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Pak-linked Jehadis worry Lankans
Saturday, 22 July 2006 - 4:54 AM SL Time
A section of Sri Lankan nationalists and India are worried about the alleged existence of Jehadi groups in the island having links with similar groups in Pakistan.
According to a top leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) the existence of four such groups has come to light, and that the Indian government is aware of it.
The JHU, which is a Sinhala Buddhist party, fears that such radical groups may weaken the democratic Muslim parties in the island, such as the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and tear up the democratic framework of the country.
`This is the reason why the JHU is eager to get the SLMC to join the government,` the leader told Hindustan Times.
`Unless the Muslim moderates are made part of the system and encouraged to function, the radical Islamic groups will start attracting people,` he said.
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LTTE stick to their demand for withdrawal of EU peace monitors
Friday, 21 July 2006 - 9:05 PM SL Time
A Swedish diplomat met with top Tamil Tiger officials Friday, but failed to persuade the guerrilla leadership to drop a demand for the withdrawal of European Union peace monitors, the rebels said. The issue is the latest flash point in already strained relations between the rebels and Sri Lanka - `s government.
Anders Oljelund met with S.P. Thamilselvan, the political head of the rebels, and Seevaratnam Puleedevan, the head of the rebels` Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi, the rebel stronghold in the north.
After the meeting, Thamilselvan told reporters that there was no change in the rebels` position that EU monitors should leave by Sept. 1.
Earlier, government chief spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwella, said in Colombo that Oljelund was ``... trying to persuade the LTTE not to insist on their demand that the EU member states should quit the monitoring team.``
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Shock and horror: one million child labour slaves in Lanka
Friday, 21 July 2006 - 7:21 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka has almost one million children enslaved in child labour, despite being a signatory to the International Convention on Child Labour, Hambantota District UPFA MP Nirupama Rajapaksa said in Parliament yesterday.
Quoting Labour Ministry statistics Ms. Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka had an estimated 926,038 children between 5 and 17 years of age, subject to child labour, which amounts to 21 per cent of all the children in that age group.
'Almost 10 to 12 per cent of these children work in hazardous conditions, such as in mines, with chemicals and pesticides or with dangerous machinery' she said, speaking during the debate on the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children (Amendment) Bill, which was passed yesterday.
Ms. Rajapaksa said these figures do not take into account the numbers of children being used in the sex trade for child pornography or prostitution.
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Politics
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Black July and the Tragedy of Lost Opportunities
Sunday, 23 July 2006 - 6:55 AM SL Time
The abomination that was Black July would have happened even without the `Four Four Bravo` operation of the LTTE. The killing of the 13 soldiers was merely the spark which ignited the inferno of communal violence; the firewood of fear and the fuel of hatred were already in place, created by the anti-Tamil hysteria which had undermined the political sense and collective sanity of the South. The image of the Tamil `enemy` had permeated every level of Sinhala society, eroding human civility and moral responsibility. By 1983, fear, contempt and hatred, caused by the menace of the `hadi and para demala`, had made the Sinhala South ready, willing and able to inflict wholesale and limitless violence on Tamils, for simply being Tamils. Without this deliberately constructed psychological condition, the Black July would not have happened, even with the killing of the 13 soldiers.
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Early clearance of Port backlog
Sunday, 23 July 2006 - 6:54 AM SL Time
Colombo port would clear the backlog as a result of the nine day- go slow campaign of the port employees by Tuesday as nineteen ships waiting out harbour to enter the port, would be attended to.
Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayake said employees were working round the clock to catch up with the delayed cargo operation.
Ten ships are berthed in the port and nineteen berthed outer harbour as of yesterday for cargo handling in the port. The go slow campaign by the port employees brought the productivity of the port from an impressive 25 TEUs per crainer per hour to 3-5 TEUs per crainer per hour during the nine days of trade union strike. Executive Director, the Port Authority, Rishad Musheen told the Sunday Observer a `special operation` was under way and `productivity is at impressive 25 moves per hour.
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Lankans who triggered bomb scare wanted asylum, officials say
Sunday, 23 July 2006 - 6:38 AM SL Time
ROCHESTER, New York (AP)'Two Sri Lankans who triggered a bomb scare aboard an Air Canada plane while being questioned at an airport about the validity of their passports were trying to flee their volatile homeland and did not pose a threat to the public, authorities said Friday.
Nayeem Sukkor, 34, and Mercy Antony, 39, flew into Los Angeles earlier this month and were attempting to board a commuter flight to Toronto on Wednesday when officials became suspicious about their travel documents. While being questioned, Sukkor apparently made a confusing remark about explosives in his luggage.
The plane, which had taken off with 11 passengers, was diverted back to Rochester`s airport as a precaution when it was learned that one of their bags was aboard, officials said. No explosives were found.
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Editorial News
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Attack on Lebanon hits Lanka
Sunday, 23 July 2006 - 6:56 AM SL Time
As Lebanon is being hit by Israeli shells and bombs and the Israelis in turn, by Hezbollah rockets, the old Biblical saying `an eye for an eye` has aggravated to `a city for a city`.
