Lanka India match not staged - BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has vehemently denied accusations of the Asia Cup match between India and Sri Lanka being staged. Earlier, former Pakistan greats Waqar Younis and Rameez Raja had slammed the manner of the Lankan loss. The duo questioned Lanka's will to win the crucial encounter as the result of the match led to the hosts being knocked out.

Anarkali - Duminda drama continues

Popular actress Anarkali Akarsha has complained to the Kollupitiya Police that Western Provincial Councilor Duminda Silva’s men had forcibly taken her to his office on Thursday evening and threatened her to get married to him soon. She had also said that she and her mother were taken by armed men carrying semi automatic weapons and they were later dropped near a five-star hotel in Colombo.

Next SAARC summit to concentrate on food and energy security

The 15th SAARC Summit to be held in Colombo on August 2-3 will focus on food security and energy crisis being faced by the members of the organization with a view to further promote and enhance cooperation in the region to face these challenges.
This was stated by Foreign Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Rohitha Bogollagama while addressing a press conference here at local hotel along with High Commissioner of Sri Lanka. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said he is visiting Pakistan to extend invitation from President of Sri Lanka to the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to attend the 15th SAARC Summit being hosted by Sri Lanka.
He said there has been significant progress by SAARC in a number of areas like poverty alleviation, but said there still was need for strengthening this regional forum, especially in the fields of regional cooperation, environment, agriculture and food, water and energy security. The theme for the forthcoming 15th SAARC Summit is “partnership for the betterment of the people” and all the member states are interested to make progress in this regard, he added. Commenting on Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s bilateral relations, he said the two countries have historic ties and there is lot of scope for religious tourists to Pakistan from Sri Lanka.
The Foreign Minister said after signing Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, there has been tremendous increase the bilateral trade. He said FTA has given a boost to economic ties between the two countries and the bilateral trade is growing. The Foreign Minister said SAARC is working on right track to promote trade and economic activities within the region and expressed the hoped that it will make further progress in this regard.
Regarding bilateral disputes and SAARC’s role, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister said such bilateral disputes are not within the jurisdiction of the SAARC charter therefore they are not discussed in the SAARC Summit. He said SAARC has anther development to set up Poverty Alleviation Fund that has over $ 300 million so far. Referring to promote Pak-Sri Lankan relations, the Foreign Minister said Sri Lanka has good achievements in health and education and share its experience with Pakistan in these fields.
He said there is also scope for further improvement in the Telecommunication Sector. The Foreign Minister said Pakistan and Sri Lanka have also been cooperating in the security sector. Answering a question, he said, there are some Pakistani prisoners in the Sri Lanka jails, some of them are involved in the drug related cases. He said both the countries are working to sign agreement for exchange of prisoners so that the Pakistani prisoners could be repatriated to Pakistan to complete their remaining sentences.

Kandy Esala Festival commences on the 2nd of August

The Perahera of the Kandy Esala Festival commences on the 2nd of next month. District Secretary Kandy Gotabhaya Jayaratne says the festival starts with Kap planting ceremony at 6.00 am on this day.
The Devala Peraheras will take place till the 7th. The Kumbal Peraheras will be conducted from the 7th to the 11th. The Randoli Perahera which starts on the 12th will parade the streets till the 17th. The secretary adds the Dalada Perahera will come to an end with water cutting ceremony at dawn on the 17th.

President addresses UN-ECOSOC member states in New York

In an historic first for the Asian Institute of Technology, President Prof. Said Irandoust recently gave a speech on civil society engagement for sustainable development to member States attending the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN-ECOSOC) 2008 General Debate meeting held from 30 June ─ 3 July, at UN Headquarters in New York.

Addressing the 54-member Council meeting on 1 July, held on the theme “Calls for Concrete Action to Address Problems Afflicting International System”, President Irandoust offered AIT as a success story in relation to ongoing sustainable development work in Asia.

President Irandoust, speaking on behalf of civil society members attending the session of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO), informed the member States’ representatives that AIT had received support rom the United Nations for a regional centre of excellence to focus on Millennium Development Goals 1, 3, 7 and 8 (poverty alleviation, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and global partnership for development).

He told the international body that on 25 March 2008 AIT was formally endorsed by United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon as the site of the official ASEAN Centre of Excellence on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and UN-ECOSOC. At the meeting, President Irandoust announced the Asian Institute of Technology’s plan to apply for membership to UN-ECOSOC, starting as an observer in July 2009.

By developing pedagogical modules, educational materials and tools for training of trainers for governments, academic and educational institutions, civil society, NGOs, and the private sector, the Centre in Thailand will serve as a regional nexus for promotion, education, and training on attaining the MDGs by the year 2015, President Irandoust told the high-level UN meeting.


The President added that through its support for sustainable development of the Asian region, AIT works closely with the public and private sector, with leading universities, and with many international institutions, to promote beneficial technological and socio-economic change. He also informed the United Nations body that AIT has established training and education centres in Vietnam and Indonesia, and plans to open additional centres in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, China, and possibly Africa.

Founded by the member States of the South-East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) in 1959 to advance technological and socio-economic development in the Asian region through higher learning and capacity building programs, today AIT is a leading, independent postgraduate development institution promoting advanced technology, sustainable development and management.

Since its founding, AIT has produced 16,000 master and PhD-level graduates and more than 23,000 professionals through short courses, representing more than 80 counties.

