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JVP sticks to its guns ' June 16 deadline stands
Sunday, 12 June 2005 - 1:44 AM SL Time
The JVP does not accept President Chandrika Kumaratunga's pledge to the four chief prelates and will still leave the government on June 16 if there is no definite statement that the Joint Mechanism will be chucked out in its entirety.
`We don't accept her (Kumaratunga's) statement to the chief prelates,` said Wimal Weerawansa, JVP propaganda secretary. `It merely says that the Joint Mechanism won't be set up without discussion with the chief prelates. It doesn't mean anything. She may still sign the Joint Mechanism after talking to the monks.`
`The JVP wants a definite statement that the Joint Mechanism will not be implemented,` Weerawansa stresed. `If this does not come, we will leave the government on June 16.`
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Sri Lankan monk halts fast against tsunami aid deal with Tamil rebels after six days
Saturday, 11 June 2005 - 9:34 PM SL Time
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP):A senior Buddhist monk ended a six-day fast Saturday over government plans to share tsunami aid with Tamil Tiger rebels, after assurances that President Chandrika Kumaratunga would consult leading Buddhists.
Omalpe Sobitha had refused all food and liquids since Monday to pressure Kumaratunga to abandon a deal with the Tigers to share the distribution of billions of dollars in tsunami aid to Tamil-majority areas under rebel control. The rebels had complained that aid didn`t arrive fast enough following the devastating Dec. 26 tsunami.
Critics of the proposal have said it would help the rebels gain international recognition and help their cause of carving out a separate state in the northeast.
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Karuna group opposes JM
Saturday, 11 June 2005 - 4:00 AM SL Time
The Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal, political party led by LTTE breakaway group leader Karuna, has written to President Chandrika Kumaratunga that a Joint Mechanism with the Wanni leadership of LTTE, for post tsunami rehabilitation for the North and East, would not be in the interest of the people of the Eastern Province.
In the letter, addressed to the President by the Secretary of the party K.Suvami last Monday (6), the Karuna group said `The people in the Eastern Province had received nothing but gruesome handling of their aspirations and live in an atmosphere of their own. It is a well known fact that peace cannot be achieved by mere words or fabricated through forces (arms) as the Wanni leadership evidently believes. The truth still remains that the people in the Eastern
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Politics
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Lanka faces international rap over JM delay
Monday, 13 June 2005 - 2:57 AM SL Time
The Co-Chairs of the stalled Sri Lankan peace process are expected to reiterate their call for the implementation of the proposed Joint Mechanism aka the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) to facilitate an unprecedented aid sharing deal with the LTTE.
The US, the EU, Norway and Japan are scheduled to meet in Washington today to review the situation, particularly the crisis triggered by the mounting opposition to the arrangement dispensed by them and the international lending agencies.
Sri Lanka is not represented at the Washington meeting. US Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead had left for Washington to take part in the meeting well informed sources said.
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Now NBF launches death fast on JM
Sunday, 12 June 2005 - 1:48 AM SL Time
The National Bhikku Front launched a fast-unto-death against the signing of the Joint Mechanism (JM) opposite the Fort Railway Station yesterday morning shortly after Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Thera called off his four-day death fast in Kandy earlier in the day.
After stressing on the dangers lurking behind the JM in a 45-minute address, Ven. Dambara Amila Thera, President of the pro-JVP National Bhikku Front and a lecturer in History and Archaeology at the Sri Jayawardenapura University, began his fast-unto-death at 10 a.m. yesterday.
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War is not the only solution to country's conflict ' President
Saturday, 11 June 2005 - 4:01 AM SL Time
Solutions to conflicts could be found not only by war but also by dialogue without loss of lives, observed President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge at the Ranaviru Commemoration at the Maila Pitiya Ranaviru Park on Tuesday (9) night.
The event was organised by the Sri Lanka Ranaviru Authority.
President Kumaratunge who was the chief guest on the occasion told the gathering that her government was committed to find a solutions to Sri Lanka's major crisis without further loss of valuable lives of the youth of the country.
Sri Lanka sacrificed over 23,000 lives of young men and women in addition to throwing over 15,000 more youth disabled, the president noted.
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Editorial News
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23,000 killed, 15,000 disabled in conflict - President
Monday, 13 June 2005 - 3:02 AM SL Time
Solutions to conflicts could be found not only by war but by dialogue without loss of lives, observed President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge at the Ranaviru Commemoration at the Mailapitiya Ranaviru Party on Tuesday (7) night.
The event was organised by the Sri Lanka Ranaviru Authority.
President Kumaratunge who was chief guest on the occasion told the gathering that her government was committed to find a solution to the Sri Lanka's major crisis without further loss of valuable lives of the youth of the country.
Sri Lanka sacrificed over 23,000 lives of young men and women in addition to over 15,000 more youth disabled, the president noted.
