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Constitutional solution to North-East conflict
Friday, 2 June 2006 - 4:31 AM SL Time
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will announce at today`s All Party Conference his plans to form an advisory council, comprising members from all political parties in parliament, to draft a new constitutional framework.
This advisory council will be assisted by a legal team assigned by the President and the final framework will be presented to the LTTE later as a government proposal.
President Rajapaksa made this announcement during a meeting with the print and electronic media editors at Temple Trees yesterday.
Maintaining that he was not bound by the agreements reached during previous regimes as to what exactly the final solution to the North and East conflict would be, the President emphasized that he wanted to make sure that the constitutional model should be a truly Sri Lankan one and 'not an Indian or any other model'.
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President calls on more nations to label LTTE as terrorists
Friday, 2 June 2006 - 4:26 AM SL Time
President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday said foreign governments should do more to stop the flow of money and weapons to the Tigers and urged more nations to follow the example of the European Union and label the LTTE as a terrorist organization.
Writing in the Opinion Column of the Asian Wall Street Journal, the President said `In today`s global war on terror, every terrorist is a threat to the world as a whole, and our struggle against the Tamil Tigers should be seen in this context.`
He called on foreign governments to deny the Tigers access to weapons from places such as Afghanistan, Eastern Europe and Central Asian republics. He pointed out that the LTTE had extensive arms-smuggling operations in Thailand.
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EU, co-chairs can`t halt Tamil Eelam goal
Thursday, 1 June 2006 - 10:51 PM SL Time
New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) Sri Lanka may be celebrating the European Union`s ban on the Tamil Tigers and the co-chairs` warnings to further isolate them, but none of these is likely to halt the group`s determination to achieve a Tamil Eelam state.
If the past is any guide, the European Union decision, no doubt a major blow to the Tigers, will fail to make the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) give up its goal of carving out an independent homeland in Sri Lanka`s north and east.
It is even doubtful if the LTTE will come running back to the negotiating table in Geneva.
The statement of the co-chairs to the peace process, highlighting publicly the international community`s frustration over Colombo`s failure to provide a system of governance that takes care of the rights of minorities, is just one reason why the LTTE will remain wedded to its cause. But it is not the only one.
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Politics
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Norway says will work with LTTE despite EU ban
Saturday, 3 June 2006 - 9:33 AM SL Time
Norway said yesterday it would work with the LTTE in an effort to facilitate a peace deal, despite the EU having officially added the rebel group to its terror blacklist.
Norway, which is not a member of the 25-nation European Union, has been facilitating talks between Sri Lanka`s government and the Tigers, whose 2002 cease-fire appears increasingly fragile due to recent violence that has left an estimated 374 people dead since the start of April.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said he was ``very disappointed`` with setbacks to the peace process since the government and the LTTE held talks in Geneva in February. A second round slated for April was cancelled after the two sides blamed each other for the rising violence.
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Cooray swears in new Mayor
Saturday, 3 June 2006 - 5:16 AM SL Time
Mr. Uvais Mohamed Imtiaz, of the Independent Group 3, which won the majority of seats in the recently concluded Colombo Municipal Council elections, was yesterday sworn in as Colombo Mayor. UNP strongman Sirisena Coorey administered oaths.
Asked about the validity of taking oaths before Mr. Sirisena Cooray, Mr. Mahinda Deshapriya, Assistant Elections Commissioner,Colombo, said that any Justice of the Peace could administer oaths and as such the swearing in of Mr. Imtiaz was valid.
Meanwhile, highly placed Elections Department sources said that neither the country`s Constitution nor the Election Ordinance specify, before whom a Mayor should take his oaths. He said that according to the Constitution the President of the country should be sworn in by the Chief Justice and Judges of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court should be sworn in before the President.
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LTTE risking further isolation - Dr. Kohona
Friday, 2 June 2006 - 4:48 AM SL Time
Government Peace Secretariat Chief Dr. Palitha Kohona yesterday said the LTTE has conveyed to the Norwegian Government its willingness to participate in Oslo talks.
The Oslo talks will essentially focus only on the role of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and it has nothing to do with the CFA or the Peace process, Dr.Kohona told a media briefing at Information Department yesterday.
However, the Peace Secretariat Chief expressed optimism that even though the EU has banned the LTTE, the latter would come to the negotiating table making use of the present opportunity.
`At present there is neither confidence nor optimism. If the LTTE pulls out of the peace process and continue with its campaign of terrorism and violence, it only risks further isolation from the international arena,` he said.
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Editorial News
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A new constitution - finally?
