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Cost of Living: Live with it, says Treasury Chief Sunday, 5 August 2007 - 9:10 AM SL Time With escalating fuel prices and a rising cost of living, the inevitable thing for Sri Lankans to do is to face reality, according to Treasury Secretary, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Dr. Jayasundera, who is the chief financial officer of the state, said global oil prices had doubled over the past three years and Sri Lanka`s near total dependence on fuel imports had compounded the crisis.
He said oil prices were around US$40 not long ago but now they were soaring beyond US$70 and Sri Lanka had no alternative but to manage the huge outflow of foreign currency. He said the cost of oil imports was now about US$2 billion a year with little or nothing by way of loans or credit. Dr. Jayasundera said this was the main factor influencing the exchange rate ? the declining value of the rupee in relation to the dollar ? and people must be brought to an awareness of this stark reality. The Treasury Chief said the complex situation was made worse because of the crisis over power supplies where a huge subsidy had to be given by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to the Ceylon Electricity Board. He said with the hydropower generation declining Sri Lanka was today 70 percent dependent on thermal power and other fuel-based generation. This meant a huge and growing subsidy which was having a shattering impact on the economy. 
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Sri Lanka rejects evidence tampering in massacre probe Saturday, 4 August 2007 - 8:31 PM SL Time Sri Lanka on Friday rejected charges that it had tampered with evidence in the investigations into the massacre of 17 workers employed by a French charity.
The government said that an Australian expert who raised doubts about the probe had withdrawn his initial report which alleged that two types of bullets were found lodged in victims of the August 2006 massacre. Australian expert Malcolm Dodd told Colombo Friday that eight bullets recovered from seven bodies during tests in October 2006 were of 7.62 mm calibre, Disaster Management minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said. Dodd`s initial report was taken up by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) which said that a 5.56 calibre bullet was removed and substituted with another type in evidence submitted to local magistrates.
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Batti Army Chief wants Karuna group disarmed: SLMM Saturday, 4 August 2007 - 2:12 PM SL Time The debate whether to disarm or not to disarm Karuna continues with a senior army officer telling the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission he felt the Karuna group, also known as the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal should be disarmed if normalcy was to be restored to the east.
Major General Daya Ratnayake, Batticaloa District General Officer Commanding (GOC) 23 Division, expressed this view at a meeting with the SLMM recently. Its spokesman Steinar Sveinsson told the Daily Mirror adding however that he was unaware if the view was his personal opinion or official. This is the first time the military had openly commented on the need to disarm the Karuna faction although government ministers and even the Defence Secretary in the wake of the capture of Thoppigala had expressed the intention of disarming armed groups in the east.
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| Security
Security Forum
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Sri Lanka accused of abuses on massacre anniversary Tuesday, 7 August 2007 - 4:11 AM SL Time Sri Lanka`s government is responsible for unlawful killings and disappearances, Human Rights Watch said on Monday -- the anniversary of the discovery of the massacre of 17 aid workers blamed on security forces. Issuing a report entitled `Return to war: Human rights under siege`, the U.S.-based group said President Mahinda Rajapaksa`s government is resorting to abuses to fight a new chapter in a two-decade civil war against Tamil Tiger rebels. `The Sri Lankan government has apparently given its security forces a green light to use `dirty war` tactics,` Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. `Abuses by the LTTE (Tigers) are no excuse for the government`s campaign of killings, disappearances and forced returns of the displaced,` he added. `The government has repeatedly promised to end and investigate abuses, but has shown a lack of political will to take effective steps.`
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Minister `abducted` Entrepreneur Tuesday, 7 August 2007 - 3:57 AM SL Time A powerful minister in President Rajapaksa`s government is accused of ordering an abduction to clear his party`s name over a car sale fraud. Munsiri Kankanamge Indika Dilruk Hemantha accused a close ally of President Mahinda Rajapaksa of threatening, abducting and trying to kill him. Hemantha who has bought the luxury vehicle from leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party, Ellawala Medhananda thero, said he was threatened to sell the car back by two senior JHU leaders.
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Sri Lanka Says Nine Rebels Killed A.. Monday, 6 August 2007 - 6:14 AM SL Time Government forces shot dead at least nine Tamil Tiger rebels in two separate clashes in Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Sunday ahead of a visit to the island by a top UN official. ADVERTISEMENT The ministry said that six rebels were killed in the east while three were gunned down in the north of the island on Saturday. There was no immediate reaction from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The report came on the eve of a high-level visit by John Holmes, the under secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, on Monday. Officials said he was scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka to discuss the island`s deepening Tamil separatist conflict and the plight of civilians caught in the crossfire.
