Video:
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Lankan peace rally in Australia attacked
Several people were injured when a major rally organised by some 2000 Sri Lankan peace activists in front of the Melbourne State Parliament was attacked by a group of LTTE supporters carrying LTTE flags this morning. An organiser of the rally told Daily Mirror the Australian police had to intervene to calm the situation.
>> Full Story
Rejoinder to: “Sri Lanka Tamils: Give them the Ballot; Give Them Their Rights”
The article titled “Sri Lanka Tamils: Give them the Ballot; Give Them Their Rights” by Jay Surier (Democratic Voice, Feb. 2009) is nothing less than the propaganda of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a banned terrorist group notorious for using suicide bombings and child soldiers in its mad quest for a separate Tamil state. This is not surprising, considering Surier’s close affiliation with the Tigers: he provided computers to the terrorist group by setting up an outfit called Vanni Tech’ in the territory held by the Tigers. Vanni Tech was the front used by Suresh Sriskandarajah, a Canadian arrested by the FBI and now facing trial for money laundering and smuggling goods – such as military software – into Sri Lanka.
Surier’s article presents a fictional ‘Tamil homeland’ and a fictional ‘Tamil kingdom’ indicating that the minority Tamils live in this ‘homeland’ in the north and east while the Sinhalese occupy the rest of the country. The fact is that 56% of Tamils live outside the north and east, mostly in the south among the Sinhalese.
His reference to ‘successive Sinhalese dominated governments,’ taken straight out of LTTE propaganda leaflets, is an indictment which makes as much sense as accusing the US of having ‘successive Anglo-dominated governments.”
The allegation of indiscriminate attacks on Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan armed forces is totally false. In 1983, after years of terrorist acts by the Tamils, inflammatory, racist propaganda by Tamil politicians, and the killing of 13 soldiers by Tamil militants, a race riot, led by political elements, erupted in Colombo. An estimated 400 Tamil persons were killed, not ‘thousands’ as Surier states. A contrite Sri Lankan government paid restitution to the families of these victims and rebuilt all the homes that were destroyed. Since then, despite Tamil provocation by way of hundreds of suicide bombings, the assassination of the Sri Lankan president and countless political leaders, there has never been an organized riot or attack on Tamils. And, yes, thousands of Tamils have sought asylum abroad, most for economic gain, many trafficked by the LTTE.
Surier’s version of the 1977 election where he says 82% of the Tamil people endorsed a separate state is as fictionalized. In that election, only 69% of the Tamils in the Northern province voted for the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) which at the time did seek separatism. In the Eastern province the TULF got a pathetic 32.9%. The LTTE, has been using that election as its crutch to justify resorting to terror to fight for a separate state. What Surier does not mention is that after 1977 the TULF moved away from separatism towards mainstream politics. The LTTE then murdered the TULF leader Appapillai Amirthalingam and several other TULF members and forced the people in areas under its control in the north, under gunpoint, into voting for its own proxies, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). That is the bloody genealogy of the TNA, the party that Surier speaks of with pride.
As for the title of the article and the suggestion that the Tamil people have been deprived of voting rights, again, nothing but a downright lie! All Sri Lankan citizens, including women, have enjoyed universal suffrage and the right to stand for election since 1931, without restriction. This is a major contrast to many other countries, including the US, where property ownership, race, and other impositions have prevented one or another group from voting.
In calling for foreign intervention in Sri Lanka, Surier reveals his true objective: saving the LTTE from ultimate defeat and humiliation. Giving the lie to international punditry about this war being ‘unwinnable,’ the Sri Lankan military has successfully defeated the LTTE, cornering it into a 20-square kilometer of land. Concern for the safety of civilians being held hostage by the LTTE is the only factor stopping the military from reclaiming this last patch of territory. LTTE operatives and front groups in the Tamil diaspora are now frenziedly lobbying for international intervention conjuring up charges of ‘genocide’ in the desperate hope that the remaining LTTE cadres, including its leader Vellupillain Prabhakaran, can be rescued from certain defeat.
Considering the extent of Surier’s fabrications, the Democratic Voice has displayed an utter disregard for the truth, disrespect for the many Sri Lankans who live in the US, and, as bad, let itself be co-opted into the LTTE’s desperate endgame.
Hassina Leelarathna
The mass suicide option
By: Ron Harvey
The tamil tigers have thrived on a pathologically depressive, self-inflicted victimology which places the tamils in the position of the eternal victim, and have for over two decades maintained a perpetual hatred of other communities in Sri Lanka and elsewhere, often with the use of force and deception. Their lies are numerous and over the years have started to contradict each other. As the fighting enters the final round and the tamil tigers face aanihilation, many fear that this attitude will lead the tiger leadership to force mass scale suicide among its remaining cadre and thousands of civillians held forcibly as a human shield.