Saturday, 3 June 2006 - 9:41 AM SL Time
President Mahinda Rajapaksa`s decision as announced at the meeting with editors of print and electronic media on Thursday to form an advisory council comprising members of all political parties in parliament to draft a new constitutional framework for the country is most welcome. His decision was conveyed to yesterday`s all-party conference .This task of preparing a draft for a new political system has to be taken up not merely as a way of finding a solution to the national problem but as a required exercise to steer the country clear of its many and varied problems. This indeed has been a long-felt need. All political parties have throughout emphasised the importance of changing the existing political system either through amendments to the present constitution or by replacing it with a new one.
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Unfair charges against journalists
Friday, 2 June 2006 - 4:38 AM SL Time
T he Independent Federation of Journalists has expressed its deep concern over the death threats and generation of public hate against journalists in this country. Chief of the Federation Christopher Warren has said, 'The labeling of independent journalists as being politically aligned in such a politically fragile environment like Sri Lanka is a particularly worrisome and dangerous business.'
It indeed becomes dangerous business when persons begin to incite the public against certain individuals and organisations by branding them as traitors and treacherous enemies of the country without making specific allegations against them. The mere expression of views different from those of these accusers is sufficient for them to mount vitriolic public outbursts against them.
The present expression of concern from the IFJ has been prompted by allegations of supporting and spying for the LTTE by some journalists attached to state and other media organizations. At a media briefing on Wednesday, President of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association Sanath Balasuriya disclosed the charges and threats made against some journalists attached to Lake House following their visit to Kilinochchi and meeting LTTE Political Wing leader S.P.Thamilselvan.
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Needed: Stick-and-stick approach
Thursday, 1 June 2006 - 4:36 AM SL Time
The Co-chairs who met in Tokyo the other day have said they will have a carrot-and-stick approach to restarting Sri Lanka`s stalled peace talks. We thought they would come out with something innovative at their much flaunted meeting. They are apparently on a wild goose chase: India was the first to experiment with it years ago. It used the carrot on the LTTE, the monster it created and the stick on the JRJ government, which had ruffled its geopolitical feathers. A forced marriage was arranged and the outcome was the birth of a nobody`s baby'Provincial Councils. The Tigers refused to have any more carrots and returned to flesh eating. Then the stick was used generously on them as well but to no avail. The rest is history and we have been holding the `baby` ever since! Today, India talks of neither carrots nor sticks.
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| Security |
Bomb fears in Colombo trigger appeal
Saturday, 3 June 2006 - 9:34 AM SL Time
The military sought public support to step up security in Colombo amid fears of bomb attacks by the LTTE.
Military spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said residents should alert the authorities to any suspicious individuals or activity in their neighbourhoods.
He said 11 telephone numbers had been set up and manned by the police and security forces to respond to public tip-offs.
'We want the public to cooperate with us and help us to minimise attacks in the city,' Brigadier Samarasinghe told reporters.
'The Tigers had planted three mines and connected them together in Wilpattu last week,' the military spokesman said, cautioning tourists entering the national park not to venture beyond areas guided by the wildlife authorities.
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Underaged LTTE recruits involved in Welikanda massacre: Govt.
Saturday, 3 June 2006 - 9:32 AM SL Time
The government yesterday claimed that underaged LTTE recruits had taken part in last Tuesday`s massacre of 12 civilians at Omathiyamadu in Welikanda.
Government Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella claimed according to initial investigations it had been revealed that the LTTE had carried out the massacre as part of a training programme for the underaged Tiger recruits'.
Police Media spokesman Rienzie Perera said three of the attackers had shot the civilians in the head causing instant death.
'They had first removed all the money from the victims` possession and later shot them through their heads', SSP Perera said.
He said a man who survived the attack had somehow witnessed the whole drama.
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Only a fraction of crime suspects get convicted
Saturday, 3 June 2006 - 5:12 AM SL Time
Only a very small percentage of those who commit crimes are convicted by Courts and a very large percentage of suspects go scot free and the rate of crimes is also increasing, a recent research, done by the University of Sri Jayawardhanpura, has found.
In 2004 police prosecuted 56,982 suspects for crimes ranging from murder, extortion, robbery, rape as well as smaller crimes but only as little as 1,798 were convicted by Courts, official police statistics, quoted by the study, shows.
The University study points out an even a more dangerous aspect of the process of dealing with criminals in remand prisons where first time suspects of crimes are held is a fully fledged `University` where they meet hardened criminals, who `admit` them to the world of crime, teach them how to avoid being found out and establish connections and know how that will `help them in their future criminal career.
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Business / Economy News
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100 factories within first six months -Minister Welgama
Saturday, 3 June 2006 - 9:38 AM SL Time
Industrial Development Minister Kumara Welgama assured the establishment of 20 factories which 100 already approved within the first six months of the new government`s regime.
He noted that all factories approved in this manner would be opened according to the Mahinda Chinthana of giving priority to local industrialists and taking the industries to the village and thereby generating employment for the rural youth.