SANASA modernizes parapet wall of JAYA SRI MAHA BODHI

First time in Sri Lanka’s bank history , SANASA Development Bank -Sri Lanka’s most popular rural bank which has over 800000 membership plans to modernize the ancient stone parapet wall of the Jaya Siri Maha Bodhiya , Anuradhapura which was erected during King Devanam Piyatissa [205-210 B.C.] .
Chairman of the SANASA bank Dr.P.A.Kirivandeniya says the bank plans to raise funds through the public and hope to complete the entire modernization project within six months.
Addressing a media briefing in Colombo Dr.Kirivandeniya said the total cost would be Rs. 25 million and the bank has issued Rs.10 Million worth tickets.
“Public could purchase these tickets through the SANASA banks and SANASA Societies and help our national effort, Dr.Kirivandeniya said.
Department of Archeology has given its approval to the modernization project and a number of state agencies would assist to renovate the parapet wall.
Replying questions raised by media he said SANASA bank has already assisted Seruwavila Temple and placed Buddhist statutes.
“Our plan is to assist nationally recognized religious places, he said.
Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi Trust and the SANASA bank manage the proposed modernization activities and the bank requests more public donations to complete the task.

Castle Street Hospital blood bank closed down

Another Doctor–Nurse dispute has sprung up in the health sector resulting in the closure of the blood bank at the Women’s Hospital at Castle Street as of this morning putting hundreds of lives of expectant mothers and children at risk.

Court fines woman driver

A women driver was yesterday fined Rs. 6,500 by the Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate’s court when she was found guilty of knocking down two female students on a pedestrian crossing.
Magistrate Dharshika Wimalasiri also ordered the accused Jinendra Madavi Gunawardena of Imbulgoda in Weliveriya to pay Rs. 40,000 to one of the victims as compensation and damages. The other victim had not claimed any compensation.

It was alleged that on April 28 the woman had knocked down the two students near Soysapura Flats at Ratmalana causing serious injuries to the victims. The accused was taken into custody and later enlarged on bail.

USAID completes State-of-the-art bridge over Arugam Bay

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) marked the completion of its flagship tsunami reconstruction project – the new bridge across Arugam Bay – in the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The $10 million bridge is a gift from the American people to the people of Sri Lanka, and will replace the original bridge that was destroyed by the 2004 tsunami. The state-of-the-art bridge has been constructed by USAID in partnership with the Road Development Authority under the aegis of the Ministry of Highways.

The design is a combination of steel and concrete, which made the bridge less expensive, faster to build, and more durable. This technology is often used in the United States, but has not previously been used in Sri Lanka. "For decades to come, this bridge over Arugam Bay will symbolize the commitment of the American people to help Sri Lanka rebuild and grow economically after the tsunami," U.S. Charge d’ Affairs James R. Moore said at the opening ceremony. "It will bear witness to our support for stability, democratic governance, economic growth and development in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province."

USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn highlighted the community involvement in completing this project in her opening remarks, explaining that approximately 80% of the workforce was recruited from the local communities of Pottuvil, Arugam Bay and Panama, giving local citizens direct economic benefits from this project. In addition, numerous meetings with the people and community leaders in Pottuvil and Ulla were organized to discuss the bridge construction. "We are proud of the level of community involvement, which showed all of us that by working together, we could complete this very ambitious project," Ms Cohn said. She also expressed hope that the new bridge will help boost the local economy by providing easier access for tourists to the 64 hotels in the Arugam Bay area.

Special programme to control the emission of green house gases

A special programme to control the emission of green house gases will be initiated in the mid of next month. Accordingly, control stations will be constructed in Kandy , Anuradapura and two prominent places in eastern and southern provinces.
Ministry of environment & natural resources say that the equipments for this purpose have been purchased for the cost of 8 billion rupees.
These centers will estimate the emission level polluting gases.

special programme to control the emission of green house gases

A special programme to control the emission of green house gases will be initiated in the mid of next month. Accordingly, control stations will be constructed in Kandy , Anuradapura and two prominent places in eastern and southern provinces.
Ministry of environment & natural resources say that the equipments for this purpose have been purchased for the cost of 8 billion rupees.
These centers will estimate the emission level polluting gases.
Indonesia extends full support to Sri Lankan government on the efforts taken bring peace to the country. The newly appointed Indonesian Ambassador Java Hussain said that his government is paying more attention to this matter.
Mr Hussain met Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake to promote ties between two nations on several fields.
Premier Ratnasiri Wickramanayake explained the process of development activities and eradication of terrorism to the high Commisioner.

Community helps homeless Lankans

DOHA • Sri Lankans who became homeless due to the fire that burnt down their dwellings and killed six of their colleagues have found a permanent accommodation in the Muntazah area, The Peninsula learned yesterday.

The Sri Lankan Community Benevolent Fund (SLCBF), the charity arm of the Sri Lankan Coordinating Committee (SLCC) Qatar, has shouldered the first month's rent of QR11, 500 enabling the fire victims to move into the flat yesterday night. The SLCC and SLCBF officials together with the fire victims worked tirelessly for 11 days looking for a suitable flat or villa to permanently accommodate them.

Meanwhile, assistance from the community towards the affected persons is still coming in the form of cooked meals, dry rations and other basic needs, said SLCC President Lenny Cramer. Cramer lauded the community for its support to the SLCC toward assisting the affected persons and thanked a community member who provided temporary accommodation to the affected persons in his villa in Abu Hamour. SLCBF Vice-President Tennison Silva, SLCBF Treasurer Dammika Jayasena, SLCC General Secretary Ruwan Lankeshwara, SLCC Chief Coordinator Nimal Tudewatte, Sri Lanka Business Council (SLBC) General Secretary Jayantha Nanayakkara and Past President of SLCC Lokitha Karavita played major role in helping the affected persons, Cramer said.

