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LTTE plans two Heroes Day meetings in UK despite ban
Sunday, 20 November 2005 - 2:02 AM SL Time
Despite the LTTE being banned as a terrorist outfit in the United Kingdom, London-based LTTE theoretician Anton Balasinghan is expected to address the Tigers` Heroes Day celebrations on November 27 at the Alexandra Palace in London, Tamil sources said.
LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran`s annual heroes day speech will also be broadcast from the Vanni.
The Sunday Island learns that this year the celebrations will be held in two venues, one in Wembley Arena and the other at Alexandra Palace.
The LTTE, these sources said, have spent over One Hundred Fifty Thousand Sterling Pounds (`A3150,000/=) to hire these two halls.
As the LTTE remains banned in the UK, the reservation of the two venues were made by the British Tamil Association, a front organisation.
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D.M. Jayaratne new premier?
Sunday, 20 November 2005 - 2:00 AM SL Time
PA General Secretary and Agriculture and Lands Minister D.M. Jayaratne is strongly tipped to become the new prime minister in the Mahinda Rajapakse administration, a ministerial source said yesterday.
Political sources regarded Foreign Minister Anura Bandaranaike`s sidelining from the job for which he was nominated by the SLFP central committee when the then premier got the presidential ticket as inevitable given his obvious disinterest in the Rajapakse campaign and his overt hostility to the arrangements between the Rajapakse and the JVP.
Jayaratne who has publicly staked his claim for the prime ministry previously had once been promised the job by former President Kumaratunga but that was an undertaking she could not keep, this source said.
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Sri Lanka`s cabinet dissolved
Saturday, 19 November 2005 - 9:24 PM SL Time
Sri Lanka`s new President Mahinda Rajapakse today resigned from parliament as he assumed his new office leaving the entire cabinet dissolved.
Rajapakse, 60, sent his letter of resignation from parliament after addressing the nation as the fifth executive head of state following the November 17 election which he narrowly won.
With the resignation of Rajapakse from his post as Prime Minister the entire cabinet as well as ministry secretaries lose their jobs.
Rajapakse said he will appoint a new cabinet of ministers and name officials to head ministries shortly. He said he will also present a brand new budget to replace the one presented by president Chandrika Kumaratunga`s government 11 days ago.
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Politics
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Farewell ceremony for CBK on Wednes
Monday, 21 November 2005 - 2:54 AM SL Time
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga had directed her secretary, the three armed forces and the police some weeks ago to formulate a novel system of ceremonials to welcome the new President, Presidential Secretariat said yesterday.
Consequently it was planned to accord the newly elected President a ceremonial welcome with a guard of honour and a twenty-one gun salute. A farewell ceremony for the out going President and Commander-in-Chief was also planned and was due to be held after the installation of the new President.
These plans had to be somewhat amended as President Mahinda Rajapakse wished to take his oaths of office, soon after he was declared elected. In accordance with Mr. Rakapakse`s request Ms. Kumaratunga directed the relevant authorities to arrange for the planned ceremonial welcome within a short period of one day.
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Ranil, the most unfortunate political leader in Lankan history - SB
Monday, 21 November 2005 - 2:48 AM SL Time
Prisoner S.B. Dissanayake has blasted UNP party organizers for an inefficient campaign in this week`s presidential election.
`This campaign was disorganized from the beginning. I have told them to redesign the campaign but they were in a fantasy,` an angry SB told media reporters
He added that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe is the most unfortunate political leader in Sri Lankan history but gave a tough fight to his rival candidate at the November 17th election.
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Plum diplomatic post for ex-presidential secretary
Monday, 21 November 2005 - 2:38 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka has accepted Canada`s hotly disputed decision to reject former Polls Chief Chandrananda de Silva as Colombo`s High Commissioner to Ottawa. This was after the Kumaratunga administration failed to convince Canada to reverse its decision based on the provision of their Immigration Act of 2002.
But the government has taken advantage of this to propose another political appointee.
Former Presidential Secretary W. J. S. Karunaratne is tipped to be Sri Lanka`s High Commissioner to Canada. He was replaced by Lalith Weeratunga immediately after the swearing in of Mahinda Rajapakse as the fifth Executive President, on Saturday afternoon.
Karunaratne had been recommended by the then President Chandrika Kumaratunga after the Canadian government rejected her previous choice.
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Editorial News
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On the Kurahan road....
Monday, 21 November 2005 - 2:50 AM SL Time
Most addresses to the nation by leaders upon assumption of office are a mere extension of their platform rhetoric. They fail to break free from their stale slogans. But, on Saturday, newly elected President Mahinda Rajapakse`s speech had a marked difference. He exuded candour, sobriety, maturity and realism.
