|
|
|
More Headline News
|
Mahinda believes Norway should not play two roles in peace process - JVP
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 1:02 AM SL Time
JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Wimal Weerawansa yesterday said President Mahinda Rajapakse believes that Norway cannot play two roles in the ceasefire, as the peace facilitator as well as ceasefire monitor. He feels that Norway should play only one role, and the ceasefire agreement needs to be amended.
Weerawansa, addressing a press conference at Parliament yesterday (7), said the JVP strongly condemned the killings of the 15 soldiers and several Muslims by the LTTE in the Eastern Province.
He said the LTTE had been killing soldiers and civilians from the very beginning of the ceasefire agreement signed by the LTTE and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in 2001. The US Government had strongly condemned the killing of seven soldiers a few days back but UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has so far not been able to name the LTTE as the party responsible for these killings, he said.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 108 )
Army Chief wants talks with LTTE
Wednesday, 7 December 2005 - 2:30 AM SL Time
New Army Commander Sarath Fonseka yesterday called for the immediate resumption of field level talks between the military and the LTTE to defuse tension following the two major attacks ' but he also vowed he would take every step to protect his troops and fight terrorism.
Addressing his first news conference after assuming command, Lt. Gen. Fonseka said he hoped there would be a field level meeting soon involving the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission also.
The new Army Chief said he had long years of experience in battle and was ready to face any terrorist activity.
'I have a lot of battle field experience with the LTTE and they won`t judge me as a weak man. I hope to be a challenge to any terrorist activity in the country. Indeed, I want to be a challenging person for them,' he said.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 96 )
Tigers cannot afford full scale war -- new Army Chief
Wednesday, 7 December 2005 - 2:15 AM SL Time
New Army Commander Lt. Gen Sarath Fonseka yesterday asserted that the LTTE does not have the capability to launch a full scale conventional war as they had been weakend considerably.
He said the strength of the LTTE hardcore members was around 4,000 to 5,000 while the rest were child soldiers and inexperienced cadres.
He said However, we have to strive for an honourable peace and that should be our ultimate goal. There is a need to re- establish contact with the LTTE hierarchy and I have directed the field commanders in the North to commence a dialogue with them as there is a communication breakdown right now he said`.
He said the Army was prepared to face any eventuality and one of his priorities would be to groom the Army to keep pace with other around the world. Explaining about the needs of the Army the Commander said `We have to re- structure and strengthen the force while changing the tactics adopted in warfare. We alsohave to enhance our technical knowledge. Another important factor is that we have to be equipped with modern weapon systems as most of what we possess now are obsolete weapons purchased around 20 years ago.` Responding to a question on whether the LTTE will take his appointment , as the Commander of the Army, as a formidable challenge, he said `Certainly, they will judge it on my capabilities in their past experiences with me on the battle field. I have not lost a single battle against them. The civil war in the North and the East has been taking a respite during the last three years after the CFA was signed. Our officers and men are not in a frame mind for war and training has to be stepped up,` he said.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 93 )
|
More Headline News
|
|
|
|
|
Politics
|
LTTE should condemn attacks; denials only, lack credibility
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 2:09 AM SL Time
UN Special Rapporteur for Extra Judicial Killings, Phillip Alston at a media briefing at his Hotel last night said that he told the Tiger rebels that simply denying their involvement in an attack was not acceptable unless they went ahead and also denounced the crimes and urged their supporters to refrain from engaging in such acts.
Calling his discussions with the LTTE in Kilinochchi 'robust', he said that he had informed the rebels 'Unless they begin to seriously denounce and condemn the attacks, such as the recent brutal attack on a Mosque in Akkaraipattu, their denials lack credibility,' the Special Rapporteur said.
Mr. Alston who left Sri Lanka late last night after a 10 day stay in the island said that LTTE political wing leader S.P. Tamilselvan had agreed during discussions with him earlier that day that it was time that the role of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission was expanded
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 6 )
UNP blames Govt. for present crisis
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 2:07 AM SL Time
The UNP lashed out at the government saying it has to be responsible for the present situation in the North and the East. However the party said it is committed to peace and would not take political advantage of the situation.
Addressing a press conference UNP general secretary Tissa. Attanayake said the government was in a mess not knowing what to do as the LTTE had gone on a rampage in the North during the past three days killing 14 soldiers.
'President Mahinda Rajapakse and the government have to be responsible for the present situation,' he said. He also lashed out at JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa and JHU MP Ven. Athureliye Ratana Thera for blaming the Ceasefire Agreement for the present situation.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 7 )
UNP extends its hand to President for peace
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 2:05 AM SL Time
The main opposition UNP yesterday expressed willingness to meet President Mahinda Rajapkse and discuss ways of extending its support to resolve the ethnic issue.
