|
|
|
More Headline News
|
S.Lanka Tigers pledge not to attack troops
Wednesday, 25 January 2006 - 10:18 PM SL Time
KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Sri Lanka`s Tamil Tiger rebels will not attack government forces provided the military ceases violence against Tamil civilians, the rebels said on Wednesday as they agreed to Swiss peace talks.
The rebels had previously denied involvement in a string of attacks on government forces that has stretched a 2002 truce to its limit and raised fears the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) might resume their fight for a Tamil homeland.
`There has been some LTTE military action, but most of these incidents are by the peoples` militias,` chief negotiator Anton Balasingham told Reuters shortly after the rebels dropped their refusal to go anywhere but Norway -- the one place the government would not go.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 90 )
LTTE, GoSL to hold talks on truce implementation in Geneva
Wednesday, 25 January 2006 - 9:08 PM SL Time
Liberation Tigers said Wednesday that they have agreed to hold talks in Geneva with the Government of Sri Lanka on `smooth implementation` of the February 2002 Cease Fire Agreement. Chief Negotiator and Political Strategist of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Anton Balasingham, told reporters that the talks, expected to begin in mid-February, would be limited to the implementation of the truce which has come under increasing strain recently. Talks on further matters could only take place after complete cessation of the Sri Lankan military`s violent repression of the population in Government held areas of the Northeast, he said.
The announcement of talks comes after the much-anticipated meeting between the Norwegian International Development Minister, Mr. Erik Solheim and the leader of the LTTE, Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan, Wednesday morning.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 104 )
All eyes on Wanni talks today
Wednesday, 25 January 2006 - 2:59 AM SL Time
The LTTE and Norway will hold 'do or die' talks in the Wanni today with all eyes on the rebel response to the offer expected to be delivered to the LTTE leadership by the government via the peace facilitators.
Norwegian Minister and special peace envoy Erik Solheim will travel to the Wanni today to meet LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran with hopes of getting the rebels to come to terms with the government on a framework and a venue to resume peace talks.
LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham, who will also take part in the Wanni talks, is to hold a news conference at the conclusion of the meeting with Mr. Solheim and he is likely to announce the rebel response to the government proposals.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 158 )
|
More Headline News
|
|
|
|
|
Politics
|
Mangala commends international community
Thursday, 26 January 2006 - 2:36 AM SL Time
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera making a special statement on Rupavahini yesterday on the Government and the LTTE`s agreeing to have ceasefire talks in Geneva, appreciated the international community`s support for the peace process.
The full statement :
`Following the discussions held today between the Norwegian Development Minister Eric Solheim, Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar and the LTTE leadership over the proposals of President Rajapakse, an agreement was reached to have talks in Geneva.`
`This is indeed a historic moment considering that many attempts were made previously to bring the LTTE back to the negotiating table after the talks collapsed in April 2003.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 2 )
Tigers are our citizens - Dew
Thursday, 26 January 2006 - 2:29 AM SL Time
Minister of Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Dew Gunasekera said he believes that India could only play a limited role in Sri Lanka`s problem as it was an internal affair.
`Even though they are the warring party, the LTTE are our own citizens, our brothers and sisters, not foreigners or invaders`.
Gunasekera was fielding questions posed by the Indian Media at a press conference in Chennai last Thursday. Associated with him were Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Tissa Vitharana and Sir Lanka`s Deputy High Commissioner Sumith Nakandana, a spokesman for High Commission said Tuesday.
Minister Gunasekera said he agreed that the issue had become somewhat Internationalized due to the armed conflict being prolonged for over 20 years.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 21 )
JHU welcomes Burns` support to combat terrorism
Wednesday, 25 January 2006 - 3:05 AM SL Time
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday welcomed US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns` support to the Sri Lankan Government to combat terrorism to bring peace to the country.
JHU Secretary General Champika Ranawaka said Burns` visit and his message that the US will not hesitate to back the Sri Lankan Government against future terrorist attacks, has reflected more or less the US policy on terrorism.
Ranawaka commended Burns for openly declaring facts about terrorism and for condemning the LTTE as a terrorist organisation.
`We also appreciate the support extended by the US to safeguard Sri Lanka`s territorial integrity,` he said.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 8 )
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial News
|
Needed: A stitch in time!
Thursday, 26 January 2006 - 2:29 AM SL Time
President Mahinda Rajapakse`s government is said to have as one of its pillars the Pancha Maha Balavegaya. And whoever masterminded the five explosions in the city and its suburbs on Tuesday appears to have resorted to, as it were, a Pancha Maha Bombavegaya as part of a sinister campaign to destabilize the government.
Some have claimed that the blasts rocked the city, which a section of the foreign media described as being jittery. But as far as we are aware, most of the people including those in the areas where the blasts occurred came to know them from television and radio news bulletins. And as for jitteriness, the question is which city in the world is not jittery' Terrorism and crime syndicates have rendered every metropolis vulnerable and jittery. Washington, London, Sydney, Paris, and all other capitals are in the same predicament as Colombo. London is so jittery that the Bobbies have orders to shoot any civilian in the head with no questions asked, should they suspect him or her to be a terrorist. Time was when Americans used to boast that all what the White House had to fear were balls''tennis balls thrown by protesters. But today it is being guarded against fuel laden jets piloted by barbarians who have hijacked religious and political causes. In the 1930s, Al Capone was running a parallel government in Chicago. Such is the power of terrorists and criminals!