Matara bound train had derailed

A Matara bound train had derailed on the Hikkaduwa bridge at approximately 12.40p.m. Initial reports claimed that some of the passengers have fallen into the river. Two deaths were also reported while the remaining injurered were rushed to the Galle Hospital. The train was travelling from Kandy to Matara.
All coastal trains to be terminated from Ambalangoda.

IOM trains law enforcement officers on counter-trafficking

By Passanna Gunasekera
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized a series of training workshops on counter-trafficking for law enforcement officers under a project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to strengthen national efforts in addressing trafficking issues. To date over 300 law enforcement officers have been trained in identifying, tracking and prosecuting cases of trafficking in Sri Lanka during workshops held in Colombo, Kalutara, Galle, Anuradhapura, Badulla, Ampara and Kurunegala.

Following an assessment on the process of identifying and prosecuting cases of trafficking in Sri Lanka, IOM in consultation with stakeholders -- the Sri Lanka Police Department, the Attorney General’s Department and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment -- developed a curriculum for the training.

An international consultant, engaged by IOM, trained 50 police trainers from the Police Department representing all the districts. These trainers will continue to support institutional training of the police systematically. IOM is assisting the police in incorporating the training curriculum on trafficking into their existing training programme to ensure sustainability of training.

The project targets to train a total of 500 law enforcement officers including police and immigration officers by July 2008.
Other activities under this initiative include: setting up a database to track trafficking cases, enhancing collaboration and coordination among government and nongovernmental organizations, and developing a policy document on prevention of trafficking.

Senior lawyer suspended

The Supreme Court yesterday affirmed the Rule against Attorney-at-Law Elmore Perera (President of the Citizens’ Movement for Good Governance) in respect of contempt of court, and suspended him from practising as an Attorney-at-Law for seven years.

The Supreme Court had already issued an interim order, suspending him from practising until the conclusion of the inquiry for purported contempt of Court.

President’s counsel H.L. de Silva and Maureen Seneviratne and Attorney-at-Law Aravinda Aturupana appeared for Mr. Elmore Perera. President’s counsel Daya Perera and Mohan Peiris appeared for the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. Deputy Solicitor General V.K. Malalgoda appeared for the Attorney General.

The notice of a Rule (charge) had been served on Attorney-at-Law Elmore Perera for the purported disobedience and defiance of a direction of the court.

It stated that Mr. Perera had filed SC application No: 108/2006 (F/R) describing himself as a practicing Attorney-at-Law and supported the application for leave to proceed on 31.03.2006.

The Rule stated that he continued to read each and every averment in the petition, despite a specific direction given that the Bench was possessed of the contents of the petition and that he should not unduly take the time of court by reading each and every paragraph, but should make his submissions relating to the specific matters of law and fact, relevant to the matters at issue. Despite the said direction, in disobedience and defiance of the said direction, he continued to read the said paragraphs in the petition.

It further stated that, in the course of the said proceedings, when the bench required him to address court on certain issues for the purpose of clarification of questions of law that arose for consideration, he rudely and insolently refused to answer any questions despite repeated requests and he contemptuously told their lordships that they could look it up themselves, if they so desired.

The Rule stated that he used intemperate language and gesticulated to bring the proceedings of court into ridicule and contempt and thereby engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice; he failed to assist in the proper administration of justice and/or permitted his personal feelings to influence his conduct before court in breach of Rules 50 and 54 of the Supreme Court (Conduct and Etiquette for Attorneys-at-Law) amounting to misconduct and malpractice as an Attorney-at-Law.

Such conduct on his part warrants proceedings against him for suspension or removal from the office of an Attorney-at-Law under the Judicature Act. Mr. Perera has been asked to appear before the court and show cause why he should not be suspended from practice or be removed from the office of an Attorney-at-Law.

US embassy closes temporarily

The US Embassy in Colombo has been closed to the public today following the discovery of a suspicious powder in the embassy premises.
Issuing a press statement the Embassy said all visa and other services sections of the embassy also temporarily closed due to this incident. The suspicious powder has been sent for laboratory tests.

Dilantha second in Malaysia

Champion Sri Lankan driver Dilantha Malagamuwa hit the podium again last Sunday at the Sepang Formula I track in Malaysia finishing second in the Aston Martin Asia Cup Round Three behind Kotha Sasaki of Japan.

Malagamuwa is still leading the championships points table thanks to the two victories he achieved in Shanghai, China a few weeks ago in the first two rounds.

Malagamuwa went off in the sixth lap losing valuable time while trying to overtake the race leader Sasaki who started off in the pole position.

However he hit back determinedly finishing in an overall time of 31:16.199 secs. to complete the twelve lap race just little more than two seconds behind the winner.

The fourth round of the championships held in the evening on Sunday was a bad experience for the Sri Lankan driver who faced an accident and finished only sixth-his worst finish in the championships so far.