UNP frontliner G. L. Pieris, speaking during the debate on the President`s policy statement, said opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was keen to initiate a dialogue with the new president despite losing the November 17 polls.
'The UNP leader made this pledge before the polls and still stands by his commitment,' Prof. Peiris said stressing that the peace process could not be taken forward without third-party mediation.
'We have embarked on a new phase in the conflict. There is no point continuing in the same structure with the process. Several changes have taken place in the South while the mindset of the LTTE has also changed. The international focus on the ethnic conflict has also changed especially after the tsunami. The government must look at the success of peace initiatives around the world and use it as a guiding tool for Sri Lanka,' the former Constitutional Affairs Minister said.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial News
|
Kurakkan with a touch of wheat flour
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 1:08 AM SL Time
Former Finance Minister and UNP parliamentarian Ronnie de Mel`s pre election leap to the ruling camp has yielded intended results. However, his appointment as an economic advisor to President Mahinda Rajapakse is not totally a gesture of gratitude. Ronnie was the UNP`s Finance Minister, when Sri Lanka`s economy was prised open in 1977. His pro capitalist standing, which he makes no bones about, has endeared him to the business community, the chief beneficiary of his economic policies during the UNP regime. His presence is, no doubt, reassuring to the capitalist class, which looks askance at the economic policies of the new government.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 1 )
Where are the co-chairs?
Wednesday, 7 December 2005 - 2:28 AM SL Time
There is no end in sight to the LTTE using the CFA as a bludgeon to beat the security forces with. It has killed seven more soldiers in a mine blast in Jaffna on Tuesday. During the past few days it has accounted for fifteen soldiers and four civilians including a divisional secretary. They have become the sacrificial lamb on the altar of a ceasefire.
Nowhere else in the world would a sovereign state have tolerated such atrocities so subserviently. But, a prisoner of the donor community which is soft pedalling LTTE terror and using aid as a weapon, Sri Lanka cannot even defend herself. It looks as if the international community had mistaken Sri Lanka for a terror group and the LTTE a sovereign state.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 15 )
A peaceful war
Tuesday, 6 December 2005 - 2:20 AM SL Time
LTTE has responded to President Mahinda Rajapakse`s invitation to talk peace: It has killed seven soldiers on non combat duty in a mine blast and shot another soldier dead in a separate incident. It has also killed a Divisional Secretary in the East. These dastardly acts of cowardice as well as blatant ceasefire violations come within one week of the LTTE Leader, in his birthday speech, promising to wait `until next year` to see how the new government is going to handle the peace process.
The LTTE`s strategy is obvious. It doesn`t need a full blown war as, in a total war situation, it will be without the international safety net provided by the CFA, which allows it to unleash terror at present with impunity. A war will render its weakened eastern flank even more vulnerable and destroy whatever it has put in place by way of a `de facto separate state.`
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 10 )
|
|
|
|
|
| Security |
Jaffna security beefed up
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 2:04 AM SL Time
A special security blanket will come into effect in the Jaffna peninsula and the military is to take tough action against any terrorist acts in the peninsula, following a directive from President Mahinda Rajapakse, after violence claimed the lives of many soldiers in the region.
This decision was taken after an assessment tour in Jaffna on Tuesday evening by a top Colombo defence delegation comprising Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weerathunga, Chief of Defence Staff Daya Sandagiri, Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, Air Force Commander Donald Perera and IGP Chandra Fernando, .
Speaking to the Daily Mirror the Army Chief said special cordon and search operations are underway in the peninsula to track down the culprits.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 11 )
Order reserved in revision application of LTTEer
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 1:06 AM SL Time
The Supreme Court on December 6, 2005, reserved the order on the revision application filed by N. Sinharasa of the LTTE.
The revision application requested court to review an earlier Supreme Court judgement delivered in the year 2000, which affirmed the judgements of the Court of Appeal and the High Court which convicted Sinharasa of five counts, including the offences of attacking four army camps, and the conspiracy to over-throw the government. The High Court convicted Sinharasa of all the five counts, and sentenced him to ten years rigorous imprisonment on each count. Sinharasa then appealed to the Court of Appeal, seeking to set aside the conviction and the sentence. The Court of Appeal, dismissed the appeal. Subsequently Sinharasa appealed to the Supreme Court seeking to set a side the orders of the Court of Appeal and the High Court. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal and affirmed the conviction and the sentence in the year 2000.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Dissapointed female graduate commits suicide
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 1:05 AM SL Time
A computer technology graduate Dishani Thusharika of Bahirawakanda Road, Kandy disappointed over the delay of her marriage by one year has committed suicide by swallowing an over-dose of diabetes control pills.
This was disclosed at the inquiry into the death of the young woman by the Kandy city and Kandy hospital inquirer into sudden deaths Deshakeerthi Supun Mapalagama.
