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About this Sri Lankan News Forum
Welcome to the largest news forum on Sri Lanka. This is a discussion table for millions of Sri Lankans living around the world to express their thoughts on the latest Sri Lankan news events. Lankanewspapers.com is a powerful tool for all Sri Lankan ethnic groups to share information, knowledge and wisdom. Join! today |
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Karuna`s men in IDP camps - Amnesty Wednesday, 14 March 2007 - 5:41 AM SL Time Amnesty Inetrnational expressed concern about the activities of armed groups operating in government controled areas in a satement issued on Tuesday. In an interview with the BBC, Government security spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said the government is doing everything to prevent the activities of such groups in government controlled areas. In its report, the Amnesty International claims, `Armed groups, some identified as part of a breakaway group of Tamil Tigers known as the Karuna faction, are infiltrating camps for newly displaced people and abducting residents, according to sources known to Amnesty International`. Armed grouos in IDP camps According to government officials and the relief organisations in the area,thousands of people have been fleeing their homes after intense fighting in the eastern regions of Trincomalee and Batticaloa over the weekend, pushing the number of displaced people to well over 120,000. 
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Lanka won`t accept Indians on SLN vessels Wednesday, 14 March 2007 - 3:52 AM SL Time Sri Lanka will not consent to the deployment of Indian navy or Coast Guard personnel on board her vessels, hunting for LTTE craft in the Gulf of Mannar and the high seas, official sources said yesterday contradicting an Indian claim that Sri Lanka`s Chennai based Deputy High Commissioner Hamza had conveyed readiness to allow Indian personnel onboard SLN vessels at talks with a high level DMK delegation on alleged attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen. Subsequent to Monday`s meeting in Chennai, Indian news agencies quoted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi as saying that Sri Lanka agreed to let Indian naval personnel board their ships during patrolling in the Palk Straits to prevent possible recurrence of attacks on Indian fishermen.
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Air force bombs major Tamil Tiger base in eastern Sri Lanka for 2nd day Tuesday, 13 March 2007 - 7:55 PM SL Time Sri Lanka`s air force bombed a strategic Tamil Tiger jungle base in the east for a second straight day on Tuesday amid signs the insurgents were gathering for a counterattack, a military spokesman said. The air raid comes as relief agencies warned of an impending humanitarian crisis in the east, where tens of thousands of people have fled their homes in recent weeks due to an escalation of fighting. At least eight rebels, including two senior guerrillas, were killed when Kfir and MiG-27 jets strafed the base in Thoppigala on Monday, air force Group Captain Ajantha Silva said on Tuesday. He declined to say why news of the raid was withheld for 24 hours. The air force bombed the base again on Tuesday amid signs the rebels were regrouping, Silva said. He had no immediate details of damage or casualties.
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| Security
Security Forum
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Bus driver gets 20 years R.I for rape Wednesday, 14 March 2007 - 5:47 AM SL Time A driver of a luxury bus who had allegedly raped a young passenger travelling to Colombo at the Pettah bus stand was sentenced to twenty years rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court yesterday. High Court Judge Upali Abeyratne convicted the accused Samarakone Arachchige Savindra of Pitipana South, Kiriwaththuduwa for committing rape on a girl on May 24, 2005 at Bastian Mawatha in Pettha. The accused who was the owner of a bus plying between Tanamalwila and Colombo had raped the girl who was returning from work at a garment factory in Katunayake. During the trial it was revealed that the accused had driven the bus carrying the young woman and had stopped it at the Gunasinghapura private bus stand. After dropping the other passengers there he had taken the girl to Bastian Mawatha and raped her.
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JVP furious over secret pact with US Wednesday, 14 March 2007 - 5:46 AM SL Time The JVP yesterday expressed fears about a possible threat of a UN peace keeping force in the country and urged the government to reveal the agreement it signed with the United States last week. The JVP Politburo said the logistics agreement signed by Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa and US Ambassador Robert Blake, providing a framework for increased interoperability was not `clear` or `specific`. `Though it was said the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) would allow the United States and Sri Lanka to transfer and exchange logistics supplies, support, and re-fueling services, either in kind or at cost, during peacekeeping missions, humanitarian operations and joint exercises, it did not clearly mention whether they omitted Sri Lanka when talking about peace keeping missions,` the politburo statement said.
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Mangala hits out at Gotabhaya Tuesday, 13 March 2007 - 3:38 AM SL Time Former Ministers Mangala Samarawerera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi earlier yesterday expressed dismay over Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa`s failure to show up for an inquiry held at the Human Rights Commission. `Mr. Rajapaksa has once again absconded from attending the Human Rights Commission and made a mockery of it,` Mr. Samaraweera told the media at a media briefing. Mr. Samaraweera said the decision to provide five handpicked security officers by the Defence Secretary for both of them was suspicious. `Both President Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Rajapaksa will have to be responsible if some thing untoward happens to us,` he said. Retired Judges I. M. Liyanage and Dudley Karunaratne who were present for the hearing decided to postpone the inquiry till March 18.
