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Sri Lankan youth say world slowly forgetting tsunami tragedy
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 5:47 AM SL Time
Wearing jeans and white T-shirts bearing the words `Let`s piece together the future of Sri Lanka` and holding banners reading `Let`s build one Sri Lanka`, they marched from the city`s Hyde Park to the Independence Square public park, collecting funds along the way for tsunami victims.
`We feel that the spirit behind the relief work for the tsunami victims is dying as Sri Lanka and the world is slowly forgetting the tragedy,` said Aashiq Aminuddin, organiser of the march and a student from the Sri Lankan wing of the Malaysia-based Asia-Pacific Institute of Information Technology.
`Our march today is an attempt to keep that spirit alive and tell the world not to forget what we have suffered. The victims need us for a long time.`
Nearly 31,000 people died in the December 26 tsunami tragedy that devastated three quarters of Sri Lanka`s coastline and almost half a million are still homeless.
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Why won't India show her hand'
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 3:06 AM SL Time
Celebrations by the LTTE at reports that a requiem mass may soon be held and a ' 'Pansakula' also given for the aborted foetus of the Defence Cooperation Agreement, has provoked me into writing this article.
It would be recalled that after President Kumaratunge came into office her government restored the relationship with India which had sunk to an unprecedented low during the administrations of Presidents Jayawardene and Premadasa. Prime Minister Wickremasinghe had the good sense to continue and build on the work done by President Kumaratunge and Minister Kadirgamar. For the first time since Independence we saw a continuity of policy after a change of government. In this effort he was ably assisted PUSHING FOR THE DEFENCE COOPERATION AGREEMENT by Minister Moragoda. It was they that took the initiative to suggest a formal defence relationship and suggested that we enter into a Defence Cooperation Agreement as a part of the security umbrella which they sought to unfold as a part of and to protect the peace process.
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Indo-Lanka Defence Agreement talks in Colombo'
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 3:03 AM SL Time
A high level Indian defence delegation is in Colombo for talks which some sources said are likely to focus on the proposed Indo-Lanka Defence Agreement proposed by the previous government.
The delegation arrived last week for what appeared to be hurriedly arranged consultations with defence and foreign ministry officials but a senior Indian diplomat denied any knowledge of the visit saying `I have absolutely no idea (about it).`
The delegation is believed to have had a meeting at the president's office late last week. The visit comes as Indo-Lanka relations enter a new phase with the giant neighbour playing a pivotal role in the ongoing tsunami relief efforts.
The Indian navy recently conducted hydrographic surveys of the seabed of the Colombo and Galle harbours. Underscoring the importance of growing Indo-Lanka relations, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar recently visited INS Sulston that conducted the survey.
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Politics
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Speaker says SB's fate not in his hands
Monday, 7 February 2005 - 12:01 AM SL Time
Speaker W. J. M Lokubandara insists that S.B.Dissanayake's political future is not in his hands. The veteran politician emphasized that he would not decide on Dissanayake's Parliamentary membership. `Don't come to wrong conclusions. That wouldn't be my prerogative,` Lokubandara said on Saturday, in response to our queries.
He is of the opinion that they should await the outcome of Dissanayake recent plea to the Court of Appeal. He didn't elaborate.
Dissanayake, in a petition in the first week of January, had indicated that he would shortly appeal to the Supreme Court to revise the judgement of December 7, 2004, whereby he was convicted of contempt of Court and sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment. He had sought Court of Appeal's intervention to bar Secretary General of Parliament Mrs. Priyani Wijeskera from requesting Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake to replace him.
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Lankan Parliament to debate Tsunami disaster
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 5:48 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka`s Parliament will on Tuesday debate the tsunami disaster that hit the country leaving more than 30,000 dead, officials said.
The decision was taken at a meeting of parliamentary party leaders chaired by Speaker WMJ Lokubandara, they said.
The two-day debate will commence with a statement by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse.
Political analysts said that they expected a heated debate and arguments between legislators from both sides after newspapers this week reported accusations and counter-accusations between the government and the main opposition party over the tsunami.
Government ministers have accused Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and his senior party men of trying to sabotage the foreign aid flows by alleging that the government cannot handle the relief effort.
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Colombo dragging feet on joint mechanism, says Thamilchelvan
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 3:09 AM SL Time
`GOSL is increasingly demonstrating its unwillingness to work with the LTTE in rebuilding the devastated areas. GOSL`s proposals for a joint mechanism are, in our opinion, impractical and are not worthy of our consideration,` Mr.Thamilchelvan said.
`We have submitted several suggestions and proposals through Norwegian facilitators to the GOSL. We feel that GOSL is not sincere in creating a situation that would enable us to move forward. We are not satisfied with the proposals put forward by the GOSL in this regard,` Mr.Thamilchelvan said.
