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News Archive for Oct 2009

US to quiz Gen. Fonseka - Blake cancels meeting; SL embassy offers legal team
Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka, now on a private visit to the United States, has been told to face a “voluntary meeting” with the Department of Homeland Security, prompting fears in Colombo that Washington is asserting its legal authority over the “war crimes” report released last week. Reports reaching the highest levels of the Government say US Department of Homeland Security officials want to interview him on Wednesday (November 4) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gen. Fonseka, who is a US Green Card holder, has a residence in Oklahoma. His visit is in connection with renewing his Green Card which... -Full Story- (sundaytimes.lk - 31/10/09)

Incident at Bamabalapitiya Beach - Letter to Inspector General of Police
By James Jayalath from Melbourne
01/11/2009 Mr. Jayantha Wickramaratna Inspector General of Police Dear Mr.Wickramratna, I am not sure whether this email will reach to you personally but I thought that I should write to you and let you know, how I felt about the incident at Bambalapitiya Beach, which I read and watched in horror in Daily Mirror last Friday. I do not write this letter because the person drowned was a Tamil youth (which highlighted in a certain website), but I was sad and disgusted nobody especially onlookers did not have any guts to stop this carnage.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

The Journey of a Journalist (Part 10B) - ‘CONSULTING’ –COLOMBO-STYLE AND SHARING NOSTALGIA
By Shelton A. Gunaratne©2009
[N.B.: I wrote part of this installment with my Peradeniya campus contemporaries of the late ’50s and early ‘60s in mind. Others may not find much significance in the names mentioned.]   On my return to Sri Lanka from travels Down Under, my operational headquarters shifted from Happawana to the Lodge, also called the International House, at 5 Bagatalle Terrace, Colombo 3. I was hoping to “advice” the Journalism Unit of the Colombo University on its course structure and direction and deliver pertinent lectures on topics I had specialized in return for providing me rent-free accommodation.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

The Journey of a Journalist (Part 10A) - ADVISING ‘YANKEE DOODLES’ AND ‘CONSULTING’ IN COLOMBO
By Shelton A. Gunaratne©2009
Happawana lies east of Galle on A17, the road that leads to Imaduwa and beyond. At the junction where you get off the bus, a gravel road forking southward across a vast rice paddy implicitly entices you to cross over to the other side to enjoy the salubrious breeze sweeping through the paddy stalks. There you enter the village of Happawana hidden by a thick growth of massive tropical trees presumably for protection against “evil eyes.” Three other villages surround Happawana—Bogahamulugoda to the northeast, Annasiwathugoda to the northwest and Meepe to the south in the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Canada oblivious to terror danger: CSIS boss.
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario Canada
October 31, 2009 The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN  Sir: Your reporting that the new Head of the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS), Richard B. Fadden has called a spade a spade and had the courage to state after a reality check that Canada has a "loose partnership of a single issue NGOs, advocacy journalists and lawyers..has succeeded, to a certain extent, in forging a positive public image for anyone accused of terrorist links or charges." Bravo!, I say.  I would add that domestic politics where political parties are... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Radhika Coomaraswamy sending Maj.General. Patrick Cammaert to Sri Lanka
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . Canada
31 October 2009 Dr.Radika Coomaraswamy Under-Secretary General for Children in Armed Conflict United Nations, New York US Dear Radhika Coomaraswamy: This is what I read in the Inner City Press today – “Inner City Press asked if she thought that the condition of IDP children in the Menik Farm camp in Vanni and elsewhere complied with the “Rights and guarantees for internally displaced children.” Ms. Coomaraswamy replied that on “freedom of movement” and other issues, she believes the camps are “in violation of principles.”  She called Sri Lanka’s... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Would the much respected general become a scapegoat for the bankrput politicians?
Jay Deshabandu
Today, our country is at a cross-road. No one is sure where it would head at this point of time. Unfortunately, our country is full of joker-politicians, like those in Tamil Nadu, who put the country down the ditch before himself. People of this country must show gratitude to President Rajapaksha for providing the correct leadership in eliminating the terrorists bringing hopes for peace in Sri-Lanka. Today, the country is under the curse of the West who indirectly supported the LTTE for simple reasons that our common people may not understand.  The West requested that Prbhakaran be... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Bogus Tamil asylum seekers and 'people-smugglers'
Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia
'People-smuggling' had been highlighted in the discussions at the formal session of the East Asia Summit held in Thailand last week. The issue came to lime light because of the influx of bogus Tamil asylum seekers from Sri Lanka to Australia and Canada recently.   Back in Australia, the controversy over them between the government and the opposition reached saturating point. The opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull said, he would look at all options to stop the surge of boats including reintroducing Howard government policies or even refining them to be more effective. He had added, "...This is due to weakening... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Sri Lanka - The New Great Game
Sergei DeSilva-Ranasinghe The defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in May brought an end to Sri Lanka’s civil war. But the conflict also shed light on a bitter geopolitical struggle taking place against the backdrop of the declining influence of the West and the emerging influence of India and China. Sergei DeSilva-Ranasinghe explores the implications of Sri Lanka’s evolving foreign policy. Sri Lanka’s foreign policy tilt away from the West has taken on a new dimension in recent years, especially since President Mahinda Rajapakse’s coalition government was elected to office in November 2005... -Full Story- (the-diplomat.com - 31/10/09)

Smells Like “Norway Trojan Horse”- US Embassy to Rehabilitate Former Rebels
by Hela Puwath
US Embassy in Colombo in a press release states that it has launched a new program to help LTTE combatants reintegrate in to society.  It says that The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will implement the project by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and “The Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan [former LTTE commander], alias Pillaiyan, has already participated in an event in Batticaloa.”  A noble gesture no doubt, but not without a good dose of suspicion, given the recent (and not so recent) hostilities, of the US embassy in Colombo and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Gota speaks out on Fonseka issue
By Shamindra Ferdinando Responding to criticism of an alleged attempt to sideline Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka and to deny the war veteran the credit he deserves for spearheading the war against the LTTE, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa says a group of bankrupt politicians are now working overtime to destabilise the country. "This is nothing but a despicable plot being hatched at the expense of the entire country," Rajapaksa says. Unlike the previous moves by the Opposition to weaken an elected government, this is an attempt to sow dissension among the country’s battle-hardened armed forces, the Defence Secretary... -Full Story- (The Island - 31/10/09)

KARUNA, MAHINDA, GOTABHAYA, ARMY COMMANDER SARATH FONSEKA, AIR CHIEF MARSHALL HARRY GOONETILLEKE, ADMIRAL WASANTHA KARRANNAGODA vs CHANDRIKA, RANIL, (AVA)MANGALA, SOMAWANSA
BY DR M D P DISSANAYAKE
It was less than 6 months ago Sri Lanka has achieved freedom from terrorists. Terrorists were determined to destroy the democracy. After achieving the victory, now there appears to be some Tsunami within the team.  The writer has listened in full to CDS Sarath Fonseka’s speech in US. I have so far not heard any such speeches, vibrations or turbulent speeches from Air Chief Marshall Harry Goonatilleke, or Adminiral Wasantha Karrannagoda.  Lets not forget the person who provided the most vital intelligent information to the President. Norway knew exactly where Prabhakaran lived. But... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Officers who engage in politics will be discharged- Army chief
SRI LANKA Army Website
Commander Lieutenant General Jayasuriya during his interaction with Other Ranks assured them that the former transport service will be re-started while simultaneously exploring possibilities for re-launch of the transport facility for children in Army families. “We should be partial to the government in power. All governments at the end of their tenure hold elections. Army officer or a soldier wearing a uniform has no right whatsoever to engage in political work with any contesting candidates and any such soldier or officer if found will be subjected to disciplinary action and faces discharge from the Army.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

JVP-UNP- USA – Norway- LTTE Conspiracy hatched and born !
By Mahinda
General Sarth Fonseka is in USA despite the resistance to the war he conducted, and his daughters are studying in the USA , has been secured with a house and cash in a certain state there. His visit to USA and all other agendas behind is well understood, and the Washington DC Temple High priest who hosted and blessed him is a ex-JVP accused of the 1971 insurrection. This explains the whole episode as to how things are working behind the screen and at the theatre. (i.e. JVP-UNP- USA – Norway-LTTE Conspiracy alliance) US conspiracies come in... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

The way to make President Rajapakse win the next PE and make all Sri Lankans win along with him
By Ian
In 2005 presidential election the people excluding the voters of north, voted almost equally to two candidates giving a slight edge to the current president. How did the voting percentages increase substantially after the war? There were a small percentage of new voters. But the main reason for the increase is due to some voters who voted for the UNP candidate in the 2005 presidential election voting for UPFA after the defeat of LTTE. Why did a section of the voters who voted for UNP candidate subsequently voted for UPFA? In my belief the reason is they... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

TAMIL ASYLUM SEEKERS REFUSE TO STEP ON INDONESIAN SOIL
By Walter Jayawardhana
A NDTV television broadcast said 78 Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers , who are determined to reach Australia on board an Australian cargo ship have refused to step on Indonesian soil and adamantly refused to do anything else than going to Australia. In the ship the Tamils, who are mostly Tamil rebels fleeing away from the Sri Lankan authorities have refused medicines and refused to allow any identity checks by the Indonesian authorities. The people were rescued by an Australian ship when they were heading towards Australia about 10 days ago. Indonesian authorities said they are... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA TELLS PRESS PEOPLE AT LUMBINI THE DEVELOPMENT OF LUMBINI THE BUDDHA’S BIRTH PLACE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WHOLE BUDDHIST WORLD
By Walter Jayawardhana
Pix by Sudath Silva President Donated US $10,000 US Dollas for SriLanka Lumbini Development trust President Mahinda Rajapaksa making brief statement to the pressmen gathered there said that the development of Lumbini, one of the most sacred sites of the Buddhists all over the world was not only the responsibility of the Nepalese government but also the rest of the world including Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa a devout Buddhist said coming here to Lumbini , the birthplace of Prince Siddhartha who later attained Buddhahood through an ascetic life was his life long dream. He said in the years to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

IRISH RESEARCHERS DISCOVER CURRY IS CURE FOR CANCER
By Walter Jayawardhana
For thousands of years Sri Lankans through their native traditions knew what food is good or bad for particular ailments. In fact, food was part of medicine and vice versa. Not only their mostly vegetarian food but the spices that used to cook them were basically the natural way of treating or avoiding diseases. That’s what the Western man is re-discovering now through laboratory tests. In a Metropolitan center like London, through their exposure to their former Raj and the large Indian population and the large number of restaurants in London people like curry. But so... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Traffic Police, Make up your minds!
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai, Dehiwela.
The other day I tried to stop at the curb of Galle road in front of a book shop in Wellawathe. A traffic cop came up to me and said “ You cannot stop here” I was quite surprised since I could see many cars parked further up and there was no “No parking” sign anywhere to be seen. When I asked him why, he said rather rudely, “ Do you see any parking sign here? There are no parking signs anywhere in Wellawathe up to Bambalapitiya” This was news to me... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

WATER TERRORISM
ALI SUKHANVER- The writer is a Pakistan based bilingual analyst on national and international strategic and defense affairs.
Pak-India friendship is the most essential and almost inevitable element for a long lasting and deep rooted peace in South Asia. The present warlike scenario along the Pak-India borders can adopt an altogether different look if the two countries put aside all their differences, ignoring the past and simply keeping in view the regional betterment. Some people might call this situation nothing but ‘a day dreaming’ but dreams are the foundation of reality. The Indian premier Dr. Man Mohan Singh in one... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Colombo students’ rights usurped?
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai, Dehiwela.
The report of   Chief Medical officer, CMC  ( Daily Mirror 30/10/2009) is really disturbing. According to  his survey 50% of the Colombo children are not sent to primary schools at all! The causes can be many. It is time we looked into this matter very seriously to prevent a calamity. Or are we too late?  Obviously if children are not sent to school they will end up doing various nefarious activities – no wonder we have so many thugs and crooks in Colombo. In fact I have  met many parents from such... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

OPEN LETTER TO AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER-RE-NAME THE ASYLUM SEEKERS
By Stanley Perera from Melbourne
Rt. Hon. Kevin Rudd M.P. Prime Minister of Australia, Canberra. Dear Sir, Re- Sri Lankan Tamil Asylum Seekers You were furious when Wilson Tuckey warned you of the danger of Terrorists coming to Australia along with the Tamil asylum seekers. You were furious again when another politician called those Tamil asylum seekers illegal immigrants. You made no comments when Greene Bob Brown asked you to let all those Tamil Asylum seekers in to Australia. Bob Brown made no comments to my open letter requesting him to let all those 285,000 Sri Lankan Tamil IDPs... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Opportunities for Decentralization in Morocco
By Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir
King Mohammed VI of Morocco will deliver a highly anticipated speech this November 6th--the anniversary of the Green March of 1975 when 350,000 unarmed Moroccans crossed into the Western Sahara. On this same occasion last year, Morocco’s King presented his “roadmap” to decentralize “all parts of the Kingdom, especially the Moroccan Sahara region” and “usher in a complete change from rigid centralized management.” The roadmap expands upon the Kingdom’s 2007 proposal to the United Nations Security Council for a final settlement of the Western Saharan conflict. Morocco proposes to build the political, economic, and social... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 31/10/09)

Indonesia sets deadline for Australia
Web posted at: 10/31/2009 1:26:27 Source ::: REUTERS JAKARTA: Indonesia has set a deadline of a week for an Australian ship moored in its waters carrying 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers to leave, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday. The fate of the asylum seekers rescued by an Australian customs vessel nearly two weeks ago has piled political pressure on Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, a year out from an election. Australia insisted on Wednesday that the asylum seekers would not be taken to Australia. It has said there was an agreement with Jakarta for the Sri Lankans to go... -Full Story- (thepeninsulaqatar.com - 30/10/09)

More Slovakian machines to speed up the demining process
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 30 Oct 2009 In order to accelerate the de-mining process in the Northern region of the country, the Sri Lankan Government has purchased 05 more Bozena machines from the government of Slovakia. The machines cost Rs 250 Million were brought to the island today (30) where Minister of Disaster Management and Resettlement Abdul Risath Bathiyutheen handed them over to Minister of Nation Building & Estate Infrastructure Development S. M. Chandrasena at the Bandaranaika International Airport. The machines operated by remote control can demine 5000 sq m per day. At present there are 14 flail... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 30/10/09)

Has General Fonseka fallen prey to the Blake-Ranil bait?
Ajit Randeniya
There are signs that the Sri Lankan history is repeating itself. In 1815, the Kandyan chieftains handed over King Rajasinghe and the Kandyan kingdom to the British, barely a decade after the crushing defeat of the colonists attempt to invade Kandy.  Now there are signs that General Sarath Fonseka has swallowed or about to walk in to a trap laid by the former US ambassador Robert Blake in connivance with that jelly-back, Ranil Wickremesinghe.  Blake is probably the second worst enemy of Sri Lanka after Eric Solheim. Blake lost face in Sri Lanka during the end phase... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

Opposition support for Fonseka grows
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The former Sri Lankan Prime Minister and opposition leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has openly come out in support of Chief of Defence Staff Sarath Fonseka contesting the Presidential election. Announcement of the date for the general election due by April and a possible Presidential election before it are to be announced by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the convention of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) on November 15. The website of United National Party (UNP) led by Mr. Wickremesinghe quoted him as telling representatives of trade unions here on Tuesday that there was nothing wrong in... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 29/10/09)

General Fonseka’s entry into politics: Is it the end of democracy in Sri Lanka?
nimal dunuhinga
As a simpleton I do not see any difference in between War and Politics. In the battlefield you kill the enemies by Arms & Ammunition. But it's rather change in politics as most of the hypocrites use wet towels for the said purpose instead of shooting they do it by strangling, I suggest that the General could get a retirement and wear a saffron robe for the end of journey?... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

PRACHANDA MEETS RAJAPAKSA AND WANTS TO LEARN FROM SRI LANKA
By Walter Jayawardhana
The Nepalese Maoist leader and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kumar Dahal Prachanda told the visiting Sri Lankan President in Kathmandu that he wished to learn from the Sri Lankan experience of the rehabilitation of Tamil Tigers.  The Times of India said Rajapaksa met the former Prime Minister in a thirty minutes discussion in the tightly guarded Soaltee Crowne Plaza Hotel , where the Sri Lankan President is staying with his wife.  Prachanda led a ten year long war against the monarchist government of Nepal successfully.  Prachanda also told the Sri Lankan President he wanted to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA RECEIVES A ROUSING AND WARM WELCOME AT KATHMANDU AND HE WILL DECLARE OPEN A SRI LANKA VIHARA AT LUMBINI
By Walter Jayawardhana
President Mahinda Rajapaksa was given a warm and rousing welcome when he visited the country for the second time within the last few months. His earlier trip had to be disrupted when terrorists attacked the Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore Pakistan when he was touring the country last time. Declaring open the Sri Lanka Maha Vihara which had been built at Lumbini, Nepal by Sri Lanka at the Buddha’s birth place becomes the main purpose of his trip this time, a task he could not fulfill due to the disruption of trip last time. After... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

President Rajapaksa meets Sri Lankan community in Nepal
By Janaka Alahapperuma
President Mahinda Rajapaksa met Sri Lankan community live in Kathmandu on the first day of his two day official visit to Nepal on 29th October. President also held a meeting with former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Unified Communist Party (Maoist) Mr Pushpa Kamal Dahal at Soaltee Crowne Plaza Hotel in Kathmandu. On his arrival at the Tribuwan International Airport in Nepal, President and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa were warmly welcomed by Ms.Sunetra Koirala Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal. Welcome banners were displayed at Kathmandu City and people gathered along... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

SHAN WIJAYALAL DE SILVA SWORN IN AS CHIEF MINISTER SOUTHERN PROVINCE WITH FOUR OF HIS COLLEAGUES AS MINISTERS
By Walter Jayawardhana
Shan Wijayalal de Silva took oaths as the Southern Province Chief Minister with four other colleagues as his ministers at a ceremony presided over at the Presidential Secretariat in Galle Face Colombo. President Rajapaksa addressing them said they received the ministerial portfolios not only to serve their district but all three districts of the Province, Matara, Galle and Hambantota. He said it was the party that helped to those positions and they were elected to serve the people.  Former Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal De Silva took oaths as the Chief Minister. In addition, he is also... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

President Rajapaksa visits Nepal
By Janaka Alahapperuma
Pix: Sudath Silva President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Nepal for two day official tour today on 29th October. President and Madam Shiranthi Rajapaksa were warmly welcomed by Ms.Sunetra Koirala Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal at the Tribuwan International Airport.  Welcome banners were displayed at Kathmandu City and people flocked to gether along the road to welcome Sri Lankan President. Sri Lankan delegation included Ministers Nimal Siripala De Silva, Rohitha Bogollagama Dr Mervin Silva and Additional Secretary to the President Mr.Gamini Senerath. President Rajapaksa will hold bilateral discussions with Nepali President Dr Ram... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

Southern Province Council members take oaths before President
By Janaka Alahapperuma
The newly elected members of the Southern Provincial Council took their oaths before President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat this morning on 29th October. Former Chief Minister of the Province, Shan Wijayalal De Silva was sworn in once again as the Chief Minister. He is also functioning as the Minister of Finance and Planning, Justice and Law, Transport, Drainage and Water Supply, Power, Engineering Services, Health, Indigenous Medicine, and Local Government. Meanwhile other Provincial Ministerial portfolios have been assigned to several other following contestants those who contested under UPFA banner.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

Pakistan bombings
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent. Gloucester . Ontario .Canada
  October 28, 2009 The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN  Sir 'Pakistan market blast kills 105.  Terror strike coincides with start of Clinton visit", you said. I well understand how innocent Pakistanis may be scared to walk onto the streets  and market bazaars every day in case they get blown to smithereens by the Taliban, as the innocent Sri Lankans were getting blasted by the Tamil Tigers almost every day for 30 years before they were wiped out on May 18. this years by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.  ... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

high-powered committee on complaints regarding office administration in the judicial sector
PRESS RELEASE -Media Secretary for Minister of Justice and Law Reform
The Minister of Justice and Law Reform Milinda Moragoda, in consultation with the Hon. Asoka de Silva, Chief Justice has appointed a high-powered committee to consider public complaints regarding office administration in the judicial sector.  The policy of the Government is to ensure a unified an inclusive approach to develop and maintain law and order in Sri Lanka in a post conflict era.  The Minister of Justice and Law Reforms is accordingly committed to ensure the benefits of laws, rules and regulations to all communities without discrimination.  Justice... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

Mr. Michael James Zwack the Representative for the UNHCR in Colombo calls on Foreign Minister Bogollagama
Media Release - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Colombo
Mr. Michael James Zwack who recently assumed duties as the Representative for the UNHCR in Colombo called on Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 28th October 2009 and presented his letter of appointment.  During the call on Minister Bogollagama, Mr. Zwack reiterated the commitment of the UNHCR to work in close coordination with the Government of Sri Lanka.  Responding to Mr. Zwack, Foreign Minister Bogollagama stated that though it has only been a few months since the conflict came to a close, the Government of Sri... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

When will communal Tamil politicians of Sri Lanka give up their ultra-communal politics and learn to live in harmony with the Sinhalese and when will our politicians put the country first before self interest?
Sudath Gunasekara. President Senior Citizens Movement Mahanuwara. 24.10.2009.
I have been curiously following some of the latest developments brewing in the political field during the past two weeks. I think first it is pertinent to make few comments firstly on two important statements made by two Tamil politicians last week and secondly on the utterly irresponsible and idiotic behavior of the opposition parties right now.  The first attributed to a relatively young amateur but outwardly militant Mano Gamesan the leader of the so-called Democratic Peoples Front as a threat to Ranil, the leader of the opposition, who is looking... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/10/09)

Opposition support for Fonseka grows
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The former Sri Lankan Prime Minister and opposition leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has openly come out in support of Chief of Defence Staff Sarath Fonseka contesting the Presidential election. Announcement of the date for the general election due by April and a possible Presidential election before it are to be announced by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the convention of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) on November 15. The website of United National Party (UNP) led by Mr. Wickremesinghe quoted him as telling representatives of trade unions here on Tuesday that there was nothing wrong in... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 29/10/09)

Another boat caught, stand-off goes on
There is no end in sight to a stand-off between authorities and asylum-seekers aboard the Oceanic Viking with the Rudd Government unable to say when the group will be off-loaded. As the Tamil asylum-seekers, who have fled Sri Lanka, remained in limbo, the Sri Lankan high commissioner to Australia warned the group represented a security threat. Meanwhile, the navy intercepted another boat in Australian waters about 4.20pm yesterday. Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said HMAS Ararat would take the 34 passengers and four crew on board to Christmas Island, where they would undergo security, identity and health checks... -Full Story- (canberratimes.com.au - 29/10/09)

Lankan plan to hold war crimes probe an eyewash: Rights group
Web posted at: 10/29/2009 9:27:42 Source ::: AGENCIES COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s agreement to probe war crimes allegations related to its defeat of Tamil Tiger rebels is a smokescreen to avoid an international inquiry, a human rights group said yesterday. The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused Sri Lanka of trying to buy time and questioned the sincerity of the government’s decision to investigate the allegations detailed in a US State Department report. “The government’s committee is merely an effort to buy time and hope the world will forget the bloodbath that civilians suffered at the end of the war,”... -Full Story- (thepeninsulaqatar.com - 29/10/09)

Sri Lanka outcry over police brutality
Sri Lanka's war ended in May but one branch of its security forces is now under particular scrutiny. There has been an outcry against the police over brutal acts they are said to have committed. People have also been protesting against their crackdown on organised crime, saying they are getting out of control. A focus for public anger is the impoverished village of Angulana, half an hour to the south of the capital, Colombo.... -Full Story- (BBC - 29/10/09)

Chilli weapon ruled out in asylum seeker boat standoff
CHILLIS and water rationing will not be used to force 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers off an Australian Customs ship stuck in a standoff in Indonesia. Officials denied they would tamper with the asylum seekers' food to help break their resolve, despite claims by refugee advocates the chilli solution had been used before. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Australia was prepared to play a waiting game as the saga entered its 12th day. The Oceanic Viking remains anchored 10 nautical miles off Indonesia's Bintan Island as the Federal Government attempts to navigate around a diplomatic stumble that saw local officials... -Full Story- (heraldsun.com.au - 29/10/09)

Sri Lanka buys vehicles, machinery from China
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government has announced that it has purchased equipment worth Sri Lankan Rs.2,049 million for the Northern Province with loan from China at concessional rate. “The government has purchased a huge amount of vehicles, machinery and other equipment from the People’s Republic of China to speed up the development programmes currently under way in the Northern Province under ‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ 180-day development drive. The equipment was handed over to the state authorities by Chinese Ambassador Yang Xiu Ping,” an official announcement said here.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 29/10/09)

PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA TO VISIT NEPAL ON THURSDAY
By Walter Jayawardhana
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will visit Nepal on a two day official visit to continue his journey which had to be disrupted due to the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore Pakistan , a Nepalese news service announced. The news service said the Sri Lankan leader will arrive in Kathmandu, Thursday , and this time visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Gauthama the Buddha and inaugurate a Buddhist monastery constructed by Sri Lanka. During his last visit, he had to cut short his three day visit and left without participating in the Buddhist ceremony... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/10/09)

Divide and Rule: The Key Strategy of the US and Its Western Allies
By S. Hewage
 The latest attacks on Indian embassy in Afghanistan and the Pakistan’s military headquarters would trigger a new wave of accusations and counteraccusations by India and Pakistan. It seems that the United States is achieving its military strategy to keep regional conflicts going, so that the United States is not only secure, but also economically strong. Unfortunately, both India and Pakistan have so far failed to realize this, to work out a solution to their internal problems and to keep the hegemonic forces out of their region. The situation in Pakistan will soon be like that of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/10/09)

WARNING AMERICA IS TAKING THE WRONG SIDE IN UNDERMINING SRI LANKA THE WASHINGTON TIMES SAYS US SHOULD KEEP ITS NOSE OUT OF COLOMBO’S BUSINESS
By Walter Jayawardhana
The Washington Times sternly told the US State Department in an editorial that America should support the Sri Lankan government or keep its nose out of Colombo's business commenting about the possible war crimes report on the island nation submitted to the Congress last week. Alleging the US is taking the wrong side in the anti-terror fight and it is undermining the island nation the strongly worded editorial in no uncertain words said, “Sri Lanka is joining Israel as a country facing a war crimes investigation for effectively fighting back against terrorism. America should support the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/10/09)

Kevin Rudd's just conning us
KEVIN Rudd is either a fool or a fraud when he claims he's "disgusted" by Opposition warnings that a few boat people may be terrorists. If the Prime Minister is not worried, too, by this renewed threat, especially on boats from Sri Lanka, he is disgracefully blind to danger. But I suspect he's merely conning you, as he does so often. Have your say at Andrew's blog Just check his recent record. First he falsely claimed that his weakening of our laws against boat people had nothing to do with the twelvefold explosion this year in arrivals. As I showed... -Full Story- (heraldsun.com.au - 28/10/09)

Statement on October 23 in Parliament Re 77 Sri Lankan Illegal Migrants
Ira de Silva London, Ontario
John McKay MP, Scarborough-Guildwood Liberal Party House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario. Dear Mr. McKay, I read a report in the National Post of October 26,2009 which reads - "in the House of Commons on Friday, Liberal MP John McKay says Tamils are seeking refuge in Canada because of the injustices they experience each and every day from their government merely because they are Tamil". As a member of the Canadian parliament you are entitled to try to get more Tamils into Canada because it is Liberal party policy. However, you are not entitled to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/10/09)

PRESIDENT SLASHES COMMERCIAL LENDING RATES OF STATE BANKS BY ALMOST HALF AIDING AGRICULTURE, TOURISM FISHERIES AND HOUSING LOANS OF STATE EMPLOYEES
By Walter Jayawardhana
President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered yesterday that the commercial lending rates of the country’s state banks be reduced by almost half with immediate effect. The state owned banks, have been have been charging 15-22 percent before the reduction took place. "President Mahinda Rajapaksa had ordered state banks to reduce lending rates in between 8-12 percent," a statement issue by the President’s office said. "This decision was aiming to encourage small and medium enterprises including agriculture, tourism, industries, fisheries, and construction," the president's office statement said. The President’s office said he has issued the relevant instructions with the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/10/09)

China donates to Sri Lanka for rebuilding work
... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 28/10/09)

Australia refuses Tamil refugees
Australian authorities have said 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers in Indonesia will not be taken to Australia, their intended destination. The ethnic Tamil asylum seekers have spent 10 days on an Australian customs ship in Indonesian waters. Indonesia agreed last week to take the group to have their claims examined, but local officials are refusing to allow the Australian vessel to dock.... -Full Story- (BBC - 28/10/09)

Rights group wants international inquiry in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — An international rights group on Wednesday protested Sri Lanka's plan to study wartime abuses alleged in a recent U.S State Department report, saying only an international inquiry would bring victims justice. The report last week listed alleged attacks on civilians and hospitals by government forces and forcible recruitment of children and civilian killings by the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels during the final phase of the country's 25-year-old civil war, which ended in May. UN reports say more than 7,000 civilians were killed in the last five months of the war. Some of the deaths were in... -Full Story- (ctv.ca - 28/10/09)

Human rights group accuses Sri Lanka of blocking war crimes probe
Colombo – An international human rights group Wednesday accused the Sri Lanka government of blocking independent investigations of alleged abuses in the recently ended war with Tamil rebels. US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) was reacting to a government offer to conduct its own probe into the allegations contained in a US State Department report published on October 22. "The government is once again creating a smokescreen inquiry to avoid accountability for abuses," HRW Asia director Brad Adams said.... -Full Story- (earthtimes.org - 28/10/09)

Sri Lanka: Two journalists receive death threats following Channel 4 video broadcast
Posted: 28 October 2009 The Sri Lankan authorities must act to ensure the safety of two female editors at a national newspaper who received death threats last week, Amnesty International said today. The organisation also called for an immediate investigation into the threats, received by Frederica Jansz, Editor-in-Chief of the Sunday Leader, and the newspaper's News Editor, Munza Mushataq. The founder and former Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Lasantha Wickrematunge, was murdered in January this year three weeks after receiving a similar death threat also written in red ink. His murder lead to international condemnation. No one has yet been prosecuted... -Full Story- (amnesty.org.uk - 28/10/09)

ABC News Radio interview with Asoka Subhawikrama
... -Full Story- (mpegmedia.abc.net.au - 27/10/09)