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| Politics
Political News Forum
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Minister complains of extortion racket by Karuna group Wednesday, 14 March 2007 - 5:54 AM SL Time A massive extortion racket allegedly by the Karuna group has been reported to the Defence Ministry and the police by a government minister following complaints by a large number of Tamil businessmen. Several Tamil businessmen had complained to Deputy Vocational and Technical Training Minister, P. Radhakrishnan that persons claiming to be from the Karuna group had in the months of January, February and early March demanded a ransom of Rs. 5 million each in exchange for their security. The Morning Leader learns the ransom demand had been made of 20 businessmen from Old Moor Street, Colombo and 10 businessmen in Wellawatte. Ransom demands had been made by a person named Neelavan using mobile number 0723705608, a person named Seelan using mobile number 0779791317 and a person named Master using mobile number 0775947338.
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Establish two separate units to serve the Tamils in the north and east -- TMVP Commander, Pillaiyan Wednesday, 14 March 2007 - 5:50 AM SL Time Pledging that the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) is for a united and undivided Sri Lanka the TMVP Supreme Commander Pillaiyan told the AsianTribune that the Sri Lankan government should give the lead by establishing two separate interim administrative units in the North and East provinces. This would enable the people of these two provinces to conduct their day-to-day affairs according to the wishes of the local people. Neither province should try to dictate terms to the other nor their regional autonomy must be guaranteed, said Pillaiiyan. Pillaiiyan said that the leader of the TMVP, V. Muralitharan, alias Colonel Karuna, has stated categorically that he stands for a united Sri Lanka where the territorial integrity and sovereignty should remain intact.
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UNP hits out at Govt. deals with US and Tigers Wednesday, 14 March 2007 - 5:47 AM SL Time The UNP yesterday accused the Government of signing a secret deal with the United States similar to the secret deal it allegedly clinched with the Tigers to disarm all paramilitary groups including the Karuna Group in the North and the East. UNP Kandy District Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella told a news conference yesterday `the Rajapaksa brothers` had signed the secret deal with the US and that he would reveal details of the deal during the next session of Parliament. He said the party would request a debate in the House on the issue. Referring to the alleged Mahinda - LTTE secret pact Mr. Kiriella said the Geneva talks in February last year were part of it. In terms of this pact he said the government had agreed to disarm all paramilitary groups including Karuna fraction. He said the statement that was issued by the government at the end of the Geneva talks was proof of it. The statement said the government was willing to safeguard the CFA and to disarm all military forces that were operating in the North and the East.
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| Business / Economy News
Business News Forum
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Bank accounts of Gateway International school, of Allas, with held Tuesday, 13 March 2007 - 3:40 AM SL Time The bank account of the Gateway International School, which has a good reputation in the local education industry, has been with held under the influence of a high ranking official of the government. As it has not being with held on a legal basis the education of around 23,000 students seems to be in doubt. It is being reported that this step has been taken as another steps of the government`s hatred politics. The Gateway International schools in Colombo and Kandy has 3,000 students while around 20,000 students follow computer courses conducted by the institute and has a staff of around 500 teachers and staff. As the bank account of the institute was with held this afternoon the school is likely to face severe hardships in continuing its educational activities as it will not be able to pay any of the payments which it should do on a regularly basis.
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More male workers than female in State sector Tuesday, 13 March 2007 - 3:37 AM SL Time There were 813,000 persons working in the state and semi governmental sector, as at 1st July 2006, according the latest survey by the Census and Statistics Department. Of that figure 60 per cent were males, Deputy Director of Census and Statistics J. A. P. Balasuriya told The Island yesterday (12). There were 325,272 persons working in the State sector while 279,924 were in the Provincial Public sector and a 207,834 in the Semi Government sector according the report. The State Sector and the Semi-Government sector had 68 percent and 74 percent male employees respectively. But, the majority of employees in the Provincial Public Sector were females as teachers and nurses. However, the percentage of male employees, in the State Sector, was more than twice that of the females according to the report.
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Police wipe out pavement hawkers, unauthorized structures Tuesday, 13 March 2007 - 3:34 AM SL Time The police will launch `Operation clean up` from next week to rid the Fort and Pettah of all unauthorized structures and halt the nefarious activities being conducted by the underworld at the Central bus terminal. They expect to accomplish their task before April 2, Colombo Central ASP Premalal Ranagala said yesterday. He said that President Mahinda Rajapakse had ordered the clean up under the Mahinda Chinthanaya Programme, where he said priority should be given to provide a secure society for the people to live in. `He told us not to halt the operation under any circumstances or give into pressure from any quarter.` Ranagala said plans were afoot under the personal directions of Colombo DIG Rohan Abeywardena and SSP Colombo Central Ajith Fonseka to execute the operation from this week, in time to complete the task before the New Year.