`We categorically deny all allegations and propaganda by the GOSL that we are recruiting forcibly children affected by tsunami,` said Mr.Thamilchelvan.
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Editorial News
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Yet another anniversary
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 11:21 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka celebrated its 57th anniversary of independence last Friday. Though it was held on a low key albeit with military parades and evening fireworks, there was no dearth of customary resolutions, pledges and calls to the nation.
Anniversaries like birthdays are occasions for new resolutions. Every year you resolve to do things that you failed earlier. Having heard the same resolutions, same pledges and same promises year after year one is a little sceptical now. One wonders whether there is anything beyond the sweet and soothing voices, fine phraseology and loud rhetoric in these anniversary resolutions.
It has to be admitted that despite the lapse of 57 years we have failed to weld a unified society. The social fabric has been torn asunder by ethnic strife and politico-economic injustice.
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Tsunami, the God and the Law of Kamma
Saturday, 5 February 2005 - 2:06 AM SL Time
According to quantum mechanics, the universe evolves to a rigorous and precise mathematical formalism, but this framework determines only the probability that any particular future will happen - not which future will actually ensue. Many find this conclusion troubling or even downright unacceptable.
Einstien was one. In one of physic's most time-honourd utterances Albert Einstien admonished the quantum stalwarts that 'God does not play dice with the universe'. But experiments carried out have convincingly confirmed that Einstien was wrong. Thus the world renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking said, `on this point Einstien was confused, not quantum theory`.
God is the embodiment of love and righteousness. In the famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ preached nothing but righteousness and boundless compassion and generosity. Isn't it then incompatible with such teachings that the God had acted ruthlessly and in a wicked manner in sending the ferocious tsunami waves. He has indiscriminately punished the innocent, and the wicked alike. These include the breast feeding infants, young children, women, the old and the feeble.
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Protest at Sri Lanka tsunami aid
Friday, 4 February 2005 - 9:41 PM SL Time
Some 400 people demonstrated in the town of Matara. The government has admitted aid has reached only about 30% of nearly a million people who need it.
Three officials have now been suspended for mishandling aid. The tsunami killed nearly 31,000 people in Sri Lanka.
Independence Day ceremonies were toned down on Friday as a mark of respect.
Investigations
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Police said the protest in Matara was noisy but peaceful.
One local officer told AFP: `They were shouting slogans against corrupt officials. They are angry because they have been overlooked or aid is slow in reaching them.`
One aid official in Matara was suspended for allegedly being drunk.
Another two in Galle were suspended for allegedly channelling aid to friends unaffected by the disaster.
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| Security |
Red light on `porn`
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 11:18 AM SL Time
It was noon time and the sun was scorchingly hot. The sweltering heat did not deter people going about their business in the dusty and congested streets of Pettah. Some were in a mighty hurry scurrying off some places while others, mostly young men and school children were nonchalantly perusing magazines and tabloids on display at a news stand in Pettah.
While all this was happening five policemen in civvies were hanging around near a boutique near the central bus stand. They kept an eye on a news stand close by. In fact the police hierarchy had received several petitions regarding the sale of obscene tabloids at news stands in Pettah area. Persons interested in vulgar tabloids can purchase them from news stands. Several such tabloids and magazines have sprung up in our news stands during the past few years.
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Black Tigers take to the skies
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 3:05 AM SL Time
The two unidentified aircraft that were detected by the Sri Lanka Air Force over Kilinochchi recently were on training flights for Black Tigers of the LTTE to learn how to fly, sources in the Wanni said.
The first flights by Black Tigers had been about five years ago, with the LTTE training a few Black Tigers on how to fly light aircraft, sources said. But the Air Tiger Wing's operations had not been significant up to now, due to a lack of aircraft.
However, the Sri Lanka Air Force has now confirmed that the LTTE had obtained at least two aircraft during the ceasefire, which were sighted by the SLAF's drone spyplanes over Kilinochchi. Satellite images also clearly show that the LTTE has rebuilt and extended its old airstrip at Iranamadu.
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Tigers free 23 child soldiers
Saturday, 5 February 2005 - 2:30 AM SL Time
The LTTE said yesterday they were freeing 23 child soldiers after allegations they recruited at least 40 underage combatants since the island was battered by tsunamis.
The LTTE said the 23 children were handed over to the North East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR) on Thursday to be reunited with their parents.
`In a process of identifying underage kids among those volunteered for enlistment with the LTTE... 23 such children were handed over to the NESOHR chairperson Rev. Fr. M.X. Karunaratnam,` the Tigers said in a statement.