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| Politics
Political News Forum
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The United States sees no need for a peace envoy to Sri Lanka Tuesday, 7 August 2007 - 4:03 AM SL Time A top State Department official has said that the United States government continue to see no role for a special US peace envoy to Sri Lanka at this time. Addressing the House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, Steven R. Mann, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs said that the United States` interest is in keeping the political process on devolution moving forward, rather than prescribing particular solutions to the Sri Lankans. `We therefore continue to see no role for a Special Envoy to Sri Lanka at this time,` he said. Speaking on the topic `Political Crises in South Asia: Recent Developments in Nepal and Sri Lanka` Mann said the United States is committed to help foster a lasting peace in Sri Lanka and to improve human rights conditions for all Sri Lankans. Ultimately, however, it is the Sri Lankan Government`s responsibility to the Sri Lankan people to provide the conditions of safety and security that will lead to a more peaceful and prosperous future, he noted.
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CWC offers conditional support to government Tuesday, 7 August 2007 - 4:02 AM SL Time Ceylon Workers Congress parliamentarians who pulled out of the government last week, yesterday pledged to continue supporting government moves which would have no adverse impact on the estate Tamil community. CWC member and former Minister M. Muttu Sivalingam told journalists his party had no interest in either forming or toppling a government. Mr. Sivalingam said the CWC represented a minority community and therefore it could never get a chance to have someone from the party elected as the President or Prime Minister of this country under the present constitution. He said their members had now resigned from the ministerial posts they held in the government. `We will occupy opposition benches in Parliament as an independent group. However, we will continue to support government moves which do not adversely affect our people,` he said.
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North, East Citizens` Committees to assist Police on complaints Monday, 6 August 2007 - 6:12 AM SL Time The Police have agreed to obtain assistance of recognised Citizens` Committees to record complaints by the public in several districts of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, beginning with the Mannar district, the Presidential Secretariat said. This additional means of citizens` access to the Police for complaints is to be introduced in view of the shortage of police personnel competent in Tamil and the need for police to be more citizen friendly, particularly in these districts, it said. This facilitation will be extended to other districts in the North and East no sooner arrangements are made. The Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (Peace Secretariat) has undertaken to encourage the formation of such Citizens` Committees, through its local ceasefire monitors.
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| Business / Economy News
Business News Forum
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Karuna goes wild! Tuesday, 7 August 2007 - 4:13 AM SL Time Law enforcement authorities in Batticaloa and other parts of the Eastern Province are allegedly turning a `blind eye` to the continuous complaints been made against the Karuna faction, also known as the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). Sources speaking to The Nation on condition of anonymity disclosed that Karuna cadres are running riot in many parts of the East. Karuna cadres are said to be taking `virtual` control of everything. It is intimidating the public in those areas with the intention of instilling a fear psychosis in the area. `The situation was not this bad even when the LTTE was openly and actively operating in the province,` a source alleged.
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Dhanapala joins Dialog Telekom Board as Independent Director Tuesday, 7 August 2007 - 4:09 AM SL Time Dialog Telekom PLC, Sri Lanka`s flagship telecommunications company, announced that Mr. Jayantha Dhanapala has joined Dialog`s Board of Directors as an Independent Director. The Company stated that the invitation extended by Tan Sri Dato` Ir. Md. Radzi Mansor, Chairman of Dialog Telekom has been accepted by Mr. Dhanapala. Mr. Dhanapala was the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs from 1998 to 2003. Prior to that he was Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva (1984-87) and Ambassador to the USA (1994-97). Mr. Dhanapala is currently Chairman of the UN University Council and is on the Governing Board of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). He is also on the Advisory Boards of the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, the Center for Nonproliferation Studies of the Monterey Institute of International Studies, the Bonn International Centre for Conversion, CISAC in Stanford University and the ICRC.
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Thai Airways markets Lanka as pilgrim tourism destination Monday, 6 August 2007 - 6:07 AM SL Time Thai Airways has planned to aggressively market pilgrim tourism to Sri Lanka and already the airline is offering different packages to promote this segment of the tourism market. `There is a great deal of potential in this niche segment and the airline is quite positive it will be a successful move, said Weerawat Swasdibutra, the airline`s new General Manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives recently. For the first time the airline is organising package tours to Sri Lanka and already have commenced 5 days 4 nights and 3 days 2 nights package tours and they have proved successful said a confident Swasdibutra. The tour itineraries include visits to key tourists sites in the country such as Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Kandy and a city tour in Colombo.