Many may have forgotten, but I remember what attracted my attention to the Sri lankan conflict; displays of pictures, posters and videos in Europe of a number of tamil youth with iron spike driven through their skin, and some haging on meat hooks on a cart. The tamil hosts explained to us that these were evidence of tamils being tortured in Sri Lanka. While one group claimed they were Christians being persecuted, other claimed it to be based on race. Even then the two claims mismatched and after many years those who sympathized with and even supported the tamil terror group still fail to recognize that they were blatant lies; these were pictures and evidence of Hindu tamil religious festivities in the heart of Colombo, incontrovertible proof that Sri Lanka tolerates religious freedom and pluralism.
That was only the beginning and hence then a veritable spin doctoring media assault has been launched on our senses, to create an emotionally draining litany of complaints against the Sri Lankan state, which systematic verification of fact has proven to be false in each and every case. Irrespective of these blatant lies and false accusations, the heinous crimes and acts of terrorism committed in Sri Lanka and elsewhere by their perpetrators have always gone completely scot-free. These folks who have been avowed terrorists have been allowed to live happily and without consequences in our cities while engaging in horrendous attrocities againt a soveriegn and democratic nation with aid collected from us, by exploiting our generosity.
Sri Lanka is determined to root out tamil tiger terror from her soil. More power to them. When that happens, as it quite evidently will, the western and other parts of the world that naively allowed off shoots of tamil tiger terrorism to thrive in their territories will have cause for anxiety. Canada obviously is one nation to observe closely, for their sizeable pro-tiger tamil community is now starting to turn volatile. Such nations are not geared to deal with the suicide culture the tamil tigers are capable of bringing to the streets of Toronto, if these cities are infilterated by these terrorists in adequate numbers, who now carry a grudge against the nations who refused or failed to support their murderous agenda yet again. Unless these people are either apprehended and deported, or brought into the law enforcement system and incapacitated, the days when we are held hostage in our own homes may not be very far. Those who know what the tamil tigers are capable of will understand the need to worry.
>> Full Story
The Elusive Last Stand
April 1, 2009: The LTTE is, officially, defending less than a square kilometer of territory in the northeast. Most LTTE operations are now taking place inside the 20 square kilometer "neutral zone" set up to protect the Tamil civilians the LTTE 
fighters have forced to serve as human shields. Most LTTE fighters, including those operating artillery and mortars, are inside the neutral zone. It is believed that only about 50,000 Tamil civilians remain in the neutral zone, and over 2,000 a day have been getting out. That's because of the small number of LTTE fighters still active. The LTTE doesn't have enough armed people to stop the human shields from fleeing. The army has three divisions of troops surrounding the neutral zone, and LTTE fighters who show themselves get attacked. There are over a hundred casualties a day, most of the LTTE fighters or Tamil civilians being used as human shields. The LTTE continues to try and shoot their way past the Sri Lankan army, to get key people into Sri Lanka, where they can continue the fight by organizing guerilla and terror operations.
Three years ago, the LTTE controlled 15,000 square kilometers of land. Now they are trying to flee their last scrap of contested territory. In southern India, special army units have been sent in to search for any LTTE personnel who have escaped across the narrow straits. There are many LTTE sympathizers in this part of India (Tamil Nadu state), and the soldiers are sometimes going house to house, checking Ids and looking for known LTTE officials reported to be in the area.
>> Full Story
Power supply to Northern Sri Lanka under 'Uthuru Wasanthaya'
Friday, April 3, 2009, 14:24 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Apr 03, Colombo: Sri Lanka government has taken measures to provide power supply to every village in the North under a program called 'Uthuru Wasanthaya' (Northern Spring).
Issuing a press release Power and Energy Ministry said they would first reconstruct all the transformers, power cable systems, and electricity sub-stations destroyed by the LTTE.
According to the Ministry the power supply between Omanthai and Mankulam has already commenced after nearly 20 years following the liberation of these areas by the government forces.
The Ministry hopes to extend the power supply along the A-9 Jaffna - Kandy highway in near future.
Sri Lanka government has spent nearly Rs. 210 million to provide the power supply on Mankulam and some recently liberated areas in Vavuniya, Power and Energy Ministry said.
