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Sri Lankan PM gets JVP support
Thursday, 8 September 2005 - 10:49 PM SL Time
Sri Lankan Prime Minister - and presidential election candidate - Mahinda Rajapakse has signed a deal with the Sinhala nationalist JVP.
The pre-poll deal includes a commitment to retain a unitary state in Sri Lanka, redraft a ceasefire with Tamil Tigers and to stop privatisation.
In return the JVP, who pulled out of the government this year complaining about concessions to the Tigers, will support Mr Rajapakse`s election bid.
Elections are due by the end of 2005.
`It is agreed to protect, defend and preserve the unitary nature of the Sri Lankan state under any solution to be presented, formed or formulated for the purpose of the resolution of the national question,` the agreement states.
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Truce talks grounded as rebels reject venue
Thursday, 8 September 2005 - 10:47 PM SL Time
Sri Lanka`s Tamil Tiger rebels on Thursday rejected plans to hold talks aimed at preserving a strained truce at the island`s international airport, in a fresh blow to efforts to break a weeks-long deadlock.
Peace broker Norway suggested the venue on Wednesday as a compromise between the rebels and the government, who are locked in a standoff over a rash of killings amid a silent war raging in the island`s restive east that each blame on the other.
`(The) international airport cannot be a venue for meaningful political discussions,` S.P. Thamilselvan, head of the rebels` political wing, was quoted as saying by official Tiger Web site www.ltteps.org.
`Parties to the ceasefire agreement have not been meeting for quite some time ... resulting in frustration and a political vacuum which necessitates a common venue equally comfortable for both the parties,` he added.
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Norway doing a good job, we will not replace them - Annan`s Special Envoy
Thursday, 8 September 2005 - 2:06 AM SL Time
The United Nations has no intention of replacing Norway as facilitators of Sri Lanka`s peace process, said a visiting special envoy of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday.
`There`s no question of that,` said Lakhdar Brahimi, Annan`s special adviser on prevention and resolution of conflict. `Nobody has asked, we have not offered, we`re not looking for a job and nobody`s offering it as a job.`
Asked specifically whether the UN proposed to broaden its role in Sri Lanka, Brahimi replied: `No, not at this stage.` He staunchly refused to commit on whether this possibility was even being considered.
`As far as I`m concerned, it stops there,` he asserted. `I presume we will certainly keep in touch with the parties here, with the Norwegians and all the parties that have an interest and an influence in Sri Lanka and an interest in seeing peace established in this country.`
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Politics
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UNP wants COPE headremoved
Saturday, 10 September 2005 - 2:31 AM SL Time
The UNP has requested Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara to remove former UNP MP and now UPFA Minister Rohitha Bogollagama from the chairmanship of the parliamentary watchdog on public enterprises'COPE.
The party`s Parliamentary group that met on Wednesday had decided that Bogollagama, appointed COPE Chairman, when he was member of the UNP, was not in a position to hold that post after his defection, a letter addressed to the Speaker and signed by the Chief Opposition Whip Mahinda Samarasinghe, said.
The letter said: `When the UNP came to power in 2001, the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in accordance with Parliamentary traditions decided to hand over the chairmanships of the two most important Parliamentary committees to the Opposition. The incumbent government too followed the same traditions when it came to power in 2004.
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President grants appointments to teachers
Friday, 9 September 2005 - 5:03 AM SL Time
President Chandrika Kumaratunga granted appointment letters to 700 teachers recruited under the government`s Job Drive Programme on September 7 at President`s House to rectify the teacher shortage in the country`s schools.
Addressing the function, the President said that teaching profession which undertakes rebuilding the future of the next generation was a noble profession, and that her government since 1994 had trebled teachers` salaries which at that time was Rs. 3,500.
'This is the first time that such a large number of graduates are being recruited to the government service after the PA government provide employment to 14,000 graduates,' Ms. Kumaratunga said.
She said that though the country was rich in resources compared to other countries, development remained stagnant due to lack of matured politicians and a proper administrative structure to address the national question.
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PM assures JVP tie up will not lead to war
Friday, 9 September 2005 - 2:42 AM SL Time
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday gave an assurance that his pact with the JVP would not lead to the resumption of hostilities.