ANGRY MOOD CREATED IN INDONESIA AGAINST TAMIL ASYLUM SEEKERS ARRIVING IN THEIR COUNTRY
By Walter Jayawardhana
In Indonesia, an unfriendly attitude towards Tamil asylum seekers whose ships are receiving some accommodation , is being created say reports emanating out of the country. On October 27 some youth said to be representing Kijian Riau island province held a demonstration against the Tamils. “Reject Sri Lanka immigrants. Riau Island is not an accommodation center,” the posters they carried said, reported the Antara News service . La Ode Abdul Mukmin, coordinator of the rally, said the government must turn down the Sri Lanka immigrants because Indonesia is not an accommodation centre for foreign immigrants. "They... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/10/09)

Let No Man Nor Nation Put Assunder What Our Current Leaders Have Brought Together From Near Disaster! Namely The Nation Of Sri Lanka!
LankaWeb Weekly Editorial Oct.26th 2009
The tiny Indian Ocean nation of Sri Lanka, the Resplendent Isle can only be viewed as a trend setting precedent making sovereign nation which ushered in the first successful ultimate defeat of nation destructive terrorists despite the greatest support the terrorists had from a humungus global network of expatriate diaspora et al, as well as back biting internal opposition politicians whose nefarious attempts to undercut the Rajapaksha Directive were severely crushed by an astute incumbent administration and a forceful military who acheived their Fait Accompli in grand style so it is quite natural that... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/10/09)

Hold the Elections Immediately or Suffer Defeat and Loss
Dilrook Kannangara
A General Election is due early next year (2010). The next Presidential Election is not due until 2011. However, holding the Presidential Election ahead of the due General Election will increase the possible number of seats for the ruling coalition provided it wins the Presidential Election. Alternatively only the due General Election can be held. Whatever the strategy is, election or elections must be held immediately. Delaying elections is going to reduce the popularity of the ruling coalition. Winning the war is a major achievement by the ruling party. However, people are fast getting fed-up of the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/10/09)

SRI LANKA SEMINAR IN AUSTRALIA
Sri Lanka Support Group
There will be a major a Seminar organised by the Sri Lanka Support Group on Sri Lanka (“Sri Lanka After the War – Building of  a New Nation where all its Citizens will live in Peace, Dignity and Prosperity”), which is to be held on Thursday 29 October 2009 at the Parliament House, Canberra, Mural Hall, from 9.15 am to 4 pm. A series of Sri Lankan experts will speak about different topics at the Seminar.  The seminar is primarily targeted at addressing the issues of how Sri Lanka should move forward in light of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/10/09)

OPEN LETTER TO AUSTRALIAN GREENS PARTY LEADER - COPYCAT BOB BROWN
By Stanley Perera from Melbourne
My dear Bob, You have called for sanctions against Sri Lanka. I must ask you to go ahead and impose sanctions against that Indian Ocean Tiny Island Sri Lanka of the size of Tasmania and has a population that is equivalent to that of Australia. You know Bob, when you said sanctions against Sri Lanka, I thought you have become Sri Lankan Tamil people’s spokes person and the first thing that came into my mind was of the forthcoming federal by elections. Bob, this is what the Canadian, English, French and other politicians do... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/10/09)

Are we breeding thugs at the schools?
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Dehiwela.
Recently I had a patient – a student from a leading school, from a senior class, who was beaten up by some other students of the same school, and for no reason. He narrowly escaped loosing his eye. What shocked me more than the fact that students of leading schools behave in such thuggish manner, was the fact the parents were reluctant to bring this to the notice of the teachers or the principal. They feared that the boy will be beaten up even worse by the same students – not necessarily... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/10/09)

Bogus Refugees
Rohan Bandarage, Cottesloe – Western Australia
Published in the ‘The West Australian’ - 27th October 2009. I commend Wilson Tuckey for his forthright views and alerting Australia to the terror threat from the boat people. Look at what the Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers have done. They sabotage their vessel, call the Australian Maritime Security to come and rescue them while still in Indonesian waters. Once safely anchored, they issue threats of hunger strike, blowing up the vessel and offer deals to the Australian government to get them accepted. Obviously, they are in constant touch with their Network in... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/10/09)

John McKay: Let's take these 77 illegal migrants in
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario Canada
October 26, 2009 John McKay MP Liberal MP for Scarborough-Guildwood House of Commons, Ottawa Dear John: I read your statement in today’s National Post defending the 76 Tamil illegal migrants who floated into Canadian Pacific Ocean waters on board the rusty Ocean Lady, to try and get them in as refugees.  The statement said –“In the House of Commons on Friday, Liberal MP John McKay said Tamils are seeking refuge in Canada “because of the injustices they experience each and every day from their government merely because they are... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/10/09)

Sri Lankan Business Delegation visits Jeddah
Media Release Public Communications Division Ministry of Foreign Affairs
A twenty eight member Sri Lankan business delegation headed by the Sri Lankan Export Development Board embarked on a 3 day visit to Jeddah on 24.10.2009, organized by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Jeddah.  The Business delegation from various sectors will explore the market potentials for further enhancing the export of Sri Lankan products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The group will visit the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and arrangements have been made to meet Jeddah based reputed Business community at Chamber of Commerce premises.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/10/09)

Activists urge to suspend Shwe Pipeline Project in Burma
Nava Thakuria
The Shwe Gas Movement, an oil and gas watchdog, along with a number of well wisher and supporters are officially going to urge the Chinese government to suspend the Shwe Gas and Oil Pipeline Project in Burma (Myanmar). The Burmese organization has already initiated for gathering endorsements for an open letter to the President of People’s Republic of China to be submitted on October 28 through their embassies in different countries. The proposed natural gas and oil pipeline project is understood to start in the western Burmese province Arakan and to run through the country for nearly... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/10/09)

LTTE suicide bomber arrested in Jaffna
Police arrested a suspected suicide bomber of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Nagadeepa area of Jaffna District in the night of October 25, reports Colombo Page. Police spokesman Senior Deputy Inspector General Nimal Mediwaka said the suicide LTTE cadre was arrested during a raid conducted in the area.... -Full Story- (satp.org - 27/10/09)

Sri Lanka may sign treaty
COLOMBO - SRI Lanka may consider joining the global treaty banning landmines following the government's defeat of separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, the army chief said on Tuesday. Sri Lanka had previously refused to sign up to the 1997 Ottawa Convention against landmines, arguing that the military could not unilaterally abandon mines in their bloody fight against the Tamil Tigers. 'With the end of conflict (in May), we have had the opportunity to review Sri Lanka's position,' Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya said.... -Full Story- (straitstimes.com - 27/10/09)

Indonesian Youths Reject Sri Lanka Asylum Seekers' Arrival
KIJANG, Riau Island Province, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- More than ten youths claiming to represent Kijang young people, here on Tuesday, staged a rally rejecting the arrival of Sri Lankan asylum seekers, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported. They carried posters with texts reading "Reject Sri Lanka immigrants. Riau Island is not an accommodation centre." La Ode Abdul Mukmin, coordinator of the rally, said the government must turn down the Sri Lanka immigrants because Indonesia is not an accommodation centre foreign immigrants. "They were arrested in Australian waters, so why they have to be taken to Tanjungpinang immigration detention center?," he... -Full Story- (bernama.com - 27/10/09)

Sri Lanka's president orders state bank lending cuts
COLOMBO, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's president on Tuesday ordered state banks to slash lending rates by almost half, after repeated cuts by the central bank failed to bring down commercial lending rates, the president's office said. The decision by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as finance minister takes effect from Wednesday. State banks have been charging 15-22 percent for commercial lending. "President Mahinda Rajapaksa had ordered state banks to reduce lending rates in between 8-12 percent," the president's office said in a statement.... -Full Story- (in.reuters.com - 27/10/09)

Asylum Seekers Adrift on Australian Boat
By Kaite Hamann Jakarta 27 October 2009 The governor of Indonesia's Riau Islands has refused to allow a boatload of Sri Lankan refugees to land in the province. The decision deals a blow to Australia's efforts to transfer the problem of refugees seeking asylum on its shores.The 78 Sri Lankans were plucked from the sea by an Australian navy vessel more than a week ago, as they were attempting the journey from Indonesia's Sumatra Island to Australia.... -Full Story- (voanews.com - 27/10/09)

Australian cameras linked to Tamil arrests
MATT WADE HERALD CORRESPONDENT October 28, 2009 COLOMBO: Surveillance cameras at Colombo Airport paid for by the Australian Government have been linked to a spate of extra-judicial arrests. Reports of detentions at the airport are driving Sri Lankan Tamils to flee the country in boats rather than by air, a well-placed official says. A prominent Tamil MP, Mano Ganesan, said at least 29 people had been detained at the airport this month. A Government official speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed the figure and said 11 had been released.... -Full Story- (smh.com.au - 27/10/09)

Tamil Tigers in detention, says terrorism expert
A LEADING terrorism expert says a "small number" of Tamil Tigers are in immigration detention in Indonesia having been intercepted on their way to Australia. Rohan Gunaratna of the Singapore-based International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research said Australian and Indonesian authorities had been advised a handful of Tamil Tigers had been detained. "I'm aware of a number of individuals who are currently in (the) control of the Indonesian government but were planning to travel to Australia who have now been identified as belonging to the Tamil Tigers," Professor Gunaratna told The Australian. "I am unable to disclose (how... -Full Story- (theaustralian.news.com.au - 27/10/09)

I'nesia not a refugee 'dumping ground'
An Indonesian provincial governor refused Tuesday to allow an Australian customs vessel to unload 78 Sri Lankan asylum-seekers, saying Indonesia is not a "dumping ground" for refugees.Opposition to the arrival of the migrants came as Australia stressed it was not trying to push asylum-seekers back onto Indonesia, the main transit country for migrants hoping to reach Australia by boat. Indonesia agreed to take the Sri Lankans on humanitarian grounds after the Australian navy rescued them off the Indonesian island of Sumatra last week.... -Full Story- (bangkokpost.com - 27/10/09)

EU pressures Sri Lanka over human rights
LUXEMBOURG (AFP) – The European Union boosted pressure on Sri Lanka Tuesday over human rights and called for those committing abuses on the island to be investigated. "It is essential to put an end to impunity and to all human rights violations," EU foreign ministers said in a statement after talks in Luxembourg. The ministers said they were "seriously concerned" about reports of abductions, disappearances and extra-judicial killings, as well as restrictions on the media, in relation to the long-running conflict there. "The EU repeats its call for possible violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law by all... -Full Story- (Yahoo - 27/10/09)

EU calls for end to human right violations in Sri Lanka
LUXEMBOURG, Oct 27 (KUNA) -- The European Union expressed here Tuesday concerns over the continuation of human rights violatiosn and humanitarian crisis In Sri Lanka. "The EU is particularly concerned by the continuing humanitarian crisis and the unacceptable situation for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) still detained in closed camps. Indiscriminate detention of IDPs in Sri Lanka is a clear violation of international law," said EU foreign ministers in a statement after their two-day meeting in Luxembourg.... -Full Story- (kuna.net.kw - 27/10/09)

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS SRI LANKA WAS QUITE CAPABLE TO FACE ANY INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE ON ALLEGED WAR CRIMES
By Walter Jayawardhana
Sri Lanka was quite capable to face ay international pressure on alleged war crimes or any other problems said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei V. Lavrov addressing a press conference at the Foreign Ministry in Colombo. “This is because the country had a proper judicial system and the Russian government had always supported the Sri Lankan government to protect its national integrity,” Lavrov further said. He added, “We supported Sri Lanka to fight against terrorism and bring peace.” PHOTO BY SUDATH SILVA The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said during the history of 52 years of diplomatic ties... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

"I SAID THERE COULD BE TERRORISTS ON THE ASYLUM SEEKER BOATS AND NOW I AM VINDICATED" SAYS WILSON TUCKEY
By Walter Jayawardhana
Liberal Party back bencher Wilson Tuckey in Australia said he has been vindicated by the admission of a senior Tamil person in Australia there could be terrorists on the asylum seeker boats. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation published the following report quoting Tuckey . “Liberal backbencher Wilson Tuckey says a senior figure within the Australian Tamil community has vindicated his claims that terrorists could be on board asylum seeker boats. “Today the secretary of the Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations, Victor Rajakulendran, told ABC News Radio he would not be surprised if former Tamil Tigers were trying... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

LAWYERS FOR SRI LANKAN VICTIMS OF TERRORISM WHO ARE SUING RAJ RAJARATNAM AND HIS FATHER SAY THEY ARE HAVING A VERY GOOD CASE
By Walter Jayawardhana
The American Lawyer magazine’s Litigation Daily website recently published an interview on the case in which Sri Lankan victims of terrorism sued alleged share market swindler Raj Rajaratnam for unspecified damages charging him and his father for donating millions to the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Michael Elsner of the Plaintiff firm Motley Rice said in the interview , “We think the case is very strong. The filing of the complaint is the culmination of a year's worth of investigation. We think that we've uncovered evidence that Rajaratnam made payments to the Tamil Tiger... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT AND RESETTLEMENT ISSUES OF THE NORTH AND THE EAST
Speaker: Lt. Col (Retd). Anil Amarasekara
(Presentation given at the Annual sessions of the Organization of Professional Associations on Saturday the 10th of October 2009) My topic today is development and resettlement issues in the North and the East. When I take development and resettlement I should actually divide these into separate areas. Let me first consider the Eastern Province, then the Northern Province, and finally even the North Central Province, because there is a lot of development and resettlement that has to take place there. In the Eastern Province, where military operations have been completed, we have moved... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

Multi-ethnic Re-colonization of North-East, the Only Solution - 2: Remedying the Double Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing Done by Tamil Elamists
Kumar Moses
Sri Lankans of all races love to live in multiethnic communities. As Tamils live in the South, Sinhalas and Muslims were living in the North until a few decades ago. Their numbers were small but sizable. This was before communal politics hijacked Northern politics. It was very unfortunate. Never would this have happened had the North was a vibrant multiethnic community like the south. The Tamil Elam concept was finally officiated in 1949 with the formation of the ITAK (Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi which means Lanka Tamil Kingdom Party). This catchy name was a ploy to fool... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

Sri Lanka:" consider sanctions", you said
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . Canada
October 25, 2009 Senator Bob Brown Leader of the Green Party Australia.  Dear Bob Brown: “The Leader of Australia’s Green Party has urged the government to consider sanctions against Sri Lanka amid concerns about the treatment of the country’s Tamil population.”  This statement by you was reported in the local paper. Senator Bob that indeed is a strong statement wanting to cripple Sri Lanka. While you seem to present yourself as a humanist with a bleeding heart crying for the Tamils I was expecting you to bleed a... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

Crash of Green principles- My letter to Senator Bob Brown, head of Greens Movement in Australia
Ranjit Rupesinghe, Brisbane, Australia
Attention: Senator Bob Brown For thirty long and painful years little Sri Lanka was crying out to the world for a helping hand in combating the evil of LTTE terriorism that had a vice like grip on that beautiful land. No one took notice and if some powerful western countries did, in hypocritical style, it was to lecture to Sri Lanka that the best course of action was to "sit down and negotiate" something that they themselves shunned in conflicts they were and are still involved in, around the globe. Nevertheless, after years of failed... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

Having a threat of isolation, sanctions and withdrawal of trading privileges’ etc are better than having to live in constant fear of a terrorist attack.
Sasanka De Silva,Sultanate of Oman.
Dear Sir, Ever since man decided that the only way to achieve a solution to a dispute between two of them is to take up arms, the rules of engagement have changed. They have evolved in a much slower pace that one would be able to keep abreast with it and be prepared for any eventuality. However, the 9/11 incident has changed the whole scenario. What are going on around in many parts of the world today are sufficient ample examples of the changes that have taken place in the rules of engagement. The... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

Asylum Seekers and Indonesia
Vajeeragnana Warnakulasuriya  Melbourne, Australia
The Hon Anthony Albanese Minister for Infrastructure, Transport   House of Representatives Parliament House Canberra Dear Mr.Albanese,  The asylum seekers flew from Sri Lanka to Indonesia and left Indonesia by boat to Australia. There was no indication that they came to Indonesia by boat. This shows they are all wealthy people to pay U$15,000/person or the LTTE supporters who are here in Australia have financed them. The Australian coast guards only requested Indonesia to take the back and detain them till proper procedures are carried out to ascertain who the real refugees are, Australian government... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

Ploy of “Jesus Lives Evangelical Ministry” To Hood-wink The Ignorant & Gullible Flock
By Darmitha
It is not a new thing for us to hear untruths being uttered by the above evangelical ministry or their affiliates in the assumption that listeners are all fools. An advertisement or Announcement which appeared in the Sunday Leader (which is also known for their allegiance to AOG) of 25th October 2009 is one such example. It is titled “A Special Stamp Issueing Ceremony in Honour of Evan.Prof. S. Rajedram on his 6th Thanksgiving Memorial Service on 28th October 09 at 10.00a.m.” The advertisement notice has been placed by his wife who goes as Rev.Prof. M.R. Rajendram,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

eNews Letter- Invest Sri Lanka - Attract investment from public residing outside Sri Lanka.
Jayantha Weerasekera Sri Lankan Community Brisbane.
The research team of the Commercial Bank of Sri Lanka has created a valuable document - Sri Lanka –A new Story 2 - giving confidence to the investors as to why Sri Lanka should be taken seriously for investment.  Unfortunately very few people has access to these information and thereby the Sri Lankan government lose opportunities in attracting many expatriates who are keen in investing their foreign earnings in Sri Lanka.  The migrant communities experience that the banks in developed countries pay less returns on investments than the returns paid by the banks... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

RESETTLEMENT PACE PICKS UP, MORE THAN 41,000 DISPLACED PEOPLE RETURN HOME
Country Report from Embassy of Sri Lanka Washington DC dated 26.10.2009
RESETTLEMENT PACE PICKS UP, MORE THAN 41,000 DISPLACED PEOPLE RETURN HOME  WASHINGTON – Sri Lanka last week continued to resettle large numbers of people displaced by the recent conflict in the north, launching the next phase of resettlements that will put more than 41,000 people back in their homes over the next few weeks. The government announced that it will resettle 41,685 persons --12,095 families -- in the latest phase of its resettlement program. That phase began Oct. 22. Once complete, the number of people displaced... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

Women have a right to wear what they want
Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Dehiwela.
With reference to the article on the above caption Mr. Ramesh Ekanayake hits it on the head when he says “there is nothing wrong in displaying one’s beauty in a decent way”. The question is “what is the decent way?” There is no consensus on that matter. When girls keep raising their hemlines, discarding their outer garments and opt to come out in their lingerie, wear even the saree in the most atrocious way – showing off tight fitting blouses, or with no blouse at all to talk about, (thinking it is the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

The Antics of the UNP
By Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D.
Karu Jayasuriya, the Deputy leader of the United National Party(UNP) has lamented:“How do we sleep at night, knowing that 280,000 people remain interned behind barbed wire fences in the north?” It is interesting to note that the UNP has now joined the League of Superpowers band led by Robert Blake, US Assistant Secretary in the US Administration, Millband, the Foreign Secretary of Britain and Boucher of France to demand that the people who have been kept in the camps in the North be released. He forgets that the people are kept at a considerable cost... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

Former child soldiers move on in Sri Lanka, seek reunion with kin
AMBEPUSSA, Sri Lanka, Oct 25, (AP): Vinojan’s boyhood ended when Sri Lanka’s civil war reignited. Fifteen at the time, he says he joined the separatist Tamil Tigers to save his older brother from forcible conscription, and became a reluctant fighter as the rebels fought their last, desperate battles for survival. Now, having won the war, Sri Lanka is trying to make patriotic citizens out of child soldiers like Vinojan and others who just months ago were fighting against the nation. Vinojan, who nurses a dark scar on his wrist from a shrapnel wound, is just trying to reclaim what is... -Full Story- (arabtimesonline.com - 26/10/09)

Proposal to Indian Government to build 100,000 houses for displaced
The Tamil Nadu Parliamentary delegation which visited Sri Lanka has called on the Indian Government to build 100,000 houses for the displaced civilians who are being resettled. According to the Indian leading news papers, the delegation which also included the daughter of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, submitted a written report to Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Leader Sonia Gandhi. They also have proposed constructing roads, schools and making arrangements for water supply in the North. Speaking to Indian English daily, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K.V. Thangabalu revealed that India expected a high level Sri Lanka... -Full Story- (defence.lk - 26/10/09)

‘Prabhakaran wanted to destroy educated Tamils’
Colombo, Oct. 25: The LTTE’s slain supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran was jealous of educated people and wanted to destroy the Tamil intellectuals for his survival, a Tamil leader has claimed. "The LTTE was an outfit with uneducated people. The top leadership of the LTTE including Prabh-akaran, Thamilselvam and many more leaders were uneducated. They did not respect the educated Tamils," Emelda Sukumar, the Government Agent (GA) of Killinochchi and Mullaittivu, has said. "Their (LTTE leaders) intention was to destroy the Tamil intellectuals for their survival. They were jealous of the educated people," Ms Sukumar, the first Tamil woman to be appointed... -Full Story- (Asian Age - 26/10/09)

Lavrov goes to Sri Lanka to discuss economic cooperation
25.10.2009, 22.42 MOSCOW, October 25 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has gone to Sri Lanka to discuss bilateral economic cooperation. He will hold negotiations with President Mahinda Percy Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and some other officials. “The minister will confirm the Russian interest in the gas survey and production on the shelf of Sri Lanka, the reconstruction of an oil refinery built with the assistance of the former Soviet Union, modernization and construction of seaports and the development of energy infrastructure,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said. “It is planned to sign an intergovernmental agreement on the... -Full Story- (itar-tass.com - 26/10/09)

Sri Lanka to probe U.S. charges of possible war crimes
Sri Lanka to probe U.S. charges of possible war crimes... -Full Story- (washingtonpost.com - 26/10/09)

Asylum Debate Stirs Political Debate in Australia
By Phil Mercer Sydney 26 October 2009 A sharp increase in illegal migrants heading by boat to Australia has prompted accusations that the government has made the country a target for traffickers by easing immigration laws. More than 42 vessels have reached Australian waters over the past year, most carrying Afghans, Sri Lankans and Iraqis. A small corner shop in suburban Sydney is an unlikely place to hear the horrors that force people from their homes and into the devious and dangerous world of people smugglers. Hassan Abotbeek fled Iraq and arrived in Australia by boat more than seven years... -Full Story- (voanews.com - 26/10/09)

Passenger wanted in Sri Lanka
26-year-old migrant suspected of terrorism, ties to Tamil Tigers; Officials identify vessel found off B.C. coast as Cambodian-flagged ship; Government will deport any passenger found to have terror ties: OttawaOne of the 76 migrants who arrived off the British Columbia coast in a cargo ship last weekend is wanted in Sri Lanka for terrorism, according to two sources familiar with the investigation. The sources said the man was Kartheepan Manickavasagar, a 26-year-old who is the subject of an Interpol notice issued by Sri Lankan authorities. He is wanted for an unspecified terrorism offence.... -Full Story- (vancouversun.com - 26/10/09)

Sri Lanka commends Russia's support during Sri Lanka's fight against terrorism
The Russian Federation's Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sergey V. Lavrov, who is currently on a historic one day visit to Sri Lanka held discussions with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 26th October 2009. The Russian Foreign Minister, who is the first to visit Sri Lanka in that capacity since Sri Lanka and Russia established Diplomatic Relations 52 years ago, discussed a number of wide ranging issues with his Sri Lankan counterpart. During the discussions, Foreign Minister Bogollagama conveyed the appreciation of the Government of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation for the unstinted... -Full Story- (defence.lk - 26/10/09)

Mystery ship belongs to Tamil Tigers: experts
By Ian MacLeod, Canwest News Service OTTAWA -- The migrant smuggling ship intercepted off the West Coast carrying 76 Sri Lankan men is owned by the outlawed Tamil Tigers and previously smuggled weapons from North Korea to Sri Lanka, says an international expert on South Asia terrorism. It’s feared the ship may be the first wave of defeated Tamil Tiger fighters fleeing for safe haven after the end of Sri Lanka’s 25-year civil war, says another security expert. Canada hosts the largest population of Sri Lankan Tamils outside of Sri Lanka, and has long been a key support base for... -Full Story- (vancouversun.com - 26/10/09)

Ship left India last month, records show Migrant vessel; One passenger had rebel tattoo: source
The migrant smuggling ship that arrived off the West Coast on the weekend carrying 76 Sri Lankans departed from India early last month, according to international shipping records. After a stop in Mumbai on Aug. 31, the Princess Easwary sailed from the northwest Indian port of Mundra on Sept. 8. That was its last recorded port of call until it entered Canadian waters. Meanwhile, a source familiar with the investigation said at least one of the men on board the ship had the logo of the Tamil Tigers, the Sri Lankan rebel group, tattooed on his body.... -Full Story- (vancouversun.com - 26/10/09)

Achievement in resettlement
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 26 Oct 2009 Remarkable progress has been made in the process of resettlement of IDPs. The number of IDPs has been reduced from 288,000 to 196088. This has been possible due to the successful de-mining process, which was operated by 1000 trained soldiers. This significant achievement was due to the able leadership of Hon. Basil Rajapaksa. The resettlement process operated on daily basis has been a humane mission with all assistance given to the IDPs to restore Their livelihood. It is significant that the IDPs have been resettle in their original home in secure... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 26/10/09)

Minister Bogollagama expresses Sri Lanka's appreciation to the Russian Federation support
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 26 Oct 2009 The Russian Federation's Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sergey V. Lavrov, who is currently on a historic one day visit to Sri Lanka held discussions with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 26th October 2009. The Russian Foreign Minister, who is the first to visit Sri Lanka in that capacity since Sri Lanka and Russia established Diplomatic Relations 52 years ago, discussed a number of wide ranging issues with his Sri Lankan counterpart.... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 26/10/09)

Raj Rajaratnam: downfall of a hedge-fund billionaire
When Raj Rajaratnam launched his hedge fund Galleon Technologies in 1997, he told a journalist "only the paranoid survive", says the FT. He should have watched his back more carefully. Last week the Sri Lanka-born hedgie was arrested at dawn at his Manhattan home and charged with running the biggest insider-trading scheme yet seen involving a hedge fund. News of Rajaratnam's arrest "has shaken the secretive hedge-fund world", in which intelligence on companies is often shared among Wall Street analysts, traders and other investors, says The New York Times.... -Full Story- (moneyweek.com - 26/10/09)

Russia, Sri Lanka to pool efforts in fight against drug trafficking
COLOMBO, October 26 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia and Sri Lanka have signed an agreement on cooperation in the fight against illegal drug trafficking. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov signed the document ion behalf and for Russia. What makes the agreement special, is that it was signed in the presence of Sri Lanka’s president. At a meeting with Sri Lankan businessmen and parliamentarians earlier, Lavrov said, “Russia is interested to strengthen multifaceted ties with our traditional partners in Asia.” “Sri Lanka occupies a special place in our Asian policy,” he added. Lavrov expressed confidence that Russia and Sri Lanka could increase mutual trade... -Full Story- (itar-tass.com - 26/10/09)

Sri Lanka denies Tiger chief executed
A US-based website reports that Prabhakaran had surrendered, but was tortured and killed by the Sri Lankan army The Sri Lankan government rejected yesterday fresh accusations that Tamil Tiger separatist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was executed after surrendering to security forces. Sri Lanka’s military announced on May 18 the killing of Prabhakaran, who led a 37-year campaign for an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the majority Sinhalese country. The Sri Lanka Guardian, a US-based website that describes itself as an independent news organisation, reported over the weekend that Prabhakaran had surrendered, but was tortured and killed by the army.... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 26/10/09)

Sri Lanka Invites Oil Exploration
27 October 2009 Reuters COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka has invited Russia to explore for oil off its northwestern coast, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister said Monday after a meeting with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Sri Lanka, after a quarter-century war with the Tamil Tiger separatists, is keen to rebrand itself as an attractive investment destination and to commercially exploit resources that were largely untouched during the war. It has eight oil and gas exploration blocks in the northwestern Mannar basin, two of which have been granted to the governments of China and India. Cairn India, a unit of Britain’s... -Full Story- (themoscowtimes.com - 26/10/09)

Has Clinton Initiative scrubbed Raj Rajaratnam?
ST. LOUIS (Alpha Found) — We have been doing some research on Raj Rajaratnam, the founder of Galleon Group, who is being charged with insider trading by the government. One search turned up an interesting snippet linking Rajaratnam with the Clinton Global Initiative: :: CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE :: CGI Member Commitments: Sep 19, 2007 – Raj Rajaratnam, Founder & Managing General Partner, The Galleon Group …. Asha and Raj Rajaratnam were inspired to make this commitment in response to the …... -Full Story- (alphafound.wordpress.com - 26/10/09)

TIMES OF INDIA WARNS THAT TAMIL TIGERS ARE ATTEMPTING TO JOIN HANDS WITH MAOISTS AND ATTACK POSITIONS IN SRI LANKA TO GAIN LOST GROUNDS
By Walter Jayawardhana
Central Intelligence agencies of India have found fresh evidence of joint training camps and meetings conducted by the Maoists with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam elements crept into India in the forests of South and Central India , the Times of India reported. Predicting the long term ambitions of Tamil Tigers establishing bases in South India the newspaper said, “Analysts said the LTTE game plan is double-edged. On one hand, it would help the Maoists to take on Indian forces, while on the other it would try to recover the lost ground in Sri Lanka... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

THE INDIA DOCTRINE (1947-2007)
Review by A.K. Zaman
It is almost two years since the first edition of The India Doctrine appeared on Bangladesh bookshelves to wide acclaim and appreciation. The newly revised edition now titled The India Doctrine (1947-2007) is an astonishing work of exceptional depth and analysis and is probably the first book of its kind not only in Bangladesh but also in South Asia as a whole. It is indeed a stupendous effort by Barrister MBI Munshi. While I had a few words of criticism for the original version of the book which appeared to me to be fragmentary and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

Divided We Stand - United We Fall!
Prof. Hudson McLean
Many opinions have expressed their concern on the current predicament of two Giants trying to fight for the spoils. Or it is just "spin" created by subtle planning? One one hand we have President Mahinda Rajapaksa who demonstrated his leadership and diplomatic skills of a Statesman and on the other the General Sarath Foseka who led his armies to annihilate the most ruthless terrorist LTTE Tigers during two years. Neither President Mahinda Rajapaksa nor General Sarath Fonseka could singly stand up and claim total credit. This was a team effort. A joint project. And both won... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 26/10/09)

US urges Sri Lanka to probe war crimes - 'The boot is on the other foot'
Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia
The US in a document captioned "Reports to  Congress on incidents during the recent conflicts in Sri Lanka", has urged Sri Lanka to probe allegations of war crimes committed by government troops and Tamil rebels during the final months of their conflict. According to the Report there are credible claims of atrocities by both sides.   Some of the allegations against the government are, senior rebel leaders who brokered a surrender were executed, government forces abducted and killed ethnic Tamil civilians, shelled and bombed no-fire-zones.   With regard to the surrender, even though the government gave the LTTE... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/10/09)

