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Pakistan stands for Sri Lanka`s sovereignty - Bashir Wali Mohmand
Tuesday, 15 August 2006 - 4:42 AM SL Time
COLOMBO: Despite yesterday`s attempt on his life, Pakistan High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Bashir Wali Mohmand reiterated that Pakistan will continue to stand for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
`Our policies are always based on principles. We will not condone any terrorism. We believe in the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and will continue to do so,` the High Commissioner who narrowly escaped a bomb explosion targeting him in Kollupitiya yesterday told the Daily News. The High Commissioner`s vehicle and security escort were also damaged in the explosion which took place when he was travelling with his wife.
He said that Pakistan was also facing the same problem of terrorism and his country always stood for Sri Lanka`s territorial integrity .
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Schools closed till Aug. 28
Tuesday, 15 August 2006 - 4:32 AM SL Time
All schools in the country will be closed from today up to August 28, the Education Ministry announced yesterday.
Ministry Secretary Ariyaratne Hewage said the decision was made for several reasons including the upcoming SAF Games and the low attendance of students during these days.
Mr. Hewage said most of the schools would be used to accommodate thousands of competitors attending the sports festival.
Earlier, the Ministry had planned to close schools from August 22 to September 4 due to the sports festival..However, a principal of a leading Colombo school said principals wanted an immediate closure of schools after the LTTE claimed that 61 school girls were killed in aerial bombardments yesterday.
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Govt says 50 child soldiers killed. LTTE says innocent schoolgirls killed
Monday, 14 August 2006 - 10:09 PM SL Time
Government Says:
Sri Lanka says air strike victims were `child soldiers`
Associated Press, Mon August 14, 2006 08:27 EDT . - - Sri Lanka`s government on Monday rejected Tamil Tiger claims that schoolgirls were the victims of an air force strike earlier in the day, saying the strike targeted a training camp for child soldiers.
The Defense Ministry said in a statement that a training base of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Mullaitivu district had been bombed and ``50 to 60 young LTTE terrorist cadres`` were killed and many were injured.
Noting that international agencies including the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and the U.N. Children`s Fund had long focused on the LTTE`s ``inhuman child conscription,`` the statement said the bombing target was a ``training camp for child soldiers`` that had been ``identified by air force surveillance.``
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Politics
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Govt. calls on Tigers to surrender
Wednesday, 16 August 2006 - 1:06 AM SL Time
The Government on Monday called on all LTTE cadres, including child soldiers, to surrender to the nearest Military camp or police station, after the Tigers suffered heavy defeats in the North and East.
A large number of LTTE cadres in the East are reported to have deserted the organisation and sought protection from the government, both directly and through civil representatives.
Reports filtering in said that a number of LTTE cadres, among them child soldiers, had already surrendered to the Military and revealed that many more were awaiting the chance to quit the Tigers, sources said.
The government has said it would take full responsibility for their safety and would hand over the youth to their parents after rehabilitation. Low rate
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Shocked Wali speaks to Musharraf
Tuesday, 15 August 2006 - 4:36 AM SL Time
Pakistan High Commissioner Bashir Wali Mohamed last night said he was shocked when he found that one of his escort vehicles was caught in yesterday`s bomb blast at Kollupitiya.
'I was shocked that four of my security personnel were killed in the blast,' Mr. Mohamed told the Daily Mirror last night.He also said he had spoken to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf last evening and briefed on the situation to him.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan government also strongly condemned yesterday`s attack.
'We strongly condemn the attack targeting our high commissioner who is safe but whose car is damaged. We also regret the loss of precious lives,' foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said in a statement.
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Yet to see proof that Govt. controls Mavil Aru anicut says SLMM
Monday, 14 August 2006 - 3:43 AM SL Time
While, both the Government and the LTTE make claims as to who is in control of the Mavil Aru anicut, the SLMM head Ulf Henricsson said that the LTTE was in full control of the area at the time he was on his way to the site on Sunday, the 6th of this month.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Mr. Henricsson also said he has yet to see any photographs, which indicated that the Government military was in control of the anicut, as claimed by them over the last few weeks.
'That may be one sign who controls the dam still,' he said, adding, however, there was no independent verification as to who controls the dam, at this very moment.
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Editorial News
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Let`s shift from `No War No Peace` to a ` Know War Know Peace` situation
Tuesday, 15 August 2006 - 8:28 PM SL Time
Our sons grow up from cricket bats to assault rifles, our daughters, from thali threads to suicide belts. We read of massacres after our morning tea. We see child corpses on front pages, lined like hungry three-wheelers at Lanka IOC. We answer mobile phones, humming the latest Bollywood tunes. Then we turn the page, skimming past Solheim`s smile, fresh LTTE claymore attacks, Weerawansa`s 4-tenet broken record, SLMM composition updates and signs of negotiations about negotiating future negotiations, to arrive at the latest cricket scores. Meanwhile, in another universe, as Muralitharan bowls and tourists photograph elephants amid misty Kandy mountain peaks, violence in Mutur and Jaffna threaten to plunge our island back into war.