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Avert impending disaster
Wednesday, 25 January 2006 - 2:55 AM SL Time
The news that about 20,000 Sri Lankan women are likely to fall prey to human traffickers is shocking. We yesterday pointed out quoting the Migrant Service Centre (MSC) that the female workers whose jobs are at stake in the garment industry would be victims of illegal labour recruiters and other manpower contractors awaiting easy prey. These women will, our report says, be lured across the national borders for employment including sex trade.
Sri Lankan women who have sought foreign employment through shady job agents are already languishing in West Asia. Many are the complaints of torture and sexual abuse they suffer at the hands of their foreign employers. Hundreds of them return home after years of semi slavery, empty handed. Voiceless, they suffer in silence.
Human trafficking is nothing new in this country. Year in and year out, we hear of the youth who brave stormy seas in fragile fishing trawlers bulging at the seams in search of employment in far away countries like Italy. Mishaps are not uncommon. Some have been choked to death inside containers or died in freezing weather. And the loss of jobs in the garment sector and the attendant vulnerability of a large number of workers, are going to aggravate an already bad situation.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 1 )
Needed: Deeds not words
Tuesday, 24 January 2006 - 2:30 AM SL Time
LTTE spokesman Anton Balasingham arrived here yesterday and had an SLAF chopper ride to Kilinochchi amidst tight security provided by the state. Lakshman Kadirgamar, the illustrious son of Sri Lanka must be turning in his grave when the ideologue of his killers enjoys VVIP treatment at the very airport, which his boys once attacked. That is the price we have to pay for being a poor democratic nation.
Terrorism is a parasite that finds hosts in legitimate states. The LTTE has had more than just one host; it has Britain, Norway and France as permanent hosts apart from Sri Lanka playing that role from time to time, depending on the political compulsions of the powers that be.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 5 )
|
|
|
|
|
| Security |
Single entity behind all five blasts - Police
Thursday, 26 January 2006 - 2:37 AM SL Time
Police investigating the explosions that rocked Colombo City and suburbs on Tuesday night have received clear evidence to prove that a single organisation was behind all five explosions but failed to name it.
Police have found that bombs with high explosives have been exploded using non-electrical detonators at all five places, STF DIG Nimal Lewke told the Daily News.
`We found the same features in all five bombs. They have been made using high explosives,` he said.
According to Police, the bombs have been made using nearly 40 grams each of high explosives. The biggest of them exploded in Wattala.
`It seems that all the bombs have been set to explode simultaneously but they failed to do so as they have used non-electrical detonators. If they used electrical detonators they could have succeeded as timers could be used,` he added.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 1 )
Bogus employment agent cheats youth
Thursday, 26 January 2006 - 2:33 AM SL Time
About 200 young men and women yesterday afternoon complained to Chilaw police about a bogus job agent. The job agent had collected over Rs. 2 million on the promise of providing job opportunities in Italy. He is now absconding.
The crowd told Chilaw ASP Chandana Alahakoon that the Marawila police refused to inquire into their complaint.
The youth were from Marawila, Mudukattuwa, Lansigama, Katuneriya and Dematapitiya. They also said that it was a nun at an elder`s home in Lansigama that had been instrumental in organizing the employment opportunity in Italy.
The nun had said a nephew in Italy would give her jobs, and each should pay her Rs.95,000/= to Rs.110,000/=. The youth claim they had paid the nun.
She had also obtained two copies each of their passports. She had also promised the men with job opportunities in a beverage company and the women in a garment factory.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 1 )
LTTE to release one NCPA policeman
Thursday, 26 January 2006 - 2:31 AM SL Time
As a goodwill gesture before next month`s talks in Geneva, the LTTE has agreed to release one of the NCPA policemen in its custody, President Mahinda Rajapakse told Cabinet yesterday.
Presiding at the weekly Cabinet meeting at Temple Trees after his meeting with Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim, President Rajapakse said the government would soon liaise with the Swiss government to fix a date for talks on strengthening the ceasefire agreement.
In a surprising turn of events and for the first time in the history of Cabinet meetings, media personnel were permitted to attend a brief session of this week`s meeting.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 5 )
|
|
|
|
|
Business / Economy News
|
High security US `Megaport` initiative at Colombo port from today
Thursday, 26 January 2006 - 2:35 AM SL Time
Megaport initiative through the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration of the United States of America will come into operation from today on a 24 hour basis in the Port of Colombo thus making it the first to embark on such a program in the South East Asian Region. This is a programme to deter the illicit trafficking in nuclear and radio active material.
