr. Tissanayagam amply demonstrate, a direct attack on the freedom of expression and the freedom of the media.

It represents nothing less than an attempt, by making an example of Mr. Tissanayagam, at the suppression of alternative viewpoints and dissent, open debate and the contest of ideas central to the democratic way of life.

It also represents an attempt to silence media professionals into submission through the use of anti-terrorism legislation.

We urge all Sri Lankans to regard the prosecution of Mr. Tissanayagam on these grounds as a serious threat to democracy and human rights in Sri Lanka, which we disregard at our peril.

We also urge the international community to take due note of this cynical abuse of emergency powers, and to make the relevant interventions with the Sri Lankan authorities.

The FMM hopes that the judicial process in Sri Lanka will vindicate the confidence we repose in it to do justice with regard to Mr. Tissanayagam, and to safeguard the democratic values that are cherished by all Sri Lankans as their birthright.

There is no scope for free and fair elections for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial councils on August 23rd, said advisory panel member of the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections, Dr. Nimalka Fernando.

Speaking at a press briefing in Colombo today (Aug. 19th), she said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa's holding a public meeting at temple Trees as the polls approached was a violation of election rules.

The presence of Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, convicted of corruption by the court, at the same meeting was shameless, she added.

Dr. Fernando emphasized that CAFFE observations have indicated that the government was using state media for its election campaigning in the worst form of unethical manner.

Noting that police have become victims of the executive, the CAFFE advisory panel member said that negligence of duty by law enforcement officials has created a grave situation.

Certain parties expressing their readiness to retaliate attacks by political rivals if the police continue to neglect their duties is a death blow to democracy, she added.

Also speaking at the media briefing, CAFFE spokesman Keerthi Tennakoon said that election violence was increasing by the day.

He said that 156 complaints including 73 cases of assault, 44 intimidations and 39 incidents of damage of property, have been reported.

Noting that shooting incidents have become a common occurrence, Mr. Tennakoon said that bomb attacks are also being reported daily.

He also said that 112 state owned vehicles are being used to unleash election violence on rival parties.

Armed gangs are frequenting Egodapaththuwa, Welikanda and Aranaganwila areas, where the majority is Muslim and Tamil speaking masses, to disrupt campaigning, he said, adding that election violence was just as bad as it was at the East polls held recently.

Alleging that the duties of the police have taken a turn for the worse, Mr. Tennakoon said that 15 complaints have been lodged against the law enforcement agency.

Sri Lankan sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe failed to qualify for the finals of the women’s 200m event at the Beijing Olympics.

Susanthika clocked 22.98 seconds to be placed seventh in the first semi-finals this evening (Aug. 20th).

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets and MI-24 helicopters carried out four air raids targeting LTTE defences in Nachchikuda in Kilinochchi district this afternoon, 20 August.

According to the Air Forces sources two simultaneous air sorties were carried out by the supersonic fighter jets around 4.45 p.m targeting LTTE defences at 2 1/2 Km east of Nachchikuda and another 3 Km north-east of Nachchikuda.

Meanwhile, MI-24 helicopter gun ships also carried two separate air attacks targeting LTTE defences one in 1/2 Km north of Nachchikuda and another in 3Km north-east of Nachchikuda around 5.00 p.m. Air Force sources added.

The targets were accurately hit, Air Force sources confirmed.

WANNI & NORTH: AS THE LTTE terrorists’ controlled areas in WANNI are rapidly and steadily shrinking in size, the military march on Tuesday (19) ascended further upward with the destruction of more and more enemy assets and human resources.

Heroic troops of the 57 and 58 Divisions now forging ahead in the south and east of VANNARIKULAM, west of THUNUKKAI, south of MALLAVI and ANDANKULAM in the KILINOCHCHI and MULLAITTIVU district fronts, during several confrontations and firing of artillery, gunned down twenty-one terrorists on Tuesday (19).

In the VAVUNIYA sector, valiant troops of the 62 Division yesterday (19) engaged pockets of Tiger terrorists in PALAMODDAI and VEDAMANKULAM areas and killed four terrorists in separate clashes.

Meanwhile, explosion of an anti personnel mine in MUHAMALE area and LTTE’s firing of small arms in VALLIPURAM area injured two soldiers of the Army Tuesday (19) morning.

Two valiant soldiers laid their lives on behalf of the country on Tuesday (19) during their confrontations with Tiger terrorists in MULLAITTIVU and KILINOCHCHI fronts.

A total of twenty-three soldiers sustained injuries during day’s fighting in the WANNI. Most of those injured soldiers are out of danger and expected to get back to the fronts once again after recovery.

WANNI: NINETY-TWO (92) lorry loads of food and other essential items had been dispatched to un-cleared areas in the northern province during the period between 08 August 2008 to 14 August 2008.

Those consignments had reached areas in KILINOCHCHI and MULLAITTIVU districts via OMANTHAI and UYILANKULAM Entry/Exit points.

The stocks contained rice, dhal, dried fish, clothes, fuel, spices, building materials, vehicle spare parts, medicine and the such like which are needed for the use of civilians in un-cleared areas.

A total of 2225 civilians had crossed over to the un-cleared areas through those checkpoints while an estimated 2083 civilians had arrived in VAVUNIYA from un-cleared areas during the said period.

A JVP supporter was injured when a group of JVP members were attacked by UPFA members while heading to the final rally of the party in Kegalle, Tuesday evening.

A complaint has been lodged in the Kegalle police.

Pre-poll violence took a dangerous turn today in Anuradhapura as suspected pro-government mobs went on a rampage setting on fire a local doctor’s residence, an office belonging to an UNP candiate and two vehicles owned by opposition candidates, as the opposition planned to appeal for military intervention to bring the situation under control.

A spokesperson for the UNP campaign in Anuradhapura said the residence belonging to Dr. John Pulle had been surrounded by a mob that was smashing the building and setting it on fire while the police looked on.

He said the office belonging to UNP candidate Subashini Charles that is situated in the heart of the town was also smashed up by suspected state-sponsored mobs.

Earlier on in the day two vehicles belonging to UNP candidates contesting in the same district were torched by suspected pro-government goons, the party said.

Police could not be immediately reached for a comment.

Workers of Lanka Marine Services Ltd (LMSL), who have been clashing with the management after the controversial privatization deal was overturned by the Supreme Court, on Wednesday agreed to resume 'normal' duties at the workplace.

Worker representatives said they have agreed to normal work until the company vacates the oil tank facility and office by September 10 at Walls Lane, Cyril C Perera Mawatha, Colombo 15 in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling. Earlier this week the Court allowed a request by LMSL to extend the vacation date which was today (August 20) till September 10. Further extension is possible based on what the owners of the land, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has to say, the court has said

Since LMSL was concluded as a bad privatization and both JKH and its chairman Susantha Ratnayake, and Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera ‘blasted’ by court, workers have clashed with management in a dispute over bonus payments, continuity of employment, demands for wages till the age of 60 and not performing certain duties. The issue has been taken to the Labour Department. The decision to return to normal duties came after they consulted their lawyers on Wednesday morning to ascertain the status of the workers in terms of the Supreme Court decision this week extending vacation of the land, worker representatives told TimesOnline.

Workers have informed the management that they will perform their duties of supplying oil to ships anchored for bunkering at the Colombo Harbour but they are not bound to remove the oil and lubricants from the oil tank facility. They have brought to the notice of the authorities that they cannot perform office duties as the management has removed office equipment including computers and furniture.

All files and documents of the company have already been removed to another location and the Finance and Marketing division of LMSL have shifted to an office in Fort. Informed sources told TimesOnline that LMSL management has taken measures to re-install computers at the office to enable the workers to resume work.

Over 30 suspects who had been avoiding warrants and summons issued by court in the North Western Province, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Division were taken into custody by ten police stations within the division last night.

Thirty of them had been issued arrest warrants against and four of them had been issued summons by court. The 34 individuals were arrested in a special raid operation conducted last night.

The suspects will be produced to courts today.

More than 1000 people were arrested in Kandy for not using pedestrian crossings and taken to courts where each of them were fined with a sum of 750 rupees, our sources said.
These arrests have been made by orders given by SSP of Kandy district. The arrests caused huge inconvenience to the pedestrians.

Members of the Society of Religions met the Commissioner of Elections today to request him to take steps to ensure the provincial council election is free of violence. Among the religious leaders that attended the meeting were Ven. Ittapane Dhamalankara Thera, Ven. Brahamanwatte Sivali Thera, Ven Maduluwave Sobitha Thera and Archbishop of Colombo Rev. Oswald Gomis.

Minister Champika Ranawaka today claimed that the Environment Ministry would shut down all hospitals that fail to obtain the Environment Protection Licences by 1 January, 2009.

The 'Say NO to Violence: Respect Life' movement would launch its island-wide campaign from August 21 to September 21 targeting at least one million people in 200,000 households across 18 districts as a collective effort at addressing the increasing incidents of violence perpetrated against civilians, women and children, the poor, the minorities, journalists and even the environment, it was announced at a media conference held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

In the context of the alarming facts that Sri Lanka is top on the list of countries ill-reputed for violence, disappearances, torture, violence against women as well as election-related violence, the movement's campaign aims at inspiring the people to find the inner strength, resilience and compassion to commit themselves to a nonviolent society, Dr.Kumar Rupasinghe, convener of the movement said. He also said that Sri Lanka has recorded the third largest number of assassinations of media personnel. The conduct of Minister Mervyn Silva, who is under a Court arrest order, poses a challenge and threat to a democratic society , Rupasinghe said, adding that everyone knew that some loophole in the law would found to get away. The Supreme Court found Treasury Secretary P.B.Jayasundara guilty of corruption and, consequently, unsuitable for government service. Disregarding the SC order he continues to hold the important post as Treasury Secretary and the President of the country took him with him to take part in the Beijing Olympics.
About 132 civil society organizations have expressed solidarity with the campaign and have pledged support, Rupasinghe said.

The initiative in support of the campaign by an ever increasing number of people's organizations, NGOs, civil society, trade unions, inter religious groups, the business community and all those concerned intends to raise awareness on the ideals of nonviolence and provide redress to the victims of violence through four instruments: Awareness, Education, Legal Aid and Protection, it was stated in a media release handed out at the media conference. There is an urgent need for the masses to stand up courageously and in solidarity to these acts of violence, it has stated.

"The envisaged three year campaign firmly believes an honest effort of adhering to the values of nonviolence through intention, thought and deed has the capacity to transform our society and establish a nation at peace and this is the simple, single message the campaign wishes to spread", it has also been stated.

It has further been stated that:

"We will formally launch the campaign on the 21st of August with a gathering of principle members of our society and build up to a mass vigil to be organized throughout the country for the 21st September 2008, to coincide with the International Day of Peace.

"Numerous activities such as house to house visits, inter-religious ceremonies, activities promoting nonviolence in schools, screening of inspiring documents, holding of photographic exhibitions etc have been planned building up to the 21st of September 2008.

"Also as planned locally, Sri Lankans from all over the world too will be requested to light an oil lamp and dedicate a minute of silence (on the 21st of September) in tribute to all victims of violence and in honour to all those extraordinary people who have stood up and conquered violence nonviolently."

Lanka E News
The LTTE is now in the process of imparting military training to civilians in the Wanni for structuring a People's Army. Picture shows a group of one thousand civilians being imparted training at Kilinochchi.

This LTTE venture to impart military training to the civilian population would render them liable to be categorized as combatants.

European cheerleaders, withdrawn by Sri Lankan authorities from the second One-dayer against India after protests from various quarters, will be back in action in Colombo for the remaining three matches of the series, officials here said.

'The cheerleaders who were brought from Europe by the sponsors and put into action for the first match were dropped for the second as their actions don't go well in Dambulla, a world heritage site,' Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) media manager Shane Fernando said.

'But they will be back in action for the remaining three matches in Colombo from Aug 24,' he said over the phone from Dambulla.

Scantily clad in glittering yellow dresses, the cheerleaders were keeping alive the low-scoring first One-dayer of the five-match at the Rangiri International stadium at Dambulla Monday.

Key leaders of the ruling coalition of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and opposition parties vehemently protested the presence of the cheerleaders.

Sri Lankan Minister of Cultural Affairs Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said he had asked organisers to drop the squad of 24 East European female cheerleaders citing cultural reasons.

'I am aware of the use of cheerleaders in the match to inspire spectators. But it is not in keeping with our traditions. I request the Cricket Board to drop the item immediately,' the minister said.

Dambulla, a small town located about 20 km from the Sigiriya rock fortress on the Sigriya-Kandy road, has over 80 caves in the vicinity. Some of these have been used by monks for meditation.

A major attraction in the area is the Dambulla Rock Temple, recognised by Unesco as a world heritage site.

A high level travel delegation from Sri Lanka, led by Faizer Musthapha, Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Tourism will target prominent countries in the Gulf including UAE and Qatar in a bid to attract increased leisure traffic.
During the four-day visit between 24th and 27th August, Musthapha will meet large scale hospitality industry operators including tour operators and travel agencies.


'The Middle East is one of our major travel origin markets and in 2008 we have seen significant growth from this market. We are increasing our marketing and promotion drive by carrying out a year round campaign to increase our share of leisure visitors and further increase awareness about our country's tourism attractions,'said Musthapha.

Mustapha's visit denotes the importance Sri Lanka attaches to this market and its growth potential destination Sri Lanka recently reported a surge in tourist industry arrivals.

The highest performer during the period was the Middle East, which registered an increase of 80.6% in comparison with 2007.

Mustapha's visit is expected to impact positively on the number of tourist arrivals from the Middle East.


'A marketing visit such as this provides an exceptional platform to access the Middle East travel trade, and establish new business contacts as well as renew existing ones and interact with a very keen travel trade audience,'remarked Mustapha.

He added, 'The cities of Dubai and Doha were chosen because of the large volumes of travellers they generate for Sri Lanka and we already have pre-confirmed meetings with senior personnel from the travel trade in both cities.'

Mustapha had earlier announced the opening of an SLTPB office in Dubai to target the Middle East travellers.

The opening of a new SLTPB office in Dubai will maximize the opportunities emerging throughout the Middle East while strengthening support for the travel trade in the region.

SLTPB's Dubai office will co-ordinate all of Sri Lanka's tourism promotional activities in the Arab markets including exhibition participation, marketing visits, presentations and road shows, advertising, brochure distribution, public relations, as well as familiarization visits to the island for influential business and travel journalists.

The office will also function as the preliminary contact point and enquiry processing centre for travel trade companies and tourists in the region.

Sri Lanka offers diversity within easy reach in a small island. Among the many epithets showered upon this tiny island include Serendipity, Ceylon, Teardrop of India, Resplendent Isle, Island of Dharma and Pearl of the Indian Ocean to name a few and none comes even close to articulate the true beauty and old world charm of Sri Lanka.

Tourists from all over the world visit Sri Lanka every year in search of a perfect holiday ranging from nature, culture, adventure, education, healing and spiritual discovery to connecting with roots or simply to watch a cricket match.

SriLankan Airlines operates a full Airbus fleet to 41 destinations in 22 countries worldwide.

Flights from the Middle East to Colombo connect with onward services to the Maldives, 11 key destinations in India, seven destinations in the Far East including Malaysia, Singapore, China and Thailand.

Five monkeys are facing arrest in a village close to Maskeliya for stealing valuables worth Rs.10,000 along with some food, police officials said.
According to a complaint lodged by the villagers in the area, valuables comprising a gold pendant, money and a bottle of liquor had been lost early last week, leading people to believe that thieves had entered the village at night.

After the women had complained of the missing items to their men, a few villagers had stayed up last Wednesday (13) night in order to catch the thieves and hand them over to the police.

However, the villagers were surprised to find a troop of monkeys, swinging from one tree to another entering the village and going to the mud hut of a villager in order to steal some food. In a bid to catch them red handed, the villagers broke into the house only to see the monkeys escape through an opening in the wall.

Two villagers had marched into the Maskeliya Police Station the next day and demanded the arrest of the ‘criminals’ in order to retrieve their valuables and money.

“The villagers were very angry as they had lost some money, jewellery and food. However, monkey’s stealing food and items is a common occurrence in this area. They come most of the time in search of food. They are harmless creatures,” police officials from the Maskeliya Police Station said.

However, according to the police, the ‘thieves’ have not been spotted in the area since the day they were discovered by the villagers.

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) yesterday announced that it will be reducing the number of days which takes to issue a trade licence to a minimum of 26.

Addressing the media Colombo Municipal Commissioner Bhadrani Jayawardane stated that it is the duty and responsibility of the CMC Treasury to issue trade licences but that it has been tedious for local as well as foreign investors to commence businesses in Colombo. “So we have taken up a programme to reduce the time consumed for the issue of trade licenses especially for the medical and construction sectors,” she revealed.

She further claimed that before this the applicant had to go to different departments in order to get certified and then come to the CMC Treasury. Adding to her comments CMC Treasurer W.A. Ariyadasa (Finance and Administration) revealed that it takes 5-6months to issue the trade licences since there has been a decline in businessmen to obtain licences.

“The International Finance Corporation (IFC) noted this and pointed out to the CMC that due to the time consuming process of obtaining licences, foreign investors have shown a decline in interest to invest in Sri Lanka,” he affirmed.

He divulged that previously the applicant had to go to the Planning Department, Health Department, Fire Department and finally the CMC Treasury to get the 4 required recommendations for the issuing of the license but they only have to come to the CMC. Ariyadasa confirmed that the licence will be issued within 26 days and sometimes even before that when the businessmen give the necessary finances for the licence.

While stating that there could be a delay if the establishment does not meet the vital requirements Commissioner Jayawardane explained that the CMC only wants to enhance the convenience of the system and by doing so increase the inflow of potential investments.

Unidentified persons set fire to two vehicles of a UNP supporter and opened fire at the residence of one of his relatives in Katukeliya, Kahatagasdigiliya in the Anuradhapura district early this morning, Police said.

At gang using a T 56 weapon had opened fire after setting fire to a van and a cab of a UNP supporte identified as Amurdeen.

They had fired at least 19 rounds, police said.

SriLankan Airlines and its catering subsidiary on Wednesday reported a Rs 588 million operational loss in 2007/08 due to rising aviation fuel prices

However, the sale and leaseback of three Airbus A340 aircraft resulted in a group net profit of Rs. 4.89 billion against a net profit of Rs. 862.18 million, in the previous year. The airline’s fully-owned subsidiary SriLankan Catering (Pvt) Ltd.

In a press release, the airline – which transferred to Sri Lankan government management in April on the expiry of the 10-year agreement with Emirates -, said it spent an additional Rs. 6.5 billion for fuel in 2007/08, with the fuel bill increasing by 27.64% to Rs. 30.2 billion from Rs. 23.658 billion in the previous year. This was the result of the average price of jet fuel reaching US$101.81 per barrel in 2007/08, as against US$87.09 in 2006/07.

The government owns a 51.05% shareholding in the airline with Emirates owning 43.63% and employees 5.32%. It said revenue from passenger sales recorded a significant increase at Rs. 63,8 billion, up from Rs. 53.8 billion, an increase of 18.46%.

Treasury Secretary and the national carrier’s Group Chairman Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, recently blasted by the Supreme Court over the improper privatisation of Lanka Marine Services Ltd during his tenure as Chairman of Public Enterprises Reforms Commission, said in his report that, “The global aviation industry as a whole is in the throes of its largest ever crisis, brought about by the steep increase and uncertain direction of fuel prices, driven by a combination of price speculation in global markets, and increasing demand from the expanding economies of Asia. In the short term, SriLankan Airlines faces a challenging future, as does the entire global air transport industry, buffeted by volatile fuel prices and economic slowdown.”

He said the quantum of funds raised through the sale of the aircraft will be utilised towards re-fleeting of the A320 narrowbody fleet, and planned refurbishment of cabins on the widebody fleet.

Group revenue was Rs. 80 billion, up 16% from the previous year while the operating expenditure increased by 18% to Rs. 81.79 billion.

The JVP today wil file a complaint at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) against the police claiming they had failed take action regarding complaints lodged by the JVP and about harassment by police officials during the election campaign.

North Central Chiief Ministerial candiate of the JVP Wasantha Samarasinghe and Polonnaruwa district leader, Indrananda Silva will lodge the complaint at 12 noon today at the HRC in Colombo.

Unidentified men slashed the neck of a policeman on duty and killed him on Tuesday night at Kotahena, Police said.

The policeman identified as Herath (7433) attached to the Kotahena police station was on duty at Christy Perera Mawatha when the attack took place around 9.30 p.m.

Eyewitnesses said that a gang was seen attacking him and rushing away. His service had been left behind.

The PC was rushed to Colombo National hospital, but succumbed to his injuries.

Police said the motive of the killing was not known immediately.

A she-elephant named ‘Suratalee’, which carried the relic casket of the Kataragama Devala perahera in the annual Kandy Esala Perahera died on Monday. According to Dr. Asoka Dangolla, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Pereadeniya University, the 65-year-old elephant had consumed an excessive quantity of milk rice. Death was due to over eating of soft foods.
She had been first introduced to the Kataragama Devalaya of the Dalada Maligawa in 1948, when she was only six years old by the then Basnayaka Nilame of the Devalaya Seneviratne Lewke Ratwatte.

Police remained on red alert in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces as election violence reached an all time high peaking to 137 incidents by yesterday with today being the last day for campaigning.

Of the 137 incidents reported from the two provinces, 64 were from Anuradhapura, 23 from Polonnaruwa, 28 from Ratnapura and 22 from Kegalle.

Since the handing over of nominations violation of election rules and regulations have posed a major threat, Director for Human Rights Dr. Uditha Gunasekera said.

He said that a total of 551 cases have been reported from both provinces and of this 137 cases involved incidents of intimidation, unleashing of thuggery and attacks on party offices. Seven cases of targeting candidates and their organisers with firearms have been reported

Dr. Gunasekera said the majority of cases involved Government Ministers and supporters targeting opposition parties but in retaliation the opposition, too, had launched counter attacks on Government supporters. He cited two examples in Anuradhapura and Nivitigala where the opposition parties had retaliated against Government supporters.

Civilians in both provinces were living in fear of armed thugs roaming the streets after nominations. In the Polonnaruwa District, Eastern Province Chief Minister Pillaiyan had established 16 camps in Manampitiya and Egodapathuwa

Abuse of State resources took an upward trend this time around with government supporters being provided with jeeps, cars, vans and buses. A large number of Government servants, too, have been pressed into helping UPFA candidates with promises of promotions. Those who do not comply have been threatened with demotion. Teachers and Samurdhi officers were targeted by the Government for this sort of propaganda work, he said.

Dr. Gunasekera said that Government had spent Rs 7 million for an election rally in Anuradhapura held near the Parakrama Samudraya.

Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate Ruchitha Weliwita had made a statement in Court to the effect that gangs of armed thugs traveling in vehicles without number plates had attacked supporters of rival political, parties. Despite Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake’s request for more security personnel in violence prone areas, his pleas went unheeded.

Dr. Gunasekera said there were many instances where the Police failed to record complaints made by the Opposition but quickly inquired into Government complaints.

Police commandos have thwarted an LTTE bid to make attempt on the life of VIPs and security forces officers.
Police headquarters said commandos in a search near the 55 mile post on the Ampara-Damana road on August 14 had recovered one T-56 assault rifle, 29 rounds of T-56 ammunition, one T-56 magazine, 10 kg claymore mine, three electrical detonators, one 9 watt battery and one tape roll.

Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- The Sri Lanka-People's Korea Friendship Association on Aug. 13 published the 22nd issue of its bulletin "Juche Korea" on the occasion of the 60th birthday of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The bulletin in an article titled "The 60th anniversary of the DPRK" said the foundation of the DPRK 60 years ago was a historic event that opened the road of building a powerful socialist state in Korea.
The DPRK, which steadfastly advanced along the road of socialism after its foundation, has turned into a political and ideological power, it noted.
It said that the DPRK has been thoroughly applying the Juche idea, the Songun idea founded by President Kim Il Sung in all spheres of state activities, regarding it as the only guiding principle.

The Solidar INGO Consortium has suspended humanitarian operations in the LTTE-held sectors of the Vanni District following the seizure of nine vehicles belonging to the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) by the LTTE.

The UN Mission in Colombo said on behalf of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) that the Solidar network had resumed operations on August 4. The network comprises NPA which represents the Norwegian trade union movement, Arbeiter Samariter Bund (ASB) of Germany and Swiss Labour Assistance.

Despite the suspension of work for a week and the IASC demanding the immediate return of all vehicles, the LTTE hadn’t complied, The Island learns. The NPA declined to comment on the issue. A spokesperson said a statement would be issued shortly.

Following the seizure of NPA vehicles, a senior official recently visited Colombo. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, at a recent interview with The Island, emphasised the urgent need to prevent the LTTE taking advantage of vehicles, machinery and equipment belonging to INGOs and NGOs.

Rajapaksa warned that the dependence of the LTTE on the INGOs would increase as combined security forces advanced further into the enemy held territory.

With the army stepping up operations both east and west of the A9 road, the government has cut off SLT links to and from and also within the Vanni. The IASC said yesterday that SLT links to the Vanni had been cut off since July 23 and services within the Vanni discontinued since August 9.

In the northern theatre, the army and the navy restricted fishing off the shores of Vadamamaraadchi, the IASC said. It asserted this would cause further hardships to ‘already vulnerable fishing communities.’

Both the IASC and the ICRC said that fighting between government forces and the LTTE had displaced large groups of people in the Vanni. "Although the upsurge in fighting is making it increasingly difficult for humanitarian workers to access certain areas, the ICRC will continue to provide assistance," a spokesperson told The Island. According to the ICRC, over 16,500 recently displaced people were provided a range of assistance to alleviate their suffering.

With the offensive gaining momentum, the number of the displaced would go up, the military said. The ICRC’s Deputy Head of Delegation in Colombo Anthony Daiziel has reassured its commitment to look after the displaced.

The public, regardless of political differences, should line up and protect democracy, says the JVP Chief Ministerial candidate for the North Central Province at the upcoming polls, Wasantha Samarasinghe.

Speaking at a media briefing in Koswatta, Nawala today (August 19th) he said that the government, frantic by the notion of imminent defeat, is planning to rig votes at the August 23rd election.

Claiming there is enough evidence to prove the charge, the JVP CM candidate said that ministers have booked nearly all rest houses in the province to accommodate their thugs at the expense of the state.

The government is attempting to deprive the public of their right to democracy by burdening them with the expenses to rob victory for the UPFA, he charged.

Mr. Samarasinghe said that a house located in the High Security Zone behind the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura has become a hotspot for government thugs.

Noting that state resources are being heavily misused in the campaigning, he said that the fuel expenses of the provincial Road Development Authority has increased to Rs. 4,600,000 in the past month from between Rs. 1,500,000 and 1,600,000 on average.

Speaking at the media briefing, Kegalle District leader Mahinda Jayasinghe said that state terrorism has been unleashed in Deraniyagala by Dushmantha Deraniyagala and by Mahipala Herath in Rambukkana.

Noting that the public was well aware of Mahipala Herath, Mr. Jayasinghe said that the former Chief Minister was unable to find at least 20 people for his campaign.

The Free Media Movement says a TMVP (Karuna faction) supporter/member threatened journalist Thakshila Jayasena of Sandeshaya - BBC Sinhala Service soon after she covered a protest by the United National Party.
According to Ms. Jayasena, the incident occurred on 15th August 2008 as she was returning to her office after covering the protest rally.

A motorcyclist who followed the three-wheeler taxi she was traveling in blocked her way, stopped the taxi and asked her if she can recognize him.

Ms. Jayasena told him that she has seen him at the press conference held by Mangalam Master, the TMVP candidate for Polonnaruwa at the Provincial Council Election.

Then the TMVP supporter/member had told her that he had come there not to leave any one alive and that he arranged a whole group to do the job.

Journalist Takshila has lodged a complaint regarding this threat made against her with Polonnaruwa Police (No. 376/174).

The FMM views this threat, coming from an armed group engaged in the Provincial Council Election as an omen of worse media repression in the Eastern Province.

If these threats are not addressed at the outset, the FMM is deeply concerned the TMVP will treat media in much the same manner as the government treats media in the South, which is to say that they will violently clamp down on all dissenting and independent reporting.

The FMM recalls that a number of threats against journalists from the TMVP over the past months that have been brought to its notice.

We demand an apology from the TMVP over this regrettable incident and ask them to respect the freedom of expression and media freedom in areas under their control, if they wish to convince us of their newfound democratic bias.

We also request Polonnaruwa Police to initiate a quick and transparent inquiry in to this incident to ensure that all journalists will be able to report the upcoming Provincial Council Elections without fear and intimidation, the FMM added.

Lanka dissent -The Railway Department has decided to offer a tender for 15 rail locomotives to the highest bidder, department sources said.

The tender that closed on May 9th had eight responses, and seven accepted bids had prices ranging between Rs. 144 million and Rs. 465 million per locomotive.

The lowest offer was by CSR Qishuyan Locomotive Company of China and the highest by America's Electro-Motive Diesel.

The other bidders are Loric Import and Export Corporation (Rs. 158 m), China National Import and Export Corporation (Rs. 160 m), Zhengzhou Railcar Propulsion Engineering R&D Centre (Rs. 162 m), RITES of India (Rs. 240 m) and National Railway Equipment Corporation (Rs. 312 m).

The General Manager of Railways has earlier recommended that the locomotives should be suitable for the upcountry track and with maintenance features.

A technical evaluation committee, in a report submitted to the cabinet and then to the government tender board, had said the maximum tonnage of a locomotive should be 92 tonnes.

However, the tender board has revised the tonnage to 111 tonnes without any consultation to facilitate the passage of the highest bid by the American company, railway department sources allege.

Railway engineers point out the upcountry rail track, including bridges and culverts, will have to be renovated to enable the use of locomotives of such a tonnage, which will be time consuming and highly expensive.

Rejecting certain faults in tender submissions, the tender board had rejected all other offers and approved the two highest bids, the sources say.

Railway engineers allege a massive swindling of money in this transaction, noting that the money for 15 locomotives at the rate of the highest bid could easily buy 48 locomotives from the lowest bidder.

Security forces have taken measures to summon the war refuges back to government controlled territories in Mannar and Vavuniya districts from the safe havens they have sought from Kilinochchi district.

Around 200,000 people have fled to Kilinochchi district and they remain there since the LTTE does not allow them to go to the government controlled territory.

Government aircrafts have dropped leaflets asking these refugees to cross into the government controlled territory and the roads are to be opened for their safe migration through the areas where fighting do not occur .

These displaced people lack basic facilities and several international organizations accused last week that they were kept as human shield.
Meanwhile, Army states that three entry points will be open for the refugees to migrate into the government controlled territory. Major General Jagath Jayasuriya, the Commanding Officer of Vanni exposed this at a meeting held with the Divisional Secretariats. However, the exact entry points are yet to be revealed.

He further said that the displaced people would be provided with relief with the assistance of the International Committee of Red Cross and other relief organizations of United Nations.

In response to the expose made by ex-LTTE leader Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna who stated that the LTTE might use its chemical weapons in decisive clashes in future, the Army Spokesman said that Army intelligence had never reported that the LTTE had chemical warfare capabilities.

In another clarification sought from Karuna Amman, he said that he mentioned not about bio chemicals but about chemical weapons made using Ammonium Nitrate. He said that the LTTE successfully tested such weapons and they have not been used so far.

He made these comments in an interview with journalist Ramesh Warallagama.

A chemical expert said to 'Lanka-e-News' that the terrorist organizations in the world are likely to use Ammonium Nitrate for making chemical weapons since they can be easily collected since they are in fertilizer. He said that Ammonium Nitrate mixed with fuel oil can cause massive explosions. For instance, 500 Kg of ANFO (or AN/FO, for ammonium nitrate / fuel oil) could blast a huge building, he said adding that Al-Qaida had spread this technology.

Karuna Amman says that the sections of chemical warfare, Sam missiles and long range deployments are directly under Prabakaran. LTTE possesses Sam 5,7 and 11 missiles. Although they cannot be used to attack Mig and Kfir aircrafts, helicopters can be attacked with them.

Karuna Amman who was leading LTTE military wing for two decades rejects the popular idea of an internal conflict behind the killing of popular military leaders Denzil Kobbekaduwa and Wijaya Wimalarathna. He assured that the two leaders were killed by LTTE. He added that the LTTE also had respect on these leaders who led the war cleverly.

WANNI & NORTH: FIERCE FIGHTING for supremacy in NAVATKULAM, PALAMODDAI, UYLANKULAM, SINNAPULIYANPERUMAL, VANNARIKULAM and NACHCHIKUDA areas in the VAVUNIYA and MULLAITTIVU districts during Monday (18) inflicted death on twenty-three Tiger terrorists and injury to at least twenty-one more.

Pitched battles in NAVATKULAM, PALAMODDAI, UYLANKULAM, SINNAPULIYANPERUMAL and VANNARIKULAM between 9.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. killed nineteen terrorists, despite resistance offered by terrorists. Three terrorists died due to explosion of an anti personnel mine in VANNARIKULAM area around 4.00 p.m. on Monday (18).

Two dead bodies of the terrorists, one Rocket Propeller Gun (RPG), four T-56 weapons, six RPG bombs, one compass, one ICOM set and one Global Positioning System (GPS) were later found by the troops in the aftermath of the fighting at UYLANKULAM area.


Similar, ferocious battles in NACHCHIKUDA and VANNARIKULAM in the MULLAITTIVU fronts on Monday (18) deprived the LTTE of thirteen terrorists when they tried to desperately resist troops’ advance into Tiger strongholds.

Meanwhile, close fighting in ANDANKULAM, KOKKUTUDUVAI and deep jungles in the north of JANAKAPURA in the WELIOYA sector killed one terrorist and injured sixteen more. Parallel search and clear operations in those areas in the meantime uncovered 186 anti personnel mines, 18 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), 150 T-56 ammunition rounds and three magazines.

During day’s clashes two soldiers paid with death and six soldiers received injuries in NACHCHIKUDA, VANNARIKULAM, ANDANKULAM and KOKKUTUDUVAI battle fronts.

Meanwhile, Tiger terrorists in JAFFNA, using mortar fire struck Forward Defence Lines in MUHAMALE area early morning on Monday (18). The enemy fire killed three soldiers and injured one. Similarly, three soldiers received injuries when an LTTE trapped anti personnel mine exploded in NAGARKOVIL area around 5.30 in the morning on Monday (18).

MANNAR: SIX MORE CIVILIANS, despite restrictions imposed by Tiger leaders in un-cleared areas, braved to reach Navy detachment in PALLIMUNAI in MANNAR early Monday (18) morning with a few of their belongings.

Those civilians on two boats have allegedly left POONERYN area consist of four males and two women, including a 55 year old woman.

Naval troops after preliminary investigations were over directed them to MANNAR Police station for relocation until terrorism is brought to an end.

Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) has organized a national seminar on “International Management Systems” to be held on August 26 at the Waters Edge, Battaramulla. Eminent foreign and local experts representing private and public sector organizations will deliver presentations and share their knowledge and experience in various fields involving international management systems.
Overall management system of any organization focuses on many aspects such as quality, environment, occupational health and safety, social accountability etc. Managing each aspect under different sub management systems has become the trend in the recent past and a number of international standards have emerged to cater to such management systems.

Accordingly, the international standard ISO 9001 provides requirements for a Quality Management System and ISO 14001 provides requirements for an Environmental Management System. Some of the other standards are 150 22000 for Food Safety Management System and OHSAS 18001 for Occupational Health and Safety Management System and, HACCP and GMP are two other management systems mostly used in the food industry while SA 8000 is a standard dealing with Social Accountability.



Government ready to assist civilians fleeing fighting in the Wanni
The Government is committed to assisting civilians who may be displaced by the ongoing counter LTTE military operations in the North and reiterates its firm commitment to continue providing humanitarian assistance to the people in the Wanni.

Urgent measures have been taken to provide adequate food and shelter to the displaced people and additional facilities are being constructed in Government controlled areas. Sri Lanka is a unique case of a government maintaining its offices and funding the administration in territories unlawfully occupied by a terrorist group.

The Government Agents of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu have confirmed that internally displaced persons (IDPs) are being temporarily accommodated in schools, which are now closed due to holidays. Plans are underway to settle them in shelters located in safe areas prior to the commencement of the new school term. There is absolutely no truth in the reports of IDPs living under trees.

While the Government has strongly encouraged civilians to move from the conflict zone to safe areas under its control, it is reported that the LTTE has hindered thousands of families from moving to safer places by imposing a strict pass system and in some instances, forcing some family members to stay behind to ensure the return of the rest of the family. These measures seem designed to use civilians as a buffer against the government forces which is a serious violation of international humanitarian norms.

In these circumstances, it is incumbent on the international community to exert pressure on the LTTE to allow civilians to leave areas controlled by them. The safety and well-being of civilians can be effectively ensured in Government controlled facilities.

Highlands, an infrastructure development project worth Rs. 150 million situated in Mysore, India is to target Sri Lankan investors in various sectors.

Addressing the media at ISHYA Chairman/Managing Director R. Girish said that Highlands is the project which is combining hospitality as well as realty by providing land for personal and corporate use. “These lands are situated in the IT hub of Karnataka, a 60 acre space with 400 sites for sale each amounting to 18-19 perches,” he claimed. He moreover said that Sri Lankan individuals who are also corporate leaders and CEOs have confirmed interest in investing for personal use as well as corporate use. However he added that these will be declared at the official launch of these projects on August 29 at the Water’s Edge.

Girish divulged that among the value additions is the helipad, theatre, high end residential spa with intended villas in the second phase of the project. Apparently the project is bordered with eco friendly initiatives since there will be rain water harvesting as well as hosting a zoo and a bird sanctuary. The Mysore Domestic Airport which will be operational by December 2008 and the international airport by 2011 are just 1.6 kilometres away from the site. While Bangalore is just 120 km away from Mysore the Mysore Palace is just 9 km from the Highlands.

He stressed that Highlands is catering to the High Network Individuals (HNIs) people who are not saving but spending their last penny to enjoy life and get luxurious satisfaction. According to him the sites available at 15 perches will be sold at the current price of Rs.7.8 million while the 18 perch sites are sold at Rs.9.8 million. He explained that the real state prices are skyrocketing in Bangalore and it will not be long before it reaches Mysore.

“We have already marketed the property in USA, Dubai and Nepal. We intend the clients to make it their second home or luxury homes outside their countries,” he stated. Furthermore he claimed that the United Kingdom would be the only market that the company would move into but nothing more than that. He pointed out that since this is early birds offer, only a barren site and land is for sale.

‘Highlands’ is a joint venture between ESVEE Group and the ISHYA Group while it is designed by Jurong International of Singapore, architects to over 1000 projects in 37 countries.

New entrants to the university, who have been transferred to the Jaffna and the Eastern Universities without their consent, today staged protest in front of the University Grants Commission office at Ward Place, Colombo against endangering their lives by sending them to the war torn North- East. Their parents also joined the protest. They were compelled to stage a protest when the authorities refused them permission to meet the UGC Chairman.

Susanthika Jayasinghe was placed third in the second round of heats moments ago at the Olympics in Beijing. She clocked a time of 22.94 seconds and qualified for the semi-finals in the Women’s 200m.

A new three story building complex will be constructed at Polonnaura general hospital that will bring improvements to the level of healthcare provided to the people of Polonnaruwa district and neighboring areas. Polonnaruwa is one of the districts in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka where the majority of the population depends on agriculture. This General Hospital is the main health facility available for the people in the district who come from far distant rural areas.

This building constrution project was initiated by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society under the post Tsunami recovery program. The Canadian Red Cross (CRC) Society will spend 366 million rupees for the construction of new building and Rs. 50 million to provide the required medical equipment. There will be an outpatient department, X-ray room, clinics dispensaries, an auditorium and administration area in this new building.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will provide technical assistance for the project.

The ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone for the new complex on 14th of August, 2008 was attended by Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition Nimal Siripala De Silva, Minister of Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Maitreepala Sirisena, Minister of Agrarian Services Siripala Gamlath Deputy Minister of Land and Land Development Chandrasiri Sooriyarachchi, President of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society Jagath Abeysinghe, National Secretary S.H. Nimal Kumar, Head of Delegation IFRC Paul Emese, construction delegate of Canadian Red Cross Niloo Szand and Chairman of the Pollonnaruwa SLRCS branch H P Wijayasena.

During the occation the Liquid Oxygen storage system constructed with CRC funding was also handed over to hospital authorities.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has made a long term commitment towards rebuilding Sri Lanka's health sector. The Red Cross and Red Crescent's post tsunami health infrastructure development programme which is constructing and renovating a total of 77 health facilities across 16 districts of Sri Lanka under a MoU agreed with the Ministry of Health. The 77 projects include the construction, renovation or refurbishment of wide range of health care facilities including district and base level hospitals as well as clinics and dispensaries. Construction of nurse training centres and providing 6 oxygen storage facilities at different hospitals also include the programme. The Red Cross will be equipping most of these facilities with medical equipment which ranges from hospital beds to sophisticated X-ray and ultrasound machines.

Already more than 25 hospitals and clinics have been completed and handed over.

This programme will run until 2010 and majority of projects are expected to be completed by 2009.

LOS ANGELES: The Sri Lanka Foundation announced that the annual 'Sri Lanka Day' will take place on Saturday the 23rd August on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Since its inception in 2006, Sri Lanka Day includes the best of Sri Lankan culture and food from Wilshire Blvd to Arizona Ave, making Sri Lanka Day the biggest event held at the Promenade. All Sri Lanka day festivities are free to the public, and all are welcome to attend.

Sri Lanka Day is perhaps the only day of the year people in Los Angeles are able to have a taste of Sri Lankan food in a fun and festive environment, which is cooked live in the most exciting of ways. Thousands of families living in Santa Monica and greater Los Angeles have fallen in love with the food offered at Sri Lanka Day since the first Sri Lankan Day in 2006 and now people from San Francisco and even Canada make this their annual pilgrimage to quench their appetite for spicy, exotic Sri Lankan food.

The favorite Sri Lankan foods available are Hoppers- a crispy, pancake- type item made with many a twirl. The edges are crispy and the middle is soft. Hoppers are usually eaten with meat or vegetable curry. Kottu Roti-similar to a Mongolian barbecue- is made, with eggs, meat and vegetables-a treat to watch the cooking and tastes so good! String hoppers- a soft stringy- type item accompanied by curry. Pol rotti-bread made of flour and coconut-served with spicy onions or curry.

Sri Lankan savory short eats-that's the name for Sri Lankan snacks similar to Tapas and Empanadas-once you start with these you can't stop! Of course, they'll be lots of Rice and curry-made Sri Lankan style. And no Sri Lankan food festival would be complete without Sri Lankan Sweets-Colorful and sweet. At 4 pm the Sri Lanka Day parade will take place with Sri Lankan dancers, drummers, masked performers, flag bearers and a theatre elephant to pay honor to an ancient parade that occurs annually in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka Day Parade is the most important event of Sri Lanka Day because of its ancient religious and cultural significance to Sri Lankans. The Sri Lanka Day Parade pays homage to the annual "Esala Perahera" held in the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka in which hundreds of dancers, drummers, flag bearers, masked performers and elephants adorned with beautiful garments parade through the city.

All performers and elephants in the "Esala Perahera" are pledged from various Hindu kovils, Buddhist temples and individuals who volunteer their time and resources as a sacred duty. The religious importance of the "Esala Perahera" is that it is dedicated to the sacred tooth relic belonging to the Buddha.

The sacred tooth relic is kept in custody of the "Temple of the Tooth" in the city of Kandy on behalf of the ruler of Sri Lanka and the custody of the tooth ensures the divine right to rule the land. The "Esala Perahera" is the only occasion where the sacred tooth relic is taken out of the temple and it is carried in a casket on top of an elephant. Sri Lanka Foundation is proud that we have been able to organize the Sri Lanka Day Parade with full support of the Sri Lankan community in Southern California and are able to share our rich heritage in America. Miss Sri Lanka America and Miss Teen Sri Lanka America pageant.

The stage on Broadway and 3rd Street corner will be hosting the Miss Sri Lanka-America and the Miss Teen Sri Lanka America beauty pageants, a fashion show and teen dance crews. You will see the beauties parading in colorful traditional Sri Lankan clothing including jacket and cloth and saris, evening wear and competing in a talent contest for the crown.

The uniqueness of the Miss Sri Lanka America and Miss Teen Sri Lanka America is the focus on Sri Lankan culture and a relaxing of traditional pageant perimeters, opening the contest to all types of beauty: the conventional, the unconventional, the hidden, the incongruous, and the subjective.

Sri Lankan- American rapper DeLon will make a special stage appearance here at the Broadway and 3rd Street stage. There will be lots of dance crews and DJ's from Los Angeles to entertain the crowds. A fashion show featuring models adorned in Sri Lankan batiks and other Sri Lankan clothing will take place at the same stage.

Non-stop entertainment The stage on Wilshire and 3rd Street corner will host Sri Lankan and American musicians and dancers that will keep the audience entertained from 10 AM-10 PM. You will see the traditional Sri Lankan "Kandyan" dancers and drummers, Bharatha Natyam dancers perform throughout the day.

These traditional Sri Lankan performers are a rare treat in Southern California and usually attract many Asian dance enthusiasts and shutterbugs to see their mesmerizing performance. There will be special dance performances highlighting the religious and cultural events important to the Sri Lankan community. This stage will come alive with the Sri Lankan American bands "Heat", "Beyond Asia", "Strangers" and a performance by George Rutnam's band playing popular Sri Lankan and western music until 10 PM.

The Indian government has offered scholarships to 41 Sri Lankan government schoolteachers to undergo a special English training course at the reputed English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad.

Under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, the teachers will be fully sponsored for the three-month course and will be expected to return home to work as master trainers in the government education sector.

At a special function here to award the scholarships, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Alok Prasad said that by offering the scholarships New Delhi was assisting in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ‘English as a life skill’ initiative.

‘The government of India is very happy to partner Sri Lanka in this far-reaching presidential initiative to upgrade the level English education in this country. It is a well-conceived and designed initiative,’ Prasad said.

He said that the Indian government was also assisting in establishing an English language school at Peradeniya in the central Kandy district, in addition to the private sector collaboration between the two countries in English language education.

Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Susil Premajayanth welcomed India’s prompt response to the presidential initiative by offering the scholarships and by setting up the Kandy facility.

Sri Lanka Cricket Chairman Arjuna Ranatunga with Duleep Mendis held talks on Tuesday ( August 19) at the Eastern Provincial Chief Secretariat in Trincomalee with the Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan and Provincial Minister of Sports M.L.A.M.Hisbullah.

Development of cricket in the eastern province that has been neglected in past was among the subjects taken up for discussion.

Mr. Ranatunga assured the provincial administration that he would take steps to construct three stadiums-each in every district of the province, Amparai, Batticaloa and Trincomalee at international level.

He added that he has appointed former cricketer D.S.de Silva as coordinator for the eastern province to go forward in implement the project .

Twenty four hours after the Court ordered to arrest Minister Mervyn Silva and three others involved in the attack on the Sirasa camera crew police have not taken action to arrest the persons concerned.

“The attention of the Inspector General of Police has been drawn about the Court order. The matter is being discussed by the Police”, Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara said.

On Monday Colombo Additional Magistrate, Manjula Thilakaratne ordered the Police to arrest the minister and three others connected with the incident in which the Sirasa crew was attacked and two cameras were removed when they covering the opening of the second phase of the flyover bridge at peliyagoda recently.

The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka has signed an agreement with Nanco to develop and manage the world’s first Nanotechnology Park due to begin operations in November, the BOI said on Tuesday.

Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing field of applied science where matter is controlled at an atomic or molecular scale. The Nanotechnology Park, located at Homagama is an investment of US$10 million and will generate around 1500 employment opportunities. A.N.R. Amarathunga (Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology) and Mahesh Amalean (Chairman, Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology- SLINTec and Chairman, MAS Holdings) signed the agreement on behalf of the company. Professor Sirimali Fernando, Chairperson on the National Science Foundation and Professor Ravi Silva (Director of Advanced Technology Institute of the University of Surrey) were also present at the occasion.

Prof. Silva said, “The project will infuse Nanotechnology into the Sri Lankan industrial sector and make Sri Lankan products world leading and competitive. Nanotechnology can be used to enhance most of the industrials products such as rubber products, apparels and energy”.

He explained that the Nanotechnology centre will develop new products and create intellectual products that can be exploited while the Park will house the manufacturing plants for local and foreign inward investors.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayaka has posed three questions to the UPFA ahead of the Saturday’s provincial council elections in the Sabaragamuwa and North Central provinces and called the UPFA to answer them if possible.

The questions came in response to the 13 reasons given by Minister Dullas Alahaperuma as to why the UNP would be defeated at the PC elections.

The three questions posed by Mr. Attanayaka are as follows:

1) Can Mr. Alahaperuma give an assurance that the UPFA will not use intimidation, violence and get involved in mass scale rigging and assure that public property would not be used for the elections.

2) Can he say that they did not use public money and public property for the election campaign.

3) Can the Minister give an assurance that ministers will not get involved in violence on election day.

The JVP has claimed that the UPFA is preparing for mass scale election rigging on Saturday in the North Central and Sabaraguwa provinces and called on the police to take preventive action.

JVP Chief Ministerial candidates Chameera Koswatta (Sabaragamuwa) and Wasantha Samarasinghe (NCP) said that already all circuit bungalows and guest houses had been packed with underworld gang members to carry out election vilolence.

“In the wake of a certain defeat the government has unleashed violence. We want the police to act now”, Mr. Koswatta said.

Susanthika Jayasinghe was placed third in the second round of heats moments ago at the Olympics in Beijing. She clocked a time of 22.94 seconds and qualified for the semifinals in the Women’s 200m.

Two Sri Lankans will be given a unique opportunity to pilot Emirates' new Airbus A380. Captains Suren Ratwatte and Suhail Hashim, who joined Emirates in 1989, are among the first of the airline’s pilots to fly the brand-new aircraft.

Following the Fundamental Rights case, occupants in Glennie Street agreed to either accept temporary houses in Totalanga or receive one year rental fees until the Dematagoda housing complex is ready. The Supreme Court ordered more time to be given to the occupants to vacate in view of the Ramazan festival.

With the improvement in the security situation in the Jaffna peninsula, the farmers who own paddy land in the Ariyalai East High Security Zone (HSZ) have got the opportunity to cultivate their land. According to the Army Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna (SFHQJ), the farmers have been allowed to cultivate 103 acres of land that lies between the Ariyalai railway track and Jaffna-Kandy road (A-9) from 17 August.

73 farmers who had registered with the Ariyalai East Farmers' association commenced their work on Sunday (Aug 18). The sources said that the each farmer have been issued a special identity card by the civil military coordination office of 512 brigade.

The officials of the farmers association have welcomed the security forces' decision to allow the lands for the cultivation work. They have called the decision a vital confidence building measure between the civilian community and the security forces.

Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFEE) website is reportedly blocked by the government backed gateway operators in Sri Lanka preventing the public from learning about the increasing number of election violations, CaFFE sources say.

CaFFE says its website, www.caffe.lk has been up and running until Sunday evening and is not accessible in Sri Lanka anymore. However it is functional outside the country.

CaFFE reports that as of yesterday 142 election related violence incidents have taken place since July 1, 58 of them in Anuradhapura in North Central Province and 29 from Polonnaruwa. In the Sabaragamuwa province, 27 incidents have been reported from Ratnapura and 28 from Kegalle.

The organization says that 48 cases of misuse of state property have been reported also.

CaFFE is a people's organization, comprising members of the civil society, lobbying groups, religious groups, trade unions, political parties and opinionated individuals coming together to Campaign for Free and Fair Elections.

LTTE personnel and territorial losses are accelerating because the LTTE can no longer maintain a "front line" of bunkers, the respected military website Strategy Page said yesterday.

"The Aarmy is thus able to move deep into LTTE controlled territory, taking towns and major bases the LTTE depend on to recruit troops and extract supplies, especially food," it said.

The Strategy Page said: "So far this year, the LTTE has lost nearly 6,000 dead, while the army has lost nearly 600 soldiers. In the last two years, since the ceasefire collapsed, the LTTE has had over 9,000 of its fighters killed.

In that time, LTTE controlled territory has shrunk from 15,000 square kilometres, to 4,000.

The air force and navy have crippled LTTE smuggling efforts, but not eliminated them. Tamil fishermen from India are still willing to risk arrest or injury to move weapons, medicine and diesel fuel to LTTE controlled beaches in northern Sri Lanka.

The fee paid for these trips has been going up from about $1,000 to over $2,000. But the blockade has eliminated the use of cargo ships for these supply runs. So instead of getting hundreds of tons of supplies at time, the LTTE has to be satisfied with a few tons.

The government fears that, after the defeat of the organised LTTE in Sri Lanka, they will still be under attack from an LTTE expatriate terrorist organization. There are actually two LTTEs. There is the one in Sri Lanka. This one is under heavy attack, and about to be destroyed. Then there is the LTTE overseas.

Originally set up to raise money among expatriate Tamils (from Sri Lanka and southern India), this organization uses many illegal methods to buy and smuggle military goods into Sri Lanka. Because of some of the scams used to raise money, the offshore LTTE turned into a criminal gang. Failed rebellions often leave large, purely criminal, organizations in their wreckage. But the LTTE-In-Exile is threatening to turn into a terrorist organization as well.

LTTE terrorists launched an artillery and mortar attack at the Muhamalai and Nagarkovil battlefronts in the Jaffna theatre of operations last morning (Aug 18).

According to the defence sources, soldiers of Muhamalai withstood heavy artillery fire launched around 5.30 AM. Troops responded with artillery and rocket fire and brought the situation under control. Three soldiers were killed in the attack, said the sources.

Around 8.30, in the same morning, LTTE launched lobbed mortars at troops deployed in the Nagarkovil defence line. According to the sources, two soldiers sustained injuries in this attack. Troops retaliated effectively and brought the situation under control.

A detail report on battlefront incidents will follow.

TORONTO - A Toronto non-profit group wired more than $3 million to overseas bank accounts, some of them linked to the Tamil Tigers, before it was shut down by the government in June for alleged terrorist financing, says an RCMP report released Monday.

The report, marked "Secret" but unsealed by order of a Federal Court judge, provides the first detailed look at the banking activities of the World Tamil Movement (WTM), a Toronto-based group accused of bankrolling Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers guerrillas.

Most of the money, $1.9 million, went to an account at the Bumiputra Commerce Bank in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that the RCMP report says "is utilized as a vehicle to forward money to the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) from Canada."
The 83-page financial report is the fruit of two years of analysis of banking records seized by Canadian anti-terrorism police who are investigating a financial network run by supporters of the Tamil Tigers that allegedly raised money in Canada to buy arms for the guerrillas

"The bank records seized . . . demonstrate that the World Tamil Movement has developed an elaborate machine like entity that moves throughout the Greater Toronto Area collecting funds with extreme proficiency," the police report says.

Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day announced on June 16 that his government had added the WTM to Ottawa's official list of terrorist groups, alongside the likes of al-Qaida, Hamas and Hezbollah. The WTM is the first Canadian community group to be listed.

The WTM has denied any involvement in terrorist fundraising and vowed to challenge the government's decision, and at a large outdoor rally in Toronto on July 5, Tamils waved Tamil Tigers flags and endorsed a statement condemning Ottawa's decision to ban the WTM.

The minister has accused the WTM of transferring money to LTTE bank accounts in Sri Lanka, but the RCMP's Feb. 1, 2008, financial report paints a more detailed picture of a complex network made up of 20 Canadian bank accounts.

Five banks held the accounts: Toronto Dominion, Bank of Nova Scotia, Royal Bank, CIBC and the National Bank of Canada. The Canadian account holders wired money regularly to accounts in Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Tamil Tigers-controlled areas of Sri Lanka.

RCMP Corporal Deanna Hill, the author of the police report, wrote that the WTM's financial set-up was "congruent with the money laundering techniques often employed by organized crime groups.

"I also believe that the number of accounts alone demonstrate that the World Tamil Movement has utilized the Canadian banking system to raise funds in a manner that is best suited to financing the terrorist activities of the LTTE."

The Tamil Tigers have been fighting for 25 years for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's ethnic Tamil minority, which has faced discrimination under the island's Sinhalese majority.

In addition to fighting a conventional guerrilla war, however, the Tigers also employ terrorist tactics, such as suicide bombings and political assassinations, which has landed them on international terrorist lists, Canada's included.

The RCMP began investigating the Tamil Tigers' Canadian fundraising network in 2002, focusing on the WTM's large head office in Toronto and its smaller branch offices in Montreal and Vancouver. Police raided the Toronto and Montreal offices in 2006.

Police seized letters from the Tamil Tigers leadership thanking Canada for its donations, explaining how the money had been used to purchase weapons, and asking for more. But much of the police evidence appears to have come from a study of bank accounts held by the WTM and its officers.

The Project Osaluki financial report claims the WTM's most lucrative fundraising method was a pre-authorized payment program, in which the group persuaded hundreds of its supporters to sign forms allowing money to be withdrawn from their bank accounts each month.

The WTM took in up to $763,000 a year using the payment scheme. On a single day in 2005, the WTM withdrew $63,528 from 1,582 bank accounts. "It is obvious from the amounts collected with this method that the pre-authorized payment scheme is effective, timely and spares valued resources," says the RCMP report.

Most of the forms had been signed in Canada but police also interviewed witnesses who said they had signed them at Tamil Tigers checkpoints in Sri Lanka. "Upon their return to Canada, these persons were visited by representatives of the World Tamil Movement to exact the collection of the monthly stipend," Hill wrote.

In addition, the WTM made money through bake sales, car washes, newspaper sales, merchandise sales and festivals, the report says. "To date, the total amount of Canadian dollars that have been forwarded to accounts internationally from accounts controlled by the World Tamil Movement in Canada is $3,101,803.33.

Nadeeka Lakmali fails to qualify for the final round in the Javelin throw at the Beijing Olympics.

Allyson Felix of the US competes next to Susanthika Jayasinghe (L) of Sri Lanka during the women's 200m qualification heat at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008.

A small portion of Cocaine worth over Rs.150, 000 was detected for the first time after 15 years, by the recently appointed Police Central Anti-Vice Striking Unit Colombo Branch. Cocaine is considered an expensive narcotic circulated among local affluent consumers.

Ulaga Tamilar Peramaipuu - World Tamil Confederation, a proxy LTTE organization in Tamil Nadu headed by P. Nedumaran, unanimously resolved in the presence of two TNA Parliamentarians, that Katchativu which was ceded by the Government of India to Sri Lanka in 1974, has to be retrieved back immediately and brought under the Tamil Nadu state government’s administration. Katchativu has to be retrieved to stop the miseries and hardships the Tamil Nadu fishermen are presently undergoing.
To commemorate the sixth year completion of the Ulaga Tamilar Peramaipuu - World Tamil Confederation, it held the World Tamil Writers Conference last Saturday at Madurai, in Tamil Nadu. P. Nedumaran, President of the Ulaga Tamilar Peramaipuu presided.

Sri Lankan parliamentarians from the Tamil National Alliance Mavai Senathirajah , and Sivajilingham participated in the conference as guest speakers on behalf of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

At the conclusion of the conference, it was unanimously resolved in the presence if those two Sri Lankan Parliamentarians, that Indian Government must retrieve Katchativu from Sri Lanka immediately.

Furthermore, the conference unanimously resolved that in the last 25 years, Sri Lankan Navy has shot and killed more than 400 Tamil Nadu fishermen within India’s territorial waters. Also many hundred crores rupees worth of fishing vessels, gears and nets belonged to Tamil Nadu fishermen were destroyed by Sri Lanka’s Navy.

The conference urged that the Indian Government must come forward to obtain adequate compensations for those killed as well as to the vessels and nets that has been destroyed.

The other resolution dealt with the granting of Indian citizenship to the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees languishing in Tamil Nadu for the past 25 years.

Ulaga Tamilar Peramaipuu pointed out that Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu are a group of discarded people and therefore they have to be entrusted with the UNHCR to look after their welfare in the future.

Sanath Jayasuriya is known the world over and throughout Sri Lanka for his exploits in the cricket field. However a little known fact about the world renowned super star is his passion for nature and particularly agriculture.

It will be a surprise to many that the simple, down to earth cricketer is in fact an agriculturalist, to be more specific, he is also a paddy farmer. Like thousands of Sri Lankans Sanath Jayasuriya is also into rice farming.

He owns a 45 perch land in close proximity to his residence at Boralesgamuwa and has successfully cultivated rice. "I bought this plot of land some time back as I thought of doing some paddy cultivation. Today I am very happy that I have successfully cultivated paddy and in fact I hope to harvest it before the end of this month", said a delighted Jayasuriya.

When asked if he has plans to continue with cultivation the Lankan superstar had no hesitation saying, “Yes, Why not, I hope to do it in a better way during the next Maha season. I am also looking to increase the extent".

However the record breaking batsman said that he is only looking at cultivating in and around the Borelesgamuwa area as that will also help him to get involved more. "When it is close to my home I can spend some time as well", said Jayasuriya who like many cricket idols has a very busy schedule.

According to Jayasuriya since he began cultivating this season most of the people around his field has begun cultivating paddy. In fact it was only last week that CIC Agribusinesses, a leading Agribusiness company signed -up Sanath Jayasuriya as their Brand Ambassador. Reacting to the news that Sanath Jayasuriya is into paddy cultivation the Director HR and Corporate Affairs at CIC Agri Businesses Marlon Fernadopulle said, "We are extremely delighted at the news that our brand Ambassador Sanath Jayasuriya is involved in rice farming. The fact that a world super star is directly into farming is a big boost to us at CIC Agribusinesses and also to our country".

Index strong blue chips such as Bukit Darah and Carsons propped the Colombo stocks in early trading on Tuesday but dropped with Dialog seeing its customary share price fall in the morning. Stock market analysts predict that the upward trend will sustain towards market closure.

“Since the palm oil prices have seen an increase Bukit Darah through its subsidiaries (such as Shalimar and Indo Malay, which distributes palm oil) is likely to have posted good results. This is why the company’s shares are rising,” a stock market analyst said.

Dialog bought the market down slightly towards late morning to Rs.11.75 from Rs 12 and is seen falling futher.

The plantation stocks were seen dropping with speculation of another worker salary hike in the near future. “This speculation has impacted the plantation shares today and these stocks will continue to slide,” a stock market analyst said. The All Share Index stood at 2,431.72 increased by 2.83 points with the Milanka seeing a high of 0.12 points to stand at 2,838.51 in early trade. Turnover was at Rs.53 million.

UNP will hold its final provincial election campaign rally in Kegalle on Wednesday evening presided over by opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The final rally in Polonnaruwa is in progress while the final rally in Anuradhapura will be held in the evening presided over by the opposition leader.

Campaigning for Satruday's polls will end Wednesday midnight.

Parents of students selected to universities in the north and eastern provinces are due to start a 'Sathayagraha' campaign today opposite the University Grants Commission in Colombo demanding that the students be accomodated in other campuses.

They are citing security reasons that prevent the students travelling to the two provinces.

The Free Media Movement (FMM) has called Police media spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara to withdraw his remarks about the FMM Media Convener Uvindu Kurukulasuriya in which he implicates the Media activist of organising demonstration which tends to favour the LTTE. The text of the statement follows;

“Our attention has been drawn to a letter written by the Police Media Spokesperson and Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr. Ranjith Gunasekera, addressed to the Chairman and News Director of Sirasa News, dated 11th August 2008. SSP Gunasekera’s main complaint is that he has been subject to disrepute by the reportage of the views of media organisations’ expressed during public protests against Minister Silva’s conduct, in which it has been contended that SSP Gunasekera had no basic conception or understanding of democracy. The letter unfortunately also contains two contumelious references by name to Mr. Uvindu Kurukulasuriya, the Convener of the Free Media Movement (FMM), although he has not been copied in the said letter.

While SSP Gunasekera is perfectly within his rights to write a letter of complaint against what he sees as unfair reportage of his comments as the official police spokesperson, the instant letter is cause for serious concern on several matters to the extent it makes reference by name to Mr. Kurukulasuriya. These references are made in the context of an extended and polemical political argument by SSP Gunasekera about the exercise of the democratic freedoms of expression, association, assembly and protest, in the backdrop of the war against the LTTE. In brief, SSP Gunasekera’s argument is that, firstly, protests organised by Mr. Kurukulasuriya in Colombo on various occasions against media suppression, are an abusive exercise of the fundamental rights guaranteed by Article 14 of the Constitution in a manner that hinders the free exercise by others of their rights to freedom of movement. According to SSP Gunasekera, this is indirectly an obstruction of the economic progress of the country.

Secondly, in what has become a tiresomely repetitive theme of official spokespersons of the government in the recent past, SSP Gunasekera argues that if Mr. Kurukulasuriya’s desire was to endear himself to the general public, he should have done something useful to strengthen the armed forces and police led by the President in their fight against the LTTE. The clear implication is that Mr. Kurukulasuriya’s activities tend to favour the LTTE.

FMM categorically states that all media protests are organised by 5 media collective and not by any individual. FMM is afraid that making FMM convenor the target of police spokespersons undue criticism may make him vulnerable to another attacks by anti media groups. FMM notes once again the fact that direct or implied threats of this nature have all too often been the ominous precursors of far more unpleasant consequences for media professionals who have attracted such unwelcome attention.

FMM believes that SSP Gunasekera has in this instance exceeded his legitimate right of reply by indulging in unseemly personal contumely. In order to sustain his otherwise untenable argument, he has also been impelled to give a peculiarly idiosyncratic interpretation to Article 14 of the Constitution, as well as engage in political arguments about the prosecution of the war, which is beyond both his official remit and, it seems, his competence. SSP Gunasekera has thereby unwittingly added credence to the original issue of contention about his basic comprehension of democracy, or lack thereof.

Article 14 of the Constitution guarantees to every citizen, inter alia, the fundamental rights of the freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. It is inherent in these rights that the freedom of political protest is both a legitimate and necessary element of the democratic way of life, and which the Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed in such celebrated judgments as the Jana Ghosha Case. This truth is so self-evident that we find it incredible that we have to repeat it here in response to SSP Gunasekera’s attempts at constitutional interpretation that engaging in disciplined and peaceful protest is an obstruction of the rights of others. His astonishing claim that organised protests against what has become a wholly unacceptable and pervasive culture of physical attacks and intimidation against the media, and impunity for publicly known perpetrators, are detrimental to the economic development of the country is scarcely more plausible.

FMM finds it deeply regrettable that SSP Gunasekera has in this instance combined an overdeveloped sensitivity to legitimate criticism, with a confusion of the public interest that he is enjoined by law to uphold, with that of the government of the day, and which has resulted in him indulging in a vituperative personal attack on Mr. Kurukulasuriya, in a letter addressed to a third party, in a manner that is utterly unworthy of a public officer of the law. FMM therefore calls upon SSP Gunasekera, in his capacity as the police spokesperson, to retract these statements and to desist from such verbal attacks in the future.

FMM would also use this opportunity to reiterate its call for the immediate implementation of the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution, so that the independence, integrity and competence of the Police Department can be established in a manner that ensures that police officers may comport themselves and exercise their lawful duties in conformity with the public interest under the rule of law. FMM firmly believes that only the prompt re-establishment of a genuinely independent National Police Commission appointed on the recommendations of the Constitutional Council (itself to be reconstituted), will free the Police Department of the shackles of politicisation that presently reduce even senior police officers to obsequiousness before governments of the day, and which is plainly at the root of SSP Gunasekera’s unnecessary and most unfortunate missive.”

At least three JVP election campaign offices came under attack in the Ratnapura district early Tuesday morning, a party spokesman said.

The offices in Parakaduwa, Doragala and Pussella came under attack between 2.00 a.m. to 4.00 a.m.

Meawhile two UPFA supporters who were involved in pulling down JVP decorations in the Rambukkan area were handed over to the Police on Monday night.

BEIJING - China's top legislator Wu Bangguo met here on Saturday with some of the dignitaries who came to China to attend the Olympic Games opening ceremony and be hosted by the President of China Hu Jintao at a special Banquet held in the Great Hall of the People for 80 Heads of States and other VVIPS before the opening ceremony.
These included the President of the Romanian Parliament Bogdan Olteanu, and Chairman of the EU-China Friendship Group in the European Parliament Nirj Deva, Wu thanked them all for their support to the Beijing Olympic Games
While meeting with Deva, Wu said China and the EU had witnessed the continued expansion of strategic partnership and their common interests had been increasing. He said he hoped the mechanism of regular exchanges between NPC and the European Parliament would be brought into full play.
"China welcomes more European legislators to visit China to have a first-hand and objective understanding of China," he added.
Deva said the EU-China Friendship Group in the European Parliament was ready to play an active role in enhancing understanding a friendship between the European and Chinese peoples.
The day before, Deva attended the Banquet Hosted by the President of China where President Hu Jintao thanked the international community for their support to the Beijing Olympics and their assistance to the country after the May 12 earthquake.
Addressing a welcoming luncheon in honor of world dignitaries who are here to attend the Olympic opening ceremony, Hu Jintao said Beijing Olympics is an opportunity for both China and the world.
With ceremonial music playing in the background, Chinese President Hu Jintao and his wife Liu Yongqing stepped into the grand banqueting room of the Great Hall of the People together with over 100 foreign dignitaries and IOC president Jacques Rogge.
Addressing the banquet, President Hu Jintao said that the Chinese government and its public have received sincere help from numerous governments and countries, as well as strong support from the IOC and the Olympic Family in the course of bidding and preparing for the Games.
"I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you and, through you, to all those who have contributed to the Beijing Olympic Games."
Hu Jintao noted that the Olympic Games is a great sporting event and offers a platform for cultural exchange.
He said the Olympics have united people from different parts of the world and enhanced understanding and friendship among them.
With the world facing challenges as well as opportunities, Hu Jintao pointed out that people today are in increasing need of tolerance and cooperation.
He placed special emphasis on the idea that the Beijing Olympics is not only an opportunity for China, but also for the rest of the world.
"We should carry forward the Olympic spirit of solidarity, friendship and peace, facilitate sincere exchanges among people from all countries, deepen mutual understanding, enhance friendship and rise above differences, and promote the building of a harmonious world featuring lasting peace and common prosperity."
The president told the foreign guests that the Chinese government and its people have done their utmost in preparing for the Games, and have been working hard to honor their commitment from the moment Beijing won the bid in 2001.
"I am confident that, with the support of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Family, and together with you, we will deliver a fantastic Olympic Games of the highest possible standard."
China's outstanding work in preparing for the Olympics has also won praise from the international community. In previous press conferences, IOC President Jacques Rogge said Beijing organizers have finished all the preparation work, and all the measures they have taken to address concerns such as pollution have proved effective.