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Tigers wage star wars in Canada
Monday, 13 June 2005 - 3:01 AM SL Time
Toronto, June 11 - After several unsuccessful attempts to stop a cultural program by S. V. Segar, a Tamil film star from South India, an LTTE front group in Toronto is asking Tamils to boycott the event scheduled for the week end. S.V. Segar is a popular comedy actor and had performed in Canada several times in the past, despite pro-LTTE groups attempts to stop him. Several LTTE front organizations in Toronto have called on Tamil residents, business owners, and the media to do everything possible to stop S. V. Segar from performing in Toronto. The 'Tamil Padaipaligal Kalagam', an LTTE front, has called on the Tamil media, (TV, radio and news papers) not to carry any advertisements about the event, and told all the businesses not to sell the tickets for the event.
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Do the right thing
Saturday, 11 June 2005 - 4:07 AM SL Time
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, by ignoring the calls of everyone to reveal the details about the Joint Mechanism, has not only upset her own coalition partner, but now even the Maha Sangha. At the very least, she has placed herself in a position of political incorrectness, especially after she had repeatedly accused UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe of doing the same in signing the much-maligned (especially by her) Ceasefire Agreement.
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| Security |
Woman found dead in hospital toilet
Monday, 13 June 2005 - 3:00 AM SL Time
In the backdrop of a case where a careless nurse cut an infant's finger, now comes one where a pregnant patient was found dead inside a toilet of the Negombo Base Hospital on Saturday. Health sources said negligence of the hospital staff may have caused the death.
A JMO inquiry into the mysterious death is underway, sources said.
Hospital workers, who found unconscious patient inside the hospital toilet, had informed the authorities and the patient was taken into the intensive care unit. But later the authorities had announced that both the mother and the unborn-child were dead.
Several hospital workers had already been questioned, by the Negombo hospital authorities, in connection with the mysterious death. The corpse was transferred from the Negombo to Ragama Hospital for the post mortem and JMO inquiry. The cause of death had not been ascertained as yet, Negombo Medical Superintendent, S.C.Wickramasingha said. She said that the patient had been warned not to move out of her bed without the assistance of hospital attendants. She said that death due to the carelessness on the part of the hospital employees could not be ruled out.
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Colombo port still under 'held cover status'
Monday, 13 June 2005 - 2:58 AM SL Time
Sri Lankan importers continue to pay high insurance premiums because even after the three-year cease-fire, the Colombo port is still under 'held cover status', says Noel Priyatilaka, chairman of the Sri Lanka Shipper's Council.
`We are still under 'held cover status' because we have not made use of the 'Container Security Initiative (CSI)' offered by the United States of America,` Priyatilaka said adding `We got top billing in the second phase and priority over India but we have not made use of this facility.
`We have been wrangling over tenders for the last two years.`
The CSI was established to increase the security of the world's maritime trading system, through strengthening customs cooperation at seaports. Sri Lanka and the US signed the Declaration of Principles for the US Container Security Initiative on June 25, 2003.
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Police torture leads to death of 53-year-old man - AHRC
Sunday, 12 June 2005 - 1:49 AM SL Time
The Hong Kong based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) last week charged that a 53-year-old man had died after being severely and repeatedly tortured while under police custody.
Police personnel from Weliweriya and Pitigala police stations had arrested Lelwala Gamage Nandiraja (53) on May 29, 2005, over allegations of theft. According to Ms. K. K. Weerawathie Gamage, the victim's sister, two police officers in uniform from Weliweriya police and four others in civvies, carrying guns and clubs, arrived at her house that night. They knocked on the door looking for Nandiraja. When asked, they said they had come to arrest him, it said in a statement.
`When told that Nandiraja was sleeping inside the room, they immediately entered it and started severely beating him. He was beaten several times all over his body. When Ms. Gamage pleaded with the police not to hurt her brother, they ignored her. Likewise, they did not respond when asked where they were taking Nandiraja or what the charges against him were`, AHRC said.
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Business / Economy News
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Tea sale average records growth in May
Monday, 13 June 2005 - 3:00 AM SL Time
Despite the lower trend in prices during the month of May, the total sale average of Rs. 175/88 shows a growth of Rs. 7/73 when compared with May 2004. The Low Growns which has recorded an average of Rs. 193/45 shows the largest growth of Rs. 13/08 when compared with the Rs 180/37 average during the same period last year. The Medium Grown average of Rs. 154/26 for the month of May 2005 shows a growth of Rs. 4/22 when compared with the same period last year., The High Grown average has remained almost static at Rs. 154/66 reflecting only a negligible increase of 0.24 cts when compared with the Rs. 154/42 average during the same period last year.
