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Tamils ordered to vacate lodges in Pettah Friday, 1 June 2007 - 11:36 AM SL Time Tamil owners of 68 lodges in Pettah (Peaddai) Police Division in Colombo have been instructed by the Police Officer in Charge of Pettah to immediately expel around 5000 Tamil tenants from Northeast and Upcountry, currently staying in 68 lodges in Pettah, to their `native places` within 24 hours before the military is deployed to forcefully transport the inmates. Chief Inspector Jayaratne, the OIC, Thursday evening summoned the owners of the lodges on short notice to convey the warning, lodge owners told media. Tension prevails in Pettah as Tamil parliamentarians were trying to get in touch with the Sri Lankan government offiicals. The OIC issued a 24-hour deadline to vacate tenants from Northeast and Upcountry. People who come to Colombo from Northeast, stay in lodges. Individuals who have come for medical treatment from remote areas, individuals who were waiting to go abroad for education or employment, families on reunion staying in Colombo with their family members visiting from abroad and those who have come with military clearance are among more than 5000 Tamils who are instructed to vacate the lodges, according to lodge owners in Pettah. 
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You can`t help so we need Pak, China to help fight Tigers, Lanka tells India Thursday, 31 May 2007 - 6:11 PM SL Time With Tamil Tigers stepping up attacks, Sri Lanka has quietly alerted India that it will need to approach Pakistan and China for urgent arms purchases to counter the LTTE`s aerial threat. But Colombo has asked Delhi for technical assistance to train radar operators and flight controllers manning the two Indira radars provided by India last year, besides an additional pair of radars to detect low-flying aircraft. Sri Lankan Defence Secretary and President Mahinda Rajapakse`s brother Gotabaya Rajapakse, who met National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and all three Services chiefs during his recent visit, is believed to have conveyed that Colombo understood Delhi`s political compulsions which were preventing increase in military cooperation between the two countries.
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Tiran Alles arrested Wednesday, 30 May 2007 - 8:31 PM SL Time Police in Sri Lanka are questioning businessman Tiran Alles who was arrested on alleged financial deals with Tamil Tigers. The owner of the Standard Newspapers Ltd. was admitted to Navaloka hospital after the arrest. Former minister Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi, who is in the hospital told BBC Sandeshaya that Alles is surrounded by nearly 15 police officers. He accused authorities of being `inhumanely treating` political dissidents. More details to follow.
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| Security
Security Forum
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Hamilton, Harry hit out at India Saturday, 2 June 2007 - 8:56 AM SL Time Two former commanders of the Army and Air Force yesterday came down hard on India over comments made by the Indian National Security Adviser that Sri Lanka should not seek weapons from Pakistan or China. Former Army Chief Hamilton Wanasinghe said India should not tell Sri Lanka from where it should purchase military hardware or not. It is Sri Lanka`s choice, so the request is `unfair`,` General Wanasinghe who commanded the Army from 1988 to 1991 told the Daily Mirror. Praising Pakistan and China for their continued support to Sri Lanka, the former Army Chief also said we had to depend on Pakistan and China at critical points of time in the past. `We can`t antagonize those two countries, as they were there when we needed them.` Accusing neighbouring India of creating Sri Lanka`s conflict, the former Army Commander said India was partly responsible for creating the problem for us. `The LTTE was created by India. That`s the truth.`
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President makes surprise visit to Katunayake air base Saturday, 2 June 2007 - 8:52 AM SL Time President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a surprise visit to the Katunayake Air Base adjoining the Bandaranaike International Airport on Thursday night, to inspect the security situation and radar systems there, sources said. `The President and senior defence officials visited the Air Force base and held talks with senior officers there about the current situation in the backdrop of the LTTE`s air attack a few weeks ago,` a senior defence ministry official said. The President later inspected how the radar system of the air port was working and instructed the officials to maintain security at the highest level at the country`s only international airport. Accompanied by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Air Force Commander Roshan Gunatilake and several top officials, the President spent nearly an hour at the air force base.
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Police take in 14 suspected LTTE cadres Saturday, 2 June 2007 - 8:51 AM SL Time Wattala Police arrested 14 LTTE suspects from lodges and houses, which they had rented in the vicinity of the Gas Complex of the Kerawalapitiya Power Station, police said yesterday. They were residents of Jaffna, Batticaloa and Hatton and had come to the Kerawalapitiya area recently, police said adding that the reasons they had given could not be accepted as valid. Police believe these suspects were spying on the Power and Gas Station. Following the arrest, the number of troops deployed at the power station had been increased, police said. Police had recorded statements from residents on the locality, who gave lodging to the suspects. Further investigations are being carried out by the Wattala police.