Aug 18, 2008 (LBO) - Solar energy is still too expensive to be used widely without government subsidies, a Sri Lankan expert has told the island's energy-intensive industries which are grappling with the highest electricity costs in Asia.

Tilak Siyambalapitiya, managing director, Resource Management Associate, said solar energy cost 60 rupees per kilowatt hour whereas now industrialists are not paying over 13 rupees per kilowatt hour for power from the state utility.
Power now is generated by hydro-electric and diesel-fired thermal plants but the island also plans to build coal-fired plants to cope with growing energy requirements and prevent blackouts.

"The reality is that the investment cost of solar panels on a per watt basis is five dollars without import duty," Siyambalapitiya told seminar on alternative fuel resources for Sri Lankan industry.

"Maybe a large array can be bought at three dollars."

The seminar was organised by the Sri Lanka Ceramics Council, which represents the energy-intensive ceramics industry.

Other conventional technologies cost around one or two dollars per watt, Siyambalapitiya said.

Another problem with solar energy technology was utilisation with the maximum solar output being available only for 4.5 hours a day or one-sixth of the time.
"The level of utilisation is only 16 percent," Siyambalapitiya said. "While the investment is three times that of conventional technology, it is used only 16 percent of the time."
This is compared with the 80-85 percent usage of conventional technology.

"Despite sunlight being free of charge, until the capital costs come down there's no way it can compete with large power plants," Siyambalapitiya said.

Apart from solar panels producing electricity for only 16 percent of the time, their economic life is only 20 years, he added.

"Wherever you see solar panels, there's a subsidy coming to the user."

The Sri Lankan government is trying to promote use of alternative energy technologies as well as reduce wastage in an effort to cope with the energy crisis.

The island's industries are also trying to reduce energy costs, which are the highest in Asia, according to recent studies.

According to a regional comparison of electricity prices, Sri Lanka is the most expensive for commercial customers.

Police personnel during a search operation carried out early this morning found a 64 feet long safety fuse (a cord used to detonate explosives) inside the night mail train running from Madawachchiya to Anuradhapura. According to the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) the cord was found while hidden inside a toilet.

Police conduct further investigations.

Government has sent 900,000 bags of cement to the Jaffna District to date since normalcy was restored in the District, the Essential Services Commissioner(ECS) said today.

The Congress of Religions which condemned the election violence in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces called on the government to take steps to stop the election related violences immediately.
Following is the full text of the statement issued by the congress which was signed by the prominent Theras and other religious leaders including the Most Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Anunayaka Thera, Most Ven. Dr. Ittepana Dhammalankara Anunayaka Thera, Ven. Prof. Bellanwila Wimalarathana Thera, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, Archbishop of Colombo Dr. Oswald Gomis, Bishop of Colombo, Rev. Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Kurunegala, Rev. Dr. Kumara Ilangasinghe, President Jammiyyathul Ash Sheik M. I. M. Rizvie and Hindu Religious Advisor, Vidyananthi Brahma Sri S. Kuhanantha.

Sri Lanka is a free, sovereign, and a democratic state. It is a crying shame in such a country which has centuries of great civilisation that people are deprived of the possibility of using their franchise without fear and intimation whether it be at the Parliamentary or Provincial Elections.

The ongoing election campaign for the Provincial Council resembles a barbaric struggle for power. This sad situation could have been prevented if the Election Commission and the Police Commission which was approved unanimously by the Parliament was established.

The Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces have virtually become a battle field by the use of violence. The rights of the people to vote freely have been deprived by those who use the power of weapons, money and thuggery, which is on the increase daily.

The Congress of Religions strongly appeals to the Government and all Political parties to create a conducive climate in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections.

It is the paramount duty of a democratic state to protect Human Rights and Media freedom.

The severe repression of the media, abductions, killings and the harassment of media personnel is a reflection of the systematic erosion of democracy. This trend is condemned by all people in the country regardless of religion, ethnicity and political persuasions.The Congress of Religions appeals to all those in power to take steps to stop immediately the election-related violence, the deprivation of media freedom and the harassment of the media personnel and create an environment where the people of the land could live without fear and intimidation but with dignity and freedom by enforcing the laws of the country equally to all citizens equally and without any discrimination.

The statement was also signed by Chief Incumbent, Abhayarama Vihara, Narahenpita, Ven. Muruttettuwe Ananda Nayaka Thera, Secretery General of the Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha, Ven. Dr. Brahmanawatte Sivali Nayaka Thera, Chief Sangha Nayaka of Japan, Ven. Banagala Upatissa, Chief Incumbent, Nalandaramya Nugegoda, Ven. Thinyawala Palitha Thera, President, Methodist Church and Chairman of the National Christian Council, Rev. Ebanezer Joseph and National Director, Caritas, Fr. Damian Fernando.

The main Opposition UNP claimed that even without running a proper election campaign in the recently concluded eastern provincial polls it was able to gain seventeen seats, with the government winning eighteen.

“There were no organizers for the eastern elections for us. Election meetings were not held. A house to house campaign was not possible. What happened in the east was a vote robbery but the result was 17 for us and 18 for the government,” National Organizer UNP S.B. Dissanayake said, addressing an election rally at Kekirawa, in support of UNP candidates contesting the NCP.

He also said during the last election in Anuradhapura the UNP got seven, SLFP seven, the JVP six and the Muslim Congress one.

Mr. Dissanayake also pointed out that for maintaining the large number of government ministers the government was spending billions of rupees. “The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund do not give us loans at low interest. Loans are obtained from commercial banks at higher rates of interest”, he said. “The Government says prices go up because of the rise in the price of oil in the world market. There is however no such occurrences countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan”, he added. Speaking about the NCP Chief Ministerial Candidate Janaka Perera, Mr. Dissanayake said he was a hero. “Who is this Janaka Perera?, when we were in Chandrika’s government, 37,000 army and police personnel in Jaffna laid down their weapons. The then Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, President Chandrika and I spoke to India and got five ships down for defence.

We did not have any one capable of leading our army personnel in Jaffna.

One person volunteered. It was none other than Janaka Perera, who at 12 midnight encouraged the army to destroy the discouraged LTTE. During the terror era of 87-88, thousands died daily. There was no one available to arrest Rohana Wijeweera, who was behind that massacre. There was however one man capable and it was Janaka Perera. If JVP had not been annihilated that day would it have been possible for us to be involved in politics now? We have to repay that debt. Corruption and exploitation in the name is now the name of the game. Look at those involved in the politics now. Everyone in the party is related. Aren’t there any other qualified men they can put forward? What a sad state of affairs.

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court on Monday allowed John Keells Holdings (JKH) and its subsidiary, Lanka Marine Services Ltd (LMSL) time till September 10 to vacate the (LMSL) premises. LMSL was due to vacate the premises on Wednesday, August 20 in terms of an earlier ruling.

Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, with Justices’ Andrew Somawansa and P.A. Ratnayake agreeing, said -- in the verdict -- that since the land has reverted to the ownership of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), the SLPA should be given notice of the consideration of the motion for an extension.

The court said ‘pending a consideration of this motion, the time granted to the 19th respondent to vacate the premises has been extended till September 10’. It said the case will be called again on September 8 when further extension would be considered after hearing the SLPA.

The court last month overturned the privatization of LMSL saying it was irregular and improper and ordered LMSL to hand over the property to the SLPA and vacate the premises by this Wednesday. However LMSL said, at a hearing over worker issues at the Labour Commissioner’s office last week, that it was seeking an extension to vacate the premises as the time given was insufficient to vacate.

In its motion, LMSL had asked for two months time to vacate the premises at 69, Walls Lane, Colombo 15, as there is still Rs.1.43 billion worth of bunker oil and 755,000 litres of lubricants (that belongs to others) that the company was unavailable to remove due to the refusal of the workforce to perform their duties.

LMSL also informed court that it has also asked SLPA for the lease of the same land.

A team from the JVP's Media Unit was threatened by a supporter of Minister T.B. Ekanayake at a police roadblock in Mahawa, Ella last night (Aug. 17th), the party said.


The man, named Hemantha and claimed to be president of the SLFP's Mahawa branch, had come in a tipper without number plates and accosted the JVP vehicle around 11.00 pm.
Armed with a long Kris knife, he had abused the rival party activists in the presence of the police and hit the windscreen of their vehicle.

When he had attempted to attack the driver, the police had restrained him and taken to Mahawa police station, where he continued to threaten both the JVP and the police from his cell.

The JVP Media Unit said the man had come for the attack from the house of a Northwestern Provincial Councilor identified as Lal.

John Keells Holdings has been given two months by court to return to the state a land it had acquired under the illegal transfer of Lanka Marine Services Ltd. shares.

The Supreme Court today (Aug. 18th) considered a motion filed by JKH.

In an earlier ruling on a petition filed by Presidential Advisor Vasudeva Nanayakkara that challenged the LMSL deal, the SC found several respondents including Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara guilty of wrongdoing.

Minister of Health Nimal Siripala de Silva went on state owned ITN channel with two photographs of UNP Sabaragamuwa Chief Ministerial candidate Ramanayake and argued the injuries are fake, as the two photos show injuries had changed from the right hand to the left.

"Nimal Siripala does not know that when 'Divamina' published a flipped over photo, the sides change in the photo but not in Ramanayake," said a UNP Media Consultant at the Maitland Crescent office, Colombo.

This Minister who is in charge of citizens’ health, must be ashamed to use this type of cheap publicity gimmicks as he is at least expected to behave with some decorum, said the same source.

Explaining the issue of injuries changing hands, he said the Sinhala newspaper “Divamina” had carried a photo of the UNP aspirant with his right hand bandaged after the mob attack Pelmadulla, speaking to another at a public rally, alongside another cropped photo of Ramanayake that had been flipped over to change sides.

This is very apparent as the texts in the banner behind Ramanayake appears reversed too, he said.

“This is obviously cheap mud slinging,” said the Media Consultant, adding that the people of Ratnapura who would vote for Ramanayake and the UNP see him very often and know best that he was in fact attacked by UPFA thugs.

The government’s claim that pilgrims visiting the sacred Madhu church in Mannar will be give adequate protection is only election propaganda, says UNP parliamentarian, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena.

Speaking at a press briefing at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo this morning (August 18th), he said that visiting the area is still risky.

The UNP MP added that two security officers have been suspended for failing to check him on his arrival at the Madhu Church.

Los Angeles, CA. - Sri Lankan/American hip-hop artist, DeLon, questions Interscope recording artist, M.I.A. (Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam), for using images representative of the terrorist group, The Liberation Tiger Tamils of Eelam (LTTE).

The LTTE has long been recognized by the FBI as one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world, and has been credited with the perfection of the use of suicide bombers, invention of the suicide belt, mass recruitment of child soldiers, and pioneering the use of women in suicide attacks.

The LTTE is only terrorist organization to have assassinated two world leaders.

On July 29, 2008, DeLon posted his remixed version of M.I.A's song, "Paper Planes" on YouTube. The educational video contained graphic evidence of M.I.A's imagery and usage of the symbols of the LTTE.

Within 12 hours of release, the video drew over 10,000 user views and comments. Hours later, Interscope under the Universal Music Group (UMG) umbrella, had the video removed from YouTube for "endangerment" of M.I.A.'s reputation as a "Freedom Fighter." Subsequently, DeLon is filing a lawsuit against UMG for infringement of his 1st Amendment rights. On July 31, 2008, the video was made available for download at: http://public.me.com/ceylonrecords and generated over 6,000 downloads in just 2 hours.

As the most recognizable Sri Lankan hip-hop artist after winning the "Best Rap Performance" Award from Derana Music Television (equivalent to MTV in the U.S.) and an emerging international star, DeLon, uses his visibility and music to draw light to the LTTE's ongoing and inhumane terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka. As one of the few entertainers willing to stand up to the LTTE, DeLon has drawn mass popularity and unprecedented support from Sri Lankans and Sri Lankan expatriates throughout Sri Lanka, Australia, Germany, the UK, Canada, France, and the United States.

DeLon is the first Sri Lankan/American to ever land on the U.S. Billboard Charts, a feat he accomplished twice for his singles: "Calor De La Salsa" and "Nasty Girl." As exemplified with his "The Unity Through Education Tour," where he spoke to students in over 65 High Schools and Colleges in the Greater LA area, DeLon stands for unity, positivity and human causes that plague our society.

Recently partnering with Greenpeace Organization, and through his own nonprofit, The Sri Lanka Foundation, DeLon has helped spread light on the atrocities around the globe through his music and has built over 80 houses in Sri Lanka after the wreckage of the Tsunami in 2004. The controversial video can be viewed on the Ceylon Records Homepage at www.ceylonrecords.com.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Thilakaratne has ordered the Inspector General of Police to arrest and produce Minister Mervyn Silva and all others including three persons who have been named in connection with the assault of Sirasa camera crew and snitching two cameras recently.

The Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, Prasanna Ranaweera, Nihal Silva alias Manchi Nihal and Dulan Asiri were named by the Magistrate. Police were also ordered to arrest all others responsible for the incident and produce them.

Minister Silva’s name came up when the Magistrate questioned the HQI of the Peliyagoda police station. The officer said that the minister and three others were directly responsible for the incident.

The case is due to be taken up on August 29.

The Additional Magistrate ordered that the order be personally delivered to the IGP an d action taken by the Peliyagoda police to arrest the persons.

The Sirasa crew was attacked and two cameras were removed by the minister and his supporters when they covering the event of the opening of the second phase of the flyover bridge at Kelaniya.

Security Forces operating at the Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu battlefronts continued pushing into LTTE defences as military claimed at least 21 LTTE terrorists killed and 31 wounded in yesterday's (August 17) clashes.

Heavy confrontations between troops and LTTE were reported at the Vavuniya - Mullaittivu front in general areas at Thunukkai, Uyilankulama and Palaimoddai, according to finalized military reports. 9 LTTE terrorists were killed and 13 wounded in the clashes, in addition to 8 Army fatalities including 2 deaths. According to reports, 4 soldiers were killed when troops sprung an ambush at a group of terrorists North of Thnukkai at 10 PM, on Sunday.

Also, 7 LTTE terrorists were killed and 9 wounded during separate confrontations at general area Palaimoddai, according to the reports. Meanwhile, troops have uncovered 20 anti-personnel mines (AP) and 3 hand grenades at the same area during a subsequent search operation conducted. Separately, 10 other hand grenades and a claymore mine weighing 7.5 Kg were also recovered by troops at Palaimioddai at around 3 PM.

Meanwhile, troops of the 58 Division operating at the Mannar - Kilinochchi front forced into an LTTE bunker line capturing 3 bunkers in general area Nachchikudda, reportedly killing 6 LTTE terrorist and injuring 13 others. 2 soldiers have laid their lives and 11 others wounded in the confrontation, military said. Also, troops while conducting a search operation in general area Kariyalaimoddai recovered 41 AP mines and 5 booby traps laid by LTTE, according to reports. A soldier was also reported wounded due to an AP mine explosion in general area Mundampiddi, at around 10.10 AM.

Meanwhile, heavy fighting continued between troops and LTTE at the Welioya battlefront as military claimed killing 4 LTTE terrorists and injuring 5 others. 14 terrorists were also believed either killed or wounded during yesterday's confrontation, reports further stated.

Also, security forces at Jaffna recovered following items in general area Chavakachcheri while conducting a search operation on information received from a civilian source at 5.30 PM.

NORTH & EAST: A POLICE team of the KINNIYA Police Station acting on information found two T-56 magazines, forty four rounds of ammunition and two pouches hidden in the hollow of a wayside tree in the general area of KALARAPPU, KINNIYA in TRINCOMALEE Sunday(17) around 11.30 a.m..

Meanwhile, a search operation conducted in CHAVAKACHCHERI area by the troops, one LTTE anti tank mine of about 12 kg and three anti personnel mines were found on Sunday (17) around 3.30 p.m.

WELIOYA: VALIANT TROOPS of the 59 Division on Sunday (17) fought out with terrorists in the general area of ANDANKULAM on several occasions. Those confrontations killed six Tiger terrorists and injured nineteen more terrorists. Four soldiers also sacrificed their lives during those the clashes.

Meanwhile, in a tragic natural disaster that struck with lightning, four soldiers on a tractor laid their lives in ANDANKULAM area at about 6.00 p.m. on Sunday (17). Lightning also injured two more soldiers on the same tractor.

In the areas north of JANAKAPURA and ABHIMANPURA in the WELIOYA sector, troops continued with their search and clear operations after troops dominated their positions.

Six hundred and twenty-nine (629) anti personnel mines, thirty-one (31) Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one pressure mine, one IED, one wire roll, one field dressing, food items, water cans and some LTTE personnel belongings were among the recovery made on Sunday (17).

A separate search conducted on Sunday (17) in the areas, north of JANAKAPURA recovered one 81mm mortar shell and one 60mm mortar shell. Later, they were defused by the Bomb Disposal team.

WANNI: A WAVE of fierce pitched battles that raged in the MULLAITTIVU, KILINOCHCHI, VAVUNIYA and WELIOYA fronts throughout Sunday (17) brought about heavy loses to the Tiger terrorists ridding at least twenty-three terrorists and injuring a double of their dead figure.

Confrontations that lasted in UYLANKULAM, north and south of THUNUKKAI until about 5.00 p.m. killed four terrorists and injured five more of them. Fighting as well as blast of anti personnel mines claimed the lives of two soldiers and injured four more in those areas.

Meanwhile, three fortified LTTE bunkers came under heavy Army fire on three occasions Sunday (17) when the troops observed that they were being manned by terrorists in NACHCHIKUDA area in the KILINOCHCHI district where heavy fighting continued throughout Sunday (17).

The attacks, launched around 5.30 a.m., 10.30 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. by the troops killed six terrorists and injured thirteen more, according to confirmed reports. The bunkers finally fell to the troops. During the attacks two soldiers laid their lives and eleven more injured soldiers were admitted to hospital after injury in the LTTE fire.

The same day (17), explosion of an LTTE booby trap injured one soldier in MUNDAMPIDDY area.

Meanwhile, the VAVUNIYA sector clearing went on for one more day on Sunday (17). Several LTTE positions in the general area of PALAMODDAI were fired upon by the troops between 12.00 noon and 4.30 p.m. killing seven terrorists and casing injuries to at least nine of them.

During the search that followed the clashes, troops found twenty anti personnel mines, thirteen hand grenades and one claymore mine of 7 kg from the PALAMODDAI area.

One more soldier in the meantime sustained injuries due to explosion of an anti personnel mine around 4.15 p.m. in the same area.

Senior management of Lanka Marine Services (LMSL) has threatened to inform the Supreme Court if workers refuse to do their duties.

The company, in line with a court order in the LMSL privatisation case, must vacate the premises by Wednesday, August 20 and hand it over to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. However the workers are refusing to transfer oil stored in the tanks in the premises to two tankers anchored outside the port.

Employees have refused to carry out the instructions of the management claiming that it is not their duty to remove oil from tanks. According to the service agreement between the employees and the management, the duty of the workers is to pump oil to ships which call over at the Colombo port for bunkering. However LMSL’s Chief Executive Officer has informed the employees in writing that their action is an act of causing intentional harm and loss to LMSL and amounts to violation of the contracts of employment, the collective agreement and the laws of the land. He also noted that stern action will be taken against employees if they fail to accede to their instructions.

The company says it may have to inform the Supreme Court that employees are obstructing the implementation of the orders of court.

Two policemen who failed to check the vehicle of UNP Member of Parliament Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena at a check point during a visit to Madhu last week have been interdicted.

The MP had passed through the Meawachchiya checkpoint without a check being carried out.

The Policemen had later explained that as it was a vehicle of a MP it was not checked .

Four soldiers were killed and two others injured when lightening struck their tractor in which they were travelling in Andakulam, Welioya on Sunday, miltiary officials said.

The body of the Kuwati girl found last evening after she fell off from Punchi Lokanthaya (Little Worlds End) is yet to be removed from the area, OIC of the Agarapathana police station Chief Inspector T.Chandrasena said.

He said due to the heavy mist and the difficult terrain police could not bring the body last evening, but this morning another team would be sent to the area to remove the body.

“We need to travel 13 kilometres by foot through jungles and hills to recover the body and we will have to carry the body down this route”, he said.

The 26 year old girl had been posing off for a photograph with the father trying to take the photo when the area was suddenly covered by mist and the girl had fallen off on Saturday evening.

The Kuwati family had gone on a trip to the area with a local family from Menikhinna.

The military yesterday called on the LTTE cadres to surrender giving up their arms and said action would be taken to rehabilitate them.
“We are calling on the LTTE cadres, who were fighting in the northern region to surrender to the military as soon as possible,” military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

He said messages had been sent to these cadres through several media already. He revealed there were a large number of young cadres who had been forcibly kept by the LTTE leadership to fight against the military.

Meanwhile, the spokesman also urged the remaining people in the uncleared areas to come to the cleared areas.

He said action had been taken to provide accommodation and other basic needs for them.

Some hundreds of people have already arrived in the cleared areas despite the LTTE preventing them from fleeing.

A campaign office of a JVP candidate C. Arulraj in Rakwana was burnt down allegedly by the supporters of Kahawatte Pradshiya Sabha Chairman early morning yesterday.

A spokesman from the JVP Ratnapura District Office said that this is the 22nd election office of the party which has come under attack by the UPFA supporters within the last two weeks.

Sources said the goons who attacked the office in Rakwana yesterday came in a vehicle which had the Kahawatte Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman’s number and the name painted on it. The Pradeshiya Sabha chairman is also reported to be contesting the election.

The JVP supporters who were at the office at the time of the attack had escaped unhurt according to sources

The party sources said a complaint had been lodged with the Kahawatte police and the reference number is RD 51/50.

JVP sources said the party had come under heavy attack in the province with the offices of 17 candidates attacked.

The party said no action has been taken by the police though complaints have been lodged by each candidate.

The Diyawadana Nilame of the Sri Dalada Maligawa Nilanga Dela Bandara hands over the ‘Sri Sannaspathraya’ to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the conclusion of the Kandy Dalada Perahera, at the President’s House, Kandy, today. First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake and Governor, Tikiri Kobbekaduwa are also in the picture.

By Satheesan Kumaaran

Sri Lankan Tamils throughout the world remember the victims of Black July’83. Twenty-five years ago, the state-sponsored pogrom against Tamils in Sri Lanka resulted in the deaths of 3000 people and property damages of over $300 million U.S. The days between July 24 and July 30, 1983, were tragic and unforgettable for the Tamils. For Tamils July is the month to reflect and remember. July to Tamils is like February is to Black people around the world. Tamils the world over observe this occasion with rallies, vigils and prayers to draw international attention.
Many people believe that the root cause for the violence in July 1983 was the death of 13 Sinhalese soldiers in Jaffna, although violence against Tamils has been ongoing since 1956. The tragic events of July 1983 drew international attention to the region, and India’s central government directly intervened in support of Sri Lankan Tamils.
Peradeniya Tamil students victims
On May 11, 1983, two months prior to the July 1983 violence, Sinhalese students in Peradeniya University attacked Tamil students. Tamil students experienced the brunt of the Sinhalese community’s hatred for three consecutive days. University authorities, intellectuals, and the country’s ruling authorities did very little to stop the violence against the Tamil students during those three days.
The old students of the university witnessed the university administration and authority’s unprecedented conduct at the time. Tamil students were asked to attend the lecture sessions during these periods even though the Tamil students felt they needed to get away from the University to their homes to reflect on what had happened to them from May 11 to May 13, 1983. The University authority failed to provide the Tamil students with a safe environment to continue their studies.
The motive of the attacks on the Tamil students was to evict them from the university permanently. The unprecedented behaviour of the university administration helped the attackers reach their aims. Almost 95 percent of the Tamil students left the university and returned home. Even after this exodus, the university continued to conduct lectures and exams. The university authority had shown very little, if not any sympathy, towards the Tamil students during this time of crisis.
Thirteen soldiers set fire to violence
The death of 13 Sri Lankan soldiers in Jaffna on July 23, 1983, ignited the hatred of the Sinhalese general public towards the Tamils. Sri Lankan armed forces retaliated with a non-stop attack from July 24 to July 30 on innocent Tamil civilians who had never committed any crime except having been born Tamil. These attacks included the looting and damaging of Tamil-owned properties. GoSL officials refused to step in to control the riots against Tamils claiming that the Sri Lankan State was failing.
Some of the more notable events of the conflict were:
On July 25, after the midnight lull, mobs led by people with voter registration lists in hand torched Tamil homes, and looted and destroyed Tamil businesses. All traffic was searched, and any Tamils found were killed, maimed, or burned alive. Cyril Matthew, Minister of Industries, witnessed directly the pinpointing of shops to be burned down. The many policemen deployed throughout the city stood by and watched. Witnesses recall lorry loads of armed troops leisurely waving to looters who waved back. Curfew was only declared by the president late in afternoon after the worst was over. However, the violence continued unabated.
Tens of thousands of homeless Tamils sought refuge in schools and places of worship. In Welikade prison, 35 Tamil political prisoners who were awaiting trial under the Prevention of Terrorism Act were massacred by Sinhalese prisoners with the complicity of jail guards using spikes, clubs and iron rods. The violence spread rapidly throughout the country, engulfing towns like Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya and Trincomalee. The Indian Tamil town of Kandapola, near Nuwara Eliya was completely wiped out.
On July 26, the GoSL imposed strict censorship on media reports on the anti-Tamil violence. Word spread of Sri Lanka’s state of disorder as eye witness accounts and photographs taken by returning tourists illustrated the scale of violence. They described how Tamil motorists were dragged out of their vehicles and hacked to pieces while others were drenched with petrol and set alight in full view of security forces. The International Airport in Colombo was closed.
On July 27, 17 more Tamil prisoners at Welikade Prison were hacked to death just two days after the first prison massacre. The surviving 36 prisoners were transferred to other prisons. Rioting continued and the curfew was extended. Witnesses to the violence reported that charred corpses of Tamil victims lined the streets of Colombo, some mutilated with X’s.
On July 28, President J.R. Jayewardene addressed the nation for the first time since the anti-Tamil pogrom started, only to fan the flames of anti-Tamil sentiments by stating that anyone who advocated for separatism would lose all “civic rights”. He stated, “...the time has now come to accede to the clamour and natural request of the Sinhala people to prevent the country from being divided.” Vigilantes set up make-shift roadblocks in villages across the island, searched cars and buses for Tamil passengers. In one incident, a Sinhalese mob burnt to death 20 Tamils on a minibus as European tourists look on in horror.
On July 29, Tamils in Colombo began evacuating by cargo ship to Jaffna. Hundreds more internally displaced persons waited anxiously for the next cargo ship to transport them to Jaffna.
The Colombo-based National Peace Council said in a statement to mark the 25th anniversary of the pogrom that: “On July 23, 1983, law and order in Sri Lanka virtually collapsed as mobs went on a rampage, inciting anarchy and fear, uprooting Tamil people, looting and burning their property and killing many of them....These mobs backed by sections of the then Government claimed they were motivated by the desire to avenge the killing of 13 Sri Lankan soldiers by the LTTE in the northern city of Jaffna.”
The NPC said further: “July 1983 has testified to the fact that violence knows no territorial delimitations or fundamental concepts of civil society - we are all victims of war, with our human rights and civil liberties threatened.”
Black July events around the world
The Tamil Forum of Switzerland which is an umbrella organization consisting of about 30 Tamil organizations in Switzerland organized a picket in Lugano city on July 12 to mark the 25th anniversary of Black July. Mr. Giorgio Gali, a Human Rights Activist, lit the traditional oil lamp and inaugurated the event. Tamils living in and around the province of Lugano issued hand bills to the Swiss people and explained the painful effect of July pogrom perpetrated by the Sinhala chauvinists in 1983. Tamil youths also explained to onlookers about the root of the Tamil-Sinhala conflict and the Sinhala government’s ethnic cleansing activities.
The British Tamils Forum in association with the Tamil Councillors Association held a vigil on July 23 between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.at the Parliament Square. The Forum said they defeated the attempts made by the GoSL through its mission in London to sabotage the vigil. It reported that the GoSL instructed all its missions abroad to disrupt the programs organized by Tamil expatriates. Over 2000 Tamils took part in the vigil held at the Parliament Square with the participation of British parliamentarians and representatives of NGOs. The protesters said that the vigil also meant to protest against the current GoSL’s approach in ending the ethnic conflict through war rather than addressing Tamil grievances.
Australian Tamils also hosted similar programs in Burwood Park in Sydney on July 25. The organizers said that their aim was to reach the Australian government and locals about the treatment of Tamils at the hands of the GoSL. The Australian Tamil organizations organized events in several other venues in the country.
The U.S.-based People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) organized a protest rally and vigil in Washington DC on July 24. The rally was held at the Russell Senate Park, at the intersection of Constitution Avenue and Delaware Avenue, Washington DC. About 600 people took part in the rally and vigil. US Campaign for Burma also joined the rally to remember the victims of the Burmese uprising on 8-8-88. The joint rally protested against Chinese military support of Sri Lanka and Burma whose governments are accused of committing grave human rights violations. Members of Congress and human rights representatives spoke at the rally. The rally was followed by a silent vigil to remember the victims and honour the survivors of Black July. The vigil started at 3:30 pm. Survivors of Black July got the opportunity to share their experiences with the general public, and testimonials of other survivors were also read at the event.
Canadian Tamils remembered the Black July victims in most major metropolitan cities, including Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Hundreds of Tamils across British Columbia took part in prayer on July 26 in honour of all those who lost their lives and the victims still living with the memories. This was held at Thurkadevi Hindu Temple in Burnaby.
A vigil was held in Toronto at Albert Campbell Square in Scarborough on July 25, 2008. Under the banner of the “Remembering Silenced Voices” an exhibit, a must-see, with powerful collection incorporating the work of local artists, archival footage from international press, haunting survivor stories, and inspirational testimonials on the Tamil Canadian immigrant experience was also held. Of particular interest was the work of two young emerging artists, a photographer and a painter, who chose to express their thoughts on Black July through their art. Also, a play performed in association with Asylum Theatre Group, the Canada-based Canadian Tamil Congress presented “What if the Rain Fails”, chronicled the life of a Tamil refugee from Sri Lanka who escaped the anti-Tamil violence in 1983 and sought refuge in Canada.
The Canadian Tamils thanked and praised Canada for opening its doors and hearts to the hundreds of Tamil refugees fleeing the anti-Tamil violence that took place in July 1983. The CTC said that it is launching a wide campaign to collect blood in gratitude for the kindness offered by Canada in providing a safe haven for Tamils.
Black July is a month for Tamils to remember and to bring the global community together. Black July 1983 has no doubt resulted in a sense of national identity among the Tamils and recognition of their need to live in freedom with justice and dignity. The Tamils who lived in Colombo thought that they could live safely in their homeland. However, after July 1983, the LTTE and Sri Lankan armed forces engaged in military operations, causing further destruction to properties and heavy human casualties. And the suffering continues despite efforts by India, Norway and the international community to bring peace to the island.
It is pathetic that this violence against a particular community came out of the desire for political gain. The resulting conflict has created great divisions among the ethnic groups in Sri Lanka. The misunderstandings of the old wounds continue to widen with no optimism in reconciliation among Sinhalese and Tamils, making it further unlikely that these two ethnic groups will ever co-exist as a family.
(The author can be reached at e-mail: satheesan_kumaaran@yahoo.com)

The special Police Investigation Team of North Central Province has uncovered a claymore mine weighing of 15Kg along with a circuit and a remote control device from Anuradhapura area last night, 16 August, MCNS said.
The recovery was made around 8.30 PM yesterday and the claymore mine with other items had been hidden inside a jungle patch near the sluice of the Kuda Bulankulama tank in Anuradhapura, MCNS sources added.

KILINOCHCHI: IN SUPPORT of advancing ground troops in the KILINOCHCHI front, MI 24 of the Sri Lanka Air force shelled an LTTE gathering point in NACHCHIKUDA this afternoon (17) around 2.30 p.m.Air Force confirmed the aerial raid was a success.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) has been asked to take immediate stringent action against John Keels Holdings after the Supreme Court recently ruled that the transaction involving the sale of 90% shares of Lanka Marine Services (Pvt) Ltd to the company and the sale of land at Bloemendhal Road was illegal, unlawful and arbitrary.

The demand was by Nihal Sri Ameresekere, a consultant and public interest activist, in a letter to the Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Jayampathy Bandaranayake on August 14, a copy of which was sent to the media.

Mr Ameresekere noted that the findings of the judgment are damning, both on the corporate sector coming under the purview of the chamber, and the public sector, with whom the private sector interacts, and are diametrically contrary to the norms of governance that the chamber advocates.

“Unless you and your chamber take stringent and immediate action in the national and public interest you and your chamber will stand to be tarnished, as a ‘lame duck’ and ‘dubious’ organisation. You ought to deal with members of your chamber in the first instance, and practice norms of governance the chamber pontificates and propounds, before the chamber ventures out to advise governments on how to conduct affairs, and castigate only public servants for bribery and corruption,” the letter said.

In another letter dated August 8, Mr Ameresekere has protested against the awarding of the Best Corporate Citizen Award to JKH requesting the chamber not to white wash and make false belief in the public domain of corporates and professionals, who are furthest from performing, let alone to social responsibility, but to conform to the rule of law.

Vasudeva Nanayakkara, the petitioner in the LMSL case, had informed the Secretary General/CEO of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in writing on December 24, 2007 that the conduct of the chamber – in presenting the CSR award to JKH - was not only an affront to the Supreme Court, but also an attempt to baptize as good, what is patently despicable and injurious to society.

In that letter Mr. Nanayakkara noted that he was made to understand that the then President of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Mahen Dayananda had ‘endeavoured’ to justify the selection on the basis that the Attorney General C.R. de Silva had been a member of the selection panel.

He pointed out that if that be true, he is appalled that the AG had compromised himself to be so associated, whilst as the Attorney General, he was a respondent in the Fundamental Rights Application filed in the public interest, and ought to have known better to act to protect the public interest.

A 14-year-old girl died and 45 devotees were hospitalized after food poisoning during a religious festival in Uva Paranagama this morning.

Sri Lankan ambassador to Nepal Sumith Nakandala on Sunday paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister elect Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

During the meeting held at the PM Dahal's private residence in Nayabazaar, Sri Lankan ambassador Nakandala, who is heading back home after finishing his tenure in Nepal, extended congratulations .

Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CaFFE), a monitoring organization said Sunday that it has received several complaints alleging that Tamil Paramilitary group Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP ) has been engaged in preventing opposition parties, United National Party (UNP) and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) from holding election meetings in Tamil villages in the south of Polonnaruwa electorate and also intimidating Tamil voters not to vote for such parties in the forthcoming elections to the North Central Provincial Council (NCPC) that is scheduled to be held on August 23.

Mangalam Master of the TMVP is contesting the NCPC election as a candidate in the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) ticket.

CaFFE media spokesman Keerthi Tennekone told media that the movement of Tamil armed groups in villages where Tamil speaking people live in majority has increased in recent days.

His organization has received 151 complaints related to election offences from July 1 till Saturday August 16. 105 of them have been election related violence, 37 alleging misuse of state properties and 9 violating election laws.

The Sri Lankan government is seeking to encourage women migrants to look for jobs in European countries instead of in the Gulf because of persistent complaints of mistreatment and poor working conditions.

Over 100,000 women workers go abroad to work as house maids every year, but the Sri Lankan government is now looking at ways for women workers to acquire a higher grade of skills to make them eligible for short-term work contracts in a new set of countries.

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, the nodal agency for overseas workers, plans to direct migrant job seekers to countries in the European Union, Canada, Australia, South Korea and Japan where there is a need for semi-skilled and skilled workers.

The main destinations for the women workers have been Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait. As the skill shortages are likely to increase in the European countries, temporary migration of workers is being seen as a solution to the labour shortages there.

The need for foreign workers will grow over time, especially as the young adults in these countries are reluctant to take up the relatively low paid and labour intensive jobs.

The Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment received over 3,000 complaints last year from Sri Lankan women working as housemaids for breach of contract, harassment and unpaid or underpaid wages. Earlier this year, the Sri Lanka government had decreed a rise in pay for household workers by 15 percent in their work contracts, but the complaints of harassment and non-payment of full dues have continued.

The continuing round of complaints is forcing the Sri Lankan authorities to look for different means of livelihood for women migrants. Sri Lankan women workers send back a significant part of the $2.5 billion that Sri Lanka receives as remittances from overseas migrant workers. Remittances are a major foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka.

According to Saritha, who returned after a two-year stint in Singapore, because of the difficult conditions in Sri Lanka, families had to depend on money sent by relatives.

Destinations like Singapore and Hong Kong require additional training and skills, but working conditions are better there for household help than in the Gulf countries, Saritha explained, as wages depend on the amount of work to be done, the size of the house, number of residents, the hours of work and the maid's experience.

Saritha would not like her younger sister, Vanitha, to go to the Gulf countries as a maid though the labour agent has offered her a good deal.

'There are too many stories about ill-treatment and not paying full wages,' she said, adding: 'I can pay for training for Vanitha from my savings so she gets a better job.'

Sri Lanka already has training institutes like the Mount Lavinia school for maids in Colombo which prepare women migrants for jobs as house maids in different countries, giving them practical training and lessons in cultural sensitivity.

All women going to countries in the Gulf region have to take a basic languages course and learn cooking and handling household appliances. Several countries in Europe require nurses and healthcare providers for tending their ageing population.

There is a shortage of caregivers for a large section of elderly people who live on their own but whose mobility is restricted due to age. A special training course can prepare prospective migrants with requisite training and certification to go to Europe on fixed time contracts.

Police found the body of 28-year-old Kuwaiti female tourist, who went missing at Little World’s End in Agarapathana, from an estate of the bottom of the mountain.

As fighting intensifies and the security forces move forward in the Wanni to capture the LTTE's heartland, the government said it was fully geared to provide facilities for an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 civilians trapped in uncleared areas.

Despite food and medicine going into the hands of the LTTE, the government will continue to supply essential food items for civilians in the Wanni.

Government Agents of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar have been instructed by the Senior Advisor MP Basil Rajapaksa and Minister of Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe to prepare an assessment to expedite the humanitarian assistance for those who flee uncleared areas.

Over 12,000 civilians who fled uncleared areas during the past two months have been provided with all basic facilities.

The Wanni Security Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Jagath Jayasooriya said that arrangements had been made to provide facilities for civilians fleeing uncleared areas and the sites to set up new IDP centres had been already earmarked.

"We have instructed the GAs to inform civilians that the security forces are moving into the Wanni and asked them to abandon the uncleared areas as facilities have been arranged to welcome them", he said.

He said that there would not be a food crisis in the Wanni as the government sent all essential food items through GAs, NGOs and INGOs.

"The GAs have confirmed that there is no scarcity of food whatsoever in these areas", he said.

Maj. Gen. Jayasooriya said that civilians who come to government controlled areas would initially be sheltered in schools and religious places while they would be provided all basic facilities and housed in IDP centres to be set up soon. "We have facilities to accommodate all new IDPs", he said.

He said that all equipment belonging to humanitarian agencies would be subjected to a tough checking process at the Omanthai entry exit point but the activities of some NGOs were unknown after they reach LTTE controlled areas.

The Wanni Security Forces Commander said the food stocks would be doubled when the stocks sent by the NGOs for the IDPs in Wanni is added to the stocks sent by the government to the civilians.

Meanwhile, the United Nation's Humanitarian Agency and the International Committee of Red Cross confirmed that IDPs in the Wanni had access to food and other facilities.

According to UN statistics nearly 145,000 IDPs are still in LTTE controlled areas. Monthly food stocks sent to:

Kilinochchi district

* Essential food items - 740 metric tonnes

* Other food items - 680 mt

* Non-food items - 430 mt.

* Food stocks sent by the World Food Program (WFP) - 1,394 mt

* Food stocks sent by the Ministry of Disaster Management - 125 mt

Mullaithivu District

* Essential food items - 816 mt

* Other food items - 650 mt

* Non-food items - 600 mt.

* Food stocks sent by the World Food Program (WFP) - 1,229 mt

Uncleared areas in Vavuniya

* Essential food items - 125 mt

* Other food items - 100 mt

* Non-food items - 94 mt.

* Food stocks sent by the World Food Program (WFP) - 200 mt.

Mervyn Silva who has acted more as a Frankenstein monster than as a Minister for his people all along creating a fear psychosis across the entire country seems to be headed for a great fall, greater than that of Humpty Dumpty in the children’s tales.
The UNP is to file a no confidence motion in Parliament against him as even Dr. Frankenstein, whoever may be, who created him is also apparently unable to control him or is conniving at his violence and assaults unrelentingly unleashed against law abiding citizens of the country.

Mervyn’s own colleagues, the Ministers have condemned his actions absolutely. But, none of them is unable to go beyond to devise measures to punish him and his goons. The Police too have not taken action against him despite Court orders. A senior Minister, Maithripala Sirisena said, only God can punish him implying that he is above the law.

If there is a Dr.Frankenstein who created him , let him be warned that his monster is sure to devour the creator - sooner it happens the better for the citizens and the country.

A committee of party seniors will submit their recommendations next week for reorganizing the United National Party.

The Working Committee of the UNP will consider the proposals, prepared after considering views and suggestions of a cross-section of interested parties, a committee member said.

The seniors who formulated the recommendations are Rukman Senanayake, Tissa Attanayake, Joseph Michael Perera, John Amaratunga, Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake and Renuka Herath.

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has told them that he expected the report before the WC next week.

The insurance database of Sri Lanka Insurance has been transferred to a newly created private company, 'Ravaya' reports.

In the event of SLI's takeover by the state, it will now have to pay a massive sum to obtain details of deeds that number 1.2 million.

The transfer to Bell Solution follows the signing of an agreement and the relocation of SLI's database unit at the head office of Lanka Bell at Kollupitiya, Colombo.

The deed files had been taken some time ago to DCSL office at Ratmalana for scanning and transfer and are yet to be returned, the newspaper said.

SLI employees strongly oppose the transfer of the database in this manner to a private company that had been created using the assets and staff of their institution.

Attempts by Ravaya to obtain a response from SLI's Director Damien Fernando, head of Life Insurance Suresh Paranavithana or Normal Insurance Suren Galagoda had failed.

Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva will be felicitated for his services to the local judicial sector.

A committee of High Court judges is organizing the felicitation at the BMICH, Colombo on August 22nd.

Speaking to media, organizers especially cited the pioneering efforts by Mr. Silva to open civil appellate courts.

Religious leaders and other dignitaries have been invited to the felicitation, they said.

By Latheef Farook
A one day workshop will be held in Colombo next Tuesday, August 19, to seek peaceful means to find a durable settlement to Eastern Muslims’ grievances and initiate a dialogue with other communities on the basis of pluralism, equality and mutual acknowledgement. This workshop is being organized by the Eastern Muslim Peace Assembly,EMPA, in cooperation with the Foundation for Coexistence.
Though the East is cleared of the LTTE and the “Eastern Provincial Council” has been constituted amidst controversies, the Eastern Muslims complain that military victories and political changes have not brought any relief to their long sufferings. Under the circumstances unless longstanding issues such as forcible occupation of land, land disputes and displacement of people are resolved by peaceful means liberation will become meaningless and reconciliation among the three communities will be a distant dream.

Eastern Muslims complain that, up to date, nothing was done in this regard and they urge the Government to clearly indicate that it is prepared to stand by the unarmed peaceful Muslim community and help resolve their grievances before it is too late. All the previous governments have failed to take meaningful measures to ensure security to Muslims who have been at the receiving end of LTTE atrocities for not supporting their call for a separate state in the North East. Unfortunately this fact was ignored by the successive governments.
Even today law enforcement authorities in many parts of the Eastern province are turning a ‘blind eye’ to the continuous complaints by the Muslims against Tamil militants’ atrocities. The situation has reached such a stage that most victims have now stopped complaining to the police because details of complainants were leaked and their families intimidated and harassed.
The stake holders in Nation Building should note the fact that building Srilanka and propelling it into the 21st century as a modern and a model pluralist civilized nation is not possible if any single community is left to suffer by default or oversight. Today’s suffering of the nation is due to absence of justice, fairplay and strict enforcement of law and order for the good of the whole nation and its citizens.
A recent report on the grievances of Eastern Muslims by the EMPA pointed out that all assurances in the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord to ensure the security and safety of all communities in the Northern and Eastern provinces disappeared soon after the accord was signed. Instead, in its wake, the Muslims were subjected to harassments, genocide and ethnic cleansing.
The report also warned that the “ Government and the security forces too make life miserable for Muslims who are no longer prepared to be at the receiving end losing lives and properties in the most horrendous manner for no reason. If this state of affairs is allowed to continue unchecked the country is bound to face another looming problem of immense magnitude - that is, the possibility of “frustrated muslims forced to take to arms.
The Eastern Muslims keen on averting such a disaster appeal to the government to heed their grievances and ensure peace among all communities in the east.
Highlighting some of their grievances the report stated that though more than 65% of the people of Ampara district were Tamil speaking, Tamils and Muslims, yet the Ampara Kachcheri continues to conduct the administration in Sinhala.
In re demarcating the new Administrative Divisions for Pottuvil, former Muslim Majority Panamapattu DRO Division with a population of 26,916, in 472 sq. miles, 74% Muslim Majority Pottuvil AGA Division with a population of 19,831 - was given only 22% - 103.9 sq. miles while the remaining 78% - 368.23 sq. miles land area was allocated for the 7,085 - 26% Sinhala Majority Lahugala AGA Division.
The Sinhalese have 208 times more than the land area of the Muslims when land area of Sinhala Majority Lahugala AGA Division is compared with the Muslim Majority Kalmunai AGA Division. Also the Sinhalese land area is 13 times more than the Muslim land area when the land area for the Sinhalese is compared with the land area for the Muslims in the Muslim Majority Ampara District.
The Akkaraipattu AGA’s Division had two-third Muslims and one-third Tamil population. A circuit AGA’s Office was temporarily created in 1985 for the Tamils in Akkaraipattu which was later upgraded to a fully fledged AGA’s Office called Alayadivembu. Grievances of Akkaraipattu Muslims were aggravated when the legitimate land and natural resources belonging to Muslims were included with the Tamil majority Alaiyadivembu AGA’s Division.
In the Sammanthurai Muslim Majority DRO Division, nearly 50 sq. miles of land area covering the Hendy Institute, Ampara Tank and the Town area were separated and added with the Sinhala Wewagampattu South – Uhana AGA Division.
The Batticaloa district consists of 14 Pradesiya Sabhas covering 2633 sq. km. There are 4 predominant Muslim DS divisions and the land area includes– Kattankudi 3.4 sq. km. Eravur Town 3.89 sq. km, Koralaipaththu West (Ottamavadi) 6.84 sq. km and Koralaipaththu Central 6.50 sq. km. Total extent of Muslim land area is approximately 20.0 sq. km., which is less than 1.0% of the total area of Batticaloa District where the Muslim population is nearly 30% today.
Serious issues have been raised by Muslims of Batticaloa on the ongoing activities of the several international organizations assisted by the Government and the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) in re-locating displaced Tamils on lands belonging to the Muslims.
After 1985, the LTTE forcibly occupied more than 35,000 acres of Muslim residential, agricultural and cattle farming. The government did nothing to restore these properties owned by the Muslims based on title deeds, government permits and paddy cultivation register. During the ethnic conflict in 1983, 1985 and 1990 more than 12,700 Muslim families were chased out by the LTTE and the Tamils forcibly occupied all the Muslim lands that came under LTTE control. Here too the government did nothing to provide any relief or pay compensation for the loss of livelihood of these displaced Muslims.
Although the Local Government Commission declared Koralaipaththu Central – the area of historical habitation of the Muslims, covering more than 240 sq. km, consisting of 11 Grama Sevaka Niladhari divisions, the boundaries have not yet been demarcated on ground.
In Eravur most of the Muslim agricultural and cattle farm lands owned by the Muslims lie along the Chenkaladi – Badulla – A5 Road. Today the entire area along this road has come under the control of government armed forces.
Resettlement of displaced Tamils on Muslim land in Iyankuni, Meerakerni, Mitchanagar, Hidayathanagar and Thakvanagar, in and around Eravurpathu Pradeshiya Sabha, had further complicated the peaceful co-existence of Muslims and Tamils in Eravur.

Ollikulam, Sikaram, Karbela, Palamunai, Kankayan Odai and Keechampallam are the Muslim border villages of Kattankudi in Arayanipathu Pradeshiya Sabha. Displaced Tamils have been temporarily settled in private lands owned by the Muslims and the Mosques after the ‘Tsunami’ and the government military operations to flush out the LTTE in the Paduvankarai Tamil villages. Now the TMVP with the assistance of Government armed forces and help from INGO’s are making arrangements to provide accommodation to settle the displaced Tamils who have come from Tamil areas, permanently on lands belonging to the Muslims, depriving the Muslims the lands that legitimately belong to them.
In the Trincomalee District Kuchchaveli is predominantly a Muslim area with a population of 29,967 and 8,058 families. Here 65% Muslims 19,443, 31% Tamils 9,282, 3% Christians 905 and 01% Sinhalese 337. Kuchchaveli Pradeshiya Sabha has 9 members, Muslims 6, Tamils 3. The Divisional Secretary is a Tamil in the predominantly Muslim division. Of the total 24 grama niladharies 65% Muslims are given only 7 GS while the remaining 17 GS are given to the Tamils and others who are only 35%. Average population of a Tamil GS division is 250 people whereas the population in Muslims GS is around 1350 eg. Pulmoddai 31I and 31I divisions.
The Kurangupanchan GS Division is about 20 sq. km in extent and 15 km East of Kinniya town. More than 255 Muslims families lived in Kurangupanchan up to 1990. As a result of the ethnic violence in 1990 the Muslims in Kurangupanchan village were forcibly displaced. Soon after the ceasefire agreement between the government and LTTE in February 2002, the Muslims returned and started paddy cultivation in their fields and resettle in their own lands. They renovated the Mosque according to an agreement reached with the LTTE 11.06.2003. But the LTTE chased the Muslims families and put up a military camp in the Mosque building and forcibly occupied the areas of historical habitation of the Muslims in the government controlled area.
After taking over the east by the government Forces, the LTTE camp is converted to government military camp in the mosque and the displaced Muslims not resettled yet.
It is widely criticized that the government has not treated the ‘Tsunami’ affected Muslims just and fairly.

Ampara, the country’s worst affected district, is a glaring example of how ineffective institutions, political rivalries and misinformation can make a mockery of disaster management. Kattankudy boarder villages such as New Kattankudy and Palamunai still remain untouched. Mutur, Kinniya, Kuchchaveli, Pulmoddai and Trincomalee town are the main Divisional Secretariats Division in the Trincomalee District where thousands of Muslims have been affected by the Tsunami.

Sri Lanka government’s new flag for the Eastern Province has failed to represent all the communities living in the East in a just and fair manner despite, as stated in his book – War or Peace in Sri Lanka by T.D.S.A Dissanayaka that “the Muslims remain the unquestioned majority in the Eastern Province – 39.6%, Tamils – 33.2%, Sinhalese – 26.1% and others – 1.1%. The Muslim community which is the largest ethnic group in the East today has raised serious concern over the failure of the government to recognize this community by not printing any symbols in the flag to represent the Muslims.
All these issues will be discussed at the workshop which will be attended by ministers and top government officials.

Boisterous Government Minister Mervyn Silva is likely to face a no confidence motion in Parliament soon.
The United National Party (UNP) is mulling the possibility of bringing a no confidence motion against the Non-Cabinet Labour Minister for his unruly behaviour, and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has already voiced support for any such action against Silva.

The UNP has urged the government ministers to support the no confidence motion they are planning to bring against Silva. UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera said that this was a good opportunity for ministers who have criticised Mervyn Silva to show their true intentions.

“Several ministers, including Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and Maithripala Sirisena, have criticised Mervyn Silva openly but they are yet to take any action against the Minister,” he said.
“If they were speaking the truth when they condemned the actions of their colleague, then they should vote with us against Silva,” he added.

The UNP will take a final decision on whether or not it would bring a no confidence motion against the Minister in the coming weeks.

“We will discuss the matter at our next Parliamentary group meeting,” he said.
“The people have rejected him and it’s time we remove him from Parliament,” he added.

Meanwhile, the JVP claimed it would support any collective action taken against the Non-Cabinet Labour Minister.
JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath also alleged that the President has been shielding Mervyn Silva from the law.
“The President has said that he would allow the Police to handle it. He cannot wash his hands off the matter like that,” he said.

“The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and the Leader of the SLFP. He should be able to take disciplinary action against the Minister but he has not and will not,” he added.
Silva is also facing stiff opposition from several of his colleagues within the SLFP, who have openly voiced their disapproval on his continual controversial conduct.

Government ministers were also heard complaining on the manner in which Silva’s unruly behaviour at the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) was swept under the carpet conveniently, despite a so called committee being appointed.
While some of them would wholeheartedly like to support a no confidence motion against Silva, the implications they are likely to face were likely to stop them from voicing support for any action brought in by the opposition to remove Silva from Parliament, political sources said.

Meanwhile, Mass Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said that while the government was still contemplating on what action should be taken, they would not dance to the tune of the opposition.

Renuka Holdings PLC now listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange has entered into a joint venture with two British investors to set up a new forestry project on a 70-acre freehold site in the Matale District being planted with high value endemic timber species.

"The company aims in the next three years to plant a minimum of 2,500 acres and also be eligible for carbon credits through forestation," Renuka Director Shamindra Rajiyah said.

He said that the projects are "very attractive," estimating a 20% - 25% investment return rate compounded over a 20-year period.

"We believe forestry will be a sound addition to our group investment portfolio," he said.

Renuka (not the hotel bearing the same name) which specializes in investment in equity, debt securities and property development has posted a net profit of Rs.11.5 million in the year ended March 31, 2008, down from Rs.294 million the previous year when the company booked a very large profit through what he stated in the accounts as "negative goodwill on acquisition of subsidiary."

The company’s Chairperson, Mrs. I.R. Rajiyah, said that their listed equity portfolio had lost 16% of its value during the year under review, standing at Rs.66.7 million in the course of the financial year as a result of the stock market downturn last year.

"Our average annualized portfolio performance over the last three years was 26% and last five years was 29%," she said.

"The equity portfolio of the company had less opportunity this year for securing capital gains through its trading portfolio; and we expect such downturns to be a part and parcel of our business as it contends with volatility in the global and local markets due to deteriorating economic fundamentals and political uncertainty."

Rajiyah also said that the company, through its subsidiary, Renuka Developments Limited, owns approximately one acre of valuable real estate in Colombo with a market value of Rs.307 million.

"The objective of the subsidiary is to acquire commercial and residential properties either to benefit from capital appreciation on sale at a future date or for development. However given the slowing down of the economy and in an environment of high interest rates our property activities will be looked at in the long term," she said.

Rajiyah said that they had invested Rs.20 million to take 60% shareholding of Ceylon Forestry (Pvt) Limited and said that their Matale project will be used as a model for expanding into large scale forestry in future years.

The company has a stated capital of Rs.75 million and accumulated profits of Rs.330.8 million in its books. Current liabilities were running at Rs.4.9 million.

The directors have recommended the payment of a final dividend of 80 cents per share for the year under review.

Net assets value per share had grown to Rs.54.11 from Rs.53.37 the previous year and the share traded on the Colombo Stock Exchange at a high of Rs.100 and a low of Rs.54 during the year under review.

The dominant shareholder of the company is Renuka Group Limited with 87.74% followed by Witsunburg Natural Products BV (4.46%), Mr. Shiek Dawood (2.57%), Mr. Shamindra Vatsalan Rajiyah (2.05%) and Dr. & Mrs. Skantha Ranjith Rajiyah (1.33%).

Richard Pieris Chairman Sena Yaddehige at Thursday’s AGM of RPC revealed a well kept secret on why his company, a founder shareholder with Hayleys of Dipped Products PLC (DPL), a world class rubber glove manufacturer with global reach decided to exit from DPL.

"I had a confidential agreement to buy Associated Motorways (AMW),’’ he told RPC shareholders indicating that the divesting of their interest in January 2005 was to raise cash for the AMW purchase.

However the deal, not bound by any legal agreement, had fallen through as ``unfortunately those gentlemen (he didn’t indicate who) went back on it,’’ Yaddehige said.

AMW Chairman Ajita de Zoysa, the previous controlling shareholder of that company, was out of the country and not available for comment on Yaddehige’s claim. The AMW owners recently sold the controlling shares to a Middle Eastern giant, Al-Futtaim Engineering, in a mega deal.

Hayleys and some of their business associates in Europe took the Richard Pieris shares in Dipped Products. DPL made a generous bonus share issue soon after RPCs exit.

Yaddehige also told the AGM that RPC’s disastrous foray into the National Development Bank where it took a 9.9% stake which was sold at a price of Rs. 170 per share incurring a massive loss of Rs. 277 million last year, had been done to help RPC expand faster by way of acquisitions.

``We win some, we lose some,’’ he told shareholders in the course of the meeting. He remains a director of NDB.

Mihin Lanka is expected to operate once again with an infusion of US dollars 400 million. The resurrection is to save President Mahinda Rajapaksa any embarrassment, as the budget airline was his idea, a top government source said.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to appoint Maga Naguma Company Chairman Jaliya Kulasekara as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mihin Lanka, political sources said.
The President had called Kulasekara and asked him to takeover as the CEO, as Sajin Vaas Gunawardana had been a miserable failure and could not keep Mihin flying.
The President had asked Kulasekara to provide US $ 200 million and had said that he would find another US$ 200 million to revive the airline which does not fly anymore.
Kulasekara, it is reliably learnt, had flown to Dubai with a team of officials to look into the possibility of hiring three aircraft as an initial measure to get the airline up and running, sources said.
Meanwhile, President Rajapaksa had requested Kulasekara to pick airline professionals to the Director Board, and had said that the earlier board was incompetent because it was comprised of rank amateurs in the airline business ..
They had only been enjoying the perks and had made no contribution whatsoever towards the airline, he had said.
It is reliably understood that Kulasekara had requested the President that that he would undertake the post only on condition that there is no political interference from any quarter, so that he could make Mihin a profitable venture on the lines of the Maga Naguma Company. When Mihin Lanka collapsed , it recorded losses of over Rs.3 billion and owed Rs.850 million to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation for fuel supplies.
Companies that leased flights to Mihin Lanka had also recalled all the flights as Mihin Lanka had failed to settle payments.

Police muscle will be used on university campuses in the future to stop ragging and powers available under the Anti Ragging Act will be strictly enforced in the future, Higher Education Minister Wisva Warnapala said yesterday.

These decisions were reached between the government and the university authorities at a meeting held last Thursday which was attended by 17 of the 18 Vice Chancellors (excluding Jaffna who was unable to be present), the IGP and Senior Police Officers and officials of the Higher Education Ministry.

Prof. Warnapala who chaired this meeting said there was a misconception, particularly among students, that the police cannot enter the university premises. He quoted from a 1953 letter written by Sir Ivor Jennings, the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Ceylon, saying "the police could enter the university if the laws of the land were violated or property damaged."

At Thursday’s meeting at the Presidential Secretariat, the Vice Chancellors requested police assistance during periods of campus unrest saying that unlike in the past students body was large and the universities alone cannot handle such problems.

These decisions were taken at the meeting that continued as undergraduates organized by the JVP’s Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) were demonstrating in Colombo culminating in a clash with the police resulting in the firing of tear gas shells and the use of water canons as the students tried to crash a police barrier on Galle Road, Kollupitiya and head for `Temple Trees.’

It was stated at the meeting that the destabilization of the universities in the late 1980s was the work of JVP student unions and such activity led to the closure of universities for a long period.

Warnapala said that there had been 14 occasions where the JVP oriented IUSF had brought undergraduates to Colombo on flimsy pretexts over issues that could have been easily settled by negotiation at the respective universities.

"The IUSF is not a legally recognized student body," the minister said. "It is an organization with political motives and a narrow agenda working together with the JVP to destabilize the universities and destabilize the country."

He rejected the IUSF’s main accusation that government was attempting to privatize university education saying neither the President nor the government had any such idea.

"I say this with absolute responsibility," Warnapala said. "This is a slogan they are using to mobilize support because their base is either getting shattered or being gradually destroyed because they are a divided party fighting with each other."

The minister said that it was true that they were trying to enhance the quality of university education in the country with World Bank assistance. Already US$ 51 million has been granted for a specified period to improve the quality of undergraduate education, he said.

This project will continue till 2012 and its aim is to improve the quality and relevance of university courses so that the graduates produced will be employable.

"The whole scheme is guided by the concept of employability," the minister said.

He said that while there were 76,000 students in the university system, the JVP had only been able to mislead and bring about 3,000 students to Colombo for Thursday’s demonstration. Some of the demonstrators were not undergrads but other JVP supporters and these persons were partly responsible for the unruly behaviour, the minister said.

"This is a dangerous trend which needs to be nipped in the bud," he said.

Warnapala said that he had gone before cabinet on a number of occasions during the last two years and obtained approval for several projects such as building hostels, academic premises and obtaining equipment, staff and enhancing student welfare.

He said that the Vice Chancellors were strongly of the view that the JVP did not want improvements in the universities and initiation of quality enhancement. They wanted the universities to decline and deteriorate so that they could use this to indulge in protests.

"By doing this they are only depriving higher education opportunities to poor rural students," the minister said. "As many as 68% of the university students come from rural backgrounds."

He accused the JVP of ruining higher education and said that this trend has to be arrested immediately.

"I call on the student community not to be misled by the JVP and I urge parents to take stock of the situation and rein in their children. It cannot be long before the JVP sacrifices the lives of their children by attempting another insurrection," he said.

A 17-year-old Sri Lankan boy has died from stab wounds to the neck in Croydon, south London. A suspect has been arrested over the incident, the British media reported.

From Neville de Silva in London
Sri Lankans seeking visas to visit Britain are reacting with mounting anger and frustration at the inordinate delays at the British High Commission resulting in plans abandoned and missed opportunities.

Many Sri Lankans who have faced these delays wonder whether the shift to the British mission in Chennai where applications are now processed was a cost-cutting measure as stated or a ruse to delay visas to applicants from here for reasons best known to the British.

An ongoing case typifies the hassle that Sri Lankans with genuine reasons to visit Britain and who are contributing to the British education system paying exorbitant fees at universities for their children are confronted with today.

A Sri Lankan girl studying medicine at the University of Southampton had a medical problem with a “prolapse disc” and returned to Colombo for surgery.
During her post surgery convalescence here she naturally missed classes and clinicals she was expected to follow.

She went back to Southampton and then returned to Colombo for her electives at the Colombo National Hospital. In the meantime the University wrote to her asking her to return to Southampton during the current vacation to follow her missed work. She had to return on August 9 to begin work two days later. Her mother who had previously accompanied her daughter to pre-admission interviews at British universities and then to admit her to the university, wished to accompany the daughter because of her medical condition and because the girl would be alone during the vacation period. On July 14 the mother applied for her visa explaining clearly the circumstances. Before she made the application she inquired how long it would take and was told it would be 15 working days but if she spoke to the High Commission authorities here and explained the circumstances they could ask that it be expedited, she was told.

Regular telephone calls to the office where the application was handed in, the visa section of the British High Commission and even to the Chennai office produced varied responses including promises by the High Commission here to email Chennai to hurry it.

Finally there were promises it would be issued before the end of the week, that is several days after her daughter had already left. Chennai said it would be issued before the week was out. When she telephoned Chennai last Friday the office was closed as it was a holiday in India and to date no visa has been issued.

Meanwhile the airlines are on to her because she has been cancelling pre-booked flights and booking new flights on the basis of the assurances given by the British High Commission in Chennai that she would receive the visa before the week is over.

Internet service providers have agreed with the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRC) to filter pornographic websites while charging a fee for customers who want unrestricted access to the internet.

Following President Mahinda Rajapaksa's direction to restrict access to all unsuitable websites the TRC along with the internet service providers in Sri Lanka have taken measures to block adult content from the internet.

Director General of the TRC, Priyantha Kariyapperuma said TRC officials and service providers met earlier this week to review and discuss the progress made so far. "Most service providers have already begun the filtering process by purchasing the necessary software to do so. The TRC has offered them any technical support they need, but most service providers are already well equipped" he said.

Mr. Kariyapperuma said adults who request unrestricted access to the internet will be able to purchase the adult packages from their respective service provider for a fee.

"Any adult can purchase a password from his/her service provider to gain free access to the internet. However, the fee has not been decided upon as yet and will be entirely up to the individual service provider" he said.

Although website pornography will be filtered, the TRC admitted that it was an impossible to completely stop the viewing of these sites. In order to combat certain loopholes in the filtering system the TRC has stated that it will be open to any complaints or information from the public in blocking sites that can still be viewed.

"If any parent finds that there is access to unsuitable websites through alternate proxies then they can inform their service provider and the website will be blocked immediately," he said. Meanwhile, the TRC is also taking steps to implement Sri Lanka's first National Policy on Antenna Structures in order to protect the environment and the public from any adverse impact caused by the structures.

For a period of one month the TRC will be open to public suggestions and expects to have the policy gazetted in parliament.

The TRC which works closely with the Environment Ministry on the policy has appointed a Technical Advisory Committee to formulate a suitable national policy for the antenna structures.

Nuwara Eliya, also known as “Little England”, is officially 180 years old, and a big birthday bash is on the cards. It was on August 11, 1828, that the then governor Sir Edward Barnes decided to build a holiday home for his soldiers in the salubrious climes of Nuwara Eliya. Set in the foothills of Pidurutalagala, Sri Lanka’s tallest mountain, and covering a land extent of 12 square kilometres. The scenic hill-country location was deemed ideal for rest and recreation. To the colonial Englishmen, Nuwara Eliya had “a touch of England” about it, and was seen as “a home away from home”.


Over time, the town evolved into a popular holiday and weekend destination for Colombo city folk. Nuwara Eliya’s status as a mountain health resort and holiday town was reinforced when the English explorer, Sir Samuel Baker, established a 1,000-acre farm there in 1846. Many of the British here considered Nuwara Eliya the next best place to be after England, and saw it as an excuse for not going all the way back to Britain for a holiday.

It was not always holiday mood in Nuwara Eliya, however. There were the bad times too. Between 1865 and 1870 the town was plagued by cholera, which killed four people, including the Chief Justice of the time. That rough experience prompted the authorities to set up a health and development centre in the town, in 1874.

By 1886, there were plans to seriously develop the area, with land-marking, and so on. The census of 1881 showed a Nuwara Eliya population of 1,791. Between 1880 and 1900, the town developed rapidly. A town development board was established in 1921, and this became a town council in 1932, and a municipal council in 1949. By now, the population had grown to more than 40,000.

Sadly, the glory days of Nuwara Eliya seem a thing of the past. What was once a beautiful hill-country town is now a polluted and much disfigured urban centre. Over the past 25 years, many of the tall trees that lined the town’s highways and byways have been cut down. The beloved holiday venue has become a plaything for those engaged in dirty politics.

The future of this once beautiful town is under threat. Potato cultivation, introduced by Sir Samuel Baker, is no longer the popular revenue-earner it once was. Sir Samuel’s dream of making Nuwara Eliya the equal of the beautiful Neel Grans mountain range in India is a fast-receding hope.

Nuwara Eliya is a Lankan heritage town, and it is up to us to preserve its beauty and character for posterity.

Two women police sub-inspectors were arrested yesterday for allegedly withdrawing money with an ATM card belonging to a police colleague. The incident happened in Kandy, during the perahera celebrations.

Police said the two SIs had withdrawn Rs. 120,000, using a card belonging to a Kalutara Police Training School SI who had come to Kandy for perahera duty. The visiting police personnel were put up at the Pallakele Training School. It was at the training school that the ATM card had been stolen. The pin number was written in a diary belonging to the SI victim.

The two suspects were due to be produced before a magistrate yesterday.

Tusker ‘Nadungamuwe Raja’ carries the casket with the sacred tooth relic at the final Randoli of the annual Esala Perahera.

Police have identified ‘hotspots’ where they would deploy additional police backed by the army for next Saturday’s provincial elections in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces.
DIG Elections, Gamini Navaratne said that police and army personnel would operate in the areas, including armed mobile patrols. “Candidates and supporters have gone beyond limits. Police officers will be deployed as necessary to all four districts and security will be intensified especially in Nivitigala, Rambukkana, Galnewa and Anuradhapura West where a lot of major incidents have taken place”, he said. Election monitoring organizations have also identified areas where they expect more election violence and malpractices.
Several areas including Nivitigala, Rabukkana, Welikanda and Kala Wewa area, where a number of major incidents have occurred over the past few weeks, have been identified as election violence have been identified by them. Among the serious incidents reported are the clash between UPFA and JVP supporters in Nivitigala last Sunday where several people were injured, a shooting incident in Anuradhapura that injured a UNP supporter and Sabaragamuwa province UNP Chief Ministerial candidate Ranjan Ramanayaka sustaining injuries when his convoy came under attack in Ratnapura.
Deputy Director of People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Rohana Hettiarachchi said that a number of serious incidents including attacks, injuries and use of armed personnel have been reported from areas such as Nivitigala, Rabukkana, Kala Wewa, Last Sunday a tense situation prevailed in the Nivitigala town after several people were injured following a clash between UPFA and JVP supporters, Mr. Hettiarachchi said.
Complaints relating to the presence of TMPV groups in Welikanda have also been a serious problem, he said. “There are several TMVP camps in Welikanda. We have also received reports of them using weapons, although not publicly. Such incidents have created fear and tension in those areas”, he said. PAFFREL will be deploying around 2600 observers on Election Day to monitor the activities, with additional monitors being deployed to areas identified as vulnerable.
“A list of these observers will be submitted to the Senior Presiding Officers (SPO) of the polling booths. We would deploy both stationary and mobile monitors. However additional observers will be deployed to areas such as Rambukkana, Kala Wewa, Welikanda and Nivitigala”, he said, adding that around three or four mobile teams will be deployed to these areas as opposed to one in other areas.
Meanwhile political party secretaries met Election Commissioner, Dayananda Dissanayake last week. Deputy Commissioner, P. M. Siriwardena said that officers appointed to the polling booths would contain those from the respective areas as well as from outside the areas including from Colombo.
“This is the general practice. There would be a mixture of polling booth agents, with some form that area and some from outside. But the majority would be from that area. The same goes for SPOs”, he said. The date for obtaining special temporary identity cards, issued by the Grama Niladhari and endorsed by the District Assistant Commissioner has been extended to August 19, he said.

LTTE terrorists sustained another heavy blow on Saturday (August 16) when troops of the 59 Division operating ahead of the Welioya battlefront in the Eastern Wanni frontier forced into 'Jeevan Base' a large underground training facility of LTTE at around 4.30 p.m.

