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Tamil prisoners on death fast Thursday, 11 October 2007 - 11:08 AM SL Time Several Tamil detainees at the Welikada prison, who claimed to be political prisoners, began a fast unto death campaign yesterday demanding a visit by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Louise Arbour to see first hand their plight and grievances.The High Commissioner arrived in the country on Tuesday to assess the human rights situation and is expected to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa today and also visit Jaffna to meet civil society leaders and rights groups.
Welikada prison sources said that 86 Tamil prisoners of cell G in ward 5 commenced the fast yesterday and several others of cells A, B, C and D are expected to extend support to the protest today brining the total number of protestors to more than one hundred. Some 486 Tamil prisoners are at the Welikada prison, most of them among those who have been transferred from the Boossa detention camp. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which was scheduled to meet Ms. Arbour last evening, was also to raise concerns over the plight of the Welikada political detainees. 
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Govt. team in Jaffna next week to study HR violations Wednesday, 10 October 2007 - 12:25 PM SL Time The Government will dispatch a high ranking committee to the Jaffna peninsula next week to make an on the spot study of killings, abductions and disappearances of Tamil civilians daily there. During the last six months alone a minimum of 3 Tamil civilians have been killed daily.
Minister of Engineering Services Dr. Rajitha Senaratne told a press briefing yesterday, the committee named the Presidential Committee to Monitor, Abductions, Disappearances and Human Rights Violations was formed on June 1 and since then has received hundreds of complaints about atrocities to Tamil civilians. The team would comprise Dr. Senaratne, Transport Minister Dallas Alahapperuma, Vocational Training Deputy Minister G. Radhakrishnan and Presidential Advisor Vasudeva Nanayakkara.
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U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights arrived in Sri Lanka Tuesday, 9 October 2007 - 10:32 PM SL Time U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour arrived in Sri Lanka today for a five-day visit to get a first hand look on the human rights situation in the country amid growing international concern.
Ms. Arbour is expected to hold discussions with the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, other government officials and representatives of civil society during her visit. Last week the government turned down UN official`s request to visit Wanni to meet LTTE leadership and get first hand information on the ground situation there. Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe in an interview with a Sri Lankan newspaper said that the rebel outfit, LTTE `uses this kind of high level visits for their propaganda purposes.`
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| Security
Security Forum
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Court orders doctor and hospital to pay Saturday, 13 October 2007 - 10:07 AM SL Time In a landmark judgment a doctor and a private hospital were ordered to pay Rs. 810,000 as compensation to a school teacher from Awissawella in a case of medical negligence. The case filed by the school teacher against the doctor and the private hospital alleged she suffered severe loss and damage due to a gauze swab being left in the cavity subsequent to a surgery carried out by Doctor Roy Perera (1st Defendant) at Neptune Hospital (2nd Defendant) After a lengthy trial that lasted for more than four years, Colombo`s Additional District Judge Priyantha Fernando held that the Plaintiff Himesha Kumari Bandara had established her case on a balance of probabilities of the gauze swab being left in the cavity after the surgery performed by Dr. Perera at the Neptune Hospital and that it amounted to medical negligence on the part of the doctor and the hospital.
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`Take us to courts` - say prisoners Friday, 12 October 2007 - 5:54 AM SL Time Tamil detainees in remand prison in Welikada and Anuradhapura prison have staged a fast unto death requesting that they be met with United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, Louise Arbour In an appeal to the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, Louise Arbour, the prisoners say that they are in custody without trial and their human rights are violated. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2007/10/071011_prisoners.shtml
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Malaka transferred to prison hospital Friday, 12 October 2007 - 5:51 AM SL Time Non-Cabinet Deputy Labour Minister Mervyn Silva`s son Malaka, who is on remand for allegedly pistol whipping a patron at a restaurant in Bambalapitiya, was transferred to the Welikada prison hospital last evening. The suspect Malaka Silva was transferred from the Merchant ward of the National Hospital in a Prisons vehicle. It was reported that his father Mr. Mervyn Silva had come to the prison hospital and inquired about the facilities there. Malaka Silva has been in the Merchant ward since September 10, the day he was remanded by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate. Last week a fundamental rights application was filed in the Supreme Court against Malaka Silva being kept in the Merchant wards. The petitioner had prayed that Malaka be transferred to the remand prison.
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| Politics
Political News Forum
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MR`s Ramazan message Saturday, 13 October 2007 - 10:05 AM SL Time President Mahinda Rajapaksa issued the following Ramazan message `I extend my greetings to all followers of Islam in Sri Lanka on this Eid-Ul-Fitr Ramzan festival day. `The Eid-ul-Fitr Ramzan festival comes at the end of the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. It is a time of rejoicing after a month spent by the followers of Islam focusing on their faith, with strict observance of the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad. `In the many centuries since their arrival in Sri Lanka, the Muslim community has lived in harmony with the Sinhalese, Tamils and all other communities to whom this country is the motherland. The strong message of peace, understanding and co-existence found in Islam has helped this unity founded on goodwill and tolerance.