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Make auditing easy and meaningful
Tuesday, 15 August 2006 - 4:39 AM SL Time
It is the wish and requirement of the people of this country that Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has expressed in urging the new Auditor General to be appointed to work without fear or favour.
This sentiment has been expressed by the TISL in a press release issued by it on S. Mayadunne`s retirement as Auditor General. In a glowing tribute to the retiring AG, the TISL has stated that Mayadunne has completed 'An illustrious and exemplary career as a public official for over 35 years, having extraordinarily contributed to the financial integrity of the country.' The statement has added, 'He will be remembered as an Auditor General who had the courage, integrity and credential to take up within his mandate some of the worst public sector corruption issues.'
It is doubtful whether there has been a similar tribute paid by an recognized organization to any person retiring from the public service during recent times, because a large number of them had been sycophants during their time doing the bidding of those at the helm of affairs. The politicization process has been so intense that the appointment, promotion, extension of service and transfers of public officers depended on political party patronage and influence. It is only a few courageous and bold who were able emerge unscathed in this atmosphere.
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Doomed are the peace makers!
Monday, 14 August 2006 - 3:34 AM SL Time
It is with profound sorrow that we note the assassination of the Tamil intellectual, democrat and champion of a peaceful resolution of Sri Lanka`s problem, Ketheswaran Loganathan (54). The death of any man,` said Donne, `diminishes me for I am involved in mankind.` And the demise of outstanding men like Kethes diminishes us more. For, we are left with only a few of them, many having perished at the hands of the terrorists.
Ketheswaran maintained a very low profile but his contribution to the peace effort was legendary. He was involved in the Eelam People`s Revolutionary Left Front (EPRLF) from 1983 to 85 and was a member of the delegation that took part in the now famous Thimpu talks in 1985. Ever since, he had been involved in Sri Lanka`s conflict resolution process and was known internationally for his contribution to that worthy cause. Last March, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the peace effort, he was appointed Deputy Secretary General of the Secretariat for Co-ordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP), or the Peace Secretariat, as it is commonly known.
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Trail leads to Kataragama - Probe into HC assassination attempt
Wednesday, 16 August 2006 - 1:07 AM SL Time
A team of police officers was rushed to Kataragama yesterday to track down the owner of the three wheeler involved in Monday`s assassination attempt on the Pakistani High Commissioner in Sri Lanka.
Police investigating the Kollupitiya blast found that the three wheeler had been registered in the name of one Lalith of Kataragama.
Eye witnesses told investigators that a blue coloured three wheeler was usually parked at that spot and it was driven by an elderly person. On the day of the incident, too, a similar three wheeler was parked there and it did not rouse the suspicion of those living in the vicinity
Witnesses said they saw a man who alighted from the parked three wheeler running at a tremendous speed towards Kollupitiya carrying a hand phone in one hand. Within a few seconds, the motorcade of the Pakistani High Commissioner passed the three wheeler and it exploded.
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Mystery surrounds death of over 60 youths in Mullaitivu
Tuesday, 15 August 2006 - 4:37 AM SL Time
Mystery surrounds the death of more than 60 youths and serious injuries caused to more than 130 others in LTTE controlled Paranthan in Mullaitivu last morning.
The LTTE said the young girls and boys were orphans of a school in the area and were killed in air force bombing while the government said those killed were young rebel cadres.
The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said the air force conducted air strikes around 7.30 last morning on an LTTE training base at Puthukudiyurippu in Mullaitivu previously identified by air surveillance.
'Between 50 and 60 young LTTE terrorist cadres were killed and many were injured. The LTTE has continuously denied reports by the UN agencies such as UNHCR and UNICEF of inhuman child conscripts,' MCNS said.
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Doors still open for talks: President
Tuesday, 15 August 2006 - 4:34 AM SL Time
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday reiterated the government`s commitment to peace and stressed that doors were still open for talks with the LTTE.
'There is no alternative to a political solution and if anyone thinks that a solution can be found through arms it is a misconception,' the President emphasized.
'On previous occasions too peace talks were initiated with the full confidence that a solution could be found. That confidence is still there and all doors are opened for negotiations. We do not believe in finding solutions to the ethnic conflict through other means,' President Rajapaksa said.
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Business / Economy News
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Mobitel debuts 3G trial at International Buddhist Congress
Wednesday, 16 August 2006 - 1:05 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel embarked on a field trial for its cutting edge 3G Mobile Broadband platform, which utilizes next generation High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) technology.
