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Sri Lankan military: Soldiers capture a rebel bunker line Monday, 18 February 2008 - 10:51 PM SL Time Sri Lankan soldiers captured a line of strategic rebel bunkers after a battle Monday that killed 10 rebels and one soldier, the military said.
Backed by mortar and artillery fire, army troops captured a 650-yard line of bunkers in northern Mannar district following a two-hour battle that also injured four soldiers, said Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, the military`s spokesman. Though small, the stretch will help the military in its push to take rebel-held territories in Mannar district, Nanayakkara said. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan did not answer calls seeking comment. 
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Sri Lanka defends purchase of arms from Pakistan Monday, 18 February 2008 - 10:01 AM SL Time `We are facing a problem of terrorism against a democratically-elected legitimate state. In that situation, the government needs to procure equipment to resist that terrorism. So, we are making the purchases,` HC
Engaged in an all-out military campaign against the LTTE, Sri Lanka has said it was procuring arms from Pakistan to meet the terror threat from the Tamil Tigers. `We are facing a problem of terrorism against a democratically-elected legitimate state. In that situation, the government needs to procure equipment to resist that terrorism. So we are making the purchases,` Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India C R Jayasinghe said when asked about reports that Sri Lanka was procuring arms from Pakistan.
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LTTE attacks SLA FDL in Vavuniyaa Monday, 18 February 2008 - 12:00 AM SL Time Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Sunday attacked a Sri Lanka Army Forward Defence post at Naavatku`lam in Vavuniyaa district, killing a SLA soldier and wounding two. The SLA soldiers withdrew from the checkpost following the LTTE attack that lasted for 30 minutes from 11:10 a.m., according to LTTE Operations Command in Vavuniyaa. Meanwhile, shelling duel continued in Paalamoaddai throughout the night till Sunday 10:00 a.m.
The shelling duel ended at 10:00 a.m. when SLA managed to recover the dead bodies of their soldiers, left behind in no-man zone at Paalamoaddai after the clashes on Saturday. At least four dead bodies were lying in the no-go zone. LTTE officials said 7 SLA soldiers were killed and fourteen SLA wounded in the fighting at Paalamoaddai on Saturday.
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| Security
Security Forum
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30 years jail for child recruitment: Sri Lanka Govt Tuesday, 19 February 2008 - 5:08 AM SL Time Sri Lanka s criminal law makes forcible recruitment and deployment of children in armed conflict an offence punishable by 30 years imprisonment, a Government-appointed committee has stressed following a fact finding mission to Batticaloa where there have been persistent allegations of such activities being carried out by the TMVP and the LTTE. In a report submitted to Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasingha yesterday, the committee headed by the Justice Ministry Secretary Suhada Gamalath also stressed the need to obtain accurate statistics and credible information on alleged abductions and recruitment so that law enforcement authorities could promptly investigate and initiate prosecutions based on such allegations.
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Govt. To Set Up Gateway For Wanni E.. Tuesday, 19 February 2008 - 5:06 AM SL Time The government is to establish a gateway for an expected mass exodus of civilians from the Wanni and facilitate the process by creating a no war zone , while challenging the LTTE to leave civilians out of the ongoing conflict. The military said if the LTTE was really concerned about the welfare of civilians in the Wanni it should allow residents in the area to freely crossover to cleared areas. We will drop leaflets to educate the public on our strategy which includes escape routes for them like we did when liberating Sampur, Government Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said while declining to elaborate on military tactics due to security reasons.
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Authorities Pass The Buck As Patien.. Tuesday, 19 February 2008 - 5:05 AM SL Time A severe shortage of essential drugs at the Colombo National Hospital has led to doctors directing over 4,500 patients who visit the hospital daily to purchase their prescribed drugs from private sector pharmacies. About 15 essential drugs, including those needed for cardiac by-pass operation patients, diabetic patients and post-surgical patients, are out of stock. The Government Medical Officers Association has instructed all OPD doctors to prescribe drugs that can be purchased from pharmacies. The Director General of Health Services Dr. Ajith Mendis has however warned doctors not to instruct patients to buy drugs from private pharmacies, Colombo National Hospital sources said. GMOA General Secretary Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya told The Island that the most essential drugs, such as insulin, asprin, atovastatin, lovasvatin, omeprazole, ferrous Sulphate, calcium lactate, carveditol, lactulose, Salbutamel, beclacthayne, and Tab Ismin, had been out of stock over past few days and both clinic and OPD patients were affected.