Enemies of Sri Lanka are truly desperate
Ajit Randeniya
The international and local enemies of Sri Lanka who tried their ‘best’ and devious methods to divide the territory of Sri Lanka through the LTTE have not yet accepted that they failed. They are looking for new opportunities to achieve the same aim.  There is nothing new of course, in the international meddlers applying ‘pressure’ through baseless and fabricated allegations of ‘human rights abuses’ and other horrible crimes and threats of trade sanctions. Hilary Clinton gave voice to a feed by the conspirators in the US State Department and the ‘colonisers club’ in Brussels, otherwise known as... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/10/09)

Defence Authorities Pooh-Pooh Concocted web stories and E-Mail Campaigns
Courtesy: MCNS
It has been brought to the notice of the defence authorities that certain pro-LTTE and anti-Security Forces websites continue to burn midnight oil by way of publishing various concocted stories, replete with hypotheses and utterly false fabricated stories. The latest were a series of purposely planted such stories and e-mails being published in a website called "Sri Lanka Guardian" in which a new version to the consequences that led to Prabhakaran's death has been concocted, involving the reputation of senior officers who gave leadership to the final battles against Tiger terrorists in Wanni and Military Intelligence. Similarly,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/10/09)

Illegal Tamil migrants on Ocean Lady
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario .Canada
October 25, 2009 The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN Sir: You reported that ‘Migrant ship belongs to Tamil Tigers: experts’, and ‘Intercepted last week,Ocean Lady used to smuggle arms from N.Korea.’ Defending these 76 illegal Tamil migrants who by-passed their homeland, Tamil Nadu in South India where 62 million of their people live, and who paid $45,000 for each person to be smuggled into Canada, Sue Nathan of the Canadian Tamil Congress during the media conference outside the Citizenship and Immigration Canada offices in Vancouver said, “These men have... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/10/09)

A trip into India's rebel-held territory
Stephanie Nolen finds Chairman Mao lives - in a revolution the Indian government can't stamp out Some of the flags are emblazoned with the hammer and sickle, but most are plain. The raggedy scrap of red, knotted on a bamboo pole and stuck in the middle of a rice paddy, is enough to send the message: This land has been occupied. Redistributed. Or reclaimed, depending on who is talking. The terms matter little. The banners in the paddies that sprawl for miles proclaim the rule of a new authority. “The government has bowed down before them,” says Lokman Purusiti, looking... -Full Story- (theglobeandmail.com - 25/10/09)

Migrant ship seized off B.C. coast belongs to Tamil Tigers: experts
OTTAWA — The migrant smuggling ship intercepted off the West Coast carrying 76 Sri Lankan men is owned by the outlawed Tamil Tigers and previously smuggled weapons from North Korea to Sri Lanka, says an international expert on South Asia terrorism. It’s feared the ship may be the first wave of defeated Tamil Tiger fighters fleeing for safe haven after the end of Sri Lanka’s 25-year civil war, says another security expert. Canada hosts the largest population of Sri Lankan Tamils outside of Sri Lanka, and has long been a key support base for the Tigers, which is on Canada’s... -Full Story- (vancouversun.com - 25/10/09)

Jakarta may force people from boat
POLICE say they will use force if hunger-striking Sri Lankan asylum seekers refuse to leave an Australian customs ship that is expected to dock today at the Indonesian port of Tanjung Pinang. Rabussalim, chief of police at the dock, told The Age: ''It's no problem. If they refuse to come off we can take them off … but only if it is necessary.'' The group of 78 includes women and children, at least one of whom has been unwell, while the adult men are on hunger strike. The people have been on the MV Oceanic Viking for eight days since... -Full Story- (theage.com.au - 25/10/09)

Tamil Tigers join race for asylum
A SENIOR member of the Australian Tamil community says former Tamil Tiger fighters are definitely among the influx of boatpeople to arrive on our shores. Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations secretary Victor Rajakulendran said the high proportion of young men on the boats, coupled with the risks faced by the Tigers in Sri Lanka, made it certain some arrivals were members of the defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Dr Rajakulendran's remarks came as the Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking prepared, after a week at sea, to land today 78 Tamils at the Indonesian detention centre in Tanjung Pinan. Home... -Full Story- (theaustralian.news.com.au - 25/10/09)

Maoists linking up with Tamil Tigers?
VISAKHAPATNAM: Union home minister P Chidambaram’s assertion that Naxalites are acquiring arms from abroad is only the tip of the iceberg, as central intelligence agencies have found fresh evidence of joint training camps and meetings conducted by the Red guerrillas with Tamil Tigers in the forests of south and central India.Does it indicate that Maoists are getting logistic support and training from LTTE? Are the Maoists and the Tamil Tigers brothers in arms? If intelligence documents are to be believed, the answer is yes. Sources said the country’s top intelligence wing has acquired some key information about the dangerous alliance... -Full Story- (Times of India - 25/10/09)

Exterminators of War Heroes
By Gomin Dayasri
Are we heading to the loony bin? Are two war heroes getting ready to battle it out, while those who made every effort to destabilize them during the war and damage the nation become the cheer leaders, edging them to brink of the cliff to see one fall to the gorge below? They would again cheer to see a shattered icon bruised and battered, shot down by friendly fire. Prabhakaran will achieve in death what he failed to achieve in life. Get Both or possibly One, was the message of the dreaded deceased.     It is... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/10/09)

Great Power Confrontation in the Indian Ocean: The Geo-Politics of the Sri Lankan Civil War
by Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya The support and positions of various foreign governments in regards to the diabolic fighting between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan military, which cost the lives of thousands of innocent civilians, says a great deal about the geo-strategic interests of these foreign governments. The position of the governments of India and a group of states that can collectively be called the Periphery, such as the U.S. and Australia, were in support of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) or Tamil Tigers, either overtly or covertly. Many of these governments also provided this support tacitly,... -Full Story- (globalresearch.ca - 25/10/09)

HUMANS SHOULD PONDER THEIR PLACE IN UNIVERSE: Focus on no-self can help resolve many problems
By Shelton A. Gunaratne
This story is best told in pictures. It’s the story of planet Earth and its place in the universe. Once upon a time, long before the Hubble Telescope, humans thought that Earth was the center of the universe. Now we know that Earth is a mere speck in the still expanding universe, 90 percent of which is dark matter. Buddhist philosophy asserts that the universe is a giant cooperative network, which operates in consonance with paticca samuppada (the principle of dependent co-arising). This means that every part of the universe is interconnected, interdependent and interacting.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/10/09)

The journey of a journalist (Part 9A) - A SECOND INTERNSHIP IN ‘STEP LAND’
Shelton A. Gunaratne ©2009
By “step land” I mean America, the land that adopted me. By motherland I mean Sri Lanka, the land of my birth. My claim to be a world citizen derives from my blend as a cultural mix of these two countries and, to a lesser extent, of the countries where I worked (Australia, China and Malaysia) and traveled (too numerous to mention). As a perk for teaching journalism at the college level (at Minnesota State), the American Society of Newspaper Editors sponsored two working summer internships for me. One was at The Daily News [Longview,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/10/09)

The journey of a journalist (Part 9B) -A SECOND INTERNSHIP IN MOTHERLAND: LAST FLING AT LAKE HOUSE
Shelton A. Gunaratne ©2009
 My last fling with Lake House (June 4-Aug. 16, 1991) did not work out as well as I expected because ANCL failed to honor the terms of a paid internship as stipulated by the ASNE. Observer editor H. L. D. Mahindapala expected “donated” labor at his disposal and presumed that the ASNE support was adequate. This easygoing attitude toward a formal internship and the unwillingness of Lake House management to pay a regular stipend during the internship created apathy toward the job on my part.   In contrast to the five-week internship in Longview, the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/10/09)

Peter Showler: Boat of Sri Lankan Refugee claimants
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario .Canada
October 25, 2009 The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN Sir: While I have the utmost respect for Peter Showler as a critic on the Canadian refugee system and own his book ‘Refugee Sandwich’ as one of my references on the subject, it was frustrating to read him say , “the Sri Lankan government continues to detain 300,000 civilian Tamils” in his essay ‘A drop in the bucket’ (Oct.24). To forget ones Grade 4 addition and subtraction in simple arithmetic is unfortunate as that 300,000 Tamils detained was the number... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/10/09)

VICTOR Vs VICTOR……………………………….People The Jury.
Piyal Samarakone
Hiding a victor from a victor is probably the best way to live among the people to gain all the grounds for much needed political longevity. The issue is can a victor become yet another victor in different kind of a battle? The battle against corruption, bureaucracy and above all emerging neo-nepotism. President Eisenhower the 34th President of America led the Europe Front during WWII and elected to the White House by American people in 1953 and remembered as one of the best President of America. More importantly he wasn’t a one time president but a rare... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/10/09)

Multiethnic Re-Colonization of North-East, the Only Solution – 1: Fearing a Myth
Kumar Moses
The war has ended in victory to Sri Lanka but the Tamil Elam struggle continues. It is a struggle against logic, multiethnic coexistence and Sri Lanka, a nation made up of people belonging to various races. Clearly the Tamil Elam struggle is against all odds and therefore it needs support from some source which evades these odds. They created myths to overcome this. These myths were popularised vigorously.  Every Sri Lankan knows that colonization of the North and the East is the only practical solution, but for reasons that evade logial, they don’t wish to say so.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/10/09)

Sri Lanka: HRW calls for an independent international investigation on War Crimes
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario Canada
October 23, 2009 Tom Malinowski Director of Advocacy, Human Rights Watch Washington DC, US Dear Tom: I heard what you said loud and clearly -  “Human Rights Watch called for an independent international investigation’, on the 73 page US State Department’s Report on Sri Lanka’s War  Abuses. You surprise me Tom.  After all you guys didn’t provide Sri Lanka’s Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, your Human Rights Watch Manual for Dummies. “How to fight a Separatist War: They can Kill Us but we cannot Kill Them”, which would have benefitted... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/10/09)

Ottawa Citizen Editorial - October 23,2009
Ira de Silva London, Canada
The Letters Editor Ottawa Citizen Ottawa, Ontario.  Dear Sir:  Re: Canada's Refugee Challenge  The challenge to Canada's self-image from what you call a "ship full of desperate migrants" is not it's dedication to compassion, tolerance and justice but a challenge to Canada's lax immigration laws and system of justice. The message it has sent to the Tamils via the statements of the members of the opposition parties, both in and out of parliament, is that anyone is welcome into Canada regardless of whether they are terrorists, murderers, convicted criminals or those seeking better economic... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/10/09)

TERRORISM NOT MILITANCY
ALI SUKHANVER
Are we heading towards a blind alley?  Is this war in Waziristan going to be a death knell for 170 million Pakistanis? Will the anti-Muslim Allied forces succeed in wiping off Pakistan from the world map? Most of the Pakistanis are going to say ‘No” in response to all these questions; simply because they have confidence and determination running in their veins combined with a strong belief in God. In spite of so many blowing up unfortunate suicide attackers and mercilessly exploding bombs, the life in Pakistan is moving on smoothly. The mosques are full of ‘Namaziz’,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/10/09)

NAVY COMMANDER VICE ADMIRAL THISARA SAMARASINGHE ADDRESSES THE HISTORIC 19TH INTERNATIONAL SEA POWER SYMPOSIUM IN RHODE ISLAND, USA
Media Release Embassy of Sri Lanka Washington DC

A set of fishermen turned smugglers operating across the Palk Straits in 10 foot dinghies with OBMs, in the late 70’s progressed over a period of time to transform into a formidable and ruthless terrorist outfit by the late 90’s. This terrorist organization was eventually capable of operating and launching attacks from the jungles, towns, beaches, coastal waters, underwater, in the high seas and even from the air. How did they achieve this? They developed the Diaspora support, International financial potential, transnational logistical network, Global Transportation and trained cadres... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/10/09)

Asylum seekers on hunger strike on ship
The men among the 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers on board an Australian customs vessel are staging a hunger strike. The Oceanic Viking is making its way to the Indonesian port of Tanjung Pinang where the asylum seekers will be given temporary accommodation while their cases are processed. A spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said the men were refusing food but were drinking water.... -Full Story- (tvnz.co.nz - 24/10/09)

Sri Lanka's path to peace
The Sri Lankan diaspora, especially Tamils, must consign conflict to the past and work together to build a collective identity After 26 years of war that cost thousands of innocent lives, the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has brought Sri Lanka to a crossroads. Yet despite the government's victory, there has been widespread international criticism about how the war was handled. Success has come at a price in terms of destruction, death and the displacement of civilians. The number of actual deaths during the conflict, particularly in its last days, will never be known, despite many... -Full Story- (guardian.co.uk - 24/10/09)

U.N. human rights chief calls for probe into Sri Lanka conflict
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The office of the United Nations human rights chief has said that an inquiry is needed to find out whether war crimes were committed in the final stages of the war between the security forces and the LTTE in Sri Lanka. The suggestion came two days after the release of the U.S. State Department’s report that detailed alleged war crimes. Colombo rejected the report as “unsubstantiated and devoid of corroborative evidence”. The BBC quoted a spokesperson for the U.N. Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, as saying that the allegations of war crimes were so serious that... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 24/10/09)

Crucial Indian defence deals delayed
India's plans to improve its defence capabilities have suffered a setback because three highly publicised military deals have been delayed by years. The plan to buy an old Russian aircraft carrier and get it refitted to serve the navy for another 30 years continues to defy every new deadline announced for its induction. French Scorpene submarines, proposed to be built in India, are nowhere near fruition either.... -Full Story- (BBC - 24/10/09)

Indian Ocean Great Power Confrontation, Geo-Politics of the Sri Lankan Civil War
Politics / GeoPolitics Oct 24, 2009 - 01:36 PM By: Mahdi_D_Nazemroaya The support and positions of various foreign governments in regards to the diabolic fighting between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan military, which cost the lives of thousands of innocent civilians, says a great deal about the geo-strategic interests of these foreign governments. The position of the governments of India and a group of states that can collectively be called the Periphery, such as the U.S. and Australia, were in support of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) or Tamil Tigers, either overtly or covertly. Many of... -Full Story- (marketoracle.co.uk - 24/10/09)

Bangladesh Islamist group banned
The Islamist organisation, Hizb-ut Tahrir has been banned in Bangladesh, the home ministry has announced. Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikdar said the government feared Hizb-ut Tahrir posed a threat to peaceful life. It is the first time that an Islamist group which has not been implicated in any terrorist acts been outlawed. The group has condemned the ban and pledged that it will not be silenced by a government it said was guilty of a "pro-imperialist stance".... -Full Story- (BBC - 24/10/09)

THE AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER SAYS SHIPS THAT CARRY EX-FIGHTERS OF THE LTTE ARE REMNANTS OF THE TIGER FLEET THAT SMUGGLED WEAPONS
By Walter Jayawardhana
The Australian has revealed that the Tamils smuggled out of Sri Lanka to Australia and Canada are actually ex-fighters of the Liberation Fighters of Tamil Eelam and the ships used were the remnants of the same ships that were used to smuggle in weapons by the Tamil Tigers. The Australian quoting Singapore based terrorism expert Dr. Rohan Gunaratne in Sydney said, “This is a very recent development. They're mostly operating out of Indonesia, and 95 per cent of the time the ships are engaged in moving cargo like rice, sugar, cement and timber, but 5 per... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/10/09)

Canada's Refugee challenge
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario .Canada
October 23, 2009 The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN Sir: Your editorial ‘Canada’s refugee challenge’ which is dealing with the 76 Tamil illegal migrants, who were brought into Victoria Island in British Columbia, is skirting around the real problem. What you have not pointed out is that the Canadian parliamentarians, especially those in the Opposition, have laid the foundation for these Tamils, and who knows there may be many more on their way to land in Canada,  having been vocal demanding that the Government bring over Sri Lanka’s northern Tamils who they... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/10/09)

Grandstanding par excellence!
Ranjit Rupesinghe Bisbane, Australia
My letter to Tony Jones, presenter of ABC's Question & Answer(QANDA)programme Attention: Mr Tony Jones For the second week running on your program "Question & Answer" (QANDA) you have continued to utter vacuous platitudes on the Sri Lankan issue displaying what could only be described as sentimental tosh, instead of practising your craft in a professional manner which viewers expect from a veteran of the 4th estate. Primarily, where is the balance you are expected to maintain as a moderator? You gave an apologist for the terrorist  LTTE  free rein to spit a plethora of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/10/09)

President Rajapaksa pays tribute to late Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh
by Janaka Alahapperuma
President Mahinda Rajapaksa payed tribute to late President of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh today (23rd October) on his second day of official visit to Socialist Republic of Vietnam. He visited the Mausoleum of late President Ho Chi Minh and laid a wreath at the foot of the monument in the city of Hanoi Minh this morning. President Ho Chi Minh was the late leader of Vietnamese Communist Revolution and great statesman and the Prime Minister from 1946 to 1955 and the President from 1945 to 1969 of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Vietnam. President Rajapaksa... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/10/09)

The Cycle of Tamil Boat People
Sasanka De Silva,Sultanate of Oman.
To Lanka Web, Colombo.  Dear Sir,  Boat loads of people are stranded in some parts of the world trying to reach countries which are economically prosperous. If the figures reported in some of the press are correct, the people now stranded in Indonesia have promised to pay or have already paid the smugglers in excess of two million American Dollars for the passenger of 250 people. This translates in to over a million Sri Lankan Rupees for each head, which is a very large sum of money for someone like me who is presently... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/10/09)

Resettlement deep in tiger terrain too
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 23 Oct 2009 The former strongholds of the LTTE -- Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi Districts -- are among the areas in which the internally displaced Tamils of Northern Sri Lanka will be resettled under the government's current IDP resettlement programme. The resettlement of a total 41,685 persons from 12,095 families will take place in the current phase of resettlement which began yesterday, Oct. 22. Kilinochchi was the administrative center LTTE in what it claimed to be the separate state of Eelam. Mullaitivu was the military stronghold of the LTTE for many years, from which it... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 23/10/09)

Mystery ship intercepted off B.C. left India last month, records show
The migrant smuggling ship that arrived off the West Coast on the weekend carrying 76 Sri Lankans departed from India early last month, according to international shipping records. After a stop in Mumbai on Aug. 31, the Princess Easwary sailed from the northwest Indian port of Mundra on Sept. 8. That was its last recorded port of call until it entered Canadian waters.... -Full Story- (dose.ca - 23/10/09)

Rajaratnam Said to Have Planned London Trip for Fund
Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Raj Rajaratnam, the founder of Galleon Group, planned to gauge interest in a $200 million Sri Lanka fund with a trip to London before he was arrested, said two people with knowledge of the matter. The Sri Lankan-born billionaire had planned to raise money for the fund by listing it on London’s Alternative Investment Market, one of the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Dan Gagnier, a New York- based spokesman for Galleon, declined to comment.... -Full Story- (Bloomberg - 23/10/09)

“Rajaratnam major LTTE financier”
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: On Thursday, a law suit was filed against Sri Lanka-born U.S. business tycoon Raja Rajaratnam, arrested last week on charges of vast insider trading by victims of LTTE violence on the charge that he and his father knowingly helped the terrorist group. On Friday, the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry said LTTE’s arms procurer and Prabakaran’s successor Kumar Pathmanadan a.k.a. KP had revealed during interrogation that Mr. Rajaratnam had been a leading contributor of money to the LTTE.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 23/10/09)

Fake credit cards seized from Sri Lankan national
Special Correspondent He cheated shopkeepers of Rs. 50 lakh CHENNAI: The Central Crime Branch police on Friday arrested a Sri Lankan national for allegedly using fake credit cards to cheat shopkeepers across Tamil Nadu to the tune of Rs. 50 lakh. The suspect, Umesh alias Jaatti (25), a Marine Engineer settled in Canada, was apprehended by a special team at Porur when he was going to T. Nagar on a motorcycle. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (CCB), C. Sridhar, the team, led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, D. Kanthasamy, and Inspector E. Kanagaraj, was formed to investigate... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 23/10/09)

MPs brief PM, Sonia on Sri Lanka visit
NEW DELHI: The delegation comprising of MPs from the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) and Congress from Tamil Nadu, who recently went to Sri Lanka on a five-day visit to interact with the internally displaced persons (IDPs) , briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi about the trip here on Friday. In a written report, they suggested that India could help by building about one lakh houses, constructing roads and schools, making arrangements for water supply, helping with agriculture and other basic amenities for the IDPs, who were returning home. The MPs suggested that the Rs.1,000 crore aid,... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 23/10/09)

Tea export prices set to soar
KOLKATA: Indian tea prices are set to soar in export markets as the global shortage has touched 56.8 million kg in the first eight months of calendar 2009. Kenya and Sri Lanka, the two other major tea producers, have witnessed the maximum slideback of 24 million kg and 41.1 million kg, respectively. India exports CTC variety of tea mainly to Egypt, Pakistan and the UK and the premium orthodox variety of tea to Iraq, Iran and Russia.... -Full Story- (Times of India - 23/10/09)

The Bull In China’s Shop
MILITARY PREPARATION AND DANGEROUS BRINKMANSHIP RAISE THE STAKES ON BOTH SIDES OF A TROUBLED BORDER. A SINO-INDIAN AFFAIRS VETERAN DISSECTS A VOLATILE SITUATION PREM SHANKAR JHA BARELY FIVE weeks ago, when the Indian air was thick with media speculation over China’s aggressive designs in Arunachal Pradesh — in an off-the-record interaction with the prestigious US Council on Foreign Relations in New York, which was devoted almost entirely to relations with China — Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna stonewalled every question on the recent increase in tensions along the border, insisting instead that relations between the countries had never been better.... -Full Story- (tehelka.com - 23/10/09)

MORE THAN 30 SRI LANKAN VICTIMS OR SURVIVORS SUE RAJ RAJARATNAM FOR ACTS OF TERRORISM BY THE TAMIL TIGERS
By Walter Jayawardhana
The Billionaire hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam was sued by Sri Lankan victims of Tamil Tiger terrorism for unspecified amounts of damage for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)caused violence and havoc for their families in a law suit filed in Newark, New Jersey.  Raj Rajaratnam (52)with about US 3.7 billion assests was sued on Thursday in the United States by a number of LTTE terrorist act victims on the allegation he and his father knowingly helped the terrorist group which was notorious for suicide bombs.  Raj Rajaratnam who is on a US$ 100 million... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/10/09)

Sri Lankan Terrorism Victims Charge Wall Street Hedge Fund Manager, Rajaratnam,With Financing Tamil Tigers --Indicted Billionaire and Family Trust Knowingly Supported Terrorist Activity, Civil Complaint Alleges
The Association for the Victims of LTTE Terrorism
NEWARK, N.J. (October 22, 2009) — Indicted Wall Street hedge fund manager Rajakumara Rajaratnam and his father, J. M. Rajaratnam, knowingly provided financial and other support to the Tamil Tigers, more than 30 victims and survivors of the terrorist group’s attacks alleged today. In a 57-page complaint filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, family members of those killed and survivors of bombings committed by the group formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE), alleged that Rajaratnam and the family foundation headed... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/10/09)

Foreign Ministry refutes unsubstantiated US Congress report on Sri Lanka
Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order - Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
Security Forces of Sri Lanka were engaged in a humanitarian mission through operations in the North and in the East of the island, to civilians of the Tamil community and the members of other communities living in those areas, from the clutches of LTTE terror, states the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a communiqu‚ released today (Oct 22). The communiqu‚ was released in reply for baseless allegations against the Government of Sri Lanka in the document "Report to Congress on Incidents During the Recent... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/10/09)

Refugees, IDPs and Peaceful Sri Lanka
Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya, Melbourne
To:-Ministry of Foreign Affairs Honorable Mr. Stephen Smith Federal Government of Australia  Canberra Dear Mr. Smith,                                               Refugees, IDPs and Peaceful Sri Lanka  The civil war that destroyed the Sri Lanka’s innocent Life, Economy and Property for nearly three decades is now over. There had been no suicide bombings since May 18th 2009. The Government is working towards an everlasting Peace throughout the Island.  There are nearly 230,000 IDPs at various camps until a suitable environment is prepared for them to be resettled. The brutal LTTE Terrorists laid landmines almost every inch of the land on their... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/10/09)

PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA TO ENTER INTO SEVERAL AGREEMENTS WITH VIETNAM
By Walter Jayawardhana
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has arrived in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for a three day official visit Thursday October 22. During his visit the President will have bilateral talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguen Minh Triet and other high officials and enter into several new agreements. Reports from Vietnam said that the President and his entourage including Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama arrived at the Noibai International Airport and was received by Nguen Van Chien , Chairman of the President’s office of Vietnam , Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dao Viet Trug and several other representatives... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/10/09)

A group of former LTTE child soldiers reached Colombo yesterday (21 Oct. 2009) to continue their education in a separate unit of Hindu College as a part of their rehabilitation programme.
Media Sec for Minister of Justice and Law Reforms
After going through in rehabilitation at the welfare camps in Vavuniya, the ex-combatants have been granted permission to carry out their education in Colombo. A group consisting of over 140 former LTTE child soldiers joined the Hindu College and another team will be joining this unit by the end of this month. The children from Grade eight up to Advanced Level will be accommodated at the College, and many young children are ambitious and want be Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, and Teachers in future. The corporate sector is funding this... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/10/09)

Report to the US Congress on Sri Lanka
MEDIA RELEASE - Public Communications Division Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic Building 
The United States has forwarded to the Sri Lanka authorities a document captioned “Report to Congress on Incidents During the Recent Conflict in Sri Lanka”, which contains a report from the US State Department to the Appropriations Committees of the US Congress.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka wishes to point out in this regard that the document relates to a period when the Security Forces of Sri Lanka were engaged in a humanitarian mission through operations in the North and in the East of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/10/09)

Sri Lanka blasts US report on human rights abuses
The Sri Lankan government today angrily rejected a US state department report containing allegations of human rights abuses in the final days of the country's civil war, saying the document would fan further conflict."The allegations against the government of Sri Lanka... appear to be unsubstantiated and devoid of corroborative evidence," the ministry said. "There is a track record of vested interests endeavouring to bring the government of Sri Lanka into disrepute, through fabricated allegations and concocted stories."... -Full Story- (guardian.co.uk - 22/10/09)

Thousands leave Sri Lankan camp
Nearly 6,000 Tamil refugees have been released from Sri Lanka's main camp for war-displaced people, officials say. It is the first time refugees have been allowed to return to areas formerly controlled by the Tamil Tigers. Those who left Menik Farm are among almost 40,000 people to be resettled over the next few weeks, officials say.... -Full Story- (BBC - 22/10/09)

Lanka rupee forwards jump on forex swap plan
COLOMBO, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's central bank on Thursday said it will introduce foreign currency swaps to reduce its cost for mopping up currency, while dealers said the plan drove rupee forward premiums up by more than 100 percent. The rupee LKR= nonetheless closed flat at 114.80/85 a dollar with the central bank buying dollars at 114.80 for the tenth straight week, dealers said. The Colombo Stock Exchange .CSE slipped on low volumes as cautious investors stayed away following the U.S. insider trading case involving one of Sri Lanka's biggest investors and the possible loss of an EU... -Full Story- (in.reuters.com - 22/10/09)

30,000 more Tamils to be resettled in 2 weeks
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: Kamal Gunaratna, the designated Competent Authority in Sri Lanka for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Wanni Commander, has said that with the resettlement of the latest batch of IDPs, the remaining number of Tamils in the camps was down to nearly 2.13 lakh from 2.82 lakh. On Thursday, Colombo released 41,685 Tamils of 12,000 families displaced during the Eelam War IV.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 22/10/09)

Vietnam, Sri Lanka vow to enhance cooperation
HANOI, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese and Sri Lankan presidents agreed here on Thursday that the two countries would promote cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, fishery, oil and gas, and tourism, Vietnam News Agency reported on Thursday. The agreement was reached during talks between Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet and visiting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Triet said that the Sri Lankan president's visit is an important event, marking new development in bilateral relations. Triet congratulated Sri Lankan people on the victory of the fight against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The victory opened a stable phase for... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 22/10/09)

41,685 Tamils sent back home from Sri Lanka relief camps
COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka government on Thursday morning released 41,685 Tamils belonging to 12,000 families displaced during Eelam War IV and housed since then in government-run relief camps in the north of the country. They are being sent back to their original villages Vavuniya, Mannar, Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu districts, transported home in government buses.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 22/10/09)

Sri Lanka and the EU-Plus and minuses
A blow for garment workers, but not necessarily for the government.ONE way Sri Lanka’s government has bolstered its support among the country’s ethnic-Sinhalese majority is by stoking anti-Western feelings. Now it has to try to persuade the European Union to retain a trade concession, while continuing to appear defiant. This week the European Commission adopted a report accusing Sri Lanka of flouting human-rights standards. It was held in breach of commitments made in return for duty-waivers for its exports under the “GSP Plus” scheme. The commission said it would consult member states on suspending the trade benefit, granted in 2005.... -Full Story- (economist.com - 22/10/09)

Officials in Sri Lanka say more than 40,000 Tamil refugees will be released imminently from the main camp for war displaced people.
The release would be the largest single batch of people freed from Manik Farm camp since a lengthy civil war ended in May. Some of those due to be freed are from areas previously controlled by the Tamil Tiger rebels in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi. The BBC reports it is the first time people from those areas are being allowed to leave... -Full Story- (radionz.co.nz - 22/10/09)

Rajaratnam Posts Manhattan Apartment as Bond Security
Oct. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lankan billionaire Raj Rajaratnam today returned to Manhattan federal court, where he faces charges of trading on inside information, to post his Manhattan apartment as security for a $100 million bail bond. Rajaratnam was among six people charged on Oct. 16 in a $20 million insider trading scheme that federal prosecutors called the biggest ever involving hedge funds. He was freed by a magistrate judge on a $100 million bond, of which $20 million had to be guaranteed. He and his lawyer today filed a document offering his apartment at 60 Sutton Place South in... -Full Story- (Bloomberg - 22/10/09)

Cargo ship passenger wanted in Sri Lanka for terrorism
One of the 76 migrants who arrived off the British Columbia coast in a cargo ship last weekend is wanted in Sri Lanka for terrorism, according to two sources familiar with the investigation. The sources said the man was Kartheepan Manickavasagar, a 26-year-old who is the subject of an Interpol notice issued by Sri Lankan authorities. He is wanted for an unspecified terrorism offence. Meanwhile, the mysterious migrant ship that arrived in Canadian waters early on Saturday under the name Ocean Lady has been identified as the Cambodian-flagged Princess Easwary, a government official said.... -Full Story- (vancouversun.com - 22/10/09)