He began with the much vexed question of the North and East conflict and promised to bring about an honourable peace adding that he would initiate a new round of talks with all those who had stakes in the solution of the National Question. He promised to take steps to `accommodate due representation of the interests of both the North and the South in the talks` with the hitherto practised bilateral approach replaced with a multi-party approach. He reiterated his position that there should be direct talks with the LTTE. His declared intention to set up a special institution to handle rebuilding in the tsunami affected areas including the North and the East is suggestive of his desire to abandon Chandrika`s P-TOMS.
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Winners and losers
Sunday, 20 November 2005 - 2:06 AM SL Time
Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe`s no show at the Election Secretariat where Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse was declared elected Sri Lanka`s fifth Executive President did him no good among friends and foes alike. The common perception of this failure is that he is a bad loser, who having lost a contest he was desperately anxious to win lacked the character to do what winners and losers alike must do when the result is finally out. Wickremesinghe`s failure to turn up at the Rajagiriya election office, reminiscent of a similar failure by Hector Kobbekaduwa when he lost to J.R. Jayewardene in 1982, was a clear demonstration of both a lack of sportsmanship that is a requirement in politics as in other playing fields and a let down of the people who voted for him and, more importantly, party workers who laboured night and day to secure his election.
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The kurahan power and triumph of democracy
Saturday, 19 November 2005 - 1:51 AM SL Time
The Lion of Giruvapattu couldn`t have cherished any gift more than what he was given on his birthday yesterday. He, with decades of experience as a parliamentarian, minister, Leader of Opposition and Prime Minister, becomes the fifth executive president to rule this country. Congratulations!
Not only has he won the presidency but democracy has triumphed. Thursday`s election is being described as very peaceful. Sri Lanka is beginning to show signs of evolving into a mature democracy albeit with delay.
A human rights activist, lawyer and, above all, man of the people, Mahinda Rajapakse comes from a well known political family connected with the SLFP since its inception. The secret of his success has been his devotion to the party which his father co-founded with S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike. Mahinda inherited the famous kurahan saatakaya from his famous paternal uncle who tirelessly strove to popularise kurakkan of Ruhuna as a staple food. It has today become a symbol of the common man`s cause and is often mistaken for a socialist symbol because of its colour.
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LTTE to celebrate Heroes Day at Elephant Pass army camp site
Monday, 21 November 2005 - 2:53 AM SL Time
The LTTE will conduct its Heroes Day celebrations at the site of the former Elephant Pass Army camp on November 27, ten days after the group prevented hundreds of thousands of Tamils in the North and East from voting at the Presidential election.
The LTTE has erected a huge stage at the site of the former Army camp, which was once a stronghold of the Military in the North. The former Army camp has been cleared and cleaned up by the LTTE in preparation for its Heroes Day or `Marveerar Day` celebrations, and a giant LTTE flag has also been hoisted at the location. The setting has also been elaborately decorated with red and yellow LTTE flags and a monument to commemorate LTTE cadres killed in the April 2000 Elephant Pass attack has been constructed.
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LTTE expands satellite TV coverage to EU states
Monday, 21 November 2005 - 2:47 AM SL Time
Despite the recently introduced European Union restrictions on the Tigers, LTTE TV has planned to expand its international coverage.
The Paris based channel, aka National Television of Thamil Eelam (NTT), is believed to have concluded negotiations with Eurostar, a major European satellite services provider, in this regard. Under this agreement the daily telecast time would be increased to one and half hours effective next Friday, in time for the live broadcast of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran`s `Heroes Day` speech.
This comes amidst stepped up LTTE activity in EU countries in the backdrop of the hotly contested decision to place a visit ban on LTTE delegations from the northern and eastern provinces. The EU also warned that the group would be banned unless it adhered with the Oslo-brokered Cease-fire Agreement. The propaganda broadcasts cover both Asia and Europe. The Paris based Tamil Television Network relays the daily broadcast, originating from a secret location in the LTTE-held Vanni, to its audiences in Europe.
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CMEV calls for re-poll in North and East
Sunday, 20 November 2005 - 2:01 AM SL Time
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) has called upon Dayananda Dissanayake to use the powers vested in him as Commissioner of Elections to call for a re-poll of the north and east in order to ensure that a truly free and fair election of the Chief Executive of Sri Lanka has taken place.
Referring to Section 103(2) of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution that mandates the Commissioner to ensure the conduct of a free and fair poll, CMEV says in terms of the Presidential Elections Act of 1981 and the Elections (Special Provisions) Act of 1988, is especially so in circumstances which could affect the outcome of the elections.
`We draw your attention also to Article 21(2) of the Elections (Special Provisions Act, which refers to the need for a re-poll where due to an emergency or unforeseen circumstance the poll for the election of a District cannot be taken.`
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Business / Economy News
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Posing as police officers, cheated Japanese tourist to part with Rs. 40,000
Monday, 21 November 2005 - 2:57 AM SL Time
Five men who had induced a Japanese tourist to smoke a ganja cigarette and then posed off as police intelligence officers and forced him to part with Rs. 40,000 at Galle Face green, were granted surety bail in Rs. 25,000 each by Colombo Fort Magistrate.