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| Politics
Political News Forum
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Animal rights group protests LTTE attack on zoo in Sri Lanka Tuesday, 19 February 2008 - 5:15 AM SL Time An international animal rights organisation has protested the bombing of a zoo in Dehiwela in Sri Lanka, allegedly by Tamil Tiger rebels earlier this month. `In addition to injuring several human beings - which was no doubt its intent - the explosive device that was set off near the zoo`s birds enclosure terrified many animals in the zoo,` said Ingrid E. Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in a letter to the Tamil Tiger leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran. At least seven people, including two children, were injured, when a grenade kept near the birds` enclosure went off Feb 3. Newkirk said that animals got caught in the cross fire of wars all over the world and countless animals were being killed either intentionally or accidentally in bomb attacks worldwide.
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Armed TMVP cadres pose threat: EPRLF Tuesday, 19 February 2008 - 5:08 AM SL Time The EPRLF (Vartharajah) faction which is also contesting the local government elections in the East has raised concerns about TMVP cadres carrying weapons in the run up to the poll.The newly formed party, Pathmanabha Eelam People s Liberation Front commonly known as the EPRLF (Vartharajah) faction, is fielding candidates for the March election in alliance with the EPDP and PLOTE. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, EPRLF National Organizer E. Thurairatnam said there was no need for the TMVP to carry weapons since the LTTE had been wiped out from the province. There is no strong presence of LTTE cadres in the province today. So, why does the TMVP remain armed, posing a threat to democracy, he asked. Mr. Thurairatnam who had earlier been a member of the North-East provincial council said this situation had posed a threat to holding free and fair elections in the Batticaloa district.
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Sri Lanka`s Education Minister Prevents Tamil Girl Admission To Sinhala School Monday, 18 February 2008 - 10:06 AM SL Time In truth, Nethmi Lavanya Yogendra should have attained fame when the Year 5 scholarship results for 2007 were released late last year. Nethmi was placed second in the Colombo District after securing 190 marks at the scholarship exam held in August last year. Instead, the little 10-year old seems fated to become a household name because the government has denied her access into Vishaka Vidyalaya on grounds of nothing more than her ethnicity. Nethmi Yogendra is a Tamil. And a Buddhist. Her father, also a Tamil Buddhist, schooled at Ananda College Colombo. During her short life as a student at President s College, Nawala, Nethmi has studied in the Sinhalese medium. Like Royal College and Ananda College are the preferred choice for boys, Vishaka Vidyalaya is one of the leading girls schools in Colombo, much sought after by scholarship winners from around the island, in particular because of its exacting education standards. Like free education, the Year V scholarship examination is one of the greatest gifts the state of Sri Lanka bestows upon its children, enabling the brightest students from the most remote corners of the island access to the very best schools in the country, based on their performance at the competitive examination held each year.
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| Business / Economy News
Business News Forum
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Tamil homeland fantasy Monday, 18 February 2008 - 10:18 AM SL Time The conflict in Sri Lanka is inextricably linked with the demand for secession, deceptively designed to wrench the sympathy of the international community. Last month, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), urged the United Nations to recognize `Tamil sovereignty` and end the conflict in Sri Lanka. The international community must be told that, beneath a plausible veneer, the demand for a separate state for Tamils of Sri Lanka is rooted in fiction. There never was at any time in Sri Lankan history `a traditional Tamil homeland` in the north and east of Sri Lanka, as claimed by the LTTE. If historically, the LTTE demand for a separate state is a downright fabrication, what is the case they can make to justify a separate state? The claim of discrimination is made in relation to language, standardization in education, justice, etc., for Tamils.
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Work on US$ 300m Matara-Kataragama railway line to begin April Saturday, 16 February 2008 - 10:18 AM SL Time The Government has decided to commence the construction of the US$ 300 million Matara-Kataragama railway line by April this year, making the railway a vibrant transport service contributing to the socio economic development of the country. A Transport Ministry spokesman told the Daily News it is anticipated to extend the existing rail network by another 113 kilo metres when completing the Kataragama railway line. He said the project is being implemented in three stages and the first phase is in progress from Matara to Beliatta. Under the first phase, 27 Km is expected to be completed by 2010. The railway line will be extended from Beliatta to Weerawila by 2012 under the second stage.
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Sri Lanka plans to build new official residence in UK for HC Thursday, 14 February 2008 - 3:29 AM SL Time The government is planning to build a new official residence for Sri Lanka s High Commissioner at 35 Avenue Road, London. `We are in the process of finalizing the project,` an authoritative government source told The Island. The new building would come up at the same location where the now abandoned official residence of Sri Lanka s High Commissioner to the UK was, the official said. Due to the dilapidated state of the residence, the former High Commissioner, with the approval of the Foreign Ministry and the Treasury, had rented a house at a monthly rent of 8,000 Sterling Pounds. According to the High Commission, the Ministry, with the concurrence of the Treasury, had increased the rent ceiling to 10,000 Sterling Pounds a month but it managed to find an appropriate house for a lesser amount. The High Commissioner had moved into the new residence last April.
