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Nagarkovil line: Army and SLMM see it differently
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:30 AM SL Time
Sharp differences seem to have arisen between the army and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) over reports that the LTTE had advanced its Forward Defence Line (FDL) at Nagarkovil, in violation the Cease Fire Agreement .
While the army insists there is evidence of the LTTE having brought forward its FDL, bordering government and LTTE territory in Nagarkovil, in the Jaffna peninsular, the SLMM says inquiries conducted at the location last Friday failed to substantiate that claim. Military spokesman Daya Ratnayke said troops on the border last weekend witnessed the LTTE clearing land inside government territory before advancing the FDL by placing barbed wire and poles.
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Government, LTTE talks mere speculation - Mangala Mahinda`s security increased
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:19 AM SL Time
Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday said the information that talks between the government and the LTTE would be held shortly was mere speculation.
Answering a question by The Island why the government and the President were giving in to the LTTE and Norway that want talks to commence a few days after the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, Samaraweera said, `The President and the Government are committed to a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Sri Lanka.
However, there is no confirmation of talks between the Government and the LTTE. It is mere speculation.`
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Forget peace talks, punish rebels: S.Lanka Marxists
Tuesday, 23 August 2005 - 10:20 PM SL Time
Over 2,500 hardline Marxists marched in the Sri Lankan capital on Tuesday calling on the government to ditch planned peace talks with Tamil Tigers rebels and to punish them instead for a rash of killings blamed on them.
The People`s Liberation Front (JVP), which defected from the government coalition over plans to share tsunami aid with the rebels, said it was time to get tough with Tigers -- who the government accuse of assassinating the island`s foreign minister this month.
`Unite to defeat the terror of the Tigers,` read one banner held aloft by protesters with a picture of slain Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, an ethnic Tamil who helped outlaw the Tigers in the United States and Britain.
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Politics
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UNP will form Govt. this year, says Wickremesinghe
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:31 AM SL Time
Opposition UNP leader and presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday his party would definitely form a government by the end of this year.
Addressing a meeting at party headquarters Sirikotha to mark the 40th anniversary of the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya branch of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Wickremesinghe said that after taking over government, the party would launch a full-scale development programme next year.
Lashing out at the government, he said the UPFA had come to office promising a 70 percent pay hike but the people were now saddled with a 70 percent hike in the cost of living.
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Tamilchelvan spills the beans
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:25 AM SL Time
Political head of the LTTE, S. P. Tamilchelvan had recently unconsciously spilled the beans and revealed who the Tigers target for extermination. Dismissing allegations that the LTTE had killed senior Tamil announcer Relangi Selvarajah and her husband Sinnadurai, he told a Tamil website that the LTTE targets only those who work seriously against them.
He is quoted to have said `We are very much shocked and disturbed over the allegation that we were responsible for these killings.
We have no necessity or need to get involved in such killings. We don`t think that these people worked against the Tamil Tigers seriously.`
In the same interview, despite the finger being pointed directly at the LTTE and evidence surfacing against them, he had denied the Tiger hand in the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and tried to circle round the issue by blaming others.
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Parties rally in support of Mahinda
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:21 AM SL Time
Political parties supportive of the government yesterday rallied round the SLFP presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapakse. The CP, MEP, LSSP, EPDP, NUA, DJP, SLMP, National Muslim Congress and the SLFP expressed their support for him at a special press conference in Colombo..
Minister and SLFP stalwart Mangala Samaraweera said all the parties were unanimous in their decision to support premier Rajapakse. Other parties, different groups and even some UNP big boys would also extend their support to Rajapakse in time to come and they would be introduced to the public shortly. `People, none could ever imagine would be joining us,` Samaraweera boasted.
He said the nomination of Rajapakse, as the next presidential candidate, by President Kumaratunga was done in a friendly manner. `The President proved her statesmanship through Mahinda`s nomination`.
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Editorial News
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Beware of feline wiles!
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:29 AM SL Time
A clear indication of the Tigers being in hot water is their offer to talk peace with a Sri Lankan government. There have been several instances where successive governments fell for Tiger wiles. In 1994, having lost most parts of the Eastern Province to the military, due to President Wijetunge`s war on terror, the LTTE made overtures to Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, who swallowed their bait hook, line and sinker. A ceasefire came into being and the LTTE got a breather. The LTTE had played the same trick on President Premadasa, while it was being hunted to its lair by the IPKF. All ceasefires and peace processes have stood the LTTE in good stead; it has always emerged stronger after every one of them.
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Will the UNP do it first?