The suspects T.M. Imtiaz, V. Jayamini, T. Razik, L.T. Athula Kumara and M. Sathyaseelan were produced by the Fort police on a complaint made by a onlooker. One suspect is a former army intelligence soldier, three suspects are tourist guides and a three wheel driver.
Police said when the Japanese tourist was relaxing at the Galle Face green one of the suspects had given a ganja cigarette to him. A few moments later three people had arrived in a three wheeler posing as police intelligence officers and tried to take him to the police station.
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If I quit it will be the downfall of the SLBC - Hudson
Monday, 21 November 2005 - 2:49 AM SL Time
`If I quit the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) today it will be the downfall of this age old institution and they will have to shut it`s doors soon` said the Chairman SLBC Hudson Samarasinghe. I would like to tell the new President Mahinda Rajapakse that they will not be able to find another person like me as I know every nook and corner of the SLBC he said adding that several private radio channels have invited me to join them with an attractive remuneration package.
He said I have worked under four Presidents of this country and I am not a person who danced to others tune and I have discharged my duties to the letter.
Several cronies flocked around President Chandrika Kumaratunga when she was in power, but now most of them have ditched her. There were thousands of people who claimed to be the followers of President Premadasa, however when the last rites were performed on the late President there wasn`t a single person to collect his ashes from the funeral pyre an outspoken Samarasinghe said
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Election jitters hit early
Sunday, 20 November 2005 - 2:05 AM SL Time
Market stayed low on Monday as election jitters hit hard and investors opted to stay on sidelines and watch the bigger political developments ahead over the week although there was strategic movement on specific counters. The picture did not improve, as in between holidays stumped the build of momentum. Asia Capital saw 9 million shares changing hands triggering the counter to rise to a day high of 16.75 while closing Monday on 16.50.
The indices closed the day marginally lower, nonetheless retail investors stayed on a hold mood optimistic of the political direction ahead.
Dramatic All time High Wednesday ahead of Polls
Wednesday saw the market make a dramatic comeback on the eve of the presidential polls. Both the indices recorded an all time high, up by 107 and 145 points on ASPI and MPI respectively. However heavy selling was apparent on some big blue chip counters such as JKH, DIAL and COMB. COMB closed the day on 172 after touching a high of 180.
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Trinity swimmers the best
Monday, 21 November 2005 - 2:51 AM SL Time
Swimming, according to Vladimir Salnikor, the Russian Swimmer who won four Olympic god medals and was the first to break the 15 minute barrier in the 1500m free style, is the ultimate test of skill and endurance. The Junior National Aquatic Championship held at the Sugathadasa swimming pool over the last weekend lived up to that definition. For three days the Trinity College swimmer Heshan Unambuwa braved heavy competition and showed immense skill and endurance to notch as many as three junior Sri Lanka meet records also clinching seven golds.
Trinity College, Kandy with 173 points topped the points table to clinch the overall championship while Royal College, Colombo (142 points) were the runners-up. Ananda College, Colombo settled in for the third place with 102 points. The Interim Committee of the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Association organized the meet.
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LTTE action belies ali-koti pact - UNP chairman
Monday, 21 November 2005 - 2:37 AM SL Time
Outgoing UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrema said that their candidate could have easily won if the Tamils were allowed to exercise their franchise at last Thursday`s presidential poll.
`We expected approximately 450,000 votes from the northern and eastern provinces,` he told The Island yesterday expressing disbelief the LTTE interfered with the election process.
Samarawickrema revealed that the party anticipated about 70 percent of the total number of votes polled by the LTTE proxy, Tamil National Alliance, at the last parliamentary elections.
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Sri Lanka ready to tackle big boys of rugby - Sajith
Sunday, 20 November 2005 - 2:07 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka rugby captain Sajith Mallikarachchi is confident the hard-fought 24-12 win gained over Kazakhstan through a combination of fierce tackling and solid place-kicking in a Rugby World Cup (RWC) Asian Zone Qualifier at Longden Place last Saturday could further goad his team to success in the sphere of international rugby.
`I am, delighted with this performance` he told reporters at a post-match press conference held at CR clubhouse.
Army SC goal-kicker T Ajith Silva kicked 14 points (a conversion, three penalty goals and a drop-goal) to fashion the home side`s triumph.
`Before the game we set out with the goal of winning by over a 10-point margin and in the end it turned out to be over 12 points`.
Mallikarachchi said that the performance given by his players in a physical game was `heartening` considering his team came unstuck in the first leg tie in Almaty (19-25) three weeks ago, and was pleased to see them taking their more formidable, tough forward pack head-on.
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