Dollar Hits a New Low and Galleon Investors are Pulling out the Rug!
Prof. Hudson McLean
Easy Come - Easy Go? Not quite! Sh*t has Hit the Fan and the Investors have started the Dollar Diarrhea Run. As history has shown, when the doo-run-run starts, with the CEO out on bail with a $100 million tag, its bad news. Too bad the man has invested in the Top 10 companies in Sri Lanka. That news is in Public Domain. Lets now see Who is Who underneath the Sheets! There must a few who are now suffering from diarrhea, clutching onto a bottle of whisky between the loo and the drawing room. There... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

EVIDENCE THAT TAMIL TIGERS WERE ALSO GUN RUNNING FOR OTHER TERRORIST GROUPS USING ITS NAVY , HAS BEEN UNEARTHED IN ASSAM
By Walter Jayawardhana
Evidence that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was also gunrunning weapons for other separatist terrorist groups in India using its navy for profit has been unearthed in the Indian state of Assam. “There was a noting in one of the accounts statement that the ULFA paid Rs.2.3 million to the LTTE towards purchase of weapons,” an Indian army commander said, after unearthing a cache of arms belonging to the United Liberation Front of Asom, a separatist terrorist group in the Indian state of Assam. On October 19 2009, Indian soldiers of the 19 Kumaon Regiment... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

Rights Watchdog, Lost in the Mideast
By ROBERT L. BERNSTEIN
AS the founder of Human Rights Watch, its active chairman for 20 years and now founding chairman emeritus, I must do something that I never anticipated: I must publicly join the group’s critics. Human Rights Watch had as its original mission to pry open closed societies, advocate basic freedoms and support dissenters. But recently it has been issuing reports on the Israeli-Arab conflict that are helping those who wish to turn Israel into a pariah state. -Kelly Blair At Human Rights Watch, we always recognized that open, democratic societies have faults and commit abuses. But... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

INFLUENTIAL ‘FINANCIAL TIMES’ OF UK STRONGLY ADVOCATES SRI LANKA SHOULD KEEP ITS GSP PLUS CONCESSIONS
By Walter Jayawardhana
United Kingdom’s influential Financial Times in an editorial in no uncertain terms advocated Sri Lanka should continue to enjoy the GSP Plus trade concessions without any break. In an editorial published in its October 21 issue the Financial Times said, “Trade deals should be a means for poor countries to haul themselves out of poverty, not a tool of foreign policy manipulation by their richer counterparts. Sri Lanka 's exporters have used their access to the European market well. They should keep it.” In no uncertain terms the newspaper reminded the European Union, “trade restrictions are... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

FORMER LTTE LEADER AND ARMS PROCURER KP HAS REVEALED THAT RAJ RAJARATNAM WAS A LEADING DONOR OF MONEY TO THE TERRORIST GROUP
By Walter Jayawardhana
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s arms procurer and later leader Kumar Pathmanadan under interrogation has revealed that US citizen Raj Rajaratnam who was arrested by the FBI had been a leading contributor of money to the terrorist group, Sri Lanka government sources said. These contributions are intricately connected with the opposition politicians outside the LTTE but implementing a parallel political agenda with the terrorist group group,the sources said.The LTTE also known as the Tamil Tigers with its fronts is a proscribed terrorist group in the United States. Sources close to the government said these revelations about... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE HON.PRESIDENT MAHINDA RAJAPAKSHA - WHERE IS THE PRESIDENT WHO WAS ELECTED BY THE COMMON MAN IN 2005???!
Shripal Nishshanka Fernando
Dear Hon. President, Let me be very straight forward from the beginning. There were many positive, suggestive and instructive letters and articles written by me and several others to you and in general in the recent past, especially in this web newspaper “Lankaweb”. (Lankaweb is the leading newspaper that publishers only the articles which are truly productive and productive for Sri Lanka). None of these authors are supporting or representing any political party, but write to encourage you in your noble endeavours and to perform some sort of a service to Sri Lanka through journalism.  Majority... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL
By Lt Col (Retd) Anil Amarasekera.
There is very little that the International Non Governmental Organizations and other local Non Governmental Organizations funded by vested interests can do to destabilize our country, if and when the people of this country stand united. With the defeat of the LTTE by the Security Forces of this country, under a correct political leadership, the pendulum swung heavily towards a united nation, with the majority of the people calling for the protection of the unity and territorial integrity of our nation, as opposed to the much talked about federation that would have only... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

Sri Lanka - Close the Camps October 20,2009
Ira de Silva London,Canada
Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:52:33 -0400 The Editor The Star Toronto, Ontario Dear Sir: Re: Editorial - Close the Camps  These so-called refugees are reported to have paid $45,000 to human smugglers to bring them to Canada. Those in the camps do not have that kind of money, they are mostly farmers etc. If these Tamils are from the camps they must have been provided with this money. The question is who gave it to them and why. The possible answer is that it has been provided by the LTTE front organizations overseas who have... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

Some serious threats to democracy arising from the Abduction of a Buddhist Monk and pouring arrack on him by a SPC member.
Sudath Gunasekara. President Senior Citizens Movement Maahnuwara 20. 10. 2009
It was reported that a Southern Provincial Council Member has been summoned to appear in court for abducting a Buddhist monk and pouring arrack on him. This high handed action on the part of this provincial councilor is unprecedented and therefore it should be taken very seriously by all concerned and should be condemned by all Buddhists in this country. In the first place it is a criminal offence infringing upon the freedom of an individual to cast his/her vote or preference in a manner he/she wishes to do.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

76 Tamil illegal migrants
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario Canada
October 21, 2009 The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN Sir: “Would-be migrants should face scrutiny, Kenney says”.  What Minister Jason Kenney has to realized is that the chickens have come to roost in Canada finally.  No doubt there will be more chickens from Sri Lanka on its way to nest in Canada. All this is because we gave the many thousands of Tamils an audience in late April and early May and let them take over Wellington Street at a cost of over $900,000 to the tax payers to let... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

They Came by Boat, They Go by Boat – the Cycle of Tamil Boat People Transiting Sri Lanka
By Kumar Moses
They came by boat illegally from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka and now they leave Sri Lanka, illegally, by boat in search of greener pastures. Tamil boat people are in world news all for the wrong reasons. Following Australia’s relaxation of policy on illegal immigrants, a very large number of Tamil boat people started arriving in Australian waters. Similarly they have travelled to Canada, Europe and India in hundreds of thousands over the years. Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora today stands at 1.3 million. Most of them are either illegal immigrants or blood relatives of illegal immigrants.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

"Human Smuggling" is a business
Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia
During the last few weeks there were news about illegal immigrants from Sri Lanka to Australia. One boat was stopped half-way in Indonesia on the request of Australia and in it were 255 Tamil 'asylum seekers'.  Broadly, these are 'economic migrants' who want to migrate to the west on the pretext of persecution in Sri Lanka. Once their boat was intercepted, they have said that they are ready to die and threatened to explode the boat if they are forced to disembark without allowing them to proceed to Australia. The Indonesian Navy did not relent and subsequently... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

Sri Lanka contributes towards South – South Cooperation
Media Release Public Communications Division Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic Building Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has become a source of development assistance to the other developing countries. This has been highlighted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), in its report to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York last week. Their statement was made to the 2nd Committee during the debate on South-South Cooperation at the 64th Session of the General Assembly on 14th October 09.  The UNIDO informed that “Chinese and Sri Lankan technologies and solutions in hydro-power are used to provide access to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

Re: Civilians trapped between military and monsoon
orpheus perera
To Jim, Christoph and the rest of the Sri Lanka crisis team Hi, I have no support for this. I personally know what is happening. There are few factors that delays the resettlement of these refugees.  Also it was not a civil war. It was a war against terrorist.If the Rajapaksha government did not do what they did, war would have gone for ever and if the country was divided, endless civil war would have taken place untill the singhales people are wiped out by migrating south Indian population.  1. Sri Lankan Government has to run... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

LTTE terrorists last gasp
Ranjit Rupesinghe
Letter sent to Time Australia and local paper (Courier Mail,Brisbane) I am sure that hundreds of viewers, mere mortals like myself, who at first glance at the images flashed across television screens last week of the Sri Lankan "refugees" on the boat bound for Australia would have deduced that those on board were not genuine. If we look at it dispassionately, they could not be and should not be categorized as fair dinkum refugees. No sooner that  "Alex", chief spokesman on board the vessel opened his mouth, it was easy to conclude that this was another... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/10/09)

Sinking Galleon winds down after chief's arrest
The US hedge fund Galleon Group is winding down its operations after suffering a rash of client withdrawals following the arrest of its billionaire founder, Raj Rajaratnam, on $20m (£12m) insider dealing charges. A specialist in hi-tech investments, Galleon manages $3.7bn of customers' money and has begun liquidating its holdings. In a letter to staff and clients, Rajaratnam reiterated his insistence that he was innocent of 13 criminal charges laid by US prosecutors and said he was exploring "alternatives" for the business.... -Full Story- (guardian.co.uk - 21/10/09)

Happy with the way Lanka is handling Tamils issue: Minister
Coimbatore: Electricity, sports and youth affairs minister of Yuva province in Sri Lanka, Senthil Thondaman, today said he was happy with the Lankan government's handling of the Tamils issue. "We are happy the way the issue (of Tamils in Lanka) is being handled by the Sri Lankan government," he said in response to a question on the problems of internally displaced Tamils in the island nation. Thondaman, on the way to Chennai en route to Colombo, from Tirupur near here, told reporters that the Tamils did not have any problems in Yuva province.... -Full Story- (dnaindia.com - 21/10/09)

China's navy sails past India's dock
By Peter J Brown India learned to live with Chinese merchant ships in the Indian Ocean region long ago, and even the Chinese vessel seized by pirates this week was bound for India from South Africa. And yet, India is taking stock of the presence of Chinese naval vessels in the Indian Ocean region. This development will constitute a major headache for India as it unfolds - something altogether new and unsettling. Three Chinese PLA Navy (PLAN) vessels do not make a fleet, but they do make a statement. By sending them to patrol off the coast of Somalia as... -Full Story- (atimes.com - 21/10/09)

Rajaratnam and the Tamil Tigers Connection
As Zachery Kouwe and I report in The New York Times, Raj Rajaratnam, the hedge fund executive accused of leading a $20 million insider trading ring, has drawn scrutiny for donations he’s given to his homeland of Sri Lanka. More specifically, authorities have looked into millions of dollars in donations that apparently landed in the coffers of the Tamil Tigers, the violent separatist group that battled the Sri Lankan government for a quarter-century until earlier this year. A 2007 investigation into the American branch of the Tigers, formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or L.T.T.E., turned up... -Full Story- (dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com - 21/10/09)

Arrest significant: Colombo
B. Muralidhar ReddyCOLOMBO: Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told Parliament the arrest of Sri Lankan-born U.S. business tycoon Raja Rajaratnam as a “significant development in the area of the LTTE’s financing network”.Deputy Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama told Parliament that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had directly told the International Monetary Fund that New Delhi would give Sri Lanka $2.6 billion if the IMF did not approve the standby facility requested by the country.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 21/10/09)

Sri Lanka says EU trade loss won't hurt exports
COLOMBO, Oct 21 (Reuters) - The potential loss of a European Union trade concession that helped Sri Lanka boost business in its largest export market will not have an adverse impact on exporters, the island nation's central bank said on Wednesday. The EU published a probe on Monday that found Sri Lanka in breach of human rights laws, which threatens the Indian Ocean island nation's access to the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) Plus scheme. "Our exporters are resilient and the loss would be minimal," K.D. Ranasinghe, director at central bank's economic research department, told Reuters. With early presidential and... -Full Story- (iii.co.uk - 21/10/09)

How Canada can prevent human smuggling
Calgary HeraldOctober 21, 2009Be the first to post a comment I mmigration Minister Jason Kenney isn't being an uncaring ogre when he says he will play hardball with 76 suspected Tamil refuges whose rusting boat was recently intercepted off the West Coast. The Canadian Tamil community urges the government to show compassion toward the men, who may be seeking asylum from the post-civil war situation in Sri Lanka, where nearly 300,000 Tamils are being held in brutal refugee camps that have been condemned by the world's top human rights organizations. The 76 illegal migrants, being held in Surrey, B. C.,... -Full Story- (canada.com - 21/10/09)

Treat Tamil asylum seekers by the book
Edmonton JournalOctober 21, 2009 Canada's immigration minister is talking tough over the disposition of 76 Sri Lankan men who were intercepted off the B. C. coast Saturday. Jason Kenney told reporters the Harper government is determined prevent the appearance and reality of maintaining a two-tiered immigration system--one for those who play by the rules, the other for illegals who attempt to sneak in. "We need to do a much better job of shutting the back door of immigration for those who seek to abuse that asylum system." Most citizens will heartily agree with that sentiment. As well, in this particular... -Full Story- (canada.com - 21/10/09)

Canada tipped off to ship 'Foreign intelligence' tracked migrants
TORONTO; VANCOUVER -Canadian officials were tipped off at least a week in advance that a boatload of Sri Lankan migrants was on its way to the West Coast to seek asylum, according to sources familiar with the investigation. Police were canvassing members of Toronto's large Sri Lankan community two weeks ago for information about the freighter, which was located on Thursday and entered Canadian waters early Saturday.... -Full Story- (National Post - 21/10/09)

'Ugly politics' blasted out of water
ANOTHER boatload of asylum seekers was picked up in Australian waters yesterday as Kevin Rudd admitted the Government would increase payments to Indonesia for intercepting boats and detaining asylum seekers. Criticism also intensified yesterday of the divisive politics surrounding the issue, as the Uniting Church and the Reverend Tim Costello joined the debate.... -Full Story- (smh.com.au - 21/10/09)

Asylum boat had holes drilled in hull
THE 78 asylum seekers plucked from Indonesian search and rescue waters by the Australian navy at the weekend sabotaged their boat by drilling holes into its hull. And another boatload of asylum seekers was intercepted yesterday, carrying 22 passengers, believed to be from the Middle East, and two crew, near Ashmore Island, and was being taken to Christmas Island. It is the 34th such boat this year, making it 1767 boat people seeking asylum.... -Full Story- (theage.com.au - 21/10/09)

Former Tamil child soldiers to continue education, says ministry
Former child soldiers in the Tamil rebel movement now in custody of the government after the rebels’ defeat earlier this year are to carry on with their education in Sri Lanka’s capital, justice ministry officials said yesterday. The first batch of 168 students, including 76 females, arrived in the capital from their rehabilitation centres in the north to resume their disrupted education, officials said. The former soldiers, some of whom had weapons training and fought the Sri Lankan security forces, will be enrolled in a popular Tamil- language school on the outskirts of Colombo where they will sit side-by-side with... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 21/10/09)

ULFA leader says his group had links with Tamil Tigers
IANS/Guwahati Links between a leading Indian militant group and the Tamil Tigers have for the first time been confirmed by a rebel leader yesterday, two days after the army seized documents stating payments made towards weapons bought from the Tigers. There were several reports in the past quoting intelligence reports that the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) had direct links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). On Monday, soldiers of the 19 Kumaon Regiment seized a large cache of weapons and explosives buried inside a pit, besides documents relating to the ULFA’s financial transactions. “There was... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 21/10/09)

Raj Rajaratnam Funded Sri Lankan Terror Group
Accused hedge fund inside trader Raj Rajaratnam is the single largest known U.S. contributor to a charity linked to the Tamil Tiger terror group in Sri Lanka, according to ABCNews.com. ABC: A Sri Lankan native, Rajaratnam gave more than $3.5 million to the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), whose assets were frozen by the U.S. Treasury Department in Nov. 2007 because of its alleged ties to the Tamil Tigers... -Full Story- (businessinsider.com - 20/10/09)

DECLARING OPEN THE LONGEST BRIDGE IN SRI LANKA PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA SAYS THE TIME FOR RACIST POLITICS HAS COME TO AN END
By Walter Jayawardhana
Addressing massive jubilant and cheering crowds both in Sinhala and Tamil after declaring open Sri Lanka’s longest bridge at Kinniya and Irakkandi Bridge President Mahinda Rajapaksa said racist politics in Sri Lanka has come to an end. “Hereafter in this country there is no room for racist politics,” he said. The 396 meters long Kinniya Bridge built with Rupees 789 million granted by the Saudi Arabian government would replace an ancient ferry service that was the sole mode of transport for people going to Muttur. It is the only bridge to be built across a lagoon... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/10/09)

THE ALBA AND COPENHAGUEN
Reflections by comrade Fidel
The festivities associated to the 7th ALBA Summit, held in the historic Bolivian region of Cochabamba, showed the rich culture of the Latin American peoples and the joy elicited in children, young people and adults in general by the singing, the dancing, the costumes and rich expressions of the human beings of all ethnic groups, colors and shades: aborigine, black, white and mixed people. We could see there thousands of years of human history and precious culture that explain the determination with which the leaders of various Caribbean, Central and South American peoples convened that... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/10/09)

Tamils trip to Canada on the rusty Ocean Lady
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario Canada
October 20, 2009  The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN Sir:   Your report "Trip to Canada reportedly cost migrants $45,000" intrigues me for several reasons. This is about the 76 Tamil men asylum seekers who were on the rusty Ocean Lady that was apprehended off the coast of Vancouver Island.    My intrigue is bound by simple arithmetic. If the average salary in Sri Lanka is about $150 a month with no over-spill to save, where on earth did each asylum seeking man find that $45,000?  Some seem to be young.  ... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/10/09)

THE BRIDGE THAT WAS NEVER TO BE.THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
By Noor Nizam, former SLFP District Organizer - Trincomalee and Deputy District Organizer SLMC. Canada
19th., Oct 2009. Kinniya is a small town in the Trincomalee District of the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is located about 20 km from the town of Trincomalee and 240 km from the national capital Colombo,  Location of Kinniya, Sri Lanka (Latitude: 8° 28' 60 N, Longitude: 81° 10' 60 E). With over 80,000 inhabitants, 97% of Kinniya residents are ethnic Muslims with the remaining being 3% Tamils. Census statistics indicate the following information: Area -146.9 Sq. km. No. of Grama Nilardari... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/10/09)

Justice and Law Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda visits Court in Minuwangoda
PRESS RELEASE Media Secretary for Minister Justice and Law Reforms,
Minister of Justice and Law Reforms, Milinda Moragoda accompanied by Secretary Suhada Gamlath and Assistant Secretary A.K.D.D.D. Arandara paid a visit to the Court premises in Minuwangoda (20th October 2009). The Minister was met by the Judge Ms. Kema Anne Swarnadhipathi, Minuwangoda Branch President of Bar Association of Sri Lanka Thusari Gunawardena, Secretary Himali Jayasekara, Gampaha District MP. Edwerd Gunasekara, officials, and lawyers of the Court.  Minister Moragoda visited the key Appeal, District and Magistrate Court including Mt. Laviniya, Kaduwela, Matara and Jaffna in the country to meet... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/10/09)

Saudi-Iranian hostility hits boiling point
By M K Bhadrakumar Conventional wisdom suggests that the terrorist strike by Jundallah in southeastern Iran on Sunday might have had the backing of the United States or Britain. But Jundallah today holds "fatal" attraction for a number of foreign powers that are interested in disorienting Iran's policies. Both Washington and London scrambled with unusual speed to not only disclaim any hand in the strike that killed seven senior commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps as well as 42 other people, but to condemn it in strong terms.... -Full Story- (atimes.com - 20/10/09)

A report links suspect to the Tamil Tigers
Resize Print E-mail Yahoo! Buzz Raj Rajaratnam has been a major backer of a Maryland-based charity that the U.S. government later blacklisted for allegedly financing the Tamil Tigers, a Sri Lankan terrorist group that was defeated by Sri Lanka's government this spring. According to public tax filings, Rajaratnam listed himself as the chairman and director of Tsunami Relief, a nonprofit charity using the Galleon Group as its address. In 2005 and 2006, Rajaratnam reported that the charity gave $1 million to the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization, based in Cumberland, and $2.5 million to its Sri Lanka parent group.... -Full Story- ( - 20/10/09)

Sri Lanka Still Threatened by Separatist Forces, Rajapaksa Says
Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka is still threatened by separatist forces five months after the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. Sri Lankans will defeat separatists and “build a new country,” Rajapaksa said yesterday, according to the Defense Ministry’s Web site. “We shall not fear to take the necessary decisions in the face of dangers we may face.” Sri Lanka’s army defeated the last LTTE forces in a battle in May on the northeastern coast, ending the group’s 26-year fight for a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east of the South... -Full Story- (Bloomberg - 20/10/09)

Galleon Group Investors Want Out Of Hedge Fund
Investors in the Galleon Group hedge fund have been withdrawing more than $1 billion in funds. The withdrawals follow the arrest of Galleon co-founder Raj Rajaratnam. Last week the Sri Lankan-born billionaire was charged with insider trading. He allegedly used tips from company insiders to make $20 million in illegal profits.... -Full Story- (npr.org - 20/10/09)

Economy sprouts under guard in Sri Lanka's north
Trade booming after Sri Lanka highway opens... -Full Story- (in.reuters.com - 20/10/09)

Asylum seekers deal temporary: Indonesia
Indonesia says its agreement to accomodate the Sri Lankan asylum seekers on board the Australian Customs ship Oceanic Viking is only temporary. The Australian Customs ship could arrive in the Western Java port of Merak as early as today. The deal was struck as the freshly-inaugurated Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met with Kevin Rudd last night.... -Full Story- (abc.net.au - 20/10/09)

The story of the Lankan Sindhis
Muni Kundanmal, an 83-year-old Sindhi businessman, met me at the exclusive Capri Club in Colombo last Saturday afternoon. ``What diwali drink could I offer you?’’ he asked. In the next two hours, Kundanmal and I, over half glasses of red wine and Lion lager, chatted about the past and future of the remaining 650 (according to a 2005 community census) Lankan Sindhis. Outside, cars and buses whizzed past like years gone by as Kundanmal settled down to recount his tale; 76 years in Sri Lanka, changing patterns of Sindhi businesses, the helpless twinge of watching family and children migrate.... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 20/10/09)

UNP MP gets funds from Rajaratnam?
Wijitha Nakkawita Colombo District UNP parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake’s name is being mentioned about receiving funds from US based millionaire Raj Rajaratnam. He was arrested by the US Central Bureau of Investigations on allegations of defrauding the stock market, obtaining confidential information on corporate bodies illegally and also funding the LTTE front organization TRO to siphon off funds for the terrorist group before it was defeated in May. Karunanayake and two others were indicted in the High Court of Colombo in connection with the transfer of US $ 3 million from USA to a bank account in Colombo violating the Exchange... -Full Story- (Daily News - 20/10/09)

Sri Lanka wants to keep deal
COLOMBO - SRI Lanka on Tuesday said it would argue its case to counter a European Union-commissioned rights probe that has threatened a trade concession worth more than US$100 million (S$139 million) to its top exports to Europe. The European Union on Monday published the findings of an investigation, which found Sri Lanka in breach of human rights laws that threaten Sri Lanka's access to the Generalised System of Preferences Plus trade concession.... -Full Story- (straitstimes.com - 20/10/09)

Galleon under Sebi watch
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said it is “closely watching” investments made by New York-based hedge fund Galleon, whose Sri Lankan founder Raj Rajaratnam was arrested for alleged insider trading on Friday.Prima facie, the regulator does not see much damage, as the hedge fund has investments in only three listed companies in India – 7.04 per cent in Edelweiss Capital, 4.61 per cent in Shriram EPC and 0.22 per cent in Pipavav Shipyard, which listed recently. It also has investments in Reliance Telecom Infrastructure, but details are not known as the company is still unlisted.... -Full Story- (business-standard.com - 20/10/09)

Sri Lankan Boat People Reach Canada and the Reception Sounds Familiar
“We don’t want to develop a reputation of having a two-tier immigration system – one tier for legal, law-abiding immigrants who patiently wait to come to the country, and a second tier who seek to come through the back door, typically through the asylum system. We need to do a much better job of shutting the back door of immigration for those who seek to abuse that asylum system.” Canada’s Immigration Minister Jason Kenney read from the same script as the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as he welcomed 76 men believed to be from Sri Lanka who arrived on... -Full Story- (crikey.com.au - 20/10/09)

Your request on behalf of the 76 Tamil illegal Migrants
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . Canada
October 20, 2009  Don Davies, MP NDP Member for Vancouver-Kingsway British Columbia House of Commons Ottawa Dear Don Davies:   I just heard your defence to get the 76 Tamil illegal migrants intoCanada as refugees during Question Period.   While your preamble was a load of Hog Wash and Hot Air regarding the Sri Lankan Government's Human Rights violations, I agree that these 76 Tamils should be admitted into Canada without any questions asked. Why?  Because it was your leader Jack Layton who called for the February 4th... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/10/09)

41,685 displaced to return by Thursday
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday announced that about 41,685 persons from 12,000 families displaced by the Eelam War IV, currently housed in government-run relief camps in the north, would be resettled in their home areas from October 22. President Mahinda Rajapaksa had assured a 10-member delegation of ruling-combine MPs from Tamil Nadu, which visited Sri Lanka from October 10 to 15, that 58,000 internally-displaced Tamils in camps would be sent back to their native places in 15 days. The Resettlement and Rehabilitation Ministry said 8,643 persons from 2,583 families in Vavuniya, 6,631 displaced from 2,644... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 20/10/09)

Tigers and trade
Given the country’s wealth and status, standards in the clothing industry of Sri Lanka are pretty high. It is widely recognised, not least by Victoria’s Secret and other western brands who source there, that its factories are environmentally sensitive and relatively respectful of labour rights. Yet this week the European Commission threatened to suspend those trade privileges, a decision likely to throw thousands of Sri Lankan garment employees out of work. Confused? The episode risks becoming another triumph for the illogicality of using trade deals to achieve non-trade ends.... -Full Story- (ft.com - 20/10/09)

Democratic or Dictatorship - Elected or Self-Appointed.The Rulers make it a Family Affair!
Prof. Hudson McLean
Having noticed many a remark with buckets of gossip, on the Rajapaksa Clan which now dominates the Rulers in Sri Lanka, it is well worth looking at the big picture in a global scenario When John F. Kennedy was elected, one of his first appointees was his brother Robert F. Kennedy as the Attorney General and Confidant. Patriarch Joseph Kennedy wanted all of his sons to take over the White House. It almost happened, if not for the Curse of Kennedys! George W. H. Bush got his moronic son Dubya two terms in the White House... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/10/09)

"Irregular" Migrants on Ocean Lady
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Gove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario Canada
October 19, 2009 The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN Sir: Your news item of 76 suspected Tamil ‘Irregular’ migrants to be scrutinized: official, who floated in to Vancouver Island on a rusty freighter Ocean Lady, shouldn’t pose a big question as it needs continuation of our parliamentary compassion. Why scrutinize, let them in?  After all they have arrived from Sri Lanka which Bob Rae said it was a “Failed State” and who was denied entry to that island.   Why scrutinize, let them in?   After all during the Sri Lanka... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/10/09)

Why our motherland is betrayed by so called economic refugees?
By James Jayalath from Melbourne
I have read comments in several DM articles relate to the refugee issue, and would like to say the following: As human beings we are all like to live in better conditions and have a good life. That’s why people migrate to other countries through proper channel based on their skills and qualifications. Thousands of hard working parents (majority Sinhalese) from Sri Lanka send their children to study in countries like Australia, UK & USA because their kids have an opportunity to apply for migration after they completed their studies if they are... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/10/09)

Watch Out for Indian Involvement in Burma
By Abid Bahar,
Lately Burma shows genuine confidence for a possible confrontation with Bangladesh. This could be due to Indian involvement in Burmese politics especially in the disputes over the maritime boundary. In this area India and Burma are working together against Bangladesh. We also have reports about Indian presence in Arakan gas projects and in the Kaladan River transit for India to the Bay of Bengal. Lately, India is also actively helping the Burmese military to fight against the Burmese ethnic minorities. It appears that to help the military distract its present Burmese democracy movement by the ethnic... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/10/09)

Assam armed groups: Revolution gone, terrorism on
Nava Thakuria
If someone wants to see revolutionary armed rebels, who donot hesitate to show their supremacy on the unarmed common people, but never dare to fight against the government armed forces, please visit Assam. The Northeastern State has given space for over ten active militant outfits, which have been waging a war against the Union government of India for various demands ranging from sovereignty to self rule. Most of the insurgent outfits of Assam were born out of some ideology and ethics, but slowly they lost their conscience. Now they are visible, not by pursuing any pro-people initiatives,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/10/09)

ENVIOMENTAL MINSTRY HAS BEEN ISSUING ‘LICENCES TO KILL’
Mahinda Weerasinghe (Corrupt environmental agents and murders taking place as a consequence; a true tale of the genre)
25th January 2005 was an ordinary day in the Kandyan hills, considering the time of the year. The monsoon was at its tail end. The sky, a slate gray overcast, suspended over the low horizon. The unpaved muddy lanes, after weeks of inundation, were quite grueling to negotiate.  The time, just a couple of hours past high noon.  A slight drizzle was dousing Palle Gededra Premathilaka’s hair as he made his way forward gingerly. The Gusty winds were playing among the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/10/09)

A new approach to US aid in the Muslim world
By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz, October 19, 2009 Money well spent The American University of Beirut (AUB), from which tens of thousands of Arab leaders have graduated over the last 140 years, is a shining example of foreign aid put to good use. What distinguishes the graduates of AUB is not only leadership and a sense of service to the Arab world; graduates of this New York-chartered university are often also strong believers in American culture and ideals. But foreign aid to poor countries is not always put to such good use. Donors can reach the hearts and minds of recipients... -Full Story- (altmuslim.com - 19/10/09)

Canada seizes ship carrying Tamil refugees
VANCOUVER: Canadian authorities have thwarted a major attempt at human smuggling, seizing a ship-load of refugees possibly from Sri Lanka near Vancouver Saturday. The ship bearing the name of Ocean Lady was carrying 76 males. The passengers were brought to Vancouver Sunday and sent to correctional facilities (jail) for questioning. The ship was spotted in the sea near the Canadian coast and escorted by the authorities into Victoria which is the capital of British Columbia province. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said its officers took control of the ship Friday afternoon. Though it is an obvious attempt at human... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 19/10/09)

Sri Lanka claims billionaire trader funded terrorists
Raj Rajaratnam, the New York-based billionaire and hedge fund manager charged in an alleged insider trading scheme on Friday, was funding the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which is considered a terrorist group by the US, the Sri Lankan government claimed on Sunday.Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, spokesman for the Sri Lankan defence ministry, told the Financial Times that the government had been monitoring Mr Rajaratnam for several years.... -Full Story- (edition.cnn.com - 19/10/09)