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| Politics
Political News Forum
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`No panic` over Indian remarks Saturday, 2 June 2007 - 8:59 AM SL Time The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry has called for a clarification over remarks by a senior Indian official that Sri Lanka should not buy weapons from Pakistan or China. Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bahila told BBC Sandeshaya that the ministry is expecting a reply by Saturday over remarks by National Security Advisor, MK Narayanan. Stating that India is a big power in the region, Narayanan has advised Sri Lanka not to approach any other country for procuring arms.
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This is a state affair, not big and small brother affair- Dayasiri Saturday, 2 June 2007 - 8:59 AM SL Time UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara says the government has still not been able to identify who their friends and enemies are, even after 2 years of coming into power. The UNP parliamentarian made this statement reacting on a statement made by Indian National Advisor M.K. Narayanan asking the government not to purchase arms from Pakistan of China. Jayasekara said that if we attempt to arriving at a solution to the ethnic conflict forgetting India it would be one of the greatest mistakes and that it was understood by all heads of state from D.S. Senanayake to Chandrika Kumaratunga, but unfortunately president Rajapakse has not done so and has fallen into trouble many a times.
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No room for LTTE in Singapore Saturday, 2 June 2007 - 8:58 AM SL Time Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama was assured yesterday by the Singapore Government that it will work closely with the Sri Lankan authorities to curb any possible use of Singaporean territory by the LTTE for its operations. The Minister received this assurance when he met with the Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean in separate meetings yesterday. The Minister was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona. Bogollagama and the Foreign Secretary are in Singapore to attend the Sixth Annual Asian Security Summit - the Shangri-La Dialogue, which commenced its sessions yesterday night in Singapore.
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| Business / Economy News
Business News Forum
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Sri Lanka tourism industry targets women to boost visitor numbers Saturday, 2 June 2007 - 9:03 AM SL Time Sri Lanka`s tourism industry aims to attract more women visitors under its efforts to revive faltering arrivals as an escalating internal conflict harms the island`s image, a top official said. The industry is working on several special holiday packages targeting niche markets like professional women and retired people in a campaign to fill empty hotel rooms, the island`s tourism chief said Friday. One such package aims to take advantage of Sri Lanka being the host country for this year`s World Tourism Day on 27 September, Sri Lanka Tourist Board chairman Renton de Alwis said. `We hope to bring in women leaders and develop business opportunities around the event,` he told LBO. `We aim to offer holiday packages under the theme `Men don`t get it`.` World Tourism Day is organised by the World Tourism Organization this year as an occasion to celebrate women`s achievements in the tourism sector.
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Milk food shock: Prices soar by 25% Saturday, 2 June 2007 - 8:56 AM SL Time As the prices of four popular brands of milk powder went up by as much as 25%, the government yesterday said it was helpless since it could not prevent price fluctuations in the international market. The price of a one kilogram pack of Highland milk was increased from Rs. 340 to Rs. 425, while the 400 gram standard pack went up by Rs. 140 to Rs. 180. The prices of Lakspray, Diamond and Laksathosa were also increased to Rs. 425 a kilogram while the price of the Lakspray welfare pack was increased from Rs. 145.50 to Rs.152. Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Bandula Gunawardana told the monthly news briefing yesterday his ministry was helpless since it could not prevent the fluctuations in the international market. `The prices of milk food go up when there is an escalation of prices in the world market,` Minister Gunawardana said adding that the Cost of Living Committee headed by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka had decided to continue the price formula introduced following an agreement reached with importers of essential food items for the month of June too.
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Sri Lanka places 111th on Global Peace Index. USA is 96 Thursday, 31 May 2007 - 7:55 PM SL Time In the first study of its kind, Sri Lanka has placed 111th on the Global Peace Index. The Index is a ranking of 121 countries - from Algeria to Zimbabwe - listed according to their peacefulness. It was compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit and is comprised of a broad range of 24 indicators measuring both the internal and external peacefulness of nations. The publication of the Global Peace Index comes just a week before the leaders of the world`s richest countries gather for the G8 summit in Germany. The Index has won the backing of an influential and distinguished group of supporters including the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Queen Noor of Jordan, former United States President Jimmy Carter, and former Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the World Bank Professor Joseph Stiglitz, who are today calling for an increased focus on peace.