>> Full Story
Ultimatum To Tigers To Free Civilians – United Nations
United Natioms, 04 April, (Asiantribune.com): In a strongly worded statement read out by the UN Spokesperson Michelle Montas today, the UN Secretary-General again warned the LTTE leadership to allow civilians to leave the conflict area of their own free will’ adding that the ‘severe restrictions of the LTTE on freedom of movement violates international Law’.
The former Secretary General of International Alert, and the outspoken Human Rights activist Dr. Kumar Rupasinghe accused Tigers of planning a humanitarian catastrophe and said that use of civilians as hostages is a grave crime against humanity.
The UN statement further stated that ‘the Secretary-General is deeply distressed by continuing reports from the Vanni region that civilians are at extreme risk, with heavy casualties and that the LTTE is keeping civilians in a very small area of active conflict against their will’. The Secretary-General also ‘deplored the forced recruitment of civilians, particularly children’.
Observers in New York point out that this is the strongest condemnation made by the UN at the highest level of the LTTE’s continued intransigence and violation of international humanitarian Law.
Yesterday the UN Secretary-General’s Spokesperson announced, the Sri Lanka Government’s delivery of another shipment of over a thousand metric tons of food, medicine and shelter material to the civilians trapped by the LTTE with WFP and ICRC assistance, while today’s statement reminds the Government also of its responsibility to protect civilians and the welfare of IDPs.
>> Full Story
130 mm artillery piece destroyed in an attack carried out by Kfirs early this week in the Puthukudirippu area
Troops of Army 53 Division and Task Force 8 yesterday (Apr 02) further extended their forward boundaries into the remaining LTTE enclave in Puthukkudiyiruppu East. 
According to the battlefield reports , troops of 5 Vijayaba Infantry Regiment (5VIR) had daylong clashes with the terrorists and captured debris of 130mm Artillery gun recently destroyed in both ground and air attacks , one multi purpose machine gun (MPMG), one crew cab, two motorbikes, five T-56 rifles , and one radio communication set. Both ground sources and intercepted LTTE radio transmissions confirmed heavy damages to the terrorists. 
Also, snipers deployed in the forward areas confirmed acquisition of three terror targets
>> Video
Make NGO’s stay on track
Sat, 2009-04-04 00:53 By Somar Wijayadasa
As international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) continue to multiply in geometrical proportions, there is an increasing need to monitor their activities. At last count, there were over 48,000 international NGOs worldwide-- and growing. Unfortunately, most of them lack transparency and accountability.
Sri Lanka has been a happy hunting ground for NGOs-- both during the tsunami and during the current war in the north. Hardly a day goes by without some outraged public statement critical of the international as well as local NGO’s. There are justified suspicions that some NGO’s – flagrantly abusing the freedom and powers vested in them - are covertly working against Sri Lanka’s interests. Some NGO’s misrepresented their activities and operate under false pretenses. This has now become a common phenomenon in many countries.
The term Non-Governmental Organizations is a misnomer because most NGO’s are funded and directed by foreign governments, foundations, and corporations, and are directed by those who set them up or fund them in accordance with their own agendas and strategic goals.
Millions of dollars are poured into the coffers of the NGO’s in the name of research & development, social justice, human rights, think tanks, policy institutes, grassroots democracy, etc. NGO’s today are the world's largest unregulated industry, and many unscrupulous people have made these their source of easy and high living. Most NGO’s stay in the business due to lack of minimum regulatory standards governing their activities.
Many a times, the Sri Lankan Government have challenged the biased actions and undiplomatic positions taken by heads of UN Agencies operating in Sri Lanka. The latest anti-Sri Lankan position surprisingly arose from a Tamil woman heading the UN’s Human Rights. It is strongly suspected that these UN officials are funded by corrupt NGO’s who support the LTTE. Many UN officials in Sri Lanka have often violated the ethical UN standards, and worked against the sovereignty of a member country.
>> Full Story
Tamil civilians flee from their Tiger 'protectors' as Sri Lanka war worsens
Civilians are fleeing from the Tamil Tiger forces who claim to protect them and revealing the fears of the thousands still trapped by desperate last-ditch fighting.
The haunted eyes of the grandfather who had just escaped from the Tigers at their most furious betrayed the horror he had left behind him. "I want to live, not die, and that's why I have come here with my family," he said.
The exhausted businessman was safe in a Sri Lankan Army base after enduring weeks of terrible stress - trapped among 150,000 other civilians on a seven square mile strip of land on Sri Lanka's north-east coast, short of food and fresh water and incessantly pounded by shells.