Rajapaksa in the dark about Indian prisoners: Tamil MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 : MPs from Tamil Nadu who visited Colombo said Monday that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was unaware of Indian prisoners in Sri Lankan jails when they raised the subject with him.DMK MP T.K.S. Elangovan said both Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother-cum-senior adviser Basil Rajapaksa expressed ignorance when the MPs brought up the subject of around 40 Indian prisoners.... -Full Story- (newkerala.com - 19/10/09)

People smuggler crewed Tamil boat
A convicted people smuggler has been found among a boat-load of more than 250 Sri Lankan asylum seekers, Australia's foreign minister has said. Stephen Smith said the people smuggler, Abraham Lauhenaspessy, also known as Captain Bram, had been arrested by Indonesian police. The Sri Lankans, intercepted by Indonesia on their way to Australia, are currently being held in Java. Captain Bram is believed to have smuggled 1,500 people into Australia. He was arrested in 2007 in Indonesia after a joint Australian-Indonesian operation and sentenced to two years in jail.... -Full Story- (BBC - 19/10/09)

Indonesia arrests ship captain
JAKARTA - INDONESIAN authorities have arrested the captain of a ship carrying hundreds of Sri Lankans trying to get to Australia. Immigration official Harry Purwanto said Monday that captain Abraham Louhanapessy was held on people-smuggling charges when the navy intercepted the ship Oct 11. Authorities say the Indonesian has reportedly smuggled 1,500 people to Australia over the past decade. The ship's 250 passengers, moored in the port town of Merak, in western Java, are refusing to disembark and have appealed for asylum in Australia.... -Full Story- (straitstimes.com - 19/10/09)

A Strong Debut for Sri Lanka Sovereign Bond
The country's second-ever dollar bond attracts $6.8 billion of demand as investors expect a growth boost from the post-war restructuring now underway. Two years after its debut offering, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka returned to the international bond markets with its second-ever sovereign dollar bond, and met with overwhelming demand. The $500 million deal comes after the civil war that has plagued the country for 26 years finally ended in May.... -Full Story- (businessweek.com - 19/10/09)

Illegal migrants paid US$45,000 to enter Canada: report
VANCOUVER -- The 76 illegal migrants who were intercepted on a rusting ship off the west coast of Vancouver paid up to US$45,000 each for a new life in Canada, one of their compatriots has claimed. The suspected asylum seekers, who are being held in a Vancouver jail pending refugee claims, are believed to be one of four groups of Sri Lankans in four ships operated by human smugglers. Australian authorities said the international human smuggling operation is linked to the notorious Abraham Lauhenapessy, known as Captain Bram, who has spent the last decade smuggling Sri Lankans, particularly Tamils.... -Full Story- (National Post - 19/10/09)

Galleon may have little impact in India
MUMBAI: The arrest of Raj Rajaratnam, the founder of New York-based hedge fund Galleon, on Friday for alleged insider trading has resulted in some collateral damage in India and its neighbourhood. Stocks in Rajaratnam’s native country, Sri Lanka, fell on Monday, and a McKinsey official, arrested for his alleged involvement in the scam, sought leave of absence from the position on the executive board of Hyderabad-based Indian School of Business (ISB). The Indian equities markets were closed on Monday on account of a local holiday, and there is unlikely to be any major impact at a macro level, though companies... -Full Story- (Times of India - 19/10/09)

Did Rajaratnam's money find its way to Tamil Tigers?
COLOMBO -- A Sri Lankan-born billionaire's arrest in the largest U.S. hedge fund insider trading case triggered new scrutiny on Monday in his native country over the possibility his money found its way to the Tamil Tiger rebels. U.S. authorities on Friday charged Raj Rajaratnam, the 52-year-old founder of the Galleon Group hedge fund, and others with making up to US$20-million in illegal profits through a network of secret informants. The arrest sent ripples through Rajaratnam's native Sri Lanka, where he is at once viewed with admiration for his success and suspicion because of at least US$5-million U.S. records show... -Full Story- (financialpost.com - 19/10/09)

One-year sentence for LTTE member
RAMANATHAPURAM: Rameswaram Judicial Magistrate Kumaresan on Monday awarded one-year imprisonment to Thambi Anna alias Daniel (48) of Kilinochchi in Sri Lanka, who was a member of the sea tiger wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), for smuggling aluminium ingots to Sri Lanka.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 19/10/09)

Fake credit cards seized
Police have arrested two Sri Lankans and a Canadian national who allegedly formed a fake credit card gang using Thailand as their base. Sivapriyan Sivapakiyarajah, 24, who holds a Canadian passport, Ajathan Balendran, 22, and Venkadeswaran Maheswaran, 28, were arrested with 104 cards and a card reader on Sunday at a hotel in the Klong Toey area by officers attached to the Crime Suppression Division. CSD police claimed the three confessed they had counterfeited credit cards for three years at their hideout in Pattaya before moving to Bangkok. The Thai Bankers Association tipped off the CSD about the gang's movements.... -Full Story- (bangkokpost.com - 19/10/09)

Fake credit cards seized
Police have arrested two Sri Lankans and a Canadian national who allegedly formed a fake credit card gang using Thailand as their base. Sivapriyan Sivapakiyarajah, 24, who holds a Canadian passport, Ajathan Balendran, 22, and Venkadeswaran Maheswaran, 28, were arrested with 104 cards and a card reader on Sunday at a hotel in the Klong Toey area by officers attached to the Crime Suppression Division. CSD police claimed the three confessed they had counterfeited credit cards for three years at their hideout in Pattaya before moving to Bangkok. The Thai Bankers Association tipped off the CSD about the gang's movements.... -Full Story- (bangkokpost.com - 19/10/09)

SPUR's top priority: Countering LTTE propaganda machine overseas
Manjula Fernando Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR) is a non-governmental organization based in Victoria, Australia whose mission is to fight against the LTTE's international anti-Sri Lanka propaganda and lobbying. SPUR is famous for its expose's on LTTE atrocities via its electronic newsletters and constantly updated website. It was behind organizing a series of very effective protests against the LTTE's propaganda calling for a cessation of military operations during the last stage of intense battles. The Daily News Interviewed SPUR President of Jeanne Jayasinghe who was in Sri Lanka recently on holiday.... -Full Story- (Daily News - 19/10/09)

Colombo to ‘closely study’ EC report
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Monday night said it would ‘closely study’ the European Commission (EC) report on a proposal for temporary withdrawal of an estimated $100-million concession on exports from garment and apparel industry of the island nation on the ground that Colombo had breached human rights laws. Leader of the Opposition and United National Party chief Ranil Wickremesinghe was quoted as saying at a public function here that if the EU concessions were lost, 1,00,000 families would be without a means of income.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 19/10/09)

No evidence against fund chief: Lanka
The Sri Lanka central bank chief says investigations did not uncover any wrongdoing by US fund manager.Sri Lankan-born hedge fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam, pictured right, was investigated for allegedly funding Tamil Tiger rebels, but there was no evidence against him, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said yesterday. US authorities on Friday charged Rajaratnam, 52, with fraud after saying they had uncovered the biggest ever case of insider-trading by a hedge fund.... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 19/10/09)

Lanka may lose preferential access to EU markets
In a move that will be closely watched by the Indian side of the ongoing free trade agreement negotiations with the European Union (EU), Sri Lanka is set to lose up to $150 million of trade preferences granted to it by the EU. Also Read Related Stories News Now - Suzlon reinforces all faulty turbine blades - Net transactions show 10% monthly growth - The top 10 business bestsellers - Govt okays stake sale in power firms - Kolkata's unorganised timber industry in distress - KIT: Book retail in India Also Read Related Stories News Now - Sensex ends Muhurat... -Full Story- (business-standard.com - 19/10/09)

Colombo stocks crash after arrest of Rajaratnam
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) on Monday witnessed the biggest fall in the last five years, following the arrest of the Sri Lanka-born New York hedge fund billionaire, Raj Rajaratnam, on charges of “vast insider trading.” The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), however, said the investigations into the Galleon Group hedge fund founder were inconclusive and urged observers and analysts not to jump to conclusions. Mr. Rajaratnam is the richest Sri Lanka-born U.S. citizen and his firm has a stake in all of the 10 top listed Sri Lankan companies. With an estimated return of... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 19/10/09)

PRESIDENT SAYS THOSE WHO INSULTED OUR VALIANT SOLDIERS DURING THE WAR ASK WHAT DID THIS GOVERNMENT DO FOR THE SOLDIERS
By Walter Jayawardhana
Speaking to a felicitation ceremony at Aluvihara, Matale organized to honour elements of war that led to the crushing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)after nearly three decades President Mahinda Rajapaksa said some people who question today what did the government do for the soldiers forget they are the very people who insulted the army and said that Sri Lanka’s army chief is more suitable to lead the Salvation Army. Rajapaksa said, “There was no limit to these insults. One said the man who planned the capture of Thoppigala is a man who does... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

Military and Politics in Peace Time Democracy
Prof. Hudson McLean
Immediate aftermath of the World War 11, with Marshall Law governing many countries created opportunities to several Generals to lead countries such as USA, France and dictators to govern many countries. During the past half a century both democratic and non-democracies suffered the misfortunes of having Captains, Colonels and Generals taking control of several countries but history has proved that military mentality and democracy do not travel well together. Recent examples in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand are a case-in-point. Ceylon as Sri Lanka was known, almost went under the hammer with Rear Admiral Royce de Mel and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

RAJARATNAM ARRESTED FOR INSIDER TRADING SCAM HAS CONTRIBUTED MONEY FOR THE TERRORIST GROUP LTTE SAYS WALL STREET JOURNAL
By Walter Jayawardhana
The Wall Street Journal reported the Sri Lanka born hedge-fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam who has been arrested and released on Dollars 100 million personal recognizance bond has also been investigated for contributing money for the Tamil Tiger terrorist group. The newspaper said Federal agents had uncovered documents showing that the founder of the Galleon Group was among several other wealthy Sri Lankans who had given money to a Maryland based charity that funnelled money to the Tamil terrorist group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Rajaratnam (52) and his co-conspirators are alleged to have made 20 million... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

Misinformation campaign in media about Muslim armed groups in East
by M. M. Abul Kalam
Need and necessity for Muslim home guards in the East arose in 1990. It was the worst year of ethnic cleansing of Muslims both in North and in East. After ethnic cleansing of Muslims from the North by the LTTE, and massacre of nearly 400 innocent Muslim men,women and children by the LTTE in the EastMuslim political leaders made representations to the govt. and introduced the home guards system to protect vulnerable and isolated Muslim villages from the LTTE and other Tamil militants. It was a supplementary or rather complementary role to the local... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

"Poor Hillary the Victim"
by Hela Puwath
Dear Editor,  We think it is appropriate time for Lankaweb viewers to be reminded of Hillary Clinton's views of the LTTE terrorists, now that it has become a little clearer as to the reason for her views.  This is very appropriate specially for those who view Mrs. Clinton as "Poor Hillary, the Victim"  Appreciate if you would share the Youtube video with your readers, with the heading:  "Hillary Clinton on TAMIL TIGERS"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z_olqBDnxA... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

It's Tamil deceit
R. Bandarage, Cottesloe – Western Australia.
As an Australian of Sri Lanka origin I can confidently state that the man and the young girl on the boat detained in Indonesia shown on TV on Thursday are not direct arrivals from Sri Lanka. They do not have a Tamil accent nor do their English and the manner of speech resemble the northerners of Sri Lanka.  They are well fed, possibly Western-educated Tamil Tiger operatives. They certainly have well-rehearsed their act and cleverly stage managed the event to elicit sympathy from Australians. If the Tamil asylum seekers in the boat are... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

NEWSPAPER EDITOR QUESTIONED FOR SPREADING GOSSIP ABOUT FONSEKA
By Walter Jayawardhana
Chandana Sirimalwatte, the editor of the Lanka was taken in for questioning by the police for allegedly spreading gossip claiming that there is rift between General Sarath Fonseka and the government. Police spokesman Nimal Mediwake confirmed that he had been taken for questioning. The Lanka had alleged there had been attempts to discredit General Fonseka on the part of the government. Sirimalwatte’s Lanka newspaper is affiliated to the Opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). Belying there is a rift General Sarath Fonseka participated in the  Army Tattoo to commemorate the 60th anniversary celebrations with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.(Photo... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

Sri Lanka claims Rajaratnam funded Tamil Tigers
By James Fontanella-Khan in Mumbai Published: October 18 2009 22:39 | Last updated: October 18 2009 22:39 Raj Rajaratnam, the New York-based billionaire and hedge fund manager charged in an alleged insider trading scheme on Friday, was funding the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which is considered a terrorist group by the US, the Sri Lankan government claimed on Sunday. Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, spokesman for the Sri Lankan defence ministry, told the Financial Times that the government had been monitoring Mr Rajaratnam for several years.... -Full Story- (ft.com - 18/10/09)

Delhi offers $100m to help Lanka refugees
Web posted at: 10/19/2009 23:17:43 Source ::: Reuters CHENNAI: India offered Sri Lanka yesterday $100m to help war refugees return home and rebuild the country’s ravaged north, as New Delhi seeks to engage in the island nation’s post-war reconstruction and retain influence. Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said India was willing to provide the aid package to Sri Lanka if it submitted a “plan of action” on rehabilitation of Tamil civilians. “Our concern is that the displaced Tamils should be resettled in their homes as early as possible. We are ready to give more aid,” the minister told reporters in Tamil... -Full Story- (thepeninsulaqatar.com - 18/10/09)

More war displaced civilians resettled in northern Sri Lanka
Source: Xinhua News Agency Date: 17 Oct 2009 Colombo, Oct 17, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The Sri Lankan government said Saturday that another batch of 2,500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were resettled to their original places on Friday. They were displaced by the recently concluded war between the government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels in the northern part of the country and were staying at the fully packed IDPs camps in Vavuniya, around 250 km away from the capital Colombo. They were resettled in their native places in northern Jaffna peninsula. Government officials said 450 IDPs from the Vavuniya... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 18/10/09)

Red Cross spends Rs. 700 mn on IDPs
The Red Cross Movement has spent Rs. 700 million from January-October 2009 in responding to the humanitarian needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna and Trincomalee districts. At a joint news conference held in Colombo, The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reiterated their commitment to continue to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of the IDPs. ICRC Cooperation Coordinator Hachim Badji said that their readiness to coordinate with authorities, various stake holders and humanitarian actors upon IDPs return and resettlement. "The activities that the Red Cross has... -Full Story- (defence.lk - 18/10/09)

Sri Lanka to demine former rebel held areas to commence paddy cultivation
www.chinaview.cn 2009-10-18 07:05:27 Print COLOMBO, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government has expedited demining activities in the Mannar Rice Bowl area in the north formerly controlled by Tamil Tiger rebels to commence paddy cultivation in the coming season, government officials said Saturday. The Mannar Rice Bowl, which produced one percent of the country's total rice requirement, was abandoned by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2008. The heavily mine laden Rice Bowl area is now being de-mined by the Sri Lanka Army and some NGOs. To commence cultivation in the area, over 4,062 war displaced families... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 18/10/09)

Rajaratnam Surfaced in U.S. Terrorism Probe
WASHINGTON -- The hedge-fund billionaire charged as part of a vast insider-trading case surfaced in an earlier, separate probe into U.S. fundraising by a Sri Lankan terrorist group, people familiar with the probe said. As part of that investigation, federal agents said they uncovered documents showing that Raj Rajaratnam, founder of the Galleon Group, was among several wealthy Sri Lankans in the U.S. whose donations to a Maryland-based charity made their way to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, according to people familiar with the probe.... -Full Story- (online.wsj.com - 18/10/09)

Etihad set to resume flights to Sri Lanka in Jan
Etihad Airways on Sunday announced it is to resume flights to Colombo in Sri Lanka, starting in January 2010. The airline will operate four flights per week from Abu Dhabi to Sri Lanka’s largest city and commercial capital, using an Airbus A320 aircraft. The resumption of flights follows the recent end to the civil conflict in Sri Lanka and the boost that this is likely to provide to the tourism sector and to the wider economy as a whole.... -Full Story- (arabianbusiness.com - 18/10/09)

Sri Lankan hunger strike fails
The asylum seekers were stopped by Indonesian authorities [AFP] A groups of about 260 Sri Lankan asylum seekers, whose boat was intercepted on the way to Australia, have ended their hunger strike in the Indonesian port where they are being held. The refugees announced their decision on Saturday, two days after their crowded wooden boat was detained by the Indonesian navy. However, the refugees are refusing to leave the boat to hand themselves over to Indonesian authorities, rather wanting access to Australia.... -Full Story- (english.aljazeera.net - 18/10/09)

Sri Lankan maid case to be heard today
Mohammad Rasooldeen I Arab News RIYADH: The case of Rizana Nafeek, the Sri Lankan maid who was found guilty of the death of a Saudi infant in May 2005, will be heard again on Sunday at a court in Dawadmi, the Sri Lankan Embassy announced on Saturday. In July, the court in Dawadmi where Nafeek was initially tried referred the case to the high court in Riyadh which referred the case to the court of origin for further clarifications. The case has been moving between courts for over a year, having first been heard in Riyadh in March 2008. In... -Full Story- (arabnews.com - 18/10/09)

China to set up tractor factory
China has agreed to set up a tractor manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka. It was discussed when Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka who is on a visit to China to participate at the 10th Trade Exhibition at Sichuan Province in Western China requested a Chinese company to open up a tractor factory in Sri Lanka. During this tour, the Prime Minister said Sri Lanka is an agricultural country. There is a big demand for tractors and requested the management authorities of Chu Aniong Company to open up a tractor manufacturing plant there. The Prime Minister also stressed these tractors will attract... -Full Story- (Daily News - 18/10/09)

2 Indian-Americans among six arrested for insider trading
Two Indian-Americans and a Sri Lankan billionaire are among six people arrested in connection with a $ 20 million hedge fund insider-trading scam, the largest ever such case in the US. Besides Tamil-origin Raj Rajaratnam, the founder of Galleon Group, the two Indian Americans identified as Anil Kumar and Rajiv Goel (both 51) were arrested on Friday, said Preet Bharara, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. While Rajaratnam is a resident of New York, Kumar and Goel live in California. The other three involved in this case are Danielle Chiesi (43) from New York, Robert Moffat... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 18/10/09)

Centre to give Rs. 500 crore more for rehabilitation of Sri Lankan Tamils
Special Correspondent CHENNAI: The Indian government would give another Rs.500 crore to the Sri Lankan government towards rehabilitating Tamils displaced by the civil war, after the country submitted the project report, said Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram on Sunday. Talking to reporters after meeting Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence, Mr. Chidambaram pointed out that India had already given Rs.500 crore for rehabilitation work. “We announced that another Rs.500 crore would be released. But we are yet to get the project report from the Sri Lankan government,” he said. Stating that the Indian government had discussed in detail the... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 18/10/09)

Linked with Ravi Karunanayake’s US$ 3m deal: Top LTTE financier arrested for fraud
by Walter JAYAWARDHANA The founder of Galleon Group Hedge Fund, Sri Lanka-born Raj Rajaratnam was arrested and charged with criminal offences of insider trading securities frauds. Galleon is a major hedge fund player known for its investments in technology stocks. Rajaratnam was also linked to the controversial US$ three million channelled to UNP Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake. At the local hearing, Karunanayake had admitted that it was Rajaratnam who credited US$ three million to the MP’s nominee’s account. The case is due to be taken at the Colombo High Courts later this month.... -Full Story- (sundayobserver.lk - 18/10/09)

The journey of a journalist (Part 8) -MY CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMMUNICATION SCHOLARSHIP
Shelton A. Gunaratne ©2009
As I asserted at the start of this series, I was born to be a journalist. I became a prolific and challenging scholar only during the final decade before my retirement. I will leave it up to a younger researcher to sort and analyze all of my journalistic and scholarly output. I have referred to only a sample in this series. I still find it exciting to see my name in print. Now that I am almost at the end of my journey as a journalist and scholar, I feel that someone other than my... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

Let the smuggled Tamils come in.
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario .Canada
October 18, 2009   The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN   Sir:   The unfolding human smuggling story, 'RCMP seize vessel on human smuggling tip', will provide the opportunity to show how humane our parliamentarians are.   I believe that if anyone of the suspected people aboard the vessel Ocean Lady is a Sri Lankan Tamil, the person should be taken in without questions asked.  It shouldn't matter even if the person is a hardcore Tamil Tiger terrorist.    After all, the bleeding heart MPs from all parties who got together on February 4th evening... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

NEWSPAPER EDITOR QUESTIONED FOR SPREADING GOSSIP ABOUT FONSEKA
By Walter Jayawardhana
Chandana Sirimalwatte, the editor of the Lanka was taken in for questioning by the police for allegedly spreading gossip claiming that there is rift between General Sarath Fonseka and the government. Police spokesman Nimal Mediwake confirmed that he had been taken for questioning. The Lanka had alleged there had been attempts to discredit General Fonseka on the part of the government. Sirimalwatte’s Lanka newspaper is affiliated to the Opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).   Earlier Sri Lanka army  Friday categorically denied widespread reports in the web and opposition publications of a rift between the government and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

FBI ARRESTED RAJA RATNAM WAS THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO LTTE CONNECTED TRO AND CONTROVERSIAL CAMPAIGN FUNDS OF CLINTON
By Walter Jayawardhana
American Broadcasting Corporation’s ABCNews.com revealed the Sri Lanka born billionaire Raja Ratnam who was arrested by the FBI for a 20 million insider trading scam was the leading contributor to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) connected TRO and controversial campaign funds of Hilary Clinton. Months ago Clinton announced that she had returned certain contributions made by LTTE related individuals in New Jersey and from time to time Sri Lankan politicians have accused her of having relations with the terrorist group.  The website said, “The New York hedge fund billionaire indicted today in an alleged... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

Where is Common Sense ?
ASOKA S.
I just want to pose the following Common Sense questions to all politicians in Sri Lanka many of whom don't appear to know why the Lanka public elected them for. I suspect many of them believe that it is their good Karma to be priviledged and the rest of Lankan people are just sinners. 1. When all the major Highways are sardine packed pretty much all day hardly moving why do your motorcades with gun trotting bodyguards whisk through ignoring the fellow countrymen who are pleading you guys for help just to get to work. 2. Does... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

So you didn't get a visa to go to Sri Lanka!
Asoka Weerasinghe  Kings Grove  Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario, Canada
October 17, 2009 Mr. Patrick Brown, MP Conservative MP for Barrie House of Commons Ottawa Dear Patrick: I just heard you on You Tube whining about the Sri Lankan Government refusing to give you and your Conservative colleague Paul Calandra (Oakridges Markham) visas to visit the IDP Camps in the North of Sri Lanka.  You were spitting Dragon breath all over the Sri Lankan Government.  Nasty! Nasty!! The question that I would ask you is, “who the heck do you think are you Patrick, and why should the Sri... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

A NOBEL PRIZE FOR EVO
Reflections by comrade Fidel
If Obama was awarded the Nobel for winning the elections in a racist society despite his being African American, Evo deserves it for winning them in his country despite his being a native and his having delivered on his promises. For the first time, in both countries a member of their respective ethnic groups has won the presidency. I had said several times that Obama is a smart and cultivated man in a social and political system he believes in. He wishes to bring healthcare to nearly 50 million Americans, to rescue the economy from... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/10/09)

Indicted N.Y. Financier Gave Big to Hillary and Terror Charity
The New York hedge fund billionaire indicted today in an alleged $20 million insider trading scheme, Raj Rajaratnam, was a major contributor to the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and also the single largest known U.S. contributor to a charity linked to the Tamil Tiger terror group in Sri Lanka, according to records obtained by ABCNews.com. Rajaratnam is accused of operating an elaborate insider trading operation through his Galleon Group hedge fund, which made him one of the wealthiest men in America with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion. The case against Rajaratnam and the five others indicted alleges they... -Full Story- (abcnews.go.com - 16/10/09)

SRI LANKA BORN BILLIONAIRE RAJA RATNAM ARRESTED BY FBI CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL OFFENSES OF INSIDER TRADING
By Walter Jayawardhana

The founder of Galleon Group Hedge Fund , Sri Lanka born Raja Rajaratnam was arrested charged with criminal offences of Insider trading securities frauds.  Galleon is a major hedge fund player known for its investments in technology stocks.  The FBI said Rajaratnam was charged with four counts of conspiracy and eight counts of securities fraud. He was arrested in his apartment during the night of October 15.  The Galleon group has nearly three billion dollars under its management.  The charges arose on stocks including Hilton Hotels, AMD, Clearwire,Google and Akamai.  The hedge funds named... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 16/10/09)

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH SAYS FUTURE POLITICAL CAREER OF KEITH VAZ IS VERY GRIM AS A SINGLE COMMON CANDIDATE WILL TAKE ON HIM
By Walter Jayawardhana
Pro-Tamil Tigers British parliamentarian Keith Vaz is facing the greatest danger to his political career, the Daily Telegraph reported. In an anti-sleaze movement certain British political elements are organizing to put up single candidates against politicians such as Keith Vaz, the newspaper said. “Anti-sleaze candidates could pose a serious threat to Alan Duncan who was sacked from the shadow cabinet and Keith Vaz the former Europe Minister at the next general election,”the Daily Telegraph said. “The Daily Telegraph has learnt that several individuals have come forward in Leicestershire, where both men are MP’s to try to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 16/10/09)

Response sent to the Daily Telegraph and The AGE
Asoka Subhawickrama North Strathfield
*Wrong signal to economic migrants and ex-terrorists* Some of our leaders try to blame the flood of boatpeople (Refugee tide is at crisis point, October 16) on conflicts in South Asia and naively include Sri Lanka in the list of troubled countries. That is treated as a strong signal and a greenlight by the potential illegal migrants in Sri Lanka The war in Sri Lanka is over. Guns are silent, bomb blasts have stopped. The government is doing everything they can to demine the villages and resettle the displaced people. Any so called asylum seekers... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 16/10/09)

Response sent to the SBS and ABC TV in Australia regarding bogus Asylum Seekers
Asoka Subhawickrama North Strathfield
Dear Chief of Staff, I watched your yesterday's (Thursday 15 October 2009) 6:30 pm News coverage of the Sri Lankan asylum seekers who are now detained in Indonesia. I urge you to take the following comments into consideration in any future coverage of similar issues: 1. You gave extensive coverage to what the asylum seekers wanted to say,interviewing their adult spokesman and the young girl. 2. Then you topped it up with an interview with the so called Tamil community spokesperson, Sam Pari. She, although living in Australia, spoke of killings, rapes and other atrocities... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 16/10/09)

Charge of the Lion Brigade
Minister of Environment and Natural resources Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka
Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Nayaka Thero, The Leader of the JHU, Ven. Kotapola Amarakitti Thero, the President of the JHU, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero, the Parliamentary Group Leader of the JHU, And all other Venerable Theros, Hon. Anura Yapa, The Minister of Media and Enterprise Development Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, the Commander Sri Lanka Army Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara, Director Civil Defence Force, Dr. Wimaladharma Abeywickrama & Learned Members of Jathika Vidvat Sabhawa Distinguished guests, Ladies & Gentlemen, Friends and Colleagues, It is indeed an... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 16/10/09)

The President & the General
Prof. Hudson McLean
I felt that I had to put my two cents worth of comment to the on-going saga of the President & the General. First of  all General Sarath Fonseka is no ordinary mortal.  He has proved beyond any doubt that he is a highly skilled strategic planner who could put his Plan to Action. And succeed. Second President Mahinda Rajapaksa has shown his political savvy thinking far into the future. With over 60% of gains in the recent polls, Mahinda has already planned his next ten year strategy in maintaining leadership in the country. The electorate... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/10/09)

Healthy Looking Asylum Seekers?
Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya, Melbourne
Honourable Minister Ministry of Foreign Affairs Federal Government of Australia Dear Sir,  All TV media here in Australia showed Tamil boat people making a plea from the government to absorb them to Australia as they can never live in Sri Lanka for fear of being persecuted. These are people who left after the war having spent their life in the jungle as human shields almost for three months. We were told during this time they were deprived of food, medicine and other basic amenities. Then they somehow fled to Indonesia, after months in dire conditions managed... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/10/09)

Ranil: Time is up to set up a precedence in the leadership selection process
Nagananda Kodituwakku from London
Since independence, Sri Lanka has suffered heavily without visionary leaders in the mainstream political parties. This has caused tremendous damage to the growth and image of the nation, whilst other nations in the region have earned tremendous growth.  The, need of the hour is have bold policy inventions by all political parties paving way to install honest, patriotic and magnanimous leaders in the leadership of political parties. There is no point blaming the people for election of criminals, fraudsters and all sorts of other anti-social elements to the Parliament. It is the corrupt party leadership... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/10/09)

A tough choice to make
I A Khanzada
As the much-heralded “AfPak” assessment was bitterly criticized by politically alive civic society as well as congressional Democrats, it is followed by another assessment of Afghanistan’s deteriorating situation by General Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan. According to Gen. McChrystal, the present situation of Afghanistan is very grim and without more forces, the counterinsurgency strategy may be defeated. McChrystal’s assessment is one of several options that is being reviewed by President Obama and his national security team. His plan could generate a national debate about committing more troops to an increasingly unpopular war.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/10/09)

U.S. BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES TOUR PORT CITY WITH SRI LANKAN OFFICIALS
Embassy of Sri Lanka Washington DC USA
U.S. companies impressed with more opportunities, investment options A group of American and Indian business leaders joined a delegation of U.S. and Sri Lankan trade officials on 14 October visit to Trincomalee, a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka, which was just months ago enveloped in a terrorist conflict. The trade mission to coastal Trincomalee was part of the Sri Lankan government’s efforts to rebuild its Eastern and Northern Provinces, where it concluded its 26-year conflict with the Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam terrorist group in May. “The Eastern Province... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/10/09)

Terrorism in Kabul, Peshawar & Pindi
Ray Alif
On the lines of recent successful talks between Afghan government and representatives of Taliban, US stared series of sectet meetings with elements loyal to Taliban. White House officially announced on October 8, 2009 that the Taliban posed less of a threat to US security than Al-Qaida Moments later, militants carried out attack near the Indian Embassy at Kabul which took 17 lives and injured more than 60. No doubt, this was the handiwork of anti-India elements. Although the Taliban claimed the responsibility of the attack but whether they Taliban or the CIA, is matter which may analysts... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/10/09)