The healthy prices achieved during the 1st quarter has helped to maintain the cumulative averages for 2005 higher when compared with the averages of 2004. The total. sale average for the period January/May 2005 of Rs. 188/96 shows a substantial growth of Rs. 22/82 when compared with the Rs. 166/14 average during the same period last year. This has been largely due to tile year oil year growth of Rs. 30/39 from the low grown sector.
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Dettol partners Health Ministry to carry out projects
Monday, 13 June 2005 - 2:59 AM SL Time
Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Healthcare Nutrition and Uva Wellassa Development briefing the gathering on projects carried out by Reckitt Benckiser (Lanka) Limited (RBLL) in collaboration with the ministry. Left to Right Mr. Nael Ahmed - Country Manager of RBLL, Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage - Director General of Health Services, Nimal Siripala de Silva - Minister of Healthcare Nutrition and Uva Wellassa Development, Dr. Manil Fernando - Deputy Director General of Public Health Services.
Reckitt Benckiser (Lanka) Limited (RBLL), a leading marketer of household, health and personal care brands in Sri Lanka, along with its Dettol brand, recently launched two projects aimed at the well-being of mothers and children in the country, at a ceremony chaired by Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Healthcare Nutrition and Uva Wellassa Development.
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Keells Food turns around, optimistic for future with new products
Sunday, 12 June 2005 - 1:46 AM SL Time
Keells Food Products Limited (KFP) which has paid no dividends to its shareholders for the past several years has turned around posting its best ever performance in terms of both revenue and profitability in the year ended March 31, 2005 with a profit after-tax of Rs.28.4 million, nearly double the Rs.14.3 million earned a year earlier, on a gross revenue of Rs.1.16 billion, up 9% from the previous year.
The profit for the year translated to an earning per share of Rs. 5.68, up 98% from Rs. 2.87 the previous year.
The company's Chairman, Mr. Vivendra Lintotawela, said that KFP had reviewed its operating model and implemented a number of decisions to improve operating efficiencies including an overhaul of the company's distribution model and the merger of the distribution arm of the KFP group with its manufacturing entity.
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| Sports News
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Sri Lanka clinch women's doubles
Monday, 13 June 2005 - 2:58 AM SL Time
KATHMANDU, June 11 - Sumina Shrestha and Pooja Shrestha put up an unexpected show in the women`s doubles final of the Samsung Nepal Asian Satellite Badminton Championship 2005 but that was not enough to defeat Sri Lankan pair at the Covered Hall of Dashrath Stadium today.
After giving up the first game easily at 15-6, the Shrestha duo justified the top-seeding giving hard times to Renu Chandrika`A0de Silva and Thilini Jayasinghe in the second game. The match went into third game after Nepali pair won the game 15-13 despite trailing 5-0 at one time.
They looked like pulling out a splendid victory while leading the final game 5-2 but the Sri Lankans upped the ante thereafter. They won the third game 15-6 to seal the match. `We performed better than we thought,` Pooja said after the match. `But they changed their game in the final set and outplayed us.`
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Political intervention in sports a 'must' - Jeevan
Sunday, 12 June 2005 - 1:47 AM SL Time
Political intervention is a necessity for the development of sports in Sri Lanka, Sports Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga said in Parliament on Friday (June 10). This intervention would only serve to strengthen sports not only at a district level, but also in rural areas of the country, he added.
The minister was replying to UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake's proposition on preventing politicians holding positions in sports bodies during an adjourned private member's motion taken up. However, Kumaratunga, who rejected the motion brought in by Karunanayake, said political involvement in sports was a necessity today.
Deputy Minister for Tourism and Industrial Promotion, Arjuna Ranatunga opening the debate on the second day said politicians had played a key role in improving the game of cricket. Messrs J.R. Jayewardene, Gamini Dissanayake, Asoka Wadigamangawa and many other politicians were involved at different times in fostering and developing sport. `We were given the opportunity to play test matches (cricket) because of the untiring efforts made by a former Minister - Gamini Dissanayake,` he said.
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I am no womaniser ' Atapattu
Saturday, 11 June 2005 - 4:02 AM SL Time
Kiran Atapattu, the re-appointed manager of the Sri Lankan athletic squad up to next year's South Asian Games (SAG), Colombo, on Thursday, brushed aside the alleged charges of womanising and said they were `baseless.`
`I am an outspoken man who has exposed corruption that has taken place. Many don't like this simply because I have become a stumbling block to those people,` said Atapattu.
Atapattu, who came on to the athletic scene a year back when he was appointed manager of the Sri Lanka athletic squad until the 2005 SAG (Postponed until 2006 April due to the December 26 Tsunami disaster), is said to have developed a likeness towards women athletes.
`I am a chairman of a company and if I want to sleep with women I can get models. Why should I go for these poor girls' It's true that I spent money on these people. That's because they asked for help,` he said.
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