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LTTE planning major offensive against forces
Thursday, 22 December 2005 - 2:41 AM SL Time
Residents of Irupalai, in Jaffna, attacked and chased away two LTTE cadres, who were attempting to set a high powered claymore mine, targeting security forces yesterday afternoon, sources in the North said.
The LTTE cadres, who arrived on a motor bike, had tried to fix the bomb across the road used by the military personnel in their daily mobile patrols. The residents of Irupalai had opposed this and thereafter they had clashed with the LTTE men.
Unable to face the attack , the tigers had escaped with their bomb. Later, the villagers had informed the security forces of the incident. Subsequently, the troops had mounted a search operation in the area, sources said.
A senior military spokesman in Jaffna said that the LTTE had attempted to fix the bomb in the same area where they had blasted a similar mine on December 6 killing eight soldiers.
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Soldier killed in another attack on military vehicle
Thursday, 22 December 2005 - 1:48 AM SL Time
In what was described as the eight in a series of attacks during the past 24 hours, suspected LTTE cadres yesterday attacked a military vehicle at Kodikamam in Jaffna killing one soldier and injuring four including two officers.
Military sources said a group of soldiers including two Majors attached to the 14 Light Infantry in Jaffna, were travelling in a cab at Kachchai in Kodikamam, when they were ambushed by a suspected group of LTTE cadres who attacked with grenades and T-56 weapons.
While the injured military personnel were rushed to the Palaly hospital, a cordon and search operation was launched in the area to nab the attackers. Military Spokesman Nalin Witharanage said in a pre-dawn attack on the Ariyalai Forward Defence Lines (FDL), in Jaffna yesterday, one more soldier on duty was injured.
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Another clash in Jaffna as troops enter campus
Wednesday, 21 December 2005 - 4:08 AM SL Time
At least two policemen were injured when a group of Jaffna University students along with some other militant youth attacked a police jeep and tried to set it on fire yesterday in front of the Jaffna University, Police said.
They said that around 11.30 a.m. a group of Policemen had gone to the quarters of the University in a Jeep to hand over a document to one of the lecturers over a complaint against him.
Soon after the jeep entered the premises, a group of students and some other outsiders with clubs, chains and stones started attacking the vehicle and damaged it badly, police said. The attackers had tried to abduct the policemen and set fire to the jeep, forcing the police to open fire in the air, they said. Later the police riot squad and troops were called to the scene, to disperse the attackers and rescue the policemen, they said.
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Politics
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India-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Association launched
Friday, 23 December 2005 - 2:52 AM SL Time
The India-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Association was launched in Parliament yesterday.
An India-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group has been set up in New Delhi with 15 Members from the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Indian Parliament) and seven members from the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of the Indian Parliament), a press release said yesterday.
The establishment of these two groups reflects the belief of both India and Sri Lanka that one of the best ways to promote diplomatic relations between democracies is through dialogue between the law makers elected by the people. Legislators from both countries would now be able to have sustained and mutually beneficial interaction. Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara presided over the launch. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake was elected President of the Association while Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as one of the Vice-Presidents. Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle is the Treasurer of the Parliamentary Friendship Association.
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Govt should not use our peace offer for its own ends - UNP
Friday, 23 December 2005 - 2:45 AM SL Time
The United National Party has offered its total support to the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse in order to bring peace to Sri Lanka on the basis of an United country. This offer of support must be taken in the spirit in which it is given and should not be used by the government to gain various devious ends, said UNP Parliamentarian Dr. Jayalath Jayawardane at a media briefing held at the office of the leader of the opposition yesterday.
He said the UNP will never attempt to gain narrow political advantage or fish in troubled waters in the issue of peace, which is a national problem and has always been treated as such, whether the party was in government or not.
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Establish CC, SPA tells Mahinda
Thursday, 22 December 2005 - 3:01 AM SL Time
The Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka has called upon President Mahinda Rajapakse to establish the Constitutional Council to make recommendations to re-establish the Public Service Commission and the Police Commission and make further recommendations for the establishment of an Independent Commission for Elections as assured by the President in his acceptance speech.
The OPA`s letter to the President states that the re-establishment of the Independent Public Service Commission and the Police Commission is the need of the hour to strengthen the hands of the newly elected President.
Full text of the OPA letter: `We are confident that you would recall that the Organisation of Professional Associations was the pioneer Civil Society Organisation, that was responsible for the unanimous adoption of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka in establishing Independent Commissions in Sri Lanka.
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Editorial News
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The Rathagaaya syndrome
Friday, 23 December 2005 - 2:47 AM SL Time
Today, we carry a report that fifteen double cabs will be purchased for a forest resources management project under the Ministry of Environment. Purchase of vehicles either for the use of the government or NGOs is everyday news.
Many vehicles are said to be on their way for the post tsunami reconstruction projects as well. Are those vehicles really necessary and have those already given to tsunami rebuilding projects served the intended purpose' And where do these vehicles finally go' These questions need to be answered.