Unstable Afghanistan – The India Factor
By: Mashaal Javed
It was the fall of Taliban government in Afghanistan in 2001 that paved the way for foreign powers to intervene in Afghanistan to secure their strategic interests. The strategic location of Afghanistan provides a perfect conduit for extracting and channeling vast energy resources of Central Asia to their respective countries. However, the ingress made by these countries failed to comprehend the ground realities of Afghan polity that revolves around tribal customs and traditions. The Bonn Conference that was subsequently held after the fall of the Taliban government included major drug and warlords, sans the Pashtun representation.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/10/09)

“We’re ready to give further aid to Sri Lanka”
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: India on Thursday expressed its readiness to provide further humanitarian assistance, on the request of Colombo, for the welfare of nearly 2.5 lakh war-displaced people housed in the refugee camps of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. The assurance was conveyed by visiting Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur to the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama in a meeting on the sidelines of the 8th Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Ministerial Meeting here. Ms. Kaur told Mr. Bogollogama that New Delhi was aware of the difficulties faced in the de-mining and resettlement process and is ready... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 15/10/09)

UN human rights chief criticizes Sri Lankan government
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Wednesday (Oct 14) criticized the Sri Lankan government for not responding “to our many requests for an international investigation of what we say is widespread acts of killing of civilians." Speaking at a press conference in Brussels Wednesday evening, she said that “such a request has also been made by the (UN) Secretary General and we are working very closely with the Secretary General to hold the President of Sri Lanka to his promise which he made to the Secretary General that he will look into the issue of accountability... -Full Story- (examiner.com - 15/10/09)

Sri Lanka Sells $500 Million of Five-Year Bonds
By Veronica Navarro Espinosa Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka sold $500 million of five- year bonds in its first international offering in two years, according to a person familiar with the transaction. The South Asian country issued the securities to yield 5.06 percentage points above U.S. Treasuries, said the person, who declined to be identified because he’s not allowed to speak publicly. Sri Lanka sold the bonds after its credit-rating outlook was raised to positive from stable by Standard & Poor’s, which cited improved government finances after a $2.6 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. The island nation,... -Full Story- (Bloomberg - 15/10/09)

I also lost dad to assassin's bullets, Rahul tells slain cop's widow
RANCHI: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday made an unscheduled visit to the mourning family of slain inspector Francis Indwar, who was recently beheaded by Maoists. "Your loss reminds me of what LTTE extremists had done to my father, Rajiv Gandhi,'' he told Sunita, cop's widow. Though Sunita has been receiving a stream of VIPs, she was not expecting the VVIP guest to share her moment of grief. "I'm overwhelmed and grateful for his kindness and can understand how the family had felt at the assassination of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv,'' she said.... -Full Story- (Times of India - 15/10/09)

Kuwaiti media delegation heads to Sri Lanka
Tourism 10/15/2009 11:03:00 PM KUWAIT, Oct 15 (KUNA) -- A Kuwaiti media delegation left the country Thursday, heading to Sri Lanka to develop tourism relations with the Asian country. The delegation from Kuwait Airways would be visiting the most prominent tourism sites in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan embassy held a festivity last Tuesday to showcase what the country could offer for Kuwaiti tourists with the event attended by Sri Lanka's Tourism Minister Faiszer Mustapha.... -Full Story- (kuna.net.kw - 15/10/09)

Sri Lanka 'cannot stop migrant outflow'
October 16, 2009 - 8:14AM AFP Sri Lanka said it was unable to prevent migrants leaving the country, as Indonesia intercepted a boatload of asylum seekers from the island heading for Australia. Media minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said on Thursday the government could not "stop people from getting into a boat and seeking greener pastures in another country". But he told reporters officials were trying to discourage such trips. A boat carrying about 250 ethnic Tamil refugees was stopped on Sunday on its way to Australia.... -Full Story- (news.smh.com.au - 15/10/09)

Interim anticipatory bail for Krishnasamy
Special Correspondent CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday granted inter-State interim anticipatory bail to Puthiya Thamizhagam leader K. Krishnasamy and 11 others in a case relating to the damage caused to the Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi on October 2. Justice R. Regupathi said that Dr. Krishnasamy and others should furnish bonds for Rs.10,000 and one surety for a like sum. The petitioners said they were given to understand that the Sri Lankan High Commission at Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, had preferred a complaint with the Chanakyapuri police station, alleging that they trespassed into the diplomat’s office and... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 15/10/09)

MPs asked to visit island nation again
B. Kolappan CHENNAI: The Sri Lankan government has asked the delegation of MPs from Tamil Nadu to visit the island again after three months “to see for themselves that Sri Lanka has not violated the promise that Sinhalese will not be settled in Tamil areas.” Congress MPs E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan and K.S. Alagiri, who were part of the delegation, said Basil Rajapaksa, adviser to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, denied the allegation that his government was trying to change the demographic character of the Tamil areas.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 15/10/09)

PRESENT CONSTITUTION SHALL BE COMPLETELY OVERHAULED SOON AFTER GENERAL ELECTIONS
Shripal Nishshanka Fernando
Present Sri Lankan constitution has been amended several times in the past and in most of the occasions the loop holes in the amendments have threatened the security and the sovereignty of Sri Lanka severely. The largest blow to the security of Sri Lanka did happen during JRJ era which the constitution was amended according to the needs of neighbouring India. The executive president JRJ during that period was acting worse than a puppet and the whole country was heavily damaged by his weakness for a considerable time. Had JRJ acted wisely and bravely similar to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/10/09)

KARUNANIDHI SAYS SRI LANKA HAS ASSURED HIS DELEGATION OF MPS THAT 58,000 IDPS WILL BE RESETTLED FROM THURSDAY
By Walter Jayawardhana
Tami Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said at a press conference in Chennai that the Sri Lanka government has assured the ten MP’s who visited Sri Lanka that another 58,000 Sri Lankan Tamils who are staying in state run camps will be taken back to their homes to be resettled. Speaking to reporters after being briefed by the delegation of DMK, Congress and VCK parties Karunanidhi said that the Tamil Nadu state will urge the Indian government to grant more help to the Sri Lankan government to complete the demining of the areas so that... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 14/10/09)

PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA SAYS TO SURMOUNT FUTURE CHALLENGES IT IS IMERATIVE NEXT GENERATION SHOULD BE ARMED WITH I.T. AND LANGUAGES
By Walter Jayawardhana
Speaking at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa President Mahinda Rajapaksa said to surmount future challenges it is necessary to arm the future generation of Sri Lanka with language knowledge and information technology. “The children should be enthused to learn local and foreign languages as well as information technology “, he said. President Rajapaksa was the chief guest of the 75th year celebration of the premier educational institution of the area in which he honored the past pupils of the college. Among the past pupils who received awards from the President was... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 14/10/09)

OPEN LETTER TO Ms.Hillary Clinton - U.S. Trinity on Terrorism
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
October 13, 2009 Ms.Hillary Clinton U.S. Secretary of State Washington D.C., US Dear Ms. Hillary Clinton: The report from Belfast, Ireland, announced your statement, “To me terrorism is terrorism. Those who try to disrupt the peace of people going about their daily lives are out of step and out of time,” confirms your country’s bizarre policy on the ‘Trinity on Terrorism’.  What’s going on in Obama administration?  When it comes to dealing with Terrorism, you are out their flying around the world, throwing your weight... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 14/10/09)

Nobel Peace Prize!
Vajeeragnana Warnakulasuriya Melbourne, Australia
The President of The United States of America Mr.Barak.H.Obama  Dear Mr.President,  With all due respects to you, I must say though I am humbled to hear that you have been the recipient of this much respected award, I honestly believe these five-member committee of lawmakers elected by the Norwegian parliament and who are specially appointed advisers to weigh in the eligibility for anyone to receive these awards in actual fact has insulted you.  Irrelevant of the motive of the nominee in nominating you, within such a short time in service and the fact that, to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 14/10/09)

SECOND OPEN LETTER TO SARATH FONSEKA DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE POLITICIANS
By Stanley Perera from Melbourne
My dear General Fonseka, There is so much of speculation that 1. You are being offered a position as the Secretary to the Ministry of Sports. 2. You are contemplating to contest the forthcoming Presidential Election. Firstly Secretary to the Ministry of Sports is an insult to you and it is demeaning your status of General of the Sri Lanka Army. In the event you accept the position not only you have to Sir the ignorant and uneducated minister you will have to get up from your seat as an when the minister go... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 14/10/09)

Can Gen. Fonseka rule country? Asks NFF
Commenting on widespread rumours that Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka would emerge as a common candidate for the Opposition at a future Preside-ntial election, Puttalam District, National Freedom Front parliamentarian Weerakumara Dissanayake said that the General may have led the country to victory in a war but the problem is whether he could rule a country. Dissanayake was addressing the NFF Anuradhapura District inaugural rally held at the Youth Centre on Tuesday. It was presided by NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa.... -Full Story- (The Island - 14/10/09)

Obama’s double standards
The Norwegians have done to their Nobel Peace Prize what Sri Lanka's wayside acupuncture joints have done to honorary doctorates. They have demeaned the once coveted prize by awarding it according to their whims and fancies. This time around, it has gone to a man responsible for the perpetuation of military aggression in two countries, Iraq and Afghanistan. Barack Obama is his name! Ironically, Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize even before the dust had settled on an Afghan village, where a US aerial bombardment on two fuel tankers in the hands of Taliban terrorists killed over one hundred civilians... -Full Story- (The Island - 14/10/09)

Des Browne goes everywhere...except Sri Lanka
MPs of all parties have just had an email pop into their inbox. The missive is from former Defence Sec Des Browne and describes his summer activities as the PM's special envoy to Sri Lanka.But there is one tiny problemo. Our envoy to Sri Lanka hasn't actually been to Sri Lanka itself. This may have something to do with the way Colombo was hacked off at his initial appointment in February, believing it an unacceptable interference in its internal affairs.Maybe he's taking his lead from Tony Blair, the Middle East peace 'envoy' who hasn't actually visited Gaza?... -Full Story- (waugh.standard.co.uk - 14/10/09)

Colombo angry over meet in Oslo
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has conveyed Sri Lanka’s deep concern and condemnation to Norway over a meeting held by the Advisory Committee for the formation of the Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (PTGTE) in Oslo this month. The Foreign Ministry said Mr. Bogollagama summoned Norwegian Ambassador Tore Hattrem on Tuesday and informed him that the government had learnt of the meeting by LTTE front organisations where an action plan for the establishment of a PTGTE had been formulated. “He said that it was a matter of serious concern to note that the LTTE... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 14/10/09)

On IDPs’ distress, extra judicial killings, arbitrary arrests and lack of press freedom Ranil sends envoy to brief Navanetham and Antonio Guterress
Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe has nominated Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena as his special envoy to brief UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms Navanetham Pillai, and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterress on the pathetic situation of Sri Lanka’s Internally Displaced Persons detained in camps in the northern part of Sri Lanka. In a letter addressed to the UN officials he had stated:... -Full Story- (The Island - 14/10/09)

Bullish In China Shop
China is using its growing trade power to enhance its global influence, especially in Africa, Latin America and Asia where it is perceived as an all-weather friend. Since opening up its economy in 1978, China's foreign trade has been growing by leaps and bounds. In 2008, its foreign trade volume exceeded $2.56 trillion 70 times more than what it was 10 years ago, according to the US-China Business Council. China has now become the world's largest exporter, beating Germany, reported the World Trade Organisation... -Full Story- (Times of India - 14/10/09)

Muslim girl who became Christian, ordered back to parents she fears may kill her
By Amy Green Religion News Service Updated: 10/14/2009 03:55:41 PM MDT ORLANDO, Fla. » First there was Elian Gonzalez, the Cuban boy torn between two nations. Then there was Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged woman torn between two families. Now comes Rifqa Bary, the teenage runaway torn between two faiths. If you're involved in a high-stakes custody fight, Florida, it seems, is the place to be. Could Rifqa's father in Ohio really kill her for leaving Islam to embrace Christianity? Has the 17-year-old read too many fundamentalist Christian Web sites? Or is it all just teen dramatics? Those are all questions... -Full Story- (sltrib.com - 14/10/09)

Sri Lanka to Sell $500 Million of Bonds This Week
By Anusha Ondaatjie and Veronica Espinosa Oct. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka will sell $500 million of five-year bonds this week in its first international offering in two years as the island-nation raises funds to rebuild its economy after three decades of civil war, according to a person familiar with the transaction. The South Asian country will issue the notes in overseas markets to yield about 7.75 percent, according to the person, who declined to be identified because terms of the deal aren’t set. HSBC Holdings Plc, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Royal Bank of Scotland Plc are arranging the... -Full Story- (Bloomberg - 14/10/09)

Colombo for stronger ties with Tamil Nadu
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on Wednesday called for continuous interactions with Tamil Nadu to strengthen and enhance the “long, historical relationship that happily exists” between the people of the island nation and the State. The Minister made the observation in the course of his interaction with the visiting Tamil Nadu parliamentary delegation. He said interactions with Tamil Nadu would take place through the good offices of the Government of India.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 14/10/09)

MP: it was not a conducted tour
R.K. Radhakrishnan CHENNAI: The 10-member delegation of MPs that visited Sri Lanka had wide ranging interactions with top, elected representatives of the Sri Lankan government and with internally displaced persons spread across some four camps. “It was not a conducted tour. The delegation chose to visit the camps and we did not visit the model camp that they [Sri Lankan authorities] wanted us to,” said a member of the delegation. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s brother Basil Rajapaksa, in an interaction with the MPs team, remarked in a lighter vein that the people in the model camp were unhappy because... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 14/10/09)

Ancient settlements unearthed in Jaffna
Anuradhapura Group Corr. Archaeological excavations have unearthed remains of ancient human settlements in Vadamarachchi East area, Archaeology Director General, Dr. Senarath Dissanayake said. "We have found evidence of three old human settlements in these areas. They have spread over an area covering nearly three kilometres and are vitally important to prove the historical background of Jaffna peninsula", he said. "We have also found clay pots of varied colours depicting the time frame. They will help archaeologists to determine the era of their usage. They are believed to have belonged to the years between the beginning of BC and upto 900... -Full Story- (Daily News - 14/10/09)

SRI LANKAN BOAT PEOPLE THREATEN TO BLOW UP THE SHIP IF FORCED TO STOP GOING TO AUSTRALIA
By Walter Jayawardhana
The 260 Sri Lankan boat people’s incident took a dramatic turn when they threatened to blow up their cargo ship and jump into the sea if Indonesian authorities force them to disembark at the Indonesian port Merak. The boat people said they are from Jaffna but vouched that they were not Tamil Tigers fleeing from Sri Lanka. Reports from Indonesia said Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had personally appealed to the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to stop them from entering Australia. After the Australian request Indonesian Navy has intercepted the cargo ship near the active... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/10/09)

LOGIC BEHIND INDIAN NUCLEAR HUNGER
ALI SUKHANVER-The writer is a Pakistan based bilingual analyst on national and international strategic and defense affairs.
Actions are never without reasons. Hidden motives, concealed intentions and veiled objectives give birth to conspiracies. The coward terrorist attacks on the GHQ , Rawalpindi ,  are also a masterly fabricated conspiracy; salute to the armed forces of Pakistan who very successfully demonstrated all their skill and competence and exposed the brutal intentions  of so many ‘Allied Forces’ by awarding them an exemplary defeat.  In the past two weeks the terrorist activities in Pakistan have become more vibrant and more hostile. Consecutive... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/10/09)

Tamil Nadu MPs delegation meets Mahinda Rajapaksa
B. Muralidhar Reddy President emphasises that de-mining must be done before any resettlement: report Crowding in centres will ease soon with increased resettlement: Basil RajapaksaCOLOMBO: The 10-member parliamentary delegation from Tamil Nadu on Tuesday called on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and exchanged views on the rehabilitation of the 2.5-lakh war displaced housed in government-run camps and the contours of a political solution to the ethnic conflict. A report on the meeting posted on the Presidential Secretariat web site said: “They came with a different mindset but having visited the welfare centres for IDPs [Internally Displaced Persons], they are returning... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 13/10/09)

1140 KG (1.12 Tonne) of medicine to Vavunia Hospital
PRESS RELEASE: 12th October 2009 Little Aid, a registered charity in the UK, has successfully transported 1140 KG (1.12 Tonne) of medicine to Vavunia Hospital. This large quantity of medicine was donated by a Danish Charity, Medicine without Borders. The majority of the medicine had a very long expiry date of July 2011. This consignment consists of seven kinds of medicine used for very common deceases such as high cholesterol, as well as general pain killers and medicine for anxiety and depression, heartburn and stomach ulcers. These medicines are valued for £16,500 (Rs 30 Lacks). Iniativet 2009 secured this donation... -Full Story- (littleaid.org.uk - 13/10/09)

Tamil doctors now say only 600-700 civilians had been killed
When recanting their statement Dr V Shanmugarajah said that he and his colleagues believed a total of 600-700 civilians had been killed, and nearly twice that injured, between the start of January and the end of the war. But United Nations figures for those killed are roughly 10 times higher, while on 12 May the Red Cross said it had evacuated nearly 14,000 sick or wounded people and their relatives since mid-February.... -Full Story- (BBC - 13/10/09)

Call for Indo-Lankan ties in industry and trade
THRISSUR: There exists a good scope for cooperation between India and Sri Lanka for the expansion of industry and trade, said representative of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Sathis Abeywickrama. Sathis who led the 10-member Sri Lankan delegation to the Agri-Food Technology Meet that concluded here on Sunday, said that the peace and tranquility that prevails in Sri Lanka after the end of war with LTTE was expected to provide a boost to industry and trade.... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 13/10/09)

LTTE supporter arrested in Kandy District
The Police arrested a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) supporter who had allegedly tried to carry out an attack on the Colombo harbour some time ago, Colombo Page reported. According to the Police spokesman, Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nimal Mediwaka, the suspect was arrested in the Chilaw area of Kandy District in the night of October 11 in a special raid conducted by the Police on information given by another LTTE suspect in custody at the moment. Police said that the suspect has been paid by the LTTE for his support in providing details on key places in... -Full Story- (satp.org - 13/10/09)

Sri Lanka polls before April
B. Muralidhar ReddyCOLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday announced that presidential and general elections would be held before April. “A formal announcement would be made at the session of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party on the 15th of next month,” said Minister of Media Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena at a media briefing here. General election before April, possibly preceded by the presidential election, was anticipated after the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, secured an absolute majority in the Southern Provincial Council elections on Sunday.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 13/10/09)

PWC and EY heavily implicated in unlawful privatization
The Sri Lankan Sunday Times/Financial Times has a detailed account of the role of the auditors in the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) privatization. For the first time, we see the extent to which PWC and EY partners were implicated in what has turned into something of a scandal in Sri Lanka. The accusations levied are extremely serious and damaging including acting on both sides of the transaction, charging exorbitant fees, unexplained and retrospective reclassification of accounts and accounts manipulation.... -Full Story- (accmanpro.com - 13/10/09)

Jacqueline Fernandez has been on a fairytale journey
From TV anchoring to political reporting to modelling, Sri Lankan beauty Jacqueline Fernandez (pictured left) has done it all. But she finally fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an actress in the Indian film "Aladin". "Though I am of Sri Lankan origin, I was born and raised in Bahrain. I did my high school there. Later I did my college in Australia and after that I came to Sri Lanka. I started living with my grandparents and joined a TV station there," Jacqueline, who has hosted quite a few shows on TV in both Bahrain and Sri Lanka, told IANS... -Full Story- (masala.com - 13/10/09)

Sri Lanka to Hold Presidential, Assembly Elections Before April
By Jay Shankar Oct. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka’s presidential and parliamentary elections will be held before April, state-run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corp. reported, citing Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena. The dates will be announced during a meeting of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party on Nov. 15, Abeywardena said, according to the report. The presidential poll had been scheduled in 2011, while the term of the current legislature expires on April 2.... -Full Story- (Bloomberg - 13/10/09)

Surrendered rebels are safe: Sri Lankan Tamil leaders
Source: Xinhua News Agency Date: 13 Oct 2009 COLOMBO, Oct 13, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Sri Lanka's Tamil minority political parities said Tuesday that the 10,000 Tamil Tiger rebels surrendered to the military in the final battles between the government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are safely housed in state-run camps. Several parties representing the island's Tamil community told the visiting 10-member delegation from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu that the Sri Lankan government has implemented a separate rehabilitation program to integrate them back to the society.... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 13/10/09)

I have finished obligations to Army: Fonseka
Colombo: Amid speculation that he will join politics, military chief General Sarath Fonseka, who spearheaded the campaign against the LTTE, has said that he has "finished" his obligations to the Sri Lankan Army. "This may be the last occasion I make an address of this nature to officers and men of the Sri Lanka Army. Although I am still serving in the Army, I have finished my obligations dedicated to the Army as I have reached different heights," Fonseka, the Chief of Defence Staff, said during the 60th anniversary celebration of the Army on Monday... -Full Story- (Asian Age - 13/10/09)

LTTE WITH THEIR FRONT ORGANIZATION MEMBERS ON TRIAL FOR EXTORTING FIVE MILLION EUROS FROM EXPATRIATE TAMILS
By Walter Jayawardhana
Twenty two Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suspects including their leader Nadaraja Matintiran charged with the offense that they extorted money from the country’s Tamils were brought before a French court in Paris on October 12. In addition to the LTTE group, their front working in France called the Tamil Coordination Committee was also included in the case. The LTTE and their front went on trial for the operation of an extortion racket among the expatriate Sri Lankan Tamils living in France to fund their separatist struggle in Sri Lanka. The LTTE was banned in... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/10/09)

Letter sent to Mr. Ian Cohen in respond to his email below
By James Jayalath from Melbourne
13/10/2009 Dear Mr. Cohen, Thanks for the prompt reply. I am not sure whether you actually saw my email because it seems to me your reply was written by a primary school student not by a Parliament member because the answer did not make any sense and the person who wrote the email didn’t know how to respond to an email in a professional manner. Leaving that to a side I would like to ask few questions, which I would prefer straight answers from you because you have mentioned that Tamils are living like... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/10/09)

PRESIDENT SAYS RECENT VICTORIES REFLECT PEOPLES DETERMINATION NOT TO BETRAY THE COUNTRY AND THEIR URGE FOR DEVELOPMENT
By Walter Jayawardhana
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in Kalutara after declaring open Vernon U.Fernando Memorial Soccer Stadium that the meaning of recent victories reflects the determination of the people not to let the country to be betrayed and their great ambition for the country to be developed. The President’s obvious reference was to the series of electoral victories of his government had gained during the last few months that climaxed with the victory of obtaining a historical two thirds majority at the Southern Provincial Council elections, few days ago. photos by Sugath Silva President Rajapaksa who was in a... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/10/09)

Statements on Sri Lanka From State Department
Ira de Silva London, Canada
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:30:21 -0400 Mr. Robert Blake Assistant Secretary of State, South & Central Asia State Department Washington,D.C. U.S.A   Dear Sir:   I am writing to you again because of the latest statement by Mrs. Hillary Clinton at the U.N. in which she accused  Sri Lanka of using  rape as a "tool of war". It is possible to question if Mrs. Clinton has any knowledge of what took place in Sri Lanka much less have any details and that she is merely basing her wild, inaccurate statements on what officials in the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/10/09)

PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSHA & UPFA SHALL BE HUMBLED AND MORE DISCIPLINED AFTER THE ELECTION VICTORIES
Shripal Nishshanka Fernando
Now the people of the south also have spoken. They have spoken loudly for the whole world to hear if the world was not paying attention before or purposely ignorant of the reality. It is crystal clear that the majority of Sri Lankans are discovering their lost heritage of patriotism and the dignity which were stolen by the colonial rulers. The people of the south have boldly rejected the enemies of Sri Lanka and slapped them hard on their face. For the eighteenth consecutive time United National Party under the infamous traitor Ranil Wickckramasinghe has lost... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/10/09)

Lion nation – next destination (Developed Nation by 2030)
Prabath Warusavithana UK
In 1970’s two Asian nations looked up to our nation in search of inspiration in the process of developing their own countries. Singapore and South Korea wanted to be like Sri Lanka one day. While we lost our cause and drifted into a long bloody fight against terrorism these two nations soon overtook us and rapidly progress their way towards development. Look at them today listed among top of the developed countries and competing neck and neck and standing tall in global economy. While we stand as 74th poorest country in the world these two are among... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/10/09)

Win in south likely to spur Rajapakse to call early polls
Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition won the latest in a string of provincial elections this weekend, a strong result which analysts said is likely to spur its leader to call early national and presidential polls. With a popularity boost from his defeat of Tamil Tiger rebels after a 25-year war, President Mahinda Rajapakse’s coalition won 38 seats in the 55-member council of his native Southern Province in Saturday’s election.... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 13/10/09)

MPs team visits hill region in Sri Lanka, interacts with Indian-origin workers
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The delegation of members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu, now on a visit here to assess the state of internally displaced persons (IDPs), on Tuesday flew down to Hatton and Nuwara Eliya in the hill region for an interaction with Indian-origin Sri Lankans working in the plantation sector. Hosted by Sri Lankan Minister and leader of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) Arumugam Thondaman, the delegation first visited the Indian-assisted vocational education training institute at Hatton. From there, the team visited a government-supported housing project for tea plantation workers.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 13/10/09)

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU WONT ALLOW ISRAEL SOLDIER OR POLITICIAN TO BE TAKEN BEFORE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL
By Walter Jayawardhana
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he is dead against the suggestion that any Israel soldier or a politician to be taken before a war crimes tribunal He said he would never allow any of his soldiers or politicians to be allowed to be put on trial for what they call war crimes. He made the comments making a fiery speech when the winter sessions of the parliament opened. Opening his speech with an angry tirade Prime Minister Netanyahu mentioned a recent United Nations report of accusing Israel of committing war crimes during its... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/10/09)

MASTERMIND ON SRI LANKA CRICKET TEAM ATTACK IN MARCH IS CAUGHT BEING THE SOLE TERRORIST SURVIVOR OF THE HOSTAGE DRAMA
By Walter Jayawardhana
Pakistan sources said the sole survivor among terrorists who staged a hostage drama at the country’s military headquarters last Saturday (October 10) was also involved in the attack against the Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore early this year. Aqeel alias Dr. Usman , so nicknamed since he was a former army sepoy of the medical stores, was captured alive when military commandos stormed a building in the military base of the army in Rawalpindi where he and his colleagues were holding more than 40 soldiers and civilians as hostages. An agency report quoted a Pakistani... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

SOUTHERN ELECTION A DECISIVE MESSAGE AGAINST FOREIGN ELEMENTS TRYING TO BUILD AN INCORRECT VISION OF SRILANKA SAYS PRESIDENT
By Walter Jayawardhana
The decision of the people of the Southern Province given by an overwhelming majority has given a decisive message to the international community and other elements “attempting to build an incorrect vision of the government” said President Mahinda Rajapaksa issuing a message immediately after the final election results were issued. The President simply called the overwhelming majority is a “victory of the people who love the motherland.” President Rajapaksa has said that the overwhelming majority received by the Freedom Alliance from the South is a victory of the people who love the motherland. In a message,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

Gen. SARATH FONSEKA, PLEASE DO NOT BECOME A VICTIM TO THE TREACHEROUS POLITICAL AGENDA OF THE UNP
S. Hewage
Certain weekend new papers carried several concocted reports with an intension to create a wedge between the most respected war hero of our time, Gen. Sarath Fonseka and the Presiden Rajapaksa by speculating that Fonseka is being requested by the UNP to run as a common candidate against the president in the next presidential election. This is a very dangerous plan, and all patriotic Sri Lankans must be vigilant against this conspiracy hatched by anti-Sri Lankan forces.  Ever since the President Rajapaksa initiated the campaign to free the nation from the threat of terrorism and the external... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

When is Ranil going to get the message?
Ajit Randeniya
Another election has been held in Sri Lanka, resulting in another outright defeat for the UNP and its leadership,. By granting the UPFA a thumping 67.8 percent of the vote, and 38 of the 55 seats in the council, the people of Southern Sri Lanka have once again sent a clear message that is hard to miss, even by Ranil Wickremesinghe: the UNP is not what the country needs at this juncture. Ranil’s greed for continued presence in the Sri Lankan political scene in the face of such demoralising defeats, and some of the claims he made... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

Re: Kouchner has no moral compass
Comments
Dear Mr  Hugues Robert-Nicoud Orkhan Nasibov Denials by INGOS and local NGOs 'sponsored' by them in numerous ways are to be expected, and are noted.   This writer has analysed the full spectrum of activities and campaigns MSF is engaged in, and has listened to first hand information provided by people familiar with the Sudanese, Somalian and Ethiopian governments. On the basis of such information, the writer maintains that some MSF 'volunteers' in the field pass on information to their embassies and other interventionist arms of the UN.   Your fear about physical retribution is unfounded. The idea... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

NOBLE REFUSAL …………...greater than the Nobel Prize
Piyal Samarakone
 “The results delivered even before the test”.  Living on promises along could not bring intended results, but by putting them into practice effectively. Moreover a Nobel Peace Prize for a wartime president? Kind of after shocks of Obama Mania arrived in the Scandinavian shores to produce yet another shock which stunned the White House in the wee hours, later rest of the world. Certainly President Obama changed the face of the American approach towards the on going conflicts in the world. Taking over the war infested baton from president Bush and still running in the first lap... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE THE GREAT!
By Dr M D P DISSANAYAKE
His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapakse has made history in Sri Lanka by over-powering the political base throughout the island in an manner unmatched ever before. Province after province has overwhelmingly endorsed his vision by handing an absolute majority to ensure that terrorism will never ever be allowed to grow in our historic land. The President has now set out a medium and long term program for large scale industrial and agricultural development. The victories achieved by this government has thus far surprised even the most loyalists locally and internationally. Many enemies of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

THE BELLS ARE TOLLING FOR THE DOLLAR
Reflections by comrade Fidel
The Empire has ruled the world through economy and deceit rather than force. At the end of WWII, it had attained the privilege of minting the convertible hard currency, the monopoly over the nuclear weapon and the possession of most of the gold in the world while it was the only large-scale producer of manufactured equipment, consumer goods, food and services worldwide. However, there was a limit to the printing of paper money: the gold standard at a regular price of 35 dollars a troy ounce. This was the situation for over 25 years, until... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

Investors reap peace dividend in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO (AFP) – Sri Lanka's small stock exchange has become one of the world's top performing bourses as investors reap the peace dividend from the end to the island's bloody ethnic conflict. Investors are banking on renewed economic strength and profits in the country that emerged in May from a bloody and protracted civil war which claimed between 80,000 and 100,000 lives over nearly four decades. "All the economic indications are in the right direction but the end of the war has been the key factor" in the market's performance, said Shivantha Meepage, analyst at Acuity Stockbrokers in the capital... -Full Story- (Yahoo - 11/10/09)

