Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

The Nation turned to one of the world`s leading and most sought-after international terrorism experts, Professor Rohan Gunaratna, to get a better understanding of the latest developments regarding the UN Panel and its report on Sri Lanka. Professor Gunaratna is the Head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) in Singapore, and has in-depth experience and knowledge regarding the Sri Lankan conflict.

Following are excerpts:

SriLankan Airlines customer review : 24 December 2010 by B Chiswick (UK)
Trip Rating : 0/10

Recommended:x

Value for Money:x

Cabin Flown:
Economy


We were on the same flight as C Robinson (22DEC). It was the worst flight we have ever been on. Now we are back home we want to claim on insurance for the delay, however their feedback forms on their website do not work, their London Office email address does not work, their Office number is temporarily unavailable and calling any other number we get put in a queue for approximately 15 minutes before being cut off each time. Appalling!

At least 919,967 people have
been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq
since the U.S. and coalition attacks, based on lowest credible estimates.

Sources and methodology are explained in the sidebar. Some questions about lower or higher casualty counts cited elsewhere are addressed in these footnotes. This page is updated about once monthly. Most recent update: Aug. 10, 2010.



# Casualties in Afghanistan:
Afghan troops killed 8,587
Afghan troops seriously injured 25,761

Not needed

Monday October 18th 2010

by Jayantha de Silva


The Ministry of Health and Nutrition has granted permission for transplanting the organs surgically removed from the braindead but ventilator assisted persons, thus ending certain professional issues raised by the Institute of Medicine and Toxicology over the removal of organs from such persons.


In a circular issued by Dr. Ravidra Ruberu, Secretary to the Ministry of Health, dated Oct. 14, the ministry has intimated its decision to the Secretary Ministry of Justice, IGP, Registrar of Sri Lanka Medical Council, President College of Forensic Pathologists, President of the College of Surgeons, President of the Kidney Transplant Support Foundation and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo.

Well done Sri Lankan voters.Congratulations!!!

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks..

Separately,
Rudd angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation`s mosques. Quote:
`IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians. `

The Oppositions` Common Presidential Candidate, Sarath Fonseka said yesterday that the support he received from various political parties, including the TNA, was based on trust and not on any written agreements.
Addressing a news conference in Colombo, Fonseka said that all those who were backing him had joined hands on trust and a common conviction, that there had to be an end to the Rajapaksa dictatorship, nepotism, unimaginable levels of corruption, bribery and ego boosting extravagance.

We can say thank you,
Oh we can say, thank you, thank you.
We know God blesses you
For all you did and do
And we are all blessed too.
You are our heroes.
What can you say to a hero?
To someone who`s always there?
What can you say to a hero?
To someone who lives life to care?
We can say thank you,
Oh we can say, thank you, thank you.
We know God blesses you
For all you did and do
And we are all blessed too.
You are our heroes.
You are our heroes.
You are our heroes.

The LTTE caused the greatest damage to the UNP by going to the extent of killing President Premadasa, prominent political leaders and even disrupting elections, said Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe making a special declaration to a media gathering at the opposition leader`s Cambridge Terrace office, yesterday.

Not a dead body!

Headlines Today
Colombo, May 20, 2009

LTTE chief V. Prabhakaran`s wife Mathivathani, daughter and younger son Balachandran were found shot dead on Wednesday.

Their bodies, having gunshot wounds in the head, were found a day after pictures of Prabhakaran`s body were released by the Sri Lankan authorities.

The bodies were found in the Nandi Kadal lagoon area barely 600 metres from where Prabhakaran`s body was recovered by the Sri Lankan Army.

According to the latest report received from Sri Lanka LTTE terrorists have committed a mass suicide after being effectively cut-off of escape routes, both land and sea and encircled in a mere 1.km of land West of Vellamullivaikkal, Apparently, the government has not been able to confirm this so far as positive identification is required by the authority and also awaiting for the President to return from Jordan and address the nation. Government sources said a final announcement of the rebel`s defeat was due to be made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is due back in Sri Lanka Sunday morning. Meanwhile the kith and kin of LTTE top leaders including that of VP have moved already to the Army held area apparently with forged identities. The army is now in the process of screening them and identifying them. Soosai earlier reported to have literally handed-over his family to the Navy (but media reported as captured by the Navy). Some of the self-appointed LTTE Colonels, middle range leaders and regional level leaders have already been surrendered to SLA. Five self proclaimed `Government Doctors` who had been with Prabhakaran, have also turned themselves up in to the forces, they are, in fact, LTTE cadres turned medically trained doctors. One has been the man who gave fabricated stories to Al Jazeera and BBC. They have not wanted their photos shown to the media. Meanwhile Sri Lankans are preparing for a grand scale island-wide celebration tomorrow to commemorate the defeat of Tamil terrorism in the Island and reports coming from Colombo say national flags and fire crackers are already sold out throughout the Island. (The LankaWeb - 16/05/09)

Primarily, it is an effort to draw attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka.

More than 50,000 Tamil civilians are entrapped on a coastal strip in the North.

They are virtual hostages of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) an organization proscribed as terrorist by Canada.

After fighting for decades the armed forces are poised to overrun the cornered tigers.

Cadres who lay down arms and surrender will be rehabilitated
By Leon Berenger

The Government has decided on an amnesty for all LTTE members who lay down their arms and surrender and those currently held in detention without trial, Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told The Sunday Times last night.

He said the regulations for this purpose were being drafted in consultation with the Attorney General and they would cover anyone in the LTTE who agreed to lay down weapons and surrender to the security forces.