Jeevan base was located in general area Andankulama, and was known as a major LTTE underground training facility consisting at least 100 bunker defences, security sources said.

Military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara speaking to defence.lk said, that 67 tombs of deceased terrorists were also found at the underground bunker complex which also consisted of 4 main buildings each with an area of 1250sq.m2.

The LTTE bunkers were constructed with thick concrete to sustain heavy artillery fire and aerial bombardments security sources said adding that troops have also come across 4 torture cells used by the LTTE during subsequent search operations. More information will follow.

Indian security advisor Narayanan was lucky that he did not end up in the ‘disappeared’ list. He and Indian authorities should thank Lord Shiva for that no white van abductors bothered to adduct him when he was walking in Colombo streets without the possession of national identity card and police registration sheet said WPF Leader and Civil Monitoring Commission Convener Mano Ganesan in media statement issued by his office. Ganesan further said in his statement,

It is reported that India’s security advisor Narayanan risked his personal security by walking back to his hotel closer to Kompany Veediya area in Colombo. We do not want to comment on the aspect of security lapse as it is a closed subject. But the other aspect of the issue is that Narayanan also faced the risk of white van abduction. This is because he was walking in Colombo streets without the possession of national identity card and police registration sheet.
And he does not speak Sinhala. Generally Tamils and dark skinned strangers in Colombo are not given time for explanations if they do not carry the all important NICs and Police registrations in all times. Any ‘Tamil’ looking person under suspicion is bundled away in a offensive manner in Colombo. There can be some clever academic denials. But I am aware of this reality by all means as the Member of Parliament for Colombo.
Narayanan walked because he had to be with his prime minister. He walked to his hotel situated opposite Galle face green from Kompany Veediya area. This is a white van spotted area. Enforced disappearances of members of Tamil community had been reported in this area. During the run-up to the SAARC convention houses of mostly Muslim Colombo citizens were demolished in this very area. As a follow up to this issue white vans were seen in this area searching for the SLMC Colombo Municipal Council members who led the agitation against the demolitions.

JVP Western Provincial Councilor Sunil Watagala, Attorney at Law, lodged a complaint with the Commissioner for Investigating Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOG) against former North Western PC Chief Minister Berty Premlal Dissanayake alleging he had openly admitted of bribing the Council opposition leader. The JVP PC member has appealed to the CIABOB to take action to arrest the former chief minister on the basis of his admission.

In the complaint it was stated that the former chief minister Dissanayake had said at an election meeting at Kekirawa that he gave A Montero Jeep as bribe to the PC opposition leader for getting support of his party men. The JVP member submitted his complaint supported an affidavit and documents corroborating the complaint.

The complainant has appealed that necessary action be taken to conduct inquiries, institute legal action against the former chief minister under the CIABOG law and have him arrested and punished.

Different provincial council should be established instead of the dissolved provincial council which was characterized by corruption and incompetence.He said this addressing election rally at Kegalle district.
In his comments he said that people should be rallied to bring about this new change and people of the Sabaragamuwa Province have got an opportunity that is unprecedented in the history of the province to come to the forefront to rally support for this.
also he pointed out that what people in the Sabaragamuwa Province need today is a rule devoid of corruption , fraud and waste and different from all other provincial councils and people have realized that such a rule can be instituted only by the UNP.

Security forces continued multi-pronged offensives at Wanni and Northern battle theaters yesterday (August 15) killing 19 LTTE terrorists while injuring 13 others according to finalized military reports received.

According to military, terrorists suffered a heavy toll of casualties during fighting erupted at the consolidated defence lines at the Vavuniya- Mullaittiuvu front, in coordinates at Mallavi, Thunukkai, Palaimoddai and Manniyankulama. 9 LTTE terrorists were killed and 11 others injured during the confrontations as troops inched forward despite heavy resistance from LTTE, reports stated. Also, troops have recovered an LTTE body, a T-56 assault riffle and 3 hand grenades during a search operation conducted at general area Southeast of Manniyankulama, following a confrontation with a group of terrorists at around 2p.m. Meanwhile, 9 soldiers also had received injures during the skirmishes, reports further stated.

2 other LTTE bodies were found by troops while conducting a search operation in general area Palaimoddai, along with a T-56 assault riffle and a radio communication set. According to reports, 7 LTTE terrorists were killed and 8 wounded in separate confrontations with troops of the Task force- 2 now operating at Palaimoddai. 5 soldiers received injuries in addition to LTTE fatalities sources further added.

Meanwhile, troops had removed 40 anti-personnel mines (AP) and 8x 81mm mortars traps in general area Addaruttakulam. Further, 85 AP mines were found and removed by security forces operation in general area Sinna Alyamperumal at the battlefront also including 9 electrical AP mines, a claymore mine and 3 IEDs.

Meanwhile, the Vavuniya Police acting on civilian information received recovered 3 claymore mines and 4 hand grenades in general area Poonthoddam, at 11.30a.m.

According to security reports, 2 LTTE terrorists were killed sniped in general area Nachchikuda, while troops confirmed killing 4 LTTE terrorists separately during an assault launched at an LTTE bunker defence in the same area at around 3.10p.m., Friday. A soldier also had received injuries in the confrontation, military said.

At the Welioya battlefront at the eastern frontier, security forces mounted successive assaults at identified LTTE strong points as troops confirmed killing 2 terrorists and injuring 3 others while 14 other were believed either killed or seriously wounded. According to military clashes erupted ahead of Kokkuthuduvai and Andankulama defence lines. 4 soldiers also received injuries in the clashes, sources further said. Separately, in general area Andankulam troops recovered 357AP mines and 46 IEDs laid by fleeing terrorists.

Meanwhile, the Police at Sampathnuwara at Janakapura found an 81mm mortar trapping, an improvised grenade cup and 2 pen-torch batteries during a search operation conducted on civilian information received.

At Trincomalee in general area Erakkandi, Naval troops yesterday morning at 8, found following warlike items in a search operation conducted subsequent to an information received from a civilian source.

17 X PREPARED GELIGNITE CHARGERS. (WEIGHT 8.580 KG)

13 X SAFETY FUSES

09 X NON ELECTRIC DETONATORS

03 X BOX OF MATCHES

02 X THREAD ROLLS

Also, at the Northern battlefront at Kilali an LTTE terrorist was confirmed killed sniped, while military reported 2 soldiers injured during a separate confrontation with LTTE in general area Nagarkovil at 1p.m, on Friday.

KARACHI: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka offered Pakistan’s business community to participate in the SAARC Exhibition to be held at Colombo from August 28-31, 2008 with the collaboration of government of Sri Lanka. Speaking at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Friday, Dr W B Dorakumbure, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka advised the businessmen of Pakistan to send their trade and business delegation and exhibitors in the forthcoming SAARC Exhibition at Colombo to exhibit Pakistan’s products.

ESPN-STAR Sports has signed a long-term agreement for the exclusive broadcast rights of TNA Wrestling, for across the Indian Sub-continent. This includes broadcast rights for India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Maldives.

The broadcast will commence from 3 September, with two popular TNA programmes, 'TNA
iMPACT!' and 'TNA Xplosion' every week, and will beam special events each month.

'TNA iMPACT!' is TNA Wrestling's flagship show that will air on STAR Sports on Thursdays at 6 pm. The two-hour show will feature new and exclusive action-packed fights each week, along with a peek behind the scenes.

STAR Sports will air 'TNA Xplosion' on Wednesdays at 6 pm, featuring highlights and exclusive matches between key wrestlers.

ESPN Star Sports is also reported to have plans to bring leading TNA Wrestlers to the Subcontinent for annual promotional tours.

Additionally, wrestling fans will also get a chance to fly to Universal Studios at Orlando, Florida to meet the TNA stars through special consumer contests that will be run by ESPN Star Sports and TNA.

The Sri Lankan army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) might be fighting it out for territorial supremacy in northern Sri Lanka but the civilians in the region have a battle closer at hand and home — displacement.

Thousands of civilians in northern Sri Lanka have been displaced from their homes as the fighting between the SLA and the LTTE intensifies, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Amnesty International (AI) have said in two separate statements in the last 24 hours.

“Government aerial bombardment and artillery shelling since May has forced more than 70,000 people to flee their homes, primarily in Killinochchi and Mullaitivu districts,’’ AI said about the two worst affected districts in the north.

On Thursday, the ICRC had said several thousands of civilians had fled areas affected in the fighting. Thousands, according to the ICRC statement, have abandoned their homes for fear of their lives. Many have had to do it more than once, the statement said. “Access to food, shelter, sanitation and clean water is an urgent priority,” the ICRC said.

Yolanda Foster, AI’s Sri Lanka researcher said: “The Tigers are keeping them in harm’s way and the government is not doing enough to ensure they receive essential assistance.’’

The ICRC has provided relief items to over 16,500 people in four of the worst-hit areas.

Amnesty indicated that the picture was grim for those who have been caught in the crossfire. “In the LTTE-controlled Wanni area, the Tigers have hindered thousands of families from moving to safer places by imposing a strict pass system or forcing some family members to stay behind to ensure the return of the rest of the family. These measures seem designed in part to use civilians as a buffer against government forces — a serious violation of international humanitarian law,’’ it said.

Foster said: “In the absence of independent international monitors, Sri Lankan civilians lack protection and remain at the mercy of two forces with long records of abuse.”

The government has decided to close the coastal railway line for a six month period pursuant to an agreement signed with India's RITES, reports 'Irida Lanka.'

The intention of the closure, according to the government, is for the renovation of the track, although railway trade unions claim the coastal railway line has already been sold to the Indian company.

Secretary of the All Ceylon Railway Employees General Union Sumathipala Manawadu alleges a 36-kilometre stretch between Galle to Matara would be shutdown as per the agreement.

He blamed the breach of similar agreements by foreign companies for the failure of two projects to extend train services to Kataragama and to Ratnapura.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is prioritizing a presidential election over any further provincial council or parliamentary polls, a newspaper by National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerwansa claims. According to the lead story of today's (Aug. 16th) issue of 'Heladiva', the main reason for the consideration is that a majority of the people is now trusting the president "due to the ongoing humanitarian operations in the north."

It would be disadvantageous for Mr. Rajapaksa if he goes for a general election in which the UNP would emerge victorious, as most voters are disgruntled with almost all other UPFA politicians, his associates have pointed out.

When 'Lanka Dissent' sought a comment from a senior government politician on this, he admitted there was some truth in the newspaper reported.

He, however, pointed out the constitution made it clear that a gap between two presidential polls should be at least four years, which means the next presidential election could take place only after 17th November 2009.

Therefore, ruling party advisors are looking into the possibility of overcoming this hurdle through a constitutional amendment, after gaining a two-thirds parliamentary majority by securing the upcoming polls for two provincial councils and luring more politicians from the UNP into its ranks.

Most government affiliate parties are insisting to the president that a general election should not be called, while he is contemplating a presidential election at the end of next year if a two-thirds majority cannot be obtained.

Responding to a question, the ruling party senior said no decision has been taken to hold a referendum on extending parliament's mandate after a presidential election.

The National Freedom Front, led by Wimal Weerawansa, has been invited by the president to participate in the All Party Conference (APC) tasked with finding a solution to the national conflict.

The All Party Representative Committee (APRC), at a recent meeting, has been informed of the invitation by its chairman Prof. Tissa Vitarana.

Accordingly, the NFF is due to send its representatives to the APRC at its next round of discussions on August 28th.

The APRC is presently not represented by the Jathika Hela Urumaya which pulled out citing policy reasons

The Colombo District Court declared the Sathosa Budget shop premises at Rajagiriya out of bounds for the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment following a plaint filed by five businessmen stating that their shops had been suddenly and unlawfully closed by the CWE on no reasonable grounds with large stocks in store.

Counsel Upul Jayasuriya, appearing for the businessmen, said their Budget Shops had been opened with the objective of selling rations and other consumer commodities at lower retail or wholesale prices. The CWE had endeavoured and obtained the support, concurrence and services of individual businessmen including the plaintiff for this purpose.

But on 18.07.2008 the CWE had ordered them to vacate their shops on or before 21-07-2008 as a security measure for the SAARC conference. The premises was closed there after, but it had not been opened even after the conclusion of the SAARC conference, creating suspicion that the CWE was not going to open the premises again for regular business. Similar security arrangements were not imposed upon the other consumer establishments along the Sri Jayewardenepura Road, such as the KFC, McDonald’s, and LAUGFS Supermarket. The businessmen pleaded the Court to allow them to enter the Budget Shop premises and continue their business without any obstruction.

Additional District Judge Mackey Mohammed issued a stay order against the Chairman and the Board of Directors of the CWE. They were ordered not to enter the Budget shop premises and remove the stocks stored there.

He posed off as the Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotions and Defence spokesman and took Rs. 16 Lakhs to find employment for a young man in a fish factory in Alaska.

The Fraud Bureau yesterday reported to the Colombo Chief Magistrate Nishantha Hapuarachi that the suspect Himasha Ganegoda who is absconding and an acquaintance of his known as Dasun told their victim A. Maradamutthu that the Minister had vacancies to be filled from an Alaska fish factory with a monthly salary of USD 1100.

The complainant along with his brother and Dasun had visited the purported residence of the suspect at Balcomb Place, Cotta Road in Borella before handing over Rs. 800,000 (8 Lakhs) to the suspect.

Maradamutthu was told that he would be sent abroad within a month. The balance Rs. 800,000 was to be paid after obtaining the visa.

Later the suspect had phoned the complainant stating the visa had arrived. The complainant had paid Rs. 800,000 and when he requested for a receipt was declined citing the ministry.

Complainant was sent to Abidjan where he was lodged in a hotel. Ganegoda phoned him and said that he would reach Alaska within three months. In addition he was instructed to hand FOREX equivalent to Rs. 403,596.

Sri Lankan expatriates and Austrians held a strong protest yesterday, Thursday, 14th August, in Vienna, Austria, against LTTE terrorist activities, in front of the Federal Parliament of Austria.

The demonstrators urged the Austrian and other EU governments to condemn LTTE terrorist bombings and their recruitment of child soldiers. The protesters called for the EU to take urgent action against the terrorist group's fund-raising activities through front organizations in the EU countries.

The Sri Lankan expatriates are concerned that despite the ban in the EU, the LTTE continues to raise funds through fraudulent front organizations for its terrorist activities. Further LTTE front organizations have been carrying out malicious false campaigns against Sri Lanka in European capitals.

In recent months, Sri Lankan expatriate communities have held similar protests in European capitals against the LTTE and its activities, to highlight the true nature of the LTTE and the inaction of the EU against the terror group.

A group of JVP activists attacked two their dissident members on Friday in the southern township of Hakmana, while the latter were pasting posters to announce a meeting scheduled to be attended by National Freedom Front leader and dissident JVP MP Wimal Weerawansa.

The injured were admitted to the Narawelpita Hospital.

Victims of the goon attack, Priyantha Gajanayake and M. A. Wijesinghe said while they were pasting posters, a group of masked JVPers riding motorcycles had set upon them asking them not to engage in any anti-JVP activities.

NFF leader Weerawansa said the JVP had resorted to violence to suppress the NFF, which had made considerable progress during the past few weeks.

He said it was a supreme irony that the JVP while condemning attacks on undergraduates carried out assaults on its dissidents. He said the JVP had gone berserk as it knew it would face a humiliating defeat at the forthcoming PC polls in the NCP and Sabaragamuwa.

The Janatha Vimukhi Peramuna and the National Bhikkhu Front yesterday condemned the Government for using police force to chase away of thousands of University students who gathered in Colombo on Thursday evening to hand over a petition to the President.

A JVP statement said "We believe that Thursday’s demonstration was the maximum that was left for the student population to express their grievances through democratic means.

"Shortage of lecturers, insufficient lecture halls, hostel facilities and educational facilities were some of the grouses the students’ population had been harbouring and of these grouses the latest were the attempts to privatize the university system of education which would deprive poor students from persuing higher education. Failing through all other measures to find solutions to their grievances, the students decided to protest against the Government’s failure and the Government responded by using the Police force against the students to disperse them. This was a clear indication that the Government does not have answers to problems faced by university students.

It had been the practice of the Rajapaksa regime to either use anti-democratic methods to suppress people’s democratic agitations or unleash violence on them. We believe that students do not resort to this type of agitation as a past time relaxation but because they have reached the end of their tolerance."

Meanwhile, the National Bhikku Front, in a statement issued on the same subject, said the attitude of the Government against university students on Thursday was only an indication of its intolerance and fear of democracy

Citing a recent statement by President where he said not to unleash violence against student demonstrations, the Bhikku Front said that it only confirmed the Government was misleading the masses.

"Observing Sil on Poya days and stating that he was not a ruler but only a guardian of the country are some of his utterances of the President, but uleashing thuggery on the Maha Sangha, students, working class and on unemployed graduates had become the order of the day of the present regime", the Bhikku Front said.

"This was an indication that the Government had abandoned democracy and had taken to the wild and all those who respect democracy should not keep quite over these happenings," it said.

A Sri Lankan vascular surgeon who was flown to Male' on Wednesday evening has saved Mohamed Shuaib of Ma Shady Cabin who was fatally stabbed near Jamaludden School on Tuesday evening. Dr. Mohamed Lahei who is famously called "Magic fingers" in Sri Lanka arrived in Male' Wednesday evening and was rushed to IGMH where Shuaib was under intensive care. He was very critical and could not be flown abroad for emergency vascular surgery.
According to reliable information, IGMH Doctors were ready for the surgery when the Sri Lankan Dr. Mohamed arrived at the hospital. Surgery was started immediately and informed sources reported the operation took over six hours. It was so major that his rib cage had to be opened to repair the veins cut and damaged in the stab attack. The main artery in the neck was also damaged, and the attacker's knife penetrated so deep into Shuaib's chest that it came about an inch near his heart, sources said.

The operation was a success and Dr. Mohamed complimented doctors and nurses at the IGMH for their ability and efficiency. Dr. Mohamed said it was because of the good professional care Shuaib received from IGMH which kept him alive, as he was so serious. "This is one of the longest surgeries I have done, I am so happy surgery was successful and he was saved." Dr. Mohamed who left for Colombo yesterday said, Shuaib is doing well after the operation, but still under sedation.

Shuaib's family organized the visit of the doctor, and they are very thankful to the Dr. Mohamed and IGMH for their excellent care. Shuaib's family had to spend US$5000 for bringing the surgeon to Male’.

Shuaib had come out from his house after receiving a call from a friend, when he was attacked. . Police said Gdh Faresmaathoda Hassaan Ali is the suspect in the attack and they have started a major search for him. Courtesy

The Cinnamon Garden Police reported to the Colombo Chief Magistrate Court that the Registrar in charge of the Colombo University had complained on August 6 at around 9.20 am that undergraduates from several faculties, who had gathered near the office, had damaged property after shouting slogans at University marshals.

They entered the office of the marshals forcibly, by break opening the door, damaged university property and inflicted injuries on the officers, while behaving in an unruly manner.

The damage caused to university property was estimated at Rs 209, 339.00. This included damage to a digital camera, data card, security key machine, Sony tape recorder, digital recorder, Nokia 6080 cellular phone, AC’s and some TV’s.

The total damaged to property and to the building was estimated as Rs 952, 275, 54.

The unruly mob had inflicted injuries on marshals Makandalage Vijitha Aruna, Sudasinghe Dewage Dharmasena and Rajapakse Mohotti Mudiyanselage Gunathilaka Rajapakse. Police said they had recorded statements from all the victims.

They informed court that the undergraduates had violated sections 2, 3, and 4 of the Public Property Act of 1982 and sections 140 and 314 of the Penal Code which are punishable offences. They are investigating further in order to arrest the culprits.

The report of the ministerial investigation into the use of date expired blood Plasmapheresis Kits at the National Blood Transfusion Service at Narahenpita will be handed over to the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry next week, a Ministry spokesman said .

The Auditor General’s Department and the Bribery Commission are conducting separate investigations into the incident, he said

The AG’s Department in a surprise check found that there had been date expired blood Plasmapheresis Kits at the Blood Bank. But the authorities failed to give a clear answer as to why and for what purpose these kits had been kept at the Blood Bank.

Meanwhile, GMOA spokesman Dr. Upul Gunasekara blamed the Blood Bank and the ministry for not conducting a proper investigation into the issue.

The response of the Blood Bank was that the date expired kits had already been discarded and awaiting disposal. But the question is why these old kits had been kept at the Blood Bank for such a long time until expiry, Dr. Gunasekara told at a press conference.

He asked why a large stock of Blood Plasmapheresis Kits had been imported spending a huge amount of money when the annual requirement is only 300 – 400 kits. One kit costs about Rs. 26,000 to 28,000.

“There is something fishy about this whole affair. We want to go into the bottom and find the truth,” Dr. Gunasekara said.

He also expressed reservations on the proposed National Blood Transfusion Bill saying that the GMOA was supportive of the Bill in principle but does not agree with most of the contents of the Bill.

“There is no question that the there should be a proper monitoring system for blood transfusion. But it must be there to further improve the present system. In the draft Bill, we cannot see provisions for such improvement. The GMOA expects to submit its suggestions to the ministry before it goes through the parliament,” Dr. Gunasekara said.

A group of supporters of the National Freedom Front who were pasting a poster in the Hakmana town in the early hours of yesterday came under attack by an armed gang riding on motorcycles.

Two persons were injured in the incident and admitted to the Narawelpita hospital.

The members of the NFF complained to Matara police that they were pasting a poster to give publicity to a meeting tomorrow (17) at Hakmana esplanade opposite the main bus stand. However, the member of the Southern Provincial Council Sisira Kumara who denied any JVP involvement said,“ If we had really wanted to hit them, we could have done much earlier. We are not prepared to hit them and give them publicity at our expense. Why should we fight with a short lived party?”

Meanwhile, OIC Hakmana police Chandrasiri Gamage said he had initiated inquiries into the incident on the instructions of SSP Matara P.B.B.Ayupala.

UNP accuses government of another secret deal




The main opposition UNP accused the government of another secret deal, on this occasion with the TMVP, to bring the Egodapattuwa area in Polonnaruwa under the purview of the Eastern Provincial Council.

UNP parliamentarian Palitha Range Bandara told journalists the government had nominated Mangalam Master of the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal for the NCPC under the UPFA symbol as a part of this secret deal.

Mr. Bandara alleged that the ruling party had requested Mangalam Master to ensure at least 7,000 Tamil votes for the UPFA from Egodapattuwa by any means and therefore the TMVP had put up camps occupied by armed cadres with plans to rig the polls and intimidate the voters.

“There are 16 camps in the area. The government has agreed to re-demarcate the boundaries of the Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa districts with Egodapattuwa transferred to the Eastern Provincial Council,” he said and added that a committee was to be appointed for this purpose.

Mr. Bandara said an agreement had also been reached to hand over the administration of the area to Mangalam Master and settle TMVP members there.

“These armed men who move about freely in the area are already posing a threat to the people,” he said.

Mr. Bandara said the UNP could place its trust only in the judiciary today, and requested people to defend themselves in case of necessity.

“People are legally entitled to take action in self-defence. They have to look after themselves because the government is not ensuring their security,” he said.

When asked whether, the UNP possessed a copy of agreement, he said that his party had revealed the government’s secret plan and it was up to the government to respond.

“If it denies, we will come up with more details,” Mr. Bandara said.


However Media Minister Anura Priyadharsana Yapa ‘vehemently’ denied allegation by the UNP of a “secret deal” with the TMVP, and said the allegations were yet another blatant lie by the party.

“We have not taken any decision to change district boundaries,” the minister said adding that we don’t have any such secret deals with any party including the TMVP.”

The minister also said that when there is nothing to expose the UNP is just telling lies even to tarnish the image of the government. “It is just nonsense of the LTTE,” the minister charged.

A Sri Lankan youth committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan at his rented house at Baridhara in Bangladesh.

The Tamil Nadu police say LTTE smuggling operations have increased this year. K P Jain, the Director General of Police in Tamil Nadu said, " We are maintaining vigil. But it is a fact that they have been more active this year than last year. We are seized with a problem and will take action."

Air Force Jets attacked an LTTE bunker line 8 km east of Nachikudah this morning. The Air Force says the attack was carried out in suport of ground troops of the 58th Division.

Two people were arrested after they assaulted a visiting Sri Lankan medical student from the US and later set him on fire in Matale. Police said the student is serious in hospital. He had jumped into a river to douse the flames before seeking help.

Six policemen including a police sub inspector have been interdicted over the assault on UNP Chief Ministerial Candidate Ranjan Ramanayake last week– SSP Sabaragamuwa.

A hospital director in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria says a woman has successfully given birth to septuplets. The newborns, four boys and three girls, have been placed in incubators in four different hospitals since they were premature.

The JVP office in Kalahagala, Polonnaruwa was attacked last night by supporters of UPFA candidate Pesala Jayaratne destroying all office equipments and banners to be used for election purposes.

This is the second time the office had come into attack and the armed gang had threatened the JVP officials.Meanwhile a house too was damaged by the attacks.

A complaint has been lodged at the Polonnaruwa police.

Two foreigners and a local were arrested today morning in connection with cocaine and heroine smuggle.

The Anti-Bribery Unit in Walana had discovered 9.9g of cocaine and 479g of heroine in Slave Island and had arrested a local involved in the smuggle. While questioning it was revealed two foreigners, a Congo national and a Philippine national were too involved in the drug smuggle. The foreigners were arrested in Battaramulla today.

Two soldiers died in a claymore mine attack in Iranailuppailulam army controlled area, Vavuniya this evening, Military Spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.

Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry has ordered a full scale investigation into the allegations by a Sri Lankan housemaid that she did not received any assistance from the Sri Lankan mission in Kuwait after her employer allegedly pushed her from the upper floor of a house.

The housemaid, Chandani Dissanayake has recently returned to Sri Lanka from Kuwait.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama ordered the Sri Lankan Embassy in Kuwait to provide a comprehensive report on this matter, a Ministry statement said. The Minister has assured that stern action would be taken against officers in the Mission, if they are found wanting in discharging their duties to protect the rights of the housemaid.

He further emphasized that all Sri Lankan Missions abroad are duty bound to provide the best possible consular service and other assistance to Sri Lankans who are in distress, the release said.

With the Government of Sri Lanka being faced with the challenge of maintaining surface transport infrastructure networks adding new capacities in strategic areas warranting very large investment, alternative models characterized by increasing use of private sector resources including expertise are required. The need for legislative enactments and institutional framework as well as administrative procedures for creation of a conducive environment for Public Private Partnerships are areas that should be addressed.

Partnerships and networking are at the centre of infrastructure development and delivery of public utilities around the world. They are fundamental to the commissioning and delivery of public services, developing and maintaining public infrastructure and giving leadership to local communities. Bringing together public sector agencies, businesses and third sector organizations, partnerships represent a major reconfiguration of the organization of the public domain.

The seminar on the “Importance of Transport Infrastructure for National Development” which will be held on 26th August 2008 is an initiative aimed at catalyzing vigorous research and a challenging debate on transport infrastructure and its impact on national development. By bringing together those who create policy, the bureaucrats, the specialists, academics and professionals, the Chamber is providing an effective forum to facilitate consultation and participatory governance in infrastructure development.

Our continuous focus on conducting seminars and symposiums on subjects of national importance is aimed at contributing to better public service partnering and influencing the wider public policy.

Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment promotion. Dr. Sarath Amunugama will inaugurate the seminar as chief guest while Mr. Richard Vokes, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank will participate as the guest of honour. Ms. Lisa Weidner, Senior Transport Specialist, ADB will speak on Private Investment in Infrastructure development using PPP and other mechanism while Professor Amal Kumarage - University of Moratuwa and former Chairman of the National Transport Commission, Mr. Saliya Wickramasuriya - Chairman Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Mr. Don Wooton - Regional Director Scott Wilson Ltd., Engineer M B S Fernando - Chairman Road Development Authority, Mr. Dayanthe Athulathmudali - Director Dubai World Central, a Government of Dubai owned enterprise engaged in building of a new mega airport at Jebel Ali and Mr. P P Wijesekara - Additional General Manager (Technical) Sri Lanka Railways are slated to make presentations.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has reiterated the Sri Lankan Government policy of zero tolerance towards child soldier recruitment at a meeting with the UN Under - Secretary General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, who called on him at the Foreign Ministry today (15 August 2008).
The Foreign Minister stated that the Government accorded the highest priority for the rehabilitation of ex-child soldiers who had been rescued or released. In this regard, great care is taken in handling these children who have been traumatized, to ensure that they are able to be re-integrated into society, after a period of counselling, and vocational training, so that they would become law abiding citizens.
Dr. Coomaraswamy briefed the Minister on the role and functions of the UN Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. She said that the Working Group was very keen to secure the release of all child combatants and work for their rehabilitation. Minister Bogollagama expressed confidence that the armed conflict in the country would be over soon, and the issue of child soldiers in Sri Lanka would be history. The Minister and Dr. Coomaraswamy also exchanged views on other matters connected to UN - Sri Lanka cooperation.

India’s High Commissioner for Colombo Aloka Prasad reviews a Guard of Honour at India House to mark his country’s 63rd Independence Day.

Colombo stocks were knocked by index heavy blue chips on Friday, despite initial gains in the morning, with stock market analysts predicting a sluggish market next week.

“Dialog saw a drop in price despite the initial increases during mid day,” a stock market analyst said. He said the appalling results the company released on Wednesday for the first half of 2008, will not help this counter next week.

“Next week may see a stabilizing in the indices as price increases cannot be expected in high value counters such as John Keells, Dialog and Distilleries,” Charuka Suchendra, Research Analyst Asha Phillips said. He said the turnover will be thin next week.

The All Share Index fell by 3.44 points to 2,431.81 while the Milanka dropped by 16.97 points to 2,840.35 at market close. Turnover was at Rs.200 million.

Dr. W.B. Dorakumbure, High Commissioner of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to Pakistan on Friday invited Pakistani business community to participate in SAARC Exhibition to be held at Colombo, 28 to 31 August 2008, in collaboration with Government of Sri Lanka.

He also invited the attention of business community to organize a Single Country Exhibition, Workshops and Seminars for awareness of traders and businessmen on reciprocal basis.

Speaking in a meeting at Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the members of the Chamber here, the Sri Lankan envoy said Sri Lanka enjoyed friendly relations with Pakistan and it had fully participated in “ My Karachi Exhibition “ being organized by KCCI every year.

He, through KCCI, advised the Pakistani businessmen to take an opportunity of sending their trade and business delegation and exhibitors in the forthcoming SAARC Exhibition at Colombo to exhibit Pakistani products which would fetch acceleration to the existing trade relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

While appreciating signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between KCCI and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Colombo, he emphasized that both the Chambers should gear-up their efforts to implement the provisions of MoU in its true spirit.

He also advised to find out ways and means to further explore the avenues of trade, business and investment between the two countries.

He said, besides, improving volume of trade, it is need of the hour to initiate possibilities of trade, business and investment in services sector like tourism, cotton/fabrics garments, Information Technology, Education and banking etc.

He replied queries of members of KCCI about taxes leviable in Sri Lanka and 10 years tax holiday for intending investors from Pakistan.

Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, Senior Vice President KCCI, M. Haroon Agar, Vice President KCCI alongwith Managing Committee Members of KCCI warmly welcomed High Commissioner and lauded the cooperation extended by V.S. Sidath Kumar, Consular General of Sri Lanka at Karachi in facilitating trade inquires and visa formalities etc. to Pakistani business community.

The Garments Without Guilt campaign, launched by Sri Lanka Apparel, focuses on ethically-made clothing--meaning free of child labour, free of sweatshop conditions and free of forced labour--but they know that being ethical goes hand-in-hand with being sustainable.

GWG knows that to be truly concerned about their workers means being interested in the sustainability of their natural environment. So along with their investments in corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects to improve the water and general living conditions of the workers, Sri Lanka Apparel's member manufacturers are taking the necessary steps to use sustainable, environmentally-friendly practices when making their quality garments.

Three of Sri Lanka's largest apparel manufacturers have launched eco-factories in conjunction with large retail giants such as Marks & Spencer and GAP, who are well known for their efforts in the ethical and environmental spheres.

Brandix, one of Sri Lanka's largest apparel exporters, converted a thirty-year-old factory into a modernized hi-tech eco-friendly plant. Since the conversion, the "Green Plant" has been able to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by 77%--from 2,076 metric tons to 484 metric tons. They've committed to join with Marks & Spencer's "Plan A" and have developed a five-year eco-plan to further reduce their carbon footprint by 35% by the year 2012--M&S's Plan 'A' target date to neutralize the company's carbon emissions.

Brandix is also committed to preserving water as one of their major initiatives, and for that reason, the company has built a rainwater harvesting tank with a capacity of 100,000 litres.

M&S CEO, Sir Stuart Rose, recognized Brandix as a valuable part of their production and offered his company's support to this eco-factory. "Not only has it reduced its carbon footprint since its renovation, it has also reduced its energy usage, uses less water and no longer sends waste to landfill. It will also continue to produce great quality clothing."

The Green Plant, located in the town of Seeduwa, surpasses all standards stipulated by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) from the Green Building Rating System created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The Group is also the recipient of the prestigious international Green Apple award for the best in environmental practices.

Another of Sri Lanka's largest exporters, MAS Intimates, has begun building a new eco-friendly plant in the town of Thulhiriya which will manufacture lingerie for UK-based Marks and Spencer.

Their $7 million investment is just another integral part of Marks & Spencer’s 200 million Sterling Pound "Plan A" scheme to make sure that all of their operations worldwide use sustainable sources and processes to help them meet their goal of being completely carbon neutral by 2012.

Meanwhile, garment manufacturer Hirdaramani Group, has been building a 'green' factory as well, and is also gradually making all of the group's existing factories more environmentally friendly.

Their first 'green' factory, with an investment of around US$ 5 million, will be called C.K.T. Apparel Pvt. Ltd. and was launched with a celebratory 'Green Week' which included a tree planting campaign. Trees were planted across the factory’s campus, and another 1000 plants were distributed to factory members to be grown in their homes.

These green factories come in the wake of the global awakening about climate change, with more and more consumers calling for "green garments" and eco-friendly goods. Studies have shown that people interested in ethical garments are also concerned about the environment. These customers are sure to be satisfied that garments manufactured by these factories will include tags that show they were made in a carbon-neutral factory.

Tourist arrivals from China to Sri Lanka grew by 7.3 percent in the first half of 2008 over the same period a year ago, Sri Lanka's national carrier SriLankan Airlines said Thursday in a statement.

Figures from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority showed that the island attracted 5,383 Chinese tourists for the first half of 2008, comparing with the 5,016 Chinese tourists recorded in the same period of 2007.

The increase came as Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals dropped 0.2 percent to 224,363 in the first six months of 2008 from the same period of last year.

SriLankan Airlines is closely supporting the government's drive to promote Sri Lanka as a tourist destination to the Chinese people as the Chinese tourism market is being viewed as one of the fastest growing markets.

The government-owned SriLankan Airlines serves China with thrice-weekly flights to Beijing, and another three to Hong Kong.

The statement said the airline actively participated in several travel fairs in China this year, including the Beijing International Tourism Expo and the Guangzhou International Travel Fair.

The airline also co-organized a workshop for travel agents in the Chinese capital Beijing in June.

The Japanese government is funding the construction of Bridge across Badulu Oya in the Badulla District and construction of agro wells and channels in the Batticaloa District, a Japanese Embassy press release said.

The proposed iron bridge with a total cost of US $ 87,319 across the Badullu oya to provide safe and convenient transport to the communities in Kosgolla and Dambaghamadiththa villages in the Badulla District.

Construction of agro wells and channels in Batticaloa will assist the returning IDP families to enhance their food security and income sources in Manmunai South West, to get back to normalcy. The project will construct two irrigation channels and 16 agro wells to benefit hundreds of families in total.

Sri Lanka's exports declined in June for the first time in seven months as a slowdown in the U.S. weakened demand for the island's textiles and garments.

Overseas sales fell 1.9 percent to $654.6 million from $667.3 million a year earlier, after growing 17 percent in May, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said on its Web site today.

Asian exporters face declining shipments to the U.S., where retail sales dropped in July for the first time in five months. Sri Lanka, the world's fourth-biggest tea producer, is relying on rising demand for commodities from emerging economies to weather faltering U.S. orders.

``Agricultural exports are expected to continue to perform better, in terms of volumes as well as prices,'' the central bank said in a statement.

Sri Lanka's economic growth slowed for the first time in a year in the first quarter as inflation running above 25 percent and escalating violence in the South Asian island's civil war damped spending.

Gross domestic product expanded 6.2 percent in the three months ended March 31 from a year earlier, compared with 7.6 percent in the fourth quarter, the Department of Census & Statistics said in June.

The government on Jan. 16 formally ended its 2002 cease- fire with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, saying the rebels had used the accord to rearm and prepare for further attacks. Consumer prices in the capital Colombo rose 26.6 percent from a year earlier in July.

Clothing, Rubber

Slowing shipments of Gap Inc. and Liz Claiborne Inc. clothing to the U.S., Sri Lanka's largest export market, may further weigh on growth.

The value of industrial exports such as clothing, jewelry and rubber-based products declined 9.3 percent to $485.3 million in June, the central bank said. Agricultural shipments gained 34.6 percent to $161.3 million.

Sri Lanka's trade deficit in June widened to $504.5 million, from $164.4 million a year earlier, today's report showed. Imports gained 39.4 percent to $1.16 billion on costlier oil.

The overall balance of payments posted a surplus of $390 million as private remittances climbed. The country's foreign currency reserves were $3.43 billion at the end of June, the bank said.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has alleged that India was taking control of Sri Lanka's economic nerve centres and influencing the island's economy.

JVP Chief Secretary Tilvyn Silva, made the allegation while addressing a seminar titled "Indian intervention in Sri Lankan politics" in Colombo yesterday (Aug. 14th).

He said, "India is our neighbour and regional superpower. We want to live with our neighbour in harmony. We can do trade. But, the problem here is India is intimidating us by its supremacy."

Interventions in economy and politics are not two different things, Mr. Silva said, noting that control of economic resources is taken through political intervention which continues thereafter to defend the power of control.

"Northern and eastern coastal areas are having vast resources. Interventions are made politically, like the Indo-Lanka Pact, to take control of these resources," he said.

The JVP Chief Secretary also charged that New Delhi had laid down three conditions in a failed agreement to renovate the Palaly airstrip.

They included that any further renovations should be done by India and that except for Sri Lanka and India, a third party - in a reference to China and Pakistan - should not be allowed its use.

The third condition was that India should be allowed use of the airstrip at any time.

However, the agreement did not materialize, Mr. Silva said.

"India has been making interventions all along, but the worst form of economic intervention has come during the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime."

"The present government is defeating terrorism, but is paving the way for separatism, instead of defeating it. Terrorism and separatism are not different things. East is liberated and handed over to Pillayan who has a separatist mentality and dances to the tunes of India. Resources in the east are thus handed over to India," he said.

Speaking further, Mr. Silva said, "Now, a 675 square kilometre special economic zone is under construction in Trincomalee. Leave alone average citizens, even an MP cannot enter that zone. When our comrade Jayantha Wijesekara tried to enter, the District Secretary refused permission, saying there is an order from the top. We can understand why access is not given to a high security zone. But, why is it so for an economic zone? Therefore, we have to find out whether something more than economic is taking place there."

Police anti-riot squads have been called in to state-owned Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (Lake House) after a group of its employees, enraged by the breach of a promise by chairman Bandula Padmakumara, laid siege to his office this morning (Aug. 15th).

The chairman had introduced a voluntary retirement scheme in an attempt to reduce the surplus staff, under which around 1,000 persons were due to retire.

The management had promised around 700 applicants for the scheme by letter that they would be given the compensation money today.

However, when they came to Lake House this morning, they had been told that the Ministry of Mass Media and Information had put off the scheme by two weeks, until August 29th.

As they had been given written certification of their retirement, most had found employment elsewhere or bought vehicles, land and houses on lease basis.

Angered by the breach of promises, the group had surrounded the chairman's office, and anti-riot police had been summoned.

A senior staff member of Lake House said that this situation has arisen due to a long-standing power struggle between Mr. Padmakumara and Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.

On August 13th, the Ministry had sent a circular, saying that the chairman could not decide whether employees should be sent on retirement.

Upon being informed of the chaos, the Ministry Secretary has come to Lake House and is now holding talks with the employees, who have placed 10 demands before him.

They have warned that there would not be newspapers printed today, if the demands are not met.

Among the demands are that they should be paid the compensation on August 19th as promised as well as the bonus due for November and that the cost for training of the retiring employees should not be deducted from the compensation money.

A suspect who used a letter head of the Western Provincial Council’s Sports, Housing, Construction and Rural Development Ministry, allegedly to deceive a person and allegedly collect Rs 2.5 million while claiming he had been awarded a Government Contract, was remanded till August 28.

The Nugegoda Division Fraud Bureau produced the businessman, Sanath Kalyana Mendis of Rajagiriya, before Colombo Chief Magistrate, Nishantha Hapuarachchi, alleging the suspect used the letterhead in connivance with another person, who posed off as the Secretary to the President and cheated the complainant, Champika Nandalal of Nugegoda, of Rs 2,525,000.

The suspect who was engaged in Stainless steel business had told the complainant he had been awarded a Government tender and taken the money to commence work. The suspect had given cheques to the complainant. When the complainant produced the cheques to the bank they were returned without being honoured.

The complainant went to the residence of the suspect to inform him of this fact and found that the suspect had changed his address. He then lodged a complaint with the Nugegoda Division Fraud Bureau. They investigated the complaint and arrested the suspect and are now on the look out for the other suspect who aided him .

The University protest in Colombo yesterday was organized by the JVP to gain political mileage against the government, Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said.

An EPDP member was shot dead by an unidentified gunman at Kattankudi in Batticaloa this afternoon - EPDP.

Business organizations in Nugegoda should be more vigilant and be more aware of their employees, SSP Tennekoon said today at a meeting with the civil security committees in Nugegoda Police Division.

Finalized military reports received from Wanni battlefronts on yesterday's clashes (August 15) indicate 23 terrorists were killed, 41 others wounded and 12 more were either killed or wounded. Also, 2 soldiers laid down their lives at the field and 9 others suffered wounds during these clashes.
Troops of Army 59 division operating on the Mullaittivu East battlefront, captured a terror base located in the Mullaittivu jungle, North of Janakapura last afternoon. According to the reports, the base is consisted of 5 fortified bunkers, 5 trench defences, and basic living facilities. One soldier was killed and another injured during the gun battle. Monitored radio transmission revealed 2 terrorists were killed and 5 others were wounded during the same.
In three separate clashes erupted in the same area during the day, troops claimed one terrorist was killed, 2 wounded and 2 others were either killed or wounded.
In the general area North of Kiriibbanwewa, troops had series of clashes with the LTTE as they moved on towards further Northwards in the Mullaittivu jungle during the day. Details obtained from both ground and radio monitoring reports reveal 3 terrorists were killed, 11 others wounded and 10 more were either killed or wounded. Also, one soldier was killed and 3 suffered during the same.
Meanwhile, troops engaged in mine clearing operations in the area removed 106 AP (anti personnel) mines and 11 IEDs (improvised explosive devices).
Troops of Army 57 division, operating in the Western border of the Mullaittivu district had several clashes in the Kalvilan, Mallavi, and Oddaruttakulam areas during the day. According to the reports, 5 terrorists were killed, 9 others wounded while 3 soldiers also sustained injuries during these incidents.
Meanwhile, Task Force 2 soldiers operating on the Vavuniya front continued to eliminate remaining terror defence in the Palamoddai area during the day's operations.
Troops of Army 56 division operating on the same Vavuniya front, on either sides of the Jaffna- Kandy (A-9) road attacked an LTTE bunker located in the Navatkulama area around 9.10 AM. Later , monitored radio transmissions confirmed that 2 terrorists were killed in this confrontation.
Troops attacked and captured 5 terror bunkers in two separate clashes occurred in the area last morning and confirmed 10 terrorists were killed and 14 others were wounded during these clashes. During subsequent searches, troops found 15 hand grenades, 300 live ammo used for T-56 riffle along with few other military items.
In two other confrontations occurred in elsewhere in the same day morning troops claimed one terrorist was killed and 3 others wounded.
On the Kilinochchi Southern front, troops of Task Force 1 moving along the Mannar- Pooneryn road attacked a terror bunker detected in the Nachchikudha area around 5. 15 PM and claimed 3 terrorists were killed. Also, a solider was injured due to an AP mine explosion occurred in the Kalekudha area last noon.
On the Jaffna theatre of Battle, LTTE fired mortars at the Nagarkovil Forward Defence around 9.20 PM. A soldier sustained injuries in the attack.

Hundreds of devotees, following arrangements coordinated by the Army, on the instructions of Major General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander, Security Forces, Wanni, attended Friday's (15) annual Holy Mass at the most sacred 'Our Lady of Madhu' Shrine in Madhu.
An estimated crowd of five hundred and thirty-eight devotees, including 239 women and 59 children attended Friday (15) afternoon Mass at this holy Shrine, thanks to transport, security and other facilities, organized by the Army. Lunch packets, refreshments and up and down transport to the MADHU Shrine from Medawachchiya were provided to the devotees by the Army in view of the religious importance of the holy service.
The solemn blessings started on 13th August 2008 after the most revered statue of 'Our Lady of Madhu' was enthroned at the MADHU Shrine, following a penitential and purification, service conducted by resident clergy.
The traditional August festival with traditional solemnities was not held this year in view of prevailing security concerns, mostly due to minefields that had been scattered in surrounding areas before Tiger terrorists, had pulled out from the premises.
However, the routine daily Mass at the Shrine continued after the statue was enthroned by resident clergy during the weekend. The first batch of 215 pilgrims was facilitated on 13th August by the Army for prayers at the Shrine. Again on Thursday (14) two hundred and four devotees, including women and young men were allowed into the premises for prayers after they were received at Medawachchiya junction by the Security Forces before they were taken aboard buses provided by the Army.
Friday's holy Mass, highly venerated as the annual special service, drew as many as 538 devotees, including Minister Milroy Fernando, Deputy Ministers Neomal Perera, Sarath Kumara Ekanayake and several senior state officials.
Adequate security arrangements provided by Army troops in Wanni and Police personnel worked smoothly and helped the conclusion of the day's Mass to the satisfaction of both clergy and devotees.

Air Force MI 24 helicopter gunships raided a line of LTTE bunkers located in the East of Nachchikuda on the Kilinochchi war front around 1.10 this afternoon (August 15). According to the Air Force sources, the attacks were launched in support of the Army Task Force 1 soldiers marching Northwards on the Mannar- Pooneryn road (A-32). Pilots have confirmed that the attacks were successful, the sources added.

Six rural villages in Sri Lanka are to get new community learning centres thanks to a new partnership between UK and Sri Lankan organisations.

The community development, made possible by a grant from the British and Foreign School Society (BFSS) alongside on-going support from Durham University in the UK , will see the construction of centres inland as well as on the south coast with building work now underway.

The centres can be used for teaching, as a common meeting place, and to connect isolated communities with the rest of the world through provision of IT facilities. This unique development brings together Durham University , Sri Lanka ’s largest NGO, Sarvodaya, the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, and the British and Foreign School Society.
The first community to benefit will be the village of Ihala Galagama in the Sabaragamuwa Province with its centre scheduled to open in February 2009. It will incorporate a pre-school, village meeting and training room, library and computer with internet access and email. It will act as a hub providing education, information and e-services at grassroots level.
In addition to the establishment of a community learning centre, the project will also support the teaching and extra-curricular activities of school children by Durham University students who will spend around nine weeks working in the new facility next year in partnership with students from the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.

Academic staff from Durham University will be collaborating with counterparts in Sabaragamuwa University on research and curriculum development projects in areas such as sports and sports science, Buddhism, applied ethics, environmental thinking, information technology, business and entrepreneurship, social work in communities, and land management.

The support for the inland villages in Sri Lanka is the first step towards expanding Durham University ’s humanitarian initiative, Project Sri Lanka, into central areas of the country with a clear focus on long-term community development. The Project was initially set up after the 2004 tsunami to provide community support to those areas affected along the south coast. It is planned to develop this ‘humanitarian model’ both in other areas of Sri Lanka and to transfer it to other countries with identified community needs. This year has seen the establishment of Project Thailand .

Professor Joy Palmer-Cooper of Durham University who leads the project said: “We are all very excited about extending this project to other areas in Sri Lanka and I really hope it will help to empower people to develop self-sustaining computer-literate societies.

“From my experience of visiting the rural areas of Sri Lanka and talking to people there, education and empowerment underpin success in helping individuals and village communities as a whole. We hope that by addressing problems such as lack of information, poor computer literacy and infrastructure facilities, we will enable rural areas to improve their capacity to set up businesses and generally explore ways to generate income, leading to long term sustainability.

“Universities can play an important role in supporting community development processes and we very much look forward to working with the Vice Chancellor , staff and students at Sabaragamuwa University in Ihala Galagama and future ‘university villages’.”
The funding from the BFSS allows Project Sri Lanka to establish two community learning centres each year for the next three years, one each year in the southern tsunami affected area, and the other in an inland location.
Charles Crawford, Director of the British and Foreign School Society said, "Project Sri Lanka chimes very well with the aims of this 200 year old charity. Ever since its foundation in 1808 by Joseph Lancaster, who pioneered the provision of education to the poor in England , the Society has supported many projects around the world to provide education where it is most needed. We are delighted to carry forward our long association with Durham University by supporting its work in Sri Lanka ."
Dr Vinya Ariyaratne, Executive Director of Sarvodaya, added: “We are extremely happy that Sarvodaya is able to extend its partnership with Durham University to support the interior parts of Sri Lanka where there are many rural hamlets which would benefit from the unique development and learning model we have jointly developed.
“At a time when globalization is having a negative impact on poor communities in the developing world, Sarvodaya strongly believes in and understands the importance of linking local communities and grass roots actions with international efforts that have a positive as well as practical academic orientation. This partnership shares not only physical resources but more importantly, knowledge resources and provides an opportunity for international students to learn from the villagers and vice versa”.
Project Sri Lanka is one of the most comprehensive university schemes in the UK with elements of fundraising, teaching, research and student placement opportunities overseas. Durham University 's partners in the UK include the University's student charity, DUCK and the British and Foreign School Society, with regional support from Rotary Clubs, schools and communities. Major partners in Sri Lanka are the Sarvodaya organisation and Rotary Sri Lanka as well as other higher education institutions.
The combination of these elements has led the UK ’s education funding body (Higher Education Funding Council for England ) to recognising it as a landmark operation and a model project for the internationalisation of higher education which is transferable to other settings where real humanitarian needs are identified.

The protagonist of this story change each time, but the underlying poignancy remains . Last week, leading software services provider Virtusa laid off about 300 employees in Asia. While over 200 people worked at the Nasdaq-listed company’s Hyderabad and Chennai, over 60 people were laid off in Sri Lanka.

While the company officials refused to comment citing that the spokespersons for India are travelling, ET got the news confirmed from multiple sources—mainly employees of the company and their acquaintances.

According to them, most people who were shown door by the company were fresh recruits. Some said that the company had fired about 80 trainees in 2005 as well. The company has an overall headcount of over 4,000 across its different global centres . The news spread across the blogosphere , with several blogs commenting on Virtusa’s recent lay off.
The reasons for the lay off were unclear. For the quarter ended June, the company’s total revenue was $42.5 million, an increase of 14% year-over-year , but a decrease of 5.5% sequentially.

This was below the guidance of $45-46 million, which the company had predicted in a May filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the US. The company cited contract hurdles with British Telecom and sharp increase in costs for the lowered outlook.

THREE teams — two from Sri Lanka and one from Taiwan — will add international flavour to the CIMB-Cobra Schools Invitational rugby 10s to be played at the PKNS ground in Kelana Jaya this weekend.

The teams — Central College and Walisinghe Harischandra College from Sri Lanka and Xin Yi from Taiwan — will join 17 local schools in the championships organised by the Combined Old Boys Rugby Association (Cobra) and CIMB.

The championships is the highlight of the CIMB-Cobra schools rugby development programme.

Cobra president Datuk Krishnan Tan said except for Malay College Kuala Kangsar, the other schools were champions in the respective state Under-15 championships last year.

“MCKK was invited as Labuan was unable to take part in the competition. We are organising the championships for the fifth year. It is part of our efforts to promote and develop rugby in schools,” said Tan.

“The participation of foreign teams will also provide an avenue to gauge Malaysians against their counterparts from Sri Lanka and Taiwan,’’ he added.

The 20 teams are divided into four groups. After the preliminary rounds, the best 16 teams will advance to the second round.

Tan said the championships would be an exciting affair with the country’s top juniors in action.

“Rugby fans are encouraged to come and support the event as well as enjoy the interesting games,’’ added Tan.

The groupings

Group A: Bandar Penawar Sports School; SM Sains Selangor, Kuala Lumpur; Central College Sri Lanka; SM Sains Sultan Mahmud.

Group B: SMK Yahya Petra 1; SMKA Sheikh Othman Abdul Wahab; SM Tunku Abdul Rahman; Malay College Kuala Kangsar.

Group C: SM Sains Johor; SMK Syed Sirajuddin; SMK King George V; Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid.

Group D: SM Sultan Alam Shah Putrajaya; Kolej Yayasan Saad; SM Sains Sultan Ahmad Shah; Walisinghe Harischandra College, Sri Lanka

Group E: Xin Yi, Taiwan; SM Sains Hulu Selangor; SM Tinggi Bukit Mertajam; Maktab Sabah

Adequate supplies are reaching new internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka's northern areas controlled by the Tamil Tigers, UN and humanitarian relief officials in the capital, Colombo, told IRIN.

At least 12,000 families have fled the fighting in the last two months in the northern parts of Mannar District, southwestern areas of Kilinochchi District and Mulaitivu District, according to UN officials, and most are now in the outskirts of Kilinochchi town, under the control of the Tigers, 300km north of the capital.

"There has been no substantial improvement in the condition of the displaced, but we do have access to most of them," Gordon Weiss, UN spokesperson in Sri Lanka, told IRIN.

When large numbers of civilians began fleeing the fighting in mid-July there were fears they could get cut off due to fighting, but, Weiss said, vital supply lines remained open despite the fighting. [see http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79721]

"There is a lot of pressure on the supply lines and the situation is very fluid," he said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said food, shelter, sanitation and clean water remained urgent priorities. It said in its monthly bulletin for June-July released on 14 August that the situation needed to be continuously monitored but most of the displaced were accessible.

"Many people have received basic humanitarian relief but as the number of displaced persons increases, so do their needs," Anthony Dalziel, the ICRC's deputy head of delegation in Sri Lanka, said in the bulletin.

Thangamuthu Sathyamurthi, Director of Kilinochchi Hospital in Kilinochchi town, told IRIN that so far enough supplies were getting through to the displaced. "None of the IDPs are cut off. They are all accessible." He said a stock of rice had arrived in Kilinochchi this week.

"It is too early to say how long we can manage with the supplies that are coming in. A lot will depend on [the state of] supply lines and the number of IDPs."

Bracing for fresh displacements

According to UN statistics at least 145,000 IDPs remain inside areas under the control of the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka's north, referred to as the Vanni.

According to the ICRC, some of the recently displaced had fled fighting on several occasions in recent months.

Weiss said the UN and relief agencies had access to all but a small number of civilians who have remained in areas where the most recent fighting was taking place. However UN agencies expect more displacements if fighting continues. "Due to ongoing clashes more displacement is anticipated, and then more supplies will be needed," Weiss said. He added that the overall IDP figure in the Vanni could rise to 200,000.

Temporary shelter

Most of the new IDPs are living in make-shift shelters. The authorities have asked for help to provide temporary shelters.

Sathyamurthi of Kilinochchi Hospital said IDPs living on open ground needed proper shelters before the rains arrive. "The situation will get worse when the rainy season starts by the end of September," he said.

Nagalingam Vedanayagam, the government agent for Kilinochchi District, has requested temporary shelter material for 12,000 families, the UN Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) reported in a situation report released on 11 August. It said he had received commitments for 2,000 families but warned that more displacements were likely in the coming weeks.

Special Task Force (STF) personnel conducted a search operation in general area 55th Kilometer post in Ampara uncovered military items along with claymore mine, T-56 weapon and ammunition last morning, 14 August, MCNS said.

The recovery was made around 9.45 a.m on information received to the Police and following list of items among the recoveries, MCNS added.

Items Quantity
Claymore mine weighing 10.8kg 01
T-56 Weapon 01
T-56 Magazine 01
T-56 Ammunition 29
Detonators 03
9V Batteries 04



Meanwhile, STF personnel have found 2 anti-personnel mines, I-Com set and its antenna while conducting a search operation in Sangamankanda area in Ampara last Tuesday, 12 August.

“TIGER LEADERS are using thousands of child soldiers for war. They recruit children directly from schools. Parents and teachers are helpless and nobody dares to speak against LTTE orders or their diktats. Wanni people are now fully disgusted with the LTTE and they do not trust them any longer,” so says a 21 year old Tiger surrendee to the Army troops in Jaffna.

The surrendered Tiger cadre, identified as “Thileepan” in the organization was nineteen years of age when he was forcibly taken away by Tigers during a pilgrimage he has made to Madhu in the company of his mother and sisters in the year 2006. The surrendee who claimed that he was for peace and does not want to resort to violence, further told the Army in his confessions, the following;

“Senior LTTE men, operative from the rear of their defences are used to send new recruits to the front as canon fodder. Tigers are not capable of resisting attacks of the troops. LTTE members are now tired of fighting against well-trained government troops. They are now withdrawing. Their “Eelam Dream” is confined only to a dream. They will never achieve it.”

“I was living with my parents, brother and three sisters. I was abducted by the LTTE in 2006 at the age of 19 years when I was going to Madhu Shrine for worship with my family. They gave me LTTE training for two months and then sent to the Welioya front. A large number of females are deployed in the LTTE defence lines. They have been forced to cut their hair short to avoid being identified. Those LTTE girls are desperately longing to go to Security Forces-held areas with their parents and lead a peaceful life under the troops.”

“The best thing the LTTE can do for Tamil population now is to deliver their arms and select the peace path. I finally state that the Army looks after me well. LTTE will never succeed in this war. I request all our misguided members to surrender to any Security Forces camp, leaving the LTTE,” he has told the troops.

(Note; The true identity & other details are withheld for obvious security reasons & questions of Human Rights)

Against the backdrop of accusations that Sri Lanka sabotaged the July 23 visit to the East by a visiting EU delegation, Media can now reveal that it was the EU Mission in Colombo who cancelled a scheduled charter flight by a domestic operator.

The shocking revelation of the last minute cancellation of the private aircraft, booked by the EU mission to take the delegation to Trincomalee had fueled speculation on whether there had been a clandestine move to embarrass Sri Lanka, an authoritative government official said.

The seven-member EU parliamentary delegation led by Robert Evans could have easily flown to the Eastern port city where the first meeting between the EU and renegade LTTE cadre turned Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan was to take place, he said.

Addressing a packed press conference in Colombo on July 25, the delegation accused the Sri Lankan government of thwarting its visit. The delegation head Evans said that endless complications and delays caused the cancellation, asserting that the visit could have taken place had the Sri Lankan government provided the required authorisation to the flight chartered by the EU.

Responding to our queries, Sri Lankan sources claimed the EU had torpedoed the visit to ensure that the delegation did not meet Chandrakanthan of the TMVP, the breakaway LTTE faction now in charge of the Eastern PC. The TMVP contested the first election to the Eastern PC on the government ticket.

The EU mission in Colombo had reserved an aircraft operated by DECCAN AVIATION LANKA to airlift the delegation.


"They also confirmed the flight and went to the extent of paying a reservation deposit," the official said. But the EU had cancelled the reservation several days before the scheduled flight without giving any specific reason to the local airline. Had the EU stuck to its original arrangement, the visit scheduled for July 23 would have taken place, the official said. The delegation was to return to Colombo on Friday to address a press briefing before departure.

He said DECCAN AVIATION had authorisation to operate domestic flights. After the surprise cancellation, the EU had brought a UN aircraft to move the delegation to Trincomalee. "Don’t forget this aircraft arrived in Colombo only on July 20th," he said. They couldn’t have been unaware that the aircraft (Beech King Air B 200) needed to obtain numerous regulatory, security and safety approvals to conduct the flight to Trincomalee, he said.

The government said the EU rejected its offer to provide air passage to and back from Trincomalee. Even if the EU declined the offer on the advice of its security staff, why on earth did it cancell the reservation made with DECCAN AVIATION, the official said. The UN aircraft had been called all the way from South Africa to carry the delegates to and from Trincomalee.

The LTTE is in the process of expanding a second runway capable of accommodating heavy aircraft in Mullaitivu as government troops backed by air, artillery and armour battle through fortified enemy defences on the western and eastern flanks.

The military has irrefutable evidence that the LTTE is engaged in the construction of the air strip in spite of the unprecedented army build-up on the multiple Vanni fronts where ground forces have inflicted massive losses on the Tigers.

Although fighter aircraft had targeted the runway recently, the LTTE seemed to be going ahead with the construction determinedly, a highly placed military official said. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he asserted that the LTTE would have made use of every available heavy earth moving machine for the construction work.

Israeli-built Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), acquired by Sri Tigers
Lanka, have enabled the SLAF to keep LTTE activity under observation.

The military said the second runway could accommodate large aircraft. It was definitely not needed to launch two or three small aircraft operated by the LTTE, the military said.

There have been several SLAF sorties directed at the first runway located at Iranamadu since the strike launched on May 11, 2006. The government ordered the strike immediately after the LTTE attacked an SLN convoy on its way from Trincomalee to Kankesanturai. Although the SLN lost a Fast Attack Craft, it thwarted the LTTE’s attempt to blast a passenger vessel carrying over 700 off-duty personnel.

The military said the second runaway seemed both longer and wider than the Iranamadu strip.

Both runways are located east of the A9 road. With the army expanding offensive action, particularly in the western part of the Vanni region, the Sea Tigers have been forced to shift its assets onto the Mullaitivu theatre. An authoritative navy official said Sea Tigers had moved the bulk of their assets, including a range of craft overland across the Vanni mainland to Mullaitivu as they retreated on the western flank. Three fighting formations, namely the Task Force I, 57 Division and Task Force II (deployed west of the A9) are on the offensive on the western flack while the 59 Division is advancing on the eastern flank. The Task Force I has already secured a 52 km stretch of the 82 km Mannar-Pooneryn coastal road, thereby bringing enemy targets deep inside LTTE territory, within the army’s strike range.

The military said the navy and the SLAF would focus on the Sea Tiger assets deployed in the Mullaitivu theatre . On August 6, SLAF jets launched from the Katunayake air base destroyed four large LTTE craft, which one military official confidently asserted was about 50 feet long. But another said they were shorter than the 50 but definitely bigger than the medium size (23-foot-long) craft. The military said one of the four had been destroyed in the water and the rest after the LTTE moved them to safety. A second air strike had hit the camouflaged boats after the SLAF accurately located the hideout.

With the LTTE on the retreat across the Vanni region, the army has stepped up operations deep inside LTTE territory. Small groups of men conducting clandestine operations had restricted the movement of senior LTTE cadres.

The SLAF has been called in to mount emergency evacuation of personnel of deep penetration units on a number of occasions. The SLAF had met the challenging task by utilising available assets, with the last emergency evacuation carried out late last month. Enhanced coordination among the three services over the past two years had facilitated the longest military campaign, the military said.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association urged the Health Secretary to suspend the Blood Transfusion Bill pending amendments.

Spokesman for the Government Medical Officers’ Association, Dr. Upul Gunasekara said yesterday that some of the clauses of the Bill strongly pointed towards the fact that the government was attempting to come up with an Act that would favour the private sector. "For instance, according to the Bill, should a private hospital be dissatisfied with a certain decision taken by the Regulatory body regarding a private blood bank, an appeal could be made to the Health Minister who would in turn decide for himself as to what should be done," he said. In that case there is no necessity for a regulatory body, Gunasekara said.

A private hospital could easily start a blood bank if the bill becomes an act," he warned saying that this would threaten the blood transfusion system existing in the country.

"Ours is a system where people donate blood voluntarily. Unlike in other countries we don’t sell blood. And this Bill would pave the way for that," he said. There is also a great danger of AIDS and Hepatitis B and C and several other diseases that are blood borne being transmitted as there would be no monitoring systems to ensure the safety of the blood being given, Gunasekara said.

Therefore the Bill should be suspended till all stakeholders go through it once more and decide on amendments in favour of protecting the prevailing blood transfusion system, he said.

Former President Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, in submissions to the Supreme Court on the Battaramulla land alienations, said the procedure recommended for alienating State land for BOI projects, had been followed.

Certain malicious elements had attempted to discredit her by claiming that she misdirected the Cabinet in alienating UDA acquired land to a Japanese entrepreneur. The purpose of this campaign of malice was to strip her of her civic rights.

However, the petitioners had failed to place before the Supreme Court substantial material evidence to support their false allegations.

The land was not awarded in an irregular manner. The project had satisfied the accepted form of development activities of the UDA. It could not be said to be beneficial to a few only. Foreign investors had asked for the land for a development project.

The UDA had done an environmental assessment study, prior to agreeing to the alienation. The Land Reclamation and Development Board also had considered the impact on flood retention.

Mrs. Kumaratunga requested Court to dismiss the petitions filed by Sugathapala Mendis and Rajah Senanayake.

The petitioners held that, Mrs. Kumaratunga misdirected the Cabinet in alienating 135 acres of UDA acquired land to a foreign investor, to construct a Golf course for the rich only. This course was of no public use.

The General Secretary of the United National Party, Tissa Attanayake condemned the attack on Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council candidate Ranjan Ramanayake stating that entire responsibility for it should be borne by the government and the police. "No efforts were made by the IGP or the Ministry of Defence to provide security that we requested for the candidate, he said.

He said that requests by the Elections Commissioner, Election Monitoring Groups, eminent citizens and intellectuals to bring this situation under control had been to no avail. Even the judiciary too had made a similar request with no avail.

The motorcade in which Ramanayake and his supporters were travelling was attacked by a mob on Wednesday night around 9 pm. Attanayake said that the mob had attempted to harm Ramanayake and only succeeded in inflicting minor injuries on him and damaging nine of the vehicles in his motorcade.

He blamed the government for not paying heed to even the requests and orders issued by the Elections Commissioner to provide security for the UNP candidate for Sabaragamuwa. Attanayake accused it of trying to gain power by terrorising or even killing the candidate of the opposition.

Four persons have been arrested in connection of the attack.

An Abu Dhabi taxi company has sacked more than 40 drivers less than four months after they were hired from Sri Lanka and other Asian countries.


Sacked drivers said they had been expelled following their four-day stoppage last week to protest low wages by their employer, Tawasul company.


"We are going home this week. We have been sacked and our UAE driving licences have been taken from us," a Sri Lankan driver said.


"More than 40 of us have been fired, most of whom are from Sri Lanka. The others are from Pakistan, the Philippines and India. They said they are punishing us because we stopped work and complained to the Ministry of Labour."


Company officials declined to comment, saying the problem had been discussed with the ministry.


More than 100 Tawasul drivers converged on the Ministry of Labour last week to complain about poor working conditions. The ministry promised to contact their employers to sort the problem and asked them to resume work.


According to the drivers, each of them must pay Dh200 a day to the company plus at least Dh50 for petrol. Their monthly wage is set at Dh1,000 but in case they earn more than Dh250 a day, the extra sum is deducted from their salary.

The main opposition UNP said yesterday it would move a no-confidence motion against Minister Mervyn Silva unless the government took action against his latest reported act of misconduct.

UNP front-liner Dayasiri Jayasekara told a news conference that one senior Minister had even remarked that God would punish Mr. Silva for his alleged misdoings.

“Looking for divine help is not the answer. It is the President who should punish Mr. Silva. It is unfortunate that there is little or no law and order in Sri Lanka today,” he said.

Political observers said that with the JVP also likely to support a motion of no-confidence in Minister Silva, the result might be too close to call.

Mr. Jayasekera said that based on the Supreme Court ruling over the privatization of Lanka Marine Services Ltd and its sale to John Keels Holding, Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundara should resign immediately and if he did not stand down it would tantamount to contempt of court.

“The Supreme Court severely reprimanded Dr. Jayasundere and we are waiting to see what action will be taken against him. We have only the judiciary to place our trust in,” he said.

Referring to the ongoing military operations, Mr. Jayasekera said the statement by India’s National Security Advisor N.K. Naranayan showed that New Delhi was insisting on a political solution to resolve Sri Lanka’s longstanding ethnic conflict.

“The government must seriously consider the underlying message in Mr. Narayanan’s statement and work accordingly. The UNP also subscribes to the stand taken by India. The crisis cannot be resolved just by crushing the LTTE militarily,” he said.

Mr. Jayasekera said that UNP North Central chief ministerial candidate Janaka Perera was the military leader who defeated the LTTE and confined it to the Wanni jungle, but because he has joined the UNP the government had branded him a traitor.

“The government is calling him a traitor because he is contesting on the UNP ticket, but if he had contested under the UPFA symbol, the very same government will consider him a hero,” he said.

In what appeared to be a rare opportunity for political cohabitation and harmony, UNP chief ministerial candidate Ranjan Ramanayake is said to have stepped on to a UPFA stage in Pelmadulla and addressed the gathering.

He said he got on to the stage while on his way to attend an election rally in the area after some of those who were gathered for a UPFA rally requested him to address them.

“As I was passing by people who were at the UPFA rally waved to me. I stopped my vehicle and talked to them. There were some Tamil youths as well. They wanted to pose for a photo with me. I agreed to it. They seemed to be my fans. They asked me to get on the stage and address them,” he said.

Mr. Ramanayake said he spoke in Sinhala and with difficulty in Tamil, highlighting the importance of political cohabitation and living in peace and harmony.

“At the time all the UPFA speakers had left,” he said and added that it was those at another UPFA rally who had allegedly attacked him.

Globally acclaimed and celebrated HR Guru Professor Dave Ulrich will be in Colombo for half a day on October 24 to conduct two sessions according to the organizers of the event. Ulrich will conduct a HR Master Class titled ‘Future Proof your Human Resources” and a session for Chairmen, Directors and CEOs titled ‘Talking Talent”. The sessions will be held at Water’s Edge Colombo. Dave Ulrich is a Professor of Business at the University of Michigan and a partner at the RBL Group, a consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders deliver value. He studies how organizations build capabilities of speed, learning, collaboration, accountability, talent, and leadership through leveraging human resources.
He has helped generate award winning data bases that assess alignment between strategies, human resource practices and HR competencies. Ulrich has published over 100 articles and book chapters and also 15 books. He has consulted and done research with over half of the Fortune 200 Companies. Details about this event can be obtained from CIMA and the IPM secretariats.