SL relatives received a dead body of a Swiss national

Relatives of a youth, who died in Italy, say they have already handed over a body of foreign national to the Katunayake Police, which they received today from Italy.
They were surprised to find that the body sent to Kekirawa from Italy was that of a Swiss national and not of their Sri Lankan relatives.
According to the Police the body is now laying in Negambo hospital and the Police commenced investigations on this incident regarding the mix up of the bodies of the Sri Lankan and a foreigner brought to the country by an international aircraft.
The Sri Lankan had undergone a sudden dead in Italy. On reaching the island the body had been transported by relatives to Kekirawa and then discovered that it is of a Swiss national. Police said investigations revealed that the bodies were mixed up at the Airport. The bodies had been handed over to the relatives directly by the relevant flight and not through the police.

Body mix-up

Relatives of a youth, who died in Italy, were surprised to find that the body sent to Kekirawa from Italy was that of a Swiss national and not of their Sri Lankan relative.

Sirisoma retains billiard Championship

Title record holder for 17 years K.H. Sirisoma of Ports Authority retained the 56 National Billiard Championship beating S.H.M. Aslam of Moor SC in the final at Reid avenue today.

Lankan child slaves for world fashion store

A BBC programme to be aired today exposes how Sri Lankan children at a Tamil Nadu refugee camp were being used to stitch clothes for a huge fashion store in Britain.

Primark has already sacked three of its suppliers last week after an investigation for the BBC's Panorama and The Observer uncovered children labouring in Indian refugee camps to produce some of its cheapest garments.

The investigation found that in the refugee camps of southern India young children had been working long hours in foul conditions to sew the designs that will see, at current growth rates, Primark eclipse Marks and Spencer as Britain's biggest mass-market fashion retailer by 2009, taking £1 of every £10 spent on clothing in the UK.

Other major retailers are scrambling to follow the cheap, fast and fashionable concept for good reason. Worth an estimated £5 bn, the Primark chain now has 4.8 million sq feet of retail space across 177 stores in three countries, employing 25,000 people.

But as this child labour scandal shows, the Irish conglomerate, which sells one in every 10 items of clothing bought in Britain today, had little control over part of its supply chain.

Campaigners are now demanding that the UK government acts to force companies to be responsible for the welfare of workers all the way down their tangled supply chains.

One such child working at the camp is Mantheesh, who works for one of the sacked suppliers. At 11 her life is already an extraordinary story of survival. An orphan, this Tamil refugee had fled the bombings of Sri Lanka only to find herself abandoned by an opportunistic trafficker on a sandbank 10 miles off land.

Exhausted and dehydrated, in the middle of the treacherous Palik Strait, the channel between India and Sri Lanka, she was rescued by fishermen just as the tide was closing over her.

Mantheesh ended up at India's Mandapam transit camp, a fenced-off series of dilapidated, one-storey cement blocks, 12 miles from the flat Arichalmunai beachfront, the first port of call for Sri Lankan refugees brought in by smugglers.

She traced the path of thousands of her fellow refugees, moving north to the camps of the major textile industry region of Tamil Nadu where menial jobs are available to those desperate enough to take them. Mantheesh went to Bhavanisagar camp, 60km from Tirapur.

Within months she was absorbed into India's burgeoning economy, hand sewing from dawn to dusk for a businessman who had shrewdly recruited hundreds of refugees on the cheap to make garments destined for half a dozen European firms, including Primark.

Mantheesh's home, the Bhavanasagar refugee camp, was at the very bottom. The Primark supplier in question, a major Indian exporter called Fab n Fabric, had employed a subcontractor who had discovered the ultimate disposable workforce: child refugees.In northern Sri Lanka, where the war continues between separatist Tamils and the Sri Lankan government, the decision to leave is increasingly an economic one. 'The cost of being smuggled to India is the equivalent of £80,' said Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch.

'The trip often requires families to sell property or their wedding gold. They travel by illegal boats and most hope to head north to find work. They are caught between a rock and a hard place.'

About 76,000 Sri Lankan refugees live in poverty in 102 camps across Tamil Nadu. Several hundred thousands more have been absorbed into India's black economy. The state government provides a relief package to those in camps - the head of a family gets 200 Indian rupees, around £3, a month, with smaller payments for additional family members.

Police and state intelligence officers are stationed at the gates of many of the camps. One government official told The Observer the police protect the refugees, but Tamils believe their guards are more concerned with controlling and monitoring their movements.

In Bhavanasagar, many of the children hand-sewing Primark garments had been born in the camp. Others, orphaned or detached from families by war, were more recent arrivals. Home for most are crude huts, amalgams of straw and broken pieces of corrugated iron. The shop offers cheap cigarettes, sold in singles, and dry biscuits.

A Primark spokesman told The Observer that the firm is appointing an agency 'as a partner to act as its eyes and ears on the ground' and is establishing a charitable foundation for children. He said: 'Primark is an ethical organisation and takes its responsibilities seriously, and it is an absolute outrage for anyone to suggest otherwise.

The BBC came to us with very serious allegations about the conduct of a small number of factories that sell to Primark which we investigated immediately and very thoroughly. What we found left us with no option but to drop those factories - no right-minded person would have done anything different.

PBOA irked over reduction in passengers

By Shezna Shums

The Private Bus Owners' Association (PBOA) has recorded a significant reduction in the number of bus passengers entering the city of Colombo.

President, PBOA, Gemunu Wijeratne said that following several terrorist attacks on the public transportation system the PBOA noticed that a large number of people are avoiding travelling in buses and altogether avoid coming into Colombo if possible.

Given the deteriorating security situation in Colombo and within the public transportation system, people from the suburbs and outstations prefer to do their shopping in the areas they live in rather than travel to Colombo.

Passengers travel to Colombo only when there is an urgent need to do their work in the city, he said.

