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   http://www.lankanewspapers.com/impartial - Archive of May 2012




Lanka has more mobile phone connections per person - report
Wednesday, 2 May 2012 - 9:16 AM SL Time

The mobile telephone users in Sri Lanka have increased rapidly over the year 2011 with more than 105 telephone connections for 100 people, authorities said. According to a central bank annual report, telephone connections have increased 5.4% and the connections increased to 21.9mn by the end of 2011, a spokesperson from the central bank said.



There is also a considerable increase in the Internet connections as new connections have increased by 4% over the year 2011, he stated.

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Two more MV Sun Sea refugees to be deported to Sri Lanka
Wednesday, 2 May 2012 - 6:01 PM SL Time

Deportation orders have been issued against two more of the 492 Sri Lankan refugee claimants who arrived off the B.C. coast in 2010 aboard the smuggling ship MV Sun Sea.



In separate decisions, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada ordered the expulsion of both men, ruling one had engaged in people smuggling and the other had been a member of a Tamil rebel group.



The cases bring to 19 the number of Sun Sea migrants who have been issued deportation orders to date. All have been declared inadmissible to Canada due to their involvement in terrorism and crime.

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Sri Lanka to firm up private finance for expressway
Thursday, 3 May 2012 - 9:48 AM SL Time

Sri Lanka is planning to firm up private finance for a 1.5 billion US dollar expressway within two months, as the country seeks to connect the north and east to the capital Colombo, Treasury Secretary P B Jayasundera said.
`Inquiries are very much active on the now recognized Northern Expressway from Colombo which will connect Kandy, Kurunegala and taking the traffic to Trincomalee and the North,` Jayasundera told reporters earlier this week.
`We are looking for private investment proposals. There are three serious proposals.`

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Rajapaksa s bad gamble
Friday, 4 May 2012 - 6:25 AM SL Time

After India`s vote against Sri Lanka at the UNHCR, Southasian states can no longer count on New Delhi`s centrality in formulating Indian foreign policy.
In the veritable swirl of conspiracy theories emanating from Colombo on why India voted against Sri Lanka in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March, the most compelling as well as ostensibly tenable one links New Delhi`s decision to its fear of China. In that theory, China`s growing role in the economy of the Emerald Isle of the East goaded New Delhi into using its vote in the UNHRC to warn Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa he could step out from under the Indian umbrella at his own peril.

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UNP may day rally
Friday, 4 May 2012 - 7:37 AM SL Time

Who ever shown the flag must be dead scared now for consequences
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A 50-year plan for energy
Friday, 4 May 2012 - 10:03 AM SL Time

energy theorist Amory Lovins lays out the steps we must take to end the world`s dependence on oil (before we run out). Some changes are already happening -- like lighter-weight cars and smarter trucks
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Indian delegation submits report on condition of Tamils in Sri Lanka
Saturday, 5 May 2012 - 10:16 AM SL Time

The multi-party Indian Parliamentary delegation that visited Sri Lanka submitted a report on the condition of ethnic Tamils to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday. Dr Singh said India will stand solidly behind the minority community in their pursuit for a political settlement.

The 13-member delegation, headed by the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, met Dr Singh at the Parliament House for over 45 minutes during which they briefed the Prime Minister about their five-day visit to Sri Lanka from April 16 to April 21 and the talks they held with the top leadership besides interaction with the ethnic Tamils in the island nation.

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High-tech Kottu on the way
Saturday, 5 May 2012 - 10:50 PM SL Time

I first tasted a `kottu roti` as a kid traveling to Jaffna, where my father was working at the time. We stopped at a wayside eatery in Vavuniya and ordered a `kottu`. I thought that I had not tasted anything so delicious. `Koththu Roti` popularly known as `kottu,` is essentially Sri Lankan cuisine, originating from Batticaloa.