The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka has finalized all necessary arrangements to hold the 8th SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) Trade Fair at the BMICH from 28th to 31st August. The added feature this year will be the conducting of the first South Asian Economic Summit (SAES) parallel to the Trade Fair and to fulfill this task The Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) will join hands with the FCCISL.
The IPS is also collaborating with Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries (RIS), India; South Asia Centre for Policy Studies (SACEPS), Nepal; and the South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), Nepal. The SAES is supported by the World Bank, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the UNDP-Regional Centre in Colombo and the Asian Development Bank. The SAES will bring together a cross-section of stakeholders from the government, the private sector and research institutions in the region to review and reflect on economic cooperation within South Asia to date and how the process could be strengthened in the future.

FCCISL, the principal organizing body for the 8th SAARC Trade fair – 2008 is the largest and most representative apex business organization of the Sri Lanka’s private sector business. The FCCISL is also the most widely spread business organization with member bodies from all districts and provinces of Sri Lanka.

With a nation wide membership of over 50 chambers of commerce and business associations, the FCCISL espouses the shared vision of Sri Lankan businesses and speaks directly and indirectly to over 15,000 large, medium and small segments of manufacturing, distributive trade and services spread both locally and internationally.

FCCISL will be organizing the 8th SAARC Trade Fair in Colombo. The other stakeholders for the event are the Department of Commerce, Export Development Board, of Investment, Sri Lanka Customs, Sri Lanka Tourist Board, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Export Promotion and many other public and private organizations.

Nawaz Rajabdeen, President, FCCISL and Vice President, SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that among the many bold initiatives taken towards achieving the long term objectives of SAARC is the organizing of the SAARC Trade Fair which has immensely contributed to economic cooperation among business, industry and entrepreneurial sectors of the member countries.

South Asia is considered to be the most diversified culture and biodiversity of the world and the prospect of new product development, marketing of tourism in the region and sharing resources through joint strategies are some of the responsibilities of SAARC. The annual SAARC Trade Fair is the forerunner in achieving these goals.

Addressing an election rally at the Anuradhapura – Matale junction on 12th August, Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, firstly thanked the large crowds who flocked the venue at such short notice. The meeting was organised within an hour. Today, the most sick population is in the North Central province (NCP). The reason for this is the Chief Minister (CM), Berty Premalal and the government .For the nine years it was in power, Berty Premalal and his government could not develop even the basic health and hygiene of the area. This is why there are over 10,000 kidney patients in the area. Malaria too which was kept under control by the UNP is also fast spreading. Government Dispensaries are depleted of medicines; some of them haven’t even panadols to give patients, Ranil lamented.

Though it was known that water was polluted, neither the CM nor the government for the last nine years took any steps to provide clean water. Besides, has any development of the electorate been done? He asked. Even the ‘ponds project’, whereby ponds were to be built at immense expenditure to retain water to overcome the drought period ended on the rocks. All what the people have witnessed during the nine years is the self development of Berty Premalal and his government ,Ranil exhorted.

Children’s education too is ruined with most Schools either not functioning or are understaffed. Of what use is a chief Minister who cannot attend even to the basic educational and health needs of the electorate? Therefore , all these ailments and shortcomings will automatically get cured if this worst contagion Berty Premalal is stamped out on the 23rd of August, and is replaced by the UNP candidate Major General Janaka Perera who has all the cures for the electorate ‘s ills and shortcomings . Can the promises of the Chief Minister who could not solve any of the electorate’s problems in so many years be trusted? Ranil asked.

Voters are certainly going to express their ‘gratitude’ to Berty Premalal and his government for the wonderful disservice they have rendered to the electorate, he concluded.

Sri Lanka is holding early next year a single-country exhibition in Pakistan that will have added attraction of cultural programmes and food festival.

This was disclosed by Sri Lankan High Commissioner Dr W.B. Dorakumbore in a meeting with Mohibullah Shah, Chief Executive of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, here on Wednesday.

An e-mail release said that the Sri Lankan envoy expressed the desire for importing sports and surgical goods from Pakistan and set up joint ventures in gem industry. The TDAP chief expressed support for setting up joint venture projects. He extended invitation to Sri Lanka to participate in upcoming ‘Expo Pakistan’ to be held from October 27 to 30.

KUWAIT CITY : A Sri Lankan woman duped a number of Kuwaitis and left the country with KD 18,000, reports Al-Anba daily. According to reliable sources the woman, who worked for a domestic labor office, lured her victims to pay advance money after promising to supply the best domestic workers. When the woman disappeared some Kuwaitis complained to the police and according to available information, the woman has left the country.

Amnesty International has accused both the Government and the LTTE of endangering the lives of thousands of newly displaced people around Wanni and said that thousands of families who fled the recent fighting in these areas must be allowed to move to safer areas and to receive necessary humanitarian assistance.

“These people are running out of places to go and basic necessities,” said Yolanda Foster, Amnesty International’s Sri Lanka researcher. “The Tigers are keeping them in harm’s way and the government is not doing enough to ensure they receive essential assistance,” AI said in a press release this evening.

AI said that the LTTE-controlled Wanni area, the Tigers have hindered thousands of families from moving to safer places by imposing a strict pass system and, in some instances, forcing some family members to stay behind to ensure the return of the rest of the family. “These measures seem designed in part to use civilians as a buffer against government forces -- a serious violation of international humanitarian law. The LTTE has also engaged in forced recruitment,” it said.

AI added that government aerial bombardment and artillery shelling since May has forced more than 70,000 people to flee their homes, primarily in Kilinochchi and Mulaitivu districts.

“Lack of cement to build adequate toilets and washrooms has forced people to use open bathing facilities. The lack of adequate privacy for women and girls has led to a notable increase in reports of sexual and gender based violence, “AI said.

Two soldiers were shot dead by another soldier at Sittandy, Batticaloa today evening while they were on a road picket, Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said.
The incident is reported to have taken place after an argument.

The soldier involved in the shooting has been taken into custody.

Leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Somawansa Amarasinghe has accused India of letting loose its political supremacy on Sri Lanka in total disregard to the island's soverignty.

Indian National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan is acting like an arrogant colonial governor, thinking that Sri Lanka is under the rule of New Delhi, Mr. Amarasinghe charged.

The JVP leader strongly denounced Mr. Narayanan's reference to the Sri Lankan political situation in a recent interview with Singapore's 'The Straits Times', when he addressed a seminar at Mahaweli Centre in Colombo today (Aug. 14th), titled "India's interventions in Sri Lankan politics."

Elaborating on the history and the present situation of the India's foreign policy, Mr. Amarasinghe said post-independence New Delhi was building up its political authority over its neighbours.

Other nations in the region need to rise up against this intervention without delay, he said, stressing that leftist and progressive political parties of the respective countries should form an alliance for the purpose.

Despite all their wrongs, all Sri Lankan leaders after independence, the JVP leader said, had been forthright in their dealings with other countries.

However, it is not the case with 'Patriotic Mahinda', who has become a backboneless puppet of India, and pays curtsies on a daily basis to Colombo's high commissioner of that country.

New Delhi warns us against buying heavy weaponry from Pakistan and China to fight terrorism, and refuses to sell us such firearms, Mr. Amarasinghe pointed out, adding that India had no intention of seeing an end to separatism in Sri Lanka.

Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse some hundreds of Jayawaradanapura University Students, as they attempted to march towards Temple Trees a short while ago.

At least 29 houses were fully damaged, while 26 houses were partially damaged in a Cyclone that hit Trincomalee today evening. Electricity had been cut off with power supply lines also damaged.

WANNI & NORTH: CONTINUING confrontations in the WELIOYA sector focusing ANDANKULAM area killed seven Tiger terrorists and injured thirteen more on Wednesday (13).

Troops advancing deeper into jungle areas conducted those operations, despite resistance of the terrorists.

Meanwhile, two soldiers serving ANDANKULAM and KUDUMBIMALAI areas laid their lives when Tiger terrorists opened mortar fire towards confronting soldiers on Wednesday (13). Three soldiers also received injuries during confrontations and mortar fire.

Meanwhile, two more soldiers were injured in another round of fighting in KALVILAN area, MULLAITTIVU district Wednesday (13) around 1.00 p.m..

In the meantime, troops captured one LTTE bunker and two trench lines Wednesday (13) in PALAMODDAI area. During the confrontations, troops killed four LTTE terrorists and injured seven more terrorists.

In JAFFNA troops after confronting a few terrorists in the general area of MUHAMALE Wednesday (13) at about 10.15 a.m. killed one of them.

Meanwhile, a soldier received injuries due to explosion of an anti personnel mine on Wednesday (13) around 2.20 p.m. in the same area.

Security forces personnel inching further towards northwards despite the LTTE resistance inflicting maximum damage to the enemy, the finalized military report received from the forefront said. 27 terrorists were killed and another 18 suffered injuries due to the yesterday's, 13 August, clashes reported in Jaffna and Wanni theaters while another 2 reportedly either killed or wounded.

In Jaffna, army snipers gunned down an LTTE terrorist ahead of own defence line in general area Kilaly. Meanwhile, an army soldier suffered injuries exploding an anti-personnel mine in the same area.

In Vavuniya front, 2 soldiers of 57 Division suffered injuries due to a separate confrontation took place in general area Kalvilan. Troops of Task Force 2 killed 6 terrorists and injured 7 others in three separate confrontations took place in general area Palaimoddai.

In Mannar front, troops of Task Force 1 launched a series of attacks targeting LTTE defences in general areas Kariyalaimoddai and Nachchikuda. 13 LTTE terrorists were killed in these attacks while 3 soldiers received injuries due to LTTE's retaliation.

Separately, in Welioya front, 7 terrorists were killed and 11 more suffered injuries in confrontations ensued in general area Andankulam, the report added. Two more terrorists reportedly either killed or wounded, the report said citing ground troops. One army soldier has made his utmost sacrifice for the sake of motherland while another 4 suffered injuries due to these clashes.

Meanwhile, troops engaged in mine clearing operations in recently liberated Andankulam areas in Welioya front have unearthed 43 anti-personnel mines and 3 IED's

Enthusiastic about the gains hitherto made by valiant troops advancing in the Wanni front, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka went to Security Forces Headquarters in Wanni (SFHQ-W) Thursday (14) morning and fully reviewed the status quo in relation to ongoing operations against terrorism.

Commander Lieutenant General Fonseka, during his interaction with senior ground Commanders assembled at the SFHQ-W, exchanged views and received a comprehensive account of ground realities in Welioya, Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu fronts.

Review of military gains hitherto achieved by his troops, consolidation of troop positions, search and clearing operations with parallel de-mining work in progress, coordination work of the troops, conduct of offensives, assessment of LTTE resistance and enemy strategies and conduct of future military operations were among issues that were taken up during the Wanni meeting, attended by Major General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander, SFHQ-W and a few accompanying senior officers, flown from the Army Headquarters.

SFHQ-W Commander and other Commanders of Divisions and Brigades briefed the Army Commander on security developments in respective areas and sought his instructions in order to carry out their duties further.

Commander Lieutenant General Fonseka, contended with multi-pronged ongoing military offensives as Tiger strongholds in Kilinochchi and Mullaittvu districts fall one after the other, wanted his troops to further seal any possible routes for infiltration of terrorists into captured and dominating areas.

Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake has ruled out negotiations with the LTTE until terrorism is wiped out entirely.

People should exercise their franchise at the forthcoming polls in a manner that fulfils their responsibility to eliminate the menace, he told an election rally Kekirawa.

He said, "Our objective is to save innocent Tamil civilians from LTTE terrorism. We should fulfill that responsibility. Our heroic soldiers are committing their lives. Very soon, Prabharakan will fall into our hands. Tigers are trapped in Kilinochchi now. Heroic soldiers are prepared to strike at the correct moment."

"At this provincial council elections, all in this area should show their patriotism by voting for the UPFA and encourage the heroic soldiers," the PM added.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has urged parties in the opposition to make a combined effort, defeat the violent campaign by the ruling party, and safeguard voters' rights at the upcoming polls for the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces.

JVP Parliamentary Group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in comments to media alleged the government had unleashed violence and terror in massive proportions on society by using powers of the state and violating all democratic principles.

"As Election Day nears, the government is increasing its violent suppression. Therefore, political parties and civil society organizations that value democracy need to agree immediately on a well planned programme to counter it," he said.

"The opposition parties contesting the polls may have political differences. But, the JVP is prepared to join them and ensure the people's voting rights at this election," Mr. Dissanayake said.

He said the party was already holding talks on setting up people's committees at polling centre level.

"The JVP would carry on with its electioneering without giving into the terror and violence perpetrated by the government," he added.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Tilakaratne has warned Peliyagoda Police to confine their duty to investigate complaints.

He told the police not to assume judicial responsibilities and pass judgment over the incident involving Minister Mervyn Silva and Sirasa TV.

The additional magistrate, after considering submissions by OIC of the police station Jagath Rohana yesterday (Aug. 13th), advised the police to be impartial and to report matters to court.

The duty of the police is to carry out orders of the court, and if there is any obstacle in carrying out that order, police should report it to court to take appropriate action, he said.

Colombo stocks on Thursday were dragged by the plummeting Dialog share price on the back of low half yearly results but strong rumours on Hotel Developers Plc (HDP), the owners of Colombo Hilton, helped the bourse to climb slightly during mid-day, stock market analysts said.

They said the market will show sluggishness tomorrow as well with Dialog getting ‘assaulted’ further. Company officials at HDP denied uncomfirmed reports said shares the Treasury owns will be sold. The Treasury has 65 percent in the company.

The All Share Index decreased by 15.98 points to 2,435.25 while the Milanka dropped by 27.26 points to 2,857.32 at market close while the turnover was at Rs.245million.

Around 2500 university students have began a march from the Sri Jayewardenepura Univsersity at Kotte towards Temple Tress which has caused a huge massive traffic block on High Level road, Police said.

The students who were at the Delkanda junction at Nugegoda around 2.30p.m. had occupied one lane on the road forcing motorists to use the other lane for traffic heading in both directions.

The students from the Inter University Students Federation are marching towards Temple Tress to protests against the proliferation of degree awarding private higher education institutes in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s security forces are just 15 km away from the rebel capital of Kilinochchi town, military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara as saying today.

He said the government forces had made significant gains in the past few weeks and the military’s next target would be Nachchikuda where the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) maintains a big naval base.

The capture of Nachchikuda would end the LTTE’s sea operations in Sri Lanka’s northwestern and western waters, Brigadier Nanayakkara said.

A 10 kilogram claymore mine and a T56 rifle was recovered by Army route clearing petrol in Galmadu in Ampara this morning, Police said.

Army acting on an intelligence report found these explosives on a clearing operation.

Tens of thousands of people have fled areas affected by fighting in the Mannar and Kilinochchi districts following an escalation of hostilities between government forces and the LTTE in northern Sri Lanka, the ICRC said today.

Among those displaced – most of whom headed towards Kilinochchi – are people who have had to abandon their homes several times in recent months, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in its monthly bulletin.

In the Vanni – where it works closely with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society – the ICRC has distributed relief items to those most recently displaced, providing over 16,500 people in Thunukkai, Karachchi, Oddusuddan, Puthukkudiyirippu and Pooneryn with essential items. Temporary shelter materials, including cadjans, timber frames and wooden poles, were also distributed to the displaced, including those living with host families to help them accommodate their relatives.

“Although the upsurge in fighting is making it increasingly difficult for humanitarian workers to gain access to certain areas, the ICRC will continue to provide assistance to those affected by the conflict,” the ICRC said.

It added that in order to ensure prompt and effective assistance, the organization is coordinating its action with other humanitarian agencies both in Colombo and in the Vanni. "Many people have received basic humanitarian relief but as the number of displaced persons increases, so do their needs," said Anthony Dalziel, the ICRC's deputy head of delegation in Sri Lanka. "We are committed to staying the course and helping all those who have been affected by the most recent wave of violence in Mannar and the Vanni."

In June and July the ICRC also transferred the remains of 120 fighters on both the sides as part of its humanitarian efforts.

At least twenty LTTE cadres including an area leader named Thennaman was reported killed as the military gained total control of Mulankavil area in Kilinochchi on Wednesday afternoon, the Defence Ministry said.

A communication tower use by the LTTE has also come under the security forces control in the area.

Mulankavil was used as an administrative hub of the LTTE linking Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu Districts, the Defence Ministry added. Clearing operations are now in progress.

Meanwhile the Air Force launched an air strike using Air Force Fighter Jets at four identified LTTE targets located one kilometer East of Thummkai this morning.

Air Force had launched the attack in support of the 57 Division Troops already in combat in that area. Repots confirm that the targets were successfully engaged.

Sri Lankan Air Force fighter jets launched successive air raids at identified LTTE resistance points located 1km east of Thunukkai in Mullaittiuvu today(August 14) at around 7.30a.m.

According to Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, the sorties were made in-support of the 57 Division troops now engaged in fierce fighting with LTTE over the control of Vellankulam- Mankulam trunk road.

The Air force sources confirmed that the targets were hit accurately.

British High Commission in Sri Lanka today launched a new website in order to engage more effectively with the public in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan government and the British public interested in Sri Lanka.

The High Commission said the new website uses sophisticated technology and will be quicker and easier to navigate than our old site.

“We will use the new technology to improve our online services, to make use of new interactive features and to meet the changing needs of our customers. We have updated and expanded the information from our old website to launch our new website. The new site is flexible – we will be able to adapt it to make use of new forms of web engagement. This means the way we present our information and deliver our services will evolve to be available to customers in a way that suits them, the user. Over the coming months we hope to expand our use of the site’s interactive capability,” explained British High Commission.

The new site is accessible at www.ukinsrilanka.fco.gov.uk

The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka W. B. Dorakumbure has emphasised the need to for efforts to fully utilise opportunities under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to boost bilateral trade. Speaking at a meeting of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Tuesday, he said that both countries have signed the FTA some time back but it did not achieve the desired results.

He believed that two-way trade could be increased many times over with little effort. Both countries offer a number of goods which can be imported and exported to the other, the diplomat added, saying that currently bilateral trade is only around 300 million dollars.

He said that Sri Lanka could help Pakistan in the service sector, education, tourism, and information technology, also saying that Sri Lanka offers the best tourism opportunities, while inviting Pakistanis to visit Sri Lanka and see the beautiful country. The High Commissioner also invited the business community to participate in the SAARC country exhibition scheduled to be held in Colombo from August 28 -31, 2008.

Welcoming the guests, Senior Vice President KCCI, Iftikhar Ahmed Shaikh said that KCCI and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on co-operation but it failed to disseminate requirement information necessary to boost trade. He emphasised the need for frequent exchanges of delegations and trade information to boost bilateral trade.

Micro Cars, Sri Lanka’s only automobile manufacturer hopes to produce 30 ‘Micro Duodeck” buses every month.
Micro Cars has invested over Rs. 300 million for this project.
Chairman of Micro Cars Lawrence Perera said they have firm orders from the region and are now looking at more orders from Sri Lanka from the leisure sector.
The company hopes to market the Micro Duodeck for around Rs. 12 million. “If the same quality bus was to be imported it would cost around Rs. 50 million” he said.
Perera said that for the moment there is around 25 percent local value addition and this would be increased by around 10 percent by the end of the year.
The “Micro Doudeck” is a modern design fitted with Euro 2, Cummings engine, ABS brakes, automatic doors, air conditioners and low floor, for easy access could compete with any established European brands.
With a vision to provide solutions to the transport infrastructure needs of the country, which is most important to a developing country such as ours, has created history by manufacturing the fully aluminium monocoque double Decker bus for the first time in the South East Asian region.
“This modern design “Micro Duodeck” when used commercially will no change the outlook of Sri Lankan roads, and facilitate to provide a comfortable ride to the general public, who are presently compelled to take the most uncomfortable option of transport, as this bus could be used for city transport.”
The bus is fitted with 102 seats, and luxury transport fitted with 65 luxury reclining seats with footrest. With the expansion project envisaged in Hambantota, it could increase the capacity depending on the order levels within a very short period.
Micro Cars Ltd presently consists of 322 employees. They are confident that they could increase their cadre to around 800 after securing the potential local and export orders, with the commissioning of the new manufacturing facility in Hambantota.
Micro Cars assemble range of SUV’s “ Micro Rexton”, Micro Kyron”, “Micro Actyon” which too, was the first in Sri Lanka, under a “Technology Transfer” agreement with Ssangyong Motor Company of Korea, which is the largest SUV manufacturer in Korea using Mercedes Benz technology.
Micro Cars Ltd, the indigenous car designer, developer and manufacturer in Sri Lanka, is ranked today as the 14th country to have designed, developed and manufactured their indigenous automobile.
Micro Cars Ltd is the designer of the “Lanka Econo Rail” the economical rail solution to the country will embark on the manufacturing project in the near future.

Sri Lankan expatriates in Italy handed over an appeal to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, Wednesday at the Vatican City expressing gratitudes for the return of the venerated Statue of Our Lady of Madhu to the Madhu Church and urged to prohibit the LTTE terrorists from using places of workship to achieve their political and military objectives.

The rally was organized by the Sri Lankan expatriate community totaling more than 80,000 in Italy who are predominantly of Catholic faith.

"The Church of Madhu and its surrounding area had been used by the LTTE terrorists to advance in its guerilla warfare. The Church had been sown with mines, laid with pressure bombs and constructed bunkers, to advance in the LTTE guerilla warfare. Fortunately, the Government of Sri Lanka and its Defense Forces have removed all of these war preparations made by the LTTE, and the Church of Madhu has been completely renovated.

In this process, some of the members of the armed forces have paid a high price and some have sustained injuries. We wish to record our gratitude to H.E. the President of Sri Lanka and to the Sri Lankan Defense Forces for converting this region towards civil administration" the expacts noted in a communiqué released yesterday.

Following is the full text of the communiqué released by the 'Joint Sri Lankan Association'.

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

Vatican City

Rome, 13th August 2008

Expressing our gratitude and sincere thanks for returning the venerated Statue of Our Lady of Madhu to the Madhu Church and a plea to prohibit the LTTE terrorists from using places of worship and venerated religious symbols as shields to achieve their political and military objectives

We Sri Lankan expatriates numbering more than 80,000 living in Italy, predominantly of Catholic faith, now organized under the umbrella of joint Associations, wish to submit this plea with utmost reverence to Your Holiness, for your compassionate and sympathetic consideration.

A few months ago, our right to venerate the most Sacred Lady of Madhu was deprived by the transfer of the statue of the most Sacred Lady of Madhu to the LTTE controlled area. In this regard, we wish to extend our most sincere thanks and appreciation to Your Holiness for taking effective steps to bring back the statue of Our Lady of Madhu to the official residence of the Bishop of Mannar.

We wish to inform Your Holiness that the Church of Madhu and its surrounding area had been used by the LTTE terrorists to advance in its guerilla warfare. In fact, the vicinity of the Church had been sown with mines, laid with pressure bombs and constructed bunkers, to advance in the LTTE guerilla warfare. Fortunately, the Government of Sri Lanka and its Defense Forces have removed all of these war preparations made by the LTTE, and the Church of Madhu has been completely renovated. In this process, some of the members of the armed forces have paid a high price and some have sustained injuries. We wish to record our gratitude to H.E. the President of Sri Lanka and to the Sri Lankan Defense Forces for converting this region towards civil administration.

During the last three decades, the LTTE terrorists did not allow any religious or political doctrine to grow and develop in their areas. In order to achieve their main political objective, which is to divide the country, the LTTE terrorists have killed a plethora of Tamil leaders and civilians. In fact, the leader of the LTTE, Prabhakaran, a mono-ethnic megalomaniac, has boasted that he himself killed the Tamil mayor of the Jaffna municipality, Mr. Alfred Doreappa, a respected democratic politician, in 1975

As a result of this conflict, more than 70,000 people have been killed in both sides, including innocent civilians. Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister C.V. Gunaratne, two senior Cabinet Ministers of Catholic faith, have been killed. The President of Sri Lanka, Mr. R. Premadasa, and the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Rajiv Ghandi, have also been killed. The respected Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar, Minister Lalith Etuhlathmudali, and Minister Ranjan Wijeratne, were the prominent people who have been killed by the LTTE. In fact, the LTTE not only killed the leaders of all religious and ethnic denominations of Sri Lanka, but also made severe damage to Sri Lanka's economic and cultural establishments.

The LTTE continues to attack places of religious worship of Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu sectors. Fortunately, Sri Lanka can still proudly satisfy that there had not been any inter-religious conflict in its history of the last 2,500 years. Your Holiness,

The Tamil people consist of only 12% of the total Sri Lankan population. The large portion of Sri Lankan Tamils are now not living in the northern region but in the rest of the country, predominantly in Colombo and its vicinity. In fact, 65% of the population in the capital consists of Tamil and Muslim ethnic denomination. The Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese people live together harmoniously throughout the country. In the Eastern Province, 33% consist of Tamil people, and today a Tamil politician has been elected as a Chief Minister of the Province as a result of a democratic election conducted recently. The Eastern Province of Sri Lanka is now being liberated from the clutches of the LTTE terrorists. The Sri Lankan Parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers have a number of members from the Tamil ethnic community.

The large number of Tamil brethren who are now living in Europe are unable to return to Sri Lanka because of the LTTE terrorist activities. The country has experienced a development drawback due to the terrorist activities.

It is heartening to note that the international community extended its support to the Sri Lankan Government because of the development activities being carried out by the Sri Lankan Government and the efforts taken to defeat terrorism. So therefore we earnestly appeal to you not to allow LTTE terrorists to utilize places of religious faith as a shield to carry out their activities. We also earnestly request Your Holiness to pray for these misguided terrorist groups, that they may renounce their violence and bring them into a peaceful settlement of this unfortunate conflict.

Four persons were arrested in connection with the mob attack on the UNP Chief Ministerial candidate for the Sabaragamuwa province Ranjan Ramanayaka. DIG Sabaragamuwa, Upali Hewage said that he had stepped up security measures to prevent the recurrence of a similar incident.

The Postal Department has informed the Elections Commissioner that 150 polling cards had gone missing in the Thapassarakanda area in Kalawana in the Ratnapura District when a postal peon was taking them for distribution.

According to the Postal Department the polling cards were missing on Monday evening. The postal peon had informed that the polling cards went missing when he had parked the bicycle on a wayside and gone to a house to distribute polling cards.

An Elections Department official said that the Postal Department will hold an inquiry into the incident.

FIVE illegal workers have been sent back to their home countries after a raid on a catering firm in England.
Eight people, employed by Meera Catering, were detained and the Home Office is still trying to deport the remaining three.

Immigration officers clad in body armour surrounded the building, on an industrial estate in Parr Road, before checking the documents of staff working there.

The immigration officials found seven Indian employees and one Sri Lankan who were not legally allowed to work in the UK.

Employers can face fines of up to £10,000 for each illegal worker hired and the Home Office is now looking to pursue the issue with the catering company.

A police security officer attached to UNP Parliamentarian Tissa Attanayake filed a fundamental rights application in the Supreme Court against his alleged unlawful interdiction.

In his application Constable Sarath Bandara Herath of Hasalaka Ampara has cited Division SSP, Ananda Wijesuriya, Headquarters Inspector, Samson Silva and PC Bandara of Mirihana police as respondents.

The petitioner complained that his fundamental rights were violated due to his sudden interdiction from the Police Department following an incident in which he carried out duties assigned to him.

He stated that on July 8 while he was on duty at Sirikotha where MP Attanayake was having a meeting, two persons started to video Sirikotha building and when he inquired they had said that they were attached to the government-run television station ITN and they were carrying out duties assigned by their seniors. But when he asked them for media accreditations they had refused to comply. The petitioner had taken them to MP Attanayake and there too they had refused to show their media identity cards.

Later Mirihana police were summoned and the two cameramen were arrested.

Subsequent to this incident, the petitioner was summoned to Mirihana police to make a statement on the incident but later the HQI Mirihana had taken him to custody. On July 13 he received a letter stating that he was interdicted from duty.

The petitioner asked court to declare that his fundamental rights were violated and asked court to issue an order declaring null and void the interdiction and award compensation of Rs. 500,000.

Colombo Additional District judge M. T. N. Laffar yesterday extended the enjoining order issued on three members of the organisation for the Protection of National Resources (PNR) preventing them from holding press conferences, meetings and issuing statements against the Diyawadane Nilame of the Sacred Dalada Maligawa, Kandy.

The court made this order on PNR chairman, Ven Kolonne Siri Shantha Vijaya Thera, secretary Ven. Sumangala Thera, organiser, B. U. Dias Hengamuwa who had allegedly made public statements and complained to the Commission to Investigate into Allegations of Bribery or Corruption against the Diyawadana Nilame, Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara.

The plaintiff Dela Bandara has complained that the defendants had made defamatory statements to the media claiming that he was responsible for the alleged disappearance of 25 gold-plated Buddha Statues which were in Dalada Maligawa.

A number of articles had appeared in the newspapers of Upali Newspapers Ltd throughout the month of June and this has caused damage to his reputation and goodwill, the plaintiff claimed. He estimated the damage at Rs. 500 million.

The Court directed the defendant to file objections and fixed the inquiry for August 20.

Sabaragamuwa province UNP Chief Ministerial candidate Ranjan Ramanayaka and UNP MP Dunesh Gankanda sustained injuries when their convoy came under attack by UPFA supporters in the palabaddala area of the Ratnapura district today evening, party General Secretary Tissa Attanayaka told Timesonline.

Mr. Ramanayaka said he sustained slight injuries, but said at least eight of their vehicles had been badly damaged.

Mr. Attanayaka said that he spoke to Mr. Ramanayaka who was at the Pelmadulla police short while ago and was told that he had sustained injuries.

Eyewitnesses said that the convoy was stoned and the first vehicle in the convoy was the most damaged vehicle.

The attack came ahead of a proposed visit by opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to the Ratnapura district on Friday and Saturday.

Western Provincial Council opposition leader Kithsiri Kahatapitiya who is handling Mr. Ramanayaka’s campaign told Timesonline that a large group surrounded the vehicles and attacked them with stones.

Pakistani investors have been offered to set up textile units in Sri Lanka where there is no load-shedding and an easy access is available to markets in the USA and EU.

The offer was made by High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Dr W. B. Dorakumbura in a meeting with Sindh Industries Minister Rauf Siddiqui at the latter’s office on Tuesday.

Responding to the offer, the minister stressed the need for a joint strategy for industrialisation based on export-oriented joint ventures, especially in the textile sector to be set up in both the countries.

The high commissioner called for efforts for increasing bilateral trade between the two countries from the exiting level of $300 million to $1 billion under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between them.

He said that the existing trade balance was in Pakistan’s favour which could be corrected by more imports to Pakistan.

He said that Pakistan could import tea, coconut oil and betel leaf from Sri Lanka while Pakistan exports to his country include yarn, grey cloth, basmati rice and fruits, especially mango.

The Sri Lankan envoy urged the Pakistan government to reduce import duty on betel leaf which has been raised in the new budget from Rs150 to Rs200 per kg.

Dr Dorakumbure urged Pakistan to send a larger trade delegation to the Saarc fair scheduled to be held in Colombo from Aug 28 to 31.

He said that Pakistani delegation should comprise at least 50 businessmen as India is sending about 100 businessmen to the fair.

Earlier on a directive from the Sindh minister, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) increased the size of trade delegation for Saarc fair from 10 to 14.

He said that the Sindh province had great potential for promoting tourism as it had ancient religious places for Hindus and Buddhists.

These sites are mostly situated in Tharparkar, Jacobabad and Sukkur.

It could be a good source of revenue generation for the Sindh government.

At present about 300,000 to 400,000 tourists go to India for a visit to ancient religious sites. If the Sindh province publicises its ancient Hindu and Buddhist sites, it can attract about 100,000 pilgrims from Sri Lanka.

The meeting was in a series of the meetings the minister is holding with envoys of different countries with a view to attract foreign investment in the country.

Earlier, he held a meeting with ambassadors of oil-rich Gulf states, inviting them to invest in Pakistan’s telecommunications, real estate and agriculture sectors.

KUWAIT CITY : The Kuwait embassy in Colombo will soon restart stamping visas of Sri Lankan domestic workers, a source told the Arab Times on condition of anonymity. This came after Kuwait last month stopped stamping visas of Sri Lankan workers even as it was not clear what prompted the move. It may be recalled that India and Kuwait were also locked in a visa row and the stand-off came to an end after India adopted a labour contract based on Kuwaiti model. Meanwhile, a senior official at the Sri Lankan Labour Ministry told the Arab Times that his country has not taken “any measure to stop sending Sri Lankan maids to Kuwait.” The official, who requested his name not be used, was reacting to news reports which said the Sri Lankan government had stopped exporting domestic manpower to Kuwait after complaints of abuse witnessed an increase.


The official added: “At the moment we are in the process of upgrading the quality of our domestic workforce.” Like many other countries, Sri Lankan has a set a minimum wage of KD 60 to its domestic workers but recruitment agencies are continuing to pay them KD 45, according to Manpower Recruitment Agencies. Kuwait is the only country among the GCC which has insurance and legal cover for domestic maids and the government is also planning to build a permanent shelter for runaway maids. Last week, Sri Lanka said that it wants to reduce the number of maids it sends to the Middle East owing to a rise in complaints by overseas women workers.

Kuwait : A 20-year-old Sri Lankan housemaid has been admitted to the intensive care unit of the Jahra Hospital following a void attempt to end her life by swallowing a chemical substance, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. A case of attempted suicide has been registered against her. Meanwhile, police are waiting to interrogate her why she wanted to end her life.

Lanka Milk Foods has ventured into new fields in keeping with the country’s need for hygienically produced milk products, in addition to marketing the well renowned brand of full cream milk powder ‘Lakspray’ and they have through their subsidiaries introduced many new products that cater to the market.
In 2001 Lanka Milk Foods leased out the Ambewela and Pattipola Dairy Farms and over the last seven years have shown vast improvements in the quality of milk , which is now manufactured up to the best standards in Western Europe , Australia and New Zealand. The yield of milk per cow has increased by 50% over this period. These significant achievements have been recognized by the Department of Agriculture, which in the year 2007 awarded Pattipola farm the title of ‘The Best Large Scale Dairy Farm in Sri Lanka’ and Pattipola also has the honour of having the title of ‘The Best European Cow in Sri Lanka’ amongst its herd. Director Finance and Administration, Ambewela Farms Ranjit Attygalle says, ‘The lush green fields where the cows graze in the cool and misty climate of Nuwara Eliya provides an ideal environment to produce the best quality milk. In addition, the herd is under the supervision of a resident Veterinary Surgeon and the feed given to them other than grass is based on a formula specially designed by professionals in this field. To supplement this feed we have improved the quality of the grass at the farms by importing 16 consignments of Rye Grass Seeds from New Zealand, in the face of numerous obstacles. High quality cattle semen imported from New Zealand ensures that the breed of the herd is constantly up-graded to be on par with international standards. Ambewela Dairy Farms is the market leader in liquid milk production in Sri Lanka, and produces quality fresh milk from ‘Ayrshires’ and ‘Friesians’, both high yielding European breeds of cattle”.

“As most of you are aware, nutritive quality of milk is extremely sensitive. Thus, Alfa Laval milking machinery is used at our farms for automated milking, in order to prevent the introduction of any kind of bacteria in the milk. Bacteria in milk will double in twenty minutes. In other words, if left un-refrigerated, after a few hours the milk becomes coloured water without any nutritional value. In order to prevent this problem, the milk at our farms is immediately chilled to 4 degrees centigrade, and the chilled milk is thereafter transported to our factory in Welisara in temperature controlled bowzers. These procedures ensure that our milk maintains a bacteria count below 100,000 units per millilitre which is equivalent to the bacterial count in milk produced in Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. We can also proudly say that Ambewela milk is untouched by human hands from the udder of the cow until it is poured in to a glass at your home.”

Ambewela Products (Pvt) Ltd was formed with a long term vision to improve the dairy industry in Sri Lanka. We have embarked on an initiative of national importance and are in the process of setting up a brand new state-of-the-art Dairy Plant, one of a kind in South Asia with an investment worth over Rs.1 billion. The dairy plant is scheduled to be completed and begin operations by December this year. With the new plant, Ambewela Farms are ready to take a giant leap forward by giving consumers a wide variety of milk packs and dairy products such as Cheese and Yoghurt, which is manufactured up to the highest international standards. This plant has a capacity to produce 9.6 million litres of milk and milk based products, thus easing the dependence Sri Lanka currently has on imported full cream milk powder.

Director Marketing, Mr. Lal Saranapala says that the “Dairy Industry in Sri Lanka is in its infancy. Thus, we cannot continue to rely on importing full cream milk powder when the prices keep on escalating. Sri Lanka’s requirement of liquid milk is around 1 billion litres per year, and we currently import about 60,000 MTs of milk powder per annum which is 80% of our requirement, thus draining valuable foreign exchange from our country. Our goal is to contribute, in no small measure , to improve the dairy industry in this country, and we have made this huge investment as patriotic corporate citizens in order to commit to the improvement of the national dairy industry. Our current portfolio of fresh and flavoured milk products available in 200ml and 1 litre packs are Ambewela Fresh Milk, and the Daily brand flavoured milk in Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana, and Iced Coffee flavours.

“I am also pleased to announce the introduction of two new refreshing flavours available for the first time in Sri Lanka, namely Kulfi and Faluda. I am certain these two flavours will be a hit with consumers. Children need a high in take of milk in order to build strong bones and retain enough calcium in their bodies for later years. Our flavoured milk under the brand name ‘Daily’ makes drinking milk fun as well as nutritious.

“There is no doubt that Lanka Milk Foods and its subsidiaries, Lanka Dairies Limited, Ambewela and Pattipola Farms and Ambewela Products Limited are moving in the right direction by providing Sri Lankan consumers with the best quality milk and developing the dairy industry to avoid dependence on imported full cream milk powder.”

A bus tyre exploded causing panic among the people in Fort a shortwhile ago, Police said.

Police said they had received several telephone calls as well as the people in the area had though it was a bomb explosion.

Colombo stock indices closed on Wednesday on a mixed note on the back of strong activity in the hotel sector shares while blue chips such as John Keells Holdings (JKH), Sri Lanka Telecom, Hayleys and LIOC declined, brokers said.

“Most hotels such as Hotel Developers Plc (HDP) which owns the Hilton, Kandy Hotels, Reefcomber and Taj Hotels were heavily traded. HDP traded as there was speculation that the government was planning to sell its stake in the company,” one broker said.

Some stock market analysts said that for sometime the hotel sector was highly under performing and most these share prices traded below their book value. Srimal Liyanage, Head of Research Lanka Securities, said that since the hotel share prices have come down sharply and industry is operating under a worst scenario, there can be an improvement in hotel counters due to certain aspects.
“On the one hand we expect strategic deals to take place (especially in standalone hotels) due to difficulties faced by existing owners to continue the business and potential buyers find it cheaper to acquire a listed firm than incurring a high cost to construct one,” he said. The All Share Index increased by 4.05 points to 2,451.23 while the Milanka dropped by 9.69 points to 2,894.27 when the market closed. Total turnover stood at Rs.293 million.

Laxapana Batteries PLC, one of the oldest Sri Lankan torch battery manufacturers, said on Wednesday that it plans to offer 18 million ordinary shares in a rights issue aimed at raising funds to settle debts.

The proceeds of the issue will be utilized to repay advances obtained from Darley Butler & Co. Ltd. (DBCL) to fund working capital requirements and to settle the loan outstandings to DBSL. In a filing with the Colombo Stock Exchange, the company said the Board of Directors decided at a meeting yesterday that the shares would be issued at Rs 5 per share on the 2-for-1 share basis, subject to the approval of shareholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting.

The first half 2008 net profit of Dialog Telekom, Sri Lanka’s biggest mobile phone provider, fell sharply by 66 percent to Rs 1.6 billion against the same period in 2007, stunning the Colombo bourse.

Brokers and analysts said the profits were expected to be low given rising competition from existing mobile phone players and also Dialog losing market share. “But this is below all expectations,” one analyst said.

Its 2nd quarter 2008 results were even worse with net profit down 78 percent year on year to Rs 538 million.

The results were announced after trading in the Colombo Stock Exchange closed. In a filing to the Colombo Stock Exchange, Dialog, controlled by Kuala Lumpur-based Telekom Malaysia, said it reached a mobile subscriber base of 4.8 million customers as at the end of second quarter 2008, representing a 31 percent year-on-year growth. Revenue growth over the same period was however relatively modest at 6 percent. Analysts said the poor performance of Dialog being the largest capitalised company on the stockmarket is expected to have a major impact in the stockmarket tomorrow (Thursday).

Sabaragamuwa province UNP Chief Ministerial Candidate Ranjan Ramanayaka and his convoy came under attack by UPFA supporters on the Gallella road in the Ratnapura district today evening, a party spokesman said.

At least seven vehicles were badly damaged in the attack.

Rathnapura magistrate Jagath Kahandagamage warned Niwithigala police sternly yesterday (12) not to be bias as the justice is equal to all.

The magistrate made these comments in the case regarding the police arrest of five JVP members after a band of goons led by Minister Premalal Jayasekara alias Choka Malli attacked a JVP protest campaign in Niwithigala town.

Despite police objections, the magistrate released the arrested persons on two personal bails questioning why police arrested persons only from one side of the clash.

'Lanka-e-News' reported on Sunday quoting CAFÉ, organization monitoring election violence, that in 23 of the 29 complaints regarding election violence, the JVP was the victimized party.

Colombo Magistrate Manjula Thilakarathna issued summons to Sirasa News Director Susil Kindelpitiya to appear in court on August 18 to make a statement pertaining to the two CDs produced in the court as evidence connected to the incident of Minister Mervin Silva attacking the Sirasa cameramen and stealing their cameras at the opening of a flyover in Kelaniya.

The summon was ordered on the request of the Peliyagoda police station that is conducting the investigation.

Counsel Kalinga Indrathissa, through a motion, produced to the court an extra copy of the CD submitted to the police on the view that the plaintiffs had no confidence on the police investigations.

After considering the arguments of the both parties, the Magistrate ordered Mr. Kindelpitiya, the News Director of Sirasa to appear in courts on August 18 to make a statement on the produced CDs.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe says the North Central province, the once renowned supplier of rice to the entire nation, has today inherited only malnutrition and corruption from the UPFA regime.

He made the comment while addressing election rallies at Devanampiyatissa Junction, Elayapattuwa and Kokunewe today (Aug. 13th).

Mr. Wickremesinghe said, "Official statistics of the UN say 18 per cent of children in Polonnaruwa and 15 pc in Anuradhapura suffer from malnutrition."

"This vast agricultural region has 3,000 tanks. But, 80 pc of them have their bunds or sluices in ruin today. No funds have been released for their renovation. Instead, millions of rupees had been spent on ponds. Those who were behind these ponds became wealthy, but the people received nothing. The Rajarata paddy cultivation has collapsed now."

Speaking further, the opposition leader said, "The government says it should be reelected if the war is to be taken forward. But, the reason it gave for dissolving the PCs was that it did not have a majority. It is the hands of the three armed forces and the police, not those of the politicians that need to be strengthened to take the war forward."

"We are seeking a mandate from the people to prevent a repetition of the massive corruption that had prevailed in this province," he said.

Mr. Wickremesinghe added that the people would not be deceived by attempts of bankrupt politicians to cover up their corruption with the veil of war.

Sri Lankan shippers have rejected the report of a mediation committee that probed a dispute over cargo handling charges in Colombo port, saying the matter remains unresolved.

The dispute went into mediation on the advice of the supreme court which had been petitioned by the shippers, the island's exporters and importers grouped under the Sri Lanka Shippers' Council.
Shippers Council officials said they are demanding that shipping lines include what is known as the terminal handling charge (THC) in their freight charges, a request rejected by the lines who say it is a legitimate recovery of cost.

A mediation board, heading by a senior government shipping official, recommended a minor reduction in the THC which was accepted by the former head of the shippers' council.

But the council has rejected the recommendation, saying its former head had struck a deal with representatives of shipping lines without the council's authority, officials said.

The head of the shippers' council last month opted not to seek re-election at its annual general meeting at the end of his first year.

Officials said the shippers are now demanding a review of the mediation board's ruling and contemplating renewed legal action.

The dispute over the THC has dragged on for years with shippers saying the extra cost makes them uncompetitive and raises the cost of imports.

The council, an apex body representing the island's exporters and importers, has waged a long campaign against the terminal handling charge imposed by lines for moving cargo through Colombo port.

Shippers' Council officials said shipping lines have arbitrarily raised the THC and also introduced other charges apart from the freight rate, without consulting with the shippers according to existing procedures.

Shippers accuse the shipping lines of 'price fixing' by setting a standard THC and are demanding the charge be incorporated in the normal freight rates.

Shipping lines maintain they are only trying to recover costs and deny that they resort to price fixing.

The chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Saliya Wickramasuriya has been asked to resign, Sri Lanka's ports and aviation minister Chamal Rajapaksa said.

Rajapaksa told our sister news website Vimasuma.com that Wickramasuriya has been given one month to leave.
He was responding to a query whether Wickramasuriya had sent a letter asking to be relieved of his duties as SLPA chairman.

Rajapaksa said Wickramasuriya was involved in consultancy work overseas.

As a result Wickramasuriya was unable to commit enough time for work at the SLPA and Colombo port, Rajapaksa said.

Wickramasuriya is abroad at the moment and was not available for comment. An acting chairman has been appointed to the SLPA.

Colombo port is south Asia's transhipment hub but despite growth in cargo volumes it has been plagued by delays in operations as well as building new facilities.

The SLPA also made a huge loss last year despite the growth of business.

Sri Lankan tea exporters have called for more money to be spent to promote and market Ceylon tea and develop local brands.

Tea exporters association chairman Jayantha Keragala said a greater part of the funds collected from the four rupees per kilo tea export cess should be allocated to exporters.
If more money could be given, exporters can increase the shipment of more branded teas and increase foreign exchange earnings, he told a news conference Wednesday.

Tea exports earned 1.2 billion dollars for Sri Lanka in 2007 with Ceylon tea being shipped to more than 145 countries.

"We expect these export earning values to be greater in 2008," Keragala said. "Tea exporters play a pivotal role in the national economy.

The tea industry provides direct and indirect employment to over 100,000 people.

The tea industry was able to reach these levels of exports and employment having invested more than 600 million dollars in modern machinery, infrastructure and training, Keragala said.

Tea exporters association officials said the government collects around 1.2 billion rupees a year from the export cess and that the money should rightfully be ploughed back into the industry.


"If a greater proportion of the cess money is given back to exporters it will help," said Keragala.

"The cess money is coming back to the industry but the way it is allocated is the problem."

Exporters said most of the funds go to the plantations and smallholders as well as the government tea research institute and tea board.

"It is not coming to tea exporters adequately for brand promotion," said Keragala. "If more funds can be allocated we can increase the percentage of our own brands."

The total quantity of branded, finished tea products is now 35-40 percent of total exports and exporters want to increase this to earn more foreign exchange.

The higher prices fetched for the island's tea in recent years also means that workers as well as others in the value chain have benefited, Keragala said.

The industry also provides opportunities for lending organisation like banks as it needs funds for both working capital as well as factory modernisation.

The ongoing fighting in the north is leading to the displacement of tens of thousands of people from their villages and homes. Much of the territory currently controlled by the LTTE has become a battleground with civilians fleeing from place to place. Reports from humanitarian agencies working in the north indicate that they cannot cope with the demand for emergency shelter, water and sanitation to meet the needs of the rapidly growing displaced population. Unfortunately, it appears that the humanitarian organizations are lacking in capacity to deal with this crisis, in part due to the restrictions that the government has placed upon them.

The government’s stated concern has been that the LTTE will take a part or most of the supplies brought in by the humanitarian organizations for its own use, and to further strengthen its war machine. The government has been producing evidence to show that equipment and relief items sent in by humanitarian organizations have ended up in LTTE camps. However, the National Peace Council believes that the welfare of Sri Lankan citizens ought not to be subordinated to military necessities.

As a response to this humanitarian crisis, the Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph, has issued a comprehensive statement requesting the government to spell out its plan for the safety and security of its citizens in the north. He has called for the government to take urgent action to permit U.N. Agencies and NGOs to easily reach these affected people and help them obtain their basic needs. He has also proposed the establishment of No Conflict Zones in each of the three northern districts affected by the present fighting.

The National Peace Council supports these proposals of Bishop Joseph and calls on the government to make its response without delay. We hold that the welfare of the civilian population must not be compromised by military exigencies. They must be safeguarded from collateral damage and not be used as human shields in any circumstance. We call on the government not to use its air and artillery power to attack areas in which civilians are residing.

We also call for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor, with the cooperation of UN agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, whereby people who wish to leave the areas of combat are permitted by both the government and LTTE to do so in accordance with the basic human right of freedom of movement. The people who leave the areas of combat should also be treated with respect and dignity, and permitted freedom of movement, without being confined to welfare camps as occurring at present at Kalimottai and at Sirukandal, as pointed out by Bishop Joseph in his statement. We urge that the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement be followed by the parties to the conflict.

The Hemas Piyawara Initiative recently opened its newest Pre-School in Ganthalawa, a remote area 06 Km off Kantale. Built at a cost of Rs. 5.3 million, the Pre-School has 78 children and is headed by three dedicated teachers. Funding for this project came from Mr. Ness Yammin, a generous donor in Monaco, through Ms. Chintha Senanayaka, a Sri Lankan resident there.

Chief Guest on the occasion was the Ven. Bandagiriye Somawansa Thera, Director of the National Children's Education Foundation. Also present were Director Hemas Holdings Abbas Esufally, Corporate Relations Manager of Hemas Holdings Ms. Shiromi Masakorale and several others.

The Ven. Bandagiriye Somawansa Thera said it was a great blessing to have corporates such as Hemas which are dedicated to the uplift of ECCD in Sri Lanka. "I admire projects such as Piyawara which are done with the least publicity and which yet do so much for the betterment of children. The improvement of the quality of early childhood education is critical since it lays the foundation for the long-term development of the country. As an ECCD specialist I greatly value Hemas' services in the East despite logistical difficulties"

Corporate Relations Manager of Hemas Holdings, Ms. Shiromi Masakorale said that Hemas involvement with the Ganthalawa Pre-School began in 2004. "It was then housed in a small shed with 42 children. We enrolled the teachers in our annual Piyawara teacher training programme and formed a Parent Teacher Association to develop the infrastructure. With an initial donation of Rs. 50,000/-, we were in constant touch with the school and monitored its progress. We even conducted parental awareness programmes and brought the teachers to Colombo annually for training".

Launched in 2003, Piyawara is the CSR project of the Hemas Group in collaboration with the Ministry of Child Development and Women's Empowerment. Piyawara has as its aim, the promotion of higher standards in early childhood development, by setting up child friendly model preschools and creating awareness throughout Sri Lanka. Piyawara activities are categorised under education, psycho-social, health and environment targeting their employees, the community and society at large.

Masakorale said that since the development of the Eastern province is a high priority on the national agenda, corporates need to support this initiative to ensure sustainable peace. "With this in mind we opened a 'Piyawara' Children's Park in the Pottuvil area in May this year. Hemas already has three Piyawara Pre-Schools in the East – in Kalmunai, Navadanveli and Sammanthurai - each at a cost of Rs. 5 million. We plan to concentrate our CSR projects in the Eastern province, despite the logistical difficulties".

Piyawara is currently operational through 32 pre-schools island wide. The Hemas Group, together with the Ministry of Child Development and Women's Empowerment conducts many training programmes for teachers and parents island-wide, in order to promote the concept of child friendly Pre-Schools.

Last September, Piyawara, won an Award of Excellence for Support and Improvement of Education in Asia region as an outstanding, innovative and sustainable project in Asia, presented by the Asian Institute of Management at the annual Asian CSR Awards 2007 in Vietnam. Since its launch five years ago, Piyawara has touched the lives of thousands of children from all parts of Sri Lanka, from North to South and East to West, thereby resulting in a better quality of education for the pre-schoolers.

Hemas Holdings PLC is one of Sri Lanka's top conglomerates with a focus on five key sectors - FMCG, Healthcare, Transportation, Leisure and Power.

Singapore High Commissioner H.E Tan Kah Hoe, paid a courtesy call to the Secretary Defence Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday (August 12) at the Ministry of Defence premises.

H.E Tan Kah Hoe is a highly decorated public serviceman in Singapore who is also a Charted Architect by Profession.

In 1987 was awarded the Public Service medal and was appointed as the Justice of Peace in 1994 for his commendable service.

KILINOCHCHI: MULANKAVIL, the second most powerful administrative base for the LTTE terrorist outfit in the KILINOCHCHI. district, marking another milestone in non-ending advance of the troops, came under the command of Army this afternoon(14) giving another blow to the LTTE.

This area remained the most central coordinating unit for Tiger terrorists to carry out their urgent administrative work, conduct clandestine conversations attended by top LTTE leaders, to evacuate their injured Tiger carders into various other LTTE–controlled places, to coordinate sea movements, to maintain a high frequency communication network and recruit new cadres until it was cleared of terrorists.

The playground in the central of MULANKAVIL served as the most popular venue for LTTE ceremonies such as MAHAVIRU DAY and PONGU TAMIL.

Similarly, the major LTTE communication tower when brought under the troops deprives the terrorists of communicative links.

Large acres of cultivable lands of the farmers in the area were seen forcibly used by LTTE terrorists for their profit making or feeding purposes.

Strategic significance of this land made terrorist fighter cadres resist Army’s entry for two days that experienced heavy gun battles.

In addition, Air Force bombing on well-identified LTTE targets in the area assisted the advance of ground troops.

The Government of Japan has provided a sum of US$ 87,319 (approximately Rs. 9.31 million) to construct a bridge across Badulu Oya in the Badulla District and another US$ 87,651 (approximately Rs. 9.34 million) to ensure food security to the resettled Internally Displaced families in the Batticaloa District, Embassy of Japan said in a statement.

The Government of Japan through its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) annually funds several Non-Governmental Organizations and agencies operating at the local level to fulfill development needs at grass roots level of all communities living throughout Sri Lanka.

This scheme has been in operation in Sri Lanka since 1989, and has so far provided vast support towards a multitude of development and humanitarian activities at village, district, provincial and also at national level.

Bogus foreign employment agencies which have been operating for several years in the Kandy district have been raided by the Special Investigation Unit of the Foreign Employment Bureau (FEB).

According to Foreign Employment Bureau sources the agencies were operated under the guise of boarding agencies using the name of Foreign Employment Promotions and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwella as a cover.

The four bogus agencies all luxuriously fitted and operating for several years were raided by a special team of the FEB last week, FEB Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said.

The bogus foreign employment agencies were identified as Fing Lanka in Yatinuwara Road, Kandy, Trans Asia in Kiribathkumbura, Lasan Enterprises in Katugastota and an agency at a house in Gurukele, Galaha.

The Bureau expects public support in nabbing such illegal agencies operating island wide.

Colombo stock indices closed on Wednesday on a mixed note on the back of strong activity in the hotel sector shares while blue chips such as John Keells Holdings (JKH), Sri Lanka Telecom, Hayleys and LIOC declined, brokers said.

“Most hotels such as Hotel Developers Plc (HDP) which owns the Hilton, Kandy Hotels, Reefcomber and Taj Hotels were heavily traded. HDP traded as there was speculation that the government was planning to sell its stake in the company,” one broker said.

Some stock market analysts said that for sometime the hotel sector was highly under performing and most these share prices traded below their book value. Srimal Liyanage, Head of Research Lanka Securities, said that since the hotel share prices have come down sharply and industry is operating under a worst scenario, there can be an improvement in hotel counters due to certain aspects.
“On the one hand we expect strategic deals to take place (especially in standalone hotels) due to difficulties faced by existing owners to continue the business and potential buyers find it cheaper to acquire a listed firm than incurring a high cost to construct one,” he said. The All Share Index increased by 4.05 points to 2,451.23 while the Milanka dropped by 9.69 points to 2,894.27 when the market closed. Total turnover stood at Rs.293 million.

Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma threw an open challenge to the UNP today to declare its policy on the ongoing military operations in the North before August 23 PC polls. Addressing the media he said that the UNP never maintained a firm stand on the ethnic issue and was vacillating all the time on the fight against terrorism.

Five persons were killed a large number injured when a state run transport board bus collided with a private bus at Thirappane in Anuradhapura today afternoon.

The transport board bus was heading from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa while the private bus was from Colombo to Anuradhapura.

A part of the knuckles mountain range is on fire, Forest Department officials said Wednesday.

An area of two acres has been on fire since morning at the Forest department officials are unable to reach the place due difficulties in accessing the area, Kandy District Forest Officer S.M.Sirisena said.

He said that he believes that a fire set off by Chena cultivators had spread into the forest reserve at Dumgolla, Yahangalla in the Ududumbura area.

He said a team officials have been sent to the area to report back about the extent of the damage.

The incident was reported after a 50 acre land of pine plantation in the Wilshire Mountain in Matale was destroyed in a blaze that started last Friday.

The area has wide bio diversity with over 40 species of butterflies, 15 types of reptiles and over 80 types of bats being identified in the mountain, Gamini Jayatissa, an environmentalist in the area said.

UNP MP for Gampaha District Dr. Jayalath Jayawardane is demanding a fresh investigation into the blood transfusion issue after he found forty four date-expired plasmapheresis kits in a store room at the National Blood Centre on Sunday.

The National Blood Centre has been the subject of controversy over the alleged use of expired plasmapheresis kits and is being investigated by the ministry of health and the bribery and corruption commission. The Auditor General’s Department which also carried out investigations concluded it last week raising queries as to why expired items were being used for transfusions and why the National Hospital Blood Bank kept the plasmapheresis kits till they exceeded the date of expiry.

Dr. Jayawardane said he had visited the National Blood Centre in Narahenpita on Sunday when members of the public complained to him regarding the issue. "Looking through a glass paned door of what appeared to be a store room," he said he saw several cartons and that the floor beneath the cartons had been wet. "It appeared that some one had walked inside the room that morning as there were foot prints and had been on the verge of taking the cartons out of the room."


Dr. Jayawardane had then with the assistance of doctors from the NBC sealed the room and complained to the Narahenpita Police. He said the police had placed a guard outside the NBC over night. Jayawardane had visited the Health Ministry on Monday and had spoken to the Health Secretary and the Director General regarding the issue and they in turn had sent a team to the NBC to investigate the matter. The team, the MP said had discovered 21 expired plasma pheresis kits in the NBC’s store room and 23 in another which appeared to be the NBC’s switch board room. Around 11 of these kits were inside black plastic bags. There were also around 152 kits which had not expired.

However, Jayawardane held that the matter should be investigated as it is a national concern. "I don’t want anyone to bring disrepute to the profession and tarnish the image of the NBC. Dr. Jayawardane appealed to the Health Minister to intervene in the matter and ensure that such incidents do not occur again.

This is the first time the party intervened in the matter where as several trade unions affiliated to the JVP have been involved in the out dated plasmapheresis kit issue.

The director General Health Services, Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage when contacted said the ministry was waiting for the report of the inquiry carried out by the Bribery and Corruption Commission. He said Jayawardane had arrived at the Ministry to complain regarding the issue and that a team comprising the Director General Health Services, Deputy Director General Medical Services, Deputy Director General Investigations, a team of investigating officers, chief Internal Auditor, a team of auditors and Director Stock had been sent to the NBC to verify the MP’s claims. He said the health minister had asked his officials to carry out another audit into the issue. The minister wants a transparent investigation,Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Kahandaliyanage said.

The Director of the NBC Dr. M. Bindusara when contacted said she could not comment till all investigations into the matter had been completed. So many investigations are being held into the matter and she said the Secretary Health Ministry has asked the Blood Bank not to issue any statement to the press.

The Terrorist Investigations Department (TID) has released a photograph and other relevant details of Armugam Thivakaran, a hardcore LTTE cadre and has sought public assistance to trace the suspect, the Defence Ministry said.

The suspect is wanted in connection of numerous terrorist activities including several civilian massacres, the Defence Ministry said.

He had resided in the following addresses before he went on missing: No 32, Kanatta Para ,Kudapaduwa, Negambo, No 110, Alutwatte Para, Halawatha, No 195, Galle Road , Bambalapitiya and No 28, Boston Place, Colombo 6

The National Identity Card in the suspect's possessions bears the number 782424815v.

Information could be provided to the following Nos: 0112 - 321838, 0112- 451631, 0112- 451634, 0112- 384404, 0112- 451636

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday called for the Board of Investment’s explanation, on how BoI status had been granted to some massage parlours.

Informed sources said that the presidental directive came during last night’s meeting of the Cost of Living Committee, held at Temple Trees.


"The massage parlour issue was raised by one of the participants at the meeting.The President promptly directed his secretary Lalith Weeratuga to call for the BoI’s explanation."

Among those who participated in last nights meeting were Ministers Bandula Gunawardena and A.H.M.Fowzie and relevant Ministry Secretaries.

Election-related violence has considerably escalated in the last few days, the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) has reported, adding that incidents of a serious nature that were earlier confined to Ratnapura and Anuradhapura districts have now extended also to the Kegalle district.

In the Kegalle district, goons darted into houses of the UNP branch chairman and secretary respectively for Deraniyagala and Polwatta yesterday (August 11), damaged valuables in the houses and attacked inmates including women and children. Five of them who were wounded in the attacks have been warded in hospitals, the CaFFE has stated.
UNP candidate in the fray for Sabaragamuwa Provincal Council election, Priyantha Abeysinghe, who was returning home in his vehicle with his supporters came under attack from thugs led by a thug well known for brewing large-scale illicit arrack with the support of a local politician. They came under attack at Deloluwa in Deraniyagala yesterday night while they were returning after election campaigning. Their vehicle was also damaged, the CaFFE said quoting an official at the UNP election office at Deraniyagala. The thugs who launched the attack came in a red-coloured double cab, it was reported by a official in the UNP election office at Deraniyagala, according to the CaFFE. The attackers threatened the UNP candidate of serious consequences if he attended a election propaganda meeting scheduled to be held tomorrow (August 13) at Deraniyagala under the patronage of UNP national organizer S.B.Dissanayake.

In the two provinces, a total of 135 election-related incidents have been reported and of them 90 are incidents of violence reported from Anuradhapura and Ratnapura districts, CaFFE spoeskamn Keerthi Tennakoon said.

The International Federation of Journalists, in a statement, has demanded immediate intervention by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to order an end to Labour Minister Mervyn Silva’s anti-media campaign of interrogation and violence against Sirasa TV.

According to the Free Media Movement, an IFJ affiliate, Silva reportedly organised a protest by about 100 people outside the Sirasa TV station in Colombo on August 11th to call for a ban on the broadcaster.

Sirasa TV has consistently reported on a series of verbal and physical attacks by Silva against journalists, most notably a violent confrontation between the Minister and the news director of the state-run Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation in December 2007.

More recently, Silva assaulted Thushara Saliya Ranawaka, journalist, and Waruna Sampath, cameraman, on August 04th.

As they reported on a bridge opening in Kelaniya, Silva’s verbal threats against them were recorded on a camera, which the Minister then reportedly confiscated.

The FMM reports that none of the numerous complaints against Silva filed with the Sri Lankan police has been investigated “in any meaningful manner”.

The IFJ said that Silva’s attacks on Sirasa TV are highly irresponsible, especially in an environment where its personnel have been confronting alarming risks and challenges from several quarters throughout 2008, including murder, death threats, harassment and intimidation, slander, and obstruction by local authorities.

“Silva’s openly malicious attitude toward the media and hate-inciting speech and behaviour are a gross disservice to the constitutionally guaranteed right to press freedom in Sri Lanka,” IFJ Asia-Pacific said.

“Any encouragement of violence against the media is irresponsible and potentially life-threatening for journalists in a country that has long been considered one of the most dangerous for the media profession.”

The IFJ joins the FMM in again calling on President Rajapaksa to demonstrate a commitment to uphold press freedom and protect the rights and safety of journalists in Sri Lanka by ensuring his appointed minister, Silva, ends immediately his violent campaign against Sirasa TV.

UNP election campaigners came under threat from gun wielding TMVP members at Dalukana and Namalpokuna along Dimbulagala Road in the Polannaruwa District, according to reliable sources. About 15 persons from Mangalam Master group of the TMVP , including some who were in possession of rifles, arrived at the places where the UNP campaigners were putting up posters and pointing their guns at them told “You Sinhalese cannot be allowed to do election work in our land, Go Away” . They also ordered them to remove the posters already put up. This incident occurred at 1 pm today.

The UNP supporters went away fearing that they would be shot at if they defied, according to the sources.

Similar threats by the same Mangalam Group at JVP election campaigners were reported from the Polannaruwa district last week.

No one can claim that media freedom does not exist in a country where the President is depicted as a dog in cartoons, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Addressing a land deed handover function at Temple Trees for people in Ratnapura and Kegalle districts yesterday (August 12th), President Rajapaksa emphasized that he was yet to sink to the low level of a dog’.

“Who says that media freedom does not exist in this country? I asked Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe’s brother, Mr. Shan Wickremesinghe of TNL. Even he says that media freedom exists. I’m even portrayed as a dog wearing a scarf now,” a visibly agitated president has said.

These comments by the President were about a cartoon by Dasa Hapuvalana that was published in ‘Lankadeepa’ newspaper of today.

A senior official of the Presidential Media Unit who had approached Mr. Rajapaksa, had told him the cartoon had targeted not him, but Minister Mervyn Silva, sources at the Presidential Secretariat says.

Later, the PMU has, at unofficial level, has requested media institutions not to publish or air the President’s remarks.

CWC leader, Minister Arumugam Thondaman is reported to be utilizing state vehicles for his party election works. Green Dolphin Van No.251-2404 belonging to Walapane Pradeshiya Sabha, Blue Jeep No.59-5638 belonging to the Post and Telecommunication Ministry and silver-colored double cab No.251-9386 belonging to the Uva Pradeshya Sabha are being used for election work in the Sabaragamuwa province.

Winning the Sabaragamuwa and North Central provincial polls won’t be a problem, said Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

Addressing a rally in Mawanella on August 11th, the minister has thus expressed his support for the UPFA candidates.

“We didn’t enter the final game yet. Much will happen on the night of August 21st. We will come to your villages on that night and will only leave on Aug. 23rd after filling the ballot boxes…. , ” he said.

"Victory is not a problem for us. How can it be so if the President, Police and the Army are on our side? Therefore, we must pass the test on August 23rd. We only want the certificate of our victory," he added.

Security forces Wednesday (August 13) took total control over Kalvilan a garrison town of the LTTE, approximately 3kms Southwest of Thunukkai following days long heavy confrontations with LTTE bordering the western front of the Mullaittivu district.

The gain of Kalvilan by troops of the 57 Division adds advantage toward the security forces positioned in clear striking distance of Thunukkai a vital terrorist garrison along the Vellankaulam- Mankulam main road. The advancing military formations had to force through LTTE laid mine fields and traps despite continuous enemy artillery barrages, Wanni security sources said.

LTTE resistance disintegrated as terrorists were forced to flee with serious casualties, unable to sustain the intense military onslaught, the sources said. According to finalized military reports 2 terrorists were killed and many others injured during pitched battles erupted yesterday between troops and LTTE at Kalvilan. Military said, adding that a soldier had laid his life and another reported injured in the course.

Troops are now consolidating defences in the area, security sources further said.

Meanwhile, troops of the Task Force - 1 operating at the South Western border of Kilinochchi have also gained dominance at the Mulankavil and Pallavarayakaddu general areas Tuesday, Wanni military sources said.

A fire broke out within a temporary shelter village built for IDPs in Vavuniya, Punthottam. 80 houses were reduced to ashes and no one sustained injuries.

A massive haul of explosives were recovered from Matale, Kaludavala from a shrub jungle. Among the recovered were 25kgs of C4 explosives, detonators and timing devices. Police also arrested five suspects in connection with the discovery of the explosives.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that if they wish to rescue yourselves from the diseases fast spreading in the areas and from the inefficient Rajapakse regime , it is their duty to vote for the UNP candidate, Major General Janaka Perera . The North Central province residents have been made invalids by this Government which has not acted to provide adequate health services and sanitary facilities to the people. Many of them are ailing from Kidney diseases, he added.
It is during the six year period when the UPFA candidate Berty Premalal was the Chief Minister of the North Central province he has created a record by making over 10,000 of the residents get afflicted with diseases. Premalal neglected his electorate so much so that he could not even save the sick and prevent the spread of disease. Of course , he has taken special pains in developing himself , though he did not develop the electorate .
During the last four years of existence of this North Central Provincial Council , the Council was run with the assistance of the government Yet, neither the President nor the government or the Provincial Council did anything for the benefit of the residents , he regretted
The North central Province has not seen any improvement or development since the UPFA Chief Minister Premalal was installed. This Minister could not look into the vital educational needs of the children. Some Schools are closed, and most Schools are understaffed .Even the government Dispensaries cannot provide elementary medical care to the patients; some of them do not even have panadol tablets for the patients. No wonder, over 10000 people in this province are suffering from kidney diseases, he exclaimed.
Every sector is bungled while the government is preoccupied with politicizing objectives and seeking cheap political gains by oppression and terror tactics forcing civilians to bow to their pressures. At elections too, the government doesn’t want to win by doing honest work in the interests of the people and electorate, it is like the fly by night businessman who wants to make a fast buck. During election time it uses all the violence and terror, lay some foundation stones, offer some election ‘gundus’ and promises, and plunder victory. The Government shamelessly thinks this is the sole purpose for which it was elected.

The SLAF fighter jets launched precision air sorties at a pre-identified LTTE strongpoint at Cheinkkonmalai, located 9km North of Vellankulam in Kilinochchi, Tuesday (August 12) at around 3.30p.m.
Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said that, the air raids were launched in support of the advancing 58 Division troops, who are now strategically gaining good ground at the western flank of the Wanni battlefront.

A Sri Lankan Tamil alleged for links with LTTE has been sentenced to two-and-half years imprisonment by a Kerala court yesterday (August 11) after he was arrested by Police at Nedumkandam town, in Kerala, India.
The youth who has been staying without proper documents in the country and was charged under the sections of the Foreigners Act, which made it mandatory for a foreign national to possess proper documents while staying in the country, Indian news sources reported
The LTTE suspect Muthayya Sabharathinam a native of Vavuniya, was arrested from a hotel at Nedumkandam while working as a "parata-maker" Indian news sources reported.
The Police had arrested him on information received of his unusual visits made to a cyber-caf‚ from where he had sent messages to LTTE operatives. The terror suspect has further participated in LTTE's campaigns against the Sri Lankan military, the sources further added citing police sources.
The youth had fled to Tamil Nadu as a refuge and settled at the Mandam refuge camp at Rameshwaran after his sister, also an LTTE cadre was reported killed during a confrontation with SLA. Later, Muthayya fled the refuge camp at Tamil Nadu and worked in different places in Kerala until his arrest, sources further said.
In the last two years, India has arrested 55 LTTE operatives, 'Strategy Page' a military news portal earlier reported.