The minister made these observations while laying the foundation stone to the fourth factory to be opened under the Divisional Secretariat Division based 300 factories programme implement by the ministry.
This factory would be opened in the Paragasthota area in the Millaniya D.S. Division and would produce baby products, hair dyes and paper serviettes as well. Raigam Marketing Services Ltd., has invested Rs.50 million into this factory.
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Made in Sri Lanka Vs the imports
Saturday, 3 June 2006 - 9:37 AM SL Time
On the most recent edition of BENCHMARK, `Made In Sri Lanka` ' the pros and cons of local enterprise, industry and manufacturing ' was in the spotlight. The business programme presented by LMD began by noting that the island nation has tried virtually every economic model. 'But the focus has never really been on servicing the Sri Lankan market, simply because it has always been perceived as too small ' and therefore, the returns would hardly be worthwhile,' BENCHMARK noted, observing however: 'But that appears to be changing.'
The business programme went on to discuss related issues such as competition from cheap imports and queried, among other matters, if national policy should be to encourage local manufacturers by offering them a degree of state protection.
Nawaz Rajabdeen, the President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Sri Lanka, asserted that much protection is offered to manufacturers of products, recommending that the same should be offered to the consumer. 'Any organisation that introduces a product to the local market must have competition ' in the interest of the consumer,' he averred.
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US will stop countries supplying arms to LTTE
Friday, 2 June 2006 - 4:42 AM SL Time
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard A. Boucher yesterday addressing a news conference said the US government will talk to all governments of countries from where the Tiger rebels receive arms supplies to stop doing so and cooperate with the Sri Lanka government in finding ways to stop arms being smuggled into the country.
If the LTTE gives up terrorism and proves that they could enter the democratic path the US could consider lifting the ban on them he said.
`They should demonstrate a legitimate desire to do so, but if they continue their provocative acts there nothing the US government could do about it` Boucher said.
Commenting on the LTTE claim on Sri Lanka government`s attacks on Tiger bases he defended the action taken by the government saying that as a responsible government it has acted with much restraint in the face of atrocities committed by the Tigers. Every government has a right to defend the country in such a situation, he said.
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| Sports News
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Sri Lanka recover
Saturday, 3 June 2006 - 9:36 AM SL Time
NOTTINGHAM, England, June 2 Sri Lanka staged a great recovery to score 231 with tail-enders Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga to frustrate the England bowlers.
In reply England got off to a shaky start losing two wickets for 52 at close of play on the first day of the third and final Test at Trent Bridge.
Earlier England captain Andrew Flintoff produced a bullying master- to leave Sri Lanka on 160 for eight at tea.
Chaminda Vaas was 10 not out at the tea interval, with Lasith Malinga undefeated on 13 at the other end.
Sri Lanka, opting to bat, had looked nicely placed on 84 for one 10 minutes before lunch but then lost the guts of their batting during the next 40 minutes either side of the break. Three wickets went down in three overs before the interval and it was 105 for six soon after.
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Sanath back in team, but won`t open
Friday, 2 June 2006 - 4:49 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka recalled old hands Sanath Jayasuriya and Nuwan Zoysa for the third and final cricket Test as they attempted to square the three-Test series against England starting at Trent Bridge, Nottingham here Friday.
Having lost by six wickets at Edgbaston, Sri Lanka are trailing 0-1 in the series and although they are still persisting with their youth policy, the team management have thought it fit to bring in a little bit of experience to tip the scales over England.
`We are looking at the Test in a very positive way, where we have to win. Whether we lose 1-0 or 2-0 we still lose the series. We`ll have to go flat out to see where we stand,` said Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene.
`We were probably outplayed in the first Test but managed to fight and get a very positive result. In the second Test we made mistakes. We didn`t put the runs on the board. If we had done so we would have a definite chance of winning it. We competed really well and we managed to bowl them out. We fought well in the second innings for a decent score and we showed that we can definitely compete in the fourth innings,` Jayawardene continued.
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National Sports Council functioning illegally!
Friday, 2 June 2006 - 4:41 AM SL Time
On Tuesday May 30th, the National Sports Council sat for an inappropriately summoned meeting which had no agenda and an appointed Secretary as required by Law. Some ten members, supposedly to have been appointed by the Sports Minister as far back as February 2006, received their appointment letters only on that day! The meeting scheduled for 3.00 pm did not commence till around 4.00 pm, as the members came in sporadic intervals. The Chairman Saman Amerasinghe arrived around 4.15 pm. The ex-officio Council member, the Director General Sports never ever attended any NSC meetings.
The National Sports Council [NSC] was established under the Sports Law No 25 of 1973 and the Law states in Part 1 of Section 4 [1] 'There shall be established a Council called `The National Sports Council` ' to advise the [Sports] Minister on matters connected with the promotion, development and control of sports in Sri Lanka.'
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