It is made from chopped `Godamba Roti,` and vegetables, egg, or meat, and various spices. A very spicy gravy of either fish or chicken is served with a `kottu roti`. It`s essentially prepared during dinner time. `Kottu` is made on a heated iron plate or table. Its preparation is an art by itsself chopping and mixing a `kottu` with two blunt metal blades is not an easy task!

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New visa rules attract US$550 mln revenue
Monday, 7 May 2012 - 9:19 AM SL Time

New visa rules for visitors to Sri Lanka involving the payment of a visa fee has generated revenues of US$550 million during the first four months of this year, officials said. Revenue from this new source is targeted at, at least $2 billion this year.


Chulananda Perera
Immigration Controller Chulananda Perera, speaking with the Business Times on Monday just before addressing a section of the business community in Colombo, said the new visa procedures were currently operating `very smoothly.`

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Cricket tournament for Catholic youth in Anuradhapura
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 - 8:19 AM SL Time

Anuradhapura (AsiaNews) - Almost 150 Catholic youths took part in the `Christu Shanthi Challenging Cup,` a cricket tournament organised by the diocese of Anuradhapura (North Central Province). The goal was to enable youths from 13 parishes spread across an area of 10,726 sq km to get to know each other. The team from the parish of Alagollewa won the first prize, a trophy and 10,000 rupees (US$ 75). The second prize of 7,000 rupees (US$ 55) went to the parish of Habarana. The diocese gave all the other participants 1,000 rupees (US$ 8).

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Norochcholai coal power plant yields more than expected
Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 6:49 AM SL Time

The Chinese-funded Norochcholai coal power plant has delivered more than the expected budgetary value during the past two months, and adhered to permissible environmental levels, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said yesterday.

He said though only 153 megawatt hours were expected, the power plant had produced 177 megawatt hours in March. He said the plant had produced 146 megawatt hours in April exceeding the target 109 megawatt hours.

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Sri Lanka may start blending its pure Ceylon tea
Thursday, 10 May 2012 - 9:06 AM SL Time

Sri Lanka, one of the world`s largest tea exporters, is considering blending a pricey tea with cheaper imported varieties for the first time to boost revenues, a top official said Wednesday.

Sri Lanka Tea Board chief Janaki Kuruppu said they were studying proposals to allow imported teas to be mixed with the more expensive Sri Lankan tea, better known by the country`s former British colonial-era name Ceylon .

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Champika blames fuel price hike
Friday, 11 May 2012 - 6:23 AM SL Time

Power and Energy Minister Champika Ranawake today blamed the fuel price hike on the increase in electricity tariffs.

Speaking at a seminar in Katubeda today the Minister also rejected claims that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) was providing fuel to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on concessionary rates.

He said that fuel from the CPC is purchased at the normal rate. He said that failure by some government institutions to pay their electricity bills on time had led to the CEB incurring losses.

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SL, India to amicably solve fishing issues
Saturday, 12 May 2012 - 7:53 PM SL Time

Fisheries authorities in Sri Lanka and India have agreed to solve the issues of fishermen in the Palk Bay region without taking the fishermen through court processes. Sri Lanka is releasing Indian fishermen who have been in Sri Lankan custody for illegal cross-border fishing, while India is releasing Sri Lankan fishermen in Sri Lankan custody for similar doing after a top level decision taken by Sri Lanka and India to release the fishermen, Fisheries Ministry Maritime Surveillance Unit yesterday told the Daily News.

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Controversial NSB-TFC deal to be reversed this week
Sunday, 13 May 2012 - 9:35 AM SL Time

The controversial 390 million-rupee deal between some investors/directors at The Finance Co (TFC) and state-owned National Savings Bank (NSB) is set to be reversed this week, informed sources said.
This follows a meeting the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has had with directors of Taprobane Securities, on Thursday, Tushara Jayaratne, Assistant Director External Relations, SEC told the Business Times. Currently we are discussing with the broker concerned on how to resolve this issue. Nothing (concrete) has been decided up to now, he added.

