Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

The Batticaloa district local government chairmen s federation informed the President Mahinda Rajapakse via Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillaiyan that the Army was responsible for the spate of killing that took place in the villages of the district in the past few days.

The Chief Minister phoned the President from Batticaloa this morning and asked to strengthen security and to stop killings.

A communique issued today (28) by the federation of local government chairmen stated that the Army should bear the responsibility of the spate of killing in the district in a context LTTE had been thrown out of the district. The communique pointed out that 13 killing were conducted in three days and 22 killings took place on 26 and 27 alone in Tamil areas.

The local government chairmen ask who killed the people in Tamil villages like Ariyampaththu, Kadathawalai, Kalawachikudi, Erivil alongside Batticaloa - Kalmunai road that are under Army control.

Batticaloa Municipal Council Chairman Sivageetha prabakaran handed over a copy of the chirmen s communique to the Chief Minister Chandrakanthan yesterday (28) and the latter faxed it to the President today (29).

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5 more Tamil civilians escape from LTTE hell hole in Wanni
'I was abducted by the organisation(LTTE) 3 months ago', the youth, Chandrakumar,20, has said with our correspondent. 'They stormed into our home and took me away in broad daylight despite continuous pleas from my parents to set me free,' Chandrakuma was quoted saying.

'I was taken to a tiger training camp at Visuamadu, where I received basic weapon training for 45 days. There were many like me who were also abducted by the organisation(LTTE), including 10-11 year olds. The training was rigorous and we were severely beaten for the slightest mistakes made. Girls were kept separately and only the seniors had access to the area, which was restricted for the rest. We were constantly told to hate the Army and the Sinhalese people. I could not bear any more of the suffering and things got worse as the Army had cutoff supply routes into the area. Some were sent to loot the food supplies sent for the wanni people. They were said that it was a part of their initial training. Things got much clear as we spent more time with them (LTTE).

The seniors used us to get food supplies for themselves as they feared military ambush. I had already decided to free myself and used the first opportunity I got to flee from them. Its like a miracle to feel free and here I'am with my parents', Chanrakumar cutshort as emotions turned to tears.

Terror strikes at cricket s financial muscle

It is understandable why no one has raised an eyebrow when the England team withdrew from the one-day series after what happened in Mumbai. Even the Indian players were too traumatised to think of playing. The Indian Board readily decided to cancel the rest of the two matches but have managed to persuade the English Board to send its team back for the two-match Test series.

It may be difficult for the England authorities to allay the fear of the players who are reluctant to return for the Tests but it is not an impossible situation.

The stakes are high, not just for England or India but the very survival of the game could be threatened if India as a venue gets excluded from international cricket.

Unlike Pakistan, India is the hub of cricket, both in terms of its popularity and its financial health. If the game s revenues have grown manifold and the players are earning more, it has a lot to do with India and its growing economic clout.

Already the postponement of the Champions League is having a negative impact on state teams from Australia and South Africa.

They and even their boards were hoping to make huge financial gains from the League, which is supposed to impact the future of cricket in a major way.

If India loses its primacy in cricket s pecking order due to the fear of terrorist strikes and if the economic meltdown further erodes the investments in the game, then cricket could be in serious danger of losing the kind of mind-boggling revenues it had started generating of late.

It is because of these very reasons that foreign teams will think ten times before refusing to come and play here.