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Govt. unable to arrange SLMM visit to Jaffna Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:10 AM SL Time The government Wednesday indicated the difficulty in arranging for the Nordic truce monitoring mission to visit the Jaffna frontlines in view of the ongoing LTTE action. The following is the full text of the statement issued by the Peace Secretariat: `The government of Sri Lanka has confirmed that it is agreeable to meet with the LTTE for talks on October 28 and 29 in Switzerland. The Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) Dr. Palitha Kohona, at a meeting held this morning, advised the Norwegian facilitators that the Government of Sri Lanka was agreeable to meet with the LTTE in Switzerland on 28, 29 October for the next round of talks. The exact location of the talks will be determined later. 
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Jets pound rebel areas; Tigers say military launched major offensive battle Wednesday, 11 October 2006 - 9:29 PM SL Time Fighter jets pounded Tamil Tiger positions in northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday in what the rebels said was a major offensive. The military said 22 soldiers had been killed, along with a ``large number`` of insurgents in fierce fighting it claimed was defensive. Security forces had been ``forced to retaliate,`` using heavy artillery and rockets, after sporadic attacks by rebels since Tuesday along the de facto border separating government and rebel-held areas near Muhamalai, on the Jaffna peninsula, the Media Center for National Security said. It said the air force and navy had helped ``neutralize and destroy identified Tiger concentrations and reinforcements by the sea.`` The fighting killed 22 soldiers and a ``large number`` of rebels, it said, adding that 113 troops were wounded.
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LTTE agrees: Geneva talks on October 28 Wednesday, 11 October 2006 - 4:36 AM SL Time The LTTE yesterday agreed to the proposed dates and venue for peace talks later this month but reiterated it will not hesitate to reconsider its decision at the last minute if military aggressions continue and added that this will be the last chance for peace. When contacted by the Daily Mirror last evening Government chief negotiator Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said although he had heard of the LTTE response he was still awaiting the official verdict which was to be conveyed to him by Norway last night. The government has meanwhile suggested discussing seven core issues at the proposed talks with the LTTE and at the same time refuses to be 'trapped' within the cease fire agreement while pursuing a final peaceful solution.
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| Security
Security Forum
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Fact- finding mission report Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:25 AM SL Time There has been a serious deterioration in the security situation for the Sri Lankan media, says International Fact-Finding and Advocacy Mission. It says the media is faced with threats, abductions and attacks committed by all parties in the conflict, and particularly paramilitary and militia groups. The Mission was in Sri Lanka from October 9-11 to asses the current media situation in the country. It also focussed on the impact of the escalation in fighting between the government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) Eight media workers have been killed since August 2005 and there have been numerous death threats and incidents of harassment, including violent attempts to stop the distribution of newspapers,Mission said in it s report.
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Billions down to millions after CB freeze Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:18 AM SL Time How did a massive Rs. 3.27 billion fund in the hands of the Tamil Rehabilitation organisation dwindle to a few millions of rupees in the month the Central Bank froze those accounts' This is the question the Criminal Investigation Department has assigned a team to answer. The accounts of the TRO were frozen by the Central Bank on August 28. The fund dwindled to a few millions the same month. There were 164 different bank accounts opened by the TRO. They are being scrutinized by the CID to ascertain how the funds had been spent, a senior CID officer said. Most of the tsunami relief projects the money was intended for are incomplete, sources said. Suspicion is that the pro-LTTE front siphoned the money out for illicit arms purchases.
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Bomb goes off in van Wednesday, 11 October 2006 - 4:49 AM SL Time Three people were killed and three injured when a claymore bomb trapped in a Van ripped off near a house at Punthottam in Vauniya. A three wheeler was also destroyed in the blast, said Dinasena Ratugamage reporting the incident to Sandesaya from Vavunia. The headquarters inspector,Vavuniya , Kumar Sandanayake said this van was taken into custody by Vauniya police on September 25. The van was released today after a court order given on Monday. HQI, Sandanayake said following the investigation into the blast they have established that it was the same vehicle they arrested on September 25. The van was parked near the home of the owner when the bomb went off destroying the house. Vavuniya police are conducting investigations.
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| Politics
Political News Forum
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Hanssen Bauer, peace envoy Akashi coming here again Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:28 AM SL Time Norwegian peace envoy Jon Hanssen Bauer will be here again next week to lay the groundwork for the resumption of peace talks between the Government and the LTTE on October 28 and 29 in Geneva. This move was communicated to Government yesterday when senior minister and chief negotiator Nimal Siripala de Silva met Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar. Mr. Brattskar met the minister after holding talks with LTTE political wing leader S.P. Tamilselvan in Kilinochchi on Tuesday to get the approval of the LTTE for the talks in Geneva. In response to the Tigers` threat to pull out of talks if the Government persists with military action, Minister de Silva reassured the ambassador the Government would never go on the offensive to scuttle negotiations.