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Z-score criteria to be amended .
Monday, 14 May 2012 - 8:35 AM SL Time

Amid concerns by students, teachers and parents about the Z score marks, the Higher Education Ministry has decided to once again amend the criteria for the calculation of Z-score marks of candidates who sat for the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination last time under two different syllabi.

The situation is likely to delay the admission of students to universities for the next academic year.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) worked out a common methodology for the admission of students under both the syllabi. However, students, teachers and parents challenged it saying that those who did the exam under the new syllabuses were at the short end because of the common system introduced.

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Fonseka will be freed after Tiran s return
Monday, 14 May 2012 - 9:45 AM SL Time

Gen. Sarath Fonseka will be released soon, as a result of President Mahinda Rajapaksa`s one-on-one talks with Democratic National Alliance (DNA) MP Tiran Alles, according to authoritative government sources.


Asked whether former Army Commander`s release would coincide with the third anniversary celebrations of Sri Lanka`s victory over the LTTE on May 19, sources said Gen. Fonseka could leave Nawaloka hospital, where he was receiving treatment for a lung condition, as soon as MP Alles returned from an overseas visit. Sources revealed that the agreement on the defeated presidential candidate`s release had been reached before Vesak but both sides had kept it under wraps to prevent the ongoing efforts to reach a settlement being jeopardised.MP Alles didn`t respond to a query we posed to him via SMS. He was also not contactable over the phone. Government sources said that MP Alles had had several rounds talks with the President in the recent past, to discuss ways and means of securing Gen. Fonseka`s release against the backdrop of protests by a section of the Opposition.

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Sri Lankan police find massive explosives haul
Monday, 14 May 2012 - 5:23 PM SL Time

The Sri Lankan police have found a massive haul of C4 explosives hidden in a bunker by Tamil Tiger rebels in the north of the country, a police spokesman said on Monday.

The explosives weighing over 6,000 kg is the largest haul of C4 explosives to have been recovered following the end of the 30-year war between the military and the rebels.

Police spokesman Ajith Rohana told Xinhua that the explosives were found in Pudukuduirippu by a police team on Sunday night.

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EU remains SL s No 01 trading partner
Tuesday, 15 May 2012 - 6:44 AM SL Time

The European Union remains Sri Lanka`s number one trading partner and an important source of foreign direct investment and tourist arrivals.


The EU`s ambassador to Sri Lanka, Bernard Savage addressing the Europe Day celebration in Colombo last week, said that they hoped to accompany Sri Lanka as it moved forward to a peaceful and prosperous future.


`The European Union remains Sri Lanka`s number one trading partner and an important source of foreign direct investment and tourist arrivals` he said adding that the engagement went beyond the purely economic.

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Sarath Fonseka will be released soon - President tells Hindu
Tuesday, 15 May 2012 - 3:55 PM SL Time

Jailed former Army Commander of Sri Lanka Sarath Fonseka, who led the Eelam war IV against the Tamil Tigers and helped win it, is set to be released shortly. We will release him soon, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa told The Hindu on the sidelines of a function organised to launch a book, Gota`s War, here on Monday.

MP`s role

Mr. Rajapaksa said the person who tried hard to secure Gen. Fonseka`s release, Member of Parliament Tiran Alles, was out of the country.

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Mahinda wouldn t have given in to India s pressure unlike JRJ - Lalith
Wednesday, 16 May 2012 - 11:27 AM SL Time

Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga on Monday asserted that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would have reacted differently if he had come under the same pressure as the late President J. R. Jayawardene. J. N. Dixit had been lucky that he had had to deal with JRJ and not President Rajapaksa, Weeratunga said.


Weeratunga was speaking at the launch of The Island staffer C. A. Chandraprema`s book `Gota`s War` at the Waters Edge in the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Among the distinguished invitees were many diplomats, including Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha.