The release came a week after the United Nations children`s fund accused Tigers of recruiting at least 40 child soldiers since tsunamis devastated Sri Lanka`s coastlines and killed nearly 31,000 people on December 26.
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Business / Economy News
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Sweet success of Ceylon Chocolates
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 11:20 AM SL Time
This article on Ceylon Chocolates Ltd was highlighted in the December issue of the world famous confectionery magazine Kennedy`s Confection which has a readership of over 43,000. The magazine was established in 1890.
Ceylon Chocolates Ltd was established in 1962, initially producing a range of moulded chocolates under the Kandos brand name. The production process has since been modernised. Within a short period, Kandos became the market leader for chocolate confectionery with over 60 per cent of the Sri Lankan market. Kandos Chocolates are produced in Kandy. This has a cool climate and is ideally situated to receive cocoa beans from surrounding areas.
All Kandos products are manufactured from 100 per cent cocoa butter and the chocolate is produced from the first variety of cocoa to be introduced, known as Criollo. Smooth milk chocolate is popular throughout Sri Lanka.
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Kenya breaks Lankan record
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 11:19 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka`s exports of tea for 2004 was an all-time-high of 300 million kilograms but Kenya set up a new world mark exporting 333 million kilos during the year. The previous world record of 298 million kilos for exports of tea by a single country was set by Sri Lanka in 2003.
Kenya has played second fiddle to Sri Lanka in export volumes of tea during the past 20 years, except in 1995 and 1996. India is third in exports of tea volumewise. Colombo`s tea trade said that Kenya is subject to great variation of weather while bearing a high potential for achieving record crops if the weather remains conducive. Kenya is a new entrant to tea compared with Sri Lanka whose industry goes back over 135 years.
Most of Kenya`s tea bushes are clones while a large part of Sri Lanka`s tea bushes are very old.
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Fuel prices to remain high
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 11:17 AM SL Time
Benefit of declining petroleum prices in the international market is not likely to be passed on to the consumers with apparently stable value of US dollar against the rupee, the Ministry of Power and Energy announced.
`Unless the Dollar devalues against the rupee further, it is doubtful that we would be able to bring down the prices of petroleum products in the near future,` a spokesperson for the Ministry said. However he pointed out it is unlikely that the dollar will go down further in the near future as the government has to take other factors into consideration before bringing down the dollar.
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| Sports News
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ICC accepts 15-degree proposal
Sunday, 6 February 2005 - 11:28 AM SL Time
The International Cricket Council's Chief Executives' Committee has approved proposals aimed at ending the malaise over illegal bowling actions. Under the new proposals, the tolerance limit - for straightening of the arm - for all bowlers will be set at 15 degrees, which studies have shown is when the naked eye can make out excessive straightening. The changes were suggested by an expert panel chaired by Sunil Gavaskar, the former Indian opening batsman, and the changes will come into effect from March 1, 2005.
There will be increased commitment to working with the problem at the junior level, and changes in the testing, analysis and review procedures currently being employed. The new regulations will be based on the findings of the ICC's research programme which discovered that most bowlers are likely to straighten their arm to a level undetectable by the naked eye during the bowling action.
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Cricket committee to propose ODI rules
Saturday, 5 February 2005 - 2:20 AM SL Time
Sunil Gavaskar leads a committee that has proposed radical changes to one-day internationals © Getty Images
A radical set of rules to revamp the one-day game will be considered by the International Cricket Council, which began a meeting in Melbourne yesterday. The ICC Cricket Committee, headed by Sunil Gavaskar, recommended the rules ' which came under public scrutiny ' to boost the flagging profile of one-day internationals, which many claim have become predictable in nature.
Gavaskar mentioned two of the proposed changes that would be made to the ICC: `We`ve looked at a double-play situation, where if a batsman`s been given out lbw and the ball ricochets off to gully and the fielder picks it up and throws it at the non-striker`s end, so you have two dismissals off one ball,` he said to The Melbourne Age. `Same if the ball`s gone up in the air.`
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Warne keeps tsunami vow
Saturday, 5 February 2005 - 2:11 AM SL Time
Shane Warne has kept his promise and will make a flying visit to tsunami-ravaged Sri Lanka next week.
Warne will accompany Sri Lankan superstar Muthiah Muralidaran on a four-day visit mostly to the worst hit areas in Galle, south of Colombo.
The world's leading test wicket-taker says it is the least he can do for the cricket-mad community of Galle, which holds a special place in his heart.
`Sri Lanka was my first overseas tour in 1992 and to this day ranks as the best tour I have been involved with as an Australian player,` he said. `I have a real connection with the place and the people.
`Galle is the scene of one of the highlights of my career ' taking my 500th Test scalp there ' and to see what has happened to the ground but more importantly the people is devastating.`
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