It was further revealed at the inquest that it was verbally decided to have the marriage in the year 2006 with her finance with whom she has an affair for about five years while being an undergraduate in the Colombo University.
At the tallying of the horoscopes of the couple the astrologer had pronounced that year 2006 was not suitable for the marriage and that it should be put off for the year 2007.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 20 )
|
|
|
|
|
Business / Economy News
|
Battle for Tourism top spot likely
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 1:04 AM SL Time
Speculation is rife of a major tussle for the top post at the Tourist Board. An influential group of tour operators is seeking to oust Udaya Nanayakkara, brother in law of Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike.
Well informed sources said that the group recently made its position clear to Bandaranaike. However, a major operator has declined to join the move against Nanayakkara. Among the names mentioned as likely replacements are former Keells chief Ken Balendra, Wijaya Malalasekera formerly of Ceylon Tobacco and former Cricket Board chief Ana Punchihewa.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Intel. Corp Chairman visits Isipatana College
Wednesday, 7 December 2005 - 2:25 AM SL Time
Chairman of the Board, Intel Corporation Craig R. Barrett is making a land mark visit to Isipathan College, Colombo 05 on 9th December at 1.30 p.m. to sign an agreement to train 100,000 teachers on International communication technology in Sri Lanka.
Under the Secondary Education Modernization Project of Ministry of Education, Information communication Technology has been given priority a concept of New Educational reforms.
On request of Minister of Education and the Secretary of the Ministry to Education, Intel Corp. Readily accepted to sponsor the Training of one Hundred thousand teachers in Sri Lanka.
Mr. Barrett who has observed the existing Intel based computer laboratories in Sri Lanka has selected Isipathan College computer laboratory to hand over the sponsorship package.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 4 )
Non-Tamil U`grads leave Jaffna
Wednesday, 7 December 2005 - 2:23 AM SL Time
Sinhalese and Muslim students, of the University of Jaffna, left the town yesterday (6) due to the prevailing security situation in the North. They will be appealing to the University Grants Commission find them places in other universities, police sources said.
Among the 46 students, who had left the campus and Jaffna, were 28 Sinhalese medical students and 18 Muslim students of the Arts Faculty. These Muslim students are from areas other than the north or east and an additional 30 Muslim students who are also not from the north or east, have requested the Dean of the Arts Faculty to leave the campus, for the same reasons.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 11 )
|
|
|
|
| Sports News
|
World Cup win worth $ 19.1m
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 1:09 AM SL Time
The winners of the 2006 World Cup in Germany will take home 24.5 million Swiss Francs (19.1 million dollars) in prize money, FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi revealed on Tuesday.
Holders Brazil, who defeated Germany 2-0 in the 2002 final, are the bookmakers favourites to hit the jackpot again in the Berlin final on July 9.
The runners-up will pick up 22.5 million Francs (17.2 million dollars) for their efforts while reaching the semi-final is worth 21.5 million (16.4 million dollars).
All of the 32 nations at the World Cup will receive six million Francs (4.4 million dollars) for their three group matches and an additional three million Francs (2.2 million dollars) for progressing into the last sixteen.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 5 )
Fernando hits ton as Lanka U-19 whip England
Thursday, 8 December 2005 - 1:07 AM SL Time
Hans Fernando hit an unbeaten century (119 off 106 balls) to guide Sri Lanka Under 19 to an easy 60-run victory over England Under 19 in their tri-nation match played at Fatullah Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Tuesday.
Aided by Fernando`s century which was laced with 15 fours, and a half century (56 off 80 balls) by opener Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka Under 19 made 281 for 6 from their 50 overs.
The Englishmen, who are undergoing a nightmarish outing having lost three matches previously, managed only 221. Opener Varun Chopra made 77, but it was not enough to pose any threat to the islanders who coasted to a comfortable victory. Sacithra Serasinghe bagged 4 for 53 while Rajeeva Weerasinghe chipped in with an impressive 3 for 22.
Sri Lanka U-19 281 for 6 (D. Karunaratne 56, H. Fernando 119 n.o, R.S. de Zoysa 31)
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Sri Lanka ready for tough battle against Pakistan
Wednesday, 7 December 2005 - 2:27 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka are poised for a strong battle as they prepared to take sweet revenge on hosts Pakistan in the first match of the 4th South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Gold Cup Championships here at the Karachi People`s Stadium today. The match will kick off at 6 p.m. local time just after the opening ceremony of the SAFF Gold Cup Championships which offers handsome prize money of US$ 50,000 for the winners.
In the previous edition of the regional championships Sri Lanka suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Pakistan after a closely contested battle.
The Sri Lankan national team led by Duddley Steinwall yesterday completed their final training session prior to the opening encounter.
`It`s going to be a tough game. Pakistan are a very strong side and specially with the home advantage it will be pretty hard to beat them,` team coach Sampath Perera said.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
|
|