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MR meets Ranil today Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:27 AM SL Time President Mahinda Rajapaksa is due to meet UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning to discuss how best to implement the Common Minimum National Agenda that was agreed upon by the SLFP and the UNP recently, UNP sources said. Reliable sources said the President was expected to offer six Cabinet portfolios and six non-Cabinet portfolios to the UNP.The UNP members who held talks with the SLFP were also expected to participate at today`s meeting.
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International Buddhist Center to be setup in Colombo City. Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:23 AM SL Time An International Buddhist Center is to be built under the patronage of the government by the Sadaham Sewana Asapuwa Foundation. It would be built in the Colombo city area close to Borella. This proposed Center will include, accommodation for 300 Buddhist monks, a shrine room, Bo Maluwa, an International Conference Hall, Dana Hall, Administration Building, Computer Labs, Library, and a large Car Park. The area of the proposed site is 3 acres were donated by the Urban Development Authority. The site will reach an estimated 1000 million Sri Lanka Rupees and the whole project is scheduled to be completed in 3 years. The first phase of the construction is to be finished within six months period. The construction of the proposed Center was started on 04th October 2006 with the participation of Speaker of the Parliament W.J.M Lokubabdara, Minister Health and Nutrition Nimal Siripala De Silva, Deputy Minister of Religious affairs Thissa Karaliyadda, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and other government officials including Secretary of the Ministry of Religious affairs Mr. B.N.Jinaseena.
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| Business / Economy News
Business News Forum
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PC House bags top Microsoft award Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:30 AM SL Time PC House (Pvt) Ltd. won top honours this year from none other than Microsoft Sri Lanka, at a gala ceremony organized by the latter in Colombo recently. PC House (Pvt) Ltd., already a Gold Certified Partner, received the award for the `Partner of the Year` at a glittering ceremony, which saw Microsoft`s top partners walk away with due recognition and cash prizes. The `Partner of the Year` accolade duly recognises and applauds the enthusiasm and initiative shown by PC House in marketing Microsoft original software to the local market. The award further validates the confidence and acceptance consumers have placed in PC House to deliver authentic products. Three other major awards were also bagged by PC House at the ceremony 'Best Partner for Windows Desktop Sales, Best Partner Breadth Reseller and Special Recognition for Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.
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High growth in export earnings Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:20 AM SL Time Export earnings in August 2006 grew significantly by 25.6 per cent to US $ 734 million reaching the highest ever value recorded in a single month, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said yesterday. A part of this high growth may be attributed to the spillover of stocks from July to August 2006 when the exports were disrupted in the previous month due to the temporary slow down of movement of goods at the Colombo harbour. Industrial exports, the largest contributor for this growth, increased by 25.0 per cent in August 2006 reflecting a robust performance in textiles and garments and rubber based products. Agricultural exports continued to grow with higher performance of tea and rubber. Cumulative exports in the first eight months of 2006 grew by 8.9 per cent from US $ 4,051 million in 2005 to US $ 4,411 million in 2006.
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Mahaweli dream turns nightmarish Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:11 AM SL Time The Mahaweli Development Scheme, launched with ambitious plans to resettle a large number of landless farmer families and help them build a prosperous future, is today a nightmare for the second and third generations of the settler families, recent research done by the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute has revealed. About 70 percent of the second and third generations of the farmer families are now working as labourers. Landlessness is one of the main problems facing them. Of the percentage employed as labourers in various sectors 72 percent are males and 28 per cent females. Another significant factor is that over 60 per cent of the third generation, in settler families, are between the ages of 19 and 36 years, looking for gainful employment. A still younger group 6-19 years, among Mahaweli Farmer families constitutes 22 percent. They too will join the unemployed group seeking employment in the next few years, the study also shows.
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| Editorial News
Editorial News Forum
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The mandate, stupid Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:26 AM SL Time UNP parliamentarian Lakshman Kirielle has said the UNP does not have a popular mandate to join the government and accept cabinet portfolios. He is trying to have us believe that in this blessed land politicians consider mandates sacred and abide by them come what may. If so, one may wonder whether the people have mandated politicians, irrespective of their party affiliations, to be so corrupt, violent and traitorous. On the other hand, one may ask whether any political party is mandated to be in the Opposition. When a party seeks a mandate from the people at an election, those who subscribe to its policies, as outlined in its manifesto, vote for it in the hope that it will form a government to implement its programme. That another party gets more votes and forms the government doesn`t technically mean that the party in the Opposition is debarred from taking part in governance, if an opportunity is granted. The argument that an Opposition party is not mandated to be a partner in governance is tenable only if it has sought a mandate from the people to be in the Opposition. We are yet to hear of a party that goes before the people seeking such a mandate.