Addressing a large gathering at Temple Trees, shortly after signing the agreement, he dismissed opposition claims that this was an agreement for war. `This agreement is not my individual victory, it is a victory for all Sri Lankans. It will bring peace and prosperity to the country.
Premier Rajapakse said it was not only the people in the north that wanted peace but those in the south too. He said the Opposition were trying to mislead the people by saying the agrrement between him and the JVP would lead the country back to war. He said all progressive forces know what the truth is and they were joining him to defeat retrograde forces.
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Editorial News
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Elephantine love for the Lady
Saturday, 10 September 2005 - 2:37 AM SL Time
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is never short of admirers'even at this late stage. She turned sixty the other day. Now we have her arch political enemies telling us that they like her more than her own party men and women! Opposition and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is reportedly toying with the idea of giving her a role (in what or in what capacity not revealed) and showering a bagful of benefits on her, after her retirement, if he is elected President.
Ranil and Chandrika are childhood friends and some time ago Ranil reminisced of his dancing days with her and her family. Some may argue their friendship underpins his concern for her. But in statecraft, it should be recalled, relationships count for very little. Ours is a history replete with fratricide, matricide and patricide among the ruling elite. Sigiriya furnishes rock solid evidence for patricidal and fratricidal tendencies among the royalty in the ancient times. How Sinhabahu slew his father is also a case in point. Of childhood friends in politics, the best example perhaps comes from Mongolia: The treatment that Gengis Khan meted out to his bosom pal is legendary. When his friend fell out and rose against him, he had him wrapped in a carpet and kicked to death by his soldiers!
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Norwegian kolloppan
Friday, 9 September 2005 - 2:44 AM SL Time
We knew the Vikings as marauding pirates who plundered others` wealth and gave their victims a choice between walking the plank and having their heads chopped off. We never knew them as a set of jokers capable of beating Charlie Chaplin and Mr. Bean. Yesterday only we realised how uninformed we had been all these years. We stand corrected.
Our readers must have had themselves in fits and some may even have choked on their tea or coffee, unable to control laughter, on reading the news that the Norwegians had come up with the brilliant idea of having talks between the government and the LTTE at the Katunayake International Airport. Since foreign travel for talks will lead to hours being wasted at the airport, argue the Norwegians, the venue should be acceptable to the LTTE. (Karadara-less, pollin-less`85')
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Don`t torture the public
Thursday, 8 September 2005 - 2:11 AM SL Time
If Sri Lanka has achieved self-sufficiency, it is in political circuses. Hardly a day passes without a display of political gimmicks by one party or another. May Day is the worst, when politicians lead workers by the nose, straddling their backs. At other times, party supporters fill in for workers and shoulder political derriere of their choice in public. They seem to enjoy playing beasts of burden to their political masters so unashamedly. Is it that he, who coined the not-so-complimentary sobriquet, swinish multitude, had Sri Lankan hoi polloi in mind'
What is at issue, however, is not incorrigibility or servitude of the multitude. It is the suffering that the public is subjected to because of roadshows. It was only a few weeks ago, that the UNP completed its grand march from Devinuwara to Colombo, having caused tremendous inconvenience to the people, mostly the tsunami affected, all the way for days. (The tsunami victims must have wondered where on earth those marchers had been at the hour of their need following the disaster.)
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| Security |
Top cops stalling investigations
Saturday, 10 September 2005 - 2:33 AM SL Time
Police top brass are trying to suppress investigations into the incident, where UNP Parliamentarian Sagala Ratnayake allegedly assaulted one of his police bodyguards, after a heated argument between them, well informed source said.
The incident occurred after the policeman refused to obey an illegal order given by the politician.
Although the incident took place on the September 1 and the policeman, who sustained injuries as a result of the assault, was warded at the Police Hospital, after being refused admittance to the National Hospital, due to the alleged influence of the politician, police had failed to take any action regarding the incident so far, police sources said.