Tens of thousands of Sri Lankans are trapped in this fire fight - most of them housemaids. While one Sri Lankan woman was confirmed dead more are believed to be casualties. Over 80,000 Sri Lankan citizens are stranded or locked inside empty houses, their employers having fled to the safety of neighbouring Syria without them.
Sri Lankans top the list of foreigners in Lebanon - after the Palestinian refugees, almost all of them being housemaids. They seem to be the worst affected in war-torn Lebanon, which is now bracing itself for a major ground offensive by the Israelis after 11 days of relentless bombardment from air, sea and land.
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When will the drama be over?
Saturday, 22 July 2006 - 5:04 AM SL Time
When is the political comedy being played at the Colombo Municipality going to be over' This is the question being asked by the Colombo ratepayers as well as hundreds of thousands of those visiting the capital city daily.
The latest episode in this drama with its changing scenes of tragedy and comedy is the clash that has begun raging between the young Mayor Mohammed U.Imtiyaz who has risen from nonentity to limelight and Deputy Mayor S.Rajendran who has headed the Spectacle Group at the election. Rajendran has no respect for the mayor now. He says the mayor had been chosen without the consent of his group. He complains that his group cannot go ahead doing their duty by the voters since the mayor who has executive power acts according to the dictates of outsiders.
In response, Mayor Imtiyaz accuses his deputy of defaming him and denies that he dances to the tune of outsiders. He also accuses Rajendran of reneging on his promise to get independent Group 3 members to resign to make way for the UNP members. The mayor concedes that people have not voted for the group now ruling the council but for others and that they should be allowed to take over. He is prepared to resign, he says, but he will give his letter of resignation to no one else but to UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
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On the fast track to disaster!
Friday, 21 July 2006 - 7:37 AM SL Time
Sri Lankans are known for their suicidal gene. In anything they do, they die for taking a mat slide ride down the Gadarene slope, be it playing cricket or driving on public roads. It is that suicidal tendency which we witness in the manner the Port trade unions and Minister Mangala Samaraweera are handling the on-going dispute. They are tightening the grip on each other`s jugular, without giving tuppence for the grave risks, to which they are exposing not only the Port but also the entire country.
The export sector is on the verge of collapse. The Sri Lanka Shippers` Council Chairman Jayanath Perera has told this newspaper that the Port ca`canny has led to the curtailment of tea and garment production by half. This is sure to have a cascading effect on the economy. If the crisis persists, the affected industries will have to adopt drastic measures, including retrenchment and hundreds of thousands of workers risk losing their livelihood, especially in the poverty stricken rural and estate sectors.
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Transport Of Essential Items To Un-Cleared Areas Continues.
Sunday, 23 July 2006 - 6:52 AM SL Time
ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY (1650) lorry loads of food and other essential items had been dispatched to un-cleared areas in the northern province during the period between 14 July and 20 July 2006.
Those consignments had reached areas in KILINOCHCHI and MULLAITIVU districts via OMANTHAI and UYILANKULAM Entry/Exit points.
The stocks contained rice, dhal, dried fish, clothes, fuel, spices, building materials, vehicle spare parts, medicine and the such like which are needed for the use of civilians in un-cleared areas.
A total of 28,342 civilians had crossed over to the un-cleared areas through those checkpoints while an estimated 29,358 civilians had arrived in VAVUNIYA from un-cleared areas during the said period.
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LTTE arms surrender a `gigantic farce`
Sunday, 23 July 2006 - 6:34 AM SL Time
President`s Counsel H.L. de Silva on Friday obtained leave from the Supreme Court to proceed with a fundamental rights action relating to the north east merger. In his opening submissions on Friday he said that the LTTE`s surrender of weapons under the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement of 1987 was `in reality a gigantic farce.``
`It was manifest that there was no real or effective surrender of arms except for the token display of some rusty unserviceable weapons in the presence of then Defence Secretary General Sepala Atygalle,`` he said.
`It was only a photo opportunity provided for the paparazzi'in reality a gigantic farce.``
De Silva described the enforcement of the merger of the Northern and Eastern Provinces notwithstanding the failure of the armed groups to surrender their arms and weapons by resorting to an emergency regulation as `an illegal by-pass operation.``
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Italy embassy urges lankans to use proper and safe methods in seek of foreign employment
Saturday, 22 July 2006 - 5:09 AM SL Time
Embassy of Italy in Sri Lanka recently urged the local job seekers to use safe and proper methods in immigrating to Italy.
Ambassador of Italy in Sri Lanka Pio Mariani told the 'Asian Tribune' that Sri Lankans are mostly welcome as they are good workers in Italy. 'We have experienced a 43 per cent increase in visa issued to enter Italy, compared to the first half last year. As per Italian authorities there are 120,000 to 130,000 Sri Lankan workers in Italy. Most of them are illegal workers but have no criminal involvements in Italy which would force them for deportation,' he said.
According to the Ambassador existing Sri Lankan workers could sponsor their relative, which provides more opportunity for locals. 'It is very risky and unsafe to use boats and other ways of illegally getting in to Italy. Sometimes this could lead to loss of lives,' he added.