Tuesday, 23 August 2005 - 4:40 AM SL Time
UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged President Chandrika Kumaratunga to resume talks with the Tigers immediately. He has offered to support her, if she could do so. The bane of this country is the two main parties being at each otherjugular perennially over all matters of national importance, be it negotiating peace or prosecuting war, save one thing'the appeasement of the LTTE.
Mr. Wickremesinghe has said that the UNP will support the President, as it sees the need for collaboration in spite of party differences, `when the country is being pushed to further chaos and another war`. However salutary his offer may be, the question is why he himself failed to resume talks after the LTTE walked away from the negotiating table, under his own government.
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Talks are good, but??.
Monday, 22 August 2005 - 4:46 AM SL Time
The LTTE suddenly agreeing to have high level talks with the Government on CFA could obviously be yet another attempt to buy enough time for everyone to forget its vicious ways in the face of world reaction to the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. This sudden change of heart is too good to be true as has often happened in the past.
This came certainly after the bit of arm- twisting in London. Just before Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and his deputy Vidar Helgesen met with LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham in London on Wednesday en route to Oslo after attending the state funeral in Colombo, Tiger Political Wing Leader S.P. Tamilselvan was very much adamant that there could be no discussion on CFA!
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| Security |
Impartial India better facilitator than pro LTTE Norway: EPDP
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:35 AM SL Time
India says it does not envisage a direct role in Sri Lanka`s peace process, despite some Tamil political parties saying that the powerful neighbor will be a better facilitator than Norway, if it would become involved.
The Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), an ally of the ruling alliance government, says India will be more effective in bringing permanent peace to Sri Lanka than the Norwegians, who EPDP leader Douglas Devananda claims is biased towards the LTTE.
However, a spokesman at the Indian High Commission told the Daily Mirror that, while India supports a peaceful resolution of the issue through negotiations, the High Commission does not see a direct role at this point.
'We usually do not comment on remarks by distinguished Sri Lankan political leaders, on the peace process, which India prefers to discuss with the Governments concerned. However, our stand has always been that we will support a peaceful, negotiated settlement that meets the just aspirations of all communities, within a united and democratic Sri Lanka` he said.
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Armed thug robs Railway salaries
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:23 AM SL Time
An armed man stormed into the Station Master`s office at the Wadduwa railway station yesterday and at gunpoint made off, with the salaries of the Way and Works department of the railway, amounting to approximately Rs780,000.
When The Island contacted the Wadduwa Station Master Sunil Palliyage, he recounted
the horrifying experience. He said the shroff, along with the security guards, arrived in the Matara bound express train with the pay bags around 8.13 a.m. and handed them over to him in his office.
When he was about to deposit the bags, containing the money, in the safe, he saw someone pointing an object at the station master - 2, O.P. Perera and holding him by his collar. `I wondered for a moment whether they were joking.I later realised that he was threatening the station master -2 to give him the bags containing the money mistaking that he had the safe keys.But when he realised where the money was the same man stormed into my office and demanded the pay bags at gun point. After taking the bags he made off with two accomplices on a motor cycle parked near the station,` he said.
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Tiger hunt in Colombo
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:22 AM SL Time
Investigations are being conducted to track down nearly 70 LTTE spies, hitmen and suicide bombers, who are said to have arrived in Colombo recently with specific instructions from the Wanni leadership to target high ranking political and defence personnel, Military sources said yesterday.
The tracking operation will be conducted in a manner so as not to inconvenience the general public, the source said adding that the Emergency regulations would be helpful in their investigations but the civil right of the public will not be infringed.
Intelligence sources revealed that among the group of spies are also two women suicide bombers. who have been assigned to assassinate Minister Douglas Devananda. The Tigers are said to have put a price of five million rupees on Devananda`s head.
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Business / Economy News
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CIMA President to visit Sri Lanka
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:35 AM SL Time
Ian Christison, President of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants ' UK will be visiting Sri Lanka from 31st August 2005. Ian Christison MSc FCMA FCCA FMAAT, based in Leicester, UK, has held several senior management roles within heavy engineering and chemical industries in Chesterfield and Sheffield and included senior roles in education and consultancy in Leicester. His expertise lies in developing management accounting and computerised business systems.During his stay in Sri Lanka, Ian will be speaking to the CIMA Members, Students and representatives of other professional bodies. He is due to visit Kandy and Matara to meet the CIMA students in those regions.
Ian will be the Chief Guest at the CIMA Convocation which will be held on 20th September at the BMICH.
