Security News from Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka - Ministry to introduce a National Nutrition Policy Thursday, 19 November 2009 - 9:51 AM SL Time

he Health and Nutrition Ministry will introduce a National Nutrition Policy in order to develop a national action plan and a strategic plan to be implemented through inter-sectoral cooperation by the provincial health authorities, a Ministry spokesman said. The cabinet approval has been granted to Health Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva for the purpose, spokesman W. M. D. Wanninayaka said. The objectives of the National Nutrition Policy are to develop a national action plan based on the National Nutrition Policy and the strategic plan to be implemented through inter-sectoral cooperation by the provincial health authorities and to obtain budgetary allocations in keeping with the strategic plan prepared by this ministry, he said. Full Story     Post Reply To This     Read Replies ( 3 )

Eelam War Iv Takes A Further Toll A.. Wednesday, 18 November 2009 - 10:09 AM SL Time

SRI LANKA in 2009 saw momentous events that riveted the world s attention on the island nation. A few key events of the first 11 months were the end of a war and the beginning of what looks like the mother of all political battles fought in the country the death of the legendary/notorious Velupillai Prabakaran, supremo of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) the birth of a transnational Eelam the arrest of the richest Sri Lanka-born United States business tycoon by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) a request by the Obama administration to quiz the man who led Eelam War IV and the passing of an unprecedented, near-unanimous resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives on the island nation. Full Story     Post Reply To This     Read Replies ( 10 )

Sri Lanka Govt. moves to win over TNA Wednesday, 18 November 2009 - 9:57 AM SL Time

Close on the heels of the UNP-JVP combine seeking to rope in the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to support the candidature of General (retd) Sarath Fonseka at the next presidential election against President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the government has moved to win over the TNA. Full Story     Post Reply To This

Sri Lanka Chief of Defence Staff General Fonseka leaves office Tuesday, 17 November 2009 - 8:49 AM SL Time

Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka bade farewell to his staff last morning. In parting General Fonseka said that within the next 48 hours he would reveal his future plans. General Fonseka said that despite his retirement he would continue to serve the country. He was accorded a farewell parade by the Army. General Fonseka had a round of talks with senior Army officers before his departure and thanked all members of the tri forces and the Police for the cooperation rendered to defeat LTTE terrorism. Full Story     Post Reply To This     Read Replies ( 7 )

SL President presents scholarships to war heroes children Tuesday, 17 November 2009 - 8:46 AM SL Time

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa yesterday presented over 200 scholarships to children whose fathers sacrificed their lives for the protection of the sovereignty and terrorial intergrity of Sri Lanka. The scholarship scheme was implemented by the Seva Vanitha Organisation of the Defence Ministry in collaboration with the Bank of Ceylon (BoC). The beneficiary students who are studying from Grade 1 to 5 will receive Rs. 20,000 and children from Grade 6 to 9 will be entitled to Rs. 30,000. Full Story     Post Reply To This

Sri Lanka Gov t insists Fonseka not given step motherly treatment Monday, 16 November 2009 - 9:26 AM SL Time

The government insists that Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka, who retires from service today, is not being given step motherly treatment following reports his security detail had been drastically reduced despite the General requesting for tighter security over fears he still maybe under LTTE threat. Full Story     Post Reply To This     Read Replies ( 2 )

Fonseka is yet to get SL President s formal response to letter Saturday, 14 November 2009 - 9:19 AM SL Time

Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka is yet to get the formal response from President Mahinda Rajapaksa to his retirement letter and is still keen to remain in his post till the end of this month before relinquishing himself of his services by holding a farewell ceremony, sources close to the General told Daily Mirror online. Although the government announced yesterday that the President had accepted General Fonseka s letter of retirement and had asked him to leave with immediate effect the Daily Mirror has learnt that the formal letter has not yet been sent to the General. Full Story     Post Reply To This     Read Replies ( 9 )

SL President promptly accepts Fonseka s resignation Friday, 13 November 2009 - 9:19 AM SL Time