Colombo, Aug 12 : Two Indians have been remanded to judicial custody by a court here for collecting nearly Rs.7 million from over 50 Sri Lankan students and allegedly deceiving them with the promise of awarding a Cambridge University certificate after completion of a computer course.
The Colombo City Police were conducting the investigation into the racket, based on a complaint made by one of the affected Sri Lankan students. The two suspects were produced Monday before the Colombo Magistrate Court, a media report here said.

The affected student, living in the outskirts of Colombo, has claimed that through newspaper advertisements a university called 'Advance Cine Matrix', housed at No. 281/1, R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo, had assured a Cambridge University certificate to the students on completion of a three dimensional graphic computer degree course.

The student claimed that he paid the prescribed fee and joined the university and after a lapse of time another batch of students had also joined.

"They (the two Indians) had fraudulently used several names like Impulse Animation Colombo (Pvt) Ltd, Frammie Box and Advanced Cine Matrix for the alleged university to dupe the students and had attempted to close down the university and leave the country," the local Daily Mirror newspaper reported Tuesday.

The police have told the court Monday that their investigations so far have revealed that the suspects had collected Rs.6,090,875 as registration and tuition fees from over fifty students, it said.

With the police objecting to the bail application and demanding more time to complete ongoing investigations, the Colombo magistrate has ordered the suspects to be remanded till Aug 21.

The 'Advance Cine Matrix' is believed to be a Board of Investment (BOI) approved Information Technology Company registered in 2007.

An Indian High Commission official here said that the mission was yet to be informed about the reported fraud case involving the two Indians.

The ‘August 04’ Trade Union Movement is to hold a island wide protest campaign on September 09th, requesting five demands including a salary increment of Rs. 7.500 for workers of government and private sectors.
Speaking to ‘media Chairman of the Health Services Trade Union Alliance, Saman Rathnapriya said that the trade union movement has also decided to hold a token strike on October 07th as well.
Nearly 200 trade unions including the Health Services Trade Union Alliance, National Emplyees Union, Free Media Movement, Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association and the Private Bus Owners’ Association will participate the protest and strike campaigns, he added.
In addition to the demands on salary increments, the protestors will call for the implementation of an essential goods subsidy program for individuals with low- income, a fuel subsidy for selected fields and to removal of legal barriers that curb the right to take trade unions, Mr Rathnapriya said.
The token strike campaign would be held on October 07th if the government fails to respond to the protest on September 09th, he added.

In the latest episode of escalating election violence, supporters of the United National Party have been attacked in the Deraniyagala and Nivithigala areas last night (August 11th).
In Deraniyagala, supporters of a UNP candidate for the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council polls, Priyantha Abeysinghehave been attacked.
Three persons have been admitted to the Deraniyagala Hospital.
Mr. Abeysinghe has lodged a complaint with the Deraniyagala police on the matter,
Meanwhile, UNP candidate for the Sabaragamuwa PC polls, Nanda Muruththettuwegama has also lodged a complaint with the Nivithigala police alleging that a group of his supporters has been attacked in the Elapatha area.
The complaint also states that several UNP supporters have also gone missing after the attack.

A protest demonstration of the Unemployed Graduates Union came under the attack of the police anti riot squad today (August 12th).
Demanding jobs promised by the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’, the graduates staged a protest demonstration in front of the Fort Railway Station before marching towards Temple Trees to hand over a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
A large number of unemployed graduates from the several districts in the country joined the demonstration.
Convener of the Unemployed Graduates Union, Dhammika Bandara said that they intended to hand over the letter to the President as several governments including the present regime failed to them despite promising to do so.
However, if the government keeps on suppressing and assaulting the unemployed graduates in such a manner, they would be compelled to take organized measures to stop the President, he added.

India has warned Sri Lanka that it may not be able to win an ongoing war against separatist LTTE despite recent military gains, a report said today.
Indian National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan told the Straits Times newspaper that Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had been weakened but retained the ability to stage terror strikes.
Sri Lanka may win the battle against the Tamil Tigers but not the war as "they haven't got the Tamil population on their side", he said.
In comments that are bound to prove explosive in Sri Lanka, Narayanan said know the Sri Lankan government will be unhappy (at this advice)."
Narayanan was asked to give his assessment if the dragging war in Sri Lanka was nearing an end.
He said: "The (Sri Lanka Army) has made a lot of progress in the last few weeks. But even if they win the battle I am not sure they will win the war. I think they haven't got the Tamil population on their side.

"I know the Sri Lankan government will be unhappy (at this advice) but we are not interested in preaching to them and that is the best advice they could get. India can give this advice better than the Norwegians or any other country. These are people that we know, we understand. Do they want a situation like many countries have faced?"
Stating that Iraq was a good example, Narayanan said: "What we are telling them is, get the Tamils on your side by greater devolution of power. For them to be part of Sri Lankan state, they need the huge Tamil minority on their side.

"Obviously the Tamil Tigers have been weakened, they have met with heavier casualties than previously."

He said recruitment had become difficult, so younger and younger elements were coming into it. "All signs are that they (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, LTTE) are having problems. They are also hurting because of the ban in many Western countries, so they have problems in fund collection, movement of arms.

"What the Sri Lankans are not factoring in is the great deal of sullenness in the Tamil man. There are accusations of profiling even in Colombo.
"Our argument is: unless you give Tamils a feeling they have the right to their own destiny in many matters you will not succeed. LTTE's capacity to carry out terrorist attacks is not diminished."

Sri Lanka will have the exclusive right to exploit the outer edge of the Continental Margin of the Indian Ocean up to 1346 km to the South and East of its sea bed which is about 1,240,000 square kilometers or 20 times Sri Lanka’s land mass if the UNO ratifies its claim for the ownership by 2010.

The caption mishap on the Gulf Times yesterday of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa had been brought to the notice of the editorial by the Sri Lankan mission in Qatar, and the Newspaper had in writing apologized for the error and assured to carry a correction in tomorrow’s edition.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa insists that the army is on target to capture the Kilinochchi town, the Tigers' capital, in the next four months.
“It's possible by the end of this year,” he told The Times newspaper in England.
“You can't just push them into the jungles and wait. You have to search for them and completely eradicate them. Only then can peace come.”
The army says it has shrunk the Tigers' territory from 6,500 to 5,000sqkm and reduced their forces from 13,000 to 5,000 “cadres”. Last month it captured one of the Tigers' main naval bases. Last week it entered Kilinochchi district.

Several houses were damaged due to gunfire during a clash between UPFA and UNP supporters that took place in Elbanapalle junction in Ratnapura on Monday afternoon.

- The incident took place when some of the UNP supporters were putting posters of their candidate Nanada Muruththettuwe over the already pasted posters of the UPFA candidate Janaka Wakkumbura.

The verbal clash worsened when a white jeep belonging to non-cabinet ministers came to the spot with supporters of the UPFA who joined the scene with swords and guns. The supporters have been firing to the sky and chasing away the UNP supporters with death threats. This clash ended up damaging several houses in the area.

The UNP supporters too have come to the spot in vehicles and used guns to control the clash.

At least 10 students were injured and eight others arrested by the police after two student factions clashed over enlisting students their unions at the Ruhunu university.

The clash broke out between Students of the Science faculty and the Faculty of Humanities this morning.

Police were able to prevent the clash spreading.

Eight students arrested are being questioned by the police.

TULF leader V.Anandasangaree on Monday wrote to the President expressing his displeasure over the setting up of a special task force (STF) under the leadership of EPDP Leader Douglas Devananda for the development of the north.

He wanted the President too set up an interim administration structure instead until a final solution can be reached for the problem.

He further said that if President appoints Devananda to head the STF for the north, he would be creating another Pilliyan for the north.

Colombo stocks indices closed depressed on Tuesday picking up from yesterday’s slow market activity, stock brokers said.

Brokers said that index heavy shares such as JKH affected today’s indices. They said that high net-worth investors in the company are likely to be ‘stuck’ at high costs as they had bought the shares at high prices. “Only 9,100 shares traded today and this is because these investors want to maintain the share price at a high level,” a stock broker said.

JKH share price dropped by Rs.1.75 to Rs.104. The All Share Index was down by 17.29 points to 2,447.18 while the Milanka dropped by points to 2,894.27 when the market closed. Total turnover stood at Rs.155 million.

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau led an initiative to revive tourism and, through it, the economy of Hikkaduwa paid off with over 10,000 people converging in the one-time popular costal resort town.
The overwhelming response to the five-day Hikkaduwa Beach Fest that featured a jam-packed itinerary of day and night events, provided Hikkaduwa with the much-needed financial infusion that has been scarce in recent years.

Both the Hikkaduwa Hoteliers Association and the Hikkaduwa Tourist Service Providers Association commented that the Beach Fest had definitely renewed interest in Hikkaduwa and provided some much needed financial relief to local businesses.

The small- and medium-scale businesses were the biggest beneficiary, as demand for food and beverages and other amenities rose significantly due to the massive influx of people.

“We received very positive feedback form many of the local businesses, and they are already looking forward to next years’ event,” managing director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau Dileep Mudadeniya said.

Accommodation in the coastal town was also running a full guest registry, with a number of establishments, that had closed down due to the slump in recent years, having to dust off the cobwebs and open their doors for business.

“This is the first time in over 20 years that all the hotels have registered 100 percent occupancy; even the small businesses with one and two rooms were fully booked up,” president of the Hikkaduwa Hoteliers Association Siri Gunewardene said.

“It has been estimated that the carnival has pumped in 100 million to the local economy, based on the calculation Rs. 20,000 for a room x 5,000 people for five nights.

The event can also be considered a massive success, given that the inaugural Beach Fest was organized by a small group of volunteering university students coming home for their vacation, together with the team at Sri Lanka Tourism, the Ruhuna Tourism Bureau and the support of the Hikkaduwa Hoteliers Association, the Hikkaduwa Tourism Service Providers Association and Real Radio.

In addition, most of the communications for the event was carried out using popular social networks on the web including Facebook, YouTube and other blogs.

“The move to entrust some of the responsibility of organizing the event to the volunteers directed by the SLTPB team and promoting the event through traditional channels, has saved millions of rupees that would have otherwise been paid to an event manager to coordinate this event and for advertising,” chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism, Renton de Alwis said adding that, “I think this is a significant achievement for a state institution and should be the way forward.”

Plans are already underway for a bigger and more diversified Beach Fest for 2009, with some ideas on including more late evening entertainment for the mature audience, while the Beach Rave rocks the trance and techno fans.

While this year’s event attracted more locals as was expected, the interest and hype created is expected to attract more visitors from overseas next year, particularly from India, the Maldives and other Asian countries.

AN Edinburgh student has been awarded what is described as the "Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize" for his work in Sri Lanka.
International health PhD student Ananda Galappatti has been awarded this year's Ramon Magsaysay Award for emergent leadership for his work with victims of war and tsunami in Sri Lanka.

Originally from Sri Lanka, the 34-year-old studies on a joint PhD programme run by Queen Margaret University and Edinburgh University.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, which is considered to be Asia's premier prize, recognises Mr Galappatti's spirited personal commitment to bring effective psychosocial services to war trauma and natural disaster victims in Sri Lanka.

After studying psychology at Cambridge University, he returned to Sri Lanka in 1996 and set up the War Trauma Psychosocial Support Programme. Following the tsunami, Mr Galappatti founded a network of organisations and individuals to coordinate psychosocial services.

Government of Sri Lanka said it would not attend talks with the LTTE and the Defence Spokesman categorically denies rumours which are spreading in Sri Lanka on peace talks.
Issuing a special press statement on Tuesday he said the government never thinks of talks with the LTTE .He said government troops are doing their duty perfectly and the main objective is to liberate the innocent Tamil people from the LTTE.
“Our forces are working under a systematical plan to liberate the area and defeat terrorism .If the LTTE lay down their arms the government could consider talks with the LTTE, he explained.
Replying questions , he said the United National Party is making a number of comments on the on going war due to their political failure in their election campaign. They try to obtain the people’s sympathy referring the cost of living. However the masses of the Sabaragamuwa and the North Central Province have ignored the UNP .
The UNP had criticized government’s effort to eliminate the terrorism from the country. A number of leading news papers published these hateful stories and tried to demoralize the forces, he said.
Meanwhile the government said the troops engaged in Wanni liberation operations yesterday reported 24 deaths, 19 casualties to the terrorists in pitched battles occurred in the Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mullaittivu battlefronts. Also, 6 soldiers laid down their lives on battlefield and 21 suffered injuries during these operations.
Troops of Army Task Force after opening a new front on the South-western border of Kilinochchi district continued their push further northwards along the Mannar-Pooneryn (A-32) main road.
In the Adampankulama area, TF1 soldiers deployed in the coast observed a cluster of terror boats consisting of 5-6 boats hugging the coast around 4.30, last evening. Troops engaged the terror boats with artillery and mortar fire and claimed one boat was destroyed and 3-4 LTTE cadres were killed. Also, one soldier was killed due to the terror machine gunfire.

Troops engaged in Wanni liberation operations yesterday (August 11) reported 24 deaths, 19 casualties to the terrorists in pitched battles occurred in the Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mullaittivu battlefronts. Also, 6 soldiers laid down their lives on battlefield and 21 suffered injuries during these operations.
Troops of Army Task Force 1 (TF 1) after opening a new front on the South-western border of Kilinochchi district continued their push further northwards along the Mannar-Pooneryn (A-32) main road.
In the Adampankulama area, TF1 soldiers deployed in the coast observed a cluster of terror boats consisting of 5-6 boats hugging the coast around 4.30, last evening. Troops engaged the terror boats with artillery and mortar fire and claimed one boat was destroyed and 3-4 LTTE cadres were killed. Also, one soldier was killed due to the terror machine gunfire.
Separately, a soldier suffered injuries in an AP mine explosion (anti personnel) occurred in the Adampankulama area around 9.35, in the night hours.
In the Kariyalaimoddai area, troops confronted with a group of terrorists around 1.30 PM and claimed 6 terrorists killed and 4 others wounded. Also, one soldier was killed and 8 others suffered injuries due to enemy retaliatory fire. In a separate confrontation occurred in the same area one soldier was killed due to terror mortar fire in the same afternoon.
In the general area Kahekuda, 2 soldiers suffered injuries due to an AP mine blast around 3 PM whist engaged in a clearing operation.
Meanwhile, troops engaged in clearing operations in the area North of Vellankulama removed 11 booby traps and 23 AP mines during the day's operations.
Troops of the 57 division operating on an adjacent front to the TF1, on the Western border of the Mullaittivu district carried out their operations aiming at dominating the strategically vital Tunukkai and Mallavi areas, in course of the day.
In the general area Kalvilan , in the South of Tunukkai town 4 soldiers suffered injuries due to AP mine and IED (improvised explosive devices) explosions during clearing operations.
In the South of Mallavi area, troops conducting clearing operations found 2 hand grenades and one RPG bomb.
Troops of Task Force 2 , operating in Northern borders of Vavuniya district , had several confrontations in the Palamoddai and Navvi areas from last morning to evening .
Troops had two confrontations in the Palamoddai area and claimed 3 terrorists were killed and 4 others wounded.
In the Navvi confrontations, troops confirmed 2 terrorists were killed and 3 others wounded. Also, one soldier suffered injuries during one of the confrontations.
Meanwhile , troops of the 56 division operating North of Vavuniya , in the either sides of Jaffna- Kandy road (A-9) ambushed a terror group in the Koliyakulam around 4 AM and conformed that 3 terrorists were killed.
Meanwhile, on the Mullaittivu front (former Welioya front), pitched battles continued in the Mullaittivu forest as troops marched further northwards towards Mullaittivu terror stronghold. Troops claimed that 6 terrorists were killed, 8 others wounded and 9 more were killed or wounded during the daylong clashes occurred in the North of Andankulama, West of Ulathuvely and Kokkuthuduvai areas. Also, 3 soldiers laid down their lives, 5 suffered injuries during these clashes. Troops found 2 T-56 weapons, one RPG launcher, one radio set during subsequent searches.
Also, troops engaged in clearing operations found 18 IED bombs and 177 AP mines during the day's operations.

It is estimated that the LTTE terrorist outfit earns an annual income of US$ 200-300 million both by legal and illegal business recording the second biggest income among such group, the August issue of Jane's Intelligence Report said.
The report said the huge income is generated perhaps from shipping to drugs and extortion by a network of professional managers -both Tamils and others- across a string of countries and as a guerilla group its income is second only to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia whose income comes from its vast Cocaine sales.

"Shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles are almost certainly the most probable item on the wish list, but there will also be small arms and other weapons," Christian LeMiere, managing Editor of Jane's Country Risk disclosed.

The report also reveals that the banned outfit is generating income via a established network of Tamil Charities which are transferred to LTTE coffers, which the report described as an effective system of funding the terrorist group.

The LTTE has been evidently blamed for misusing and using the vast amount of money obtained from the donors during the post tsunami recovery activities. The terrorists have been misleading the international donors and have used the money that have been granted by them for terrorist activities in Sri Lanka.

The Australian federal government has prosecuted LTTE supporters on the same charge .

According to the report the Tiger terrorists are smuggling in weapons from South-East Asia and nearby parts of India.

Editor Christian LeMiere said, "But the progress of the war since 2006 has been against the LTTE, so it hasn't done them very much good," A series of arrests of alleged Tiger weapons buyers in North America, Europe and Thailand have also obviously worsened the situation.

The Tigers, have been widely condemned for their use of suicide bombing and are listed in the US, European Union and elsewhere as terrorists, the report said.

The report also said that the terrorist attack on US twin towers and the global crackdown on terrorist movements has severely affect the LTTE terrorists resulting to covert behaviors in the international arena.

(IFX) forum, where business and technology professionals gather to develop and promote adoption of IFX. Comprising of leading banks and technology leaders in the global banking & financial services industry, the admission makes Interblocks one of the few "service delivery" solutions developers globally to be appointed as a member of the forum.
With rapid development in technology, the exchange of financial information across a diverse portfolio of delivery channels in a cost-effective manner has become the need of the hour today, challenging solutions developers to adapt to these market drivers while maintaining the integrity of the transaction. Thus, the need for an open, interoperable standard for financial data exchange that is designed to meet the business requirements of the global financial services industry.

The IFX specification is a mature, well-designed XML-based financial messaging protocol, built by financial industry and technology leaders. Decades of combined experience and high-end design principles have been incorporated into its creation, aimed at meeting today's challenges. Developed "by bankers, for bankers," IFX is possibly the most comprehensive framework for managing financial transactions on the market today.

"Our software, based on the IFX framework, has allowed us the flexibility to adapt our solutions to meet the changing requirements of the market, without compromising on security. This flexibility has enabled our customers to innovate within their service delivery portfolio, constantly pushing the payments industry to greater heights," said Dinesh Rodrigo, CEO, Interblocks Ltd. He added that being an early adopter, Interblocks currently has the most number of IFX based implementations globally, and the integration of this framework has been the foundation of long-term client satisfaction.

Interblocks' entry into the IFX forum marks their position as a leader in the payments industry and augurs wells for their expanding global recognition.

With the issuing of a Mobile Television Licence to national mobile service provider Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel by the Ministry of Mass Media and Information, the Sri Lanka Telecom Group is now offering a truly ubiquitous experience across all emerging media such as internet, IPTV and Mobile TV.

With this licence, Mobitel SLT’s fully owned subsidiary would now be permitted country-wide transmission of local and international television content to its subscribers over its cutting edge Super 3.5G HSPA network.

Speaking at a ceremony held recently to issue the Mobile Television licence to Mobitel, Hon Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Minister of Mass Media and Information said “We are confident that Mobile TV will be an exciting service for consumers, as well as generate new opportunities for innovation and growth in the mobile industry and would also boost the evolution of the media industry itself’.

Also speaking at the event, Mrs. Leisha De Silva Chandrasena - Chairperson Sri Lanka Telecom and Mobitel acknowledged the Ministry of Mass Media and Information for its far-sightedness in regulating the mobile television licensing and for the encouragement extended to the group’s attempt in enhancing its total customer experience through the convergence of internet, Mobile and IPTV media. ‘This service would enable all our mobile subscribers to tune into their favourite TV programs from their mobile phone from practically anywhere in the island. For example, the Olympic Games could now be viewed by our mobile subscribers at a click of a button from their mobile phones.’ she added.

Subscribers of Mobitel could now access Mobile TV by simply making a video call to 555 or by logging onto its wap site; wap.mobitel.lk through their Mobitel phone. While the former requires 3G handset compatibility the latter option is available for both 3G and 2G handset users of the network. Further as a result of the network’s Super 3.5G HSPA network offering downlink speeds up to 14.4 Mbps, subscribers can enjoy transmission with hardly any lags or delays due to buffering.

A key Brazilian petroleum company which has already been awarded the Ceypetco fuel oil contract is looking at investing in oil exploration and becoming the next player in the petroleum market in Sri Lanka.

Petrobras Singapore Private Limited was awarded a three month term contract to supply the Ceypetco with fuel oil to the value of US$70 million following discussions with the government, the company’s local agent Tradis Holdings Managing Director Rizly Illyas said.

The Brazilian Ambassador Pedro Henrique Lopes Borio during a meeting with Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development Minister A.H.M. Fowzie had discussed the fuel oil contract to be used in thermo-electrical plants over the next few months.

The Brazilian government has eyed this venture as a foundation to long-term ventures between the two countries as well as the increase in relations between the two.

The ambassador had observed the possibility of Ceypetco being considered a line of credit with regard to Petrobras offering a long term fuel oil supply to it which has been agreed upon by the Sri Lankan government.

The Brazilian company will be providing 35,000 metric tones per month in fuel oil as part of the contract.

Petrobras was selected as number one from the seven foreign companies that took part in the fuel oil tender.

The company is well known for its extraordinary achievements in Brazil and as a world class company. It won its first contract in Sri Lanka by offering great quality and prices significantly lower than its competitors resulting in important savings to the country.

It is also the biggest Brazilian and South American company and one of the biggest in the world in this sector.

In respect of conducting oil exploration in Sri Lanka, Petrobras will be sending in a team to evaluate the conditions in the country conducive for such activity.

Moreover, having a presence already in India, the management at Petrobras is considering it a “wise decision” to get into Sri Lanka as well.

Illyas, observed that if Petrobras could blend a sweet crude oil then “we will enter the petroleum sector – and thereby become the third player,” in the petroleum market in Sri Lanka which is relatively a very small one.

He noted that currently there was a monopoly by the Iranian light crude oil.

Meanwhile, the ambassador is expected here in two weeks at which time the technicians and specialists are expected to arrive in Colombo.

Sri Lankan athlete D.D.P. Priyadarshani who was tested positive for taking performance enhancing drugs has received a suspension term of six months by the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka (AASL).

She was tested positive during the South Asian Athletic Championship held in India, and the AASL believes that Priyadarshani had violated the anti doping rule during the 86th National Championship as well.

The six month suspension term is effective from August 10 and Priyadarshani has to immediately return all medals and payments received by her after July 6.

Priyadarshani is eligible to return to competition after February 10 and has to comply with the following requirements.

1.She has to make herself available for out of competition testing during the six month period. This is a requirement made by the IAAF.

2.She will have to undergo a minimum of three out of competition tests with an interval of at least three months between each test followed by a fourth test to be analyzed for the full range of prohibited substances.

3.The samples will be collected and analyzed by a WADA accredited laboratory, probably in the Asian region.

TMVP Leader Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman has warned the frustrated LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran might use chemical weapons to protect his life in the future and also due to a series of military setbacks in the northern region.
Claiming the LTTE organisation is now militarily weaken, Mr. Amman said during the last 25 years, he was the one who defeated almost all the offensives launched by the then Sri Lanka government, when he was in the LTTE.

Prabhakaran was now planning to use the people in the uncleared areas as human shields for the war in the northern region, said Mr. Amman

“Though Prabhakaran continues to claim that military powers was his during the last 25 years, it was I who led the LTTE forces to defeat the security forces’ offensives such as Jayasikuru, Elephant Pass battle, Kilinochchi battle etc.,” Mr. Amman told a news briefing on the sideline of a series of political meetings in Welikanda last few days.

He was campaigning for Mangalam Master, who is contesting for the forthcoming provincial council election.

Mr. Amman also said Prabhakaran would not definitely enter the democratic path.

Praising President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa for their leadership, Mr. Amman said he expected to enter the Parliament in order to help his people in the east.

The Defence Ministry has given permission to allow around 200 devotees a day to visit the sacred Madhu Church in Mannar and worship the Shrine during the day time from tomorrow up to next Sunday.

Sri Lankan Shooter Edirisinghe Senanayake made his exit from Olympics when he finished 36th out of 45 in 50m Air Pistol. He scored 545 points.

The apparel market scenario of Sri lanka is in such dire straits that foreign experts have advised industrial players to get closer to their markets and restrict to a focussed number of customers to pull through the threats posed by burgeoning competition and increasing cost of doing business.
Experts have noted that buyers are no longer traveling as much as they did to visit suppliers and are instead hoping for business to come to them.Besides, during a meeting of exporters organized by the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), it was pointed out by Michiel Scheffer, consultant to the European Union on GSP market access scheme, that Sri Lanka needs to acquire better marketing skills for attracting foreign buyers.
The association is essentially an industry organization of manufacturers and Sri Lanka Apparel Marketers Alumni, consisting of professionals trained by the domestic branch of Chartered Institute of Marketing for the apparel export industry.It was also observed that financial crisis which began in the US was quickly expanding to other countries, impacting the credit availability to companies and thereby restricting finances.Moreover, since there is a shortage in raw material availability together with a price rise, there is an urgent need to increase production of fibre to cement the supply gap.
However, if the situation gets worse and if the country fails to meet the world demand, manufacturers may also have to make use of other substitute materials.Mr Michiel also threw light on the fact that retailers were actually looking forward to partnership with firms that are developing their own designs and can offer a wider service apart from acting as mere contract manufacturers. Even here, marketing skills would play an important role in projecting producers as competent thus justifying for higher prices. Mr Michiel then stressed on the importance of ‘narrow casting’ as one of the key marketing skills which calls for a focus on limited number of clients.
Further specifying on the advantages, Mr Michiel asserted that adopting better marketing skills would allow Sri Lanka to become less dependent on the EU GSP Plus scheme for its export of garments.Presently, the domestic industry is worried about losing the GSP Plus special preference whose renewal is due by the end of this year. Although the Government has refuted the accusation of human rights violation charged by the EU, it has advised exporters not to depend on the grant of this scheme.
As such, the only immedaite solution at hand is to polish and ameliorate marketing strategies that will help attract clients and expand apparel exports of the country.

The Campaign For Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE), an election monitoring organization accredited under Sri Lanka's Election Commissioner, said Monday that election related violence in Anuradhapura district is on the increase, and that CaFFE has received 127 complaints from North Central Province (NCP) and Sabragamuwa Province (SP), CaFFE spokesperson Keerthi Tennekone said.
85 complaints were on election related violence while the remaining 42 are related to violation of election laws including misuse of state properties for election campaign.43 complaints of election related violence have been reported from Anuradhapura district and 16 from Polonnaruwa district in the NCP.14 complaints have been received from Kegalle district and 12 from Ratnapura district in the SP, Tennekoon said.Meanwhile, Election Department Monday said that the postal delivery of polling cards to registered voters will be completed by 15th August ahead of the NCP and SP Provincial Council elections 23 August.
Nearly 45 percent of the polling cards have been delivered and a registered voter of the household should be in the residence to receive the polling cards delivered by postal employees, an election official said.

Sri Lanka Air Force MI-24 Helicopter gun ships raided an LTTE gathering place observed in general area north of Vavunikulam this afternoon, 11 August.
An LTTE gathering was observed in 4.5 Km north of Vavunikulam and raided around 3.45 p.m., defence sources said. The air raids were carried out in support of the ground troops of 57 Division, defence sources added

Ditech Networks (Nasdaq:DITC), a leading provider of voice quality solutions to the world's communications industry, announced today that Dialog Telekom, Sri Lanka's leading mobile service provider and a subsidiary of TMI Group, has deployed additional equipment from Ditech Networks to extend voice quality throughout its GSM network. This deployment further establishes Dialog as a technology leader in providing consistent voice quality to its rapidly growing base of mobile subscribers, no matter what mobile device is used or where the call is made.
"At Dialog we are committed to offering world-class technology to our mobile customers, who represent more than 4.5 million Sri Lankans who use a wide variety of mobile devices," said Mr. Supun Weerasinghe, Chief Operating Officer at Dialog Mobile. "Our partnership with Ditech helps deliver clear voice quality consistently to our subscribers."
In addition to Sri Lanka, Ditech's voice quality solution currently supports aggressive mobile services growth in several developing markets around the world, including Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, India, Algeria, Mexico and Argentina.
"Dialog Telekom continues to play a leading role in Asia for delivering quality voice service while rapidly increasing network capacity," said Todd Simpson, President and CEO of Ditech Networks. "As a subsidiary of TMI Group, Dialog continues to show its strong commitment to its customers by ensuring that they will experience superior voice quality and Ditech is proud to be its technology partner."
Dialog Telekom is deploying Ditech's Quad Voice Processor (QVP) and Broadband Voice Processor (BVP) products, each configured with Ditech's Voice Quality Assurance (VQA) application. These products are being installed throughout Dialog Telekom's GSM network. Ditech's products detect and eliminate network-induced voice quality impairments, impairments from the caller's environment, and impairments from mobile devices, in real-time on both ends of the call.

Poll-related violence is escalating in the Sabaragamuwa province, with the latest incident being reported from Veddagala in Kalawana today (Aug. 11th), where a JVP office was destroyed in an attack.
According to the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections, Ratnapura is witnessing an intensification of violence, with 30 complaints being received from the district.
Of them, 24 have been lodged by the JVP, CAFFE said.
JVP candidate Sujith Kuruwita said that a group led by Minister Premalal Jayasekara had stormed party candidate Sunil Gunawardena' home around 4.15 am on August 09th and attacked them.
They had come in a cab bearing number JF-3114, Mr. Kuruwita said, adding that a complaint to Nivitigala police under no: 2223 has been futile.
To protest this attack, the JVP staged an agitation in the town yesterday, which also came under attack by supporters of the Minister.
Five party activists, beaten up by the Minister, were later handed over to the Police and subsequently sent to the Kuruwita Prison.
In other incidents, a JVP activist and a relative of candidate Sunil Gunawardena were attacked in separate incidents yesterday, while a party office at Kiriella was damaged in an attack.
Mr. Kuruwita said complaints were lodged with the IGP yesterday, as the Nivitigala Police, not stopping at being biased towards the UPFA, but had also misled the court by saying that he had withdrawn a complaint.

The Rs. 3,800 million wasted on the bankrupt Mihin Air could easily have gone to relieve the burden on the poor people, said UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake at a media briefing today.
The airline had incurred losses of Rs. 3,700 m, and runs on a bank overdraft or Rs. 1,200 m - thus losing Rs. 3,800 m to the country already, he noted.
This money could have gone to reduce the price of milk powder for innocent children by Rs. 100, to reduce the price of bread for the poor man by Rs. 20 and kerosene oil by Rs. 19, the UNP MP said.
Speaking further to journalists at the Opposition Leader's residence in Colombo, he said SriLankan Airlines has suffered a Rs. 8,150 m loss in the five months it has been under the management of the state.
An additional Rs. 2,000 m had gone waste due to the Weerawila Airport project that had had its foundation stone laid, but abandoned later.
Mr. Karunanayake also alleged that the inefficient and disastrous rule of the present government had placed an unbearable burden on the people.
The Rajapaksa regime had promised through the budget to open Budget Shops and reduce the cost of living.
However, the CWC outlets opened by the late Jeyaraj Fernandopulle were facing closure under Bandula Gunawardena, with those in Kandy and Welikada shut down on the pretext of SAARC security, the UNP MP charged.
He questioned the government whether it was reducing inflation in this manner.

-Residents of the Kelaniya electorate asked the government to ban MTV and SIRSA television networks and said these channels violates local cultural norms and slinging mud against the government and the Hero of the Kelaniya residents Minister Mervin Silva.The residents of Kellaniya organised a demonstration at the Lipton Circus in Colombo on Monday and appreciated the service rendered by the Minister and said MTV and SIRASA networks are working with Tigers.
Speaking to media a resident of the Kelaniya area said Mervin is their Hero and the Multinationals cannot destroy image of the Minister using a cheap publicity . The protestors, brought in buses from Kelaniya, urged the government to ban the private broadcaster and called Mervyn Silva a god.
However local national political parties including a number of media organisations have condemned Minister Mervin Silva’s behaviour and said the President Mahindha Rajapaksha must take stern action against the Minister.
A number of cases were reported in past about the minister’s behaviour .
The entire country witnessed how the Labour Minister Silva and his supporters snatched video cameras of a Sirasa TV crew that was covering the opening of Peliyagoda flyover at the invitation of the Highways Ministry and the Information Department.

UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake says war, which is giving out an empty noise today, is being waged with a big bang especially during times of elections.
He told the media at the Opposition Leader's residence in Colombo today (Aug. 11th) that none of the heads of state attending the Colombo SAARC summit had uttered a single word about war in Sri Lanka.
The UNP had opposed not the regional meeting, but the unnecessary expenditure of Rs. 5,900 million spent on it, Mr. Karunanayake said.
There is still no mention about what Sri Lanka would gain out of the Rs. 3,800 m SAARC Development Fund, he said.
Commenting on the suppression of the media, the UNP MP said people were wondering what use a government has if it is up to gods to punish the minister who attacked a Sirasa TV cameraman and snatched his camera.
If the governance of the country is handed over to gods, Goddess Saraswathi would take over school admissions, and God Ganesha would have to advice the brainless cabinet of ministers, Mr. Karunanayake added.

WELIOYA: Seventeen innocent civilians escaping LTTE harassments in un-cleared areas of MULLAITTIVU reached the troops at PULMODAI Sunday (10) around 9.15 a.m.

AMPARA: LTTE terrorists detonated a claymore mine targeting a security post manned by CDF (Civil Defence Force ) officers closer to BRAVO junction on MANDUR road in CHAVALAKADE this morning (11) around 10.15 a.m.One CDF officer was killed in the explosion.
Search operations in the area commenced.

JAFFNA: SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY was disturbed in and around KODIKAMAM after LTTE terrorists damaged the electricity transformer that distributes power to the area Sunday (10) around 1.30 a.m..
Police investigations on the incident are continuing.
Repair work of the LTTE – damaged transformer was to begin soon.
This was the fifth electricity transformer damaged by the LTTE since February this year.Terrorists damaged two transformers in PUTTALAM, one in Mt. LAVINIA and another in THALAVAKELE.
The same day, troops recovered thirty one anti personnel mines from NAGARKOVIL area.

MULLAITTIVU: ARMY TROOPS continued their move Sunday (10) clearing terrorist mines and booby traps in the general areas of KALVILAN and CHIRAKKANDY west. Three soldiers were injured when they were caught in explosion of anti personnel mines.

Meanwhile, LTTE fired mortars at the troops south of MALLAVI. Seven soldiers sustained injuries in LTTE mortar fire.

A protest was organized against the media and in support of Minister Mervyn Silva today near the Town Hall, Colombo.

Sri Lanka's tourists arrivals in July fell by a quarter from a year earlier due to security concerns fuelled by intensified fighting between the state and the LTTE, tourism authorities said today.

Weightlifter Chinthana Vidanage tops the Group C of the Men's 69kg category by lifting a total of 293 Kilograms at the Beijing Olympics a short while ago.

Roy Bishop
Ajantha Mendis, the new “mystery” spinner has in a few weeks has made an astonishing rise from his humble beginnings in Kadalana, Moratuwa and Army CC playing in effectively, second division league cricket.

In the recent ODI and Test matches he has destroyed the top order batting of the West Indies and India.

He has the best Test debut (8) and two- Test wicket (18) hauls and has, incredibly, overshadowed the incumbent off spinner/Doosra bowler: Muralitharan, the world record holder.

It was skills learnt at his elementary school St Anthony’s with softball that changed his and his family’s life.

In addition to his off spinner, it was the flicking of the tennis ball out of the front of the hand by the middle finger for an undetectable leg spinner that he added to the off and top spin. He delivers and bowls at a brisk pace with a pace bowler’s vertical palm position. He gets only sufficient turn (that’s enough) and has a “gunner’s” accuracy on off and middle stumps.

Ajantha Mendis’ bowling has been compared to past mystery spinners: Gleeson and Iverson, both Australians. No one has correctly identified the father of the mystery spin and “carrom ball”. He is SONNY RAMADHIN, the West Indian from Trinidad who invented this undetectable leg spin in 1949 and who is the spiritual and historical predecessor of Ajantha Mendis’ bowling.

Uncannily, there are many similarities with the discovery and career of these great bowlers separated by half a hemisphere and six decades.

Ramadhin (with no first name), an orphan hails from south of the Trinidadian capital (as is Moratuwa) in a sugar plantation with no facilities or clubs.

He played taped tennis ball cricket with his elder brother and friends in the village pasture.

A passing club cricketer saw the 18 years old Ramadhin turning the ball both ways with a flat trajectory and fast arm action. He took him to the city where Ramadhin mesmerized all the top club cricketers including the WI. Captain: Jeff Stollmeyer.

Like Ajantha Mendis, Ramadhin bowled the off, leg and top spinners with the same grip that he had perfected with his brother. He was drafted into the Trinidad team in early 1950 to play two trial matches for the W I squad.

He was selected for the England tour and demolished the English batsmen with his spin partner:Valentine (their first Lords Test win and its famous calypso). It was the first time in history that the “carrom/doosra” was bowled. By a poor country lad who never played any first class, school or club cricket and was never coached.

Like Mendis, his first home Test was against India and Ramadhin destroyed them with his mystery spin taking 5 for 26 runs and match total of 8 wickets ( exactly as Mendis).

His action was fast and controlled with buttoned sleeves and strong, long fingers. He didn’t turn it much (except on a turner) but was on line every ball. As does Mendis.

Like Mendis, Ramadhin was never picked up by the schools, club or coaching system. He was his own teacher as is Mendis. Ramadhin became famous for his calmness under pressure, his friendliness and sportsmanship and his mental strength. Mendis has these traits as well.

Ramadhin continued all his life to be humble and loyal to his beginnings. Ajantha has the former and one hopes the latter too.

Ramadhin’s name will stand out in his country’s cricket history as the first great spinner and carrom ball bowler – Ajantha is also his country’s first.

Ramadhin’s negative treatment by the 1957 English batsmen who padded (and not batted) him resulted in the current LBW Law. Maybe Ajantha Mendis will one day be remembered as the bowler who helped to banish the unnecessary bent arm Doosra by a revision of the No ball Law.

Ajantha Mendis, with his impressive start in international cricket, his inventiveness, his character and strength will achieve much for himself and country. He will be emulating and continuing the mystery of spin that started by that little village lad in the faraway Caribbean.

Employees of Lanka Marine Services Ltd (LMSL), part of John Keells Holdings and the focus of a stinging judgement by the Supreme Court last month, staged a protest outside the oil tank facility and office on Monday demanding that the government hands over the company and its site back to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC).

In a scathing attack on the corrupt privatization of LMSL, the Supreme Court ordered LMSL to hand over the 8-acre property to government agencies on or before August 20.

At the office at Cyril C. Perera Mawatha, the workers wanted the authorities to take prompt action to ensure their job security after JKH vacates the premises on August 20. A majority of the 113 workers took part in the protest.

A trade union official said that a joint trade union front between the Inter Companies Trade Union Federation, the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya and Sri Lanka Independent Workers Union has been formed to look into the interests of the workers.

Workers say they fear losing their jobs as the management and JKH have not given any assurance on their job security. The court said the privatization deal was irregular and illegal.

"We are appalled by the statement of SSP Ranjith Gunesekara made at a press conference on 7th August 2008 regarding brutish Government Minister Mervyn Silva's continued violence against media in Sri Lanka," said the Free Media Movement in a statement.

SSP Gunesekara said that Mervyn Silva had a legitimate right to stop anyone videoing him and that it was illegal to film a politician when journalists weren’t welcome to do so.

Further he stated that Sirasa TV should not have sent a crew to cover the flyover knowing fully well the Minister’s hostility towards them.

These are incredible statements.

SSP Gunesekara’s meek submissiveness to Mervyn’s outrageous violence is an insult to the Police and the rule of law.

We unequivocally condemn these statements as a clear attempt to restrict media freedom in Sri Lanka.

We challenge SSP Ranjith Gunesekara to inform us under which law he proposes to stop journalists from covering public events and those taking part in them, including politicians.

Any citizen is free to record public events as they see fit.

Any journalist is free to report from, be present at, and record public events and those to which they have been expressly invited to cover, as was the case with the opening of the flyover in Kelaniya when Mervyn Silva violently attacked the Sirasa TV crew.

We strongly urge the Police to take immediate steps to educate SSP Ranjith Gunesekara on the basic rights and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution that guarantee the freedom of expression and the freedom of the media.

We call upon all media and journalists to disregard SSP Ranjith Gunesekara’s misplaced statements.

We recognize that independent media in Sri Lanka will and should not bow to the violent fiat of goons in the guise of Ministers or accept statements by lackeys parading as police officers.

Minister Mervyn Silva has told the Peliyagoda Police that he asked for the cameras of the Sirasa TV crew at a recent official function, as he was worried the footage of himself would fall into the hands of the LTTE, said Police Media spokesman, SSP Ranjith Gunasekera.

A team from Peliyagoda Police, led by a SSP, has obtained a lengthy statement regarding the incident from Minister Silva at his home on August 09th, the police spokesman said.

The police team has also recorded statements from two Buddhists monks who were present at the scene.

However, no arrests have so far been made in connection with the incident, SSP Gunasekera added.

By Tarjei Kidd Olsen

In Sri Lanka's brutal civil war some rebel women end their lives as suicide bombers that have killed hundreds over the years. A Norwegian documentary film that follows two 24-year-olds training to do just this has enraged the Sri Lankan government, but raises important questions about the conduct of war and its consequences.

The women are from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), often called the Tamil Tigers, a rebel group that has been fighting for an independent homeland for the Tamil ethnic minority since the 1970s. The demand has arisen, they say, in reaction to abuses and discrimination by the Sri Lankan government.

A third of the Tigers are women.

The documentary 'My Daughter the Terrorist' follows Darshika and Puhalchudar, two elite female soldiers in the Tamil Tigers, as they train for missions that can include suicide bombings against perceived enemy targets. It also talks to the mother of one, painting a tragic picture of loss and sacrifice in war.

According to the film, about 300 hundred suicide bombings are alleged to have been committed by the Black Tigers, Darshika and Puhalchudar's elite Tamil Tiger squad founded in 1987. Although the women insist that only military targets are attacked, Human Rights Watch (HRW) accuses both the rebels and the military of serious human rights abuses, including attacks against civilians and the forced recruitment of child soldiers.

Hostilities have increased dramatically following the gradual collapse of peace talks and a ceasefire brokered by Norway in 2001. A large-scale government offensive against the rebels is currently raging in the northern parts of the country, with heavy casualties reported on both sides.

Active Black Tiger soldiers have never been interviewed before, according to the 2007 documentary by Snitt Film Production. Norwegian director Beate Arnestad had to spend one-and-a-half years in sensitive negotiations with the Tamil Tigers before gaining access during the ceasefire period.

"I wanted to show the human costs of war," Arnestad told IPS. "Very often you only get official statements from politicians, but I wanted to see what the real costs are -- what happens to a population that has experienced more than a generation of warfare. Is this how terrorism is born? I wondered how people become suicide bombers, a choice that seems completely incomprehensible to most of us," she said.

Arnestad added: "Most families live very traditional lives, and particularly women. For a woman to first become a soldier and then a suicide bomber candidate is a huge and radical step."

In the documentary Darshika says she joined the rebels as a 12-year-old after losing her father, and suffering abuse and humiliation at the hands of the military. The young Puhalchudar and her family were rescued by Tamil Tiger rebels defending a bridge they had to cross to escape a military attack.

"Thanks to them (Tamil Tigers) our family was saved. When we were running through the shelling the army attacked us...But the movement fought back. That's how we survived. After that I felt that I had to save these (Tamil) people. I thought that if I don't join the movement, our people will be forced into slavery," Puhalchudar sobs in an emotional scene in the documentary.

Even though both girls are Christian, they are not driven by religious fanaticism. The Tamil Tigers do not adhere to any particular religion, according to the pair. In the documentary Darshika asks: "If there is a God, why does he keep us in this endless misery? Even those who came to church for protection ended up in pools of blood."

Producer and co-director Morten Daae says that while the suicide bombers are not religious martyrs, they are revered as heroes. "In the West there is a preconception that all suicide bombers are fanatical Muslims expecting virgins in the afterlife, but that is not the case here," Daae told IPS. "They don't believe they will be rewarded in the afterlife or anything like that, but they will be remembered every year on Heroes' Day, when all the villages ceremoniously honour their individual martyrs with pictures and candles.

"They are willing to go that extra mile to protect their country and their families and their people, and they are proud of it. And because they live in a very male dominated society, the female Black Tigers have an extremely high status compared to ordinary women. They are both respected and feared. When they are out among civilians you can to a certain degree see that they radiate much more self-confidence and authority than the civilian women next to them."

It took some time for director Arnestad to gain the girls' trust. Daae believes that the fact that Arnestad is a woman helped. "In the beginning the girls were very careful, and mostly stuck to the official line. I do think that Beate's position as a woman meant that her long period of trying to convince them to open up actually paid off, because it is easier to talk to a woman. Of course, she is also a very skilled interviewer."

Things became easier still when the girls were taken to places they could relate to, such as childhood sites. Daae gives the example of a scene in the documentary where Darshika arrives at a church which was rebuilt after being destroyed in the war, before being destroyed again by the 2004 tsunami. "She broke down completely because this was the church that she used to attend as a child. After that she began to pour her heart out."

While 'My Daughter the Terrorist' has won prizes and has been well received by most international audiences, Sri Lanka's government is not very thrilled. On their website they accuse the documentary of "glorifying suicide bombers", and unsuccessfully tried to prevent it being shown at a film festival in the United States on Apr. 4 by pressuring the U.S. State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Arnestad does not understand the government reaction. "The documentary does not justify terrorism or glorify suicide bombers -- rather the opposite. I also find it strange that this criticism is being levied a whole year after we first released the documentary. I suspect this is because it is being shown in so many places, while the Sri Lankan government does its best to impose a complete news blackout," she said.

Following a suicide bombing on Apr. 6 that killed the transport minister and a national Olympic hero, Daae received anonymous death threats via e-mail. The producer does not believe that they will be carried out, but says he understands why some people have reacted so strongly.

"For some in Sri Lanka it no doubt appears that a Norwegian man and a Norwegian woman are being so impudent as to support people that they consider as mere butchers, which is quite something. We do not support them -- if we support anyone it must be the victims. But it is not so surprising that they feel this way as they have most probably never actually seen the documentary and have only heard the government's version of events."

Filming for the documentary wrapped up just as the ceasefire began to collapse, and Darshika and Puhalchudar were posted to a new mission according to the Tamil Tiger leadership. Arnestad and Daae have not been able to trace their whereabouts since then, and do not know if they are still alive.

Brown & Company PLC expects to commence the commercial production of the Hingurana Sugar factory within two year's time.

Speaking to media Director of Brown & Company Ajith Devasurendra said at the moment they are in the process of growing sugarcane and expect to commence commercial production of the factory within one year's time.

"We will be investing US $ 12 million for the project. The machinery available at the factory is old and we are planning to instal latest machinery for the plant. This machinery will be imported from India or China," he said.

The Hingurana sugar factory will provide over 5,000 direct and indirect job opportunities for the people in the area, he said. The company is also now focusing on venturing into the dairy industry as well.

"We have noticed that there is a huge market potential for fresh milk in the local dairy industry. The local dairy industry is heavily depending on imported milk powder.

There are immense resources available in Sri Lanka for embarking on this type of project. We are planning to venture into this industry within three to four months time," he said.

Meanwhile Brown & Company entered into an agreement with the Havells India to market their products in Sri Lanka last week.

Havells India is a billion dollar company which manufactures electrical products ranging from cables to switchgear, lighting systems and fans laying emphasis on the environment and energy efficiency.

Devasurendra said Browns has a good reputation in the local market and they market world renowned brands in Sri Lanka. We are confident that this joint venture will be a huge success.

Both parties also looking at the possibilities of setting up manufacturing plants in Sri Lanka in the near future.

Head of International Marketing Havells India Vijay Malik said the company has eleven manufacturing units and they are focusing on setting up a manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka too.

"We believe that we have selected the correct local partners for our operations in Sri Lanka," he said.

by Jehan Perera

The Sri Lankan government’s ultimatum to all deserters from the armed forces to return to duty is one indication of the stresses that exist in society due to the ongoing war which is gaining in intensity in the north of the country. As the army advances deeper into LTTE controlled territory there is a greater need for larger numbers of troops to be deployed to secure the newly captured areas. The government needs to ensure that the LTTE will not infiltrate back into those areas even in small numbers, as these can harass and overrun small detachments of troops. Securing the territory is going to be a bigger problem in the north than it was in the east.

The difficulty that the army will be facing in the north is the mono-ethnic nature of the community located there, which is one hundred percent Tamil, as against the east, which is multi ethnic, and with a majority that is non-Tamil. Some parts of the north that have been recaptured were lost to the government some two decades ago. The problem of communication and getting information regarding LTTE movements from the community will be more difficult in view of the communication barriers between the Sinhala-speaking government forces and the Tamil-speaking population.

Another difficulty that the Sri Lankan army will face as it progresses deeper into LTTE-held territory is that the LTTE’s own resistance is likely to grow stronger. This again will be unlike the situation that existed in the east, where the LTTE cadre did not resist to the last man but withdrew from the battle. When it came to the east, the LTTE leadership appears to have decided that discretion was the better part of valour and their cadre would be better utilized by redeploying them to defend in the north, rather than to fight to keep hold of the east.

On the other hand, when it comes to resisting the incoming Sri Lankan army in the north, the LTTE cadre will have nowhere else to go. This suggests that they will fight very hard to keep the Sri Lankan army from overrunning the entirety of the northern territory they control. As the Sri Lankan army’s lines of communication get stretched with the need to defend more and more territory that is being captured, the LTTE lines of communication will grow tighter and their resistance greater. The reports of high casualties in the recent battles in the north suggest that the LTTE is still not collapsing under pressure.


HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

There are also stresses in society due to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the northern war zones. Tens of thousands of people living in those areas have been displaced from their villages and homes. As the Sri Lankan army advances more and more areas are coming within range of the army’s long range artillery. The alleged artillery attack on Mullaitivu town, and damage to civilian infrastructure and persons which the military spokesperson has denied, is a sign of things to come. The LTTE’s own strategy of setting up their camps in the vicinity of civilian settlements is likely to have collateral implications on the civilian population.

Reports from humanitarian agencies working in the north indicate that they cannot meet the demand for emergency shelter, water and sanitation to meet the needs of the rapidly growing displaced population. More than 50,000 persons were reported displaced in the month of July alone. They join the ranks of those displaced by earlier phases of war and the tsunami. Unfortunately, it appears that the humanitarian organizations are lacking in capacity to deal with this crisis, in part due to the restrictions that the government has placed upon them.

The government’s legitimate concern would be that the LTTE will take a part or most of the supplies brought in by the humanitarian organizations for its own use, and to further strengthen its war machine. This may explain the restrictions on a host of materials, including cement, water pumps and fuel into the LTTE controlled territories. The government has recently been producing evidence to show that equipment and relief items sent in by humanitarian organizations have ended up in LTTE camps.

However, the welfare of Sri Lankan citizens ought not to be subordinated to military necessities. In an appeal to the government, the Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph, has given a first hand account of the plight of the people. He has referred to the displaced persons from his diocese of Mannar, whom he reports as mostly staying by the side of roads and in the adjoining jungles without adequate food, shelter, medicine and other basic needs. He has reported that the whole region is on the move, and that the worst affected in this situation are the children, women and elderly.

As a response to this humanitarian crisis, the Bishop has requested the government to spell out its plan for the safety and security of its citizens in the north. In the absence of any governmental initiative he has proposed that urgent action be taken to permit humanitarian organizations with access to these areas. He has also proposed the establishment of No Conflict Zones in each of the three northern districts affected by the present fighting.


LASTING PEACE

Unfortunately, the pleas of Bishop Joseph and those of a similar persuasion are unlikely to fall on receptive ears at the present time. This is because military imperatives have taken priority and the government is unlikely to do anything that can jeopardize its military effort. The chosen logic of both the government and LTTE, and their respective supporters, is that the war will be the foundation for a future solution. While the government seeks a total military victory, the LTTE resists being defeated. It is aiming for a situation of hurting stalemate as occurred in the period 1999-2001 which paved the way for the ceasefire of 2002. The underlying belief of both sides is that the ground situation, rather than justice and fairness, will determine the political outcome.

The values of democracy necessarily take a back seat in the face of this logic of war. In the LTTE controlled areas there is no democracy at all and in the government controlled areas a National Security State has come to the fore. This accounts for the frequent road closures, restrictions on parking, night time search operations of homes and unknown groups who supposedly operate with impunity in white vans. Accompanying these violations of the rule of law and democracy are regular reports from the government indicating that final victory is imminent. In these circumstances those who publicly challenge or criticize the logic of war and propose an alternative course of action, are castigated as traitors.

One of those who have taken a public stand on the issue of war and human rights violations has been the veteran social activist, Fr Tissa Balasuriya. A statement drafted by him has called for a southern consensus between the government and opposition, specially by the Government and the Opposition for a constitutionally guaranteed sharing of power within a United Sri Lanka, to be accompanied by a ceasefire monitored by international observers, with provision for the LTTE and the other Tamil and Muslim political parties also to share democratically in the administration of the North and East, and for the All Party Representatives Conference to include the TNA and be a body to work out the modalities of the ceasefire, and the constitutional reforms.

An initial draft of this statement met with considerable support from Tamils, including expatriates. At the same time the statement was strongly condemned by many Sinhalese, especially by those living abroad, who saw it as a conspiracy to keep the LTTE from being militarily defeated. When a subsequent draft of the statement included a reference to a commitment to lay down arms by the LTTE, the Tamil support dropped. The response to Fr Balasuriya’s statement shows how on both sides of the ethnic divide the belief in the armed struggle continues to retain its hold. But this is the path to endless war and suffering, which Sri Lanka needs to get off if it is to prosper. A united country, a federal based political solution implemented by the government and the laying down of arms by the LTTE are the three basic parameters for lasting peace.

Sri Lanka is planning to trim the number of maids employed in the Middle East amid concerns about the number of abuse cases, a labour official has reportedly said.

Kingsley Ranawaka, chairman of the Jeddah-based Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), was quoted by an international media source as saying that officials have decided to curb the number of housekeepers due to the number of complaints of ill-treatment.

The bureau said that in the first half of this year, it received a total of 3,400 complaints, including 577 cases of breach of contract and 479 cases of sexual abuse and other forms of physical violence, Arab News reported on Monday.

Saudi Arabia in particular has been a main market for Sri Lankan workers. For years as many as 500,000 maids work in the kingdom at any time, according to data published by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh.

However, last year the US-based Human Rights Watch rebuked Arab governments for not doing enough to eradicate the abuses against Sri Lankan domestic workers in the region.

A European expert has advised Sri Lanka's apparel industry to get closer to their markets and focus on a limited number of customers to survive the threats posed by growing competition and rising costs.

Michiel Scheffer, who has been a consultant to the European Union on the GSP market access scheme, said buyers were no longer travelling as much as they did to visit suppliers and instead expected business to come to them.
The island's garments exporters needed to acquire better marketing skills, he told a meeting of exporters.

It was organised by the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), an umbrella industry organisation of manufacturers and the Sri Lanka Apparel Marketers Alumni, consisting of professionals trained by the Sri Lanka branch of the Chartered Institute of Marketing for the apparel export industry.

"We're going through rougher times," Scheffer said, noting that the financial crisis that began in the United States was spreading and affecting the credit availability to companies, resulting in a tightening of their finances.

The availability of materials was getting shorter in supply and prices rising.

"There is a need to increase production of fibre to bridge the fibre supply gap. We don't have enough material to cater to world demand and may need to use other materials."

Scheffer, who is a professor of fashion and textile management at the University of Netherlands, said the profile of buyers had changed.
He described buyers as having previously been 'hunters' who roamed the world seeking out suppliers but were now more 'reapers', preferring to wait for suppliers to come to them.

"Buyers do not understand as much about making things as buyers did previously."

Increasingly, he said, retailers were looking for partnerships with firms who are developing their own designs and can offer a wider service than being mere contract manufacturers.

This made marketing skills more important as it allowed manufacturers to project themselves better and justify higher prices.

He also stressed the importance of 'narrow casting' - of manufacturers following a limited number of clients rather than trying to cast their net wide.

Marketing skills, he said, would also help Sri Lanka's clothing industry, one of its top export earners, become less dependent on the GSP Plus scheme which gives duty free access to European markets.

The industry is worried about the loss of GSP Plus, which comes up for renewal by year's end.

The EU has hinted that might not extend the scheme owing to concerns about human right abuses by government forces in their campaign against Tamil Tiger rebels.

The government has rejected the allegations but also advised the apparel industry not to depend on renewal of the GSP scheme.

JVP Parliamentarian, K. D. Lalkantha is of the opinion that Minister Mervyn Silva is kind and innocent but has been corrupted by the people holding power at Temple Trees.

The JVP parliamentarian made this comment while addressing the sixth anniversary and annual general meeting of the workers union of the Cultural Triangle in Anuradhapura.

“Mervyn Silva is like Ahinsaka in one of the Jathaka stories, but he was made a Angulimala by his gurus at Temple Trees.

Only an innocent man could be changed to a vicious person like Angulimala. The President can’t make Angulimalas out of those high ranking ministers in the cabinet, so he uses people like Mervyn.

He is doing what the President wants him to do. If not by now the President could have chased him away from parliament because of his conduct.

But having appointed him from the national list the President won’t remove him,” Mr. Lalkantha alleged.

Mr. Lalkantha further said in the past the people could manage with their monthly wages and live a decent life but today these people have to face severe hardships and have become completely helpless.

“The cost of living has gone so high that people cannot survive and for everything the government says it was because of the war. But President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his team is benefiting by increasing the number of Ministers,” Lalkantha claimed.

“Waste, corruption, fraud and crime are all over Temple Trees. It is a den of thieves. It’s not only a den of thieves but thugs as well and it is where Mervyn Silva is and it is from there that he creates all the trouble to others,” the JVP MP added.

While the International Day of the Indigenous People was being celebrated last Saturday, August 9, a group of Ahikuntika (Gypsy) women were allegedly inhumanly attacked by the Civil Defence Forces at the Maradana station, an eye witness said.

According to an eye witness account, a female cadre of the Civil Defence Force had attacked the women, some who were carrying children claiming that they had pick-pocketed an old woman.

The attack had been launched despite the old woman admitting that her wallet had been recovered by one of these indigenous women. The old women herself along with bystanders had pleaded with the CDF female cadre not to attack the Ahikuntika women, the eye witness said.

The alleged attack was said to have been carried out at around 11 am at the entrance to the station.

Maradana police said three Ahikuntika women who were arrested on the charge of pick-pocketing were remanded after being produced in court.

TMVP leader Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman said yesterday that his party had put plans in place to expand its political work to Colombo and Wanni while reorganizing the party.

At a meeting held in Batticaloa last Saturday, the TMVP made certain changes to revamp the party to face political challenges in the future.

Karuna, the LTTE’s former eastern commander, said that his politburo decided at this discussion to appoint eastern province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) as the party’s National Organizer.

Eastern Provincial Councillor Edwin Chrisnanandarajah alias Pradeep Master has been appointed the party secretary, and Jeyam the treasurer. Besides, Batticaloa Mayor Sivageetha Prabhakaran is the TMVP’s new organizer for the Batticaloa district and Bharati for Ampara and Markan for Trincomalee.

Similarly, Mangalan Master who is contesting the upcoming election to the North Central Provincial council on the UPFA ticket has been chosen for the post in the Polonnaruwa district.

Amman said the party members also reviewed the progress of the eastern provincial council during the last few months, and decided to ask for more financial assistance from the government for a development drive.

He also said the salaries given to local government members should be increased while providing them with enhanced facilities. The TMVP currently controls nine local bodies in the Batticaloa district.

“We decided to start our political work in Colombo where there is a sizeable population of eastern Tamils. Similarly, our party will expand its political network to Wanni as well,” Karuna said.

He said that a close rapport would also be developed by him with other political parties in the country under the new re-organization process.

Troops of the 59 Division operating at the Welioya battlefront flanking the eastern Wanni territory, made further advances into LTTE positions Sunday (August 10) and have reportedly uncovered 7 male LTTE bodies following hours long intense fighting with LTTE.
At least 15 terrorists were killed, another 13 wounded in the confrontation military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said, further adding that 3 of the bodies recovered were identified to be of sea tiger cadres.
According to military sources, heavy confrontations erupted between troops and LTTE since 10.30 this morning in general area East of Andankulama. Also, during subsequent search operations conducted troops uncovered a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 05 x T-56 assault riffles, 01 x Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher (RPG), 02 x I-com sets and 04 x hand grenades, sources said.
Troops are now consolidating positions in the area military said adding that the recent advances made into the LTTE strongholds in Mullaittiuvu, has send the terrorist leadership terrified with the increasing number of tiger casualties and the military battle phase.

made into the LTTE strongholds in Mullaittiuvu, has send the terrorist leadership terrified with the increasing number of tiger casualties and the military battle phase.

DENVILLE -- The township held its 33rd annual Sri Lanka Day on Saturday, an international celebration drawing local residents and immigrants from the South Asian nation.
The baseball diamond at Gardner Field was transformed for a game of cricket, Sri Lanka's most popular sport, and vadai doughnuts and other treats were displayed on a table.
Denville resident Jay Liyanage, named an honorary consul of Sri Lanka in 1990, was among those in attendance. His efforts in the mid-1970s persuaded Denville to hold the annual commemoration.
"We view this as our little way to reach out to the international community at large," said Mayor Ted Hussa, who was joined by former mayor and county freeholder Gene Feyl and council members Deborah Smith and Gerard LaMonte.
S. Palihakkara, one of Sri Lanka's newly appointed ambassadors to the United States and the United Nations, was among those in attendance.
"It's a forum for people to meet and of course to enjoy and promote more understanding," Palihakkara said.
Sri Lanka, located on an island roughly the size of West Virginia in the Indian Ocean, is perhaps best known by many in the United States for the 2004 tsunami that claimed tens of thousands of lives there.
Avi Tilak, a 17-year Denville resident who emigrated from India to the United States in 1972, was among those in attendance on Saturday. Tilak said he journeys to Sri Lanka every two to three years to visit his best friend, who is a politician.
Tilak described a nation that is both beautiful and welcoming, but also reeling under the challenges posed by a civil war that has raged for years.
"Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful green countries in that area. It has trees everywhere," said Tilak, a member of the Denville Rotary Club.
"They are the nicest people," he said of its residents. "The bad side is the civil war."
Saturday's event drew some who had traveled relatively long distances. They included Jasmine Jansz of Hempstead, N.Y., president of the Sri Lanka Association of New York, and Vidura Jayasooriya, who journeyed from Staten Island.
Dakshi DeSilva, president of the Sri Lanka Association of Washington, D.C., said he was happy to make the trip.
"This is the 33rd time Sri Lanka Day is happening (in Denville). It is the only town that has it in the United States," he said.
Game of cricket
DeSilva, who was preparing for a game of cricket, said he hoped it would someday become more popular in the United States.
"Cricket is like the national game there," DeSilva said, referring to Sri Lanka.
"Everybody is a cricket expert. We would like to spread the cricket here."

As preparations get underway for the forthcoming provincial council elections wokers at the Anuradhapura GA’s office seen preparing ballot boxes for the poll.

A Colombo Royal college teacher was killed in an accident at Dehiwala today morning, Police said.

The victim was identified as Piyal Mohotti, 54.

Police said that a car travelling from the direction of Mt. Lavinia had hit Mr. Mohotti close to a pedestrian crossing near the Willam Grinding Mill junction on Galle road.

UPFA supporters attacked a JVP demonstration in the Nivithigala town on Sunday morning, eyewitnesses said.

The demonstration was being led by JVP's Sabaragamuwa Chief Ministerial candidate Chameera Koswatta in protest of the recent attacks by UPFA supporters in the Ratnapura district.

Eyewitnesses said that the Police had taken no action to prevent the attack carried out by supporters of Minister Premalal Jayasekara.

JVP members have come under a series of attacks in the recent weeks. The JVP has identified WPGD 5899 and 51-5652 as the numbers of two vehicles used by the attackers and provided that information to Police, but to no avail, he added.

According to latest reports, police have arrested five JVP activists in connection with the incident.

Leon Berenger reporting from the North Central Province
The battle is on for the North Central Province (NCP) with both the government and opposition parties throwing virtually everything they have into it while polls-related violence continues to tick on at a frightening pace.
The signs of violence could be noticed in many places -- from the outskirts of the Polonnaruwa district to Anuradhapura, with the police being accused of doing little to arrest this trend.
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP) are already up in arms and crying foul even before the first ballot is cast and jointly they are accusing the ruling United People’s Front Alliance (UPFA)’s chief candidate for the present state of affairs.
Bearing the major brunt of the violence, intimidation and threats is the JVP, a one time staunch ally of the UPFA which has decided to go on its own – a move many see could benefit the UNP.
However, despite all the threats and related violence the JVP remains undeterred and has vowed to carry its message home even though it may irritate the government and even the main opposition.
The UNP is also having its own share of problems but at a much lesser level when compared with the attacks on the JVP.
The party’s chief candidate, Major General Retd. Janaka Perera, compared the NCP with Zimbabwe, where Robert Mugabe won the recent presidential elections under highly questionable circumstances.
Maj. Gen. Perera blamed the NCP situation on his chief rival, the incumbent Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake.
Mr. Dissayanake must shoulder the blame for the ongoing violence and threats aimed at the opposition, he said adding that the police had been forced to be mere onlookers. The former General who is known for strict discipline both in and out of uniform vowed to clean up the province once elected as the Chief Minister.
He said the first priority would be to restore law and order irrespective of party affiliations adding that nobody would be above the law. “To have a democratic administration, first there should be proper law and order. What we are witnessing in the NCP at present is a dictatorship and this should change,” he added.
He said the role of the police at every level in regard to the elections was highly questionable and the party had decided to carry on its activities without police assistance. “Apart from taking any action, the police are even reluctant to record a simple statement fearing reprisals from within the department,” he said.
Opposition activists also charged that apart from countless malpractices the UPFA was also using dubious methods to draw in public sector employees to beef up its campaign.
They said that in one particular case some 1000 teacher trainees were summoned to Anuradhapura to participate in a special course. But on arrival they were informed to join the government propaganda teams if they were to be made permanent in their positions.
As is the case in almost all elections whether at provincial or any other level the authorities have suddenly found the time and money to upgrade the infrastructure networks like roads and other public utility facilities while promising jobs for the jobless, a reduction in the cost of living and an end to the bloody ethnic conflict.
The government’s Chief Ministerial candidate Berty Premalal Dissanayake rejected opposition allegations saying the UNP was planning a massive destructive campaign in the province ahead of the elections.
He alleged that on Thursday night a UNP mob shot and damaged a PA propaganda office at Jaffna Junction in Anuradhapura to provoke UPFA supporters and thereby cause mayhem. He said there was a limit to patience, and would not be able to control party supporters if such intimidation continued.Ironically Mr. Dissanayake too blamed the police for inaction saying that they had already made some 25 complaints but still there were no inquiries.
The ground reality for the moment is that the two main contenders are drawing equal support and are pitched in a neck-and-neck race. Mr. Dissanayake’s support comes mainly because he is from the area while the former general attracts voters with his charisma and gallantry on the battlefield.
State land for votes?
The Deputy Chairman of a local Council in the Polonnaruwa district has offered state-owned land to viallgers in return for their votes in favour of a pro-government candidate the UNP charged this week.
UNP organsiser for the SriPura District Sanatha Kumara Kulawardene alleged that hundreds of acres of prime land owned by the Forest Department-bordering the Rankethagama Wewa were being distributed to farmers and others.
The Forest Department had earlier spent a lot of money to plant thousands of turpentine trees . Now encroachers have begun felling these trees and selling some of it as firewood, Mr. Kulawardene charged.
He charged that the Deputy Pradeshiya Sabha chairman was doing this to support his Chairman who is contesting the PC elections, hoping he could become the next chairman.
Daily threats, attacks: JVP
The bells are tolling for the JVP as they press on with their campaign for the forthcoming polls although they have been forced to bear the brunt of violence, intimidation and threats allegedly from pro-government activists.
The JVP has had several of their campaign and party offices smashed and in some cases even torched, buntings and flags torn out and destroyed, posters smothered with grease and ceaseless intimidation and threats by telephone and other channels.
The party’s Chief Ministerial candidate R.K. Indrananda believes they have been targeted for attack after it was decided to go it alone at the polls, a move which the government feels could benefit the UNP .
He said that a day does not pass without some kind of threat or violence aimed at the party and its supporters. “Despite several appeals and complaints to the police there has been little or no action from them which is a dangerous and frightening development as the election date nears,” Mr. Indrananda said.
“The situation is such, that party activists now take shifts round the clock to maintain vigil at the party and propaganda offices which should not be the case during elections in a democracy,” he said.
Commenting on the Mangalam Master issue he said this too was a disturbing development and accused the government of supporting this candidate purely to intimidate and threaten innocent voters and opposition party activists.
“There will be zero freedom during voting in the areas this TMVP member is concentrating on, as the people will be too frightened to go against him. The TMVP member is also known to operate several mini camps in areas such as Muttugala, Karapola, Thiruchena and Surawilla and his supporters are armed to the teeth,” Mr. Indrananda added.
UNP set for large scale mayhem: Berty
The ex-Chief Minister for the North Central Province (NCP) Berty Premalal Dissanayake hit out at his chief opponent former General Janaka Perera saying his rival was planning mass-scale mayhem ahead of the forthcoming polls to be held on August 23.
Mr. Dissanayake said Mr. Perera had brought many dubious characters from Colombo to the NCP with the intent of stirring up trouble and violence and later blaming it on his supporters. He added that the UNP was planning to influence the election results using subversive methods, but the end result would be a huge loss to them where they will have to pack up and leave keeping the local supporters behind.
He vowed the former General a humiliating defeat in the NCP saying it would be his political waterloo, adding that the JVP which is covertly supporting the UNP would see more red after the 23rd.
Opposition need not fear me: Mangalam Master
A former Tamil Tiger militant from the eastern town of Batticaloa is seeking to create history by contesting the forthcoming NPC elections -the first Tamil to do so in this pre-dominantly Sinhala province.
Mangalam Master as he is known hails from the Batticaloa district and is a member of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) the break away faction of the LTTE and is asking for votes in the NCP on the People’s Alliance (PA) ticket.
The former militant has set up office at Manampitiya, in eastern Polonnaruwa amidst allegations from the opposition that he has been brought in by the government to intimidate voters ahead of the polling day.
Speaking to The Sunday Times Mangalam Master said that the allegations made by the opposition were totally false and misleading and pledged to carry out his campaign in a clean, fair and democratic manner.
Speaking through an interpreter he said that there was a large concentration of Tamils living in the province and he was depending on their votes as well as those from other communities including the Sinhalese to get elected.
“I have spread my campaign deep into Sinhalese and Muslim territory and the response is very good. To do this I do not need to carry firearms or use other undemocratic methods,” he said.
“The opposition need not fear me as I have already shunned all types of violence, and entered mainstream politics like my friends and colleagues in neighbouring Batticaloa district,” he explained.
I will bring back law and order: Janaka
The UNP has called in a retired Army General to take on the Government’s heavy weight-Berty Premalal Dissanayake at the forthcoming hustings in the North Central Province (NCP) and Janaka Perera is promising a fight to the end with a pledge to bring the hot seat to Siri Kotha.
Mr. Janaka Perera a once decorated war hero and Sri Lanka’s former ambassador in Australia and Malaysia has pitched camp in Anuradhapura from where he is spearheading his campaign against many odds in a tightly contested race for the Chief Ministerial position.
The former General said the government had thrown in all its machinery to boost its candidate, misusing state vehicles, buildings and institutions, public sector employees and a servile police. He alleged even a mass murderer had been brought from the east to intimidate innocent voters.
“I never give up. In fact difficult situations such as this only help me to move forward and crush the opponent,” he said.
He said the government and their agents have to some extent succeeded in creating a fear psychosis among the people with threats and intimidation because they are already jittery knowing that the end is near. “Law and order must be restored if democracy is to survive” Mr. Perera further said.
He lashed out at the police saying they were behaving like tamed pet poodles and have practically closed the door on the rising number of election-related complaints brought in against the government candidate and supporters.
Mr. Perera also claimed that the state had persuaded a former Tamil Tiger rebel- Mangalam Master to enter the fray from the Polonnaruwa District with the intent of intimidating the Tamil and Muslim community to vote his way or face dire consequences.
“This man is a mass murderer responsible for the slaughter of nearly 600 policemen in the East and hundreds of Sinhalese and Muslim civilians who were butchered on his orders in the Polonnaruwa-Batticaloa border areas several years ago. He does not scare me, nonetheless his presence in the province is a sad day for democracy,” the former general said.
Almost every other household in the NCP has given a son or a daughter to the police and security forces and Mr.Perera was convinced that he had the support and backing from at least ninety per cent of them.

