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Norway: Don`t draw hasty conclusions Tuesday, 31 October 2006 - 4:52 AM SL Time Despite the apparent breakdown of the peace talks between the government and the LTTE in Geneva, Norway yesterday sounded a hopeful note and said it would continue the dialogue while calling on both parties to strictly observe the ceasefire agreement and not to launch any major offensives. Peace envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer said he encouraged the parties to allow themselves some time to reflect on the situation and not to draw hasty conclusions or take actions that could increase the suffering of civilians in Sri Lanka. Government Peace Delegation Head Nimal Siripala de Silva expressed concern over the LTTE`s decision to put forward condition prior to resuming the next round of talks. 
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Fuel crisis cripples Jaffna Monday, 30 October 2006 - 10:37 PM SL Time With storage tanks running dry, private and coopertive stores in Jaffna peninsula have stopped distributing diesel to Government offices and private vehicle owners with effect from today, civil society sources in Jaffna said Monday. The fuel crisis will seriously impact all commercial and administrative activities in Jaffna and will cripple functioning of institutions, including schools, that depend on public transport, officials warned. Northern Region Transport Board (NRTB) which runs public transport in Jaffna Peninsula has suspended bus services with effect from Monday, transport officials said. Only very limited emergency transport was authorized from Kondavil, Point Pedro and Kayts depots which serve as the central administrative points for the peninsula public transport.
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LTTE welcomes southern consensus Monday, 30 October 2006 - 12:58 PM SL Time The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have welcomed the southern consensus as a very healthy development on the opening day of talks with the government of Sri Lanka in the Swiss capital of Geneva yesterday. Member of the government negotiating team, Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told The Nation from the talks venue that LTTE Chief Negotiator S.P. Tamilselvan had been appreciative of the MoU for collaboration signed between the SLFP and the UNP, saying it was the first time that such a thing had happened and that it was 'much needed cooperation.' Following the conclusion of yesterday`s proceedings Minister Bogollagama said the most important thing was that the talks had been taken forward successfully in Geneva yesterday despite the prevailing volatile ground situation back home. 'The discussions were very cordial,' the Minister said.
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| Security
Security Forum
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Soldier killed, 3 injured in claymore blast Wednesday, 1 November 2006 - 4:12 AM SL Time A soldier was killed and three seriously injured yesterday when the truck they were traveling in was caught in a claymore mine explosion set off by suspected LTTE cadres at Manirasakulam in Vavuniya, police said. Vavuniya police Inspector Kumar Sendanayake said the truck was carrying more than 20 soldiers on leave. He said the vehicle was badly damaged in the blast and soon after the police and security forces launched a cordon and search operation but no arrests have been made so far.
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Navy blasts LTTE arms vessel Wednesday, 1 November 2006 - 4:07 AM SL Time The Navy last evening destroyed an LTTE`s logistic vessel, that was unloading weapons at the Sand Bank off the Mannar seas, a spokesman said. 'The vessel exploded with a big sound soon after the navy fire,' a senior naval officer told the Daily Mirror. He said that around 5 pm, a suspicious trawler had been detected in the Sand Bank area by naval boats, which were patrolling the area. 'After following the usual procedure, we had to fire at the trawler, as we clearly identified it as a Tiger arms vessel,' he said. The official also said after the explosions, navy divers recovered 27 mortar shells of 120 mm guns and 85 ammunition used for 12.7 mm guns. The vessel that exploded with a huge sound was about 14 metres long, he said. He said at least 5 LTTE cadres on board the vessel had been killed in the blast.
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Geneva talks paved way for decision - Ranil Wednesday, 1 November 2006 - 1:47 AM SL Time The Geneva peace talks at least paved the path to a decision, although there was no consensus, UNP and Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Monday. He was speaking to members of the Indian civil society who met him at his Cambridge Terrace office. Journalists, members of human rights committees, peace activists and scholars were among those who met with Wickremesinghe. The LTTE had held at the Geneva a meeting that a political solution should have been forwarded through the MoU between the SLFP and the UNP talks could be continued, the UNP leader reminded the civil society members who met him.` At least this paves the way for a final solution,` he said and added that this could be described as a strong point.