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday accepted Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka s resignation letter. Accordingly, Gen. Fonseka will cease to be CDS with effect from Dec. 01, 2009. Gen. Fonseka informed the President of his desire to resign at a one-to-one meeting on Wednesday, where they were expected to iron out their differences. Cordial as the meeting was, President Rajapaksa said he had no objections to Gen. Fonseka s resignation or his decision to enter politics. `I have instructed my Secretary to accept you resignation letter immediately, should you tender it,` the President told Gen. Fonseka. Full Story     Post Reply To This     Read Replies ( 21 )

French call for repealing Emergency too early Lanka MR still a target even after Tiger chief s killing Thursday, 12 November 2009 - 9:10 AM SL Time

Although the LTTE no longer poses a conventional military threat, the government will retain the state of emergency to facilitate ongoing operations undertaken by intelligence services, both here and abroad, targeting LTTE operatives. In keeping with a Defence Ministry directive, recruitment to the armed forces and police, too, will continue for the time being. A senior Defence Ministry official told The Island that the police, Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) and the Naval intelligence had been engaged in operations to track down LTTE cadres taking refuge among civilians both at IDP facilities and outside. According to him, some top LTTE operatives and their agents, including Superintendent of Police Lakshman Cooray had been apprehended since the final battle on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon on May 18. Full Story     Post Reply To This     Read Replies ( 5 )

Sri Lanka Ambassador to the UN Kohona says no push factor only pull factors from Australia Thursday, 12 November 2009 - 9:08 AM SL Time

Sri Lanka has dismissed any suggestion Tamils are oppressed within its borders, saying those aboard the Oceanic Viking were drawn to Australia by its `magnetism` rather than the need for asylum. Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UN Palitha Kohona last night denied the Tamils aboard the vessel had started their journey from his country, describing them as `economic refugees looking for greener pastures`. Full Story     Post Reply To This

India wants warships it lent to Sri Lanka returned Wednesday, 11 November 2009 - 10:12 AM SL Time

The Indian Coast Guard is uncertain about getting back two warships that it leased out to the Sri Lankan Navy in 2007 on an annually renewable contract. The two vessels, Coast Guard Ship (CGS) Varaha and CGS Vigraha, equipped with helicopters and rapid-fire machine guns, were leased out when Colombo was preparing for the offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Full Story     Post Reply To This     Read Replies ( 7 )

New Sri Lanka IGP extends olive branch to public Wednesday, 11 November 2009 - 10:06 AM SL Time

Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya yesterday promised the public justice and fairness. Police and public relations will be strengthened and mutual understanding will be fostered to avoid misunderstanding about the police, he said. The Public Assistance Centre (PAC) was opened by IGP Balasuriya at the Police Headquarters yesterday. The PAC was formed to discuss problems faced by the public and find solutions for their grievances, the Police chief said. IGP Balasuriya said the PAC which is under his direction, will be supervised by senior Police officers. Full Story     Post Reply To This     Read Replies ( 3 )

Several Sri Lankans living under a bridge in Jeddah Tuesday, 10 November 2009 - 9:07 AM SL Time

Sri Lankan migrant workers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia say they have been living under a bridge seeking help from the authorities to come back home. One Sri Lankan worker who wished to be anonymous told BBC Sinhala service that nearly 3000 migrant workers, including Sri Lankans, have been living under the Sharafiya bridge in the Saudi capital for months. `We all have been house maids or in factory workers and were forced to leave the workplace due to various harassments or as a result of not being paid by the employers. Now we are stranded here having no means to go back home,` he said. Full Story     Post Reply To This     Read Replies ( 6 )

Forces recover LTTE arms cach Monday, 9 November 2009 - 9:41 AM SL Time

The Security Forces engaging in search and clearing operations in the Northern theatre recovered gas bombs and a stock of arms left behind by the LTTE cadres. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said troops conducting extensive search and mopping up operations in Elephant Pass, Mullaitivu, Puthukudiruppu, Nadunkerni and Vellaimullivaikkal have recovered a cache of arms and explosives including 10 CF gas bombs and computer hardware on Saturday. Full Story     Post Reply To This