An UAE embassy official said when Ratnayake was travelling to his residence, which is adjoining the UAE Embassy at Flower Road, a vehicle belonging to the embassy had blocked his way. Since there were some other vehicles parked behind and the embassy driver had no way of giving way to the politician`s vehicle, the embassy driver had got off from his vehicle, walked up to the politician, explained the situation and requested he have a little patience.
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CID grill airport staff
Saturday, 10 September 2005 - 2:32 AM SL Time
The CID, investigating the bomb hoax at the Katunayake BIA, which killed one passenger and injured 62 others, had by yesterday questioned a number of Airport official and recorded their statements.
Among those questioned was the Control Tower officer, who had received the misleading information first and had duly informed the pilot and ground authorities of the perceived threat. He had told investigators he had received an anonymous call and had acted as he had been instructed to act in emergencies.
The Saudi Arabian Boeing 747 craft, which had been repeatedly checked by the authorities, could not fly yesterday and sat on the tarmac for the second day, but other arrivals and departures were on schedule, sources said.
Air Force Commander, Air Vice Marshal Donald Perera said that the baggages of all passengers had been screened. The airport authorities had rescheduled the flights for 354 passengers, and they had departed yesterday morning.
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Aircraft was a virtual battlefield: Eyewitness
Friday, 9 September 2005 - 4:28 AM SL Time
Panic-stricken passengers ran towards the emergency exits, trying to disembark when somebody screamed `fire`, said an eyewitness to the Saudi Air flight bomb hoax incident at the Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday evening.
The eyewitness, R.S. Sriya Latha from Madampe is warded at the Colombo National Hospital after sustaining injuries in the stampede while trying to get off the plane through the emergency chute.
'As somebody screamed there was a fire inside the aircraft, there was a sudden rush near the emergency exit. Some jumped out of the plane while others were injured trying to escape. I lost consciousness as I was trampled in the melee. I regained consciousness at the Negombo Base Hospital and was later transferred to Colombo' she said.
DM Chandrakumari of Matale who said she was at the rear of the aircraft added that she fastened the seat belt as the aircraft was taxiing on the tarmac. 'There was a sudden scream and the passengers shouted to us to get down. In haste, I could not unfasten the seat belt. Later I rushed to the emergency exit and managed to come down the emergency chute' she said.
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Business / Economy News
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Coca-Cola, Nestle developing Calorie-burning tea
Saturday, 10 September 2005 - 2:34 AM SL Time
A handful of US companies aim to take the term `diet drink` to a whole new level, promising to speed metabolism, burn cadries, and aid in weight loss. Asia Siyaka Commodities reported.
Though the niche is still composed of tiny brands, Coca-Cola may get into the game, the Atlanta Journal reported, Nestle, a partner with Coke on bottled tea products, has filed a trademark for a drink called Enviga. The two companies have been developing a tea that would burn calories, say sources familiar with the project. It may be carbonated and come in several flavours, including green tea, lemon-lime and orange. A Coke spokesman declined to comment, other than to say that Coke is always researching and developing many products. However, it is too early to speculate about when or if Enviga will hit the market. In the meantime, companies are pushing products like Skinny Water, a bottled water that claims to speed metabolism and spur weight loss; Celsius, which comes in cola, lemon-lime and ginger ale flavours and promises increased metab olism; and Fuze Slendrize, a fruity drink that touts ingredients known to aid weight loss.
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A/L qualifiers without universities
Friday, 9 September 2005 - 4:27 AM SL Time
Out of 204,030 candidates who sat the Advanced Level Examination this year 116,506 students qualified for university entrance.
However, the country`s university system can accommodate only 16,292 of them due to the lack of adequate facilities.
University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Prof. L.L. Ratnayake said only 16,292 would be admitted due to the introduction of 17 new degree programmes including Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Radiotherapy, Physiotherapy and others. Besides, 50 students would be admitted to the newly established Medical Faculty at the Eastern University.
Prof. Ratnayake said the government was planning to increase financial allocations for the universities from Rs. 8,000 million this year to Rs. 12,000 million.
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Korean Rs. 80mn gift to Mawanella
Friday, 9 September 2005 - 2:47 AM SL Time
The Korean Government has agreed to provide a three storeyed building with fully equipped 36 class rooms to Zahira Muslim College, Mawanella.