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| Politics
Political News Forum
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Karu wants a more democratic UNP Wednesday, 1 November 2006 - 1:45 AM SL Time Deputy leader of the United National Party and Parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya wants the Party`s Constitution democratized making decision making more widespread among the membership. Jayasuriya urging reforms said the party`s decision making process was at present in the hands of a privileged few. That was the wish of the majority of the party`s membership, he said. In a statement issued yesterday Jayasuriya said: `Similar to the efforts to reach an MoU with the SLFP it is my duty to endeavour to bring reforms within the UNP, too.`
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CBK returns, rushes to court as ordinary citizen Tuesday, 31 October 2006 - 5:04 AM SL Time Former President Chandrika Kumaratunge yesterday returned to the island, from the UK, unannounced after an absence of several months. Using the normal passenger terminal, she politely declined to use the VIP terminal offered by BIA officials. `I have been the President of this country for 11 years and have had these privileges. But I don`t intend using these facilities now, because I am no longer treated as a VVIP by this government,` she said. From the airport the former President proceeded to the Supreme Court in Colombo, where a petition filed against her by three lawyers about excessive retirement benefits granted to her was to be heard. She then visited `Visumpaya`, the State guest house where her brother and Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike was living. She found him in the company of Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Cultural, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister of Nepal who had arrived here for the SAARC Cultural Ministers Conference.
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Swamy calls Colombo `short-sighted` Monday, 30 October 2006 - 10:44 PM SL Time New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS) Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy Monday urged the `short-sighted` Sri Lankan government not to take part in any more peace talks with the Tamil Tigers. `Instead, the Sri Lankan parliament should adopt a resolution without further delay to replace the present unitary constitution with a federal (one) that will meet the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people,` he said in a statement. Swamy said the `so-called peace talks` were only aimed at legitimizing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and that the Norwegians `have no clue about the real reason for the problem in Sri Lanka. Hence to designate them as mediators is ridiculously stupid on the part of the Sri Lankan government.`
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| Business / Economy News
Business News Forum
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India willing to help ease Jaffna shortages Wednesday, 1 November 2006 - 1:44 AM SL Time By M.R. Narayan Swamy, New Delhi, Oct 31: India is willing to provide much needed baby food, sugar and rice to Sri Lanka`s shortages-hit Jaffna peninsula -- provided traders from there are ready to pick up the goods in Tamil Nadu. The Indian government is in touch with its Sri Lankan counterpart regarding this, and any exports through Tamil traders will be done only with the knowledge of Colombo and the Sri Lankan Red Cross, it is reliably learnt. India had imposed restrictions on exports of rice, sugar and pulses to neighbouring countries in view of rising prices domestically. But these have been lifted in respect of some of the countries including Sri Lanka. No decision has, however, been taken if the Indian food will indeed move and when to Jaffna, where serious shortages have been reported following a standoff between Colombo and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) over the only highway linking the mainland with the northern peninsula.
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Fire at Arpico factory causes Rs. 60mn loss Wednesday, 1 November 2006 - 1:40 AM SL Time A fire reduced the Arpico factory at Mattegoda to rubble around 9.00 a.m. yesterday. The loss has been estimated at almost 60 million rupees. The factory was manufacturing Rigifoam and Plastic water tanks. A spokesman for the Colombo Fire Brigade said they had first dispatched 12 fire engines and water bowsers to Mattegoda. They were reinforced by the Ratmalana Airport Fire Brigade and branches in Wellawatte and Mount Lavinia. Air Force helicopters also sprayed water over the raging fire to contain it. The heat was so intense that people living in the immediate vicinity had evacuated their homes fearing that it would spread. However, in the afternoon it had been brought under control. CEO of Arpico, Praveen Samarasinghe said no one was injured. The cause of the fire has still to be established.
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Access Group signs Rs.3 bn agreement to promote golf tourism Tuesday, 31 October 2006 - 5:06 AM SL Time Asia-Pacific Golf Course Limited has signed Rs.3 billion worth agreement with the Board of Investment (BOI)to construct apartment complex for foreign golf players,introduce a package tour and develop sports activities for the promotion of golf in Sri Lanka. Access Group General Manager Athula Wimalaratne told The Island Financial Review that the investment project would encompass a fully-furnished apartment complex with required facilities such as restaurants,conference rooms,beauty saloon,banquet hall,gymnasium,health spa for the convenience of around 2,000 golf players and added that most of the members were foreigners. Referring to the principal objectives of the Access Group,Wimalaratne outlined that the company`s target would involve in bringing Sri Lanka golf on par with international standard as many foreign professional golf players had become members of the golf club and added that the company had already prepared future projections promoting golf package tours,internal golf tournaments in order to attract more players.