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Learning from mistakes Wednesday, 11 October 2006 - 4:34 AM SL Time President Mahinda Rajapakse has minced no words in telling the representative of the Co-chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference, who met him on Monday that truce or no truce, the Sri Lanka government will exercise its right to resort to military action to thwart arms smuggling by the LTTE. The `credit` for the LTTE having emerged as a formidable guerrilla outfit should go not only to its leader Prabhakaran but also to southern political leaders who let the grass grow under their feet. With those leaders blundering along in their counter terror campaigns, the LTTE had no need for friends. For, they all allowed it to take the initiative at the battlefront and to abuse peace processes to further its military interests.
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The pump question Tuesday, 10 October 2006 - 4:47 AM SL Time Once a dipsomaniac, who had clambered up a kitul palm to quench his thirst with the pot that cheers, was challenged by the tapper: `What the hell are you doing over there'` The other, already in high spirits, answered calmly: `I was looking for some grass for my cattle'` `Do you get grass on trees'` the tapper demanded to know. `There isn`t any. That`s why I am getting down,` said the tippler sliding down the palm. The moral of the toddy tale is: Sri Lankans have innovative answers to all questions. They also have questions to which there need not be any answers. For example, whenever a Sri Lankan sees someone eating, he can`t help asking: Are you eating' It is that legendary tapper-tippler duo that one may have remembered on reading a news item on the CPC fuel pumps, in the Sunday Island. Over 1,500 pumps in the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) run filling stations, our news items revealed, didn`t come with the facility to set the price per litre above Rs. 100.00. The answers that some CPC bigwigs, both past and present, have given to our questions on the pump controversy are interesting.
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| Sports News
Sports News Forum
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Extras worry Mahela Thursday, 12 October 2006 - 4:31 AM SL Time Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene attributed his team`s convincing victory over Zimbabwe to Upul Tharanga`s brilliant batting and the aggression of his bowlers. `Upul batted brilliantly. And so did Kumar (Sangakkara) and Marvan (Attapattu), who has come back strongly. Now, other guys also have to get into the scene,` Jayawardene said after the 144-run win over Zimbabwe in their ICC Champions Trophy qualifier. Praising Tharanga, he said, `In the last 10 ten games our batsmen have scored 11 hundreds and four of them have come from Upul`s blade. He batted brilliantly. He is very talented; we have a lot of confidence in him.` He, however, expressed concern about the large number of extras, through no-balls and extras, his bowlers conceded in the match.
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Royal, Trinity and S. Thomas` old boys to play in Tag Rugby Tourney Wednesday, 11 October 2006 - 4:52 AM SL Time Sun Down Tag Down Part II is here people and it is set to take the rugby scene in Sri Lanka by storm. The second annual tag rugby tournament involving the old boys from three `rugby schools` - S. Thomas` College, Royal College and Trinity College, is organized by the Class of `94 of S. Thomas` College, Mt. Lavinia. Following on from the mammoth success of the first event in 2005, the Class of `94 hopes to make the second annual Sun Down Tag Down and event to remember and certainly, bigger and better. The event, which celebrates the spirit of rugby between the three great rugby-playing schools, has been positioned as the ideal place to foster camaraderie and to renew old and binding ties and rivalries. However, ceding the point to make rugby more attractive to the home-front, to respective wives and girlfriends and especially the new generation of rugby-playing school boys, the event has adopted a distinctly carnival spirit, involving a ladies game, kiddies park and a beer garden, among a host of other attractions.
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Lankans looking for another win Tuesday, 10 October 2006 - 5:04 AM SL Time Sri Lanka will be looking to register their second straight victory when they confront a depleted Zimbabwe team in their International Cricket Council Mini World Cup qualifying round match in Ahamedabad today. This match is of great importance for the Lankans because another win would certainly guarantee them of a place in the main competition which starts on Sunday. Sri Lanka will be hoping for an improved performance from their bowlers after they got a severe beating from the Bangladesh batsmen in their opening fixture. Skipper Mahela Jayawardena has already called his bowlers to tighten up things as they will be playing against much stronger opposition when the tournament progresses. Their main target at the moment is to come on top of the qualifying round competition by winning all three matches.
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