This was on a request made by Athauda Seneviratne, Minister of Labour Relations & Foreign Employment during his Korean tour last year. Accordingly an agreement was signed yesterday (8) by Dr. Tara de Mel, Secretary, Ministry of Education and Higher Education at the Ministry office with Han Young Tae, a representative from Koica Institute.
Hang Young Tae expresses his views at this function and said that this is the first gift given from Korea for the education of Sri Lanka and they hoped to give more aid in future too. Minister Athuda Seneviratne expressing his views said that Korean Government will provide necessary chairs and tables with computer systems required for school building and they hope to given training for six (6) teachers in the school. M. P. M. Nisurdeen, Principal of the College and Members of School Development Society also participated.
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| Sports News
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Wickramaseela Under-17 Div-II cricket champs
Saturday, 10 September 2005 - 2:36 AM SL Time
Wickramaseela skipper D.S. Rankoth who hit an impressive 98 runs on the first day, spearheaded the bowling attack to bundle out Carey College for a scanty 103 runs to register a first innings win in the Astra Cricket Cup Under-17 Division-II finals at Kadirana ground, on Thursday.
Rankoth took 3 wickets for 16 runs with his right arm off spin while I.P.S. Pushpakumara, A.A.K. Nimeshan and K.M. Ranathunga took 2 wickets each to dismiss the opponents in the 47th over and a follow-on was denied as rain interrupted the proceedings.
In reply to Wickramaseela`s 282 runs, Carey started poorly as opening bowlers, K.M. Ranathunga and K. Nimeshan sent three of the top order batsmen to the pavilion for 8 runs before stumps on the first day.
On Thursday, Carey came to the crease with 7 wickets in hand but none of the batsmen were able to put up a reasonable score. The only batsman to score over 20 runs was K.C. Perera (29).
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Sri Lanka `A` home by 6 wickets
Saturday, 10 September 2005 - 2:36 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka `A` beat South Africa `A` by six wickets, on day three of the cricket `Test` yesterday.
The South Africans were dismissed for 173 in their second innings. Needing 195 to win Sri Lanka `A` were home with 200 for 4, with Avishka Gunewardene lashing 84.
Sajeewa Weerakoon finished with a match-bag of 13 for 106.
Day two
A sudden four wicket burst, inside seven runs, brought Sri Lanka `A` left-arm spinner Sajeewa Weerakoon a match bag of 10 wickets as South Africa `A` lost the initiative on day-two of the first unofficial cricket `Test` at NCC grounds, on Thursday.
South Africa, with a valuable 21-run first innings lead, after bowling out Sri Lanka for 224 last afternoon, collapsed from 71 for one to 78 for five and then 89 for six to put the game in the balance setting stage for a possible result, on the third day of the four day fixture.
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Sri Lanka `A` vs South Africa `A` four-day match
Friday, 9 September 2005 - 2:48 AM SL Time
A fluent unbeaten 100 by right-handed Zander de Bruyn marked a modest beginning for South Africa `A`s month-long tour here when they scored 245 all out, after being put in first by Sri Lanka `A` skipper Avishka Gunawardena, on day-one of the first `unofficial` cricket Test which began at the Nondescripts Cricket Ground in Colombo, on Wednesday. The home team were 16 for the loss of Gunawardena, who edged an uppish quick delivery from Monde Zondeki in their innings` first over for a duck.
Left-arm orthodox spinner Sajeewa Weerakoon captured 6 for 59, to restrict strong the South Africa `A` ' they fielded as much as six Test players in the match ' to 157 for six and then got together with leggie Kaushal Lokuarachchi to take the last four for 14 runs.
Bruyn, who made his 100 in 155 balls and 209 minutes with 14 fours and a six, erred only once in his gritty knock when he reverse swept Lokuarachchi, two runs before scoring his ton, to the hands of an `unprepared` Weerakoon at cover point. But for that flop, he phased his innings well to resurrect the innings while sharing 74 for the seventh wicket with Johan Botha (14 in 70 balls). That was after Andrew Puttick (41) and Captain Jaques Rudolph (28) put on 68 for the first wicket.
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