General Secretary of the National Freedom Front Nandana Gunathilaka said the JVP must follow democratic path before asking democracy from others .
“They must follow democracy at their party , said Mr.Gunathilaka issuing a press statement.
A number of NFF members were assaulted by the JVP members , he said.
However JVP strongmen Anura Kumara Dissanayake said NFF made false allegations against the JVP to obtain cheap publicity through these types of incidents.
“This is method of the NFF, he said.
Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday Mr.Dissanayake said the JVP never bother NFF activities.
Responding media he said election monitors do not have man power to monitor the entire election process and the JVP does not accept their reports.
“We do not have confidence on their activities and their final reports do not show real situation of the elections.
“If they want to monitor an election in selected areas, they pick people from those areas and obtain their reports. Can we accept their reports ? Because they do not have prior experience on election monitoring process , he said.
He said the JVP do not have any threat from the NFF .
Meanwhile addressing the National Professionals’ Council, the Election Commissioner lamented that he had been unable to set up a safety net to safeguard the voter as he could not find at least 100 unbiased, efficient public officials. The Election Commissioner stated that the 1972 and 1978 constitutions took away the personal independence and prompted the public officials to serve the politicians.
He said that he would have set up an alternative structure in addition to police to monitor and report election malpractices and violence if there were an adequate number of unbiased public officials.
After meting the Election Commissioner, the National Professionals' Council Supreme Council member Prof. Oliver Abenayaka addressed media and said that they urged the Commissioner to safeguard the democratic rights of the people in the coming Provincial Council elections.

At least 15 LTTE terrorists were killed and twice as numbers injured when troops forced into LTTE forward defence lines at Kilali, Jaffna on Sunday (August 10) at around 4a.m.

The 53 Division troops stormed into LTTE forward defence lines (FDLs) in an early hour surprise assault forcing terrorists to flee with heavy casualties. 15 terrorists were killed and many others injured in the confrontation, military said citing intercepted LTTE communication.

Troops have later returned towards initial positions after holding the LTTE bunkers during the offensive drive as military claimed the mission objectives were successfully achieved.

No damages were caused to own troops during the limited operation, military said.

WANNI: CONFRONTATIONS continued PALAMODDAI, NADUNKULAM and NAVATHKUMA Saturday (9) killing sixteen terrorists and injuring another ten. One soldier also sustained injuries during the confrontations.

After the confrontations troops conducted a search in the area and recovered two LTTE dead bodies, two T-56 assault rifles, four hand grenades and 250 T-56 ammunition rounds.

Meanwhile, four terrorists were killed and nine terrorists were injured when they clashed with the troops in the general areas north of JANAKAPURA and ANDANKULAM in WELIOYA Saturday (9) between 9.25 a.m. and 6.00 p.m..
Meanwhile ARMY TROOPS moving ahead of the Forward Defence Line (FDL) in KILALY, JAFFNA fired at LTTE positions on Sunday (10) morning about 4.00 a.m..

Troops confirmed that fifteen terrorists were killed and no damages were caused to the own troops.

The sacred statue of Our Lady of Madhu was taken back to the Madhu Church this evening in a religious procession attended by the Mannar Bishop. A small mass is scheduled to be held at the church on the August 15 but the annual feast will not take place.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority has changed its tender procedure to appease a government minister, who is notorious for attacks on journalists, and his supporters to earn millions, ‘Ravaya’ reports.

In this illegal act, the SLPA has not mentioned the Customs estimated value of 65 items of tender no: 313 that go under the hammer on August 16th, the newspaper says.

Top officials of the institution said on condition of anonymity that it was no secret that the group of thugs of this minister was interfering with SLPA’s auctions.

However, this time, other bidders at the auction are at a clear disadvantage due to the absence of Customs value of the goods on offer.

However, the politician in question will use his powers and obtain the information to see that his thugs buy up all the items.

This is the first time in the SLPA’s 20-year auction history that Customs values are not mentioned and that the event is taking place on a full moon day, a public holiday.

The items on offer include luxury and non-luxury vehicles, electrical equipment and clothing, ‘Ravaya’ adds.

A woman was killed and 32 others were injured when an elephant ran amok during an annual perahera of the Thalagolla temple in Ragama early Sunday morning, police said.

Though the woman was killed by the elephant the injuries were caused by the stampede when people were trying to escape.

The incident had occured at 1.30 a.m

Internet cafes and school computer labs will be the main targets in a government initiative to restrict website access and protect minors from adult materials published on the internet.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRC) has already conveyed a directive from President Mahinda Rajapaksa to all internet service providers (ISPs) in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, a filtering process will be implemented with immediate effect, once the technical aspects have been sorted out.

TRC director general Priyantha Kariyapperuma told Timesonline that it was not the government’s intention to control internet usage in any way, but to act in a responsible manner on matters relating to public morals, especially where these involved children or minors.

“There is no possible way in which we can completely halt the viewing of these [adult] sites, and neither is it our intention to completely restrict people from doing so,” he said. “Still, as it is a big moral problem in the country, we need to show people that we do not approve of these activities.”

Mr. Kariyapperuma said the decision was taken following complaints from parents and teachers about the ease with which children and students were able to access adult websites. He said developed countries such as Singapore had already implemented laws to restrict access to adult websites.

“We are targeting internet cafes and schools so that children cannot access such sites from these places,” he said. “Parents find it difficult to monitor their children even at home, while some have even disconnected their lines because of such problems,” he said.

Mr. Kariyapperuma said internet cafes were a cause for growing concern among parents because these venues gave youngsters of any age unsupervised access to the internet.

Meanwhile, individual users who wished to enjoy unlimited access to the internet could do so with the purchase of a special password from their ISPs. Meanwhile, individual users say that even without the password they can access adult websites, pointing out that it was not possible for enforcers to completely block out pornographic websites. Nevertheless, according to Mr. Kariyapperuma, the government will be taking all possible measures to prevent easy access to adult materials.

Many people are known to have fallen into the bad books of loved ones with their Short Message Services (commonly known as ‘SMS’ text messages) from their mobile phones, but beware, now the Sri Lankan courts have gone to the extent of accepting them as admissible evidence in a case.

In a landmark judgment last week, Colombo High Court judge K.T. Chitrasiri accepted photo-copies of screen-shots of these ‘SMS’ to be marked and produced in evidence in a money-recovery case.

In his 10-page verdict in the Marine Star (Pvt.) Ltd. case, the judge allowed photo-copies of SMS copied from messages received on a mobile phone, to prove admission of liability by the defendant Amanada Foods Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd.

He said: “As it concerned an important issue on rules of evidence, especially at a time when there is rapid development in technology taking place, Court decided to consider the issue carefully”.He said it did not fall into the category of ‘Primary Evidence’ under Section 63 of the Evidence Ordinance, but into that of ‘Secondary Evidence’, which includes copies made from the original by mechanical process which in themselves ensure the accuracy of the copy, and copies compared with such copies.

The judge also held that SMS texts could be accepted under the Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006, and that it extended to images appearing on any substance such as a computer screen, according to the circumstances of each case.

The JVP is to take disciplinary action against dissident MP Wimal Weerawansa after he failed to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee this week, JVP leader Somawansa Amerasinghe said.

The disciplinary action was initiated after Mr. Weerawansa broke away from the JVP and formed his own party, the National Freedom Front.

Mr Weerawansa said he did not want to comment on the matter.

Kurunegala district UNP MP Akila Viraj Kariawasam raised a privilege issue in Parliament charging that the state media were attempting to tarnish him and opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

He said the state media were using an incident in which a security officer assigned to him was involved in a brawl to show there was complicity between the UNP and the “white van’ terror in the country.

The Speaker said he would look into the incident.

Five garments factories have defrauded more than Rs. 310 million in VAT repayments, OIC of the Police Commercial Crime Division Perumal Vishwanathan has claimed.


Giving evidence on August 07th before the commission that probes VAT frauds, he has said that this was in addition to the earlier exposed Rs. 4,000 million swindle by 20 companies.

Mr. Vishwanathan has said that KIL Apparel, Randunu Garments, Fashion Garments, DTN Garments and Supreme Garments have been paid back the Rs. 310 m through 16 cheques.

This had been done even before two months have elapsed since they had begun commercial operations, he has alleged.

An accountant hired from the outside had been involved in some of these payments, who had done so at the instigation of the main suspect in these frauds, S. Jayatilake.

In addition to the two main suspects, another suspect named Carmel Kudubdeen, presently out of the country, had obtained the VAT dues to Bhutani Exports by unlawful means, the OIC had alleged.

Ministers are battling over the bulletproof cars which were imported to transport SARRC dignitaries who attended the 15 SAARC summit in Colombo from August 2nd to 3rd.
Political sources said that there are 31 such bulletproof cars and over 100 other jeeps and cars which were imported —- spending millions to transport SAARC VVIPs. Sources said that some Ministers who are close to high ranking Police officers had requested their names be included in intelligence reports in order to qualify for luxury bulletproof cars.
Knowing all these maneuvering and infighting for cars, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed allocation of bulletproof cars strictly to Ministers who are in fact on the LTTE hit list.
Some Ministers really on the LTTE hit list had requested two cars —- citing security threats.
In addition to bulletproof cars, Ministers are also canvassing for jeeps and ordinary cars imported for the SAARC summit and other vehicles for their secretaries.
Intelligence sources have identified 25 Ministers whose lives have been threatened by the LTTE. Of the 31 bullet proof cars, President and the Prime Minister too will retain some and the balance will be distributed among Ministers.
National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will also be given a car each.
Some of the other Ministers who will get cars are Maithripala Sirisena, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Ranjith Siyabalapitiya, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Rishard Badurdeen and Milinda Moragoda. Sources said that 12 cars were imported at US$ 1.8 million, 15 others at US$ 3.7 million and four others at US$ 13.23 million.
These cars have been imported from many countries such as United Kingdom, India, Germany and Czech Republic.
When asked about duty waivers in Parliament before the SAARC summit, the Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardana declined to comment as the formalities have not been completed.
He also declined to divulge the make of the cars and other details citing security reasons.

Sri Lanka’s second international airport which is to be constructed in the south at a cost of Rs.13.5 billion, with the public funds, has not secured International Air Transport Association (IATA) permission.
Media also learnt that the plan for the new airport was forwarded for a Environment Impact Assessment, which has been turned down (negatived) by the Sri Lanka Central Environmental Authority.
When we contacted the IATA last week, officials confirmed that they were not informed of any efforts taken by the Sri Lankan Government in building a new airport. IATA which represents some 230 airlines comprising 93 per cent of scheduled international air traffic, is considered to be a mandatory consultant partner by any organisation planning to build an airport in-keeping international standards — a long term investment.
With the Government changing the location overnight of the proposed airport in Weerawila, IATA has now confirmed that no consultation has taken place. Many other minimum conditions, standards and formalities are also mandatory if Weerawila is to be named as an international airport. “We always encourage airports to be built with association of an International airline. This ensures that the facility being built is cost effective and meets the requirements of the customers as well as International standards,” said IATA Manager Corporate Communications for Asia Pacific, Albert Joeng.

Sri Lankan troops launched a fresh advance into territory held by Tamil rebels Sunday, killing 15 guerrillas while another 27 combatants were killed in other clashes, the defence ministry said.

The latest push was in the Jaffna peninsula, parts of which are held by the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the defence ministry said in a statement.

"Fifteen LTTE terrorists were killed when the army made a daring advance ahead of the Killali-Jaffna forward defence lines this morning before first light (and) without sustaining any damage to own troops," the statement said.

It said another 26 guerrillas and a government soldier were killed in other fighting in the northern parts of the country in fresh fighting since Saturday.

Fighting since Saturday raised the number of rebels killed by troops to 5,714 since January, while 520 soldiers have died in combat during the same period, according to ministry figures.

Independent verification of casualty figures is not possible as the ministry blocks media access to the frontlines.

The government has poured a record US$1.5 billion into this year's war efforts and troops are now concentrating on dismantling the LTTE's de facto state in the north.

In January Colombo pulled out of a Norwegian-brokered truce with the LTTE, saying it believed it had the upper hand in the long-running conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 1972.

Courtesy -thesundayleader

The hoarding announcing the "green revolution" (inset) Land filling in progress
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

Apart from intimidating the media and making an ass of himself on public highways, in his latest foray Minister Mervyn Silva has started to instill fear among government officials, as he muscles through his cabinet colleagues to fulfill his aspirations of becoming a landed proprietor.

In his latest act of intimidation, it has been revealed that Silva has started a project of acquiring land belonging to the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC) in the Kelaniya area without approval from any authority and in some instances filling the land in contravention of the law.

The SLLRDC owns 360 acres in Vedamulla, Mudun Ela, Manel Gama, Wanawasala and Dippitigoda divisions in Kelaniya. Most of the lands in the Kelaniya area are maintained by the SLLRDC as part of the Greater Colombo Flood Management Programme and are considered to be reserved state land.

Workers attached to the SLLRDC allege that Silva with several of his supporters attached to the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha have forcibly acquired about 20 acres in Vedamulla in Kelaniya belonging to the Corporation to commence a "green revolution."

Interestingly, a part of the land Silva and his goons have allegedly encroached on have been earmarked for a housing project by the Board of Investment (BoI).

Land taken over

A senior official attached to the SLLRDC, on the basis of anonymity, told The Sunday Leader that the said housing project would have helped the Corporation earn a sum of Rs. 300 million, but the land has now been taken over allegedly by Silva for "cultivation" leaving the SLLRDC high and dry.

"The only assets belonging to the SLLRDC are the land owned by it and they are the main funding source for the Corporation. It is through leasing out these lands that we get funds for the Corporation as we do not get any Treasury funding. It is these earnings that help us maintain the 1,400 employees attached to the SLLRDC," the senior official said.

The helpless officials of SLLRDC say that there was nothing they could do, as the authorities too were silent on the whole land grab issue.

"What can we do? Even the political authorities have not taken any action and if we speak, we will be penalised," an official said, adding that even the subject minister who has been made aware of the issue has still not taken any action on it.

The official also added that even the police were reluctant to take down the complaint which the SLLRDC employees tried to lodge against Silva.

"The SLLRDC Chairman, the minister and the police have been informed of the alleged land grab by Silva, but no action has been taken yet. We would like to see an end to it," he said.

Demarcated and separated

When The Sunday Leader visited the SLLRDC land in the Vedamulla division, we witnessed the land being demarcated and separated into small plots and vegetable and fruit plants being cultivated in them.

Another section of the land had a huge billboard erected with the pictures of Silva and President Mahinda Rajapakse and the so called expression of gratitude of the farming community to Silva for allocating the land for cultivation in line with a concept initiated by him.

Residents in the area also confirmed to The Sunday Leader that it was indeed Silva and several of his supporters who had demarcated the land and started cultivating vegetables and fruits.

According to the residents, who also wished to remain anonymous due to fear, Silva had allegedly handed over the land to some of his supporters in different parts of the Kelaniya area.

"These people who are cultivating these lands are not from our village; they are from some other area in Kelaniya. In fact, this land does not belong to either Silva or the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha. It belongs to the SLLRDC," the residents said.

Land allocated to employees

The residents allege that the "green revolution" was just a farce and that the real motive behind the move was for Silva and his supporters in the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha to hand over the land to their henchmen in the Kelaniya area.

However, during Silva’s acquisition of the SLLRDC land in Vedamulla, he had also allegedly encroached on land that had already been given to several employees of the SLLRDC by the Corporation in 2005.

Former SLLRDC Chairman, Somaweera Chandrasiri in 2005, following a request made by the SLLRDC Workers’ Union to provide land to its employees who did not have either a permanent residence or a piece of land, had allocated land in the Vedamulla area to 21 employees of the Corporation.

The SLLRDC Workers’ Union has in writing informed President Rajapakse that land given to several employees of the Corporation has been allegedly taken over by Silva and his supporters without the knowledge of the Corporation.

SLLRDC Workers’ Union President, W.R.A. Priyankara in a letter dated July 30, 2008 to the President has said that blocks of 2.29 perch lands allocated to 21 employees of the Corporation who did not own houses have been allegedly taken over by Minister Mervyn Silva and his supporters. "The security personnel attached to the Corporation who visited the site to gather more information on the issue have been threatened and chased away," the letter stated.

Promised housing loan

According to Priyankara, the employees who were given the land have also been promised a housing loan of Rs. 75,000 by the Corporation.

Priyankara told The Sunday Leader that they were yet to receive a response to their letter sent to the President. He said that although the employees have not been given a deed for the land, they have been issued with a letter conferring the rights to the respective land.

An SLLRDC employee for the past 26 years, Nihal Jayatissa, who received one such piece of land in the Vedamulla area from the Corporation, is disappointed that neither the government nor the ministers have been able to secure the land that has been lawfully allocated to the employees of the SLLRDC.

"I have worked in the Corporation for the past 26 years and received the land in 2005, but last month I got to know that Mervyn Silva has taken over the land and I was disappointed," he said.

Jayatissa told The Sunday Leader that along with the 20 other employees he was currently considering taking legal action against those who have illegally taken possession of their land.

Nothing has happened

"We have already spoken to the trade unions in the Corporation and have also informed of the situation to the Chairman, and he has said he would look into the matter. But so far nothing has happened and the land is now being used for cultivation," Jayatissa said.

Some of the SLLRDC land officers who spoke to The Sunday Leader on the basis of anonymity said that they were helpless and unable to take any action against the illegal land grab, which they claim is now being expanded.

Apart from Vedamulla, Silva has also allegedly grabbed land belonging to the SLLRDC in Manel Gama as well as near the Mudun Ela Sand Centre.

According to the SLLRDC, the land in Mudun Ela consists of 150 acres and was acquired by the government for a development project.

However, SLLRDC employees told The Sunday Leader that Silva has allegedly encroached on the land and had started to fill the land to build a temple.

"The SLLRDC has not been informed of the move and not a single authority has taken action against this illegal land filling," SLLRDC employees said.

The workers also pointed out that last year, cabinet had approved a proposal to stop land filling in the Western Province in order to prevent flooding in Colombo and the greater Colombo area.

To prevent flooding

"The Mudun Ela area and most of the land belonging to the SLLRDC are reserved areas and are managed by the Corporation in a manner so as to prevent flooding in and around Colombo. But the land is now being filled by Silva to build a temple or so they claim," the employees said.

Although there was no one engaged in filling the land at the time The Sunday Leader visited the area, a newly filled and levelled land in the Mudun Ela area was witnessed.

Also, last week, sections of the SLLRDC land in the Manel Gama division had also been allegedly taken over by the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha under Silva’s ‘guidance.’

"Machinery belonging to the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha are used to first dump garbage on these lands and then fill them with earth. The machine bearing No. D 20 belonging to the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha and operated by one Wasantha and a private tipper bearing number LF 9844 are being used to fill the land," the SLLRDC employees alleged.

First filled with garbage

When The Sunday Leader visited the said area in the Manel Gama division, we witnessed the land being filled with garbage and then with earth as alleged by the SLLRDC employees.

With Silva allegedly engaged in the illegal acquisition of lands belonging to the SLLRDC, the 1,400 employees of the Corporation are left to wonder the plight of their future.

In addition to the takeover of lands allocated to the employees, the takeover of a land earmarked for a BoI project that would have earned the Corporation millions of rupees has been condemned by the SLLRDC employees. Silva’s desire to launch a cultivation programme in the Kelaniya area, and that too mainly bananas has caused millions of rupees in losses to the SLLRDC.

The employees together with the trade unions in the SLLRDC have complained to the chairman and informed Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena of the illegal acquisition of land by Silva, but no action has been taken yet.

In fact, the employees claim that they have raised the issue directly with Gunawardena when he addressed the SLLRDC employees on July 9, the day before the islandwide strike.

"When we raised these issues with him at the time, the Minister said that he would take necessary action, but so far nothing has happened and the illegal land acquisition has increased," a disgruntled SLLRDC employee said.

Whether the authorities will be able to put a stop to Silva’s alleged acts of intimidation only the gods will probably be able to tell.

Land forcibly taken —SLLRDC Chairman
Chairman, Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC), Karunasena Hettiarachchi said that although "some people" are forcibly making use of the land belonging to the Corporation, the land has not been officially given to them.

Hettiarachchi also said that he had been informed that Minister Mervyn Silva and his supporters have acquired several lands belonging to the SLLRDC in the Kelaniya area.

"We can give land to anyone only after the necessary approvals are received. So far, none of these people who have taken over the land have received such approval," he said.

As for the action SLLRDC planned to take against the illegal land acquisition, Hettiarachchi said that the minister and the police have already been informed of the situation.



Minister promises action

Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said he would take ‘necessary action’ against the encroachers once the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC) handed over a full report to him.

He said that whatever land allocated to the employees of the SLLRDC would be honoured and given back to them, adding that he would take the necessary action once the issue is brought before him.

"There is no doubt about the fact that the land allocated to the SLLRDC would be with them and no one can take it," he said.

Upon being told that the SLLRDC has already informed him of the alleged land acquisition in the Kelaniya area by Minister Mervyn Silva, Gunawardena said that he was told of such an encroachment, but was unable to pin point any individual as the culprit.

"The Corporation Chairman has told me, but I’m yet to receive a detailed report on the issue. There is a procedure that needs to be followed and there are issues that need to be investigated before levelling allegations," he said.

Gunawardena also noted that there are land encroachers from all parties. "There are opposition and government members involved in it," he said.

However, Gunawardena said that those currently using the land in Vedamulla in Kelaniya were doing so without SLLRDC approval. He also said that land filling allegedly being done by the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha too was improper as there are laws that have been passed with regard to land filling.

Gunawardena said that he would not hesitate to take action once he receives a full report on the matter.

KUWAIT CITY : Personnel from the Drug Control Department have arrested a gang of four Asians including a woman for bootlegging, reports Alam Al-Yawm daily.
The daily quoting a security source said police acting on information sent an undercover policeman to buy local booze from one of the suspects in Fahaheel and caught the man red-handed.
He later led police to the rest of the gang in Mahboula. Police have reportedly seized from the gang one carton full of bottles of local booze. The woman is believed to be a Sri Lankan.

As the security forces continue to surge ahead into Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) areas, Sri Lankan air force carried out three air strikes Saturday morning destroying, what the official sources called 'most vital nerve centers' of the Tamil outfit.

According to All India Radio (AIR) two of the aerial bombings were on Mullaithivu district by which the main intelligence center and a Supply Center of the Tamil Tigers were destroyed. The third air operation was targeted on a Radar Center of the LTTE located at Nagasivanthurai (Naaga Sivan Thurai) in Jaffna.

Meanwhile the Media Center for National Security disclosed that 31 Tamil Tigers were killed and 19 others wee injured in separate confrontations since Friday

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse visited Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province, on Saturday to see people affected by the May 12 earthquake, after attending the opening ceremony of the Olympics games in Beijing.

In a meeting with Rajapakse, Sichuan Governor Jiang Jufeng expressed heartfelt gratitude for the relief offered by the government and people of Sri Lanka.

Rajapakse said in response that China extended great help when Sri Lanka was ravaged by a devastating tsunami in 2004. With the profound and solid bilateral relationship, he hoped the people in quake-hit areas could recover from their grief and rebuild their homeland.

During his visit, Rajapakse inspected a damaged community center in the pouring rain and listened to local officials as they provided a briefing on the current situation. He went to the largest survivors' camp and donated gifts to children who performed for him in the makeshift community center.

Rajapakse visited the Chinese Embassy in Colombo to convey his sympathy after the quake. The government of Sri Lanka also donated large amounts of relief materials such as tents, medical facilities and medicine.

Colombo port, which handles 70 per cent of total transshipment cargo from India, had better watch out! Competition from south Indian ports is round the corner.

Ports in south India, both on the west and east coasts, are planning to invest up to $2.5 billion, or about 250 billion Sri Lankan rupees, in the next two to three years in a bid to become a hub for container traffic.

In short, they are gearing up to compete with Colombo.

While ports in Tamil Nadu such as those in Chennai, Ennore, Tuticorin and Colachel are adding new facilities, Kerala’s Vallarpadam and Vizhinjam ports too are not far behind.

Colombo is the dominant port in the region. It handled around 3 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) last year as against its capacity of 3.7 million TEUs. At the current growth rate, the port will reach its full capacity by 2010.

Indian shipping industry sources feel this is the right time for this country to have a transshipment port of its own.

Since the country does not have any hub port like Colombo to accommodate bigger vessels, Indian shippers are incurring additional cost as transshipment fee, which is $150 in Colombo.

India not only can garner a substantial portion of this fee, but also save a lot of money if the ships are handled at the Indian ports. If a container is handled in Chennai, a shipper can save around $400.

According to the National Maritime Development Programme of the federal government here, India’s container throughput will more than triple by 2011-12 from 5.5 million TEUs in 2006-07. With 27 container berths (about 300 m long each) available in the country, there is a need to develop huge additional capacity in its ports for handling containers.

Indian ports like Tuticorin, Colachel and Vizhinjam have natural advantages both in terms of depth and proximity to the international routes.

For instance, Colachel, situated in the southernmost tip of Tamil Nadu, has a natural port protected on all sides by rocks and has a depth of around 15 metre. The port appears like a bay and steamers of 10,000-15,000 tonnes can anchor here. Similarly, Vizhinjam is just 200 nautical miles and 10 hours of sailing from Colombo.

Depth and proximity to international sea route are the two most important criteria for transshipment hubs.

While Vizhinjam has a depth of 20 metres, being just 10 nautical miles away from international lines, it is also a better choice. Coupled with other advantages like low tidal variation and little littoral drift, Vizhinjam holds the maximum potential to be the next major transshipment hub.

"The government should seriously consider developing these ports to replace Colombo. The total transshipment cargo is expected to increase by 80 per cent," says an Indian shipping line official.

This apart, size of the container ships is getting bigger. While a container feeder vessel has an average capacity of 1,000 TEUs, the mother vessels can carry over 6,000 TEUs. To handle such vessels, the ports require a draft of over 15 metres, which they already have naturally.

The Computer Crimes Act No. 24 of 2007 has been brought into operation with effect from 15th July 2008, by an order made under Section 1 by the Minister of Justice and Law Reforms (Gazette Extraordinary No. 1559/41 dated 25th July 2008), the Ministry of Justice announced recently.

This legislation gives more power to law enforcement to address computer crimes.

"The Basis of the Computer Crimes Bill is to criminalise attempts at unauthorized access to a computer, computer programme, data or information," Jayantha Fernando, Director & Legal Advisor, ICT Agency (ICTA) said.

Any unauthorized copying, modification, alteration or deletion of information, denial of service and causing damage or harm to the computer by the introduction of viruses and logic bombs are considered offences under the Act.

"It also contains a provision to deal with unauthorized use of computers regardless of whether the offender had authority to access the computer," Mr. Fernando added.

Features of the Computer Crimes Act

The Computer Crimes Act No. 24 of 2007, primarily addresses Computer Related crimes (i.e. where Computers are used as a tool for criminal activity such as theft, fraud etc) and Hacking offences (affecting integrity, availability and confidentiality of a computer system or network and the introduction of Viruses, worms etc). Content related offences although partially covered under the Act, are being addressed through a series of changes to the Penal Code and other statutory provisions.

The first class of offences in the Computer Crimes Act criminalises attempts at unauthorised access to (a) computer or (b) any information held in any Computer (Vide Section 3) and doing same for the commission of any other offence (Vide Section 4).

The explanatory note to Section 3 and 4 states the following:- for the purpose of authorised access to the computer, the mere turning on of a computer is sufficient for the commission of the offence. For the commission of unauthorised access to any information held in any Computer, there should be an intention to secure any programme or data held in any Computer and the access intended to be secured, should be unauthorized. The explanatory also suggests and that it is not necessary to have access directed at any particular programme, date or computer to commit the offence of unauthorized access to any information held in any computer.

Section 5 of Act states that any person who intentionally or without lawful authority carries out a function which haa the effect of modification or damage or potential damage to any computer or computer system or computer programme shall be guilty of an offence.

The Illustrations given in the Act states that for any unauthorised modification or damage or potential damage to take place, any one of the following should occur - impairing the operation of any computer, computer system or the reliability of any data or information held in any computer; or destroying, deleting or corrupting or adding, moving or altering any information held in any computer; making use of a computer service involving computer time and data processing for the storage or retrieval of data; introducing a computer programme which will have the effect of malfunctioning of a computer or falsifies the data or any information held in any computer or computer system (eg:- viruses, worms etc).Other offences sought to be created include, unauthorised obtaining of information from a computer or a storage medium; unauthorised use of computer service and interception of data; selling, importing or distributing any device or computer access code or password for the commission of offences under the Act; providing access information to a service without authority or in breach of a contract.

An unidentified gang attacked and damaged a shop belonging to a UNP candidate contesting the North Central Provincial Council elections yesterday.

The owner of the shop, Ms Subashini Charles, said that the gang of about had arrived in a luxury jeep and a double cab at around 1.20 a.m. and caused damage estimated at several lakhs to her shop.

A complaint has been lodged with the Anuradhapura Police who are conducting investigations.

SLFP (M) leader Mangala Samaraweera and several Opposition MPs join journalists in a protest at Kollupitiya against Minister Mervin Silva’s alleged intimidation and snatching away of cameras belonging to Sirasa journalists during the opening of the second phase of an overhead bridge at Kelaniya recently.

Four persons, including former North Central Provincial Councillor R.M. Punch Banda Rathnayake have been admitted to the Polonnaruwa Hospital after a clash between two groups of the United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) at 10.00p.m. on August 07th.

Mr. Rathnayake was a former North Central Provincial Councillor on Housing, Sports, Rural development and Women’s Affairs.

On his way from election campaigning in the Aralaganwila area, Mr. Rathnayake has stopped near a house in the Madagama post office junction to meet a former PC Chairman and fellow candidate of the forthcoming PC polls, Saranelis Dayawansa.

Suddenly, around 150 people have attacked with clubs.

Speaking to media, a senior police officer of the area said that the incident was triggered by an attack on supporters of Mr. Dayawanse by Mr. Rathnayake’s supporters over a poster campaign dispute that had occurred earlier that day.

All suspects of the recent assault incident on Sirasa journalists, including Labour Minister Mervyn Silva, would be arrested in accordance with yesterday’s (August 08th) court order, says police spokesman, SSP Ranjith Gunsekara.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Thilakarathne yesterday ordered the Peliyagoda HQI to arrest all suspects involved in the incident that occurred at the opening of the Kelaniya flyover and produce them before courts immediately.

The suspects are accused of several charges including assault and illegal grabbing of video cameras.

The order was given after the Peliyagoda police produced a report on the complaint lodged by the Sirasa camera journalist, Jayainghe Kodithuwakku Arachchige Waruna Sampath.

The patience of the public as a society is tested to the limit by Minister Mervyn’s Silva’s continuous harassment against media institutions and journalists, says the Jathika Hela Urumaya.

In a press release signed by the party propaganda secretary, Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe, the JHU condemns the conduct of Minister Silva and urges the President and the government to take action against him without further delay.

Noting that it is useless to advice or warn Minister Mervyn Silva, the JHU says that the public and journalists cannot remain patient until Gods punish him.

Adding that Minister Silva’s conduct has also led to the ridiculing of other ministers and civil organizations, the press release notes that attempts to stop him have failed despite this situation.

Such persons who harass the country, society, democracy and media freedom should either be restrained, or punished and removed, it adds.

If the law is not implemented against him, not only will it affect the public’s faith on the legal system; it will also disgrace the entire Rajapaksa regime, it further says.

The President should go beyond issuing statements to pacify the public and take immediate action to curb the unacceptable conduct of this Minister, the JHU says.

We hope that it is unnecessary to remind the President and SLFP officials of the measures that are required when a society is harassed by mad dogs, the JHU adds.

Mr. Udayasri Kariyawasam has been appointed as the Chairman of the Insurance Board of Sri Lanka by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning. Kariyawasam assumed duties on August 06. He served as a Board Member of the Insurance Board in 2004 and 2005 and during his period he has contributed immensely to the progress of the Insurance Board. Kariyawasam was also the Chairman of the Bank of Ceylon and the Ceylon Electricity Board. He is a person possessing vast experience in the capital markets, banking sector and the insurance sector of Sri Lanka and his contribution towards the vision of the IBSL will enable it to achieve its objectives.

Kariyawasam is a graduate in Business Administration of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura. He is a Fellow Member (FCA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and he is a practicing Chartered Accountant. He is also a Member of the CPA Australia and obtained the Masters of Business (Accounting) from the RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.

He was admitted to the membership (CFE) of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners in the USA in 2003 and he runs his own Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination practice in Sri Lanka. He is a Fellow Member (FSCMA) of the Society of Certified Management Accountants in Sri Lanka, and holds the senior membership (SAT) of the Association of Accounting Technicians of Sri Lanka.

The French government is happy with the probe being conducted by the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the killing of the 17 French aid workers in Mutur, Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona said yesterday.

“The French government keeps in touch with us and so far they are happy with the inquiry conducted by the CoI,” Dr. Kohona said during a seminar at the BMICH. He went on to say certain countries in the east and in the Asian region are supportive of the way the CoI is handling the inquiry into the ACF killings but admitted there were still countries that are not satisfied.Meanwhile Defence counsel for the Sri Lanka Army at the CoI, Attorney at Law Gomin Dayasiri, said ACF is yet to explain why it exited the country while the CoI inquiry was still on and added that the manner in which they left was unacceptable. “Families of the deceased gave evidence and most of them were putting the blame on the ACF employers for strictly instructing their deceased relatives to stay in the ACF office in Mutur when the entire population was fleeing the area, which ultimately led to their death,” Dayasiri said.

According to him the deceased ACF workers had three vehicles and three drivers which could have transported them to safety but these workers followed strict orders from their employees and met an untimely death. When the families of those deceased started mounting the blame on the ACF they wrapped up and meagrely compensated them,” Dayasiri said.

The victim’s families now have the right to sue the French based INGO for negligence on their part, for asking their employees to remain in the office in Mutur, as their employers did not wish them to be scattered in different places, he said. “The ACF accepted that they asked their workers to stay, but changed their stance once they went back to Paris, and they released a report stating that they did not insist that the deceased ACF workers stay in their Mutur office” Dayasiri said.

The JVP yesterday informed parliament that over 17 boats have been destroyed or damaged by the recent cyclone which hit the Western and South Western Seas of Sri Lanka and called on the government to pay compensation to the families of fishermen.

JVP MP Premasiri Manage who moved an adjournment motion in the House yesterday said the families of fishermen who got caught to the cyclone had become helpless without their breadwinners.

He said these people are in a difficult situation as they cannot engage in another industry such as farming as they live in coastal areas.

The JVP MP charged that the fishermen were not informed of the impending weather conditions before hand. “If there was such a process this disaster could have been averted,” he said.

He said it was sad to see Fisheries Minister absent when he moved this motion.

Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Neomal Perera said the Minister was absent as he was attending the opening ceremony of Puranawella Fishing Harbour.

Mr. Manage who shot back and said the Puranawella Fishing Harbour already exists and there was nothing to open.

The Minister who responded said it had been renovated with the assistance provided by US Aid.

Minister Perera said arrangements were being made to provide assistance to those who had been affected by the cyclone.

With regard to Mr. Manage’s charge about the failure of the government to warn the fishermen about the cyclone he said all boats which were engaged in long term fishing in the sea were informed as they were the only ones fitted with satellite radio systems to receive messages.

The Minister explained that single day fishing craft could not be informed as they were not fitted with such radio systems.

He said it was regrettable to note the JVP criticising the government in all instances without appreciating what the government had done to develop the fisheries industry.

Nearly 90 per cent of the 51,057 postal voters in the North-Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces had cast their votes by yesterday, election officials said.

The Assistant Elections Commissioners at Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kegalle and Ratnapura and the election monitoring group PAFFREL said the casting of votes progressed without serious incidents with the police and armed forces providing security.

They said the Anuradhapura district had 25,768 postal voters and Polonnaruwa district 7,568 in the North Central Province while the number of eligible postal voters in the Kegalle district is 10,959 and 6,762 in the Ratnapura district of the Sabaragamuwa Province.

The officials said some 350 polling stations had been set up mainly at police stations, army camps, SLTB depots and education and healthcare offices. However postal voters are allowed to cast their votes until Election Day on August 23, Deputy Elections Commissioner B.P. Siriwardana said.

Meanwhile Polonnaruwa District Secretary Ranjith Wijetilaka said he had sent a report to Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayaka of the postal voting on August 7 at Aralaganwila agriculture centre.

“The action of the agricultural officer who acted as the returning officer was totally wrong and unwarranted. He says he took votes on August 7 as he had to go abroad on August 9.


If he had informed us in advance we could have sent a replacement to conduct the ballot on the due dates,” Mr. Wijetilaka said.

But the ten postal votes cast on August 7 would be treated as valid votes.

PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachi said about 350 local observers deployed by his organization observed the two day postal voting.

UNP national organizer S.B. Dissanayake said his party wants to have the postal voting at Aralaganwila Agriculture office annulled as it was held in violation of election law.

Three persons including two school children have drowned in the Kandalama tank in Dambulla today. Police said that the victims were residents of Pannipitiya, and had come to the area on a trip. The bodies have now been recovered.

At least six suspected LTTE operatives were arrested in a southeastern suburb of the Tamil Nadu capital today. A number of fake number plates and other material were seized from the suspects.

The Ministry of Environment handed over a wheel chair to the ailing leader of Pollebedda Vedigammanaya “Gomba” to mark the International Day of World Indigenious People . The Vedi gammanaya is situated at Maha Oya in the Ampara district.

Around 50 acres of land of pine plantation in the Wilshire Mountain in Matale has been destroyed in a blaze that started on Friday night and is still burning this morning, an environmentalist in the area said.

It is still not clear what started the fire in this conservation area but smaller fires in this region in the past have been due to man made causes.

The area has wide bio diversity with over 40 species of butterflies, 15 types of reptiles and over 80 types of bats being identified in the mountain, Gamini Jayatissa, an environmentalist in the area said.

He said some lights showers have been experienced in the area this morning and it is hoped the fire would die down with it.

Four personnel of UNP parliamentarian Thalatha Athukorale’s security detail who were arrested for allegedly attacking a man with a pistol and damaging property belonging to a UPFA candidate were later granted bail by a Ratnapura Court.

Magistrate Jagath Kahadagamage released the suspects on cash bail of Rs. 50,000 each.

They had on Thursday allegedly assaulted A.M. Upul Ajith Ranasinghe with a pistol and damaged two Kotamulla shops belonging to UPFA PC candidate Janaka Wakkumbura causing damage estimated at Rs. 20,000.

The police told court, the UNP held a rally in Kotamullawhich was attended by Ms. Athukorale

UNPand when she was returning after the meeting a group of UPFA supporters had allegedly attacked her vehicle and caused extensive damage to it. Following this incident at around 11 pm Ms. Athukorala’s security officer M.K. Tilakaratne had lodged a complaint with the names and the addresses of the alleged attackers. However later at around 2:00 a.m. Ajith Weerasinghe made a complaint that Mr. Tilakarante had allegedly assaulted him.

Attorneys Nissanka Nanayakkara, Thalatha Athukorala and Sanath Kumara appeared for the suspects.

and when she was returning after the meeting a group of UPFA supporters had allegedly attacked her vehicle and caused extensive damage to it. Following this incident at around 11 pm Ms. Athukorale’s security officer M.K. Tilakaratne had lodged a complaint with the names and the addresses of the alleged attackers. However later at around 2:00 a.m. Ajith Weerasinghe made a complaint that Mr. Tilakaratne had allegedly assaulted him.

Attorneys Nissanka Nanayakkara, Thalatha Athukorala and Sanath Kumara appeared for the suspects.

A JVP supporter was seriously injured this morning at Dahama Mawatha Ehaliyagoda when he was shot by a group of unidentified persons as he was putting up posters in connection with an election rally to be held today.


The posters were being put up to announce a rally to be held this afternoon in support of the JVP s Chief Ministerial candidate for the Sabaragamuwa Province Saman Koswatta and was to be addressed by JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath.

COLOMBO: Colombo University Arts Faculty lecturers yesterday decided to suspend lectures, tutorial discussions and other academic activities until the students collectively extend a public apology following the incidents of violence and assault at the university premises last Wednesday.

Several student counsellors and Marshals sustained serious injuries and were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital when they were trying to stop a student unrest that erupted following an anonymous email on Wednesday.

Arts Faculty Teachers’ Association President Professor Ananda Tissa Kumara told a press briefing at the Faculty Club yesterday that they will not resume lectures or other academic activities unless students make a public apology .

According to Professor Kumara, the student unrest erupted even after the Vice Chancellor took action following an anonymous email that a female student was subjected to sexual harassment in the university premises.

“These students should give an assurance that the university’s academic staff or student counsellors will not be harassed in any form in the future if they want lectures to resume,” he said.

Professor Kumara said this is the first time that student counsellors and academic staff were subjected to a student attack in the history of Colombo University, regarded as one of the top seats of learning in Asia.

He said students should accept and respect the legal duties and responsibilities of student counsellors in times of student unrest in the future and their legal rights to intervene such matters should not be infringed.

”Our association throughout its history has directly got involved in getting their problems solved . We have stood up against injustices,” Professor Kumara said.

The Association also called for a disciplinary action against those involved in the assault and damaging university properties estimated to over Rs. 1.5 million.

Dr. Premakumara de Silva, Lecturers Dhamma Dissanayake and Mahesh Senanayake also spoke.

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the State government is yet to avail the recommendation from the Ministry of Civil Aviation to upgrade the Biju Patnaik airport into an international one, neighbouring Sri Lanka’s national carrier SriLankan Airlines has mooted ink Bhubaneswar.

The announcement has come at an appropriate time when the Indian Association of Tour Operators’ conclave is on in the city and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked the tourism directorate on Thursday to explore the Buddhist tourism potentialities of the State.

TIRUCHI: There is no infiltration of the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Tiruchi Range, which comprises five districts including coastal district of Pudukottai, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tiruchi Range Sandeep Rai Rathore said here on Thursday.

All the seven Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camps in Tiruchi Range were being regularly checked and patrolling was on in the coastal areas in Pudukottai district along with the Coastal Security Group, he told the media.

Of the seven refugee camps in Tiruchi Range, three are in Pudukottai district, two in Karur and one each in Tiruchi Rural and Perambalur district. Ever since the serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad recently, security was stepped up by increasing the number of beats and by conducting night checks besides heightening surveillance in bus stands, he said adding that these measures would continue till Independence Day.

Stating that the performance of the law enforcers was good, he said as many as 79 persons were detained under the Goondas Act till now this year in Tiruchi Range. The figure was more in comparison with 2007 when 42 persons were detained under the Act during the whole year.

Similarly, the number of persons detained under the Bootleggers Act was also high so far this year as compared to last year. A total of 36 persons were detained under the Bootleggers Act up to July this year, while 29 persons were detained under the same Act during 2007.

There was a drop in grave crime cases such as murder for gain and dacoity in Tiruchi Range in the current year till now. Only two murders for gain cases and a dacoity case had been reported so far, DIG Rathore said adding that 10 murders for gain and three dacoity cases were reported last year. The police had concentrated on checking over speeding and drunken driving as these two were the primary causes for road accidents. A total of 7,699 over speeding and 6,685 drunken driving cases were booked in various districts within the Tiruchi Range up to July, he added.

By Cara Mia DiMassa and Richard Winton, Los Angeles
FBI agents served search warrants this morning on three hospitals as part of an investigation into alleged Medicare fraud involving homeless patients who were recruited from skid row.

Dr. Rudra Sabaratnam, an owner and the chief executive of City of Angels Medical Center, and Estill Mitts, an alleged patient recruiter, were indicted by a federal grand jury last week on 21 counts of healthcare fraud, money laundering and income tax evasion.

The men were arrested this morning as part of the federal government's criminal investigation, according to FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.

"It's a scheme that ranged from street operatives to the CEO of a hospital," said U.S. Atty. Thomas P. O'Brien, adding that he expects several more arrests in coming weeks.

At the same time, Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo announced civil litigation against the three hospitals and their operators in what officials said was a "scheme to defraud the Medi-Cal and Medicare programs out of millions of dollars."

Beginning at 8 a.m., agents working with the federal Department of Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service and the California Department of Justice raided City of Angels Medical Center, Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center and Tustin Hospital and Medical Center.

The raids cap what law enforcement sources told The Times was a nearly two-year investigation of alleged medical fraud on skid row.

The city attorney's office alleged that the hospitals tried to fill empty beds in a bid to boost their finances.

The hospitals allegedly were aided by a patient recruiting operation on skid row that plucked homeless people from the streets and delivered them with fake medical conditions to the hospitals.

Metropolitan Medical Center in 2006 was accused by the Los Angeles Police Department of using ambulances to "dump" five patients in one day onto the streets of the downtown skid row area against their will after their discharge from the hospital. At the time, officials at the hospital strongly denied any wrongdoing.

But the city attorney now alleges that those patients had been recruited "by runners" who directed them to an assessment center on 7th Street, where their Medicare and Medi-Cal benefits eligibility was checked and a "fabricated description of conditions" was prepared by non-doctors so they could be eligible for treatment. All five of the patients were admitted to Metropolitan Medical Center.

Each of the patients received $20 to $30 when they returned to the assessment center after spending one to three days in the hospital, according to the suit.

"Within the past four years, hundreds, if not thousands of other homeless persons in skid row have been recruited, hospitalized, treated and discharged in a manner substantially similar . . . as part of a long-running scheme to bilk the Medicare and Medi-Cal programs out of millions of dollars by causing unnecessary hospitalization for paid recruits," the lawsuit alleges.

"Today, we are sending the message that those who would seek to defraud our healthcare system, and those who would callously exploit mentally-impaired and drug addicted homeless men and women to turn a profit will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said Delgadillo in a statement. "These criminals thought they could get away with this scheme because -- they figured -- no one cares about the homeless on skid row. They were dead wrong."

Among those named in the suit are Pacific Health Care Corp.; Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center, its Chief Executive John Fenton and admitting physician Frederick Rundall; Tustin Hospital and Medical Center, its Chief Executive Daniel Davis, Chief Financial Officer Vincent Rubio and admitting physicians Kenneth Thaler and Al-Reza Tajik; and City of Angels Medical Center and its owner-operators Robert Borseau and Sabaratnam. Mitts, the owner and manager of Metropolitan Healthcare LLC and the president of the 7th Street Christian Day Center, which was until recently located on skid row, is also named in the suit.

City attorneys allege that the Tustin hospital was guaranteed 40 to 50 patients a month while City of Angels got 25 to 30 patients month. Metropolitan Medical Center received patients whenever beds were available, according to the suit. City attorneys allege the admitting Drs. Rundall, Thaler and Tajik did not see their patients until shortly before their discharge. City attorneys allege that for patient referrals, Mitts' group was paid $20,000 per month each from Metropolitan Medical Center and Tustin, while City of Angels paid between $400 to $1,000 a week to the recruiting group.

The suit also alleges that the Tustin hospital's chief financial officer personally received a $3,500-a-month kickback from Mitts' group to ensure that Tustin continued to take homeless patients from the skid row center.

The street recruiter typically received $40 for each homeless recruit with Medicare eligibility and $20 for each recruit with Medi-Cal benefits, the suit alleges.

At City of Angels, FBI agents and members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's major crimes squad, who were providing backup, entered the building shortly after 8 a.m. Employees gathered in small groups in the lobby, where they had been told to wait. Sitting at tables with colleagues or talking on cellphones, most said they were puzzled by the search.

"At first, when I saw all these agents in all their shirts, I thought it must be a training exercise," said one employee who refused to give his name, saying he didn't want trouble with his boss. "But then I realized it was the real thing. They told me I couldn't go back to my work area."

Near the entrance to the hospital's administrative offices, dozens of federal, state and local law enforcement personnel gathered, their shirts bearing the logos of their agencies. Half an hour into the search, a team of computer forensics experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services arrived with large briefcases on rollers. Medical center employees estimated that there were at least 50 members of the search team.

Authorities have expressed concern about schemes that use the area's homeless population to defraud the federal government. State and federal investigators have broken up two food stamp scams, one of which involved a merchant who allegedly gave homeless people 50 cents on the dollar for their stamps then charged the entire value -- $6 million -- to the government.

In 2006, officials filed charges against the owner of a MacArthur Park-area clinic for allegedly rounding up homeless people on skid row with Medi-Cal or Medicare cards and giving them a battery of medical tests charged to government programs. Authorities allege that the tests cost taxpayers at least $1.6 million and perhaps much more.

Last month, in a separate federal lawsuit stemming from alleged Medicare and Medicaid false claims involving a Chula Vista psychiatric hospital, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeal upheld a $15.6-million award against Sabaratnam, Borseau and firms they operated.

According to the court's decision, the defendants submitted a series of false claims in the late 1990s for rent, legal fees and interest expenses related to operations of Bayview Hospital, which was operated by firms Sabaratnam and Borseau controlled. The court rejected an appeal by Sabaratnam and Borseau that argued the federal government had not proved the disputed claims were false.

Times staff writers Rich Connell and Sue Horton contributed to this report.

Three persons were shot dead inside a vehicle a shortwhile ago along Ferguson's road, close to the Old Kelani bridge, Police said.

Granspass police said a team has been sent to the area and that the bodies were inside the car and were yet to be identified.

Police said it appeared to be an underworld killing, but could not confirm.

Tea Smallholders Factories PLC, part of John Keells Holdings, said today that it sold its Randola Factory at Balangoda for Rs 71 million, according to an official statement. The buyer was not idenfied.

The statement to the Colombo Stock Exchange said the deal included 14.9 acres of land. The capital gain from the transaction was Rs 44 million .

A 11 hour power cut will be imposed in the Katunnayaka, Ja-ela, Gampaha and Veyangoda areas on Sunday, the CEB announced.

The power cut will be effective from 7.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m..

The areas affected will be Katunayaka Free Trade Zone, Katunayaka, Ja-Ela, Seeduwa, Minuwangoda, Divulapitiya, Gampaha, Yakkala, Niwala, Veyangoda, Pasyala, Nittambuwa, Thiharaiya, Kalagedihena and Wathupitiwala.

The Colombo Magistrate has given orders to produce the suspects involved in the Sirasa cameraman assault incident.

UNP MP for Gampaha District Edward Gunasekera made a staggering disclosure in Parliament yesterday that over 108 persons, who sought support from the President’s Fund for medical assistance, have not been given the promised amount as there is no cash in the fund.
Mr. Gunasekera made this statement during an adjournment debate in the House yesterday.
The UNP MP explained that the President’s Fund was started by the Late President J. R. Jayewardene, with a noble intention of helping the less fortunate, but today it is in a mess and has no funds.
He said a particular private hospital declined to treat patients who are using money from the President’s Fund. He said the President’s Fund is in debt Rs 60 million to this hospital.
JVP MP Thilakaratne Withanarachchi said patients are receiving only 50% of the total amount they apply from the fund currently but many are deprived of even that amount.
He said the Auditor General’s Report in 2005 had revealed that no receipts were available to account for a total amount of Rs 53 million that have been given through the fund.
Mr. Withanarachchi suggested that patients with terminal illnesses should be paid at least 75% of the amount they apply for.
Leader of the House and Minister of Health Nimal Siripala De Silva in the meantime denied the charge saying he was not aware of any shortages existing in the President’s Fund and called on the opposition to give data of those who had been played out.
The Minister said the fund has provided assistance for over 2000 heart operations, 71 kidney transplants and provided funds for over 300 other services such as helping religious organizations in 2007.
He said the health service in the state sector had been developed today paving the way for the public to seek treatment for terminal illnesses at an affordable amount.

Troops of Army 59 division advancing in Mullaittivu forest yesterday (August 7) encountered stiff resistance from LTTE as the soldiers were further closing on the terror dens in Mullaittivu, defence sources on the Welioya battlefront said.
Military reports received from the front indicate 15 deaths, 23 casualties to the terrorists while 15 more were recorded as either killed or wounded in day's clashes flared up in the North of Kiriibbanwewa, Janakapura, and Andankualama areas. Further, 3 soldiers were killed in action, 7 wounded in action and 4 went on missing during these incidents.
Pitched battles were reported in the North of Andankulama area since last forenoon as troops kept on pounding at the terror defences that came across on their way. Troops attacked a terror bunker around 11.30 AM and confirmed 4 terrorists were either killed or wounded. Around 12 noon troops had 3 separate clashes in the same area with groups of terrorists. Troops claimed 3 terrorists were killed and 5 others wounded. Also, 2 soldiers were injured due to terror mortar fire.
The days most fierce battle broke out when the terrorists attacked at the advancing troops around 6 PM. Troops overpowered that terror attack in a close quarter fighting and chased away the terrorists. 2 soldiers were killed, one suffered injuries and 4 reported missing in action. Ground sources said that the terrorists probably had taken the bodies of the missing soldiers for propaganda purpose to boost fast loosing morale among their ranks. Later, radio monitoring units confirmed 5 terrorists had been killed and 6 others wounded in this confrontation.
Meanwhile, troops operating in the area North of Kiriibbanwewa had to separate clashes during afternoon hours and claimed 5 terrorists were either killed or wounded. Further, around 5.45 PM troops engaged artillery fire at a group of terrorist detected in the area. Radio transmissions among the LTTE cadres confirmed that 3 terrorists were killed and 4 others were wounded in this incident. Also, a soldier suffered injuries due to an AP (anti personnel mine explosion) occurred elsewhere last evening.
In the North of Janakapura area, troops had several clashes with the terrorists. During the morning hours troops two separate confrontations with terrorists and claimed 2 terrorists were killed , 2 others wounded and 3 more were either killed or wounded.
Around 11.50 in the morning troops attacked and captured one terror bunker and 4 trench defences. Later in the afternoon, troops confronted with terrorists around 1.35 PM at a separate location. A soldier was killed and another suffered injuries during the incident. Radio monitoring confirmed one terrorist was killed and 3 others were wounded.
In a similar incident reported around 2.50 PM, troops attacked group of terrorists and claimed one terrorist was killed and 3 others wounded. During subsequent search, a body of LTTE cadre was found along with one T-56 riffle and 2 hand grenades.
Meanwhile two soldiers suffered injuries due to AP mine explosions occurred in the Nittukaikulama area last morning.

LTTE propaganda lobbyists appear to be once again doing overtime to tarnish the image of advancing Sri Lanka Army troops in Mullaittivu district, as fall of Tiger strongholds is imminent in the near future. This time it was Mullaittivu hospital.
The latest ruse by the Tigers has come to the fore with the publication of a story in their mouthpieces Friday (8) morning, claiming that troops in Mullaitivu have fired artillery on Mullaittivu district hospital.
The Army categorically denies having fired any artillery rounds and contents of the LTTE canard. It also wishes to remind that Tiger terrorists in the same manner used the same tactic in Vakare and Madhu when the troops were reaching Vakare and MADHU areas. Terrorists in both those instances damaged the Vakare hospital and most recently the sacred MADHU Shrine, just before the troops rolled in.
As of Friday (8), troops of the 59 Division are deployed in Nithkaykulam, about 15 km, south of Mullaittivu center and have in no way directed any artillery fire towards Mullaittivu or its suburbs, as stated in those false reports.

Political parties, trade unions and civil society organizations today (Aug. 08th) demanded the government immediately ‘caged Mervyn Silva, the stray dog who bites journalists.’
The call came at a protest organized in Colombo by the Five Media, where a large number of participants vehemently condemned the Labour Minister for his continuous attacks against the media.
In the most recent incident, he and his supporters attacked two camera crew of Sirasa TV and snatched their equipment at an official function four days ago.
Among the political leaders who participated in the demonstration were Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mahajana Wing’s Mangala Samaraweera, United Socialist Party’s Sirithunga Jayasuriya and Wickramabahu Karunaratne of the Democratic Left Front.
The United National Party’s General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and MPs Dayasiri Jayasekara, Sagala Ratnayake, Ravi Karunanayake, Lakshman Seneviratne, Jayalath Jayawardena and Johnston Fernando were also present.
Co-convener of the August Fourth Movement Saman Ratnapriya, Chairman of the Ceylon Teachers Union Joseph Stalin and Former Convener of the Free Media Movement Sunanda Deshapriya also participated in the protest.
Carrying placards and shouting slogans against Mervyn Silva, the demonstrators marched from Kollupitiya Junction to the Police barriers at Liberty Roundabout close to Temple Trees.
Speaking here, President of the Working Journalists Association Sanath Balasuriya and political leaders stressed that the thuggery being unleashed by the Labour Minister was not a personal action.
They accused that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was protecting the Labour Minister and using him to repress the media, trade unions and political opponents.
The speakers said that they fired the first salvo against this organized repression, and warned of stronger action if the present regime led by President Rajapaksa did not halt their acts of thuggery and violence against the people.

A Japanese motor company has, through its lawyer Malin Rajapakse, issued letter of demand for non-settlement of payments to the tune of 2.73 ml Sri Lankan rupees on a Kurunegala- based business enterprise that is believed to have been funding the JVP but ironically this company, which probably has gone bankrupt, wants the Japanese company to recover the amount from JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe and politbureau member Sarath Kularathene.
Lawyer for the Japanese Sayuri International Company, Malin Rajapakse, said that his client had no dealings whatsoever with the JVP and the company was liable to be wound up ad liquidated for recovery of the amount due.

The payment is due as balance payment for motor parts imported

BRAMPTON, Ont. — An Ontario court is hearing that a young man accused of membership in a homegrown terrorism plot talked about going to fight in Iraq or Sri Lanka.
If his client had signed on to a domestic terror conspiracy, defence lawyer Faisal Mirza wonders, why would he talk about going abroad in the weeks and months before his arrest in June 2006?
Mirza says none of the others involved in the alleged conspiracy told the accused “his mission” was in Canada when he talked about going overseas.
The man, now 20, was one of 18 people arrested in the Toronto area two summers ago and charged under Canada’s new anti-terrorism laws.
The Crown has argued the youth must surely have become aware of his mentor’s plans carry out bloody attacks on Canadian targets.
But in closing arguments, Mirza says even if the accused did know about a local plot, evidence clearly shows he did not sign on to participate in it.

GENEVA - Twelve thousand families are reported to have been displaced in July by fierce fighting in Sri Lanka between government troops and Tamil rebels, the United Nations refugee agency said Friday.
Many have been forced to move on several occasions ahead of shifting frontlines to avoid crossfire and stay out of shelling range, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman Ron Redmond told journalists.
Civilians were fleeing Mannar in the far northeast of the island and travelling further north into Poonagary and Karachchi as fighting intensified, he said.
"Supplies of food, shelter materials, water and sanitations equipment, and fuel for the transportation of civilians are running dangerously low," he warned.
"Efforts by humanitarian agencies to replenish the stocks are hindered by the strict restrictions on the transport of goods into the region," Redmond added.
Sri Lanka's defence ministry said Thursday that at least 23 Tamil Tiger rebels and two soldiers were killed in the latest fighting.
Government troops kept up attacks against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Mullaittivu, Weli Oya and Vavuniya, with 75 rebels and three soldiers also wounded during Wednesday's clashes.
The latest clashes raised the number of rebels killed by security forces since January to 5,623, while 512 soldiers have died in combat within the same period, according to a tally of defence ministry figures.
Casualty figures cannot be verified as the Sri Lankan government bars reporters from travelling to the front lines or crossing into rebel-held areas.
Tens of thousands have died since the LTTE launched an armed struggle in 1972 aimed at carving out a separate homeland for minority Tamils in the island's north and east.

In order to strengthen the bi-lateral trade ties with Sri Lanka, Chen Deming, Commerce Minister of China held a meeting Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Sir Lankan President in Beijing, yesterday.

The Government of China has shown great amount of interest in making investments in Sri Lanka in order to help the nation develop its economy. The Commerce Minister assured the President of starting various projects in Sri Lanka this year.

The stage IV of new Trade Agreement will get over soon, under which China will offer concession to Sri Lanka for boosting its exports. The Government is also planning to set up textiles as well as light industries in Sri Lanka as it is considered to be an ideal location.

The bi-lateral trade between China and Sri Lanka had increased around 28 percent which has made both the nations all the more firm for enhancing two way trade.

The export value of China rose to almost 28.6 percent this year and its import of various products also witnessed a boost of nearly 30 percent. The over all trade balance saw a slight rise of 3.42 percent as against 2.66 percent in 2007.

The officials also discussed regarding the benefits Sri Lanka will have, by setting up special investment zone at the upcoming Chinese International Investments and Trade Council.

Some of the bureaucrats present at the meeting yesterday included Dr P B Jayasundara, Finance Secretary, Karunatilleke Amunugama, Ambassador, Gamini Senarath, Presidential Additional Secretary as well as members from Embassy.

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing, on 8 August 2008, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
UNHCR is deeply concerned over the safety of thousands of families fleeing fierce fighting in the north of Sri Lanka as the conflict between government forces and the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) reaches new heights.
Amid intensified fighting in the region, we call on both parties to take immediate steps to ensure the protection of those affected; to allow freedom of movement for those seeking safety from the ongoing operations; and to ensure that the internally displaced are neither targeted nor located near military targets.
In addition, supplies of food, shelter materials, water and sanitation equipment, and fuel for the transportation of civilians are running dangerously low. Efforts by humanitarian agencies to replenish the stocks are hindered by the strict restrictions on the transport of goods into the region. UNHCR calls upon the authorities to allow unhindered passage for essential supplies as soon as possible.
Civilians are pouring out of northern parts of Manthai West in Mannar and Kilinochchi's Mulankavil area, and traveling further north into Poonagary and central Karachchi, also in the Kilinochchi district. Earlier in July, population movements took place within the Kilinochchi district, as people made their way from Manthai East and Thunukkai further north into areas like Karachchi and Oddusudan.
Although exact figures are still sketchy, more than 12,000 families are reported to have been displaced in July alone, with movements including multiple displacements continuing as people move ahead of the shifting frontlines to avoid the crossfire and to stay out of shelling range. Most recently, UN access to the majority of 10,000 IDP families in Karachchi has been cut off south and west of Akaryan because of security concerns of relief workers.
The displaced families are being accommodated in several areas in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. A majority are staying out in the open. Some areas are already said to have exhausted their absorption capacity and four sites that were earlier designated and cleared in case of an emergency, could not be utilized as military operations moved closer. UNHCR, local authorities and other agencies operating in the affected areas are looking into identifying additional sites to accommodate newly displaced. We and our partners, in coordination with local government authorities and other agencies, are distributing emergency shelter kits and tarpaulins to those in need.
UNHCR is urging all parties to allow humanitarian access to the affected population so they can be provided with much-needed assistance in a timely manner and in line with international humanitarian law and practices.

The military denied LTTE allegation that artillery shells fired by the army had fallen inside the Mullaitivu hospital and the Government Agent's (GA) residence injuring several civilians including the GA Ms Emelda Sukumar.However the LTTE said Mullaithivu Government Agent, Ms Emelda Sukumar and several others were reportedly injured following heavy shelling in Mullaithivu area last night.
“As of today troops of the 59 Division were deployed in Nithkaykulam, about 15 km, south of Mullaitivu center and have in no way directed any artillery fire towards Mullaitivu or its suburbs,” Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV) belonging to the Air Force had made an emergency landing near Nuwara Wewa in Anuradhapura owing to a technical fault at 8.45am.

Human Rights Watch is calling on the government to release journalist J.S. Tissainayagam and two others who have been held without charge since March under emergency regulations.

The opening ceremony of the Olympics in Beijing will be held in the Beijing National Stadium, and begin at 8:00pm CST (UTC+8) on 8 August 2008. The choice of date and time (2008-08-08 8:00) reflects the fact that the number 8 is considered lucky in China.

Eco Wheels Pvt. Ltd. is set to launch its eco-friendly cars commercially, a move which will enable Sri Lankans to travel at a very low cost.
Speaking to media Eco Wheels Chairman Nissanka Ediriweera revealed that the eco-friendly cars, imported from China and branded under ‘Electrica’, are revolutionary in Sri Lanka since this is the first time that the country would be exposed to electronically-charged cars on a commercial basis. “We hope to sell the new Electrica which is air-conditioned at Rs.1.3 million plus taxes if the government includes VAT (Value Added Tax). With this car, there are no emissions of any kind, no gases, no pollution and no noise,” Ediriweera confirmed.According to him the Electrica runs 1 kilometre (km) at a cost of Rs.3 while the cheapest petrol car costs Rs.13 to run 1 km which would mean that the Electrica saves Rs.10 per km. He further revealed that 10,000 electric cars use electricity worth Rs.36.5 million per annum while 10,000 petrol cars use fuel up to Rs.657 million per annum.
The Electrica is able to run at a speed of 60 km per hour and with one charge which is around 8-10 hours, it can run approximately for 120 km. “This car is ideal to take small families but not for pilgrimages cause it is only an urban commuter,” he stated. The only expense for this car other than for the electricity is the 8 batteries which would have to be replaced every 2 years. The batteries are 4 kilowatts each and can be recharged 500 times. Replacing all 8 cells would cost around Rs.72,000.

The Commercial High Court of Colombo yesterday ordered the leader of National Freedom Front, Wimal Weerawansa to file his objection against the intellectual property suit filed by JVP leader Somawansa Ameresinghe seeking an order to stop the publication of a book written by him.
Commercial High Court Judge K. T. Chitrasiri ordered that he files an objection and answers on or before September 10 and extended the earlier enjoining order which prevented the former JVP Propaganda Secretary from printing, distributing or selling the book, ‘Neththa Wenuwata Eththa- JVP Arbudaye Sebe Thathu,’ till that date.
In his application the JVP leader stated the content in the book entirely or partly was his ideas put forward at JVP Central Committee meetings and Weerawansa had fraudulently used them to promote his political agenda and obtain financial benefits.
Somawansa had complained that the party decisions taken by individual members of the Central Committee together with the majority decision were considered the ultimate party decision. However these individual ideas were kept secret in order to maintain discipline and unity in the party.
He said Wimal Weerawansa who left the party following an internal dispute was a member of the Central Committee during the period 2005/2006. During this period the Central Committee met on several occasions to discuss issues related to supporting the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) candidate at the last Presidential election and thereafter how the party should support the government and later become part of it.
During these meetings he (Somawansa Ameresinghe) had put forward a number of his personal views and ideas written on some documents and Wimal Weerawansa had used some of these ideas in the writing of the said book. Somawansa claimed Weerawansa had violated the practices of the party by publishing contents that were to be kept secret and has violated his intellectual property rights.
He asked court to issue an order preventing Weerawansa from printing, publishing or selling the said book. He estimated the damage caused to him by the alleged act of Weerawansa at Rs. 10,000,000.

Mr. Justice Andrew Ranjan Perera has been appointed by the President of the Republic of Seychelles, James Alix Michel, as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and took the oath of office on 5th August 2008.

Justice Perera, who served the Registry of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka since 1960, was the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka from 1976. He proceeded to Seychelles in 1982 as the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court of Seychelles, and returned in 1987.

He retired prematurely in 1990, and returned to Seychelles, to serve as the Chief Magistrate for a short time until he was elevated to the Supreme Court Bench in January 1991. He was appointed as Chief Justice after 18 ½ years service on the bench.

Justice Perera was enrolled as an advocate of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka on 17th January 1973, and is also a graduate in law from University of Ceylon. He is a past pupil of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, where he completed his primary education in 1958 and proceeded to the Aquinas University College to complete London ‘A’ Levels.

Justice Perera is the eldest son of the Late Mr. Andrew Perera and the late Mrs Winifred Perera of Molligoda, Wadduwa, and son-in-law of the late Mr. and Mrs. Basil Perera of Mutwal. He is married to Shiranee Perera and has two sons, Romesh and Shiran who are London Qualified graduates.