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| Editorial News
Editorial News Forum
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Duty-free vehicle drama Tuesday, 7 August 2007 - 4:09 AM SL Time Explanations, charges and counter charges, challenges and counter challenges, condemnations and vilifications are galore over the subject of duty-free vehicles. Despite all these demonstrations before the media the subject is becoming murkier by the hour. This issue has now come to the fore submerging all other burning public problems thus providing further proof of mixed priorities in this country. The issue took a dramatic turn when Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe sprang a surprise by arriving at Sambodhi Viharaya on Thursday using the luxury Mercedes Benz car that Ven Ellawala Medananda Thera had purchased with the duty-free entiltlement permit issued to him and which had later allegedly been bought by businessman Hemantha Nishantha.
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For God`s sake! Monday, 6 August 2007 - 6:02 AM SL Time President Mahinda Rajapaksa is being given a dose of his own medicine. He pioneered mass protest campaigns like Pada Yathra and Human Chain in the early 1990s to make life miserable for the then President Ranasinghe Premadasa. Today, he has his political rivals resorting to similar tactics. The current Opposition campaign to dislodge his government is gaining momentum. As if the mobilisation of the humble humans were not enough, the Opposition politicians are seeking the help of even divine beings to oust the government. A few days ago, the UNP held a deva kannalawwa in Kegalle to evoke the blessings of God Dedimunda to achieve that objective. Dedimunda is said to be brave and strong, dedi meaning tough and munda head. He, according to true believers, is the wrong god to go to, if a supplicant`s intention is revenge.
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Peanut farce can`t feed people Sunday, 5 August 2007 - 9:29 AM SL Time In the face of recent back-to-back price increases in petrol, diesel and kerosene in the wake of gas price hikes and then, a crippling jump in milk foods, the Cabinet of Ministers has finally felt some heat, judging by their decision to slash their monthly salary of Rs. 54,285 by 60 per cent. The sacrifice is no doubt, well-meaning and shows their solidarity with the people they represent, even though it is for six months only. It would have been better still if they focused on their Rs. 150,000 monthly allowances or on the thousands of rupees each of the 52 (51 this week), squanders on the upkeep of their staff, security, vehicles and travel. Which Cabinet Minister today depends on his wages for his rice and curry? The Minister of Information this week conceded at a news briefing that coalition governments had come to stay and that no longer were small Cabinets possible.
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| Sports News
Sports News Forum
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Sangakkara`s 20th ton weighs heavy on Durham Tuesday, 7 August 2007 - 4:14 AM SL Time Not much is certain in life, but one thing is: Kumar Sangakkara is unlikely to be given the freedom of Durham City. The last time Durham ran up against him was back in May on his debut for Warwickshire when he scored 149. Yesterday the Sri Lanka Test batsman-wicketkeeper was at it again, tormenting the same hapless victims as he made his way to the 20th hundred of his first class career. He did not dominate the scoring, not once he had reached fifty. He was content to leave centre stage to Ian Westwood, who had lost his opening partner Darren Maddy fairly early on in Warwickshire`s chase to eradicate Durham`s 235-run first innings lead. Westwood also reached a century, his first for two years and only the fourth of his career. Not until he had reached three figures did Westwood give a chance, when he was put down by Paul Wiseman at first slip off Liam Plunkett.
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Top Indian odissi dancer to perform in Sri Lanka Tuesday, 7 August 2007 - 3:58 AM SL Time Bindu Juneja, the renowned Odissi dancer from India and her troupe will perform at the Bishop`s College Auditorium in Colombo on August 15 at 6.30 p.m. Her programme in Colombo will also include performances at the Indian Cultural Centre on August 17 at 6.30 p.m. and in Kandy at the Dharmaraja College Auditorium on August 16 at 6.30 p.m. Bindu Juneja`s visit to Sri Lanka is being sponsored by the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to celebrate the 60th anniversary of India`s Independence. Initially trained in Bharatha Natyam, in her childhood, at the Bhatkhande Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Lucknow, Bindu Juneja was soon drawn towards the fluidity and lyrical mysticism of Odissi. She received training in the style from its eminent exponent Madhavi Mudgal at the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi.
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Janitha and Thisara hit fighting fifties Monday, 6 August 2007 - 6:10 AM SL Time Two fighting half centuries from Janitha Perera (74) and Thisara Perera (64) helped Sri Lanka Under-19 reach 247 in their first innings on day-2 of their first three-day fixture against Indian Under-19 at the Colts Cricket Club ground, Colombo, yesterday. Sri Lanka were trailing by 57 runs and the India Under-19 extended their overall lead to 139 runs by reaching 82 for one in the second innings when play stopped yesterday. Scores: India U-19 301 all out and 82 for 1 wkt. (A. Mukund 46 n.o., T. Srivastava 30 n.o.) Sri Lanka U-19 247 all out (A. Priyanjana 18, Janith Perera 74, S. Silva 38, I. Udayanga 22, Tisara Perera 64 K. Appanna 4-74)
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