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Sri Lanka cabinet backs president to free jailed rival.
Friday, 18 May 2012 - 6:41 AM SL Time

Sri Lanka`s cabinet has formally backed President Mahinda Rajapaksa`s move to free his ailing former army chief Sarath Fonseka, a spokesman said, a proposal seen as a bid to quell criticism of the government and its human rights record.

The president will order the release of his jailed rival this week, sources close to him had told Reuters earlier on Thursday.

Former General Sarath Fonseka, revered as a hero by many for helping end the 25-year civil war against the Tamil Tiger rebels, was detained in February 2010 after challenging Rajapaksa for president and was later stripped of his rank.

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US praises SL on its very serious plan for reconciliation
Saturday, 19 May 2012 - 6:38 PM SL Time

The United States said Sri Lanka had put forward a very serious plan Friday for reconciliation after its 27-year war, and urged the island to move forward on protecting human rights.



Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the wake of a US-backed UN resolution -- that provoked fury in Colombo -- urging accountability over alleged war crimes.

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SEC Investigating Taprobane Securities For Multiple Offenses On The NSB Deal
Monday, 21 May 2012 - 6:51 AM SL Time

The Securities and Exchange Commission has launched an investigation into possible multiple offenses committed by Taprobane Securities in the National Savings Bank share scandal.
Highly placed sources in the SEC said Taprobane Securities is being investigated for insider dealing, front running, conflict of interest and other offenses. It will take two to three weeks for the investigation and then the SEC commissioners will decide on the matter after the report is ready, the sources said.
The NSB bought 7,863,362 shares of The Finance Company at 49.74 rupees a share for a total payment of 390 million rupees well above the price share was trading in the market. Meanwhile a number of members of the NSB board have refused to vote for a board resolution to cancel the deal saying they did not approve the transaction in the first place.

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I am safe among people - SF
Tuesday, 22 May 2012 - 10:24 AM SL Time

Former army Commander Sarath Fonseka, who walked out a free man yesterday, said he will be safe among people, and those who are well aware of the service he rendered to the nation, will protect him.



I have immense confidence in people and I honestly feel they will not jeopardize me a jubilant Sarath Fonseka said.



Speaking to Ceylon Today exclusively at the Supreme Court soon before his release, Fonseka said he has no intention to work under any leader or any other political party. He also said he will remain in the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) the party from which he entered Parliament in April 2010.

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Dhanuna Koheda?
Tuesday, 22 May 2012 - 7:26 PM SL Time

Just for humour
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SLC secretary s company wins SLC s TV rights .
Thursday, 24 May 2012 - 6:46 AM SL Time

The television rights of the Sri Lankan cricket team`s matches for the territory of Sri Lanka have been offered to sports channel Carlton Sports Network (CSN) for three years from 2012 to 2015, Sri Lanka Cricket President Upali Dharmadasa said yesterday.

CSN had been the only bidder for the local TV rights in response to advertisements SLC published in January in local newspapers and also on their website, so the SLC Sponsorship committee which met yesterday decided to grant it to CSN, Dharmadasa added.

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Other than Ranil and his coterie, majority of UNP MPs receptive to Gen. Fonseka - Anoma
Friday, 25 May 2012 - 5:32 PM SL Time

Close on the heels of Ranil loyalist John Amaratunga chiding UNP parliamentarians, who rushed to welcome Gen. Sarath Fonseka on his release from prison last Monday, Mrs. Anoma Fonseka yesterday told The Island that except for a coterie of people behind the UNP leader, a majority of party MPs had expressed their willingness to have political links with her husband.

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SF wants army camps removed
Saturday, 26 May 2012 - 7:25 AM SL Time

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka says military camps in the north must be removed.

Speaking to the Jaffna based Uthayan newspaper, Fonseka said that the military is involved in the civil administration in the north.

He said that the army should do only what the army does best and not get involved in civil administration.

During his victory day speech President Mahinda Rajapaksa rejected calls to close army bases in the former war zone.