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President keynote Speaker at HT Leadership Summit Friday, 12 October 2007 - 5:53 AM SL Time President Mahinda Rajapaksa will deliver the keynote address at the fifth Hindustan Times Leadership Summit to be held on October 12 and 13 in New Delhi under the theme `The India that can be`. The Summit is sponsored by Hindustan Times (HT) Media Ltd., one of the largest media conglomerates in India. Its objectives are to enhance the level of discussion on compelling and pressing national, regional and global issues, to stimulate interaction among leaders and to present an international quality thought-platform aimed at exploring possible solutions. President Rajapaksa will address the Summit on the 13th at 10 a.m. Other speakers on that day include Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida, Prof. Daniel Schrag, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Director, Harvard University Centre for the Environment and Dr. V. Ramanathan, Professor of Climate and Atmospheric Sciences, University of California.
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Tigers urge UN Human Rights Commissioner to visit Vanni Wednesday, 10 October 2007 - 12:46 PM SL Time Welcoming the `timely mission` by United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, Louise Arbour, to investigate human rights violations in Sri Lanka, Liberation Tigers Human Rights spokesperson N. Selvy, Tuesday said the Tamils were expecting the UN High Commissioner to visit the LTTE administered Vanni to get an absolute assessment of the Human Rights violations perpetrated by the Sri Lankan military and its paramilitaries in the Tamil homeland. Tamils, as a people, were disappointed as `the main violator, the Sri Lankan government itself,` was exercising control over the itinerary of the visiting High Commissioner, Ms. Selvy said. Stating that the Human Rights unit of the Tigers was in possession of `exclusive and sensitive details` on Human Rights violations by the Sri Lankan forces and details of Human Rights activists who have been forced to flee the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled areas, Selvy said there were parliamentarians, priests, journalists and rights activists who were forced into exile.
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| Business / Economy News
Business News Forum
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President solves internship problem Saturday, 13 October 2007 - 10:10 AM SL Time A delegation from the GMOA met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Thursday and discussed the cancellation of the internship appointments of medical graduates, made on October 3, by the Health Ministry and the inconvenience caused to the interns as a result. President Rajapaksa directed the health authorities to make the internship appointments according to the October 3 list and within two weeks to fill all existing internship vacancies from the next batch of medical graduates who are in the waiting list.
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2100 kgs of kottu Friday, 12 October 2007 - 5:57 AM SL Time Kottu is indisputably Sri Lanka`s favourite comfort food but this distinction may not last too much longer. The Hilton Colombo now attempts to take a nation`s yearning for this delicious dish to even greater heights by showcasing this much loved speciality to the world as part of its `2,100 kg of Kottu` fundraiser. Join friends and families, and bear witness to what may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in a potential world`s first, when 40 chefs from the Hilton Colombo`s Curry Leaf restaurant will prepare 2, 100 kgs of Chicken Kottu between 5.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. on Sunday, October 21, 2007, at the Hilton Colombo Sports Centre Car Park. Open to all, `2,100 kgs of Kottu` is a first of its kind fundraising event, where guests will witness this spectacular blending of spices, roti and lots of chicken supplied by Maxies & Company Private Ltd.
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International Leadership Award for Dialog Telekom`s Nushad Perera Friday, 12 October 2007 - 5:55 AM SL Time Chief Marketing Officer of the Dialog Telekom Group, Nushad Perera addresses the distinguished gathering after receiving the coveted `Global Brand Leadership Award`. Also in the picture at extreme left is the Economy Minister of the UAE Sheikha Lubna Al.Quasimi. Chief Marketing Officer of the Dialog Telekom Group, Nushad Perera was recently bestowed with the coveted `Global Brand Leadership Award` at the Asia Brand Congress 2007 held in India. The Award was presented to Perera by the Economy Minister of the UAE Hon. Sheikha Lubna Al.Quasimi at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai in singular recognition of his professional drive to successfully forge and build the Dialog brand across all ethnic, cultural and socio-economic groups in Sri Lanka.
