Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

Good on you.. I had invested in few blue chips (BHP, RIO, LEI) and got away with some profit before the crisis..anyway I got burnt from BNB... still have some small oilers and those are for long term...

However, the F-7 interceptors which were airborne from Katunayake could not take the target due to technical reasons. According to experts the LTTE aircraft had arrived towards Colombo covering engines with armour plates so that the heat seeking missile system could not lock the target.

To release the missile the missile system has to lock the target. However, the target has not been locked due to the fact the Tiger aircraft had reportedly covered its engines with heavy armour plates.

It is also believed that it was due to these heavy armour plates the Tiger aircraft had taken more than one hour to reach towards Colombo and return to either Iranamadu or Mullaitivu after dropping two bombs into the Kelanitissa power station.

Hong Kong stocks are 500 points down in the morning..
This is like going on a Roller coaster..

With the capture of Nachchikuda the LTTE is facing severe difficulties in their logistics movements centred around Vallaipadu. Commando troops are posing a major threat to the LTTE cadres operating there on a frequent basis targeting their vehicles and other logistics movements.

Whilst Task Force I troops captured the LTTE defence line in Nachchikuda the troops attached to the 571 Brigade under the command of Colonel G.V. Ravipriya managed to capture the Akkarayankulam tank bund area having linked to the 572 troops operating in the East of Akkarayankulam some 600 metres north of the tank bund.

With the capture of this tank bund troops are now dominating the entire earth bund created by the LTTE from Nachchikuda to East of Akkarayankulam as illustrated in the map.

By yesterday afternoon troops of the 571 Brigade were in the process of entering the Akkarayan village spread more than seven Square Kilometres in the southwest of Kilinochchi.

Once the Akkarayan village is captured the LTTE will lose its access to Kilinochchi town from the Western flank.

The Tigers will lose the grip they are now having south of Kilinochchi as troops of the 572 Brigade have captured a huge extent of the earth bund the LTTE has constructed from Akkarayan East to Iranamadu. The Wanni battle is due to enter a crucial phase in the coming days as troops are poised to launch their thrust on the LTTE from another front with the formation of the Task Force -III to be deployed from another direction.

Things are moving so fast to cover up the Western coast depriving the LTTE of their links with South India to depend on their supplies whilst taking steps to serve the civilian population with essential items till they are freed from the clutches of the LTTE.

Yeh, i don't think the Australia mining shares will get affected too much, because australian mining is still very strong... but i guess, if the foriegn markets are doing badly, the amount of exporting might decrease, but i would assume the mining shares are the last to get affected... BHP and RIO are strong companies and i can't imagine them getting too effected by all this!

(Lanka-e-News, October 30, 2008, 9.10 AM)The workers of the Kolonnawa Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) oil storage walked away for three hours yesterday in protest of the attack on the CPC officer-in-charge of the security of the facility by the Army officer of the detachment providing guard.

A trade union leader stated that the Army officer and his driver threatened to kill the officer ordering him to put off the lights of the facility.

The protest was suspended after the Brigadier who was in charge of security of the place agreed in a discussion with the trade unions to transfer the Army officers from duty of the station and to conduct a disciplinary inquiry against them.

Trade unions as well as Lanka-e-News have pointed out the risk related to keeping all lights on throughout night as the Chairman was supplying fuel in bowsers to the shipping companies and the electric generating companies that have links with him. The earlier practice of the premises was to put off all unnecessary lights of the premises in the night.

The trade unions said that fuelling of Ace Power ship was being carried out Tuesday night as well and putting lights off was difficult therefore.
The usual practice of the CPC is to stop issuing fuel for transportation. But it was carried out all throughout night in accordance of the direction of the CPC Chairman.

The trade union leader further said that despite lights were put off tuesday (28), the Chairman has directed to carry on issuing fuel tonight (29) as well.

President calls for local military research
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday urged those engaged in scientific research to focus their attention on military research.

President Rajapaksa made this assertion when he addressed the General Convocation 2008, to confer Masters and Bachelors Degrees to the Graduands of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, at the BMICH.

The President said there is a lack of research in the spheres of military and defense strategies by local science researchers.

The President was of the view that new policies should be formulated to accommodate military research in the school curricula as well, so that research could be undertaken on our own home-grown remedies.

Referring to the crucial issue of combating terrorism and national security, he pointed out the value of a quality training to the Armed Forces of the land, even at a formidable expenditure, especially when battling the world's most ruthless and advanced terrorist outfit, the LTTE.

The former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayaram Jayalalitha has received death threats from a Canada based LTTE front organisation, Indian news sources reported citing close associates of the famed Tamil Nadu actress cum politician.

Friday, October 31, 2008
Nachchikuda regained Second major blow to LTTE in 24 hours: - Daily News-2008/10/31

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Nachchikuda: The troops of Task Force I or the famously known 58 Division now in the western edge of the Kilinochchi district yesterday passed yet another milestone in their march towards Pooneryn completely capturing Nachchikuda the last stronghold of the LTTE on the Western coast before Pooneryn by last evening, Military sources announced yesterday.

With the capture of Nachchikuda the LTTE is left with only Pooneryn on the Western coast as the rest of the area between Nachchikuda and Pooneryn is covered with jungle patches, commander of the Task Force I or the 58 Division, Brigadier Shavendra Silva told the Daily News.

The LTTE faced two consecutive blows within 24 hours on the western edge of the Kilinochchi district as they lost two strategically important villages Jeyapuram and Nachchikuda, he said. The troops of the Task Force I or the 58 Division completely captured the 15 Km long LTTE defence line in the form of a massive earth bund surrounding the Nachchikuda fishing village.

The LTTE strongly held Nachchikuda with the construction of this massive earth bund giving depth to Pooneryn the last township left with the LTTE on the Western coast. With the loss of Nachchikuda the LTTE will have to resort to the Eastern coast for their logistics supplies, the Brigadier added.

The capture of Nachchikuda is a major victory for the troops operating in the Kilinochchi front as they are now entering jungle areas between the Nachchikuda and Pooneryn.

For the past two to three months the LTTE strongly held this area as they had links with Vallaipadu the LTTE s unloading point on the Western coast to depend on their supplies despite losing areas west of Nachchikuda to the troops.

The LTTE vacated Nachchikuda in face of the troops advance into the village from all directions with the fall of their 15 Km long defence line surrounding Nachchikuda and with the fall of Jeyapuram village to the Security Forces on Thursday afternoon.

With the capture of entire Nachchikuda troops are now controlling upto the 12th mile post on the Mannar-Pooneryn A-32 road which is short of only 14 to 16 Km to Pooneryn.

The capture of Nachchikuda is also important during this period in which the North East monsoonal rains are lashing the area as this provides easy access roads to the troops operating on the western edge of the Kilinochchi district. They are now using supply routes constructed by the Army itself.