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| Editorial News
Editorial News Forum
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When gift bearing mudalalis stand at the door Tuesday, 19 February 2008 - 5:12 AM SL Time The government has fallen flat on its face much to the amusement of a bunch of lads and lasses working for drug companies that make a killing at the expense of the sick. The hoity-toity government worthies bellowing empty rhetoric have been made to bite the bullet and suspend the much advertised ban on medical sales representatives visiting hospitals to lobby doctors to promote their sales. What a sorry spectacle! Big businesses work in mysterious ways! The imposition of the ban was consequent on the new scheme of prescribing drugs by generic names. Notwithstanding the real motives of the government, the ban was a real godsend for the public waiting in winding queues, as it prevented doctors from wasting time to entertain smartly clad girls and boys just out of school imparting pharmaceutical lessons to the medical fraternity. Predictably, following the ban doctors developed withdrawal symptoms of sorts and the pharmaceutical Mafia flew into a fit of rage. Easy money like narcotics is habit forming!
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A better bus service for Sri Lanka Monday, 18 February 2008 - 10:16 AM SL Time The decision by the Transport Ministry to stop issuing new permits for the operation of private buses is a prudent move, which will be received with a sigh of relief by commuters, motorists and the public in general. While having the effect of not adding to the already chaotic highway scene and easing congestion of vehicular traffic, the snowballing air pollution not to mention the dangers posed by the speeding merchants of death on our highways, the new move would also reduce the need for supplementing the existing fuel bill of the Government which is already burdened on many fronts due to rising oil prices in the world market. Private bus service came into being in a big way in 1977 for the first time after nationalisation of the service in the late 50s. The public welcomed the move with jubilation since the service provided by the Central Transport Board (CTB/now known as the Sri Lanka Transport Board) then referred to as a sick giant- was woefully inadequate to meet the public demand and was one of the factors which brought down the United Front Government.
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Good and bad news on the economic front Sunday, 17 February 2008 - 12:05 PM SL Time There was good news and bad news on the economic front last week. On the plus side was the signing of an agreement between the International Finance Corporation, a World Bank affiliate, and John Keells Holdings of a standby loan agreement for US $ 75 million at an interest rate that currently runs at LIBOR (the London Inter Bank Offer Rate) plus 2.75 percent, which as we report in our business pages today is lower than the rate at which the government borrowed recently on commercial debt markets overseas. But there was also a negative with Standard and Poor s lowering the country s rating outlook to ``negative with the internationally reputed agency also warning that the B+ rating could also be downgraded if the budget worsened. It was only last year that S&P lifted the rating outlook on Sri Lanka from ``negative to ``stable about which many trumpets were blown in the Central Bank and elsewhere.
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| Sports News
Sports News Forum
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Aussie coach wants Mahela to mind his own business Tuesday, 19 February 2008 - 5:09 AM SL Time Australian coach Tim Nielsen told the touring Indians and Sri Lankans here Monday to worry about their own form instead of concerning themselves with the home side`s performances. Nielsen was responding to claims from both that the Australians were struggling, despite being the clear leader on the tri-series ladder. Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene once again said here Monday that he believed cracks were appearing in Australia`s game, while Indian opener Virender Sehwag claimed twice in recent weeks the home side was running scared of his team. At the moment I`m quite interested to hear how much the opposition are talking about us, to be honest, Nielsen said.
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India slump hands Australia win Monday, 18 February 2008 - 10:07 AM SL Time Australia produced a superb bowling display to beat India by 50 runs and take a big lead in the one-day series. The Aussies needed Michael Clarke (79) and Brad Hogg (32) to help them to 203-9 as Irfan Pathan (4-41) and Ishant Sharma (2-32) shone for the tourists. Sachin Tendulkar fell for only five as India slumped to 59-4 in reply before Yuvraj Singh (26) and Mahendra Dhoni (37) rallied them with a stand of 56. Once they went the Indians were out for 153, with Mitchell Johnson taking 3-42. It was quite a turnaround after the Australian top order, which has struggled in the series, misfired again on a decent batting wicket.
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A win in Perth will put Sri Lanka on top Friday, 15 February 2008 - 11:27 AM SL Time Sri Lanka, who are placed third currently in the points table of the Commonwealth Bank Series behind India (8) and Australia (7), need to win today s day-night encounter against Australia here at the WACA ground in Perth, to go ahead of their two rivals, at the halfway mark of the tournament. Perth is the most difficult place for Sri Lanka to beat Australia due to the extra bounce the pitch provides here. But after India s Test win against the hosts here last month is an indication that it has lost some of its traditional extra bounce, and Sri Lanka s captain Mahela Jayawardene promised, despite his team s dismal record here (two wins in 14 games) that they would give the hosts a good fight.
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