Jaffnaites snub delegation
COLOMBO: The residents of Jaffna generally ignored the MPs from Tamil Nadu who visited them on Sunday, sources in the town told Express over the phone. There were no spontaneous crowds to greet the MPs, though among the visitors was Kanimozhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s daughter and a star in her own right. “If there was a crowd in some places, they were all followers of Social Welfare Minister and EPDP leader Douglas Devananda,” a resident claimed.... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 11/10/09)

Residents of Vavuniya camp complain of congestion
COLOMBO: The visiting 10-member parliamentary delegation from Tamil Nadu went on a tour of the camps for the war displaced in Vavunia district and interacted with the inmates. The residents complained of congestion and day-to-day difficulties. Most of the displaced people expressed their desire to return to their homes at the earliest. Accompanied by Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad and Sri Lankan officials, the delegation landed at the Palaly airport near Jaffna in the morning and flew down in a chopper to the Alfred Duraiappah Stadium in the town.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 11/10/09)

Jonathan Kay: Giving Barack Obama the Nobel peace prize is ridiculous
by Jonathan Kay The only nation that fits the bill is Sri Lanka. And the reason for that is a ruthless military campaign waged by President Mahinda Rajapaksa against a militarized Tamil death cult known as the Tamil Tigers. This conflict has taken nearly 100,000 lives since it began three decades ago. But Rajapaksa ended it definitively at one stroke, killing or capturing virtually the entire Tiger leadership. It is one of the only times in the history of modern warfare that a guerrilla/terrorist movement has been utterly destroyed in such a fashion. Overnight, war became a stranger to Sri... -Full Story- (network.nationalpost.com - 11/10/09)

RULING UPFA BAGS A HISTORICAL ELECTION VICTORY OF TWO THIRDS MAJORITY OF SEATS AT SOUTHERN COUNCIL ELECTIONS
By Walter Jayawardhana
The ruling coalition led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa obtained a historical victory by winning a two thirds majority of seats at the Southern Provincial Council elections, yesterday. Giving another body blow to the opposition United National Party (UNP)the ruling United People’s Alliance (UPFA)decreased the number of seats of the UNP of the last council by five seats. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna who contested the previous 2004 elections as a coalition partner of the ruling party and contested by their own was reduced from 14 seats to three seats this time. Yesterday the UPFA won 38 seats... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

General Election first to change Constitution-Southern Provincial Council elections UPFA-67.9%,UNP-25%, JVP-6%
The UPFA government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa has won the Southern Provincial Council elections by getting 804,071 (67.9%)votes and securing 38 seats in the final overall results of the polls. The UNP came second with only 297,180 (25%)votes, securing 14 seats in the Council and the JVP third with 72,379 (6%)votes, securing just 3 seats. After bagging the landslide victory in the Southern Provincial Council elections at yesterday’s polls, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has, told a group of his confidants that he intends to hold, , a general election, where he will seek a two-third majority to change the Constitution.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

Rise and Downward Slide of Hillary Clinton
Prof. Hudson McLean
Frustration must be an understatement when the Presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton lost out to Barack Obama. Despite the strongest possible but gentle support of the popular President Bill Clinton, without overwhelming the egostic pride of Hillary, the first Afro-American charmed his way to the Hot Seat. Then Obama kept Hillary guessing whether the position of VP might be thrown in her direction.  Having now seen the character of the woman, the world must be grateful that Hillary missed out on the possibility of getting into the Hot Seat by a sudden demise of Obama. The... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

Who does deserve the The Noble Peace Prize: Is it President Obama?
By Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D.(Michigan State University)
The Norwegian Noble Committee has decided  that the Noble Peace Prize for 2009 be awarded to President Barak Obama. In the words of the Norwegian Noble Committee, The vision of a world  free from nuclear arms has powerfully  stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama’s initiative  the USA is now playing a more constructive role  in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and Human Rights are to be strengthened.   President Obama comes from a country that has little regard for Democracy. I have had the occasion... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/10/09)

Why Mr. Barrack Obama deserves the Nobel Peace Prize ?
By Charles.S.Perera
Barrack Obama - the man well deserves the Noble Peace Prize.  United States of Ameruica is a fractured Nation- fractured between the Blacks , and the Whites. In to this fractured Nation was born on the 4 August, 1961, Barrack Obama, fathered by a black man and mothered by a white woman. As a child he went through all the rigors of a child of a mixed marriage. He suffered the separation of parents, and living with people who were not his.  Born into such circumstances, he has now paved the way for others of different communities... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/10/09)

The journey of a journalist (Part 7) -MY RETURN TO MINNESOTA
Shelton A. Gunaratne ©2009
 On a Wednesday morning (April 17, 1985), as I rose from the bed, I got an unexpected telephone call from Moorhead State University (which became Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2000) inquiring whether I was interested in the advertised vacancy in journalism. Martin Grindeland, the new chairman of the mass communications department, was at the other end. He put me on to an assistant professor, Bill Hall, who was a graduate student of mine at Central Missouri State in 1972-73. When I expressed interest, they promised to arrange a telephone interview with the faculty on... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/10/09)

Controversy over Norwegian Peace Prize for Obama - Was it for his role in the Sri Lankan Conflict?
Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia
President Obama created history by becoming the first black-American President  of the USA. He was also the first black-American to edit the Harvard Law Journal. Now according to critics, he has made history by winning the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize for having not done anything. This stunning choice has shocked Nobel observers.   President Obama himself had been surprised and his comment was, " To be honest, I do not feel that I derserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who have been honoured by this prize".   According to some as this... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/10/09)

Song for David Miliband & Channel 4 TV
Asoka Weerasinghe Gloucester, Ontario . Canada
October 10, 2009   Hon. David Miliband, MP Foreign Secretary British Parliament Westminster, London UK   Executive Director Channel 4 TV London, UK   Song for David Miliband (British Foreign Secretary) & Channel 4 TV, London   "Hunger striker's UK$7m Big Mac: Tamil who cost a fortune in policing was sneaking in fast-food. He was the hunger striker at the centre of one of the longest running demonstrations ever mounted in Britain. For weeks Parameswaran Subramanian lay in a tent outside the Houses of Parliament as Tamils protested about the plight of relatives... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/10/09)

General Sarath Fonseka, Secratary to the Minstry of Sports ?
ASOKA S
After the 2nd world war, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, US General Dwight D. Eisenhower received the highest recognition for defeating the deadly Nazis. Upon arrival in the US soil after winning the war in the European theater, both Democratic and Republican parties canvassed him to run for Office.   He did so later very successfully as a Republican and ruled for two terms. He went on to build the gigantic US interstate highway system which ended up as the largest amount of highway miles ever built in the world. General Charles Degoule who led the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/10/09)

RAW BEHIND THE GHQ ATTACKS
ALI SUKHANVER
10th October, 2009; an unforgettable day in the history of terrorism, would always make the world realize that Pakistan is facing the worst consequences of terrorism. The terrorist attacks on the GHQ in Rawalpindi are the worst example of terrorism. Though the security forces of Pakistan very successfully proved their skill and competence by defeating the terrorists but even then such type of incidents must be an eye opener to the international world. The time chosen for this attack and the expertise of the terrorists provides us with a lot of food for thought. Who could be... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/10/09)

Foreign Ministry launches website on the 8th Asia Cooperation Dialogue Ministerial Meeting to be held in Colombo in October
Media Release Ministry of Foreign Affairs Colombo
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a website for the forthcoming 8th Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Ministerial Meeting to be held in Colombo on 14th and 15th October 2009 at the BMICH. The theme of this year's meeting is 'Spirit of Asia: Global Economic Recovery and Development Prospects'. The website which was designed by a team of Information Technology Officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contains all the relevant information connected to the ACD along with the necessary application forms. The website can be accessed on: http://www.slmfa.gov.lk/acd H. E Mahinda... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/10/09)

Naxals: The Poorest People of India
Written by: Mamoona Ali Kazmi
The people in India's mineral heartland are tribals, who are the poorest of the poor, and the government's war against India's indigenous people is a frightening and unjust one says writer-activist Arundhati Roy. Recently, a newspaper advertisement published by the Indian government reads “Naxalites are nothing but cold-blooded criminals”. This advertisement is part of the government's intensified campaign to combat Naxalite activities in the country. It comes a few weeks after the Prime Minister's declaration that Naxalite activities are the single largest threat to India's security. Naxalites in India have repeatedly resorted to violence,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/10/09)

Rajapaksa: government’s focus has now shifted to village development
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: On the eve of the visit of a ten-member ruling combine parliamentarians from Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that the focus of his government has shifted from towns to village development. The Tamil Nadu MPs led by Minister T.R. Baalu is arriving in Sri Lanka Saturday afternoon on a four-day visit to get a first hand assessment of the State of displaced Tamil civilians housed in the temporary camps in the North and to see the process of resettlement process in the East and Jaffna province. The delegation, on a visit at... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 10/10/09)

U.K And U.S. Demand Terrorists Be Set Free
October 10, 2009: LTTE members living outside Sri Lanka have reorganized themselves as victims, and used that to persuade host country officials to pressure Sri Lanka to ease up on efforts to find LTTE members still in Sri Lanka. This effort centers around getting all 250,000 Tamils in the north, immediately freed from the camps they were placed in after the LTTE combat forces were crushed there earlier this year. The LTTE is continuing to use NGOs to pressure the government to immediately shut down the detention camps, and let the LTTE terrorists go free. The government considers this insane... -Full Story- (strategypage.com - 10/10/09)

Prabhakaran’s doctor confesses in court
COLOMBO: Dr Sivapalan Sinnadurai, a member of the LTTE’s medical corps, who had treated Tiger chieftain Velupillai Prabhakaran and other senior cadre, made a voluntary stat ement in camera before the Colombo Additional Magistrate, Ayesha Abdeen, on Friday. Dr Sivapalan belonged to Pudukudierrupu, in Mullaituvu district, and had served in the Jaffna General Hospital before he joined the LTTE. He was among the government and LTTE doctors who had surrendered to the Lankan army in the final days of Eelam War IV.... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 10/10/09)

Row over MPs’ trip to Lanka
CHENNAI, Oct 11, DHNS: Just as the 10-member MPs’ team from Tamil Nadu led by DMK Parliamentary Party leader, T R Baalu, left for Colombo on Saturday, questions were being raised over the delegation not representing all major political parties. The issue has taken an ultra-sensitive hew, as the team has raised new expectations of the Indian efforts to secure a “fair deal” for the Sri Lankan Tamils since the civil strife with the LTTE ended in May this year. While it is learnt that the team’s visit to the refugee camps — where over 3 lakh war-torn “internally displaced... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 10/10/09)

MPs team to submit report to Chief Minister
CHENNAI: The delegation of Members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu that left on a fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka on Saturday would submit a report to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, DMK leader T.R. Baalu said on Saturday. Mr. Baalu, who is leading the delegation, told reporters at the airport here that the Chief Minister would talk to the Union government on the basis of the report in regard to the further course of action. The trip was non-political and the delegation was attempting to understand and assess what kind of help the Tamils were looking for. “We plan to visit... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 10/10/09)

When Pigs Fly–and Scold: Brits Lecturing Sri Lanka!
By Gary Brecher You see some pretty sick stuff when you do my job, but I just read something sicker than any Congo cannibal buffet. It’s an article by a posh little limey named Jeremey Brown condemning the Sri Lankan government for being too messy in putting down the LTTE, and demanding that we stop buying the cheap textiles the poor Sinhalese make their living churning out. What’s sick about this is that the British establishment destroyed the Sinhalese people completely. Completely and purposely, sadistically. Stole their land, humiliated and massacred their government, made it Imperial policy to erase every... -Full Story- (exiledonline.com - 10/10/09)

Hunger striker's £7m Big Mac: Tamil who cost London a fortune in policing was sneaking in fast-food
By Stephen Wright He was the hunger striker at the centre of one of the longest-running demonstrations ever mounted in Britain. The protest finally ended in June, but two revelations put it back in the spotlight yesterday. First, police said it had left them with a £7.1million overtime bill. Then it emerged that Mr Subramaniyan, 28, had eased his ordeal by secretly eating McDonald's burgers. For weeks Parameswaran Subramaniyan lay in a tent outside the Houses of Parliament as Tamils protested about the plight of relatives under attack in Sri Lanka. At one stage, his supporters claimed he was 'critically... -Full Story- (dailymail.co.uk - 09/10/09)

United States caught in the act of attempted rape on Sri Lanka: State Department story changes
Washington, 09 October, (Asiantribune.com): William Cohen & Madeline AlbrightFirst, it was secretary of state Hillary Clinton addressing the UN Security Council accused Sri Lanka using ‘rape’ as a tool of war. She did not even use the qualifying term ‘alleged use of rape’. She was positive. And, the statement tarnished the international image of Sri Lanka focusing on the timeline the nation seriously went to war with the ruthless Tamil Tigers since Mahinda Rajapaksa took office in November 2005.... -Full Story- (asiantribune.com - 09/10/09)

LETTER TO MR IAN COHEN (NSW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL)
BY JAMES JAYALATH FROM MELBOURNE
09/10/2009 Dear Mr. Cohen, I have read an article published on Tamil Net about IDP’s in Sri Lanka this afternoon.  I am not sure about your intentions for the statement, and I sincerely hope that you are not trying to tarnish my mother land without knowing the true facts about IDP’s in Sri Lanka. Our country has suffered enough and need every support to develop, without LTTE thugs in Sri Lanka and the other parts of the world including Australia. Majority of the LTTE supporters around the world dupe Westerners to gain sympathy, and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 09/10/09)

FOREIGN MINISTER BOGOLLAGAMA INVITES THE TAMILS IN THE USA TO VISIT SRI LANKA
Embassy of Sri Lanka Washington DC USA
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama who was on a visit to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, on September 27, 2009 met with the Sri Lankan expatriate communities in Boston at the Colonnade Hotel in Boston. Minister Rohitha Bogollagama was warmly welcomed by a cross section of the people in Boston with traditional Sri Lankan cultural parade. Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya delivered a welcome address and thanked Hon. Minister for taking his time out from his tight schedule to travel all the way to Massachusetts and to have graced this occasion... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 09/10/09)

Sri Lanka military budget raised
The Sri Lankan parliament has approved an additional 20% budget for the country's military for the remainder of this year. The government says the cash boost is necessary despite the end of the long-running war in May because the security forces still need strengthening. That was the government's argument as it pushed for an additional $300m to be added to the military budget. The extra cash is on top of the record $1.6bn already allocated this year.... -Full Story- (BBC - 09/10/09)

Cable failure leaves Sri Lanka in the dark
COLOMBO, Friday Sri Lanka’s power grid crashed on Friday, plunging the entire country into darkness barely 24 hours after private companies took over some functions of the state-owned electricity company despite union objections. The government ruled out sabotage or action by electrical workers’ unions who have threatened blackouts if pay demands are not met. The unions said they had no role in it either. State authorities blamed a technical fault in the main line, which left the country without power for more than five hours from early morning, and large swathes of the country without it for at least half... -Full Story- (nation.co.ke - 09/10/09)

International Media Reactions to Obama Prize
Editorials and news stories from around the world on President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Financial Times: What Did Obama Do to Win the Nobel Peace Prize? I am a genuine admirer of Obama. And I am very pleased that George W Bush is no longer president. But I doubt that I am alone in wondering whether this award is slightly premature. It is hard to point to a single place where Obama's efforts have actually brought about peace - Gaza, Iran, Sri Lanka?... -Full Story- (foxnews.com - 09/10/09)

Sri Lankan court extends detention of rebel doctor
Irish Sun Friday 9th October, 2009 (IANS) Colombo, Oct 9 (Xinhua) A Sri Lankan court Friday extended the detention of a doctor accused of treating members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), officials said. The doctor had allegedly treated wounded rebels while serving in a hospital at Kilinochchi, the former administrative capital of the LTTE. Colombo additional magistrate Aisha Abdeen was told by the police crime investigation department (CID) that the doctor had also served in the government hospital in Jaffna town. The court ordered the CID to continue his detention for further investigation. Four other doctors, who... -Full Story- (story.irishsun.com - 09/10/09)

TN MPs leave for Colombo today
Chennai, DHNS: In a sign that India is ready to play a significant role in post-war rehabilitation of Sri Lankan Tamils, a 10-member delegation of Parliamentarians from Tamil Nadu is to leave for the island nation on Saturday. The Central government has cleared the delegation’s visit, designed mainly to ask the Rajapaksa government to take immediate steps for rehabilitating Internally Displaced People (IDP) Tamils spread across the refugee camps in the island. A state government release here said Home Minister P Chidambaram had conveyed the Centre’s decision to clear the visit on Thursday to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 09/10/09)

Ripping off the oxygen mask, the British way
The Island Editorial (Courtesy The Island  News Paper in Sri Lanka)
In January 2008, during a trade union dispute at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, some members of the warring parties adopted a novel yet despicable method of winning their demands and opened, in the process, a new low in trade union action. They removed the oxygen masks of critically ill patients gasping for breath in the Intensive Care Unit and hid life saving drugs! It looks as if the British government had taken a leaf out of those heartless health workers' book. All visiting foreign dignitaries who gain access... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

SRI LANKAN MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA ON HOUNSLOW ROAD
By Walter Jayawardhana
Sri Lanka Janahanda Foundation has organized a Musical extravaganza where Sri Lankan singers will entertain the expatriate community here, said Sri Lal Dias, the President of the Foundation. The musical evening will be held on October 10 between 5 p.m. and 12 p.m. according to the organizers. The concert will have songs and dances. Dias said Des Brown M.P. and local councillors will participate in the event. The venue of the event will be Felytham Assembly Hall, Felytham Park, Hounslow Road, Feltham, Middlesex TW149DN.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

FILM DIRECTOR SEEMAN WANTS TO SEND BACK DEPUTY SRI LANKAN ENVOY WHO IS A TAMIL OF TAMIL NADU ORIGIN AND CLOSE DOWN HIS OFFICE
By Walter Jayawardhana
Film Director Seeman who was vehemently campaigning to stop Sri Lanka’s war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and failed has now started another campaign demanding to withdraw Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner from Chennai. Seeman got arrested by the Tamil Nadu Police during the campaign for making anti-Indian speeches on sedition charges but later got discharged. He and other LTTE supporters in Chennai demonstrated in Chennai on October 8 demanding the Indian central government to take steps to immediately send back Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner Vadivel Krishnamoorthy, himself a Tamil of South Indian... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR DECLARES THAT THE IDP CAMPS IN NORTHERN PROVINCE ARE NOT SECOND TO SIMILAR CAMPS ELSEWHERE
By Walter Jayawardhana
Russian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Vladmir Mikhaylov declared that the standards maintained at the Internally Displaced Persons camps in the Northern Province in Sri Lanka are not second to similar camps elsewhere in the world. He was speaking at a ceremony to hand over equipment and food worth 72 million Rupees to the IDP’s in Sri Lanka. The equipment and food was handed over to Minister for Human Rights and Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe. The Russian Ambassador further said the donation by the Russian Federation has got no conditions attached to it. The equipment was airlifted... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

PAKISTAN INVESTIGATORS ARRIVE IN SRI LANKA TO PROBE WHETHER THERE WAS ANY LTTE CONNECTION WITH ATTACK ON THE CRICKETERS
By Walter Jayawardhana
A Pakistani team of investigators arrived in Sri Lanka to probe whether the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was linked with terrorist elements in Pakistan in the Lahore attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team. The Pakistan team is expected to review the probe on the same subject conducted by Sri Lankan military intelligence. At least six security personnel were killed and eight members of Sri Lanka cricket team were hurt in an attack last March when gun men opened fire on the team’s bus near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore , Pakistan. The... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

HISTORY CANNOT BE IGNORED
Reflections by Comrade Fidel
Last October 1st commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Peoples’ Republic of China. On that historic day in 1949, Mao Zedong presided over the first parade of the Peoples’ Army and the people of China in Tiananmen Square as leader of the Communist Party of China. The victorious soldiers were carrying the weapons taken in combat from the invaders, oligarchs and traitors to their country. At the end of WWII the United States, one of the powers that had sustained the least amount of material losses in the war, was monopolizing the nuclear weapon and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

The President's Mandate As Well As His Direction Cannot Be Ursurped By Foreign Pressure.
LankaWeb Weekly Editorial
October 8th, 2009 The lyrics of an Old West Indian Calypso worded thus: "We are a peaceful nation, struggling struggle, but we don't look for trouble just ask around.But when foreign faces, from unknown places talk about taking over we aint backing down! ......" rings very true to the Mahinda Rajapaksha aphorism which of late gets intensified to this effect and needs to be applauded!  What with the Amnesty International bickerings about Human Rights violations, the Hillary Clinton allegations of Army abuses on civilians, The Ban Ki Moon stutterings on what he thinks is best for... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

Sri Lanka: Peace Direct Appeal for Peace and Justice
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
October 8, 2009 Carolyn Hayman, OBE Chief Executive Peace Direct London, UK Dear Carolyn Hayman: Thanks for the note.  Of course not, you certainly didn’t seem to be rude in your previous communiqué. I gathered that you are a generous person and you meant well when you announced your concerns to the world about Sri Lanka, but somehow seemed to be ill-informed. I want to tell you that I am not a ‘Johnny-come-lately’ on the Sri Lankan issue as I have been following the story,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

Ananda Bodhi sapling offered to Red Bridge Buddhist Vihara
By Janaka Alahapperuma from London
A sapling of sacred Ananda Bodhi of Jethawanaramaya, Sravasthi, India was offered recently to the Red Bridge Buddhist Vihara in Ilford, Essex by Dr M.B. Ranatunga and Mrs. Nawamalie (Nali) Ranatunga. Red Bridge Vihara conducted the religious services for many years without a Bodhi (Bo- Ficus religiosa) tree since the Temple was established. Ven Pethigamuwe Hemaratana Thero, the Head of the Vihara gladly accepted the Bodhi tree and stated that from now onwards, devotees can practice Bodhi puja and other religious activities and that this Bodhi tree would add another important Buddhist symbol to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

OPEN LETTER TO SARATH FONSEKA DON’T BE SUBORDINATE TO THE MINISTER
BY STANLEY PERERA FROM MELBOURNE
My dear General Fonseka, The news is that you have been offered a position subordinate to the minister of sports. In short, plain and simple, I must say the offer is an insult on you. My view is you are only subordinate to the President. The position of Secretary to the Ministry of Sports is only good enough to a sergeant of army. Please consider the honour and pride that you earned in winning the war against the world’s ruthless Terrorists LTTE. You are the General of Sri Lanka Army and the Chief of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

Hullabaloo over Afghan Elections
By: Mashaal Javed
Afghanistan conducted yet another election on 20th August to elect a President for itself with lots of hopes for a better future tomorrow. Despite a lot of Taliban threats to the Afghan populace not to cast their votes or else they would face severe consequences, there were a considerable number of them who turned out to exercise their voting rights. Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah were the two main contenders. For these elections the incumbent President Karzai relied on entering into alliances with unsavoury warlords and to some extent his Pashtun vote bank to carve out... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

Mangala and Tissainagam has a common agenda!
Jay Deshabandu
Mr. Mangala Samaraweera’s visit of Jayaprakash Sittampalam Tissainayagam who was convicted of involving in terrorists activities in Sri-Lanka , comes in no surprised to many of us during this election time in the south. The bankrupt politician, who is basically the one man’s party leader, is indirectly insulting our judicial system of Sri-Lanka. Tissainayagam has actually supported terrorism in Sri Lanka and Supreme Court has decided that he sew seeds of violence in Sri-Lanka. Besides, he was in the payroll of the terrorists.  It is now an open secret that LTTE has funded Hilory Clinotn for her... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

PRESIDENT TELLS EMPHATICALLY THAT SRI LANKA WILL NEVER BE SUBSERVIENT TO ANY OTHER COUNTRY BEFORE ANY KIND OF FORCE
By Walter Jayawardhana
Addressing few hundred thousand people of the last Southern Provincial Council election rally of the Freedom Alliance at Muwanpelessa in Suriyawewa , Hambatota which became virtually a sea of heads President Rajapaksa in no uncertain terms said not that Sri Lanka is against any country in the world but it will never bow down in subservience to any other country. He emphatically said amidst a roar of cheers from the unprecedented crowd, “We will never be unequally subservient; we will never kneel down in front of any other country no matter what.” He said the Southern... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/10/09)

I Did Not Have Sex With That Woman – Bill Clinton , “THIS TIME!” NO RAPE AS SRI LANKA POLICY – Hillary Clinton
by Hela Puwath
‘Remember, how Bill Clinton told the world that he “did not have sex with Monica Lewinsky.” After having oral sex in the Oval Office with Lewinsky … According to Bill Clinton’s lexicon sex is confined to genital contact and not oral stuffing. Knowing the mendacious tendencies of this duo one has to leave a wide margin to statements made by the Clintons, especially when they blacken the image of others.’ [H.L.D.Mahindapala].  After having told the UN Security Council that Sri Lanka used rape as a tool of war, now according to Clinton’s spokesperson Melanne Verveer, what... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/10/09)

I would like to draw the serious attention of the Government of Sri Lanka to the following news Item appeared in THE HINDU National NewspaperTuesday, Oct 06, 2009
Dr.Sudath. Gunasekara. President Senior Citizens Movement. Kandy 6.10.2009.
Refugees seek dual citizenship Madurai\Tirunelveli\Tiruchi, Oct. 5: While Indian Tamil descendants of the island nation living in refugee camps here rejoice over the DMK’s proposal for permanent resident status, Sri Lankan Tamil refugees apprehensive over future demand dual citizenship. As a race we are wronged and hence remain stateless, is the refrain of refugees living inside and outside camps. But not a single soul wants to go back to the island Republic immediately given the “gross human rights violations” against Tamils there. Albeit, the Lankan Tamils still nurse the fond hope... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/10/09)

When media propagates a China-India war!
Nava Thakuria
Does a war between China and India become inevitable-this is question hundred thousands Indiana are making whenever they glue to the news channels or read newspapers in the last few days. In fact, everyone in the country is talking about a forthcoming battle, if not a war, against China, as most of the mainstream media, both print and visual, is full of news narrating the possibility of a frontline clash between India and China. Some newspapers and television channels are actually playing the role of a catalyst for another war between the two populous countries. For record,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/10/09)

The tasks and challenges for Sri Lankan Diaspora -For the future of Sri Lankan Economy…
JayanthaWeerasekera Sri Lankan Community Group – Australia
I feel the Sri Lankan expatriate’s contribution to the Sri Lankan economy can come in many ways. The expatriates living outside Sri Lanka watch all the critical moves on internet because they miss the motherland so much. Having spoken to, many Sri Lankan’s living in Australia I carry the view that many of them want to help Sri Lanka through their expertise and looks for opportunity. Currently with the limited source of information available, without much reliability they wonder round how this could be done. These investors/expertise can be really tapped as... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/10/09)

International Teachers Day - Sri Lanka and Chinese approach
Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, China
On the 6th of October, Sri Lanka along with many other countries celebrated the International Teachers Day. It's unusual that some countries such as New Zealand and Australia still do not observe this. The Teachers Day is not so popular like the Fathers Day, Mothers Day or the Valentines Day because there is no brisk business in giving gifts, flowers , dinners etc. As there is no such commercialism the Teachers Day go unnoticed. When I saw about the Teachers Day celebrations in Sri Lanka in an English Daily of 6th Oct. and as I was in... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/10/09)

There is no crude anti-Americanism in Sri Lanka, the some time "coarse vitriolic " is show of anger for baseless criticism and false accusations.
By Charles.S.Perera
There is no anti-Americanism, and above all there is no anti- Obamanism, in Sri Lanka. There is on the other hand a dislike and displeasure of the American State Administration. It was not started by an identified or self identified nationalism or patriotism of the Sri Lankans, but by the American State Department Personnel and American politicians taking a pro terrorist and anti government move with regard to Sri Lanka.  The avalanche of attacks by the Sri Lankans who took an offence over the statements made by Robert O’Blake the Assistant Secretary of State for Asian Affairs... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/10/09)

APPRECIATION -Dr Upali Manukulasuriya-(28.11.1939 to 16.7.2009) HE NEVER FORGOT HIS MOTHER COUNTRY
byDon Wijewardana
Dr Upali Manukulasuriya passed away in Auckland, New Zealand in July following a brief illness. Manu, as we used to call him affectionately, had a long and distinguished career in medicine, mostly practising as a GP in rural New Zealand. Born in Ahangama, Manu studied at Mahinda College, Galle and entered the Peradeniya medical school in 1961. In 1970 he migrated to New Zealand where much of his work was for rural communities where there was a dearth of doctors. He was recognised both by the public and the New Zealand government for years of contribution he... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/10/09)

President won’t bow down to pressure
... -Full Story- (Daily News - 07/10/09)

That pact: Ask Norway!
No sooner had President Ranasinghe Premadasa been blown to smithereens in 1993 than a theory was concocted that he had been hoist with his own petard. His political enemies claimed that reeling from public opprobrium in the aftermath of the assassination of his bête noire, Lalith Athulathmudali, the blame for which was laid at his doorstep, President Premadasa had 'organised' an assassination attempt to eclipse Lalith's killing and distract public attention but it had backfired on him. Prabhakaran's killing gave rise to another absurd theory: The Tiger chief had been captured and brought to Colombo, where President Mahinda Rajapaksa slapped... -Full Story- ( - 07/10/09)

India to provide free artificial limbs in Jaffna
Source: Government of Sri Lanka Date: 07 Oct 2009 The Government of India will distribute artificial limbs at a month-long free medical camp in Jaffna in December. As a pilot project, 600 people who lost their limbs in mine blasts and other war-related incidents will be given artificial limbs at a cost of Indian Rs 15 lakh. Jaipur-based Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) will provide the limbs at an average cost of Rs 2,000. "As we are driven by donations, we are able to keep the cost low,'' said Dr D R Mehta, BMVSS founder and former chairman of... -Full Story- (Relief Web - 07/10/09)

With early polls on way, Sri Lanka's budget to wait
COLOMBO, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's government said on Wednesday it would not present a full 2010 budget this year, and instead put forward an interim expenditure plan to coincide with the end of the present parliament's term in April. The opposition accused the ruling coalition of postponing more stringent measures it will need to take to meet the terms of a $2.6 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan, which could cost it votes at presidential and parliamentary elections.... -Full Story- (Reuters - 07/10/09)

Bharti eyes Lankan assets
New Delhi, Oct. 7: Bharti Airtel — the country’s top mobile operator — is planning to bid for Luxembourg-headquartered telecom firm Millicom’s Sri Lankan operations. “We are considering it (placing the bid). That much I can say,” said Manoj Kohli, CEO of Bharti Airtel. Besides Sri Lanka, Millicom has put up its assets in Laos and Cambodia for sale. The Nasdaq-listed Millicom provides prepaid cellular services to over 30 million customers in 16 emerging markets in Latin America, Africa and Asia.... -Full Story- (telegraphindia.com - 07/10/09)