Owing to these public fears and action taken by the public the PBOA is now seeing less passengers travelling in the buses.

Other problems encountered by the PBOA, owing to the new security and traffic arrangements is that long distance buses are not allowed on the Galle Road as well as on Duplication Road in Colombo.

The PBOA is currently in discussion with the authorities to sort out this problem.

The PBOA states that the one way system does not cause problems with regard to the amount of diesel used, and in fact they find that traffic moves much faster.

The National Transport Commission officials said that they were unable to comment on the reduction in passengers as a survey has not been done, but stated that the PBOA figures must be correct as they count their profits daily.

The NTC noted that whenever there is a fuel price increase, terrorist attacks on public transportation or a rise in the cost of living it is obvious that the number passengers was bound to decline, and that this may be a temporary feature.

Seminar on Management of Ocean Resources

Chamber of Construction Industry Sri Lanka has organized a seminar on Management of Ocean Resources with the objective of enlightening construction industry stakeholders on potential for consultancy and contracting opportunities in the exploitation of Sri Lanka’s Ocean Resources. With the Government of Sri Lanka taking positive steps to undertake Oil and Gas exploration activities, a large number of business opportunities will become available for the construction industry, opening new horizons.

The Chamber has successfully articulated offshore sand as an alternative for river sand for construction purposes consequent to the banning of large scale river sand mining which has caused irreparable damages to the environment such as collapsing of river banks, intrusion of sea water and a total change in the echo system. Chamber however, has expressed its concern regarding the procurement process that has been implemented for offshore sand mining in the recent past.

In the economic development of offshore resources necessary safeguards have to be taken to ensure protection of the marine environment and prevention of pollution a subject that will be dealt at length at this forum.

If Sri Lanka is to obtain fullest benefits of exploiting the vast ocean resources it is enriched with, not only the institutional and policy frame work which is an essential pre-requisite should be strengthened but also the required infrastructure must be developed. Technical and Managerial Human Resources Development and Capacity Building will have to be immediately commenced so that the domestic construction industry will reap the fullest benefits of this national endeavour.

The correct exploitation of Ocean Resources will accrue substantial benefits to all supporting industries by providing a large number of contracting opportunities including pipe laying, underwater welding, building of storage tanks, structures, piers, pumping stations among many others. The process of initiating backward integration for Oil and Gas exploitation must commence.

The Forum will be addressed by some of the most knowledgeable and internationally respected resource persons in the calibre of Dr. Hiran Jayawardena, Dr. Neil De Silva, Dr. Wijeyananda, Dr. Ranjith Mahindapala, Dr. Kapila Perera, Mr. Nissanka Perera among many others.

This seminar has already generated substantial domestic and regional interest for those who are seeking business and investment opportunities on other marine deposit exploitation as well.

This seminar will also provide a new learning experience to decision makers and those who will be engaged in the development of legislative enactments, institutional frame work and to other pubic offices engaged in Marine Sector.

Dr. Sarath Amunugama Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion will deliver the key note address as the Chief Guest.

Lankan embassy working to send fire victims’ bodies

The Sri Lankan embassy in Qatar is waiting for the local government offices to resume tomorrow to make arrangements for sending the bodies of five of its nationals.
The five were killed in a fire at their accommodation in Al-Maymoon Street, Shaara Asmakh on Wednesday night.
A Dharmakulasingham, charge de affaires at the mission, said the embassy would make arrangements for sending the bodies once the police investigation is over.
Lennie Cramer, president of the Sri Lankan Co-ordination Committee, said of the five victims, Roshan Thushita and Nimal were married. Nimal has an 11-year-old daughter as well.
Two wounded in the fire are still undergoing treatment, Cramer said.
At least two of those killed had been absconding from their sponsors. “None of those killed were labourers,” said a community member.
The accommodation where the victims were staying housed about 40 people, in six or seven rooms.
Every room reportedly houses six to seven people.
Most of those stayed at the ill-fated accommodation belonged to different companies.
Meanwhile Cramer said there was very good response from the community members to help the victims of the fire.
Already, foodstuff for at least one week has come and more is still expected, he said.
People donated pillows, bedsheets and other items for the injured, which were moved to a temporary accommodation in Abu Hamour.
Cramer said the SLCC was working to find a permanent accommodation to those who were rendered homeless.
Sri Lankan community representatives and embassy officials on Thursday visited the site of accident and Hamad hospital mortuary where the bodies were kept.
For making donation, contact Cramer (5608780), Ruwan Lankeshwara (5297126), Nimal Tedewapte (5830794) or Pennison Silva (5382301).

Five Sri Lankans die in Doha fire

Five Sri Lankans have died in a fire accident in Doha, Qatar, midnight yesterday. Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Chairman, Kingsley Ranawaka said that immediate measures will be taken in collaboration with the Sri Lankan embassy there. Two more Sri Lankans are said to be critical.

Law to protect rights of maids

DUBAI: Qatar’s advisory council has approved a draft law that seeks to protect the rights of migrant domestic workers and improve their working conditions, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The 26-article of law will now go to Qatar’s ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani for final approval, the Gulf Times daily reported after an Advisory Council meeting on Monday. The council is like a parliament but cannot legislate. Thousands of women from South Asian countries, including Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines, work as maids and nannies for families across the Gulf region.

Arab governments have been criticised by rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, for failing to curb serious abuses suffered by some of these maids in their countries. Under the draft law in Qatar, domestic workers would be able to take disputes to a new department set up in the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Employers would have to pay all expenses related to recruiting maids, including visa fees, without deducting the expenses from the employee’s salary, according to the draft law.