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| Editorial News
Editorial News Forum
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Pakistan`s ISI trying to use LTTE to target South India Wednesday, 1 November 2006 - 2:01 AM SL Time Most dreaded terror networks the LTTE and the ISI have joined hands. LTTE wants to use ISI expertise to create serious trouble for Sri Lanka Government. ISI wants LTTE to help creating havoc in Southern India. the ISI catch in Mysore is the first indication. Indian intelligence agencies are working overnight to unravel the Colombo connection, which is surfacing now as investigations get deeper. The arrest of Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Fahad alias Neduthanni along with an accomplice in Mysore has uncloaked the terror network linked to Colombo, from where Pakistan`s ISI reportedly controls its south India operations, some police officers say. A systematic collaboration between ISI and LTTE can be serious for India and Sri Lanka. LTTE has deep in roots in South India. South of the Vindhayas, the LTTE is active. It has zillion sleeping cells and sympathetic patron. The question is will LTTE allow ISI use its influence and network to carry out serious terror acts against India'
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A-9: To open or not to open? Wednesday, 1 November 2006 - 1:42 AM SL Time The humanitarian situation in the North is fast worsening with no end in sight. The A-9 highway remains closed and sea transport has become difficult due to the monsoons and LTTE threats. Unless supplies are restored shortly, a humanitarian disaster is likely to be the outcome. The LTTE is exploiting the situation to the fullest to further its interests. It has become very concerned about the plight of civilians all of a sudden and is demanding that the highway be re-opened immediately. It has also linked that demand to talks and is trying to have the world believe that the government is deliberately starving the Northern populace. What the LTTE has stopped short of telling the world is the cause of the road closure.
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What next? Tuesday, 31 October 2006 - 5:01 AM SL Time Government-LTTE talks in Geneva have ended dashing all hopes at least for a future resumption of the exercise. Judging from the reports on the conference, all parties concerned have desired to come to some agreements but have finally failed even to agree to resume talks on a future date. Both parties will now start blaming each other for the failure and the country meanwhile will continue to suffer the agony of an armed conflict. The government delegation says that the talks failed as a result of the LTTE sticking to their guns and raising extraneous matters while dodging the core issues that the government wanted to address. The LTTE says they insisted on the reopening of the A 9 highway to ease the humanitarian crisis its closure had created. They charge that the closure of this road amounted to a gross violation of the CFA as it prevented the flow of essential requirements to the people in the area.
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| Sports News
Sports News Forum
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Chandana takes five in Sri Lanka A`s win Wednesday, 1 November 2006 - 1:41 AM SL Time Upul Chandana, the discarded Sri Lankan legspinner, gave a timely reminder to the selectors as his five-wicket haul sealed a resounding 195-run win for Sri Lanka A in their maiden Duleep Trophy match against West Zone at Cuttack, on Monday. Wasim Jaffer`s century set up an interesting chase, but the target of 467 was always a tough ask. Jaffer and Muzumdar (61) made a fist of the target with a steady stand of 131 for the third wicket, having already added 97 on the third day. It was Chandana who brought his side right back into the contest, deceiving Muzumdar, stumped by Kaushal Silva and bowling Kiran Powar for 2 soon after. Chandana and seamer Akalanka Ganegama struck with three quick wickets to leave West Zone in shambles at 247 for 7. Jaffer fell to Chandana for 129. Ganegama was the most penetrative among the seamers, finishing with seven wickets in the match.
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India in mourning Tuesday, 31 October 2006 - 4:59 AM SL Time India`s knock out blow from the semi finals of the ICC Champions Trophy tournament has caused severe heartburn in this cricket-hysterical country of one billion people. For millions of Indians especially living in the sun-baked regions of Mohali, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Mumbai where the tournament is being played, the team had just one hurdle to clear against Australia but the unexpected loss to the West Indies virtually destroyed the spirits of die hard Indian fans. The campaign to push India into the semi finals off the field was spearheaded by none other than film stars Shah Ruk Khan and Mandira Bedi and Sunday`s loss to Australia left a nation in sorrow triggering many public debates. `The entire nation is disappointed`, an emotional Bedi, now an advertising super heroine said.
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lind strategy: Sri Lanka didn`t see the changes Sunday, 29 October 2006 - 6:40 AM SL Time Sri Lanka`s unceremonious exit from the ICC Champions Trophy tournament here in India has raised many an eye-brow with questions on why the team management and establishment was averse to making changes. More than any other team the Sri Lankans were caught on the blind-side or some may argue caught with their pants down unable to cover the shame having entered the championship as one of the favourites with an unprecedented five match-winners in Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitheran. But while the old guns failed to fire, two junior players, batsman Chamara Kapugedera and allrounder Malinga Bandara were wasted without playing a single shot or bowling a single ball. The team management will argue it was just one match, but Sri Lanka in fact had no strategy for the second round of matches and in reality lost out on a semi final berth with defeat against lowly rated Pakistan and not against South Africa for want of a player in the mould of Bandara.
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