The dazzling speed Internet access at an impressive 1.6 Mbps was recently made available for the benefit of the several hundred fold foreign and local religious dignitaries in attendance at the 2-day international conference in Pallekele, Kandy.
HSDPA, the latest development in 3G, which is being trialed by Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel is several stages ahead of its 3G forerunners and allows multiple applications with mobile phones, laptops and personal computers. The trial service offers wide range of options within the scope of mobile broadband level connectivity together with full inter-operability with Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel`s existing 2.5G network.
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Metro Ethernet provides better connectivity
Monday, 14 August 2006 - 3:36 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) has formulated a special project named as `Metro Ethernet` to connect 100 buildings situated in Colombo area by optical fiber network in a bid to provide better communication process.
The total project has been cost Rs.200 million and
currently this system has been introduced to 80 buildings and it is expected to complete the target of 100 buildings by the end of this year.
According to SLT General Manager S.K.Lal Ranjith, this project will enhance the communication process and would make the process more reliable and speedy.
SLT recently unveiling their financial results for the first half of 2006 and announced that the group has posted a group profit before of Rs.4.1 billion for the first six months of 2006 which has been a 106 per cent increase compared to last year. `The pre tax consolidation was Rs.4.3 billion which is an 82 per cent increase compared last year,` said SLT Chief Executive Officer Shuhei Anan.
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Making handicrafts a closely guarded secret
Sunday, 13 August 2006 - 4:56 AM SL Time
It was a rugged terrain that we travelled in Palle-Sapuwita in the Matale district to reach the home of Saman Renuka Wijesiri, a traditional craftsman who had become a successful entrepreneur in recent years. He owes his gratitude to the SEEDS organisation and the European Union (EU) that gave him the impetus to expand his business in a short period of time.
Wijesiri commenced his business on a small scale in the Matale district by churning out handicrafts to a small market segment. Today he sells his products to locals and to foreigners as well. A photograph of Wijesiri receiving the Presidential award from former President D. B. Wijetunga is hung prominently in the drawing room. Wijesiri belongs to a generation of traditional handicraftsmen in Palle-Sapuwita area. His forefathers too had been involved in making handicrafts.
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Refreshing win for Sri Lanka
Wednesday, 16 August 2006 - 1:06 AM SL Time
The 10th South Asian Federation Games (SAF) unofficially kicked-off at the Sugathadasa Stadium, with Sri Lanka gaining a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Maldives, in the football competition.
In the initial match of the tournament, Afghanistan held the strong Indian outfit to a goalless draw.
At whichever level Sri Lanka meet the Maldives, it has been always a `grudge battle` for supremacy, and Monday night at the floodlit Sugathadasa Stadium, it was no different.
The Sri Lanka team, now being handled by a Korean, Jang Jung, adopted a rather defensive approach in the first half. The modus operandi was to test and tease the Maldivian frontline with a number of elusive formations, which in turn kept the Maldivians always employed to seek the elusive ball as well as the goal. Lamentably, they lost both and looked a starved and tiresome squad when they entered the field for the second session of play.
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Points to prove in tri-series
Tuesday, 15 August 2006 - 4:38 AM SL Time
Sri Lanka, India and South Africa will all have points to prove when their ODI tri-series which was to getsunderway in Colombo yesterday.
For the hosts it will be all about maintaining its recent momentum, with a 100 per cent record in its last seven matches in this form of the game, against England and the Netherlands.
If Mahela Jayawardene`s side can do that it will prove itself to be a serious contender for both the ICC Champions Trophy and next year`s ICC Cricket World Cup and also make further progress up the LG ICC ODI Championship table.
Sri Lanka currently lies sixth in that table but is only four rating points behind New Zealand and six adrift of fourth-placed India.
The India squad will itself be out to show its 4-1 series loss to the West Indies in the Caribbean in May was just a temporary blip on its chart of excellent results in this form of the game over the past 12 months.
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In-form Sri Lanka hot favourites today
Monday, 14 August 2006 - 3:35 AM SL Time
After an excellent show in recent months in international cricket, especially in the ODIs, Sri Lanka`s cricket supporters will be hoping the team`s winning streak will continue in the Unitech tri-nation tournament that starts today at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
In the competition, one of the top priorities for Tom Moody`s side will certainly be to prove a point against neighbours India. They suffered a shocking 6-1 defeat last year at the hands of the Indians and that affected the Sri Lanka`s position in the ICC points table and the entire team will be looking forward to the clash against the Indians.
Sri Lanka`s opponents today, however, will be South Africa in a day night game followed by the clash against the Indians on Wednesday.
Petty politics could disrupt series
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