Colombo stocks were propped up in early trade on Friday by a 4-million parcel of John Keells Holdings (JKH) shares being sold, brokers said.

The buyer and seller were unknown but speculation was that big investor Sohli Captain, the largest single shareholder in JKH, had sold to hotelier Ravi Thambiah, brokers said. This transaction alone at Rs 106.50, up Rs 2.75 from previous deals, recorded a turnover of Rs 319 million out of total turnover of Rs 431 million in trading upto noon.

The indices rose marginally by 2.58 points to 2,468.06 and the Milanka was up 6.17 points to 2,941.19 in early trade. Tokyo Cement saw a stock of 1.3 million shares being sold by a foreign fund at an unchanged Rs 13.75. Dialog, whose quarterly results are keenly awaited by the market, saw 307,500 shares being sold at an unchanged Rs 13.

Troops of Army 59 division advancing in Mullaittivu forest yesterday (August 7) encountered stiff resistance from LTTE as the soldiers were further closing on the terror dens in Mullaittivu, defence sources on the Welioya battlefront said.
Military reports received from the front indicate 15 deaths, 23 casualties to the terrorists while 15 more were recorded as either killed or wounded in day's clashes flared up in the North of Kiriibbanwewa, Janakapura, and Andankualama areas. Further, 3 soldiers were killed in action, 7 wounded in action and 4 went on missing during these incidents.
Pitched battles were reported in the North of Andankulama area since last forenoon as troops kept on pounding at the terror defences that came across on their way. Troops attacked a terror bunker around 11.30 AM and confirmed 4 terrorists were either killed or wounded. Around 12 noon troops had 3 separate clashes in the same area with groups of terrorists. Troops claimed 3 terrorists were killed and 5 others wounded. Also, 2 soldiers were injured due to terror mortar fire.
The days most fierce battle broke out when the terrorists attacked at the advancing troops around 6 PM. Troops overpowered that terror attack in a close quarter fighting and chased away the terrorists. 2 soldiers were killed, one suffered injuries and 4 reported missing in action. Ground sources said that the terrorists probably had taken the bodies of the missing soldiers for propaganda purpose to boost fast loosing morale among their ranks. Later, radio monitoring units confirmed 5 terrorists had been killed and 6 others wounded in this confrontation.
Meanwhile, troops operating in the area North of Kiriibbanwewa had to separate clashes during afternoon hours and claimed 5 terrorists were either killed or wounded. Further, around 5.45 PM troops engaged artillery fire at a group of terrorist detected in the area. Radio transmissions among the LTTE cadres confirmed that 3 terrorists were killed and 4 others were wounded in this incident. Also, a soldier suffered injuries due to an AP (anti personnel mine explosion) occurred elsewhere last evening.
In the North of Janakapura area, troops had several clashes with the terrorists. During the morning hours troops two separate confrontations with terrorists and claimed 2 terrorists were killed , 2 others wounded and 3 more were either killed or wounded.
Around 11.50 in the morning troops attacked and captured one terror bunker and 4 trench defences. Later in the afternoon, troops confronted with terrorists around 1.35 PM at a separate location. A soldier was killed and another suffered injuries during the incident. Radio monitoring confirmed one terrorist was killed and 3 others were wounded.
In a similar incident reported around 2.50 PM, troops attacked group of terrorists and claimed one terrorist was killed and 3 others wounded. During subsequent search, a body of LTTE cadre was found along with one T-56 riffle and 2 hand grenades.
Meanwhile two soldiers suffered injuries due to AP mine explosions occurred in the Nittukaikulama area last morning.

A total of 70 cases of election related violence have been reported from both the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces since the handing over of nominations, according to the Peoples Actions for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL)
Of the 70 incidents, damage and arson has occurred in three schools., PAFFREL said.
Following is the breakdown according to the four districts where elections are scheduled to be held on August 23
Assaults: Anuradhapura 7, Polonnaruwa 5, Ratnapura 4 and Kegalle 4.Threats and intimidations: Anuradhapura 2, polonnaruwa5, Ratnapura 0 and Kegalle 4.Damages to mobile property: Anuradhapura 6, Polonnaruwa 0, Ratnapura 1, Kegalle 1.Damage and arson to political offices: Anuradhapura 9 (inclusive of three schools), Polonnaruwa 0, Ratnapura 1 and Kegalle1.Demolition of election decorations: Anuradhapura 0, Polonnaruwa 0, Ratnapura O, Kegalle 1. Obstruction to political propaganda works: Anuradhapura O, Polonnaruwa 1, Ratnapura O and Kegalle 0. Abusing of state property: Anyradhapura 0, Polonnaruwa 2, Ratnapura 2, Kegalle 1. Entertainment with the aim of political agenda only 1 at Ratnapura. Othe types of violences: one each at Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa and two each at Ratnapura and Kegalle.

A young man on trial for terrorism lacked the necessary religious and political motivation for the crime because he grew up Hindu of Sri Lankan background, his lawyer argued yesterday.
"Unlike most Muslims, he is not from a predominantly Muslim nation," defence lawyer Faisal Mirza said of his client, a convert to Islam and disaffected from his family.
Stark differences exist between Hinduism and Islam, Mirza said. Hinduism is premised on idol worship. The youth grew up with no knowledge of the traditions, history and struggles of Islamic peoples.
"He started with a blank slate," the lawyer said as part of an argument underscoring the youth's general naïveté and unworldliness. "He is at the beginning of a journey, not well-versed ... The Crown might argue that that made him a prime target (for recruitment)," the lawyer said, "but (lack of knowledge) frames his state of mind."
The defence was summing up its case on the penultimate day of the first trial of the so-called Toronto 18 – Muslims rounded up in 2006 and accused of being an Al Qaeda-style cell bent on terrorizing the country.
Charges were stayed against seven, leaving the youth and 10 adults to be tried. The youth, now 20, was 17 at the time of the alleged offences and cannot be named. By court order, none of his remaining co-accused can be named either.
Both Crown and defence agree that the youth shoplifted camping gear and walkie-talkies, stole a security video camera and participated in both outdoor camps that the Crown characterizes as terrorist training camps. But the reason the youth participated, Mirza suggested, was to learn more about Islam.
Both Mirza and his defence colleague, Mitchell Chernovsky, emphasized before Ontario Superior Court Justice John Sproat their client knew nothing of a terror plot or ideas to attack police, communications and power installations and behead the Prime Minister.
For the youth to be convicted, they said, the Crown must prove a terrorist plot existed and that the youth knowingly participated.
Point by point, Chernovsky tore away at the Crown's case.
The ringleader had no money, no weapons except a handgun and no schedule to carry out his purely fanciful objectives, the lawyer said.
The lack of urgency meant the ringleader did not ask young recruits to join a terrorist plot, Mirza said.
"He deliberately kept (young recruits) out of the loop," he said.
Crown prosecutor John Neander has called the idea that the youth didn't know he was part of a terrorist group an "insult to reason."
"(The ringleader's) mouth was a river of ugly criminal rhetoric," Neander has said. If the youth wasn't told at the start, he would've known after attending the camps.
Not so, said Chernovsky, citing – among other evidence – wiretap transcripts indicating senior members stopped talking of their plans whenever a young person came by.
Arguments are to conclude today.

men
Panimalar eng college beat YMCA college 25/16 25/14 (2-0)
D B JAIN college beat st josephs eng college 24/26 25/21 25/18 (2-1)

women
St josephs eng college beat y m c a college 25/06 25/08(2-0)
Panimalar eng college beat J B A S college 25/19 25/05(2-0)

The leader of the major coalition partner in the ruling Pakistani government, Bhutto’s Pakistani People’s Party,

Asif Ali Sardari along with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday at a joint media briefing declared their government will impeach President Pervez Musharraf, for "eroding" trust of the nation through his policies and actions.

"We have good news for democracy. The coalition believes it is imperative to move for impeachment against General Musharraf," PPP Chairman Zardari told the joint press conference with PML-N leader Sharif after very serious and long drawn out deliberations between the two sides for the past three days on the issue was resolved on a consensus.

"We will present a charge sheet against Musharraf," Zardari said without giving a timeframe for the impeachment of the 64-year-old President.

While there had been a very conspicuous hesitancy on the part of Ali Sardari since forming the government to reinstate the Judges removed by Musharraf through extra constitutional measures, the PPP chief said all the deposed justices will be reinstated immediately after the impeachment of the Presidency.

At this media briefing Nawaz Sharif said he was in "total agreement" with his ally on the decision of impeaching Musharraf, whose ouster the former Premier's party has been demanding for a long time.

The PPP leader said the impeachment would be moved in parliament under Article 47 of the Constitution that would need a two thirds vote in a joint meeting of the two house National Assembly.

Media rights organizations are organizing a protest campaign at Kollupitiya Junction in Colombo, starting at 12.00 noon tomorrow (Aug. 07th) to condemn the attack by Minister Mervyn Silva on a Sirasa TV camera crew a few days ago.

In a statement, these media groups allege that responsible authorities have failed thus far to take action against the minister despite his continuing suppression of the media.

The protest will demand that the minister immediately halts his uncivilized behaviour, a statement by them said.

The statement invited all political parties, trade unions and other civil society organizations to take part in the demonstration.

Signatories to the statement are the Free Media Movement, the Working Journalists Association, the Federation of Media Employees Trade Union, the Muslim Media Forum and the Tamil Media Alliance.

Sri Lanka Air Force attacked an LTTE stronghold located in Pllawarayankadu area, 7 km, North of Vellankualama around 5 this evening. According to Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, MI 24 helicopter gunships carried out the attack in support of the Army Task Force 1 soldiers now operating in the Kilinochchi district. Citing reports received from ground troops, he added that the target was effectively neutralized.
Speaking further, Wing Commander Nanayakkara said that Air Force ground combatants engaged in clearing operations in the Peraru area in the North of Trincomalee had found a cache of newly buried ammo and explosives this evening. The cache included 3 claymore mines, 4500 ammo used for T-56 riffles, 10 anti personnel mines (AP), 102 electrical detonators, 3 kg of C-4 high explosives, and 350 pistol ammo, he added.

Recording of Minister "Dr" Mervyn Silva's statement regarding the attack on the Sirasa crew members will be further delayed, Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara said Thursday night.

"We may record the statement only at the end of recording other statements", he said.

However earlier in the day he told a news conference that "Dr" Silva's statement will be recorded today.

World’s sixth largest Electrical equipment manufacture Havells India Ltd signed an agreement with the Brown and Company Ltd Sri Lanka to introduce world-class electrical goods to the local market.
Brown’s Director Ajith Devasurendra said this joint alliance will help them immensely in entering new markets while satisfying customers .
Havells Vice President Vijay Malik said the company would introduce an impressive range of electrical products ranging from cables to sophisticated switch gear, lighting systems and fans laying an emphasis on the environment and energy efficiency. He said Havells India Ltd has over 200 staff for research and product development.
“Our aim is to introduce high quality electrical equipment with energy saving capacity, he explained.
Responding media at a press briefing held on Thursday in Colombo he said at present Havells enter the European and leading markets to distribute its products.
According to the BROWNS the company plans to introduce these products for the entire market including rural areas.
The company said it works with the rural sector and the company needs to help the masses to save energy through these products.

Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has ratified the country’s new constitution at a ceremony today following four years of work by the Special Majlis (constitutional assembly).

The move comes ahead of the country’s first multiparty presidential elections and brings a host of new democratic firsts, including a bill of rights, as well as laying out provisions for independent commissions over the election period.

The construction of high rise buildings within a half a kilometre range around Temple Trees has been banned for security reasons.

A house was completely destroyed and another house partially damaged in the major fire that broke out in the Wellamptiiya area on Thursday night, an official of the Colombo Fire Brigiade said.

Four fire engines were rushed to the area and firemen fought for two hours to bring the fire under control. The houses were located along the Kolonnawa - Wellampitiya road.

The cause of the fire was not known immediately.

The traditional Madhu feast scheduled to be staged this month has been cancelled, Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph said in a press statement. He said that the Sacred Statue of Our Lady of Madhu will be taken to its original place of Madhu Church and enthroned after due penitential and purification service.

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the central government to retrieve from Sri Lanka the Kachatheevu island off Rameshwaram that India ceded in 1974.

The AIADMK chief contended that then prime minister Indira Gandhi gave away Kachatheevu without suitably amending the constitution, mandatory for effecting any change in Indian territory.

The opposition leader in the Tamil Nadu assembly also sought the court's direction to the central government to restore the rights of the fishermen to visit the island with their fishing vessels for fishing.

In her lawsuit, filed through counsel Srikala Guru Krishnakumar, Jayalalitha said that Kacahtheevu, in the narrow Palk Strait that divides India and Sri Lanka, "was historically the part of Raja of Ramnad jamindari (landholding) and after the abolition of jamindari system in 1948 it became the part of Madras presidency".

But the Indian government, acceding to an unjustified Sri Lankan territorial claim over the island, being made since 1921, ceded it to Sri Lanka in 1974, she said.

She said that the "island was used by the fishermen of both the countries to dry their nets, to rest and to pray in St. Antony's Church, built by an Indian fishermen of Ramnad on the island".

Jayalalitha said that there was even an annual pilgrimage to the island by the fishermen of both countries.

Stating that the fishermen from both India and Sri Lanka used to undertake fishing in the waters around the island without any animosity, Jayalalitha said that the island was of "strategic importance and special significance for fishing operations".

She said that despite consistent protests by the locals and their representatives in parliament, the Indian government ceded the island to Sri Lanka. The decision has not been ratified by parliament till date.

She said that the Indian government in 1976 even surrendered the rights of the Indian fishermen over the island, affecting their livelihood.

Today, she said, due to the hostile attitude of the Sri Lankan Navy, the fishermen feared to go fishing near Kachatheevu.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said troops are now engaged in operations to capture Vellankulam.
He said troops of the 57th and 58th divisions are engaged in operations six kilometres north of the Vellankulam town. Another group of the 57th Division are advancing to capture Thunukkai and Mallavi.

Over the past month security forces have recovered the bodies of 100 LTTE cadres. The military spokesman said during the first seven months of this year 684 civilians escaped from uncleared areas and arrived in government controlled areas. During this year 27 LTTE cadres surrendered to the Army.

The Brigadier invited all army deserters to return to service. One thousand seven hundred soldiers returned during the recent amnesty period. He said measures are now in place to arrest army deserters who do not surrender. So far 1,679 army deserters have been arrested.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse who is on an official visit to China has met Chinese Trade Minister Chen Demin. The meeting on Thursday focused on bilateral economic relations.
At the start of the meeting the Sri Lankan President thanked China for its enthusiastic support for development projects in Sri Lanka. The Chinese Minister said they would also invest in new projects such as the Colombo-Katunayake expressway, second and third stages of the coal power plant in Puttalam and the fuel storage project in Hambantota.
He also pledged to strengthen trade relations between the two countries including bilateral exports. The Chinese Trade Minister said the fourth stage of the trade agreement with Sri Lanka will conclude soon. He agreed to consider the continuation of tax benefits for tea exports from Sri Lanka which account for 23 percent of Sri Lankan exports to China.
The Sri Lankan President and the Chinese Minister also discussed on Sri Lanka’s participation in the forthcoming China international investment and trade fair. The Chinese Minister agreed to visit Sri Lanka to observe the progress of projects implemented under Chinese investments.

The visiting Sri Lankan President also held a discussion with Chinese Minister of Industries and Information
Li Yishong. The aim of the discussion was to increase bilateral cooperation in advanced technology. President Rajapakse requested the Chinese Minister to encourage Chinese investors to promote Information Technology in rural areas of Sri Lanka.

MUMBAI: UTV Global Broadcasting Limited (UGBL) will launch UTV Movies and World Movies on Dialog TV, Sri Lanka's direct-to-home service provider, in September.

Commenting on taking the two movie channels to the Sri Lanka market, UGBL executive director Shantonu Aditya said, "Sri Lanka is a very key market for media consumption in South Asia and with Dialog TV as our partner, we are confident of reaching out our content to the right audiences. The Sri Lankan viewer has a taste for quality entertainment and we are sure our content will surpass their expectations."

Dialog TV CEO Nushad Perera said, "At Dialog TV we are always looking for new channels that will enhance our existing bouquet through good content, thereby providing our customer with a superior entertainment experience. As a Sri Lankan DTH television service provider we have found a huge need for good quality entertainment, which will give our viewers hours of the very best in films and programs. I believe that our partnership with UTV Broadcasting will enhance our infotainment platform through its high quality entertainment." UTV has also tied up with Japan-based IPTV service provider The New Media Group (TNMG) to offer two of its channels on the IPTV platform.Hindi movie channel UTV Movies and business channel UTVi are available on TNMG’s IPTV platform ‘World On-Demand’ to the viewers of Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Chinese President Hu Jintao met on Thursday with President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse, who is here to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games and other activities.

Despite depressed market conditions, sales from special car permits given to government employees helped nearly double June quarter profits to Rs 594 million at AMW, which last month changed ownership to a Dubai-based company, the company said late on Wednesday.

A majority stake in AMW (51 percent) was sold by the De Zoysa family to Dubai’s Al Futtaim Group which also purchased John Keells Holdings’ 21 percent stake in the company. Both transactions were done on July 28. AMW’s gross profit for the previous April-June 2007 quarter was Rs. 328 million, said its Deputy Chairman/Managing
Director Tilak de Zoysa which he attributed “ mainly due to the additional income derived from GSS (permitting senior Government employees to import new passenger cars at reduced rates of duty)”.

Group’s gross profits for the quarter also increased from the previous year’s first quarter to Rs. 669 million.
He said depressed market conditions throughout the previous financial year (2007-2008) continued into the first quarter of the current year with customers postponing investment decisions in the hope that high interest rates will fall.

“The recent fuel price hike also had a dampening effect on the market. In view of this background, the company did well to increase its turnover to Rs. 2.46 billion, in comparison to the first quarter of the previous year (Rs. 2.43 billion). Group turnover also reflected an increase over the first quarter of the previous year to Rs. 2.58 billion (First Quarter-2007/08: Rs. 2.53 billion),” he said.
AMW was last traded on Wednesday at an unchanged Rs 174.50 for a total 22,400 shares which is seen being picked by Al Futtaim.The Dubai company has made the customary mandatory offer, as per Securities and Exchange Commission rules, to buy the balance 29 shares held by sections of the De Zoysa family and the public.

The Budget for next year will be presented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Parliament on November 6.

The Appropriation Bill be presented on October 9 while the second reading of the budget will be from Nov 6 to 15 and thereafter the Committee Stage will continue until Dec 8.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) said today that no immediate price revision or cutting local fuel rates were on the cards although overseas crude prices are falling sharply.

From the US$140-145 levels in recent months, overseas crude oil fell on Wednesday to US$117 per barrel, Central Bank figures show.

CPC Chairman CPC Asantha de Mel told TimesOnline that fuel prices are calculated on a monthly average basis and the daily price fluctuations have no bearing whatsoever on the CPC fuel pricing formula. "We have not been raising retail prices in the hope that international prices would come down and if the present trend of declining prices continues we can consider a fuel price reduction next month,” he said.

Seventeen dogs in the surrounding area of the BMICH who were locked up during the SAARC summit were released today by the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC).

Chief Veterinary Surgeon of the CMC Dr. D. Illeperuma said that a total number of 28 dogs were in the CMC dog pound and among them 19 were adult dogs and 9 were puppies.

He said the puppies would remain in the CMC dog pound until proper and safe homes are provided and two of the adult dogs are in a weak state.

“The two adult dogs would be kept and taken care until they are fit enough to be on their own and the puppies would be with us until we find them safe shelters. Today a number of 17 dogs were released” he said.

A Colombo Magistrate ordered the Welikada police to file their investigation report in court on September 15 on an alleged death threat by phone to the dissident JVP MP Mohamed Muzammil.

The Welikada police complained to the Colombo Additional Magistrate Ajith Anawaratne that they were probing into a complaint made by Mohamed Muzammil on May 9 alleging that he was threatened with death on a phone, by a person whom he suspect to be JVP activist Suresh.

Police said their investigations had revealed that Suresh was a Colombo District Committee Member of the JVP and he had threatened the complainant. He had allegedly threatened him saying that he would be killed in the manner that the killer of Premawathie Manamperi was killed 16 years ago.

Mohamed Muzammil in his complaint stated that he pioneered to form the National Freedom Front with Wimal Weerawansa on April 8 and an animosity developed between him and the JVP, as a result he was threatened with death by the JVP activist.

On March 8 on his way from Nugegoda to Rajagiriya in his car, when he was threatened with death by someone whom he suspect to be Suresh, using a cellular phone. He had further stated in his complaint that although he did not know the alleged suspect personally he identified the caller as Suresh from his voice.

The Magistrate ordered the Cellular Phone Company to provide the details of the phone call to Welikada police and directed the police to file their report in court on September 15.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) of the United Nations has called for the restoration of the civic rights of S.B. Dissanayaka as well as the payment of compensation.

Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said today addressing a press conference that he is ashamed of the actions of Minister Mervyn Silva and will involve himself personally to prevent a similar incident occurring again.

Speaker W.J.M.Lokubandara has ordered to expunge from the Hansard the report about an heated argument between UPFA MP ‘Dr’ Mervyn Silva and UNP MP Ravi Karunanayaka in Parliament today.

The Speaker said he regretted the language used. Details of the cross talk cannot be reported due to the speaker’s directive.

Three days after the Sirasa TV crew got assaulted and their camera’s stolen allegedly by controversial Minister ‘Dr” Mervyn Silva, the police is yet to take a statement from the minister.

At today’s Defence briefing held at the Media Centre for National Security police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara said that they will be getting a statement from Minister Silva.

He said the statement was due to be recorded, but journalists have questioned about the delay in recording the statement.
“We have retrieved the cameras and we are searching for the finger prints. We have to conduct further inquiries,” he said. The Sirasa TV crew had been invited by the government information department to cover the opening of the new Kelaniya fly over when the Sirasa TV journalists were man handled by the Minister and his goons.

59 Division troops operating North of Janakapura and Kiriibbanwewa in Mullaittiuvu, Wednesday (August 6) mounted multiple assaults at LTTE strong-points and heavy gun positions killing 10 LTTE terrorists and injuring 36 others, defence sources said.

Troops have also repulsed consecutive LTTE offensive attempts to breach military defences since yesterday morning in general area North of Janakapura. The LTTE terrorists were forced to retreat with heavy casualties as confrontations had continued till late evening on Wednesday, military sources reported citing ground troops.

A soldier has laid his life while another sustained injuries during the confrontations, sources further said.

A Sri Lankan Muslim was jailed for two years and nine months when he confessed that he was black mailed to work for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to clone 500 credit cards of British customers for the banned terrorist group to steal 175,000 British Pounds.

The Petrol station cashier Abdul Samad Mohamed Raik, a Sri Lankan national told a Leicestershire, England court, that due to a loan given to him by the terrorist group and due to his inability to pay back the loan he was forced to work for the terrorists and help them clone 500 credit cards of customers who bought petrol at the Jet Petrol station where he worked.

In his evidence to the court he said he was given a forged Indian passport by the LTTE to flee the country and escape the consequences of the case, but he did not.

In this case it was revealed that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam withdrew money using ATM machines amounting to 175,000 British Pounds from the accounts holders from various cities in the world in India, Malaysia, Canada, United States, and Australia to bank roll terrorism and war in Sri Lanka.

It was also revealed that the terrorist group using card accounts withdrew money and also bought various goods illegally for their cause.

Unsuspecting customers who bought fuel at the Jet service station, in Houghton-on-the-Hill, were unaware that cashier Abdul Samad Mohamed Raik used a cloning device when processing their card payments. The cloning device was similar to a pin hole camera. In Britain, credit cards cannot be used with a pin number for added
protection. So, both the credit card number and the pin number had
to be cloned for the crime.

His trusting employer also was not in the know that the scam was taking place, Leicester Crown Court was told.

When perturbed customers saw money had been withdrawn from their accounts from countries they had never visited and complained, Police launched a major investigation. The dozens of customer complaints said their cards had been used as far away as Australia and Malaysia, the Leicester Mercury, the local newspaper
reported at the time.

Raik, a 33-year-old Sri-Lankan national of Gilbert Close, Rushey Mead, Leicester, was jailed for two years and nine months after pleading guilty to the fraud between October and December 2007.
He also admitted possessing the false Indian passport. Justin Wigoder, prosecuting the case, said Raik worked at the filling station for 13 months. The owner, the prosecutor said, was "completely unaware" of any problems until last December, when two customers contacted him saying records for cards used at his petrol
station showed unusual foreign transactions.

The defendant was seen on Close Circuit Television swiping cards through a cloning machine so the details could be used all over the world. About 500 cards' details were obtained in total, the prosecutor said.

Raik left his job in December, but gave himself up to police in March 2008.
He claimed he became involved in the grand credit card fraud after running up a œ3,000 debt with a loan shark who was part of the Sri-Lankan terrorist group, the Tamil Tigers, who had threatened him when he struggled to make payments following the birth of his daughter in 2007.

He also handed in a false Indian passport bearing bogus details and his photo, saying he was given it by the Tamil Tigers of the scam to help him flee the UK.
Raik was forced to dishonestly clone the cards, using a machine they gave him, to pay off the debt and for no personal gain, Raik added giving further evidence.

When customers began complaining, and the situation was getting hot he left the job.
Recorder Duncan Smith said: "It was a gross breach of trust to your employer, who is a businessman relying on the good faith of his staff and on the custom his customers bring him.

"One doesn't know how badly his business will be affected or if some people will choose to go elsewhere for their petrol.

"Even though you had the wherewithal (the false passport) to spirit yourself away from the jurisdiction you handed yourself in to the police and made the investigation easier. You made a clean breast of what you'd done.

"It was a huge fraud and your involvement in it was brought to an end by yourself after a relatively short period of time."

Immediately after the whole scam was exposed, The Leicester Mercury newspaper said that garage owner and mechanic Jim Funnell delivered letters to every household in the village apologising for the scam, and urging anyone who had been affected to contact police if they had not already done so.

Sympathetic villagers sent him cards and letters pledging their support.

In 1999, Raik applied for entry to the UK as a student, which was granted until October 2005.

Nawaloka Hospitals new wing on trackNawaloka Hospitals, the leaders amongst private sector healthcare providers is nearing completion of it's 80,000 square foot new wing which when completed will accommodate 100 more beds as well as a host of
other facilities.
The Hospital's ongoing expansion, which is at a cost of Rs 1.5 billion when completed will house amongst other facilities, a well equipped emergency treatment unit, an OPD laboratory, pharmacy, consultation rooms, café, ATMs, a maternity department complete with surgical theatre, delivery room as well as private delivery rooms and an Out Bound Unit for patients with post pregnancy defects, a neo natal unit, a MICU [ Medical Intensive Care Unit ] with the latest facilities, a Sleep Lab [ snoring monitoring facility ], dialysis unit, isolation room, 7 ultra modern surgical theatres [ the Hospital will then have a total of 12 theatres], a modern fertility centre, Nephrology unit, as well as a series of villas and suites to cater to the more fastidious patients .

The villas & suites have been designed by a panel of internationally recognized architects and consultants who specialize in medical requirements, and each and every villa and suite will have a water front view, as well as an aerial view of Colombo city.

Nawaloka Hospitals will score yet another first when they become the first hospital [ the new extension ] in Sri Lanka to be equipped with glass panel elevators.


"To be the hospital of tomorrow whilst maintaining leadership and excellence in the healthcare industry is our vision, with a mission to provide the best healthcare to the needy in a cost effective, timely and professional manner", said Deputy Chairman of Nawaloka Hospitals Mr. Jayantha Dharmadasa.

"In recent times Nawaloka Hospitals were the first to introduce the Philips FD 10- Angiography system with state of the art technology . In addition they were also the first to introduce a Comprehensive Polysomnography System, as well as the first to introduce a state of the art pulmonary testing facility" said Director / General Manager Nawaloka Hospitals, Professor Lal Chandrasena.

With regards to investment in new machinery and equipment, the Hospital's Chief Financial Officer, Jayantha Perera said that during the last financial year alone Nawaloka Hospitals had invested a total of Rs 500 million in upgrading its facilities as well as in new equipment. He added that the Hospital's nurse to patient ratio currently stood at 1 to 4.

This year saw Nawaloka Hospital's Brand Value rated at an all time high of Rs 636 million, while it's Enterprise Value was rated at Rs 2319 million, with the Hospital coming in at the 35th position in LMD's top 100 companies.

"With the completion of our new wing, Nawaloka Hospitals looks forward to unfolding yet another new chapter in the history of private sector healthcare in this country" said Mr Dharmadasa.

phone services on Boeing 777-300 Emirates has again proved itself an aviation industry pioneer after becoming the first airline to introduce inflight mobile phone services on a Boeing aircraft.
Dubai’s award-winning airline recently installed the technology, which allows passengers to make calls and send SMS text messages via their mobile phones during flights, on a Boeing 777-300.

Patrick Brannelly, Vice President, Passenger Communications & Visual Services, said the inflight mobile phone technology will offer greater services and additional communications channels to Emirates’ passengers.

Brannelly added: "Travellers booked on the Boeing 777, which carries the inflight mobile phone services, will now be able to continue communicating with family, friends or business associates on the ground while travelling in the skies. The technology is another example of our dedication to always being the first airline to offer passengers groundbreaking technology and services.

The Boeing 777-300 carrying the new system is operating on several Emirates routes, including services to Europe and Australia.

Emirates first installed the technology, which was created by inflight mobile phone technology developer AeroMobile, on one of its Airbus A340-300 aircraft in March – enabling the world’s first authorised phone calls on a commercial flight.

Since then, the airline has installed the technology on 10 aircraft,including A340-300, A340-500, A330-200 and Boeing 777 planes.

Emirates plans to introduce the inflight mobile phone systems to other aircraft, with the airline’s maintenance division taking less than two days to complete the work.

Most inflight calls made by Emirates’ passengers usually occur during daytime flights, with minimal usage on night services. The average length of calls is around 2.5 minutes, while the text messaging capability is also proving very popular among passengers.

Emirates has guidelines for the appropriate use of phones on board, including requesting passengers to have their phones switched to "silent" mode during flights. The airline’s award-winning cabin crews are also able to control and monitor use of the system, and will be in full control of it throughout flights.

AeroMobile Chief Executive Bjorn-Taale Sandberg said: "The installation of our system on board Emirates’ Boeing 777 aircraft is another first for AeroMobile, and clearly demonstrates our ability to offer our technology to airlines using either Boeing or Airbus aircraft.

The number of Boeing 777s operated by Emirates and other AeroMobile customers means that this introduction is a key step in allowing passengers to keep in touch when they fly."

"There has been overwhelmingly positive feedback since the service launched in March, with between 40 to 60 per cent of passengers switching on their phones on flights where the service is available," he added.

As 500,000 construction personnel such as carpenters, building repairmen, plumbers, welders painters, electricians, store-keepers, building construction supervisors do not possess a recognized certificate in their respective occupations, securing employment opportunities in foreign countries for them have become a problem.

Under the "Sisunanapola" Training Programme introduced by the Construction and Engineering Ministry, the 500,000 construction personnel and school leavers desirous of entering the construction industry will be offered 500 scholarships per month to obtain an extensive training in relevant fields in the industry. The Vocational
Training Institutes and Techical Colleges will absorb the personnel on a scholarship basis to be trained in a number of trades, Construction and Engineering Services Ministry revealed.

Construction and Engineering Services Minister Rajitha Senaratne said Review that due to a lack of financial assistance 500,000 construction personnel and school leavers were not interested in enriching their technical knowledge in the different
trades of the construction industry. The Sisunanapola scholarship programme would be able to train the personnel the new techniques and application of modern technology to construction.

Every trainee who completes the required training programme in the construction industry will be awarded an internationally-recognized certificate by the Vocational Training Institute. The government had realized that the skills of construction personnel were underutilized and export of trained construction personnel would bring in valuable foreign exchange.

Referring to the nature of the training programmes introduced for scholarship holders, Minister Senaratne said that the scholarship holders would get training in personnel with basic knowledge in welding and plumbing, personnel with basic knowledge in building construction, independent artisans, supervisory training, training in management of construction work and technical personnel engaged
in the industry.

Minister Senaratne said that the Construction Training and Development Institute (ICTAID) which was under the purview of the Construction Ministry in co-ordination with the Technical and Vocational Education Commission would hold discussions with the Ministry to create a mechanism to obtain accurate information on national vocational qualifications possessed by construction personnel attached to different trades. The process would enable the Ministry to compile individually assess the competence of construction personnel.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that denying LTTE access to INGO and NGO material was a critical element in Sri Lanka’s efforts to destroy the group.

With military action on the Vanni fronts approaching a decisive phase in the overall campaign, the government would strive to cut off urgently needed supplies to the enemy. The success of military action would depend on a cohesive strategy to deny them not only arms, ammunition and recruitment but fuel and vehicles too he said.

The outspoken official said the LTTE had made use of heavy vehicles belonging to the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA). It wasn't an isolated case, he said.

He said the international community had repeatedly called for unrestricted access for INGOs and NGOs operating in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. "I have on many occasions pointed out the fallacy of their position." Recent confirmation of NPA vehicles in the LTTE's hands had underscored the urgent need to tighten controls,
he said.

He said that IASC (Inter-Agency Standing Committee) recently demanded the LTTE to return NPA vehicles.

Welcoming the IASC statement issued through the UN Office in Colombo, he emphasised that there was absolutely no doubt the vehicles had been used for transportation of cadres, arms and equipment and building of obstacles to thwart the army advancing
on the Vanni fronts.

Against this backdrop, a top level NPA delegation is visiting Colombo. The NPA declined to comment on the issue. The Defence Secretary said that Tigers would be desperately trying to take anything they could lay their hands on as armed forces
intensified pressure on multiple fronts. The NPA vehicles wouldn’t have ended up in the hands of the LTTE had the INGOs and NGOs removed vehicles which weren’t needed in the LTTE held area.


Troops advancing on the Mannar (Task Force I) and Vavuniya (57 Division) fronts had come across massive trenches which couldn't have been dug without machinery, he said.
He said that offensive action was on track on the Mannar, Vavuniya and Welioya (59 Division) fronts. The army headquarters has deployed Army Commandos on the Mannar front while the Special Forces are on the Vavuniya theatre.

On the Mannar front, the army has advanced about 3 kilometres north of Vellankulam, situated 42 kilometres north of Mannar on the 82 kilometre Mannar-Pooneryn (A 32) coastal road. The army is about nine kilometres away from Pallawarayankadu, the next major town on the road to Pooneryn. The army secured Vellankulam on August 2 while the navy raided an LTTE transit point on Iranativu islet situated 15 kilometres west of Pallawarayankadu on the same day. The navy headquarters said a base wouldn't be established there for the time being.

On the Vavuniya front, the army is pushing towards Tunukkai, a town situated west of Mankulam on the Mankulam-Vellankulam road. Despite taking heavy losses, the LTTE has managed to hold Tunukkai and is widely believed to have strengthened its defences at Tunukkai and Mallavi at the expense of other theatres of operations. On Tuesday, the LTTE made a determined bid to break through the frontline defences of the army at Kalvilan, about two kilometres south of Tunukkai. The large scale counter-attack directed at the 57 Division is believed to have been spearheaded by the Charles
Anthony 'Brigade'.

The army has repeatedly called for air support to soften LTTE defences. Tuesday night, Mi 24 helicopter gunships attacked LTTE positions four kilometres south-west of Tunikkai.

The Task Force I and the 57 Division maintain a combined front since June 30 when the two fighting formations linked up southwest of Periyamadu.

The Defence Secretary said the LTTE would be evicted from their strong points.

The Task Force II operating on the right flank of the combined Mannar-Vavuniya fronts is in the process of strengthening its positions at the Palamoddai (Palamoddaikulam) area. The Task Force II is pushing towards Puliyankulam, situated north of Omamnthai entry/exit point on the A9 road.

The Defence Secretary said the army on the Welioya front, too, was making steady progress. Although the area re-captured by the army wasn’t large when compared with progress on the combined Mannar-Vavvuniya front, the 59 Division has caused considerable losses on the enemy with the capture of three fortified camps on May 30, July 4 and July 27. Troops have come across a mortar pit which had been used for a 120mm gun.The army has deployed the newly formed 61 Division to consolidate
positions in the recently liberated Madhu, Periyathampanai and Periyapandivirichchan while the 56 Division deployed from Omanthai up to Padaviya, too, has been deployed largely on a defensive role. On Tuesday, troops of 56 Division engaged an LTTE position at Navatkulam east of the A9 road, killing at least one LTTE cadre.

On the Jaffna front, the LTTE has been forced to commit a sizeable force to meet a possible attempt by the army to push through the Muhamalai bottleneck. The army has two fighting Divisions stationed in the Jaffna peninsula for offensive action across 12 kilometre stretch on three fronts namely Kilaly, Muhamalai and Nagarkovil. In
the early hours of yesterday (6), the army carried out a multi-pronged assault on the Muhamalai front causing losses on the LTTE.

At 11 a. m. yesterday, jets launched from Katunayake air base destroyed two LTTE boats on the Nayaru lagoon.

Two officers of the Permanent Commission to Investigate Bribery and Corruption have complained to the Supreme Court that they had been transferred out of the department because they did not agree to discontinue an investigation pertaining to a Minister.

The petitioners,Inspectors of Police, A. M. Nihal Amarasiri and K. A. Sujatha Kumari said, they had been persuaded by the authorities that they had better drop the investigation against a certain Minister. When they did not close the respective file, they had been transferred in July this year. Amarasiri had been posted to Vavuniya and Sujatha Kumari had been sent to Inspector General's Command and Information office.

No reason had been given for their transfers, according to the petitioners who had requested the Supreme Court to cancel the transfers. Among the respondents are the members of the National Police Commission and the Commissioners of the Permanent
Commission to Investigate Bribery and Corruption.

The petitioners had said that this kind of conduct by the authorities will impair the independence of the Bribery Commission.

Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES) S. B. Divaratne yesterday said that he would not hesitate to cancel the licenses of ships carrying cargo to the North if they fail to comply with his directive to transport at least 25per cent of essential items required in the peninsula.

"These shippers are bent on creating artificial shortages to jack up the prices of essentials since 60 to 70 per cent of consumers in the peninsula patronize private traders," he said.

Divaratne who plays a dual role of Advisor to the President and Commissioner General Essential Services said "there was a tendency for the shippers to carry goods from which they can make higher profits".

The Commissioner said that alto gether there were seven ships plying to the North at present. Two were chartered and operated by the government whilst the rest belong to private traders.

"We ship 25,000 metric tons of goods every month and I could manage to ship 9,800 metric tons of essentials." He said.

Asked whether any of the ships return empty, he said "none returns empty. They bring back onions, tobacco and palmayrah products."

As the voyage from Jaffna to Colombo takes about three days the ships cannot bring back perishables such as grapes, plantains, vegetables or fish. Already 900,000 bags of cement had been shipped to the North, he said.

"We transport all requirements of the Jaffna Government Agent – rice, flour, sugar, dhal, milk powder and all what is needed by the health, education, power, transport, telecom sectors. We always maintain a buffer stock of at least 500 metric tons of rice in the Peninsula," he said.

"Since the A-9 road was closed over 18 months ago we have ensured that there are no shortages of essentials in the peninsula," he said.

"In coordination with the Agrarian Services Department we have begun shipping the entire fertilizer requirement of 2,800 metric tons for the coming Maha season."

"Only by developing paddy cultivation in the North can that self sufficiency in rice be achieved," Divaratne said.

UNP chief ministerial candidate for the North-Central provincial council elections Major-General (rtd) Janaka Perera has refused to accept the eight government appointed security personnel for his personal safety. He insists that he be allowed to pick the eight

personnel as he could not trust those appointed by the government, the North-Central province UNP Election Campaign Unit said.
Major-General Perera said that the Supreme Court ordered the government to provide the services of eight security personnel in response to a plea made by him. He said that he had intimated to the North Central Province DIG the names of the security persons whom he wanted but so far he has not received any response.

He said that the North-Central province ex Chief Minister had resorted to sabotaging the UNP election campaigns and a number of complaints made by the UNP election organizers to the Police had not been entertained.

He also said that the UPFA election organizers had started a secret campaign to collect 60 identity cards from voters eligible to vote at more than 500 polling booths in Mihintale and are in the process of looking for possible UNP supporters. The UPFA, on several occasions, had attacked UNP organizers in Talawa and Tabuttegama areas and Police failed to act on complaints made regarding these incidents.

Major-General Perera said the UNP organizers would never resort to any sort of violent activities during the election campaigns, but would act in self-defence if necessary.

Thuggery, intimidation, threats and mud-slinging had been going on a daily basis in the North-Central province targeting UNP candidates.

He would never discriminate against any person living in the province if he became the Chief Minister. He would treat everybody alike, but he would take action to destroy all bunkers erected by Pillaiyan in the Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura districts.

He said some of his friends affiliated to UPFA government and a number of friends belonging to other political parties had promised to support him at the provincial council elections. Some voters who had abstained from exercising their franchise in the past elections had also promised him their support at the forthcoming elections.

Iran is willing to share nuclear technology for peaceful purposes with Sri Lanka, the country’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who was in Colombo to attend the 15th SAARC Summit said.

He said that Iran and Sri Lanka are long standing friends and Iran was willing to assist in all fields, including uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes.

Asked about allegations that Iran, was helping Sri Lanka because it has no friends in the world, Mottaki dismissed them as ridiculous.

"Ours is a friendship based on mutual trust and understanding. To impute ulterior motives is michievious to say the least." he said "Iran is sincerely committed to the development of Sri Lanka, whom we consider to be a true friend, he said. "Our commitment has already been proved by a pledge of over US$ 450 million in
assistance for several Sri Lankan projects, including the Sapugaskanda oil refinery and Uma Oya irrigation scheme," Mottaki said.

The reciprocal visits of Presidents Mahmoud Ahamdinejad and Mahinda Rajapaksa to each others countries, bear ample testimony to the solid friendship that has stood the test of time, he observed.

"Iran, wants to expand economic and commercial ties with all SAARC members including Sri Lanka. We can help the region develop its energy resources and food production among other things."

Calling for the establishment of an Asian Parliament on the lines of the European Parliament, he said that it could be the first step towards greater integration, which is so vital for development.

The main Opposition United National Party yesterday urged public sector employees to vote against the UPFA, as the postal voting begins for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces today and tomorrow, as the first step toward showing their distress at not being granted the relief pledged by the Rata Perata programme or the Mahinda Chinthana manifesto.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said the Mahinda Chinthana programme was the biggest betrayal the public sector employees have faced as they are the ones who played a major role in bringing President Mahinda Rajapaksa to power by having faith in the manifesto that pledged to make a difference.

“Chinthanaya has now become a dream. The employees have to agitate even to get a simple salary increment. But most of the time their rights are being suppressed. Workers of this country launched a countrywide strike recently demanding a Rs 5000 salary increase but the government did everything possible to scare the workers and sabotage the strike,” he said.

Mr. Attanayake said they have already received information about plans to rig the postal vote especially at the Sri Lanka Transport Board and its depot and in the security forces and the police.

“We urge the public not to allow any malpractice during the postal voting period. We also urge public servants not to be afraid and cast their vote. In fact, the Party has already informed the Elections Commissioner and the IGP about the possibility of such violations taking place,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Attanayake said election violence has rapidly increased in the North Central Province. “The violence against other political parties is extremely high in the seats where UPFA candidate Berty Premalal Dissanayake, who call himself the UPFA Chief Ministerial candidate, operates. Some 13 political offices of other political parties have been attacked within the space of three days this week,” he alleged.

Over 100 Asian workers of a local catering and maintenance company have been left stranded in Riyadh for several months while they await repatriation to their home countries.The workers, who are mainly from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Philippines, said they have not been paid their salaries for several months by their employer, Al-Omrania & Al-Wagaiya Catering and Maintenance Company. Some also allege they were being held hostage against their will.
“These workers, who are now on the verge of starvation, have been living in cramped accommodation without electricity and water for several days,” said Kunju Mohammed, one of the workers. Some of the workers complained their employers were withholding their passports and Iqamas. They called on their respective embassies to help them.

The workers have been employed at the company from five to 15 years and these included skilled and unskilled workers. R. Muraleedharan, convenor of the Federation of Kerala Associations in Saudi Arabia, said, “Power and water supply have not been restored to the labour camp, which is in the far-flung Azizia district of Riyadh. This is because the company has not paid the bills.”

Muraleedharan added, “Some of them approached the Labour Court and obtained favourable orders. But the company is not even complying with the court’s instructions.”

In an effort to obtain more information, Arab News tried to contact Ali Abdulaziz Al-Omrani, a top official at the company, but he did not pick up the phone. This reporter then contacted Ashraf Jendi, an Egyptian manager at the company, who said he had left the company and was not in a position to speak about the issue.

Three accused including UNP Uva Provincial Council member, R.M. Jayasinghe Bandara were convicted by the Uva Provincial Court yesterday in connection with an incident of abducting a person with the intention of keeping him in secrecy and illegal confinement in 1989.

High Court judge K.K.S.P.F. Perera fixed the sentence for August 15 and ordered that they be remanded until then.

In this case Weerasinghe Mudiyanselage Weerasinghe, Ratnayake Mudiyanselage Jayasinghe Bandara and Ekanayake Weerasinghe Atapattu Mudiyanselage Kaluanda were accused of abducting Rajapakse Amaratunge Mudiyanselage Jayantha (not living now) on or around November 24, 1989 at Siyambalanduwa with the intention of keeping him in illegal confinement. Witness Rajapakse Mudiyanselage Jayaratne in his evidence said that his father and abducted brother Rajapakse Amaratunge Mudiyanselage Jayantha were at home at 26, Siripura, Etimale, Moneragala. On November 24 at about 1.30 in the night somebody was shouting “we are from the army. Open the door”. Three men broke open the door and entered the house. They were the accused in this case known to them for a long time, the witness said.

He further said that the second accused had a gun in his hand. He was wearing sun-glasses but was recognizable as they were schoolmates. The accused tied his hands and eyes and took him to the road. A person who happened to be there asked them why I was brought as I was innocent. The accused then brought him back home and ordered him not to leave the house.

“My brother Jayantha who was taken by the men, was suffering from measles and was without a banyan. On the following day (25), my father and I lodged a complaint at the Siyambalanduwa police. We heard that my brother and some others had been killed in a farm at Haddawa, Siyambalanduwa. We went there and saw the bodies of three Buddhist monks and a few others which were burning among tyres. My brother’s face was completely burnt and I identified him from remnants of his sarong and hands.”On cross-examination the witness replied that there were groups known as Kola Koti, Kaha Balallu, and Heerallu in addition to the JVP terrorists and that his brother was abducted by the accused in this case.

Police are looking for Mohammed Amzar Ramzin alias Sannakkiyan, a hardcore Black Tiger cadre who has direct connection for the bus bomb explosion in Dambulla, the attack on Naval personnel in Digampathana and several other terrorist activities.
If you have any information on this terrorist, please inform hotlines 118, 119, 0112421111, 0112433333 or the nearest Police station.
The Police headquarters said that providing accommodation, transport and other facilities to this wanted terrorist is an offence punishable by law and legal action will also be taken against those who engage in such acts.

General Secretary of the SLFP Maithripala Sirisena says he is not in a position to deal with his unruly ministerial colleague Mervyn Silva, and that God will take care of him.
He was responding to questions at a media briefing in Colombo today (Aug. 06th) on the government stance regarding Minister Silva's having attacked a Sirasa TV crew and snatched their cameras.
However, journalists asked as to whether there was anyone in government lower than God who could be responsible for the Labour Minister's conduct.
"The government is sorry about Minister Mervyn Silva's conduct. But, We cannot do anything. The ministerial subcommittee appointed by the president for the safety of the media is inquiring into this," he said.
The SLFP General Secretary added that the president would take a decision on this committee's recommendation once he returns to the country from a visit to China.

An estimated 5,000 people gathered for the flag hoisting ceremony for the annual Jaffna, Nallur Kandasamy Kovil festival which commenced Wednesday as the army relaxed the curfew by half an hour to faciliate pilgrims to attend the poojas.

The ceremony will last for 30 days during which the main Chariot festival will take place on September 6.

The normal curfew which is enforced from 9.00 p.m. to 4.30 a.m. will now be lifted at 4.00 a.m.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to commute life imprisonment to a 20-year maximum prison term on a recommendation by a Justice Ministry appointed committee.
Former High Court judge G.L.M. de Silva headed the four-member committee that inquired into 147 prisoners whose death penalties have been turned into jail terms for life following a special pardon.
According to Prison Department sources, most of these prisoners could be freed due to this presidential decision.
From 1999, a similar practice was in force, but had been annulled on an order by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
Following the latest order by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, 13 prisoners were given their freedom under the Prisons Act, and were allowed to leave the prison during nighttime.
One hundred and thirty six prisoners sentenced to life will similarly be freed in the coming day, the sources added.

The Geological and Mining Bureau says it is unable to declare the exact cause for the tremor, which occurred around 5.40 this morning in the southern region of the country.
A spokesman of the bureau said that it recorded only a slight vibration at the geological measurement equipment set up in Pallekele. The possibility of having aftershocks is at an extremely low level.
The tremor was felt in Tangalla, Beliatta, Weeraketiya and Kaluwella.

The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) has received a total of 96 election complaints in the north central and Sabaragamuwa provinces as more cases of violence was reported.

Of them 60 complaints are regarding election violations, 30 complaints regarding the use of State resources for electison use and 06 complaints regarding the violation of civil law. CaFFE said.

The Anuradhapura District has recorded the highest number of complaints related to election violations with a total number of 30. CaFFE has also received 13 complaints from the Polonaruwa District, 11 complaints from the Kegalle District and 06 complaints from the Rathnapura District concerning election violence.

A violent and intimidation related trend of election violations has started to emerge in the Kala wewa, Thambuthogama, Thalawa and Galneiwa areas in the Anuradhapura District.

During the last three days there have been reports that there have been attacks on United National Party (UNP) rallies and there have also been attacks on the vehicles that election contestants have been using. It has also been reported in certain places that in retaliation to these attacks the UNP has attacked the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA). These incidents have resulted in damage being caused to the election offices and vehicles of the UPFA, CaFFE said.

It has also resulted in a group of UPFA supporters being assaulted and wounded. A malicious cycle of elections violations has started to emerge centralizing itself around the Thambuthogama and Thalawa areas. These repeated attacks and retaliatory attacks are the indications of a disturbing and violent trend of election violations. These attacks and retaliatory attacks seem to be occurring within the dynamic of a centralized plan. It is increasingly becoming apparent that this situation is increasingly becoming more volatile as election day approaches, they said.

Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse has received a warm welcome at the Capital Airport in China.
The president reached China this morning for a three-day official visit. Chinese Deputy Minister Wang Wai and the Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Karunarathna Amunugama greeted the president and first lady at the Airport. During the visit president Rajapakse will hold discussions with Chinese President Hu Jin Thao, the Chinese Minister of Trade and top-level officials.
On the invitation of the Chinese president, the Sri Lankan president will attend the inauguration ceremony of the 27th Olympic games to be held in Beijing. This evening the president is due to meet Sri Lankan athletics who are at the Olympic Village .

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has been called in to investigate a widely circulated email report about an allegation of the rape of a Colombo University student by a Marshal which led to student violence at campus today.

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo Prof. S . Hirimburegama said that the investigation on report about the rape accusation has been handed over to the CID.

“We have asked the CID to investigate into the accusation of the rumour that a university marshal raped a girl in the university which has been given a lot of publicity through email and a radio organisation. The CID is now investigating the sources of the email and about the reported incident”, she said.

Prof. Hirimburegama urged the public to submit any information or proof on the said incident to the CID in order to find the truth.

Commenting about the unrest that erupted in the university today she said that the students got violent over the issue without waiting to discuss the matter with her even after a meeting has been scheduled on this regard. “The students and the university administration has had a discussion afterwards and they have apologised for their behaviour” she said.

Damage was caused to property at the Marshals office by students and the police was called into stop the mob attacks.

Meanwhile Cinnamon Gardens Police said there was no complaint about a case of a rape.

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara said that they have not been able to ascertain whether the allegations about the case of rape was correct and they were carrying out further investigations.

India supports Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and its fight against terrorism and relations between the two countries are at the highest level, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told Parliament today.

The Minister made their remark in response to the allegations leveled by JVP Gampaha district MP Vijitha Herath who said the Government is dancing to the tune of India and giving into the demand for a full implementation of the 134th Amendment to the Constitution.

“India is very delicately infringing on our sovereignty. We need to understand the role India is playing if we are to reap the benefits of the victories the military achieves in the warfront,” he said.

The MP also ridiculed the plans to unveil monument for Indian solders killed in Sri Lanka in the close proximity of the Parliament. ”Everyone knows that the chief prelate of the China Bay temple was shot dead by the IPKF when they were here .Now you are trying to set up a monument for them,” he said.

Musician Alston Koch was appointed as an Ambassador for Tourism by Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda this week in Colombo, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau said.

With three Gold Records and 18 International Releases including musical videos and the now famous Murali Song, Alston Koch migrated to Australia in 1969, having had a vibrant musical career in Sri Lanka for over a decade before that, the Bureau said. He is also a recipient of three ARIA (Australian Record Industry Award) awards.

The only Sri Lankan born musician to have an international hit overseas, Alston was in Sri Lanka to perform at the “Hikkaduwa Fest ’08” and at the “SAARC Head of States Summit Media Event” hosted by Sri Lanka Tourism.

New Zealand authorities expressed grave concerns as it discovered that Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation(TRO) had been blacklisted in the US for alleged links to the LTTE. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that the New Zealand TRO will not get any government money while it's on the US blacklist.

Rupavahini Director General Sisira Kothalawala has been transferred to the Media Ministry with effect from today.

An Air Force MI-17 helicopter made an emergency landing at a Navy camp in Mannar this afternoon after experiencing technical failure.

Government of Sri Lanka extended the state of emergency by one month has been passed in parliament by a majority of 72 votes. 84 votes were cast in favour of the motion while 20 votes opposed it. The JVP and the NFF voted in favour of the motion together with the government. Only the TNA voted against the motion. UNP parliamentarians were absent in the House at the time of voting.
According to the Sri Lankan Prime minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake that security forces are systematically defeating terrorism. As a result many victories were made in recent times. Mr.Wickremanayake further said 106 members of the three armed forces and the police have sacrificed their lives in the past month’s operations against tiger terrorists. 26 civilians were also killed.
He said Sri Lanka was able to focus attention of the international community on measures to defeat terrorism through the SAARC Summit. He added results of this operation will become important for the entire South Asian region.
Meanwhile parliamentarians pointed out that when troops are successfully advancing the opposition is attempting two strengthen the LTTE by creating various issues such as human rights.Prominent JVP parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the security forces are on a victorious path defeating separatist terrorists.
UNP MP Lakshman Seneviratne said he will abstained from voting against the emergency as a mark of respect to brave soldiers.

The presence of the Pilliyan group in the Polonnaruwa District has become a hindrance to the holding of a free and fair election in the NCP, UNP MP Lakshman Seneviratne said today.

“We are finding it difficult to find a polling agent for Polonnaruwa because there is so much of fear among the people”, MP Seneviratne told Parliament during the emergency debate.

He alleged there are 11 camps belonging to Piliyan group in the district and they were operating in broad daylight with the police paying scant attention to what is going on.

“The police are sleeping, even the IGP is sleeping”, he said while referring to the incident where Minister Mervyn Silva grabbed a camera from a news TV cameraman in Kelaniya.

“The IGP said take a photo and show and we will act. Now a photo has been shown but nothing has been done,” he said.

The MP was also critical of the reports attributed to the army commander in which he said defence columns in newspapers must be censored.

“He is not a politician. What right has he got tot ask newspapers to censor their defence columns”, he asked.

Three JVP election offices in the Polonnaruwa district have been attacked and damaged overnight, JVP MP S.Subasinghe said.

The offices were located in the Welikanda, Medirigiriya and Kirimetiya area were ransacked and set fire on.

JVP claimed that the Welikanda attack was carried out by TMVP supporters led by Mangala Master who is contesting elections. He had come and threatened the people at the office.

The JVP had lodged complaints with the police. The offices that were attacked were registered with the government and police.

Government of Sri Lanka plans to organise Madu Festival within this month.
Minister Milroy Fernando said the festival will be held on a grand scale on the 14th and 15th of this month. The government has made preparations in this regard. On the request of the Bishop of Mannar Rev; Rayappu Joseph the government has decided to declare the area surrounding the church as a sacred premises. Mr.Fernando said government security forces have renovated the Madu Church after the recent attacks between the security forces and the LTTE.
Due to the confrontations between the LTTE and the government troops statute of the Our Lady of Madu was removed by the Church authorities and kept in a church at the LTTE control area.
He said a number of Buddhist soldiers have engaged the renovation works .
The government spent 1.5 million rupees for the renovation works and Troops liberated the Madu Church and the surrounding area from the terrorists on the 24th of April.
The government said the statue of Our Lady of Madu would be restored before the festival.
However the Sacred Madhu Shrine will be returned Before August 15 to the Madhu church, but the condition was not conducive to hold the annual feast, Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph said.

He said there was no facilities for the pilgrims from the outstations and therefore they would not have facilities and therefore it was not possible to have the feast.

He said that the government also so far had not been able to give an undertaking that a peace zone will be maintained around the church.

He said that normal mass would be held at the church and they also hope to have a purification ceremony as there has been bloodshed and violence in the area.

Meanwhile the residential Administrative Head, Rev S. Emiliyanus Pillai, along with seven more priests and two labourers officially took over the Madhu church premises.

Sri Lankan/American hip-hop artist, DeLon, questions Interscope recording artist, M.I.A., for using images representative of the terrorist group, The Liberation Tiger Tamils of Eelam (LTTE). The LTTE has long been recognized by the FBI as one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world, and has been credited with the perfection of the use of suicide bombers, invention of the suicide belt, mass recruitment of child soldiers, and pioneering the use of women in suicide attacks. The LTTE is only terrorist organization to have assassinated two world leaders.

On July 29, 2008, DeLon posted his remixed version of M.I.A's song, "Paper Planes" on YouTube. The educational video contained graphic evidence of M.I.A's imagery and usage of the symbols of the LTTE. Within 12 hours of release, the video drew over 10,000 user views and comments. Hours later, Interscope under the Universal Music Group (UMG) umbrella, had the video removed from YouTube for "endangerment" of M.I.A.'s reputation as a "Freedom Fighter." Subsequently, DeLon is filing a lawsuit against UMG for infringement of his 1st Amendment rights. On July 31, 2008, the video was made available for download at: http://public.me.com/ceylonrecords and generated over 6,000 downloads in just 2 hours.

As the most recognizable Sri Lankan hip-hop artist after winning the "Best Rap Performance" Award from Derana Music Television (equivalent to MTV in the U.S.) and an emerging international star, DeLon, uses his visibility and music to draw light to the LTTE's ongoing and inhumane terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka. As one of the few entertainers willing to stand up to the LTTE, DeLon has drawn mass popularity and unprecedented support from Sri Lankans and Sri Lankan expatriates throughout Sri Lanka, Australia, Germany, the UK, Canada, France, and the United States.
DeLon is the first Sri Lankan/American to ever land on the U.S. Billboard Charts, a feat he accomplished twice for his singles: "Calor De La Salsa" and "Nasty Girl." As exemplified with his "The Unity Through Education Tour," where he spoke to students in over 65 High Schools and Colleges in the Greater LA area, DeLon stands for unity, positivity and human causes that plague our society.
Recently partnering with Greenpeace Organization, and through his own nonprofit, The Sri Lanka Foundation, DeLon has helped spread light on the atrocities around the globe through his music and has built over 80 houses in Sri Lanka after the wreckage of the Tsunami in 2004. The controversial video can be viewed on the Ceylon Records Homepage at www.ceylonrecords.com.

The Government took an important decision in a high level meeting recently, which was attended by senior officials and trade experts. The authorities decided that the country will start negotiations with India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for bi-lateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The meeting was chaired by Hossain Zillur Rahman, Commerce Adviser of the working Government. Bangladesh has favoured multilateral trade deals over bilateralism for quite sometime now. But since it has not delivered the desired results, those in the meeting unanimously agreed to having bilateral agreements instead of multilateral ones.

India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have have been persuading Bangladesh to ink FTA's with them for a long time, as many developed nations like the US, find two way free trade deals more convenient.

Trade experts from Government and private sectors will be included in the core group which would be formed for looking into all the aspects before signing the FTA with these South Asian nations.

The officials present at the conference suggested that India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka should provide Bangladesh with easy access in their markets without strict regulations for the suggested FTA.

According to available data, in the just concluded fiscal, combined trade deficit of Bangladesh with India and Pakistan rose to almost US $2.3 billion, out of which India alone accounted for nearly $2.2 billion.

However, the nation managed to enjoy a narrow trade surplus with Sri Lanka, the figure which touched approximately $27 million until March of fiscal 2007-08.

Analysts believe that, this move would help Bangladesh promote sale of various products and increase the level of overall economic development.

A Sri Lankan petrol-pump cashier was jailed on Tuesday in Leicestershire, England , for fleecing an entire village.
Abdul Samad Mohamed Raik was convicted for cloning more than 500 credit cards to steal 175,000 (about Rs 1.43 crore) in a fraud allegedly driven by links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
Almost all households in Houghton on the Hill, Leicestershire escaped without being ripped off.
The residents were unaware that their account were being accessed all over the world and their accounts were being emptied.
Raik used a fake card reader device to copy the card details, The fake cards were used to withdraw money in countries like Australia , Phillipines, India and Senegal. Raik supposedly carried on this scam between October and december last year.
Raik surrendered to the police and claimed he was involved with a loan shark linked to the banned Tamil Tigers.
Raik told police he was given the card-cloning equipment and ordered to use it to pay off his debt. He was also provided with a fake passport so he could flee the country. Raik was sentenced to two years and nine months after admitting to his crimes.

India said Wednesday there had been serious security lapses during a visit to Sri Lanka by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh despite the island nation's promise of "ultimate security."

The Sri Lankan bodyguard assigned to protect Singh did not turn up during a regional summit last weekend, while the motorcade for India's National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan failed to appear.
There was a "serious lapse in that some of the arrangements discussed and agreed to in advance, did not get implemented on the ground," the Indian High Commission (embassy) here said in a statement.
Sri Lanka is in the grip of a long-running ethnic war between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels. The Tigers are blamed for the 1991 murder of former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi.
The security lapse "was immediately discussed with Sri Lankan security authorities and remedial measures taken jointly.... Sri Lankan security authorities have apologised to Mr Narayanan," the Indian statement said.
Local press reports said Narayanan wound up returning to his hotel from the conference site in a taxi. He was stopped at two road blocks and asked to walk since his taxi did not have security clearance to get to the hotel.
The lapses came despite the Sri Lankan government promising "ultimate security" to the visiting dignitaries from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, The Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan.
Indian diplomats had voiced concerns over security ahead of the two-day summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and they had brought in their own guards, helicopters and ships to minimise any risk.

Sri Lankan Air Force fighter jets made precision air sorties at an LTTE sea tiger base located in the Nayaru lagoon, Mullaittivu, Wednesday (August 6), as pilots confirmed destroying 2 boats at around 11a.m.
According to Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, the raid was launched following information received confirming intensified sea tiger activity in the lagoon area. Heavy damages were caused to the LTTE facility, he said citing fighter pilots.
On Tuesday (5), Air Force MI-24 helicopter gunships continued offensive sorties at LTTE positions, 4km Southwest of Tunukkai, assisting troops of the 57 Division advancing in the area. The air raid was launched at around 8.45p.m., Air Force Spokesperson further said.

Green clothing is about far more than choice of fabric. Knowing that under garments are often made in developing economies, for example, the customer stereotype might well involve coal-fired incandescent lamps hung over rows of toiling women and children.
Set aside those bad lingerie thoughts: MAS Holdings of Sri Lanka has a hot green date with the global economy. Their factory is advertised as a world first for carbon neutrality. And it sounds as good as this model looks. There's no refrigerant-filled compressor for air conditioning.
Instead it uses evaporative cooling, which leaves the workplace around four degrees hotter than air-conditioning would—but uses much less energy.
The factory includes natural lighting of workspace, green roof, and so on. With the result that:
Overall it uses 40% less energy than an ordinary factory of the same size. And the electricity it uses is from renewable sources: 90% from a hydro-power plant and 10% from on-site solar panels.
The factory cost $7m to build, around 25% more than its traditional equivalent. That is partly due to a lot of fancy touches included to meet M&S's demand for an "iconic" factory. Stripped to its basic design, it would have cost about 15% over the odds. The factory's power also costs extra. But in a country that generates 65% of its electricity with imported oil—and saw power-price inflation of 30% in March—the extra costs are offset by energy savings. MAS expects the higher construction costs to have paid for themselves in less than five years.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in Beijing Wednesday afternoon for the Olympic Games.

Privatisation of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) had been a colossal fraud on the government of Sri Lanka and its people to the value of Rs.2.1 billion,prays the Petitioner Mr. Vasudeva Nanayakkara, in written submissions tendered to the Supreme Court on Monday (04th August) as requested by the Court hearing his FR Application No. 158/2007.
The Petitioner,presently an Advisor to the President, Secretary of the Democratic Left Front and Attorney at Law, submits that 90% of the shares of the SLIC had been manipulated for sale well before and contrary to a Cabinet decision to that effect and the process had been “highly irregular and unlawful” to “surreptitiously sell” those shares of SLIC, “knowingly violating Cabinet decisions” by the 07th Respondent, Secretary to the Treasury and former Chairman, PERC, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, along with 36 other Respondents and one Added Respondent, cited in the Petition that includes three parliamentarians K.N. Choksy, Milinda Moragoda and late Sripathy Sooriyarachchi in their capacities as former Ministers and former Chairman of PERC, Charted Accountant, Nihal Sri Amarasekera.
In his 61 page long written submissions, the Petitioner also states that “SL Distilleries Co. Ltd / Distilleries Consortium” had been surreptitiously, irregularly and unlawfully included to bid and had been thereafter awarded the sale, carried out by an ‘unlawful’ Cabinet Approved Tender Board (CATB).
Citing documented evidence, the submissions also claim there had been a serious lapse in professional responsibility and also misconduct on the part of Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Ernest & Young and no where during the process of privatisation had Dr. Jayasundera, nor Ernest & Young disclosed Dr. Jayasundera had been a Senior Policy Advisor on a part time basis with Ernest & Young.
For any one of the offences causing loss and damage to and misappropriation of public funds, the Petitioner submits, punishment would be imprisonment not exceeding 20 years and a fine of three times the value of the public property in respect of which, such offence was committed.
Finally the Petitioner respectfully submits that in the given facts and circumstances, the Petitioner be granted with all relief, annulling this transaction in issue in its entirety and recovering funds and/or assets of SLIC, which may have been siphoned out of SLIC, and punishing and/or causing to be punished under the law all those Respondents, who have been involved in perpetrating a colossal fraud on the Government i.e. the people, and also attempting to perpetrate a colossal fraud by making a fraudulent claim of Rs. 2,100 million from the Government i.e. the people.

The two video cameras belonging to a Sirasa TV crew that was attacked during an official function in Peliyagoda two days ago have been found in a nearby abandoned land, police say.
The cameras were grabbed by Minister Mervyn Silva and his supporters at the opening of the second stage of the flyover recently.
Though the cameras were retrieved, the tapes are missing.
Police spokesman, SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said that no arrests have been made so far regarding the incident.
Supporters of Minister Silva assaulted Sirasa TV's Sampath Varuna and Deepthi Ranasinghe who went to cover the opening.
Varuna is currently receiving treatment at Ward No. 72 of Colombo National Hospital.

Under-fire Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera, who has asked that he be relieved of his duties over the controversial LMS privatisation deal, on Wednesday morning joined a top level delegation led by President Mahinda Rajapakse which left the country to attend the 2008 Beijing Olympics inauguration ceremony, officials said. The Olympics opens tomorrow.
Dr Jayasundera was also part of the presidential delegation for last week’s SAARC summit. The President has said no action will be contemplated against the Treasury Secretary, who was criticised by the Supreme Court over the 2002 LMS privatisation which was his responsibility as the then chairman of the Public Enterprise Reforms Commission (PERC), until the SAARC summit and the Beijing visit are over.

A senior Finance Ministry Official said that the Sri Lankan President and Dr. Jayasundara will take this opportunity to hold discussions with Chinese leaders to seek financial assistance for development projects and to lure investments.

Dr. Jayasundara is due to return to the island on Friday and expected back in the Ministry on Monday morning (August 11). The Treasury Secretary’s departure as part of the official entourage on Wednesday came as a civil society organisation headed by veteran rights activist Kumar Rupasinghe prepared later in the afternoon to publicly felicitate the petitioners and campaigners in the LMS deal – politician Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Nihal Sri Amarasekera – for persisting with the petition.

A soldier was killed in a claymore mine explosion in Periyawadduwan, in the Thoppigala area of the Batticaloa district on Tuesday evening.
An army tractor was targeted in the attack and three others were injured.

Eshana de Silva, Chairman, Shermans Logistics (Pvt) Ltd., Shermans Transport (Pvt) Ltd., Esna Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., Deputy Chairman/Managing Director, Shermans International (Pvt) Ltd. and Board Member of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) has been appointed as a Director of Pan Asia Bank.

The Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC (PABC) is a Bank rated by FITCH Ratings at BBB- (LKA). The Bank also recently appointed Mrs. Kimarli Fernando, a Senior Banker as Director/Chief Executive Officer. The Bank has a total of 29 branches/customer centers.
The other Directors of the Bank comprise of Mr. A.G. Weerasinghe –Chairman, Mr. Nimal Perera - Deputy Chairman, Ms. Harda Amarasekera – Director, Mr. L. Wickremarachchi – Director, Mr. Sumith Adhihetty – Director, Mr. Malcolm Nandasena – Director, Mr. J.D.C. Coonghe – Director, Mr. R. Anthony Page – Director.