The Port of Colombo is considered the 'Hub of South Asia' with shipments largely coming and going to/from South Asia, East Africa, Middle East and Southern Asian countries. In addition, shipments destined for Europe and the United States originate or transit here. Approximately 4000 ships per year arrive at and apart from the Port of Colombo. In 2003, the Port of Colombo ranked 32nd in the World of container traffic, with 89,336 twenty foot-equivalent unites (TEU) shipped directly to the United States.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
GTZ donates books to Jaffna library
Thursday, 26 January 2006 - 2:34 AM SL Time
The German Technical Co-operation Agency (GTZ) has donated books worth nearly Rs.5.0 million to the Jaffna library said Secretary to Nation Building and Development Ministry M.S. Jayasinghe. This donation was arranged by the Ministry he said.
Nearly 31,000 books of various disciplines were procured from leading publishers in Tamil Nadu such as U.V. Swaminathan Aiyer Library, the State Department of Archaeology, Adayar Library and Research Centre, the French Institute of Pondicherry, the Tamil University of Tanjore and the Saraswathy Maha.
These books have now been received in Colombo and will be formally handed over by Dr. Roland F. Steurer, Country Director, GTZ to Mr. S.S. Jayasinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Nation Building & Development.
The Minister will hand over these books to the Municipal Commissioner, Jaffna at a function to be held at 10.00 a.m. on Monday January 30 at the Ground Floor of the Ministry at No. 177, Galle Road, Colombo 3.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Private sector mindset more worrisome than terror, oil prices for Treasury Boss
Wednesday, 25 January 2006 - 3:04 AM SL Time
For Secretary to the Treasury Dr. P.B. Jayasundera the uncalled negative sentiments in the private sector were more worrisome than the impact of higher oil prices or terrorism.
In fact he listed the negative sentiments as one of the two key challenges faced by the economy. The other was growing global competition that the economy and the private sector would be facing.
Dr. Jayasundera shared concerns of Treasury Secretary and his outlook for 2006 as well as the economy`s success in 2005 in his thorough presentation at a packed HSBC Power Breakfast last week.
'In a market economy there is nothing more important than sentiments and information. If Sri Lanka believes it is growing the country will grow. If it doesn`t believe it is not growing, the country will not grow,' Dr. Jayasundera put it bluntly.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
|
|
|
|
| Sports News
|
Australia drop Hopes and Dorey for return Sri Lanka clash
Thursday, 26 January 2006 - 2:30 AM SL Time
Australia has dropped bowlers Brett Dorey and James Hopes for their return tri-series clash with Sri Lanka here Thursday after the pair were clobbered around the ground in their last encounter.
Instead they will bring in spinner Brad Hogg and install pace bowler Stuart Clark as super-sub for the crucial fixture.
Exactly halfway into the competition and after playing four matches apiece, Australia, on 10 points, are one clear of Sri Lanka with South Africa one point further adrift. Each side has beaten the other two.
In Sydney last Sunday, Sri Lanka humbled the world champions by 51 runs.
In that match, veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya, who had arrived in Australia just two days earlier after recovering from a shoulder injury, carved up the Australian attack in tandem with Kumar Sangakkara.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 11 )
South Africa clinch a thriller
Wednesday, 25 January 2006 - 2:57 AM SL Time
South Africa beat Sri Lanka in a nailbiting finish to triumph by nine runs in the triangular series.
Set 264 to win, Sri Lanka looked on course until an extraordinary run out of captain Marvan Atapattu and an inspired over by Andrew Hall.
Wicket-keeper Mark Boucher was involved in Atapattu`s departure and also stumped dangerman Sanath Jayasuriya.
Earlier opener Boeta Dippenaar fired his third one-day ton, hitting 125 off 145 balls, in the match in Adelaide.
South Africa struggled for runs in the opening 35 overs after tight bowling and aggressive field placings.
Herschelle Gibbs helped up the scoring rate with a quick-fire 68 off 65 balls.
Gibbs hit a four on the second ball of the 37th over, the first boundary in over 23 overs, before smashing three sixes and three fours as together with Dippenaar, South Africa added 53 in the next five overs.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Sound management brought financial security for cricket - Thilanga
Tuesday, 24 January 2006 - 2:31 AM SL Time
In a continuation of last week`s debate on `The State of Cricket` on MTV Channel Pvt. Ltd. in today`s edition of `The Island`, we look into the reflections of former Sri Lanka Cricket and Asian Cricket Council President Thilanga Sumathipala. Former Sri Lankan captain and Deputy Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, too, took part in the debate.
Thilanga Sumathipala who came into cricket administration in 1995 underlined that from a financially struggling institution the collective business acumen helped them to bring in much-needed revenue for the development of the game.
`I entered cricket administration in 1995 and financially we were in a bad state, but the good thing was we had plenty of talent. I was Ana Punchihewa`s Vice President and we decided to bring Dav Whatmore from Australia to coach our players. I was the Chairman of Coaching Committee at that time and Dav started to have an immediate impact along with Alex Kontouri, whom we hired as the physiotherapist,` Sumathipala said.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 4 )
|
|