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| Editorial News
Editorial News Forum
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Problems of being bully`s buddy - II Saturday, 2 June 2007 - 8:52 AM SL Time India always behaves like a sadist deriving, as she does, immense pleasure from the suffering of her neighbours, like those cheap Indian soap opera characters who are full hatred, envy, jealousy and hubris. She has a massive ego to nurse, and this she does at the expense of others. She treats her small neighbours like untouchables. Indian National Security Advisor M. K. Narayan has said Sri Lanka should not seek arms from Pakistan or China. `We are a big power in the region,` he has told the Indian media, as we reported yesterday, `whatever may be their requirements, they should come to us.` This exactly is the way India prevented Sri Lanka from acquiring radar equipment from China to counter the LTTE air threat.
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The Global Peace Index rankings: Some musings Friday, 1 June 2007 - 11:43 AM SL Time The Global Peace Index (GPI) rankings have been released. Of 121 countries studied by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on the basis of data received from various sources, by using 24 indicators including military expenditure, access to arms, level of violence, corruption, human rights, engagement in war, incidence of crime etc. Norway has come first as the most peaceful country, while Sri Lanka`s rank is 111. (The full list of the rankings is carried in this paper today.) If those who are all out to confer the `failed state` status on Sri Lanka are getting ready to dance on the streets, here is some bad news for them. The US has been ranked 96 and India 109! Iraq, which the US and the UK (ranking 49th) have gone all out to democratise, has come last! Interestingly, Cuba and China have come 59th and 60th respectively! Iran is in the exalted company of its bete noire, the US, occupying the 97th slot on the list.
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Tigers eyeing two birds Wednesday, 30 May 2007 - 5:08 AM SL Time The Tigers are obviously at the tether`s end. The war is not moving in the direction they want. The loss of the strategic Eastern Province and the proposition of further escalation of violence with the possibility of the army marching on their heartland have naturally given them jitters. They may still have their strike capability as manifest in their recent foray into the Navy camp on the Delft Island but the protraction of the war has come to aggravate their woes as regards recruitment, rearming and international opinion. Prabhakaran, when he ordered a polls boycott in 2005, which facilitated Mahinda Rajapakse`s election as President, may have thought the new President would make a mess of national defence and create conditions favourable for the next phase of the so-called Eelam war. Prabhakaran had thought likewise in 1994, when he cleared all the obstacles on Chandrika Kumaratunga`s path and helped her secure the presidency. At that time, the LTTE sympathizers thought that `she would screw her government up and leave the country in a mess` within a year or so. She did so but she took much longer than they thought! He lost thousands of his combatants at the hands of the military under her command. She, no doubt, made serious military blunders as she wanted to fight the war according to her whims and fancies but the LTTE still couldn`t achieve its goal.
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| Sports News
Sports News Forum
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CR in runaway 81-11 win over Police Saturday, 2 June 2007 - 9:01 AM SL Time CR and FC turned in a dazzling display of open rugby to beat Sri Lanka Police by the staggering margin of 81 points (nine goals, three tries, one penalty) to 11 (one try, two penalties) after leading 31-3 at the breather in their Caltex `A` Division League rugby match played at Police Park yesterday to register the highest score for the season. CR`s three quarters made maximum use of the `good ball` which came their way by running the ball at every opportunity. Centres Mohamed Sheriff and Lasintha de Costa sliced through the Police defence time and again with their side-stepping and speed while wingers Dinesh Kumara and Wekadapola always looked dangerous with their powerful runs down the flanks. The Red Shirts won an abundance of possession with Senthil Kumara outhooking his vis-a-vis Chandralepa in the set scrums and the trio of Gayan Fernando, Dharmatillake and Karthelis towering above the rest in the line outs.
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Cricket coach Kulatunga shot dead Friday, 1 June 2007 - 11:42 AM SL Time Sujith Kulathunga, a district coach attached to the Sri Lanka Cricket, had been gunned down by an unidentified person on his way to Middeniya Vidyalaya at Beligolla off Middeniya road on Tuesday. Kulatunga, who was employed by SLC as the district coach of Hambantota was on his way to Middeniya MV, when two unidentified persons had fired at him at close range with a `Galkattas,` a source close to the Police said Wednesday. An improvised, `stuffed` bullet had been used by Kulatunga`s killers and the reason behind the killing is not yet known. Kulatunga was a resident of Matara and was on his way from Matara when he was shot. Meanwhile, Beliatta Police who are conducting the investigation into the killing has taken two suspects into custody.
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Vaas committed to 2011 World Cup Wednesday, 30 May 2007 - 5:07 AM SL Time Sri Lanka`s most experienced opening bowler says he has no plans to retire until the next Cricket World Cup. Chaminda Vaas, who was a member of the 1996 team that won the World Cup believes he might be able to play in 2011 World Cup, to be played in the sub-continent. `2011, I think I will be able to play but everything depend upon my fitness,` the veteran new-ball bowler told BBC Sandeshaya.
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