“This article is meant to combat possible human trafficking and other practices of exploitation,” said the report. The draft law also calls for domestic workers to receive three weeks holiday a year and one paid day off each week. Workers should receive their monthly salary by the third day of every month, it added. Employers face imprisonment and fines of up to 10,000 Qatar riyals ($2,747) for violating the law, the paper said. Asian workers fill all sorts of low-paid construction, domestic, retail, manufacturing and agricultural jobs across the world’s biggest oil-exporting region.

Rohitha Bogollagama invited Indian leaders for the 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama met in Delhi on 16th June with Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and with Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, Minister of External Affairs of India. The Minister handed over to the two Indian leaders the letters inviting them to the 15th SAARC Summit and its antecedent meeting of the Council of Ministers to be held in Colombo from 31st July to 3rd August 2008, while also briefing them of current developments in Sri Lanka and consulting on the key issues before SAARC.Rohitha Bogollagama and India’s Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee
During the summit Manmohan Singh will hand over the SAARC chair to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollogama who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday night, met Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday to apprise him about the security situation in Sri Lanka in the wake of recent LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) attacks.

Minister Bogollagama emphasized the positive outcome of the recently held election to the Eastern Provincial Council, which took place on the basis of almost all the major political parties in Sri Lanka participating in the contest and with an electoral turnout of over 65%.

The Government of Sri Lanka is now looking forward to working closely with the newly elected Chief Minister and his Board of Ministers, for the successful application of the provisions of the 13th Amendment and for the rapid development of the Province.

The Foreign Minister emphasized that continuity of the valuable work done by the past Chairs of SAARC, would be a guiding principle for Sri Lanka’s stewardship of the Association. At the same time, Sri Lanka would endeavor to engage the peoples of the region as closely as possible in the work and programmes of SAARC. Given the challenges posed by the increase in food prices and energy costs, regional responses for food security and energy self sufficiency would be high on the Summit agenda.

Mr. Bogollagama’s discussions in Delhi took place in an atmosphere of great cordiality and warmth. The Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister appreciated the briefing on current developments in Sri Lanka. They expressed their thanks for the invitations and affirmed that India is looking forward to working closely with the host country Sri Lanka, for the success of the forthcoming SAARC Summit in Colombo.

Govt. decides on austerity, halves Ministry allocations

by Don Asoka Wijewardena

The government has decided to reduce the monthly monetary allocation to all Ministries by 50 per cent as an austerity drive but the budgetary allocations for the year 2008 will remain intact. Foreign travel of all Ministers will be restricted in order to save foreign exchange and steps are to be taken to do away with unnecessary ministries. The government has also decided to stop renting expensive building complexes, Media Minister Laxman Yapa Abeyawardena said yesterday at special conference held at the Media Ministry.


Ministers will be responsible for eliminating waste and rationalizing energy an all Ministers have been advised to restrict their foreign tours.

The government had to take some painful decisions at this juncture as the country was faced with economic, social and financial crises, Yapa Abeywardena said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on his recent visit to London had told a London based journalist that responsible journalism was an essential component in a democratic society. Journalists were patrons of any society and he was not against freedom of expression he emphasised. He had cautioned journalists to be extra-careful when reporting defence matters and the war.

Minister Abeyawardena said that the JVP MP Vijitha Herath had criticized the dissolution of North-Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils ahead of schedule. It was the JVP who approached the former President Chandrika Kumaranatunga in 2004 asking her to dissolve Parliament

ahead of schedule, because the JVP’s principal objective was to join the then government and increase JVP seats in the House. The government was confident of winning the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial elections, but the JVP would lose a number of seats at these elections, he predicted.

Minister Abeyawardena said that MP Vijitha Herath had also said that the government would spend around Rs.400 million for the two Provincial elections. He should know that the government had spent Rs.4,000 million for 2004 general elections.

Former Minister Mangala Samaraweera had made a sensible statement that the two main political parties should get together if the country was to be developed. The government would appreciate that statement Yapa abeywardena said. The third crisis in the UNP was about to surface soon. Since Nanda Mathew’s cross over, the UNP had suffered two political crises and the third one was forthcoming.

Asked whether the Cabinet of Ministers would make any contribution to mitigate the hardships faced by the people on the economic front, Abeywardena said that the government was in the process of formulating a constructive plan to introduce political leaders’ contributions to ease the burden on the people.

Asked about whether the reduction of portfolios of Non-Cabinet Ministers was to be implemented, Minister Abeyawardena said that he was unaware of that and that decision would be taken by President Rajapaksa himself.

China detains 3 Sri Lankan, 3 Bangladeshi illegal immigrants entering by boat from Macau

BEIJING: Chinese border guards detained three Sri Lankans and three Bangladeshis suspected of illegally entering the country by boat from the gambling enclave of Macau, the official Xinhua News Agency said Sunday.

One Chinese citizen was also detained on suspicion of piloting the small boat that brought the group across the narrow waterway separating the Chinese mainland from the special administrative region just before midnight on Thursday, Xinhua said.

Long a source of contraband labor, China has become an attractive target for illegal immigrants hoping to find work in the booming economy.

The six had allegedly been brought to Macau by a smuggling ring with the promise of decent jobs, even though the Chinese-governed territory has seen protests among its native Chinese population over rising unemployment.