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Opposition caught on wrong foot by Fonseka s release
Sunday, 27 May 2012 - 5:28 PM SL Time

The SLFP-led ruling coalition heaved a sigh of relief as the Opposition squandered an opportunity to launch a common front with the unexpected release of General Sarath Fonseka subsequent to discussions between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Democratic National Alliance (DNA) MP Tiran Alles.


Well informed sources told The Sunday Island that as major political parties felt that there could never be an agreement between the Rajapaksas and General Fonseka, they didn`t bother with an action plan to exploit the defeated presidential candidate`s release. Instead of uniting the Opposition, the General`s return to the political arena, triggered a fresh round of hostilities among Opposition parties and various factions, with the Sajih Premadasa group being one of the causalities.

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Restore trust before devolving power to Tamils: Fonseka
Monday, 28 May 2012 - 3:43 PM SL Time

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader and former army chief, Sarath Fonseka, said that power should be devolved to the Tamil minority only after trust between the Sinhalese and the Tamils is restored.

There is so much mistrust and suspicion between the two communities built up over the years by politicians on both sides of the ethnic divide. This is why solutions like devolution of power is not accepted by the Sinhalese, he told Indian Express at his country retreat in Thalawathugoda.

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GL summons UK HC over disputing President s claims
Tuesday, 29 May 2012 - 7:27 AM SL Time

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday summoned British High Commissioner John Rankin to the ministry to protest against the UK envoy contradicting President Mahinda Rajapaksa`s Victory Day speech.


A British High Commission spokesperson yesterday afternoon said that the HC had further comments on this issue.


Ministry sources told The Island that Prof. Peiris had expressed displeasure over Rankin disputing President Rajapaksa`s claim of scaling down of the military presence and the non-involvement of the military in civil administration in the Northern Province since the conclusion of the conflict in May, 2009.

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88 Lankans sail directly to Australia offloaded at Christmas Island
Wednesday, 30 May 2012 - 10:43 AM SL Time

Sri Lankans are again seeking asylum from Australia by boat in large numbers and they are bypassing people-smugglers in Indonesia, instead sailing direct to Christmas Island.



Immigration authorities believe the 88 Sri Lankans offloaded at Christmas Island on May 28 were the latest in recent months to embark on the perilous boat trip of more than 3000km from Sri Lanka to the Australian territory of Christmas Island.

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Foreign inflows gather momentum
Thursday, 31 May 2012 - 8:24 AM SL Time

The external trade of the country may look challenging, but foreign inflows appear robust as per latest data disclosed by the Central Bank yesterday.
Workers` remittances in March amounted to $ 550 million, up 9.2% year-on-year (yoy) whilst for the first quarter it grew by 17.2% to $ 1.5 billion. Earnings from tourism in March 2012 grew at a healthy rate of 28.8% to $ 94 million and by 28.6% to $ 268 million in the first quarter.

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Tamil asylum-seekers to be forcibly deported
Thursday, 31 May 2012 - 12:57 PM SL Time

Dozens of Tamil asylum-seekers will be forcibly removed from Britain on a secretive deportation flight today despite credible evidence that they face arrest and retribution on their return.

A chartered plane, PTV030, is due to take off at 15.30 from an undisclosed London airport and fly direct to Colombo. Human-rights organisations have called on the UK Border Agency to halt the flight on the grounds that Tamils who are known to be critical of the Sri Lankan government have been brutally treated following their return.

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Sri Lanka May Inflation Rate Accelerates to a Nine-Month High
Friday, 1 June 2012 - 6:21 AM SL Time

Sri Lankan inflation accelerated to a nine-month high in May, fanned by currency weakness that makes imports costlier.

Consumer prices in the capital, Colombo, increased 7 percent from a year earlier after gaining 6.1 percent in April, the Department of Census and Statistics said on its website today. The median of seven estimates in a Bloomberg News survey was for a 6.5 percent advance.

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