Apart from ad hoc projects, in the public sector as a whole, wasteful expenditure is usually incurred on vehicle purchases. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is said to be in bad shape, mostly because of the unsettled government dues accumulating at a rapid pace due to the increasing fuel bill of the government. More vehicles are going to aggravate an already bad situation. The JVP Unions, as our report says, have lambasted the CEB top brass for vehicle abuse. The so-called government servants are said to suffer from two chronic ailments'Ratha Gaaya and Telephomania (excessive desire for using vehicles and uncontrollable urge to abuse the telephone, respectively.) Another corrupt practice prevalent among drivers at state institutions also costs the government dearly; it is called Mala Kepeema (adopted from toddy tapping) or pilferage of petrol and diesel.
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Heed this appeal
Thursday, 22 December 2005 - 2:37 AM SL Time
Most people in this country are certain to wholeheartedly endorse JVP MP K.D. Lalkantha`s appeal to the ministers of this Government to voluntarily relinquish their positions, enabling the development programmes of the Government to be carried out. We hope that there will at least be a few among the ministers who will heed this appeal and act accordingly.
This, indeed, is an opportunity offered to show the honesty and genuineness of these politicians, who have avowedly come forward to serve the country and the people. Some, of course, will offer the usual excuse that the power and authority of office is necessary to offer their services effectively. It must be conceded that there is some validity in this claim, because today the state of the administrative services is such that most of those in these services have to be pushed and pulled by political heads to get them to perform their duties efficiently.
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Missing votes: Stop whining, act!
Wednesday, 21 December 2005 - 4:05 AM SL Time
UNP General Secretary N. V. K. K. Weragoda has told The Island that in the Colombo District alone, over 130,000 people failed to exercise their franchise at the recently concluded presidential election, as their names had been erroneously deleted from the electoral registers. In the other parts of the country excluding the North and the East, he says, over 400,000 people have been disenfranchised.
Such complaints abound at every election. But this time round, the situation appears to have taken a turn for the worse. Over 1.5 million Sri Lankan migrant workers have lost their voting rights as there is no system in place for them to cast their votes. All in all, Sri Lanka has been going to polls during the recent years without nearly two million voters. Besides, the LTTE-instigated boycott is also believed to have deprived about 300,000 people, under its jackboot, of their voting rights.
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| Security |
LTTE training Maoist leaders, Indian Rajya Sabha members concerned
Friday, 23 December 2005 - 2:55 AM SL Time
Several members of the Rajya Sabha have expressed serious concern over the disclosure by Maoist leaders claiming they were trained by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Raising the matter on Wednesday Anand Sharma of the Congress urged the government to verify the statement made by the Maoist leaders at a heavily guarded press conference and to take serious note of the LTTE`s role in training the members of the extremist outfit CPI - Maoists.
Dr. Chandan Mitra of the Samajawadi Party, S.S. Ahluwalia of the BJP, and Mangni Lal Mandal of the RJD spoke on the issue supporting Anand Sharma.
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Chief Jailer appeals to Court against Prisons chief`s action
Friday, 23 December 2005 - 2:45 AM SL Time
The Chief Jailer of the Negombo Prison, Senarath Senanayake, has complained to the Court of Appeal that, the Commissioner General of Prisons had transferred him from Negombo, on December 6, 2005, consequent to the petitioner getting himself hospitalised on November 16, 2005, since he developed a chest pain and a headache.
The petitioner had delegated his official duties to his deputy, prior to getting admitted to the hospital.
The transfer order had alleged that the petitioner had absconded duty and had not reported to the Headquarters in response to an order by the Commissioner General. The petitioner denied these allegations. He said he had medical reports which proved that he had diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
The petition said he is a staff grade officer and could be transferred only by the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and not by the Commissioner General of Prisons. The petitioner had been transferred to Welikada subject to approval by the Secretary Justice Ministry. The petition said the transfer order was mala-fide and requested the Court to quash it by a Writ of Certiorari.
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Tigers ambush navy patrol off Mannar
Friday, 23 December 2005 - 2:44 AM SL Time
The LTTE attacked two navy fibre glass dinghies off Pallimunai, Mannar yesterday morning triggering speculation that the latest attack may lead to bigger confrontations out at sea.
`They took away three of our personnel and we presume they have been killed,` Navy Headquarters spokesperson Commodore Jayantha Perera told The Island. According to him, a small group of heavily armed Sea Tigers mounted the attack using fishermen as a human shield. Attackers also seized a dinghy but it was later found abandoned.
The attack comes in the backdrop of co-chairs to the Tokyo Donor Conference warning the LTTE against continuing violence. The co-chairs-US, EU, Norway and Japan demanded an immediate end to LTTE attacks following a meeting in Brussels on Monday, the first gathering since India urged EU to proscribe the LTTE.
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Business / Economy News
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Pramuka to be reopened as State bank
Friday, 23 December 2005 - 2:53 AM SL Time
Pramuka Bank which was set to be liquidated will be reopened as a state bank before January 31, 2006 after acquiring its assets and responsibilities to the Central Bank, State Banks Development Minister Wijedasa Rajapakse told Parliament yesterday.