The fighters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who for the last 26 years have claimed to be fighting to protect Sri Lanka's Tamil ethnic minority, have forbidden the refugees to leave - on pain of death.
But as the long civil war grinds slowly towards its end with the Tigers apparently facing final defeat, conditions within their enclave have become so grim that in the last week alone an estimated 5,000 people - men, women and terrified children - have risked their lives to flee. Many have been shot by rebel gunmen and some of those caught have been executed.
The elderly man, wearing a grimy T-shirt and sarong and clutching a single bag that he said contained all that remained of his worldly possessions, had managed to get out that morning.
>> Full Story: Telegraph.co.uk
Friday, April 3, 2009
STATEMENT TO STANDING COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (FAAE) OF CANADIAN HOUSE OF COMMONS
by Asoka Weerasinghe (Ottawa)
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, good afternoon. I am grateful to you for giving me an opportunity to express my concerns on recent events in Sri Lanka. I intend to clarify some of the misconceptions about this ethnic crisis…this terrible war between a legitimately-elected, democratic government…a member of the Commonwealth… and a non-elected group, the Tamil terrorists…the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam…are also known as the Tamil Tigers.
Since 1983 the Tamil Tigers have been creating mayhem on Sri Lanka. For the past 3 decades this tiny island had been in crisis…haemorrhaging its people, its resources, and its soul. Only now when the Tamil Tigers are about to be eliminated; only now after 26 years some countries including Canada are taking an interest in this terrorist war. Such interest prompted Canada to have an emergency Debate in Parliament on Sri Lanka on February 4th. Watching the debate on CPAC, I found it an amazing piece of theatre. It was mostly Sri Lanka Government bashing and not the bashing of the Tamil Tigers who are indeed a killer cult. There were moments of ‘hoax-theatre’ when five Liberal Members of Parliament accused the Sri Lankan Government with ‘genocide’. No doubt those Members have found out since then that, that charge was unfair, unwholesome and incorrect.
The Tamil Tigers (the LTTE) have been banned as a terrorist organization by 32 countries including Canada. They have assassinated two heads of state (Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi of India and President Ranasinghe Premadasa of Sri Lanka) and 32 other politicians in Sri Lanka including three Mayors of Jaffna and the country’s Foreign Minister (all Tamils). Of the 32 assassinated politicians, 18 were moderate Tamils. The LTTE are the terrorists who perfected the body pack for the human bomb and exploded the 379th human bomb in Mullaitivu a few meters from an army front line on March 17. On Jan 11, 2008 the FBI described
the LTTE as the "most dangerous and deadly extremist outfit in the world”. The FBI has credited them with perfecting the use of suicide bombers, inventing suicide belts and pioneering the use of women in suicide attacks. The FBI says that this rebel group's "ruthless tactics" has inspired terrorist networks worldwide, including al Qaeda in Iraq.”
>> Full Story
Tiger fighting force surrounded
Troops cut off vital supply route linking LTTE forward defences with no-fire zone
The war between the security forces and the LTTE entered its final phase on Wednesday as the army cut off all supply routes to a large number of LTTE cadres surrounded by the army in less than one square kilometer area outside the ‘no-fire zone.’
Troops of the eleven Light Infantry of the 58 Division captured the last junction named Pachchapulmudai manned by the Tigers that connected the very limited area held by the LTTE in Puthukkudiyiruppu East with the ‘no-fire zone’.
The Tigers, most of them female fighters, resisted in a major effort to hold the area throughout the last few days, but the soldiers succeeded in gaining full control of the junction by Wednesday evening after fierce fighting.
At the same time, other unit soldiers of the 58 Division and Task Force 8, which comes under the 53 Division, linked just south of the Pachchapulmudai junction in the evening of the same day completely isolating the LTTE cadres in Puthukkudiyiruppu east.LTTE radio transmissions confirmed that more than 200 LTTE cadres have been trapped in this area, which is less than one square kilometer in extent. 
Earlier, the LTTE used this area to collect food, transport weapons and ammunition and also forcibly recruit youth from the ‘no-fire zone,’ but with this latest military success the LTTE cadres trapped in the Puthukkudiyiruppu area will be unable to face the military. Knowing this situation the military through their radio communications have urged the trapped LTTE cadres to surrender to the government forces as there is no escape route left.
However, in reply, the LTTE cadres had said that they would not surrender and will continue their fight to the end. The LTTE that earlier gave stiff resistance to the advancing troops, have now withdrawn from the area even leaving behind the bodies of cadres killed in the face of effective gunfire by troops.