Unable to find jobs and living on the street, they each paid a middleman 200 yuan (US$29) for passage to the mainland where they hoped to find work as laborers, the report said.
China was for years a key source of illegal workers smuggled by ship, plane or overland routes to labor markets in the United States, Japan and Europe. While such practices continue, fast economic growth and rising wealth have made China an attractive destination for people in poorer, politically unstable parts of Asia.

Indian schoolboy languishes in Sri Lankan jail

The longing for a little adventure - a fishing trip with his elder brother - has led to a nightmarish experience for a 16-year-old schoolboy as he was caught by the Sri Lankan Navy and put in prison. Joseph is languishing for over two weeks in a prison in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

He is a Class 11 student in the Muthupet Higher Secondary School in Pamban area.

He has not been able to convince his captors that they were not involved in transporting “black powder” in their boat.

Joseph and his elder brother Ignatius, 22, come from a traditional fishing family in Pamban, on the Ramanathapuram coast.

“My sons have been fishing in these waters since childhood. We are innocent fishing families,” Joseph’s distraught father, Arul Sahayam, said.

As many as 23 Indian fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy May 26 allegedly while fishing between Katchchatheevu and Neduntheevu in the international waters between the two countries. They were on board four country boats.

The Indian fishermen were taken blindfolded to a temporary camp on a beach, and “flogged and tortured”, according to the Organisation for Protection of Indians’ Rights Abroad (OPIRA).

They were questioned with guns pointed to their heads about association with the dissident Lankan Tamil outfit, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the rights group claimed.

These fishermen were produced before a magistrate May 28, after which they were sent to the Anuradhapuram prison.

Eighteen of the 23 fishermen were freed by the court and returned to Pamban, in Rameswaram, June 4. On their return, they described their ordeal to rights organisations in Tamil Nadu.

Five of them, all below 25 years of age, were not released by Sri Lanka.

With both his sons still in Sri Lankan custody, Arul Sahayam approached OPIRA.

“Joseph is only 16. He has to be treated as a child according to international norms. He was questioned with a gun pointed at his head and is kept in prison with adults,” OPIRA director Agni Subramanian said.

Joseph and his brother told Opira activists that their jailers have accused them of bringing “a black powder” in their boat.

“We do not know what this black powder is. The police won’t tell us. They only say, we brought it in our boat, hidden on the underside of the boat. If that is so, water would have soaked the powder,” Joseph told Opira activists who recorded the conversation in Anuradhapura.

Joseph said he only wanted to go on a fishing trip with his elder brother during school holidays.

Opira has now approached Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala to facilitate the schoolboy’s release.

Ayurveda centres to be set up overseas

Ayurveda centres will be set up in Australia, Sweden and Cuba shortly.

Minister of Indigenous Medicine and Acting Minister of Cultural Affairs, Tissa Karaliyadde said that requests were made to the ministry to set up ayurvedic centres in those countries and arrangements have been made to set up four ayurveda centres in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Perth in Australia.

He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the fully automated multi purpose bottling plant at Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation premises at Navinna.

The Minister said that ayurveda doctors, staff and medicine will be provided to the centres which will be managed by Sri Lankans in Australia.

“Rs. 128 million has been invested during the last four years for the development of the sales division and the refurbishing project of the factory.

The progress of the corporation is vital to achieve higher production and sales targets of the corporation which has a history of 40 years, he said.

The minister said that Ayurvedic Medicinal raw materials - herbs are cultivated in Sri Lanka through the “Osu Gammana” project which was launched in 2000.

The “Osu Gammana” project and the other activities aimed at developing ayurvedic medicine are being implemented.

Sri Lanka releases eight orphaned elephants back into wild

As hundreds watched in silent admiration, Sri Lankan mahouts shed tears as eight orphaned baby elephants they had raised for four years were Friday released into the wild.

There was no hiding the love the mahouts had developed for the young elephants over the years as the eight animals were given a final dung bath to prepare for a new life in the Sri Lankan forests.

The dung bath was given to get rid of the human smell, which would keep other herds away from the baby elephants.

As hundreds of journalists, government officials and tourists watched, the six male and two female elephants - Asha, Marga, Atlas, Nalaka, Baby Blue, Tharos, Minoli and Senani - took their time to make their way out of the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home, located some 200 km southeast of Colombo.

They were the eighth batch of orphan elephants to be released into the wild in the last decade.

Veterinary surgeon Tharaka Prasad said of the eight elephants, six had been rescued in 2004 from pits, agricultural wells and canals, mainly from the north-central region of the country.

'The Udawalawe Eelephant Transit Home has successfully released 64 elephants into the wild in eight batches so far,' he said.

He said the first batch of elephants, released in 1998, had shown a successful integration with the wild population and one of them delivered a baby early this year.

Sri Lanka's dragging ethnic conflict has proved deadly for the wildlife population. Many elephants and other animals have died after stepping on concealed land mines, leaving the young ones orphaned.

Over the years, Sri Lankan authorities have taken care of scores of orphaned baby elephants in sanctuaries. But it is not easy to bring up the elephants.

'The young ones are nursed and cared with artificial milk, given fodder every three hours, grass and medication,' Prasad told reporters at the release ceremony.

Udawalawe still has 36 orphan elephants, including two-week old babies.

Prasad said that the department needed at least Rs.900,000 a month to buy milk alone for the elephants. Over 25 individuals and organisations have adopted the present group of orphans.

'One foster parent would have to pay to at least Rs.25,000 to adopt an animal. Although we are getting very good support from the public, mainly foreigners, we need more people to come forward to meet the increasing needs,' he said.