Hunt on for LTTE agents
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry on Wednesday said intelligence agencies are now on a hunt for several high-profile LTTE front agents-cum- arms dealers alleged for transnational terrorist activities including drug trafficking and human smuggling. “The agencies have tracked the LTTE terrorist agents who are alleged to have links with many militia and terrorist organisations. These agents had worked clandestinely, based in foreign shores supporting and abetting LTTE’s perpetrated crimes against humanity,” said a report on the Defence Ministry website.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 07/10/09)

“Sri Lanka must focus to the future and move forward”- State Department Are you quite sure, Ms Verveer!?
Ramanie de Zoysa
The US State Department in a letter addressed to the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister has kindly informed that "Secretary Clinton believes that Sri Lanka must focus to the future and move forward …."  When Sri Lanka crushed the LTTE terrorists fairly and squarely in an unprecedented military battle and emerged victorious THAT was precisely what Sri Lanka had in mind- to focus to the future and move forward. Alas! Certain elements of the international community- namely the power brokers and wheelers and dealers of the world- obviously had other ideas!  Since May 2009 to this very... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/10/09)

HUNDREDTH DHAMMA PHONE CONFERENCE
Shripal Nishshanka Fernando
The giving up of all the evil; The cultivation of the good; The cleansing of one’s mind; This is the Buddha’s teaching.  A most popular and widely participated weekly Buddhist Dhamma phone conference in Sinhala is achieving its hundredth successful milestone on this Saturday the 10th of October. This highly valuable and useful phone conference has been in operation for the last two years and participation can be done conveniently by anybody. The weekly phone conference is scheduled to take place on Saturdays beginning at 7.00 pm (EST) and will be conducting through 9.00 pm (EST)... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/10/09)

Fast electric railway tract linking Colombo to Jaffna
Nagananda Kodituwakku from London
The Government of Sri Lanka is trying hard to rebuild Colombo – Jaffna railway track. However, it appears that the govt is unconcerned about the insignificant results that the restoration of the old tract would bring about to the people. In reality, apart from demonstrating that the old railway link is re-established [at an enormous cost] nothing tangible would be achieved by this effort. Hence, it is worthwhile to examine how the people would be benefited with the reinstallation of the old system, which takes almost half a day to reach Jaffna. It appears that... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/10/09)

Hillary's Nelsonian Eye I
The Island Editorial Courtesy The Island 
   "The mother told me her baby's name was Esther. Clasping her breasts, she said she had no milk. She did not tell me what operation she was waiting for. Perhaps her rapist(s) had caused a fistula, penetrating the wall between her rectum and vagina with penises, guns, or machetes. Hundreds of other injuries are possible. We had seen pictures of women who had been shot in the vagina, who had had salt rubbed in their eyes until they were blind (and thus could not identify their assailants), who had been burned and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/10/09)

Hillary's Nelsonian Eye – II
The Island Editorial Courtesy The Island 
So, in the end the US State Department had egg on its face because of Hillary Rodham Clinton's blunder. It is hoped that she will do her homework at least hereafter before displaying her oratorical skills at international fora without letting her prejudices get the better of her. However, although Hillary got her facts wrong about Sri Lanka, where, she claimed, rape was used as a weapon of war, she deserves the fullest cooperation of one and all to protect women against rape as well as all other forms of sexual abuse, especially... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/10/09)

PRESIDENT SAYS IT IS A VICTORY FOR THE COUNTRY THAT THE UNITED STATES WITHDREW ALLEGATIONS OF RAPE AS A MILITARY TACTIC
By Walter Jayawardhana
President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing a mammoth gathering of more than one hundred thousand people at the Samanala grounds in Galle said it was a victory for the country that the United States has clearly stated that there has been no record of Sri Lanka using rape as a military tactic. He said accordingly the earlier statement to that effect has been withdrawn. President Rajapaksa was referring to the raging controversy generated by a statement made by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addressing the United Nations Security Council. Unprecedented crowds converged on the venue of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

Openness to engagement as defence to accusation
by Jehan Perera Courtesy The Island
Hillary Clinton’s inclusion of Sri Lanka in the short list of countries that are alleged to have used rape as a tactic of war has caused fury and distress in the country.  Understandably, the Sri Lankan government has called upon Ms Clinton to withdraw her remarks, which were extreme and provocative.  As a result of these charges and counter charges, the possibility of constructive engagement that could cause problems to be dealt with in a problem solving manner and will be in the best interests of the Sri Lankan people may get further... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

Sri Lanka seeks foreign cash
COLOMBO - SRI Lanka will tap foreign donors to raise more cash to look after over 250,000 people displaced by its offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels, a minister said Monday. 'We are drawing up a fresh appeal to meet our running costs next year that will include funds for livelihood support and resettlement projects,' Minister of Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe told reporters in the capital Colombo. Sri Lanka already received US$225 million (S$318 million) in aid pledges just before the fighting ended in May to look after civilians who lost their homes, he said.... -Full Story- (straitstimes.com - 05/10/09)

Aegis acquires Lankan BPO firm
MUMBAI: The Essar group-promoted BPO firm, Aegis, has acquired 80% stake in Ismart – Timex, a leading BPO services provider in Sri Lanka, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition has been done through Essar Services Holdings, the holding company of Aegis. This is Aegis' 14th acquisition.... -Full Story- (Times of India - 05/10/09)

Report: London Stock Exchange will move to Linux
According to a report by International Banking Systems Journal, the London Stock Exchange has confirmed that it is replacing its existing Microsoft .NET based TradElect system, supplied and supported by Accenture, with a Linux based system from MillenniumIT. The Sri Lankan company MillenniumIT has been purchased by the LSE for $30M and is core to the LSE's plans. David Lester, director of information and technology at the LSE says "The new technology is a lot lighter, nimbler and easier to install".... -Full Story- (h-online.com - 05/10/09)

Karuna for refugees back in Sri Lanka
B. Muralidhar Reddy COLOMBO: Minister of National Integration Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman has said there is no need for India to grant citizenship to Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu. “Colonel” Karuna, former LTTE commander, told the Sri Lankan newspaper Daily Mirror that there was no need for such a gesture as the situation in Sri Lanka had improved. “The situation in the country was now very good and it would be better to receive the Sri Lankan refugees back in the island,” the Minister told the paper. Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram told media on Saturday that Chief... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 05/10/09)

Lankan dancers mesmerize city
NEW DELHI: The third day of the Delhi International Arts Festival (DIAF) 2009 belonged to the expression of Sinhala dance and Sri Lanka's modern dance form pioneered by Chitrasena. Besides showcasing the hardship of fisherfolk, it brought out issues of caste, religion, gender, love and identity along with a beautiful contrast of hope and despair. The 10-day festival organised in association with The Times of India is a curtain raiser to the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi. The fest is showcasing some of the unique art forms from various Commonwealth nations. And one could not have asked for more... -Full Story- (Times of India - 05/10/09)

Democracy and the Sovereignty of Nations Goes out of the Window: That is the USA Today!
By Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D.(Michigan State University)
It is sad that the USA, has decided to forget about vote rigging by President Karzai in the Afghanistan Election and has accepted Karzai as the President of Afghanistan for another five year term.  This decision was in the face of definite evidence that up to 20% of the ballots cast at the Presidential Election were fraudulent. In fact Peter Galbraith, the most senior American Diplomat at the UN Mission in Afghanistan who said that results from 1000 polling stations should be annulled and votes from 5000 recounted has been dismissed from his... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

Kouchner has no moral compass
Ajit Randeniya
Bernard Kouchner has been one of the European politicians showing a keen interest in Sri Lankan affairs. His demand for a visit during the last stages of the war, and other remarks, were explained largely on the grounds of ‘Humanitarian Concerns’. It is reasonable to assume that through his intrusions in to trouble-spots of the world, Kouchner seeks to portray an image of a fearless campaigner for the rights of the poor and the oppressed. But analysis of Kouchner’s background in the French political scene and on international affairs shows that he is really a leading member... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

Peace Direct: Where do your get your information about Sri Lanka?
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester, Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
Ms. Carolyn Hayman, OBE Chief Executive PEACE DIRECT Development House 56-64 Leonard Street London EC2A 4LT Dear Carolyn Hayman: When I received your call “(Global Alliance) Re: Join the Sri Lanka campaign for peace and justice” from a friend of mine by e-mail on October 2, at 2:03 P.M., I was enormously troubled by the information that you had presented in that Global SOS showing your concerns about Sri Lanka.  It so happened that I am from that exquisite island, and so I wrote to you... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

HILLARY CLINTON IS UNDIGNIFIED THE PARTING SHOT OF HILLARY CLINTON
By Stanley Perera from Melbourne
Hillary Clinton’s parting shot aimed at Sri Lanka’s armed forces is a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka earned its image in combating the terrorism with the dedicated armed forces that are the world’s most disciplined armed forces. In the second world war Gurkas became the best disciplined army but the west did not recognise them fully. Hillary’s dignity. Hillary Clinton became a liar during the presidential election campaign when she made some derogatory statements against her opponent Barack Obama. She was humiliated when she couldn’t prove the allegations... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

Before Mrs. Hillary Clinton talks about Sri Lanka, she should be aware of what's happening in her own Country.....
by Ernesto Cienfuegos La Voz de Aztlan
In 2007, there were 248,300 victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assaults in USA.There are 525,600 minutes in a non-leap year. That makes 31,536,000 seconds/year. So, 31,536,000 divided by 248,300 comes out to 1 sexual assault every 127 seconds, or about 1 every 2 minutes. USA rape and sodomization of Iraqis worst than imagined Collusion with US based Jewish pornographers seen
by Ernesto Cienfuegos La Voz de Aztlan Los Angeles, Alta California - Cinco de Mayo - 2004 (ACN) By now, the whole world is aware of the decadent, perverted... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA APPEALS TO SOUTHERN VOTERS TO GIVE A LESSON TO THOSE WHO MAKE FALSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE COUNTRY
By Walter Jayawardhana
President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing more than one hundred thousand supporters who converged on Sanath Jayasuriya Stadium IN Matara said the Southern voters who have been always patriotic should teach the bitterest lesson to those who insult Sri Lanka by trying to destroy the good image of the country in front of the world. “Some for narrow gains are trying to destroy the good name of the country. You must give the appropriate reply to them at the Southern Provincial Council elections,” he said addressing the cheering crowds. He said the government has provided all opportunities to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

STATE DEPARTMENT ADMITS THERE HAD BEEN NO RECENT RAPE CASES BY SRI LANKA ARMY IN RESPONSE TO CONTROVERSIAL CLINTON STATEMENT
By Walter Jayawardhana
The United States went back on the statement of Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton and said the US does not have any recent evidence of women being raped while in Sri Lankan government custody. Hillary Clinton generating widespread condemnation mentioned Sri Lanka as a country which uses rape as a military tactic while speaking at the Security Council meeting of the United Nations recently. The Sri Lanka government officially protested against her statement and the cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said Sri Lanka totally rejected and condemned the Clinton statement. In a letter addressed to the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

SRI LANKAN BUDDHIST PILGRIM RUN OVER BY TRAIN NEAR VARANASI
By Walter Jayawardhana
A Sri Lankan Budddhist pilgrim visiting holy places in North India was accidentally run over by a train, Chaundali police near Varanasi said. The victim named H.M.S.Anula Kumarihamy (61) on grand-cord railway line met the tragic death near Bhagawanpur talab under Chandauli police area last Saturday, the sources said. According to reports she belonged to a group of 100 pilgrims who had visited Varanasi October 1. After visiting Saranath and areas close by the group was on their way to Bodh Gaya. They had a break at a ‘dhaba’near Bhagawanpur talab.Asking her group members to wait... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

A THIRD WORLD VICTORY
Reflections by comrade Fidel
Powerful economic powers were contesting for the venue of the Olympic Games of 2016, including the two most industrialized nations of the planet: the United States of America and Japan. However, Rio de Janeiro, a Brazilian city, won the contest. Let it not be said that the wealthy nations were generous to Brazil, a Third World country. The victory of that Brazilian city is evidence of the growing influence of the countries striving for their development. Surely, the Latin American, African and Asian peoples will rejoice in the election of Rio de Janeiro in the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

POLICE ARRESTS ARMY BOMB EXPERT FOR PLANTING A BOMB IN THE SCHOOL VAN NEAR KURUNEGALA
By Walter Jayawardhana
Police arrested an army bomb expert who allegedly planted a bomb in a school van that killed a 12 year old child and seriously injured 12 others , most of whom were students and parents who came to drop them off to the vehicle. Police said the arrested man who is an army sergeant had admitted he had planted the bomb to go off when the engine was started in the van over a dispute with the owner of the vehicle. Police spokesman Nimal Mediwaka said the explosion took place near the North Western provincial town... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/10/09)

Moral cries and lies of Hillary Clinton
H. L. D. Mahindapala
On September 30, 2009, UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 1888/2009, on Women and peace and Security aimed at combating sexual violence in armed conflict. This session was presided over by Hillary Clinton, the US State Secretary, who used the opportunity to name Sri Lanka, along with Burma and Rwanda, as one of the countries that uses rape as a war tactic. This is not the first time that the American administration used the Security Council to manipulate world opinion with lies. The most notorious case was Colin Powell presenting maps and aerial photographs to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/10/09)

Sampanthan and Hakeem Co.-For Heaven’s sake Please Stop Sowing Seeds of Communal Hatred and Division any further at Least Now!
Dr. Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS) President Senior Citizens Movement .Mahanuwara
2.10.2009. Obscurity generates fear; darkness crushes the very inside of us; nights could be pleasing but for a very short chunk of time. This, I think, is exactly what has happened to our communal minority politicians in Sri Lanka who refuse to accept the stark reality, that this country on earth is the non-negotiable Homeland of the Sinhala Nation, where other communities have mingled, assimilated and lived harmoniously for thousands of years as equals, while recognizing the logical place of Sinhala people on this Island. It had been so at... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/10/09)

Hillary Clinton makes baseless accusations against Sri Lanka Army to satisfy her informants- the Tamil expatriates of the terrorist front Organisations- the “Tamils for Obama”
By Charles.S.Perera
People living in glass houses should not throw stones at others is an old adage .How could it be related to the damaging Statement the American Secretary of State Hilary Clinton made to the UN Security Council, against the most disciplined Armed Force of Sri Lank, which not only eliminated a heavily armed ruthless terrorist force from Sri Lanka, but also rescued over 200,000 Tamil civilians kept as a human shield by these terrorists ?  Sex and rape are offences that could easily be made against any one, even against a most respected person and leave him... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/10/09)

Rape in War: Mrs Clinton has over stepped the mark
Donald Chandraratna, Australia
This incessant talk of violating human rights is fast becoming hollow talk by Western powers who do not apply the rules of fairness to the charges and allegations levelled at poorer nations in the world. No one will deny that there are serious violations from time to time by all states parties including those who are the current accusers. Sadly the international covenants are imprecise in the way due process is specified in the rules of fair play and justice. International statutes do list the crimes but are vague in the manner in which the charges... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/10/09)

COVERING A MOUNTAIN WITH A RAG……
Piyal Samarakone
The Lady in Red is in a desperate attempt to cover up the military sins and nudity with a little piece of third grade diplomatic rag. It’s nothing to be surprised when self-labeled super power writing death certificates of innocents on daily basis in the sake of eliminating terrorists. For Americans to kill one terrorist at least they need to harm a dozens of unarmed innocents simply because they are well equipped cowards in the modern world who operate within fortified military compounds and in herds, if seen in the outer perimeters. A terrorist would not tell... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/10/09)

GOVERNMENT USHERING IN MUCH NEEDED DEVELOPMENT THE LACK OF WHICH GAVE BIRTH AND NUTURED TERRORISM SAYS PRESIDENT
By Walter Jayawardhana
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said at the inaugural celebrations of the Sri Lanka Army’s 60th anniversary that terrorism was born and nurtured in Sri Lanka due to lack of development and immediately after the crushing of terrorism the state has taken over the responsibility of ushering in the much needed growth that would help the people to improve their lives. The celebrations started off at the Bandaranaike memorial International Conference Hall premises in Colombo that exhibited the tons of weapons captured from the crushed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in various battles from Mavil Aru where... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/10/09)

The journey of a journalist (Part 6A) -PHASE OF OZ: ORIENTALISM AND EUROCENTRISM
Shelton A. Gunaratne ©2009
I landed in Sydney as an immigrant on May 1, 1976, to settle down in tropical Queensland. We (my spouse and I) decided that Australia, not Sri Lanka, would be the better place for an inter-racial couple to raise a family. Had we chosen Sri Lanka, both money and language problems would have degenerated our existence to prolong our dukkha in the wheel of becoming. Besides, Australia offered me my first tenure-track job as a Grade 1 lecturer. I was getting tired of moving from place to place like a nomad. Our plan was for... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/10/09)

The journey of a journalist (Part 6B) -PHASE OF OZ: DOING AND TEACHING JOURNALISM
Shelton A. Gunaratne ©2009
During my decade in Australia, one of my major newspaper articles appeared in the national daily, The Australian, as its featured Forum column on Feb. 23, 1977. The article, which appeared with both my byline and picture, was headlined “Telling the Third World like it is.” It was an attempt to explain the network of dependent co-arising factors that engendered the proposal for a nonaligned news agency pool, which The Australian and other Western mass media thoroughly criticized. One obvious reason for the proposed pool was the unbalanced and prejudiced reporting of the developing countries... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/10/09)

The journey of a journalist (Part 6C) - PHASE OF OZ: FOUR WINDS, ODDS AND ENDS
Shelton A. Gunaratne ©2009
The teething problems of teaching journalism at the CIAE arose out of the fear of the administrators that publication of student writing might taint the image of the institute, particularly its administrators. That’s why they scuttled my original attempt to publish student-written news in the Morning Bulletin. CIAE Director Arthur Appleton was an authoritarian administrator. So was the institute’s network of power-holders. What if the students used the newspaper space to criticize the director and his collaborators? The potential of defamation was the ready excuse they had for imposing censorship. (Senior lecturer) Mellick was only... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/10/09)

WHAT ELSE THE TERRORISTS NEED!
ALI SUKHANVER The writer is a Pakistan based bilingual analyst on national and international strategic and defense affairs.
In a recent statement the US Deputy Ambassador to Pakistan Gerald Festine has pointed out the presence of two Al-Qaida leaders Mulla Umar and Usama Bin Laden in Pakistan. According to him the presence of these two leaders was certified by the American intelligence agencies. He also claimed that Taliban’s command system exists in Quetta. He demanded that the government of Pakistan should take stern action against the terrorists within its territory. In other words he has again started singing the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/10/09)

Sri Lanka lodges protest over Clinton remarks
www.chinaview.cn 2009-10-03 22:44:22 Print COLOMBO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has lodged a protest with U.S. ambassador to Colombo over U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's remarks that Sri Lanka used rape as a war weapon, according to officials from the country's foreign ministry. The sources said Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on Saturday summoned U.S. Ambassador Patricia Butenis to the foreign office to lodge the protest. It is reported that Hilary Clinton targeted Sri Lanka at a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, where the council unanimously adopted a resolution creating new tools to combat sexual violence against women... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 03/10/09)

Sri Lanka protest Clinton's rape remark
COLOMBO (AFP) – Sri Lanka lodged a protest over US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's remarks that rape had been used as a war tactic on the island, officials said Saturday. Colombo's displeasure over a statement by Clinton to the United Nations Security Council was conveyed to US diplomats in the Sri Lankan capital, a foreign ministry official said. "We have given a note of protest" to the US embassy, the official, who asked not to be identified, said. In a statement to the Security Council, Clinton last Wednesday made a passing reference to Sri Lanka.... -Full Story- (Yahoo - 03/10/09)

Army bomb expert arrested over Sri Lanka blast
RUWAN WEERAKOON The Associated Press (AP) — COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Sri Lankan police arrested an army bomb expert on Saturday who admitted to planting a bomb in a school van that killed a 12-year-old girl and wounded 12 others, mostly students. Police spokesman Nimal Mediwaka said an army sergeant admitted he planted the bomb Friday near the northwestern town of Kurunegala after a dispute with the vehicle's owner.... -Full Story- (syracuse.com - 03/10/09)

Wife of jailed SLankan reporter accepts award
WASHINGTON (AFP) – J.S. Tissainayagam, a Tamil reporter and editor serving a 20-year prison sentence in Sri Lanka, was awarded the first Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism on Friday. His wife, Ronnate Tissainayagam, accepted the award, named for a 30-year veteran of Agence France-Presse who died last year, at a ceremony at the National Press Club. Tissainayagam was honored by the US branch of Paris-based media rights group Reporters Without Borders and Global Media Forum, a company founded by Mackler to train journalists and non-profit organizations to use the media as a tool for social change.... -Full Story- (Yahoo - 03/10/09)

We have faith in New Delhi: Colombo
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Saturday said it was confident that all necessary steps would be taken by the Indian government to strengthen security at its High Commission in New Delhi and that action would be taken against the group of unidentified persons who had barged into the premises of the mission on Friday. In a statement issued here, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna spoke to him over telephone on Friday night to assure him that immediate steps had been taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents.... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 03/10/09)

Centre cautious over Lankan Tamils’ citizenship issue
The UPA government seems to have deftly blended caution with a measure of political restraint in its first public response to key ally DMK’s demand that permanent Indian citizenship be granted to the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees staying in Tamil Nadu. In a tightrope walk, as the Congress would not like to be seen as “anti-Tamil” over the issue even at the initial stage, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday discussed the matter with Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. Chidambaram took great care in indicating the Centre’s approach to the DMK’s latest rather pricking demand.... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 03/10/09)

India does damage control after Lanka embassy attack
An embarrassed India had to carry out diplomatic damage control exercises with Sri Lanka after protesters forced their way into the Lankan high commission in the high security Chanakyapuri area on Friday. The Lankan foreign ministry came out with a brief statement in Colombo, voicing its concerns. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi have conveyed Sri Lanka Government’s grave concerns and requested the Indian Government to conduct investigations into this incident,’’ it said. A mob comprising 40-50 persons had arrived at the high commission and then forcibly entered the premises, causing some... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 03/10/09)

RAPE- HILLARY SAID!
by Gomin Dayasri
Fury of a woman knows no bounds. Worse, when she is powerful and arrogant but yet failed to achieve her goals. Such is Hilary Clinton. The mighty Secretary of State failed to tame Sri Lanka. The failed Presidential aspirant, knowingly or unknowingly, received terrorist funding for her election campaign and was compelled to return the cash to comply with the law. Notwithstanding her strenuous efforts she could not save the lives of the terrorists, to whom she is obliged. Therein lays the story. The anger is intensified because Sri Lanka in its drive to dismantle terrorism,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/10/09)

WIDESPREAD CONDEMNATION OF HILARY RODHAM CLINTON BY STATEMENTS, TV INTERVIEWS AND DEMONSTRATION IN FRONT OF US EMBASSY
By Walter Jayawardhana
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has received widespread condemnation from government spokesman and and other political parties for mentioning Sri Lanka as a country using rape of women as a military weapon with a host of other countries. “This is a total fabrication tarnishing the image of a sovereign nation that should be condemned with contempt,” said Minister Keheliya Rambukwella explaining matters at a press briefing at the media center for national security. We totally reject those charges, the Minister said. The minister who is the government spokesman for military affairs said the totally... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/10/09)

Hillary Clinton Bashing Sri Lanka !
Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia
The Island of 2nd October had a news item about Hillary Clinton making allegations that rape had been used as a weapon in Sri Lanka's successful war against the LTTE. Hillary, while chairing a meeting of the UN Security Council had referred to Balkans, Burma and Sri Lanka and said that perpetrators of rape in war go unpunished.  She had made these accusations without any basis and obviously she is confused with what the US forces are up to and gauged the sri Lankan army as well from the same wave length. Sri Lanka is proud that... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/10/09)

Hillary Clinton accuse Sri Lankan soldiers of raping Tamil women
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
October 2, 2009 OPEN LETTER TO Ms. Hillary Clinton U.S. Secretary of State U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington D.C. 20520 US Dear Hillary Clinton: The news item which I read a few minutes ago said, “U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that rape had been used as a weapon of war in the Balkans, Burma, Sri Lanka and elsewhere.”   And the headline for this news item was “Now, Hillary Clinton bats for anti-Lanka lobby.”   Hmmm….not nice Hillary!  Going after Sri... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/10/09)

The Myth of Eelam Dream
By Élaezha Chola
There is no nation on earth that boasts of 2 homelands - Tamil Nadu (Nadu means Homeland) is the current homeland of the Tamil people and will always remain so. The British, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and French have had many colonies but always only one homeland. Can the huge Italian population in the US demand an Italian homeland within US borders? No, and America is only a couple of hundred years old compared to Sri Lanka 's couple of thousand. So if the Tamils want to live in their own homeland they should try Tamil Nadu.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/10/09)

SUSPECTED TAMIL PTOTESTERS BARGE INTO NEW DELHI SRI LANKA HIGH COMMISSION ON A PUBLIC HOLIDAY AND DAMAGE SOME PROPERTY
By Walter Jayawardhana
A group of around ten out of forty protestors chanting slogans scaled a wall and damaged some property of the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi on a holiday when no officials of the mission was available police sources said. “We deeply regret this unfortunate incident which has involved an act of violence against a diplomatic mission”, the external affairs ministry said later. The Ministry said “Action as prescribed by the law will be taken against the perpetrators of this incident.” First Secretary of the mission said they had taken up the matter with the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/10/09)

War's end lures tourists back to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's bitter 25-year civil war has come to an end, and tourists can safely return to this island off India to enjoy its beauty, history, diversity and friendly people... -Full Story- (vancouversun.com - 02/10/09)

Sangakkara's blunders
 Ananda De Costa
Sangakkara is overrated as a captain, especially with regard to his intelligence. He was quick to blame fielding for the loss against New Zealand. He should learn to accept his own mistakes and not to blame others. The following bowling figures are the proof of his big mistakes and lack of quick thinking ability. One can easily see that the comparatively economical bowlers have not been utilized correctly. Why Kandamby and Mathews were not give more overs in first match ? Why Jayasuriya was not used properly in the 2nd one ? These are not... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/10/09)

Congratulations Karunanidhi!
Dr. Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS) 28.9.2009.
It was reported that Tamilnadu Chief Minister has very correctly decided to give Indian Citizenship to all Sri Lankan refugees who are living there. I am not sure whether he could do this under the Indian Constitution, since the decision has to be finally taken by the Central government. Any way I wish him good luck and congratulate him for this bold decision. In fact he should have taken this decision long- long time ago. Because why should “their relations unnecessarily suffer in Sri Lanka under the Sinhalese dominated government” as they always say.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/10/09)

Lawrence Cannon: Canada's UN Speech
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 Canada
October 1, 2009   The Editor EMBASSY Ottawa   Sir: Your "Analysis: Canada's UN General Assembly speech" by Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon gave me a good chuckle.   He said, it was the responsibility of individual countries "to eradicate terrorism in all its forms", and yet,  Canada took umbrage when Sri Lanka single handed eradicated the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world, the Tamil Tigers on May 18 this year, and wants to take the Government of Sri Lanka to  the War Crimes Court for just doing... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/10/09)

US BASHING - interesting feed back
ASOKA S
I am very pleased that my simple article titled "US BASHING" provoked several interesting responses. Discussion, dialogue, reading and debate on any subject is a vital ingredient in being able to understand different perspective on the subject. This is why in great democracies, elected members of public respectfully debate BILLS before voting. It simply makes one wiser and may appreciate another's perspective better. The current public debate on the US Healthcare overhaul is a classic example of US democracy in action. Despite the very heated public debate at times with lots of ugly words thrown even at... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/10/09)

President Mahinda Rajapaksa visits Anuradhapura
By Janaka Alahapperuma
President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Anuradhapura to inspect the land in Mahamevna Uyana where a new Dagaba is to be built as a monument to the country's victory over brutal terrorism. President also visited 'Atamasthana' and paid homage to the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi on 30th September. President was there with his delegation to inspect the land under the programme of 09 Dagabas to be build in the 09 provinces of the country to symbolised the triumph of defeating terrorism. The First Dagaba has proposed to built near the Sri Maha Bodhi sacred area. President spoke with... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/10/09)

Now, Hillary Clinton bats for anti-Lanka lobby-Swedish move to disgrace Lanka countered at HRC
by Shamindra Ferdinando -Courtesy The Island 
The government yesterday strongly denied US allegations that rape had been used as a weapon in Sri Lanka’s successful war against the LTTE. Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told The Island that nothing could be far from the truth. He emphasized that there was absolutely no basis whatsoever even to suggest Sri Lankan forces had raped anyone during the three-year campaign. The US targeted Sri Lanka at a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday (September 30). U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that rape had been used as a weapon of war... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/10/09)

SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA, H.E. BRUNO RODRÍGUEZ PARRILLA, AT THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE 64TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
INFORMATION OFFICE
Mr. President, I wish to congratulate you on your election and reiterate to you our confidence on your capacity to unerringly conduct our works and deliberations. Likewise I would like to recognize the excellent work developed by Father Miguel D’ Escoto, President of the recently concluded session. The ethical dimension and the political scope of his presidency, which enabled us to move forward in the purpose of giving back to this Assembly all of its powers, will stand as a required benchmark in the future. Thanks to his example, it has become clearer to us now... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/10/09)

PITTSBURGH AND THE MARGARITA ISLAND SUMMIT
Reflections by Comrade Fidel
The final declaration from the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh on Friday, September 25 seems unreal. Let’s have a look at the main points in its contents: “We meet in the midst of a critical transition from crisis to recovery to turn the page on an era of irresponsibility and to adopt a set of policies, regulations and reforms to meet the needs of the 21st century global economy. “We pledge today to sustain our strong policy response until a durable recovery is secured.” “…we pledge to adopt the policies needed to lay the foundation for... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/10/09)

Chief Justice and the Minister of Justice and Law Reforms meet the Chairman of the Netherlands Council for the Judiciary
Media Sec for Minister of Justice and Law Reforms
His Lordship the Chief Justice Asoka de Silva and Minister of Justice and Law Reforms, Milinda Moragoda, met with Chairman of the Netherlands Council for the Judiciary, Erik van den Emster in The Hague. The role of this body is to support the courts in the executing of their tasks, including the allocation of budgets, supervision of financial management, personnel policy, ICT and Housing. In addition, the Council promotes quality within the judicial system and advises on new legislation which has implications for the administration of justice. The Council also... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/10/09)


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