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SLT plans strategies to counter CDMA based competition
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:28 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) is actively looking at strategies to counter the competition posed by Suntel and Lanka Bell through their CDMA roll-out, Lanka ORIX Securities reported. The counter attack may come through an expedited provision of telephones to SLT`s waiting list using available loops. However, it is likely that the two CDMA operators have attracted a fair chunk of the SLT`s considerable waiting list through their innovative advertising campaigns.
ORIX Securities said that they were of the opinion that FY 2005 would be a year of turnaround for SLT. There is a high probability that Mobitel may make a positive contribution to the bottom line. The bottom-line can range between Rupees 2.86 billion and Rupees 4.49 billion depending on whether there is a refund of the Levy during the year.
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India plans to curb Lankan Pepper imports
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:27 AM SL Time
The Indian Commerce Ministry is seriously considering to impose quantity restrictions or duty on import of pepper from Sri Lanka. Presently, under the FTA, Lankan Pepper is flooding the Indian market and has sparked protests from local businessmen.
In this regard, a high-level delegation is likely to visit Sri Lanka next month to discuss the issue, according to Indian Commerce Ministry. Large quantity of Sri Lankan pepper is being imported duty free to India by the county`s trade and industry. Trading sources said that given the current import trends an estimated 20,000 tonnes of Pepper of foreign origin is being currently imported to India.
During January-June 2005, 9,651 tonnes of black pepper was imported against 7,726.98 tonnes in the corresponding period in 2004 and 5,196.98 tonnes in 2003. A significant quantity of the imported pepper is feared to have entered the internal market, which in turn has depressed the domestic price, they alleged.
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| Sports News
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Royal, Visakha, Ananda win hockey titles
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:37 AM SL Time
A hat-trick by centre forward Imadh Dole gave Royal College a 3-0 win over S. Thomas` College in the final of the inaugural boys under nine Colombo Schools Hockey Committee tournament at the Astro turf on Monday. At half time, Royal led 2-0.
In the play-off for the third place, Sapuna Ravishka gave St. Joseph`s College a 1-0 win over D.S. Senanayake Vidyalaya.
In the final of the girls under 19 segment, a goal each by Sanchika Weerasinghe (centre half), Kanishka Withana (left inside), Dulmini Nanayakkara (right inside) and Lakmini Ishani (right extreme) enabled Visakha Vidyalaya to defeat Musaeus College by four goals to two. For Musaeus, centre Viragi Patikoralage scored both goals.
Yasodara BV beat Sirimavo BV 7-1 to take the loser`s final. For Yasodara Nadeesha Nishamalee, Samadi Nanayakkara and Sajeewani Niroshika scored two goals each, while Udenika Gunatilleke scored one. SBV`s goal was scored by Hasani Dayaratne.In the boys under 19 final, Ananda defeated Isipathana 2-1 after leading 1-0 at half time. In the play-off for the third place, a goal each by Dhanushka Perera, A. Abeynaike and Kiran Perera gave Nalanda a 3-0 win over St. Peter`s.
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Ananda and Vishakha retain Under-19 hockey titles
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 - 2:29 AM SL Time
Ananda College beat Isipatana College 2-1, in the Colombo District Schools Hockey Tournament final, to retain the Under-19 Hockey Championship title at the Astro Turf, on Monday.
Both Ananda and Isipatana reached the finals unbeaten and displayed some clever stick-work in front of a reasonable crowd at the Astro Turf.
Prabath Jayasooriya opened the account for Ananda netting the first goal to lead 1-0 at half time.
The second and the final goal for Ananda came off the stick of Chathura Nissanka after lemons. Isipatana`s Irshan scored a solitary goal in the second half but it proved futile as Ananda retaliated with some tough defence to keep Isipatana at bay.
In the Under-19 girls`s final, Kanishka Vithana, Sanchika Weerasinghe, Lakmini Ishani and Dulmini Nanayakkara who scored a goal each helped Vishakha beat Musaeus 4-2, to retain the title.
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President`s Gold Cup Volleyball finals today
Tuesday, 23 August 2005 - 4:48 AM SL Time
All island volleyball finals for the President`s Gold Cup will be held at the National Youth Services Council, Maharagama today from 3.30 p.m. onwards.
This tournament which is revived after a lapse of six years by the Volleyball Federation of Sri Lanka, has received the generous sponsorship by Dialog GSM that gives the national sport much needed glamour and prestige.
The tournament was held in three stages with 612 teams being involved.
This brought together nearly 5,000 players from all over the country, a grand job done to wake up the Federation from the six year slumber.
After all, this is the national sport and deserves to reach more people in this small nation.
To encourage more participation in the future, this tournament offers attractive cash prizes to winners and runners-up.
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