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| Editorial News
Editorial News Forum
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Of that Secret Pact Wednesday, 14 March 2007 - 5:45 AM SL Time Our politicians are blessed with a remarkable ability. They can make mountains out of molehills or even dunghills. Before the last Presidential Election, the UPFA as well as the JVP let out a howl of protest against what they termed a secret pact between Ranil and Prabhakaran. They obviously blew a tacit understanding that some UNPers were believed to have with the LTTE out of proportions to discredit the UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Today, Mr. Wickremesinghe, in an apparent bid to avenge injustice the UPFA caused to him at that vital election, is demanding an explanation from President Mahinda Rajapakse on the alleged secret pact between the LTTE and the government. Mr. Wickremesinghe doesn`t seem to be satisfied with the explanation that Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremenayake provided in Parliament recently.
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We`ve failed the test of `a nation`s greatness and moral progress` Tuesday, 13 March 2007 - 3:35 AM SL Time Bad news emanates from Britain. British animal welfare organisations are reported to be discouraging tourists from visiting Sri Lanka on the grounds of cruelty to animals. It is reported that Home and Abroad Animal Welfare, a UK-based non profit organisation, is asking tourists to be wary of being photographed with captured animals such as monkeys, snakes, porcupines etc. in this country. This animal rights campaign has the potential to snowball and deal a paralysing blow to the already debilitated tourism industry of Sri Lanka, in the long run. But, can we blame those well intentioned animal rights activists who are on a noble mission to lend their voice to the dumb animals? Cruelty to animals in this blessed land is monumental. Never mind cruelty that small creatures like man`s best friend are subjected to: Look at the suffering of that majestic beast adorning our jungles?the elephant. As if the torture that the pachyderms already undergo in numerous ways were not enough, we are coming out with some innovate ways of exacerbating their suffering such as making them play balls as a tourist attraction.
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A festering wound, foreign doctors and us Monday, 12 March 2007 - 6:12 AM SL Time The SLFP is expected to submit its proposals to the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) shortly. Although the contents of the proposals are not yet known, one cannot but ask whether the SLFP is reinventing the wheel. For, as far as we can remember, its proposals were unveiled in 2000 by none other than the ex- President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who was also the leader of the SLFP at that time. Her package of constitutional reforms presented to Parliament envisaged devolution at the regional level, which went way beyond the Provincial Councils. Her Regional Councils had been rejected by the LTTE lock, stock and barrel, even before the UNP-JVP combine shot them down in Parliament. One may wonder whether now that Chandrika Chinthanaya has given way to the Mahinda Chinthanaya, the SLFP feels the need for presenting a new set of proposals.
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| Sports News
Sports News Forum
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Sri Lanka vs Bermuda 15th March 2007 Wednesday, 14 March 2007 - 5:49 AM SL Time Queen`s Park Oval is generally thought of as the most picturesque of the old grounds in the West Indies. It is also the largest, accommodating 25,000 spectators in comfort. Home of the Queen`s Park Cricket Club (QPCC) since 1896, it hosted the English teams touring the West Indies early in 1897 one under Lord Hawke, the other under Arthur Priestley. The capacity of the ground has made it most profitable (holding at least 7000 more than any other ground in the West Indies). The pavilion was erected in 1896 and by and large, remained unchanged until 1952 when it was replaced by a two-tiered structure. Natural turf was used in the early years for matches. However, damage cased by the mole-cricket in the soil rendered it impossible to prepare turf pitches. For forty years thereafter, a clay strip was used, over which matting was laid. The final Test played on matting was in 1954 when West Indies scored 681 for 8 and England 537 in reply. Within three months, the pitch had been removed and efforts were underway to replace the centre square with turf.
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Sri Lankans expecting flying ball at World Cup Wednesday, 14 March 2007 - 5:48 AM SL Time Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardena said on Sunday his team will not know what to expect on the newly laid out pitches at the cricket World Cup and feared the ball could swing in all directions. `Most wickets have been re-laid and none (of the teams) have had the opportunity to play on them.`It can be a surprise,` Jayawardena said. `The first game, the ball could be flying.` The 1996 champions are regarded as early favourites due to their all-round strength on pitches which many feel will play slow like those in the Indian sub-continent. But Jayawardene said such predictions proved wrong in the ICC Champions Trophy in India late last year, where champions Australia, finalists West Indies, New Zealand and South Africa entered the last four.
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Play in cricket`s showpiece event begins today Tuesday, 13 March 2007 - 3:36 AM SL Time World cricket`s showpiece event, the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup in the West Indies, begins today and will be one of the biggest sporting events ever to hit the Caribbean. This edition of the World Cup, the ninth since the first tournament in 1975, will feature 16 teams -- the 10 Test nations, Kenya and five qualifiers, including World Cup debutants Bermuda and Ireland. For the group stage, the 16 nations will be split into four groups of four teams. The top two sides after the completion of the group matches will advance to the round-robin `Super Eight` component of the tournament. The top four sides from the Super Eight will progress to the semi-finals, which will be followed by the final in Barbados on April 28. With the dramatic loss of form of some of the favourites (most notably two-time reigning champs Australia) and the emergence of a few of the struggling sides (England, New Zealand) this World Cup has gone from one of the most predictable ever at the start of the year to one of the most open fields in the tournament`s history, with up to eight of the sides having a realistic chance of taking home the silverware.
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