Senior veterinary surgeon Suhada Jayawardane, who is in charge of rehabilitating the animals, said that the elephants released Saturday have been fitted with radio collars to keep track of their movements.

Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Patali Champika Ranawakka said the elephant transit home had earned recognition for contributing to wildlife.

He said the human-elephant conflict caused by de-forestation, development projects and cultivation had greatly affected the animal.

'The terrorist problem is one of the main reasons for the elephants to lose their natural habitat in several parts of the country,' said Ranawakka.

Water supply crisis as Hanwella road cracks up

By Damith Wickramasekera and Madhushala Senaratne

Heavy rains and earthslips yesterday cut off parts of the Colombo-Avisawella road at Hanwella, disrupted traffic and damaged pipelines supplying water to Colombo and several other areas, officials said.

A 70-foot long and 30-foot wide part of the road was washed away at Pahala Hanwella, about half a kilometre from the town. At the same spot the main water supply line to Colombo was breached.

Water Board Assistant General Manager Ranjith Perera said water to Colombo would be supplied temporarily through alternate pipelines including Ambathale.

Water supply was completely stopped in several areas such as Kahena, Hanwella, Jalthara, Kaduwela and Athurugiriya yesterday morning. However, supplies were due to be restored last evening. Mr. Perera said reconstruction work on the pipeline had begun but it would take about five days to be completed.
Water Board General Manager Lal Premnath appealed to the public to use water sparingly so that they could ensure an uninterrupted supply of water over the next few days.

He said Water Board officials would meet today to discuss measures to be taken to deal with the problem. Mr. Premnath said Dehiwela, Mount Lavinia, Kotte, Maharagama and Boralasgamuwa areas were affected by water cuts from 4 .p.m to 8 p.m.

He said four water pipelines were passing through the area and sections of two got washed away while they closed down the other two.

Road Development Authority General Manager R. W. R. Premasiri said it would take about two weeks for repair works on the road to be completed and they were doing their best to open at least one lane within five days.

“The public can use alternate routes. However congestion in the area is likely at least until one lane is opened. We plan to build a retaining wall using boulders as a permanent solution. But sand mining in this area is a major problem and it needs to be addressed,” he said.

The area’s Civil Committee leader, Milton Edirisinghe said that they had been observing the erosion of the area for the past two days, but the authorities did not take action on their complaints.

“There is no proper drainage system on the main road from Pahala Hanwella to Hanwella and as a result of this water was collecting at one location,” Mr. Edirisinghe said. He said two other areas, Ambulgama and Ranala, were facing a similar situation. “If swift action is not taken, these too will be washed away,” he said.

Hanwella police Inspector S. D. K. K. Senanayake said the situation had arisen due to heavy rains in the past few days.

Maldives wins Asian Football Championship

Maldives carried away the South Asian Football Championship beating defending champs India (1-0) in final played at the Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo this evening.

Rare Sri Lankan statue recovered in TN India

(BBC) - Police Officials from Tamilnadu say a rare idol of Lord Muruga from Sri Lanka has been seized from an individual in the Namakkal district.
The statue is from the Katharagama in the south of Sri Lanka as confirmed by the police. Police also say archaeological experts have confirmed the idol to be 300 years old and made of 'panchalogam' ( a combination of five metals viz., gold, silver, copper, zinc and lead) and is considered priceless.

Deputy Inspector General of the Idol Thefts Wing of the Tamilnadu State Police, Arumugam told BBC Tamilosai the idol was seized from an individual named Srinivasan who was trying to sell it in the local market. The police claim they laid a trap and followed it for a month before seizing the idol and arresting the individual.

The DIG of Police also says that the crown, design and pattern of the idol represent traits of Sri Lanka. This has been confirmed by the recognized archaeologists.

The arrested individual who has been remanded claims that it was given to him by a Sri Lankan requesting that it may be sold. Based on the archaeological value the idol was quoted as having a price-tag of five million Indian rupees (10 million Sri Lankan rupees). Police however say the idol seems not to have been from a temple in Sri Lanka.

However investigations are ongoing and if needed the Government will get in touch with Sri Lankan authorities as well the TN police official said.

The idol is being kept in safe custody under the protection of an armed guard at the famous Thiruvanaikkaval Temple in Trichy.

Sri Lanka gov't donates 1,000 tents to China's quake-hit areas

BEIJING, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei, on behalf of the Chinese Government, received a shipment here on Friday of 1,000 tents from Sri Lanka, according to the Foreign Ministry. This was the second shipment of quake relief aid from Sri Lanka.
The tents will be delivered to Tianshui in China's northwest Gansu Province in mid-June, the ministry said.
The Sri Lankan Ambassador to China, Karunatilaka Amunugama, said the Sri Lankan government and people felt deep grief over the May 12 disaster and conveyed their sympathies and condolences to the Chinese government and people.
After the earthquake, the president of Sri Lanka visited the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka and asked its Minister of Foreign Affairs to take charge of the quake relief aid to China.
Amunugama said Sri Lanka was helping China in return for the assistance and support China has offered to Sri Lanka.
The Chinese people are sure to overcome the disaster under the leadership of the Chinese government, said the Sri Lankan ambassador. Assistant Foreign Minister He expressed gratitude for Sri Lanka's tent donation, which he said would help many quake survivors to overcome their difficulties.
The first batch of quake relief aid from Sri Lanka including 277 tents, medical equipment, medicine and other relief materials arrived in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, on May 25.