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Business / Economy News
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Automated fuel pumps for Lanka
Sunday, 23 July 2006 - 6:42 AM SL Time
ri Lanka has begun setting up automated fuel pumping stations linked to computers with payment by credit card, industry officials said last week.
Laugfs Petroleum Pvt Ltd, a local company that owns eight fuel stations, on Monday upgraded one its stations at Maharagama to an automated one with credit card swiping machines, computer-linked pumps and fuel tanks. There are more than 500 fuel sheds in Sri Lanka mostly owned by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and Lanka India Oil Company (LIOC).
LIOC last week began distributing fuel to sheds outside the Western province including Colombo, after a near 3-4 week shutdown at its sheds.
LIOC supplies ran out after a dispute with the government over delayed subsidy payments which have now been sorted out. LIOC officials said another fuel shipment was due shortly for distribution in the western province.
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Tea Tang`s nice guy takes helm of 167-year old chamber
Sunday, 23 July 2006 - 6:36 AM SL Time
Mahen Dayananda, the new chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, says he does not aspire to make dramatic changes. Instead, he believes in starting with small steps and moving forward meaningfully.
Dayananda walked into the chamber premises last week with a smile for everybody. Courteous to everyone from the office help upwards, there was private sector professionalism in his every mannerism. And it was evident in his words that he had a clear notion of where he would guide the chamber.
`We are quite traditional in our approach to a number of issues but we recognise the need to progress in the current context of the world,` Dayananda confessed in an interview. `We would like to build on existing working relationships with the government and with those who call the shots. Our aim is to make a meaningful contribution towards developing the economy.`
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International Buddhist conference in Kandy
Saturday, 22 July 2006 - 5:08 AM SL Time
An International Buddhist conference will be held in August in Kandy. The conference, which is schedule to be held on 11th and 12th August 2006, is the first Buddhist Conference of its kind. It is organized by the Sri Dalada Maligawa, under the patronage of the Malwatta Mahavihara, the Asgiriya Mahavihara and the government.
The Sri Dalada Maligawa and the Diyawadana Nilame who is also the Convenor of the conference are handling the logistical and the Secretarial matters and an advisory committee, an organizing committee and an inter-ministerial coordinating committee will handle the organizational work of the conference.
The theme of the conference is `The Buddhist way for a better world`. The conference is held to mark the 2550th Buddha Jayanthi and the ceremonial opening of the International Buddhist Training and Research Center at Pallekele in Kandy.
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Ganguly wants e-mail leak probe
Sunday, 23 July 2006 - 6:35 AM SL Time
Former captain Sourav Ganguly has called for a probe into the leaked e-mail that ended his India career.
The move, during Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) elections, has been taken as a threat to former India cricket board supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya.
Coach Greg Chappell`s e-mail, which said Ganguly was no longer fit to be captain, was made public in September.
Ganguly told Dalmiya`s election rival, Prasun Mukherjee, the person who leaked the e-mail should be punished.
The call was seen by many as a hint that Dalmiya was the man behind the leak.
Mukherjee, Calcutta`s police commissioner, is running for the CAB presidency against Dalmiya, who has held the post for more than 15 years.
Elections take place on 30 July.
During his time as president of India`s national cricket board, and at the helm of the International Cricket Council, Dalmiya was seen as a close ally of Ganguly.
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St Anthony`s tarnish Kingswood`s record
Saturday, 22 July 2006 - 5:02 AM SL Time
St. Anthony`s after being beaten neck and crop by Isipathana last week came back with vengeance when they pulled of the first shock of the new Division 1A inter-school rugby season which got off yesterday with a nerve breaking 15 points (one goal, one try, one penalty) to 7 (one goal) win over three time inter-schools rugby champions Kingswood who are also the defending champions in their match played at Nittawela yesterday.
It was a try scored by centre Wijesiri Hapugastenna who converted it himself ten minutes before the end that sealed the win for the Antonians who led eight nil at the breather through an unconverted try from fly half Krishantha Rajapakse and a penalty booted over by Krishantha Hapugastenne. Though the Kingswoodians came close from a converted try by hooker Chanaka Perera, they did not have the ammunition to fight the strong Antonians who held on to earn a well deserved win.
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We are moving in the right direction - Mahela
Friday, 21 July 2006 - 7:42 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene and coach Tom Moody held their first media briefing at home since the team`s successful tour of England where they squared the Test series 1-1 and won the ODIs 5-0.
Following the series success, chief selector Ashantha de Mel spoke on the importance of preparing for next year`s World Cup in the Caribbean early and Jayawardene said that the team is certainly moving in the right direction.
`Certainly, we are moving in the right direction. The guys are looking at things positively and they are relaxed. We need to work harder to achieve our goals and we`ve got to be consistent,` Jayawardene said speaking to journalists at Sri Lanka Cricket headquarters.
`We have to prepare for the World Cup. We have about 20 odd ODIs leading up to the World Cup and there`s not much time to experiment. So we`ve got to look at the right combination,` he added.
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