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| Editorial News
Editorial News Forum
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Arbour`s labour and other matters Friday, 12 October 2007 - 5:58 AM SL Time UN Human Rights High Commissioner Louise Arbour`s visit has triggered a mixed reaction. Some human rights groups that advocate a UN monitoring mission here are cock-a-hoop, while the anti-terror activists are deeply perturbed as they believe she is here on a mission aimed at giving oxygen to the Tigers licking their wounds in foxholes in the Wanni. Those who are campaigning for a UN monitoring mission with a gung-ho zeal claim that the government has failed in the task of protecting the civilians trapped in the conflict zone. They point out several instances of serious human rights violations that the government stands accused of. But, of what use are monitoring missions, UN or otherwise? The ceasefire monitoring mission has become a pathetic failure. It originally consisted of monitors from several powerful countries including the EU member states. Still, it served little purpose. Today, it stands accused of its partiality towards the LTTE and has obviously overstepped its mandate as evident from the recent visit by a diplomat from Iceland to the LTTE headquarters in Kilinochchi with the help of truce monitors.
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The grand power robbery: Whip them in public! Wednesday, 10 October 2007 - 12:41 PM SL Time The debt-ridden Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has received another solar plexus punch. Its employees are demanding electricity worth Rs. 400 free of charge. The CEB unions are reported to have demanded free power up to Rs.1,000 but the government has agreed to Rs. 400 after much haggling. The CEB unions and their members who have wrested that concession can now save a great deal on clothes. They have demonstrated that they are shameless enough to walk the streets without their clothes on. If they have an iota of shame, how on earth can they hold a public institution teetering on the verge of bankruptcy to ransom to win such an abominable demand? They are being no better than a drug addict who bashes his ailing mother demanding money for his daily dose. Or, they are doing just like a wicked carter who tortures an emaciated bull crushed under a heavy load in a bid to make it pull harder. In other words, as our headline for the news item on the concession at issue yesterday read, they are milking a dying cow dry!
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Holding the wrong end of the stick Monday, 8 October 2007 - 11:39 AM SL Time Sri Lanka`s peace process is a classic example of running round in circles. We have moved in the same circle several times over in trying to evolve a political solution and done experiments of all sorts with devolution models from District Development Councils to federalism, but in vain. Opposition and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has told The Hindu that Sri Lanka`s conflict cannot be resolved without India`s help. He is not the only proponent of that view. There are many others! It may be argued that India`s help is a prerequisite for ending the conflict given its origin and ramifications in that country. But, the question is why we so pathetically failed to usher in peace with not just India`s help but her direct involvement.
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| Sports News
Sports News Forum
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Scrap those crap wickets Saturday, 13 October 2007 - 10:13 AM SL Time One day cricket is a batsman`s game. And whilst it allows the bowler a certain degree of leeway to hold his own, such heroics come essentially through a process of extreme skill, cunning and perseverance than any assistance from any other extraneous factor. So it puzzled me no end to be constantly reminded by Mahela Jayawardena at the toss in the 3rd one dayer and `Bumble` Lloyd and so many others in the `box` how vital the winning of the toss was at Dambulla. We were virtually being told that the side winning the toss will win the match. The constant drone that was heard was that the side batting second would inevitably be faced with the prospect of far greater hardship than the one batting first. In other words what was implied was this Dambulla wicket could not be trusted to last one full day`s play without its character undergoing a near complete metamorphosis.
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Jones returns Olympic medals, accepts 2-year ban for doping Wednesday, 10 October 2007 - 12:42 PM SL Time Marion Jones returned the five medals she won at the Sydney Olympics on Monday, and agreed to forfeit all other results dating back to Sept. 1, 2000, further punishment for her admission that she was a doping cheat. The three gold medals and two bronzes were turned over to U.S. Olympic Committee and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency officials at her attorneys` office in Austin, Texas. They are en route to USOC headquarters in Colorado Springs, and the USOC will return them to the International Olympic Committee. `We`ve done what we can,` said Jim Scherr, the USOC`s chief executive officer. `We caught the person who was not clean. We`ve got the medals in our possession, and we will return them to IOC.` Jones won golds in the 100 and 200 meters, as well as the 1,600 relay. She won bronzes in the 400 relay and the long jump. It will be up to the IOC to decide what to do with the medals and whether to vacate Jones` results from Sydney - which could cost her relay teammates medals, too.
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Murali blow for Sri Lanka Tuesday, 9 October 2007 - 9:05 PM SL Time Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has been ruled out of the remainder of the one-day series against England, according to his manager. Muralitharan is still feeling the effects of a bicep injury which forced him to miss the World Twenty20 and will play no part in the remaining two games of the series as Sri Lanka look to recover from a 2-1 deficit. `Murali will not be playing in the last two one-day internationals as he is still not 100% fit,` said manager Kushil Gunasekera. `He has just started to bowl two to three overs a day and is testing his injury out. `He wants to be very sure before he makes a decision with regards to playing and at this stage the one day games against England are definitely out.
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