To the residents of his small UK village he was their friendly garage worker who served them groceries and petrol every week.
But beneath the petrol station counter Abdul Samad Mohamed Raik was actually taking part in a worldwide scam that would see their bank accounts emptied without their knowledge. Secretly using a fake card-reader, Raik, 33, was able to copy the card details of hundreds of unsuspecting locals visiting the petrol station in sleepy Houghton-on-the-Hill in Leicestershire.
Leicester Crown Court heard how the details of more than 500 cards were used to steal a total of £175,000 in a worldwide fraud.
Although some were refused, cash withdrawals were successfully made in countries including Australia, India, Canada and the Philippines.
Justin Wigoder, prosecuting, said the owner of Houghton Garage, Jim Funnell, had no idea what was going on while Raik was at the till.
Raik worked at the Jet filling station and its shop for 13 months and carried out the fraud between October and December last year.
He left his job at the end of 2007 when the scale of the scam became clear to shocked villagers - but gave himself up to police in March.
He claimed he became involved after running up a debt with a loan shark who was linked to the Sri Lankan guerrilla group the Tamil Tigers. Raik, a Sri Lankan national, told police he was given the cloning equipment and ordered to use it to pay off what he owed - and more besides.
The organisers also provided him with a fake Indian passport and told him he could use it to flee the country afterwards, he claimed.
Raik, of Rushey Mead, Leicester, admitted obtaining property by deception and was jailed for two years and nine months.
Passing sentence, Recorder Duncan Smith said he could easily have destroyed Mr Funnell's business by involving the garage in his crimes.
He added: 'It was a gross breach of trust to your employer, who relies on the good faith of his staff and on the custom his customers bring him.
'It was a huge fraud. One doesn't know how badly his business will be affected or if some people will choose to go elsewhere for their petrol.'
In fact, the residents of Houghton - which has a population of less than around 1,500 - have rallied around Mr. Funnell since the offences came to light.
Mr Funnell, 51, said at the time: 'We have been the centre of a scam that has affected every house in the village - probably hundreds of people.
'Most of Houghton and east Leicestershire have been wiped out, and some people have lost large sums.
'We think the information must have been E-mailed all around and then sold on, because the cards have been used in all sorts of countries. There's hardly a household that hasn't been affected. The pub landlord says he'll have to start offering credit because no-one has any money left.'
Residents admitted they were amazed by the extent of the cloning.
Ray Smith, 63, a managing director, said: 'The crooks were very persistent. They tried three times in one minute and were blocked, but then I was hit again a day later and lost £600 in Canada.'
Raik, who also admitted possessing a false passport, first applied for entry into the UK as a student in 1999 and was allowed to stay until 2006.
He then applied to remain as the spouse of a Latvian national, but the application was withdrawn. His immigration status is now under review. Recorder Smith told him: “Your involvement in this fraud was brought to an end by yourself after a relatively short period of time.
“Even though you had the wherewithal to spirit yourself away, you handed yourself in to the police. You made a clean breast of what you had done.”

An earth tremor was recorded from Tangalle this morning, the National Geological Survey and Mines Bureau confirmed.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake today in parliament said that 106 Army and Police personnel and 24 civilians were killed during last month due to terrorist attacks. While a further 664 security personnel and 31 civilians were injured.

A clash has occurred inside the Colombo University premises, Police were deployed to the area to control the situation.

The UNP urged the public sector employees to vote against the UPFA who failed to give a single relief for them, at the postal vote tomorrow.

A Ministerial Committee report on the Rupavahini incident involving Minister Mervyn Silva, is to be presented after the forthcoming Provincial Council Polls, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said today.

Security forces operating at the Northern forward defences at Muhamalai, forced into LTTE bunker positions during a multi-pronged offensive launched this morning (August 6) at around 2.30., killing 5 terrorists and injuring 25 others.
According to Army, the rapid military incursion was launched in seven flanks as terrorists were caught in surprise which left many terrorists scattered at the battlefront, also forcing LTTE to abandon its bunker positions. Intense fighting lasted half an hour, till 3a.m., inflicting heavy damages to LTTE, while 3 soldiers have reportedly sustained injuries due to anti-personnel (AP) mine explosion, security sources said.
The troops have returned to initial positions following the swift raid; military said further adding that LTTE transmission experienced congestion with pleas for reinforcement and casualty evacuations.

Two army soldiers were killed in two separate incidents took place in Periyawadduwan and Kallady areas yesterday, 5 August.
LTTE terrorists activated a claymore mine targeting an army tractor in general area Periyawadduwan around 6.30 p.m yesterday. Three soldiers were suffered injuries in this incident and one of them succumbed to injuries while being treated at the hospital.
Meanwhile, another army soldier was killed when an LTTE pistol man shot him while he was on route picket duties in general area Kallady around 2.00 p.m yesterday.

Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council, said yesterday (August 5) that the future of the LTTE as a fighting force is under grave threat given the efficiency and determination with which the security forces are going about the humanitarian mission of liberating the Wanni.
The Chief Minister was speaking to a group of journalists who had come to cover the 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo and had decided to see first hand situation in the Eastern Province.
The team included journalists from the Maldives, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and also representatives from Voice of America.
When asked if he had a message for Prabhakaran and the people living in LTTE-held areas, Chandrakanthan said he had nothing to say to Prabhakaran.
However, he said that he felt extremely sorry for the people trapped in the Wanni because they have been forced to suffer untold hardships.
"On the other hand, I cannot condone air attacks which cause injuries to ordinary civilians, just as I condemn without reservation acts of terrorism perpetrated by the LTTE in other parts of the country targeting civilians. On the other hand, the people in the Wanni who yearn for freedom, yearn for life in fact, need not fear. We have demonstrated in the Eastern Province that freedom is possible. This is something they too can enjoy."

Gallant soldiers of Sri Lanka Army continued their offensives yesterday (Aug 5) in the Wanni region despite heavy resistance given by the terrorists. According to the military reports received from the battlefronts 37 terrorists were killed and, 89 injured and 5 more were reported as either killed or wounded. Also, a soldier was killed in action, 2 missing in action and 10 others suffered injuries during these battles.
Troops of Army 57 division marching towards strategically vital terror stronghold at Tunukkai encountered heavy resistance from the terrorists struggling to defend their positions right throughout the day. Clashes were initially erupted in the Kalvilan area 2 Km South of Tunukkai around 8.15 AM when terrorists launched an attack at troops. Troops crushed the terror offensive with the assistance of artillery and mortar fire. A soldier went on missing following the confrontation.
Following the initial confrontation terrorist regroups and launched a major offensive at troops deployed in the Kalvilan area around 11.10 AM. Pitched battles prevailed till about 7 PM on the same day evening when troops finally overwhelmed the terror offensive. According to the reports terrorists made several attempts to break the troops' defence with heavy indirect fire but miserably failed in the face well determined soldiers. 27 terrorists were killed and over 73 others suffered injuries during the clashes. Also, a soldier was killed and 4 were wounded.
Meanwhile, troops of Task Force 2 operating in the right flank of the combined Vavuniya-Mannar front carried on their offensives in the Palamoddai area in course of the day.
Troops confronted with a group of terrorists around 4.15 PM while extending their defence lines. A soldier went on missing and another suffered injuries in this incident. Later, monitored LTTE radio transmission confirmed that 3 terrorists had been injured. Elsewhere, a sniper claimed that one terrorist had been shot down around 3.30 PM. A soldier suffered injuries due to AP (anti personnel) mine explosion occurred separately around 10.45 AM.
Meanwhile, troops of 56 division operating in the East of Jaffna- Kandy (A-9) road attacked an LTTE bunker located in the Navatkulama area around 15.30 PM. Troops claimed that one terrorists had been killed.
On the Welioya front, troops of 59 division maneuvering in the Mullaittivu forest kept on engaging in the terror targets scattered in the North of Janakapura and North of Kiriibbanwewa areas during the day.
During the operations conducted in the general area North of Janakapura, troops claimed 4 terrorists had been killed and 5 others wounded. Also, two soldiers suffered injuries. Troops captured 2 terror bunkers including one suspected to be an LTTE dressing station.
In the general area North of Kiriibbanwewa troops had series of clashes with the terrorists and claimed 5 terrorists had been killed, 8 others wounded, while 5 more either killed or wounded.
Meanwhile, troops engaged in mine clearance operations in the area removed 52 AP mines and disposed 10 IEDs (improvised explosive devices) during the day.

A 25-year-old Sri Lankan man was sent to jail for three months after pleading guilty to possession of a forged passport.
The statement of facts submitted in court by the Immigration Prosecuting Officer Norliza Hj Matnoor stated that Pratheepan Davidrasiah was detained by a Royal Brunei Airlines staff at the check-in counter when he presented a Belgian passport upon his arrival in the country on July 27, 2008.

RBA staff received information from the authorities in Kuala Lumpur that the passport the defendant had presented was believed to be a forged one.

The defendant had intended to fly to London from here.

RBA staff handed the defendant over to immigration personnel on duty at the Brunei International Airport and later to the police for investigations.

Pratheepan, in his statement, said that he left his hometown in 2000 and travelled to Thailand and then Belgium as arranged by an agent for the amount of US$15,000 using a Sri Lankan passport.

He said that he worked as a cook in a restaurant in Belgium for seven years.

The court further heard that the defendant had given his Sri Lankan passport to the agent who gave the Belgian passport to him in return.

The Immigration Department of Brunei Darussalam received confirmation from the Royal Embassy of Belgium that the defendant's passport was forged.

Two more cadres of Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were arrested early Wednesday here and sent to judicial custody, the police said.

K. Uma Ramanan, 33, and A. Amalan, 27, who hail from Jaffna in Sri Lanka, were found in possession of an unspecified quantity of ammonium nitrate, a chemical fertiliser that can also be used as an explosive, besides cables and detonators, police sources added.

The arrests follow Tuesday's arrest of Selvam, another operative of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

After Wednesday's arrests, the total number of LTTE operatives taken into custody the past week has touched 10. This follows a fresh drive against LTTE suspects.

The LTTE is engaged in a bitter campaign to form an independent Tamil state in Sri Lanka, which is separated from Tamil Nadu by a narrow strip of sea.

Bangladesh High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Shahdat Hossain invites Sri Lankan investors to invest in manpower training in Bangladesh.
“At present Bangladesh needs man power training to train the unemployed masses in various fields, specially in the tourism field and hotel related services. He said the Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo plans to meet local investors and the business community shortly to discuss business and investment opportunities in both countries.
According to the government sources the real GDP growth of 5.6 per cent was achieved in 2007, although higher rates of growth will be needed to meet the millennium target of halving the number of people below the poverty line by 2015.
Sustained economic growth and inwards investment have contributed to a gradual increase in the relative weighting of manufacturing in GDP and a decline in agriculture's weighting. But Bangladesh remains an agricultural economy, with agriculture contributing over 23 per cent of GDP and employing over 60 per cent of the labour force. Rice is the dominant crop (over 70 per cent of the total value of agricultural production). Other crops include wheat, jute, sugar cane, pulses, spices, tea and various fruits and vegetables.
Bangladesh has a liberal foreign investment regime, but apart from energy exploration and production, foreign investment in Bangladesh in general is limited. Large-scale investment in the gas and telecommunication sectors peaked in 1997/98, but has since levelled out. The Privatisation Commission has listed over 90 state owned enterprises for sale or liquidation.
Mr.Hossain said the government of Bangladesh and Board of Investment of Bangladesh would provide better concessions for the investors.

The Asian Institutue of Technology (AIT) is joining forces with Hong Kong-based CSR Asia to stage the upcoming CSR Asia Summit 2008 from 3-4 November at AIT in Bangkok, Thailand.
The theme for the CSR Asia Summit 2008 will be "CSR (Corporate Social responsibility): The next agenda – Pushing the boundaries of
environmental and social responsibility". The conference is gearing up to be the most innovative and challenging event on CSR in Asia this
year with over 250 delegates and 50 speakers. It will not be yet another talk shop. It will break down very complex issues and provide delegates with different perspectives on how to tackle them.CEOs, directors and managers from various sectors and industries across Asia including manufacturing, apparel, electronics, utilities, logistics, information technology, agriculture, risk consultancies, service sectors and financial and educational institutions .The conference targets CSR/ Environmental/ Community Investment/ SRI/ compliance directors and managers and Companies, NGOs and governments looking to update themselves on the latest CSR developments.
The total number of participants we are targeting is between 250 and 300 people. Companies who are attending include: adidas Sourcing Ltd, The Walt Disney Co, UBS, PepsiCo, Inc, Microsoft (Thailand) Ltd and SGS Hong Kong Ltd among others.
"We also have a number of NGOs from across Asia who have signed up, which include: Asian Development Bank, Austrian Red Cross, Islamic Relief (Indonesia), Gayatri Rural Development Society and Kaohsiung Hsin Hsing Community University, said a spokesman of the summit.

[For more details of the CSR Asia Summit visit:
http://www.ait.ac.th/news-and-events/2008/events/CSR-Asia-Summit-2008/
or contact Jimmy Huen at jhuen@csr-asia.com or (852) 3579 8079 for enquiries.]

Network for Election Monitoring of the Intellectuals for Human Rights (NEM-IHR) commenced its operations from begining of this month to moitor the forth coming provincial council elections.
NEM-IHR believes that the present situation does not ensure a free and fair election. Therefore, NEM-IHR monitoring personnel have already deployed at Divisional Secretariat level to monitor the election process in the North-Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial councils.
Issuing a press statement Dr. Uditha Gunasekera , CEO of the NEM-IHR said Intellectuals for Human Rights (IHR) are actively involved in protection and promotion of human rights in the country since 2005. IHR consider free and fair election as a key component that ensures the democratic rights in a country and it is the main condition that protects the sovereignty of the people.
The sovereign rights of the people were accepted by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the UN under Article 21 as well as the constitution of Sri Lanka. Hence, ensuring of a free and fair election will be in the scope of human right organizations as this is an essential aspect for the protection of the civil and political rights of the people.
NEM- IHR’s election monitoring process goes beyond monitoring and reporting of the election violence. While recognizing the important role of the various election monitoring organizations played over the past years; NEM-IHR believes that the intellectuals and professionals in this country have a noble duty and responsibility to intervene in to the process and to make a better environment for free and fair elections, while addressing the current limitations and differences of the election monitoring organizations.
NEM-IHR expects to study the present election law and its practical application and the factors that hinder the right of the people to cast their vote liberally. The information gathered in this provincial council election will be analyzed and the NEM-IHR would come with proposals to open a public debate on the issues in the present election laws and their applications.
He said the NEM-IHR has recruited graduates as its election monitoring personnel because the objectives go beyond monitoring and reporting of election violence. The Monitors have been trained and the provincial council election would be a good opportunity for us to learn on this subject.
"We are yet to be received the approval of the Election Commissioner for election monitoring. NEM-IHR needs approval of the Commissioner for the purpose of entering into the polling booths. This is upon the approval of the Commissioner as there is only one organization have that approval, he said.

Minister Mervyn Silva said that he did not forcibly remove the camera of the Sirasa TV crew at the opening of the second installment of the Kelaniya flyover held yesterday. "I'm not a cameraman, so I do not need cameras", Minister said.
According to the available information amidst the continuing controversy over his treatment of the media in an outrageous manner, Minister Mervyn Silva, yesterday, verbally abused the Sirasa TV cameramen for covering the opening ceremony of the second half of the Kelaniya flyover bridge, and took their cameras by force.
Two cameramen attached to the Sirasa TV channel, who attended the event last morning at the invitation of the Ministry of Highways to cover the opening of the second half of the Jeyaraj Fernandopulle Flyover Bridge in Kelaniya, were subjected to harassment by Mr. Silva and his bodyguards, Police Media Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara said.
The minister is reported to have verbally abused this particular television crew and ordered his bodyguards to chase them away from the scene.
The television crew had later lodged a complaint with the police that two of their cameras had been forcibly removed.
The police had started an immediate inquiry into the complaint and recovered the two stolen cameras. The tapes had not been returned by the goons who robbed them, SSP Gunasekara said.
He said the two cameras were undamaged and would be handed over to the owners through court when the case is taken up.
This is the second time Mr. Silva has harassed this particular television channel crew. They had also been harassed when they went to cover the opening of the first half of the flyover bridge several weeks ago.One of the cameramen had been hospitalised for treatment for assault.

A lawyer filed a writ application in the Appeal Court yesterday (August 04th) against a law that proposes the prevention of the use of mobile or CDMA phones by anyone other than the registered owner.
The petitioner, Sudarshana Gunawardena, filed the petition citing the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, its Chairman Lalith Weeratunga and the TRC Director General as respondents.
Filing the application as public interest litigation, Mr. Gunawardena said on July 12th, the TRC made an announcement in the media that mobile and CDMA phones could only be used by the registered owners.
The lawyer complained that the proposed law would create a series of problems to phone subscribers and users.
He said this law would even prevent people using phones registered under their spouses and would ultimately result in a large number of cellular phones and CDMA users being be forced to discontinue the existing phone connections and buy new telephone connections.
The petitioner charged the proposed law was arbitrary, unlawful, against the Telecommunication Regulatory Act and it was not in the interest of the telephone users of this country.
He asked court to issue an order staying the TRC announcement and to quash the proposed law.

Staff of the blood bank at the Colombo National Hospital staged a demonstration today (Aug. 05th) against the sudden transfer of three of their colleagues who had exposed alleged wrongdoing.
The Health Services Trade Union Alliance organized the protest in front of the National Blood Bank.
The protestors urged health authorities to cancel the transfers and not to interfere with probes by the Attorney General and the Bribery Commission into the allegations.
Speaking to media, President of HSTUA Saman Ratnapriya said the three employees had exposed the use of expired plasma, after which the AG's Department had sealed three rooms of the blood bank.
He warned that failure to cancel their transfers would result in strong trade union action.

Colombo conglomerate, Aitken Spence PLC said today that profits rose by 13.6 percent to Rs 387 million in the quarter to June 2008 with the tea sector booming while the tourism sector – here and in the Maldives – fared dismally.

Group turnover was up 8.5 percent to Rs 6.3 billion, the company said. Deputy Chairman & Managing Director Rajan Brito was quoted in a statement as saying that despite the challenging macroeconomic environment, with high inflation and interest rates affecting the performance of Sri Lankan operations in all sectors, the integrated logistics sector and the strategic investments sector recorded impressive growth in performance.

“The domestic tourism industry continues to struggle in the face of tremendous macro challenges which have reflected on our domestic tourism sector’s performance,” he added.

The Spence report is the latest results to flow in during what is called the traditional reporting season for end June quarterly results. The company's quarterly performance is expected to attract some interest in Spence stocks in the Colombo bourse tomorrow.

SECURITY FORCES Headquarters, JAFFNA, in response to a request made by Trustees at the most sacred NALLUR Hindu Temple (Kovil) in JAFFNA has reduced the curfew hours in the WALIKAMAM division in JAFFNA by half an hour, effective from Wednesday (6) morning.

The curfew now in force beginning at 9.00 p.m. will thus be lifted at 4.00 a.m. effective from tomorrow (6th August 2008). Generally the curfew hours in the peninsula end at 4.30 a.m.Kovil Trustees requested this 30-minute long relaxation between 6th-31st August from Commander, Security Forces Headquarters, JAFFNA, in order to conduct the annual festival rites in accordance with Hindu traditions during the wee hours.

Nearly two hundred representatives from Jaffna-based Government Departments, State Agencies, Local and International Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Civil Organizations and heads of all commercial establishments in Jaffna during a meeting they had with Major General G.A. Chandrasiri, Commander Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna (SFHQ-J) recently, received an update on the implementation of new security clearance procedures for various emergencies, effective from this month (August).
The new security clearance procedures, applicable to all those who exit from the Jaffna peninsula are to cover emergencies such as funerals, interviews, medical tests, examinations, NGO seminars, issue of visas and passports, sports events, etc and are valid for three months since the date of issue. Likewise, those moving out elsewhere for residential or employment purposes are supposed to obtain security clearances separately from respective security authorities in the areas, the meeting was told. Several participants sought clarifications on new procedures and other matters from the security chief after the main address was over.
Major General Chandrasiri, responding to queries raised by some participants at the meeting explained them in detail regarding instances of theft and looting, issue of new identity cards, supply of medical items, problems in fishing industry, etc and urged them to bring any grievances, if any, to the notice of the SFHQ-J. He also requested the participants to extend their support for security measures in effect and help the Security Forces maintain law and order in the peninsula. The meeting held at Kankasanthurai transit camp premises was led by Major General G.A Chandrasiri and attended by District Secretary for Jaffna K.Ganesh.

Troops of Army 59 division continuing their march in the Mullaittiuvu forest yesterday (Aug 4) captured 2 well fortified bunkers, a small camp and a firing range of LTTE terrorists.
According to the defence sources in the field, the two bunkers were captured around 1PM following a clash occurred in the Niththikaikulam area, 9 Km North of Janakapura.
Elsewhere, forward operation troops took control of an LTTE camp that extends around 3-4 acres of land last morning. Sources reveal that the camp has several underground bunkers, trenches, a well, toilet facilities and several buildings that had been demolished due to the indirect fire. Also, troops found 150 m long firing range and a mortar pit that had been used for a 120mm mortar gun in the close proximity to the said camp, the sources added. Terrorists are fast making off towards LTTE's main bastions in the Mullaittiuvu, the sources further observed.
Meanwhile, military reports received from the Welioya front indicate 6 terrorists were killed, and 7 others injured in yesterday's clashes occurred in the North of Kiribbanwewa, and Janakapura areas. Also, 7 LTTE terrorists were either killed or wounded during the fighting. A soldier suffered injuries during these clashes.
Separately, 63 anti-personnel mines were unearthed by the troops engaged in mine clearing operations, north of Janakapura and Kiriibbanwewa areas.
Meanwhile, troops captured few warlike items including hand grenades, while conducting a clearing operation in the recently liberated areas north of Kiriibbanwewa. Ten hand grenades, one T-56 magazine, one pouch, six meal packets were also among the items found.

Sri Lanka Air Force MI-24 Helicopter gun ships carried out close air support mission targeting LTTE gathering place in 5 1/2 Km north of Vellankulam this afternoon, 05 August.
Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, speaking to defence.lk said that the air sorties were carried out around 2.00 PM to assist the ground troops advancing northwards along the A-32, Mannar - Poonaryn, main road.
It is observed that the LTTE terrorists withdrawn after loosing their strongholds located along the western coast in Vidattaltivu, Illuppaikkadavai and Vellankulam areas have reorganized in this targeted area to make resistance for the advancing troops.

Five Media has strongly condemned a reported warning by the Army Commander against the continuation of defence features of 'Sunday Lankadeepa'.
In a statement, they said Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka had told staff journalist Indika Ramanayake that he would not cooperate with the newspaper if did not stop the two articles.
The features in question are a defence analysis by Duminda Sanjeewa and a translation of the security situation by Iqbal Athas.
Lt. Gen. Fonseka had made the statement when staff journalist Ramanayake had called him this morning (Aug. 05th) to seek his permission to obtain certain information from another officer.
The Five Media says in a statement that they treated this incident as an indirect intimidation aimed at media censorship.
The Army chief's request, or rather order, is a breach of the people's right to information as well as a threat to the media.
They urged Lt. Gen. Fonseka to change his hostile approach towards the media, pointing out that changing the manner of reporting at the whims of those in power amounted to a control of the media.
The statement has been signed by the Free Media Movement, the Working Journalists Association, the Federation of Media Employees Trade Union, the Muslim Media Forum and the Tamil Media Alliance.

An armed gang stormed into a business establishment in Yakkalamulla, Galle and got away with more than half a million rupees cash after shooting and critically injuring the owner today morning, Police said.

The businessman is receiving treatment at the Karapitiya hospital.

The gang got away with Rs. 600,000. The money had been brought for the payment of the workers.

The Government hopes to collect Rs. 500 – 800 million from the new environmental conservation act annually, Chairman of the Central Environmental Authority, Udaya Gammanpilla told at a press conference today.

According to the act, taxes would be imposed on mobile phones, transmission towers, electrical bulbs over 40 watt excluding CFL bulbs and on certain motorcycle and vehicle categories which consisting of Internal Combustion engines.

Mr. Gammanpilla said that they have also taken into consideration the rising cost of living and the spending capacity of people. Therefore, vehicles such as lorries, buses and three wheelers which run on diesel will not be taxed even though they contribute a lot to air pollution.

He also encouraged the public to use vehicles that run on alternative energy sources such as electricity and water.

A 2% tax on both post paid and pre-paid mobile phones will be imposed from August 15. The company using transmission towers for TV and radio transmissions as well as for telecommunication purposes would have to pay Rs. 50,000 annually while if the tower is being shared they would have to pay Rs. 25,000 each. For bulbs over 40 watts a tax of Rs. 3 will be charged,

For the motorcycles and the vehicles the tax will be as follows: Motorcycles Rs. 100, for Petrol motor cars Rs. 200 to 500, Diesel cars from Rs. 300 to 800.

The funds generated from this would be used in managing electrical waste.

“The Rio declaration which was signed 1992 states that polluters should bear the cost of pollution. We are already late in implementing this. But this is important if we are to conserve this environment for the future generation”, Mr. Gammanpilla said. .

Major opposition parties against the proposed Comprehensive Economic partnership Agreement –CEPA and said it will affects local services sector .
Addressing a three hour debate in parliament on Tuesday UNP, JVP and NFF said this agreement would provide more opportunities for India .However TNA parliamentarian R.Sampandan pointed out that almost every country in the world aims to enhance economic ties with India.
“India is a major industrial country in this region and Sri Lanka must enter this agreement to develop the country, he said.
Leader of the National Freedom Alliance Wimal Weerawansa urged the government not to sign the CEPA agreement .He said local services sector is very sensitive area.
“If we open this sector , the Indian services could enter the local market, he said. He said signing of the CEPA agreement would have a negative impact on local entrepreneurs. He said the government had signed a number of agreements with India
“However Sri Lanka has no more opportunities from these agreements, he explained.
UNP parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake said local entrepreneurs cannot compete with Indian competitors due to the high interest rates of Sri Lanka .
“Sri Lanka charges 23 % interest rate, but India charges only 2% , he said.
JVP parliamentarian Bimal Ratnayake said this agreement would not provide opportunities for Sri Lanka.
Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama pointed out that it is an agreement that came under discussion over a long period. He pointed out that agreements with neighbouring countries are essential for a country to progress economically. He said Singapore could develop its economy after expansion of its trade activities with the major countries.
The debate was held on a proposal made by NFF leader and parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa. Minister G.L. Peiris pointed out that no professional such as doctors and engineers will be affected by this agreement. He said further discussions would take place in this regard in addition to the several rounds of discussion already taken place.
He said the Government has assured that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Sri Lanka would be implemented only after placing all the facts to the public and decides upon their approval or disapproval.

Speaking at the adjournment motion he said that all professionals have got excited as services too would be exchanged within countries and have a fear that it would affect their professions badly.
His comments came amidst allegations by the opposition that the government had failed to disclose the facts about the agreement.
Minister Pieris justifying the CEPA agreement said that India had been the 16th exporter for Sri Lankan goods but today it's the 3rd exporter and the Import export ratio between Sri Lanka had been 11:1 in 1998 and 3:1in 2008. He agreed that there may be pros and cons in any agreement and added that India doesn't mind even if Sri Lanka agrees to sign it or not.

JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake says Sri Lanka will surrender to India both politically and economically through the 200-mile-long submarine electricity cable project.

Speaking to the media in Colombo today (Aug. 05th), he said that the proposed project would give India the upper hand in Sri Lanka's energy sector.

The island would not be able to abolish the project agreement for any reason, Mr. Ratnayake said.

The laying of the cable through the Mannar Basin will disrupt explorations for oil as well, the JVP MP said.

The project contractor is from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, which is a haven for LTTE activities, Mr. Ratnayake said, adding that South Indian employees of the company will be a threat to the entire country.

He also said that the proposal to sell surplus electricity to India would create environmental and social repercussions in Sri Lanka.

The country will have no option in the event India, as the region's superpower, violates conditions of the agreement.

Mr. Ratnayake also noted that there several disputes over energy agreements signed by India with several smaller nations in South Asia.

For instance, India was fully utilizing the 750 megawatts being generated through a project in Nepal in violation of a promise to grant 20 per cent of the power to Nepal.

The JVP MP added that a US researcher has included India to a list of the eight worst countries for trade agreements.

The People's Action for Free and Fair Elections says the highest number of poll violence has been reported from Anuradhapura in the North Central Province.

Of the 20 complaints received from the district, six are assaults, five incidents of damage to property and two complaints of misuse of state property.

By yesterday (Aug. 04th), PAFFREL has received 58 complaints - 36 from the NCP and 22 from Sabaragamuwa.

The least number of complaints (eight) are from Kegalle district.

Partnerships and networking are at the centre of infrastructure development and delivery of public utilities around the world. They are fundamental to the commissioning and delivery of public services, developing and maintaining public infrastructure and giving leadership to local communities. Bringing together public sector agencies, businesses and third sector organizations, partnerships represent a major reconfiguration of the organization of the public domain.

The seminar on “Importance of Transport Infrastructure for National Development” which will be held on 26th August 2008 is an initiative aimed at catalyzing vigorous research and a challenging debate on transport infrastructure and its impact on national development. By bringing together those who create policy, the bureaucrats, the specialists, academics and professionals, the Chamber is providing an effective forum to facilitate consultation and participatory governance in infrastructure development. Our continuous focus on conducting seminars and symposiums on subjects of national importance is to contribute to better public service partnering and influencing the wider public policy.

Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion as the Chief Guest will inaugurate the seminar. Mr. Richard Vokes, Country Director, Asian Development Bank is the Guest of Honour. Authoritative resource persons who will make presentations include Prof. Amal Kumarage, University of Moratuwa and Ex. Chairman, National Transport Commission, Eng. M.B.S. Fernando, Chairman, Road Development Authority, Mr. Don Wootton, Regional Director, Scott Wilson Ltd., Mr. P.P. Wijesekera, Add. General Manager, Technical, Sri Lanka Railways and Mr. Dayanthe Athulathmudali who currently serves as Director Dubai World Central, a Government of Dubai owned enterprise engaged in building of a new mega airport at Jebal Ali.

Australian Embassy in Sri Lanka said Australia has been invited to participate as an Observer to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) following the Fifteenth SAARC Summit in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 2-3 August 2008.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985 with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and accelerating the economic and social development of its Member States.
The member countries of SAARC are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Observers to SAARC are China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, South Korea and the United States.
Australia needs to do more with its engagement in South Asia and engaging regularly with South Asia’s premier regional body is a positive step forward. Observer Status at SAARC will enable Australia to annually engage South Asian Governments at the highest levels.
Australia also enjoys close ties with individual SAARC member nations. Our merchandise and services trade with SAARC countries was over $A13 billion in 2007.
Institutional links in key areas such as education, science and technology, and policy dialogues are also growing. Australia enjoys strong defence and counter-terrorism links with South Asia.
People-to-people links are strong. In excess of 280,000 people from the SAARC region have migrated permanently to Australia and nearly 93,000 South Asian students were enrolled in Australian institutions last year.
Australia has strong development cooperation relationships in South Asia, with regional development assistance in 2007-08 around $A220 million.
Australia welcomes Sri Lanka's successful hosting of the Fifteenth SAARC Summit. Australia especially welcomes the Summit Declaration's strong message on the need for international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
The next summit will be in the Maldives and is expected to be held in the first half of next year.

Troops of Army 59 division continuing their march in the Mullaittiuvu forest yesterday (Aug 4) captured 2 well fortified bunkers, a small camp and a firing range of LTTE terrorists.
According to the defence sources in the field, the two bunkers were captured around 1PM following a clash occurred in the Niththikaikulam area, 9 Km North of Janakapura.
Elsewhere, forward operation troops took control of an LTTE camp that extends around 3-4 acres of land last morning. Sources reveal that the camp has several underground bunkers, trenches, a well, toilet facilities and several buildings that had been demolished due to the indirect fire. Also, troops found 150 m long firing range and a mortar pit that had been used for a 120mm mortar gun in the close proximity to the said camp, the sources added. Terrorists are fast making off towards LTTE's main bastions in the Mullaittiuvu, the sources further observed.
Meanwhile, military reports received from the Welioya front indicate 6 terrorists were killed , and 7 others injured in yesterday's clashes occurred in the North of Kiribbanwewa, and Janakapura areas. Also, a soldier suffered injuries during these clashes.

Security forces personnel engaged in offensive march to liberate the Wanni from terror grip further advanced into LTTE territory inflicting damages to the enemy in Vavuniaya front, the finalized military report received from the battlefront said. 11 LTTE terrorists were killed and 7 others suffered injuries while an army personnel has made his utmost sacrifice for the sake of motherland. 3 more soldiers also received injuries in yesterday's clashes ensued, the report further added.
Troops launched an attack targeting terror bunker defences in general area Navatkulam and by intercepting LTTE radio transmission confirmed that one terrorist was killed and another suffered injuries. Separately, 5 more LTTE terrorists were killed when the troops attacked LTTE bunker defences in general area Thunukkai.
Meanwhile, 5 LTTE terrorists were killed and 6 others suffered injuries in a confrontation took place in general area Palamoddai. 2 soldiers also suffered injuries in this incident.
Separately, one soldier suffered injuries exploding anti-personnel mines in general area Palamoddai and another injured in separate confrontation in general area south of Kalvilan.

Security forces personnel continued offensive advances into LTTE defences, inflicting damages to the terrorists at the Welioya front yesterday, 4 August, as finalized military reports stated that 7 LTTE terrorists were either killed or wounded during the fighting.
According to reports, four LTTE terrorists were reported either killed or wounded in clashes sparked in general area north of Janakapura. In a separate clash reported in north of Kiriibbawewa area, three more LTTE terrorists reported either killed or wounded during day hours yesterday, military added.
Separately, 63 anti-personnel mines were unearthed by the troops engaged in mine clearing operations, north of Janakapura and Kiriibbanwewa areas.
Meanwhile, troops captured few warlike items including hand grenades, while conducting a clearing operation in the recently liberated areas north of Kiriibbanwewa. Ten hand grenades, one T-56 magazine, one pouch, six meal packets were also among the items found.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Nishantha Hapuarachchi today further remanded the Accountant of Informatics International Limited(IIL) until August 19 for allegedly withdrawing Rs.38 million by preparing forged vouchers and forging the signature of the Directors on company cheques.

The security blanket in Colombo during SAARC was such that even the Indian Security Advisor R.K. Narayanan travelled by taxi in Colombo without security guards, Keheliya Rambukwella said in Parliament today.

Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara told Parliament today that the full implementation of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution is essential to strengthen the Parliamentary system.

The non allocation of a front row seat for Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the SAARC summit sparked an argument between UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama in Parliament today.

Police requested a Colombo Court yesterday to impound the passport of a National Savings Bank (NSB) officer who was allegedly involved in fake jewellery pawning deals.

OIC Lalith Weerasinghe, of the Nugegoda Special Crime Investigation Unit, yesterday, moved the Colombo Chief Magistrate Nishantha Hapuarachchi to impound the passport of Mohamed M. Kamil, an officer who had been in charge of the Gold Jewellery Pawning Section of the National Savings Bank at Nawala, for allegedly defrauding the bank of a sum of Rs 2,279,613 by pawning fake gold jewellery.

The Special Crime Investigation Unit had conducted investigations sequel to a complaint made by the manager of the Bank’s Audit Branch, Mr. D.N.J.K. Gamage.

The complainant stated that, following an internal audit investigation carried out by the audit officers, they had been able to discover that the suspect had given cash payments for pawned jewellery above the stipulated amounts. The investigations had revealed that the actual weight of the pawned articles was less that the weight stated in the respective pawn tickets.

The audit officers had conducted a close verification on 21 pouches that were in the safe. Their verification had revealed that, excepting three pouches, the rest contained fake jewellery. It was also discovered that one pouch contained both fake and real gold jewellery.

Following this discovery, they had complained to the Police. The suspect officer, who was alleged to have committed the fraud, had gone missing, Police said. It had also revealed that the identity cards used in committing the fraud were forged ones.

The magistrate ordered Police to file their investigation report on September 18.

Colombo stocks sank on Tuesday with interest only in low priced companies while concern is growing over mobile phone giant Dialog’s profits with second quarter results due in coming days, brokers said.

Dialog, the largest capitalized company on the Colombo bourse and a keenly watched stock, fell by 50 cents on Rs 13.75 for parcels of a total of 17,900. Brokers said although the quantity was small, there is investor worry over Dialog losing market share to other players which is seen eroding profits while last week’s mega package of a 50 percent lifetime offer to its four million customer base is expected to further reduce Dialog earnings.

Hunters, in the news for shareholder criticism over disclosure issues, saw a sharp Rs 118.50 percent drop in the price to Rs 281.50 for three parcels a total of 261,400. The seller was said to Ceylon Guardian.

The All Share Index fell 21 points to close at 2,459.60 and the Milanka sank by 34.13 points to end at 2,935.33. Total turnover was Rs 191 million.

A search operation has been mounted around the Kalady bridge in Batticaloa after a soldier was shot dead a shortwhile ago, police sources said.

He was shot close to the Brigade Headquarters while on duty on the roadside.

Military spokesman Brigadier, Udaya Nanayakkara said the LTTE pistol gang was responsible for the killing.

He said a search operation has been mounted in the area soon after the incident, but so far nobody had been arrested.

Earlier Police recovered five claymore mines in the Karadiyanaru area of Batticaloa. They said each of the mines were about 1.5 kilograms.

During the search operation police also found pistol and three generators.

Power and Energy Minister John Seneviratne told Parliament today that two coal power plants are to be constructed in Sampur, Trincomalee in partnership with two Indian companies.

He was responding to a question by JVP MP, Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The JVP today said the Government must halt the laying of an undersea electricity transmission line between South India and Mannar and explore alternative methods of generating power locally.

JVP Kurunegala district MP Bimal Ratnayaka said the project would also harm the country economically as the Indian company entrusted with the project would have full control of installing the cable as well as the generation, distribution and other aspects of power transmission and the Sri Lanka government would have no control whatsoever with regards to these decisions.

“The Government is trying to lose the monopoly it has in the electricity sector by its own actions,” he told reporters at a press briefing.

Local mobile telephone users and motor vehicle owners are worried about recent taxes on mobile phone bills and motor vehicle licenses .They said the government tries to end the usage of mobile phones and motor vehicles .They said at present a number of taxes on phone bills were imposed by the government and the recent tax is Environmental Conservation Tax on motor vehicle licenses and mobile phone bills.
The government said it has imposed this new tax Environmental Conservation Tax on the communication and transportation sectors.
A gazette notification pertaining to the imposition of an was released last Friday. The gazette notice said every user of a mobile telephone must pay two percent of their monthly telephone bills as an Environmental Conservation Tax.
The Central Environment Authority said the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission [TRC] is the authority for the collection of the tax, which will come into operation from the 15th of this month. In addition, an annual tax of 50 thousand rupees will be levied from institutions owning television and broadcasting transmission towers. An environmental conservation tax has imposed on CFL light bulbs as well.
The CEA adds an environmental conservation tax will also be imposed on motor vehicle revenue licenses. The gazette notification was also released on Friday. Accordingly, a tax of 100 rupees from a motorcycle and 200 rupees from a motor car will be levied depending on the weight of the vehicle and the type of fuel used.

Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya visited places of worship in Greater Washington to participate in religious activities and met with religious dignitaries representing the Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and Christian faiths. At the services, the Ambassador received prayers and blessings from Ven. Maharagama Dhammasiri Nayaka of the Washington Buddhist Vihara, Ven. Katugastota Uparathana of the International Buddhist Center in Maryland, Shri Vishweswaran and Shri Muralithar Sharma of the Murugan Temple of North America, Sri Sivanathakuru S Kurukkal of the Vishnu Temple, Dr. Abdullah Muhhamad Khouj of Islamic Center of Washington DC and Rev. Fr. Cliffs of the Basilica of National Shrine of Immaculate in Washington DC.

The sale of liquor has been banned in Kandy during the coming Esala Perahera period - August 2 to 18.
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Presidential Advisor and Opposition Leader of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is in hot water over his dissent against the forcible eviction of residents in Slave Island, political sources said yesterday.

The sources said he may be under fire against his decision to walk out of the CMC sessions protesting against the eviction of occupants of unauthorized structures in Slave Island recently.

Mr. Nanayakkara staged a walk out of the CMC sessions with the SLMC, UPF and WPF members protesting against the eviction of people in Slave Island for the SAARC summit.

UPFA Councillor Ariyaratne Wedage who slammed Mr. Nanayakkara at the sessions after he staged a walk out said the latter had been carrying tales to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Mr. Wedage charged that Mr. Nanayakkara had told the President that he (Mr. Wedage) is destroying the UPFA. However Mr. Wedage said President had not believed Mr. Nanayakkara as he had not questioned him on the matter to date.

“We are the real party men and not the ones who joined the party recently,” he further said.

Mr. Wedage questioned as to where Mr. Nanayakkara was when the UNP regime demolished shanties and gave houses only to its party men. “I am one of the persons who fought against it while some were silent,” he added.

However Mr. Nanayakkara scoffed at the reports stating that he had no problem with the President as he had explained everything to him, especially on the forcible eviction of the Slave Island dwellers. He said he had met the President after the CMC sessions.

“I blamed the President and told him that injustice had caused to the Slave Island shanty dwellers as he had got advice from the wrong people,” he said.

He said the President had advised him to discuss the issue with the Minister of Urban Development Dinesh Gunawardene. Mr. Nanayakkara said he had met the Minister on the advice of the President and moves are underway to bring the Slave Island people to Dematagoda where permanent houses are being built for them.

He said supporting the President is not becoming his ‘Yes’ men but to put him on the right track.

The UNP and JVP complained to the Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake today about what they cited as ‘gross election malpractices’ in the run up to the provincial council election to be conducted on August 23.

The chief among them is the partiality of state media in election reporting and the increase in violence against the opposition parties in the fray.

JVP Propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath said that his party had witnessed the state media institutions being extremely partial today, and he would bring this matter to the notice of the Commissioner at this meeting. Similarly, he said that the state properties including vehicles are used by the ruling party candidates freely despite various complaints had been lodged with the relevant authorities in this regard earlier.

“The ruling party candidates who were in the outgoing councils have not handed over their vehicles to the government. They are being used for electioneering. We took it up again with the Commissioner,” he said.

Besides, he said that public servants including certain Zonal Education Directors had participated in the government’s election campaign.

“In Polonnaruwa, Goviniyamakas have been employed to win over votes for the ruling UPFA. This is unlawful. Some Zonal Education Directors have participated in a local level SLFP central committee meeting in Ratnapura,” he said.

In the meantime, the UNP said that it would apprise Mr. Dissanayake of violence unleashed on its members during the campaign. The UNP General Secretary MP Tissa Attanayake said that there is no conducive atmosphere for voters to exercise their franchise at this election in these circumstances.

He said that his party demanded an assurance from the Elections Department in this regard.

After the announcement of the election, the Elections Commissioner met the representatives of the political parties in the fray on July 14. At that meeting too, the political parties raised these issues, and the Commissioner agreed to look into them.

The election monitoring bodies such as PAFFREL have also received complaints about the misuse of government vehicles for electioneering.

Several Sri Lankan expatriates planning to go home for the summer vacation have been forced to re-think their travel plans following the indefinite suspension of their country's budget airline.

The grounding of Mihin Lanka in May this year has given a big blow to the island nation's migrant population in the UAE since the airline tickets were nearly half the cost of other carriers.

Reports suggest the airline's operations have been suspended due to lack of funds and aircraft. Lankans living in the UAE opined that low-income earners, especially housemaids, garment workers and labourers, were the worst hit.

"It is very sad that the airline has stopped operating.

It was very affordable for many people like me. The tickets were priced less than Dh1,000 during off-peak season and about Dh1,200 during peak time.This helped me visit my family every year. Now, I have to put my summer travel plans on hold as I cannot afford to travel in other airlines," said a worker.

Several agents who did bookings for travellers are now trying to get refunds and have written to the airline's office in Colombo. Badrudin Mohammed Ajward, an air-conditioner mechanic, said that besides cheap tickets, the airline also gave far more baggage allowance compared to other carriers.

"I hope that Mihin Lanka resumes its flights soon or we get a cheaper alternative to fly home every year," said Udeni N, a housemaid in Dubai.

Rohan Kuruppu from Mihin Lanka GSA, Ominga International in Dubai conceded that the future of the airline remained uncertain.

Labour minister Dr; Mervin Silva today assulted two television cameramen attached to the Sirasa and MTV television channels. This incident was occurred at the opening ceremony of the new fly over bridge constructed in Peliyagoda .Dr.Silva and his goons attacked these media men and snatched their cameras .However high police officials in the area kept silence and the local media minister said he would conduct an impartial inquiry on this matter.
The flyover bride constructed in Peliyagoda on the Colombo-Kandy Road declared open at 4.00 pm today. The 325 meter long and seven meter wide bridge was built with the assistance of the British government. It has been named as the Jeyaraj Fernandopulle Memorial Bridge in honour of the late minister who had acted with great dedication to build the overhead bridge.
According to the eye witness as the cameramen were getting ready to record the declare opening of the bridge by Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka, the Minister came there and ordered them to go away. Then the goons of the Minister came to the scene, assaulted the cameramen and seized their cameras. The Sirasa crew had arrived their on invitation by the Media Secretary of the Labour Minister The camera equipment which is estimated to be over Rs. 2 million.

The two victims, Sampath Varuna and Provincial cameraman Saliya lodged complaints in Peliyagoda police station in this regard.

Colombo stocks ended mixed on Monday with parcels of AMW being picked by its new Dubai-based owner and speculative trading in Lanka Cement following reports that India’s Aditya Birla Group may take over its northern production plant, brokers said,

Some 800,000 Lanka Cement shares traded at Rs 13.50 while 102,300 AMW went for an unchanged Rs 174.50, the price the Al Futtaim Group paid last week for the 71 percent stake owned by Associated Electrical Corp and John Keells. Al Futtaim announced a mandatory offer for the remaining 29 percent shares and has been picking up parcels in the market since then.

Among other trades, 464,400 CIC went for Rs 28.25, up 75 cents from previously traded rates, 512,000 Dankotuwa Porcelain for Rs 11 and Lanka IOI, buoyed by falling oil prices which is seen increasing volume sales and raising revenue, traded at an unchanged Rs 21 for 151,500 shares. There were other large parcels but of very low-priced stocks.

The All Share Index gained marginally by 7.15 points to close at 2,480.60 while the Milanka gained by 15.93 to 2,969.46.

Two police officials of the Ministerial Security Division were taken into custody in regard of stealing Rs. 11,500 at gunpoint from a restaurant manager and damaging the restaurant property.


Police media spokesman Senior Superintendent of Police Ranjith Gunasekara said that the two police officials were security officers of Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe and Kurunegala district United National Party (UNP) MP Akhila Viraj Kariyawasam.

Colombo Crime Division arrested these two police officers in regard of the incident and they were remanded until August 15 by courts. They are to be produced for an identification parade on that day.
They were in a six member group that went to a restaurant in Wasala Road, Dehiwala on July 29 to consume food. When a clash erupted between the music band and the restaurant staff, the suspects meddled stating that they were 'Gotabhaya's People' and stole Rs. 11,500 at gunpoint from the restaurant manager. Police arrested the suspected group travelled in with two civilians. SSP Gunasekara said that the white van had been rented from a cab service.

Demands by a group of conspirators within government ranks for police and land powers to the provinces are jeopardizing the stability of the entire country, said the Jathika Hela Urumaya.

The key government affiliate party noted that not even Pillayan or Karuna Amman had called for such powers.

JHU spokesman Nishantha Sri Warnasinghesaid that a group of so-called national movement for ensuring powers for provincial councils is making this demand.

Calls for these powers by government strongmen Rajitha Senaratne, Dilan Perera and Reginald Cooray will have a negative effect on the war effort, he said.

The interim report of the All Party Representative Committee does not give police or land powers to the provinces and the final decision lies with the President.

The JHU spokesman said his party strongly condemned the call by these supporters of federalism.

The north should be given only the powers vested in other provinces, Mr. Warnasinghe said, adding that his party would not remain in the government if it gives in to the conspiracies of federalists and alien forces.

Five Media rejects SAARC boycott claim The Free Media Movement led five local media rights groups have rejected an allegation that they had called for a media boycott of the 15th SAARC summit that concluded in Colombo yesterday (Aug 03rd).
In a statement, the Five Media said the state media and other interests had leveled the accusation.

They noted that they had no need to make such a call from the media.

The allegation only goes on to show the bankruptcy of the accusers, the statement said.

It has been signed by the FMM, the Working Journalists Association, the Federation of Media Employees Trade Union, the Muslim Media Forum and the Tamil Media Alliance.


No police probe into A'pura UNP office attack

Police are yet to investigate an attack on a UNP office in Anuradhapura town in the early hours of yesterday (Aug. 03rd), said the party's chief ministerial candidate for the North Central Province retired Major General Janaka Perera.

In a statement, he said that maddened by the certain victory for the UNP at the election, the government and thugs of the UPFA had stormed the office of the UNP's district manager Dr. Raja Johnpulle around 2.30 am.

The ruling party has booked state circuit bungalows and every available place to accommodate its thugs until the conclusion of the August 23rd polls, it said.

Several of these places have already been occupied by thugs brought from elsewhere, who are targeting opposition party activists, their offices and homes.

Police have so far taken no action to prevent such violence, and certain top rankers and other officers of the department have sided with the UPFA candidates and are acting as their agents, the statement alleged.

No investigation has been conducted on these outsiders, Mr. Perera said in his statement, adding that it was the responsibility of the Elections Commissioner, the IGP, the District Returning Officer and the Assistant Elections Commissioner of Anuradhapura to bring the culprits to book and to end violence.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher [official profile] Sunday called on the government of Sri Lanka to provide better human rights protections as it fights separatist rebels from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Speaking at a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation [official website] conference in Colombo, Boucher pledged additional military and humanitarian support to the country, but said that the government could not sacrifice its democratic or humanitarian principles in the name of security:
We are concerned about the human rights situation here. We have been concerned about some of the reports of abuses of the past that have not been fully investigated or have not had legal action taken at this point – such as the killings of aid workers. We have been concerned about the continuing reports of abductions, disappearances, some of the detentions of individuals, reports of intimidation against the media. All of these things need to be stopped. The government needs to take action to stop the perpetrators, and investigate and prosecute where necessary the people who have done these things. I think we will continue to focus attention on those problems and we will continue to call on the government, but also work with the government, to try to help a democratic government achieve the highest standards of democracy, because that is what the citizens expect of their government.
Boucher said respecting basic rights would would improve the government's efficacy against the group, and called on local militias to disband so that official security forces could better implement the rule of law. Reuters has more. The Daily News has local coverage.

The Sri Lankan government has been sporadically fighting with the LTTE since 1972 and has been widely criticized for ignoring basic human rights in the process. In July, Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused Sri Lanka of creating a de facto internment camp [HRW press release; JURIST report] for those fleeing areas controlled by the LTTE. In January, the country's Supreme Court ordered the government to stop the practice of detaining and searching large groups of civilians in LTTE-controlled areas. The same month, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour urged the government to continue to respect rights in the region after the expiration of a 2002 ceasefire. In August 2007, HRW accused the Sri Lankan government of being responsible for a dramatic increase in unlawful killings and other human rights violations

Few die in childbirth, most go to primary school and almost all are vaccinated at the right time, but the sizeable number of Sri Lankan children who are stunted, wasted and underweight for their age is a cause for concern, according to nutritional authorities.

New government statistics show that despite countless initiatives to alleviate malnutrition over the years, the condition is entrenched in the traditionally poor and conflict-hit regions and affects hundreds of thousands of children.

The Demographic and Health Survey 2006/2007 , a draft of which was released by the Health and Nutrition Ministry and the Census and Statistics Department, shows that 22 percent of Sri Lankan children are underweight, 18 percent are stunted and 15 percent show signs of wasting.

"These statistics show that one in four children is under-nourished," said Renuka Jayatissa, medical specialist in charge of nutrition at the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). "This is despite having all the best nutrition interventions implemented here."

The statistics indicate a slight improvement since the last survey in 2000, which showed that one child in three was under-nourished, but, said Jayatissa, the lack of significant improvement since the 1970s underscored the ineffectiveness of some nutrition programmes.

The latest figures could also be inherently distorted as the survey did not cover five districts in the northern province - Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu - where government forces are fighting rebel Tamil Tiger separatists, and access to accurate data is near impossible.

"The conflict is really affecting the picture. Lots of people who are displaced by the fighting rely on rations and they don't get adequate quantities of good quality food," noted Jayatissa.

MDG goal

UNICEF has already expressed concern that although Sri Lanka's overall health indicators are on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the nutritional status of children and mothers is the exception.

The worst-hit districts include Trincomalee and Batticaloa, where the separatist conflict raged until last year, causing large-scale displacement. In the districts of Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Moneragala and Hambantota, poverty among tea plantation workers and farmers has long been endemic.

At the top of the categories, 41 percent of children in Nuwara Eliya District were stunted, while height-for-weight measurements showed that wasting was highest in Trincomalee at 28 percent, and in Badulla, 32 percent of the children were underweight. The figures reveal regional disparities, with districts in the western and southwestern parts of the island showing less incidence of under-nutrition.

Jayatissa attributes the failure of the programmes to end under-nutrition to a lack of monitoring of targeted populations to assess if they were receiving the correct support and to an insufficient commitment to ensure the goals are achieved. UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the government plan to collect baseline data from the poorest districts at regular intervals to monitor health and nutrition indicators.

The problem, according to health experts, is exacerbated because, besides food intake, nutritional status also depends on water and sanitation, birth weight, weaning practices and mothers' education - thus calling for more integrated solutions rather than piecemeal efforts.

Anaemia

Jayatissa also pointed out that 30 percent of Sri Lankan children suffer from anaemia, with up to 58 percent aged 6-12 months showing symptoms.

"The effects of anaemia between birth and the age of two are irreversible, even if it is subsequently treated. The condition affects children's intellectual development, cognitive abilities and critical thinking skills," she said, adding that the poor performance of school students at public examinations and low productivity of the national workforce were signs of the long-term consequences.

Economic threat

"What is very common now is to see people struggling to buy food because of the high prices of staples like rice and bread," said Judy Devadawson, an adviser to a Trincomalee-based NGO, the Women and Child Care Organisation (WACCO). "In some places, we see very thin children with sunken eyes and they seem lethargic."

She saw the effects of the rising cost of living and the shortage of employment opportunities hitting the large proportion of families, especially in conflict zones such as Trincomalee District, where many have only one breadwinner. "It is almost impossible for them to provide enough food for the whole family."

WACCO has provided a group of conflict-affected women in Trincomalee with land to cultivate vegetables using organic farming methods, which they can sell for extra income or consume.

Sri Lanka's competitors in the Beijing Olympic Games left here Monday morning for Beijing, officials said.

The Sri Lankan contingent, headed by the woman sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe, comprises of eight players and six officials

Jayasinghe, a bronze medallist in the 200 meters women sprint event in the Sydney Games in 2000, was to fly directly to Beijing from the United States, where she was on a one-year training program.

Track and field, badminton, boxing, rifle shooting, javelin, swimming and weight lifting are major events that Sri Lanka will be taking part in in Beijing, local National Olympic Committee officials said.

Captain Jayasinghe and the javelin thrower Nadeeka Lakmali werethe only ones to qualify for the Games with others making their entries through the wild card system allowed for developing sporting nations, local officials said.

--Jehan Perera

Colombo took on the appearance of a city under siege during the week of the SAARC Summit. Roads were deserted and schools were closed to ensure security for the visiting Heads of States from the seven South Asian countries. But the recently concluded Summit was a personal success for President Mahinda Rajapaksa whose government ensured that the events went without any major hitch. The President appeared comfortable in his role as host. Large billboards of the President and other heads of SAARC countries dotted the roadside. The challenge would be to make the legacy of this 15th Summit a positive one. It would be a pity if it becomes just another meeting on which a lot of money was spent but makes no difference to the lives of billion plus people living in the region.

The thrust of President Rajapaksa’s welcome speech to the SAARC delegates took up the issue of terrorism that troubles the entire region. The President and his government have been insistent that Sri Lanka faces a problem of terrorism as its dominant feature. Government spokespersons have routinely denied that there is an ethnic conflict in the country. They have sought to bolster their contention by pointing to the peaceful and amicable coexistence of a multi ethnic and multi religious population in Colombo and elsewhere. If the SAARC leadership had the time and inclination to tour Colombo, which was spruced up for the occasion, they would have seen as much.

In his opening speech to SAARC, President Rajapaksa urged greater cooperation and collective action amongst the member states in combating the terrorism that has disrupted social peace and the prospects for more rapid economic development in the region. There was no controversy in this speech, as about every one of the other SAARC countries also faces serious challenges, which they prefer to describe as being terrorist in nature. Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said that terrorism was the biggest threat to the region’s stability and progress. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani agreed with the Sri Lankan President’s call for collective action to rid the region of the scourge of terrorism.

But the reality is that behind many of the episodes of terror and human rights violations are ethnic and religious grievances that cannot be resolved by solely relying on police and military actions. This is the case in places as diverse as the north and east of Sri Lanka, the north east of India and the eastern hills of Bangladesh where the conflicts due to competing nationalisms date back to the independence era. The love of one’s nation is so potent a mobilizing force that it makes its members willing to fight in the face of overwhelming force. Indeed, “Competing Nationalisms” was the title of a book edited by one of Sri Lanka’s most distinguished intellectuals, Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam, whose life was taken by an LTTE suicide bomber nine years ago.


GLOSSING OVER

The final declaration of the SAARC Summit had the condemnation of all forms of terrorist violence and that the participating states had agreed to cooperate, especially through the exchange of information on terrorism and organized crime. Unfortunately, there is no indication that the SAARC leaders made any effort to grapple with the human rights violations and internal displacement that result from their efforts to combat ethnic and religious-based insurrections. Every one of the SAARC countries, with the sole exception of the Maldive Islands which is religiously and ethnically homogeneous, has major problems of competing nationalisms. Sri Lanka’s problem is probably the worst, as it has pitted the biggest ethnic minority in a struggle against a state that is controlled by the largest ethnic community.

In an eloquent speech to the SAARC delegates, President Rajapaksa referred to Sri Lanka as providing a model for the eradication of terrorism. He bolstered his arguments by giving the example of Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, where he said that democracy had been restored and elections had been held. The President’s formula for restoring democracy is to first militarily defeat the LTTE, even though the human and material cost to the Tamil people of the area, and even those outside, is very high. In the case of the eastern victory, tens of thousands of people were displaced and hundreds of others were killed, some by collateral damage and others by targeted killings. The elections that followed could hardly be called free and fair and were strongly criticized by independent election observers.

Clearly a military victory, and peace on the government’s own terms, will be politically advantageous to the government, in relation to its ethnic majority electorate. On the other hand, the question is whether such an imposed solution will be sustainable and bring about conditions of peaceful coexistence in the longer term. Although the government has secured the east, and even held provincial elections, the absence of a peace settlement with the LTTE means that this part of the country remains vulnerable to LTTE infiltration and hit and run attacks. There is a limit to the degree of normalcy and economic development that can be achieved in these circumstances.

The record of wars and conflicts involving competing ethnic nationalisms in the modern era is not an encouraging one of military success. South Asia itself is a laboratory of continuing ethnic and religious conflict to which there is no military solution. As chairman of SAARC for the coming year or more, President Rajapaksa has an opportunity to make a positive contribution to both conflict resolution and rights in the region. This would also answer those critics, who have pointed to the very large expenditures on the SAARC Summit on this occasion and question what benefit has Sri Lanka or the region derived from this meeting.


SAARC MECHANISM

As the country facing the worst internal war in the region, with accompanying human rights violations, Sri Lanka has had to face repeated calls from the international community and human rights groups, to come up with a human rights mechanism that ensures accountability. This is due to the large number of human rights violations that are being reported, including abductions and disappearances and targeted killings that take place with impunity even within so-called high security zones established by the government. There have been proposals that the government should permit the UN to set up an international human rights monitoring mechanism with a field presence in Sri Lanka.

At the same time there have been strong objections within Sri Lanka to any form of international human rights monitoring as infringing on the country’s sovereignty, and also bringing in members of the international community who may be having vested interests of their own, which are detrimental to Sri Lanka’s national interests. However, these objections are likely to be less convincing in the case of SAARC members, who will be more likely to be sensitive to the social and cultural contexts in which they will be operating. Also as they are more in tune with the region’s social and cultural contexts, they are less likely to be duped or taken in by dishonesty of the parties to the conflicts they are monitoring.

The problem with relying entirely on purely internal, or national, human rights and judicial mechanisms, as the Sri Lankan government currently insists, is that ethnic and religious polarization within society often leads to bias. Those of one community find it difficult to see, or refuse to see, the injustices that other communities in their country complain about. This is due to the powerful impact of ethnic nationalism on people’s consciousness. On the other hand, these same persons are likely to see the injustices in other societies remarkably well and without bias to any side. This may account for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s reluctance to meet with the newly elected Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, which President Rajapaksa had given as an example of restoration of democracy.

As a former human rights defender, President Rajapaksa needs to consider building on the goodwill he has generated by hosting the 15th SAARC Summit, and urge the other Heads of States to establish a SAARC Human Rights Commission or equivalent body with a mandate to advise the member states on human rights, and to which aggrieved parties can address their complaints. In the case of ethnic and religious conflicts, aggrieved communities within a country often feel that they cannot get justice from their own national systems, and this tends to spur them to revolt even more. An approach to dealing with the threat of terrorism that include both cooperation on military actions and human rights violations stands a better chance of success than a reliance on military and police actions alone.

During a routine inspection of the suspended Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) Mine Action Programme equipment and resources on Thursday 24 th July, 2008, it was discovered that 8 vehicles had been forcibly removed from the Mine Action compound in Kilinochchi during the preceding days.
The incident was immediately reported to the National Steering Committee for Mine Action under the Ministry of Nation Building and Infrastructure Development and a formal complaint lodged with the LTTE. NPA, together with other INGOs working in the Vanni have called for the immediate return of its property and a cessation of all acts of intimidation targeting humanitarian staff and their assets.
NPA would like to ensure that the facts related to this incident are accurately reported. The said vehicles that were forcibly removed from our premises were used for their stated purposes in supporting humanitarian demining activities for 5 years prior to the suspension of the Mine Action programme in January 2008 under the auspices of the National Steering Committee of Mine Action. NPA is outraged at the theft of its property and is engaged in every effort to secure the return of these vehicles immediately.

Police sleuths of Colombo Crime Division (CCD) inquiring into a complaint lodged by a restaurant owner have identified 4 suspects who may be involved with controversial "White Van" incidents. According to the police sources the suspects include two police personnel of Ministerial Security Division (MSD) and two civilians having close connections with the opposition party politicians. Police further suspect a possible politically backed conspiracy in this incident to bring discredit to the present secretary of defence.
According to the CCD sources, the owner of a restaurant had lodged a complaint at the police station Dehiwala that an armed gang calling themselves to be in the security detail of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa had attacked his restaurant on 29 July 2008. The complaint further said that the gang had arrived in a white coloured van.
According to the details uncovered by the police so far, the gang of four arrived at a family restaurant named The Station, at No 41/1, Wasala Para, Dehiwala, around 10 PM on Tuesday (July 29) . The gang ordered hard liquor and remained there till about 11.10 PM when the restaurant staff requested them to foot the bill. At that time, the gang started beating the staff members and damaging the properties of the restaurant. One of the gang members identifying him as sergeant Kaluarachchi drew a pistol and threatened one of the staff members holding it against his ear that he would be killed at once. Then they terrorised the guests and the staff shouting loudly that they were "men of Gotabaya Rajapaksa" and also robbed 11,500 rupees from the cashier and they made off in the White Van they had come. The restaurant owner complained that the gang had caused a damage amounting to 19,600 rupees.
Later, the police traced the vehicle and found out that it was one of the cabs belonging to a call cab service called City Cabs. Then, the police traced the driver of the vehicle on the day of the attack and upon his arrest the four main suspects were taken into custody .
The suspects have been identified as Police Sergeant, U.L.W Jayakody Wijerathne, no 52669 , Police Constable, S.M.C.P Sakalasooriya , no 37012, J.A Sudarshana Jayasinghe, a civilian and Subaideen Saknus , a civilian .
While questioning the suspects, police have found that it was Sergeant Jayakodi Wijerathne who had identified him as Sergeant Kaluarachchi and led the attack. Also, it was he who had wielded the pistol and called the gang to be the men of Gotabaya. Interestingly , police have found that this suspects is working in the personal security detail of Kurunegala district United National Party (UNP) MP, Akila Viraj. Also, it was found that MP Akila Viraj had personally requested the accused Sergent Wijerathne for his security detail from the MSD, as Wijerathne was well known to him, as they had been classmates.
Police Constable, S.M.C.P Sakalasooriya, the other police personnel allegedly involved in the incident have found to be a member of the personal security detail of leader of the opposition and UNP MP , Ranil Wickramasinghe. He has been in MP Wickramasinghe's security detail since 2002 when the MP was the Prime Minister of the country.
The two civilian suspects were also identified as two henchmen of opposition party politicians. The suspects have been remanded until 15th August, and to be produced before an identification parade.
Police having considered how the whole incident had transpired and the developments going on at the political spheres suspect a possible politically backed conspiracy in the incident. Police are in the view that the malefactors had not carried out the attack under influence of liquor but with the good knowledge of what they had been doing. Particularly, Sergeant Jayakodi Wijerathne had his sense to pose him as Sergeant Kaluarachchi and to show that attack as one that had been carried out by the personal security guards of the Secretary of Defence. Also, police says that if the sole intention of the attackers was to rob money from the restaurant , it is obvious that they could have chosen some other way to identify themselves than identifying with the MSD, which has only handful of members.
Hence, police say that the attackers had acted in malice to bring discredit to Defence Secretary and his personal security squad. Had the police failed to nab the malefactors, the incident could have been easily exploited by the pro LTTE media and slanderous newspapers sponsored by political parties to carryout character assassination campaign against the Defence Secretary and the security forces personnel as well. Possible political conspiracy to engineer a scandal against Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa cannot be ruled out, the police added.

The 'Q' branch police probing into alleged LTTE operatives in Tamil Nadu have reportedly arrested one more suspect, Sunday (August 3) following the seizure of a Global Positioning System (GPS) and few other electronic materials at Uppur a suburb of Ramanthapuram in Tamil Nadu.
The LTTE terrorist suspect identified as Krishan alias Nixon, 22, was arrested when he was surrounded by the Police at the Ramanathapuram bus stand yesterday.
According to 'Q' branch police sources, the terrorist suspect was from the port city of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka.

Three soldiers were killed in a grenade explosion in Thanankilappu, Jaffna on Sunday evening, the military said.

Another soldier was injured in the same incident while in a separate incident in Nagarkovil a soldier was injured in a mine explosion.

All the leaders attending the 15th Saarc summit here were wearing bullet-proof jackets except Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani when they left their respective residences on Saturday morning to participate in the inaugural session of the summit.
Senior security officials approached all the heads of delegation early on Saturday morning and informed them about the threatening letters issued by rebels, and requested them to put on the bullet-proof jackets which had been imported recently from Israel and other countries.
Sources in the Sri Lankan government told media that keeping in view the added threat to the Indian prime minister, security was enhanced in the hotel and en route from his hotel Taj Samundara to the Bandaranayke Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) where the summit was held. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Afghan President Hamid Karzai were provided identical level of security during their stay in the Sri Lankan capital.
Prime Minister Gilani was informed about the threats and was requested to wear the bullet-proof jacket before leaving the hotel but he politely refused to oblige by saying: ìIt is against my faith as I am satisfied with the security arrangements already in place and the rest I have left to the Creator, who protects me.î
The officials concerned were pleasantly surprised at the confidence shown by the prime minister when he refused to avail the protecting facility. Offices, educational institutions and all the markets remained closed here for security reasons. The city was virtually in a curfew-like situation. Beautiful beaches and roads were deserted. The city had been decorated with the flags of the Saarc member countries. Important buildings were illuminated profusely to commemorate the occasion. The people in the capital were watching their guests and proceedings of the summit through the TV screen. Two Pakistani channels — Geo News and the PTV — figured prominently. Prime Minister Gilani did mention during his lunch in the hotel on Saturday about the report shown by the Geo TV channel regarding Saarc.
The schedule of the Indian prime minister had been so arranged that his movement was extremely restricted. He was travelling here in bullet-proof BMW limousines that his staff had brought three days ago by a special plane and, interestingly, the limousines were carrying New Delhi registration numbers. The bullet-proof Mercedes limousines, which were being used by Prime Minister Gilani, were having Colomboís temporary registration numbers.

Average south Asian immigrants who have come to America are middle class of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka whose whole infant life for generations have been nourished with the fatty water-buffalo-milk products. The water-buffalo-milk is high in LDL (low-density-lipid) cholesterol, which causes cardiovascular disease, and heavy in lactose or milk sugar that cause diabetes.

South Asians' pride has long been in consuming pure milk and curd without single drop of water added and in the flavor of Ghee. It is still believed that Ghee will make them livelong to reach salvation. The scientific facts have not yet drawn their attention even coming to America that premature sudden death, especially in the goodnight sleep after a grand dinner of pride either with the brain-stroke or the heart-attach chocks the life off for family to grief over it.

It is of course a great loss but not worst if one is dead with the brain-stroke or the heart attack if not paralyzed at his or her early age. The chance is greater to get survive with the paralysis if one gets severe brain-stroke or heart-attach in his or her early age before sixty. But between sixty and seventy even survived with the paralysis will die in short period. However, after seventy chances for survive is slim.

American food market has given South Asian immigrants ample of opportunity to have such grand dinner of pride – Basmati rice saturated, chicken thigh or lamb kebab soaked in Ghee and rice pudding in pure whole milk at least a week at the most affordable price. Affordable milk and chicken thigh have skyrocketed their appetite without a second thought for the health and fitnes
First of all, South Asian middle class immigrants have come to America with their genetic make-up of high LDL cholesterol and diabetes. Yet if they keep indulging milk, ghee and mutton dinners of pride as often as they can then the health and fitness scenario of South Asian immigrant community in America is in danger.

The each community of South Asian country must do something about it to make themselves aware of the danger. For example, cooking with oil that has monounsaturated and polyunsaturated such as Canola and olive are better than saturated oil such as Ghee, trans-fat and hydrogenated oil. But even one consumes such a high-saturated food he or she must do some physical exercise regularly such as joining a gym or martial art or marathon or summing pool.

Learning a basic discipline of martial art such as Karate helps a great deal to be sensitive about the body and movements. It can be the same outcome of doing Yoga in a regular basis but metabolizing a high-saturated diet will need more than just Yoga. Yoga is ideal for those who eat healthy low calorie and low unsaturated diet.

I humbly request New York Nepali community to make their members aware of their health and fitness by informing them to eat low saturated food as well as encouraging them to join martial art school such as Karate once a week with their family.

I personally go regularly to Astoria sport Gym and twice a week to Astoria Oyama Karate School - a traditional Japanese Karate School. This school not only teaches karate to professional but also to all family members together – parents and children with the Japanese Karate school tradition. It is not that expensive – as a new member one can begin with $49.99 first, which includes all Karate uniforms. P