He said the Government has taken this decision to keep the public confidence on the bank system which considered as the backbone of country`s is economy.
The Government is of the opinion that if erosion of public confidence on the bank system will make negative effect.
`That is why the Government took this decision to reopen the Pramuka Bank as a State bank.
Minister Wijedasa Rajapakse made these remarks responding to a question raised by Jathika Hela Urumaya Parliamentary Group Leader Ven. Athuraliye Ratana Thera, on the liquidation of Pramuka Bank.
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Over 9 million Dialogs traded at Rs. 17
Friday, 23 December 2005 - 2:46 AM SL Time
Bad news from the North sent the Colombo bourse tumbling with the All Share Price Index losing 43.90 points and the Milanka 70.290 points on a turnover of Rs.619.1 million, down from the previous day`s Rs.632.4 million.
`At least the turnover was decent with a little bit of buying by people looking for bargains,`` one broker said.
``The All Share is only 37 points above the 2,000 floor,`` warned another broker. ``If it breaks that psychological barrier the plunge could be sharper. We should know tomorrow when the picture in the north becomes clearer``
Much of yesterday`s turnover was accounted for by 9.2 million Dialog which closed flat at Rs.17 on the VWA after trading at prices of beteweenRs.16.75 and Rs.17.25.
Most of the Dialog sales were by foreign shareholders with local buying. Some of the local buying was believed to be institutional although there was no confirmation.
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Life time exam ban for 15 officials and eight students
Thursday, 22 December 2005 - 1:54 AM SL Time
The department of Examination has decided to conduct inquiries into GCE (OL) examination malpractices allegedly committed by 15 officials and eight students.
Commissioner General of Examination Anura Edirisinghe said that a life-time exam duty ban would be imposed on five of these officials. The Department will impose a life-time exam ban on four of the students.
The other officials have allegedly failed to follow the instructions and guidelines set by the Department. The exam supervisor`s assistant supervisors and some invigilators are among those allegedly involved in exam malpractices.
The Ordinary Level Examination is presently being conducted through out the country. It will be concluded tomorrow. The Examination Department is planning to release results by the end of March next year.
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| Sports News
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Harbhajan and Kumble spin India to big victory
Friday, 23 December 2005 - 2:47 AM SL Time
Harbhajan Singh finished with 10 wickets as India thrashed Sri Lanka by 259 runs in the third Test Thursday to clinch the series 2-0.
The wily off-spinner finished the match with 10-141 as Sri Lanka, chasing an improbable 509-run target, were bowled out for 249 in their second innings after resuming at 235-6.
This was Harbhajan`s fourth haul of 10 or more wickets in a Test.
The series win lifted India to second place behind Australia in the International Cricket Council`s official world rankings.
The hosts needed just 7.3 overs to seal the win, with Harbhajan and leg-spinner Anil Kumble claiming two wickets apiece in the morning session of the fifth and final day here.
Kumble, who took three wickets on Wednesday, finished with 5-89 for his 31st haul of five or more scalps in a Test innings in 100 matches.
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Arnold, Jayasuriya return to squad
Thursday, 22 December 2005 - 2:35 AM SL Time
Sanath Jayasuriya and Russel Arnold have been named in a 16-member squad for a forthcoming one-day series in New Zealand and a subsequent triangular cricket series in Australia which also features South Africa.
Jayasuriya, who was dumped for loss of form after a poor one-day series in India, has been recalled after some prolific performances in the domestic scene while Arnold whose exclusion for the test series in India was disputed by analysts, has retained his place in the one-day squad.
The selectors have also recalled left arm paceman Ruchira Perera in place of Nuwan Zoysa.
Also out from the squad currently in India is batsman Thilan Samaraweera while Upul Chandana has not been able to retain his place after a downgrading show in India.
Sri Lanka plays four one-dayers in New Zealand from December 30 to January 8 and then move on to Australia for an eight-match triangular series which starts on January 13.
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Final test for Lankan batsmen
Wednesday, 21 December 2005 - 4:06 AM SL Time
India virtually knocked Sri Lanka out of the third and final Test and the series on Tuesday after a seven-wicket haul by Harbhajan Singh and a blistering half-century from Yuvraj Singh.
The hosts were 287-9 in their second innings at stumps on the third day for an overall lead of 479 -- meaning Sri Lanka must chase the highest-ever total in the fourth innings to win a Test.
Only three teams -- the West Indies (418-7 v Australia in 2003), India (406-4 v the West Indies in 1976) and Australia (404-3 v England in 1948) -- have successfully chased more than 400 in the fourth innings.
India lead 1-0 in the series following their 188-run victory in the second Test at Delhi. The rain-hit opening Test at Chennai was drawn.
India set the stage for victory when they bundled Sri Lanka out for 206 in reply to their own first-innings 398, thanks to off-spinner Harbhajan`s 7-62 -- his 17th haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings.
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