During the subsequent search operations conducted in the area, troops recovered 19 bodies of LTTE cadres killed during the fighting along with arms and equipment left behind by the LTTE. Nineteen T-56 assault rifles, two base station communication sets, two I-Com radio sets and two Cougar hand held sets are among the items found during the search operation soon after the capture of the area.
On March 21 troops of the Task Force 8 captured the road linking Puthukkudiyiruppu east and the 'no-fire zone', which is the main road that linked the two areas. However, with the capture of this road, the Tigers have utilized a small by-road through the Pachchapulmudai junction and continued transporting supplies from the 'no fire zone'.
Task Force 8, the 58 and also the 53 Divisions launched a massive artillery and mortar attack almost carpeting the small area covered by coconut trees during the last two days.
Any further advance into the no-fire zone will be delayed as the military cannot use its heavy weapons to attack the Tigers, who are using their firepower by placing their heavy guns inside IDP settlements in the ‘no-fire zone.’
With the capture of Pachchapulmudai, the LTTE had reportedly increased the security around the ‘no-fire zone,’ in order to prevent any civilians from fleeing the area and also to contain the military advance.
>> Full Story: www.dailymirror.lk
Absolute support for Government’s efforts to eradicate the scourge of terrorism from the soil of Sri Lanka - Canadian Tamils
Fri, 2009-04-03 14:40
Toronto, 03 April, (Asiantribune.com): The Executive board members of Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy today voted unanimously in favour of an emergency resolution put forward declaring absolute support to the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa to eradicate Terrorism in Srilanka.
The resolution, requests the President to undertake "whatever actions deemed necessary" to crush Terrorism and putforth a reasonable political solution to Tamils. It also thanked the Government of Srilanka for the conference in Colombo inviting moderate Tamils – Sri Lankan oversees to consult and discuss the solution.
The resolution strongly rebuked some member countries of the United Nations and European Union for launching attack on the rights of the democratically elected Government of Srilanka and for undermining its efforts to eradicate Terrorism from Sri Lankan soil. Sri Lanka’s decision to fight the Terrorists is a historical one, because for the first time in Sri Lankan history, the Government is determined to fight the Terrorist to protect Sri Lankans without bowing down to International pressure.
Therefore, the Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy calls upon all countries to support Sri Lanka's effort to crush Terrorisim. Furthermore, the Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy urges the United Nations General Assembly to vote a resolution asking the International body to give legitimacy and strongly support the war on Terrorism.
The Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy strongly condemns the recent attacks by LTTE against the civilians fleeing from the war zone, holding civilians as human shield and their Terror tactics accountable for such attacks.
The Government of Sri Lanka has shown great restraint despite the fact that LTTE has launched attacks into the Government controlled areas using rockets, ground forces and suicide cadres. Whereas LTTE strength derives significantly from the direct financial, military, and political support it receives from the Tamil Diasporas, the LTTE also receives significant support from foreign Government sources.
LTTE terrorist operations threaten Sri Lanka's security and are an affront to the sovereignty of the Sri Lanka. LTTE's actions are not in the interest of the Tamil people, whose welfare should not be held hostage for the interests of the LTTE regime.
The Resolution is as follows:
(1) Reaffirms its steadfast support for the Government of Sri Lanka,
(2) Condemns LTTE for engaging in unprovoked and reprehensible armed attacks against the Government of Sri Lanka
(3) Further condemns the LTTE for cynically exploiting civilian populations as shields, locating their equipment and bases of operation, including their rockets and other armaments, amidst civilian populations, including Hospitals,
(4) Recognizes Sri Lanka's longstanding commitment to minimizing civilian loss and welcomes Sri Lanka's continued efforts to prevent civilian casualties,
(5) Demands the International Community to direct LTTE to immediately and unconditionally release civilians, which they hold captive,
(6) Affirms that the Tamil Diaspora, which has provided continued support to LTTE share responsibility for the act of Terrorism and attacks against innocent civilian and civilian targets. They should be held accountable for their actions; and condemns their continued support in their armed attacks and their other terrorist activities,
(7) Supports Sri Lanka's right to take appropriate action to defend itself in accordance with international law, including Article 51 of the United Nations Charter,
(8) Commends especially the Government of India, China and Pakistan and the regional Countries who strongly supported Sri Lanka in the war against Terrorism,
(9) Urges the International Community to bring full force of political, diplomatic, and economic sanctions against the LTTE,
(10) Calls on the United Nations Security Council to condemn LTTE Terrorist acts and to take action to ensure full and immediate surrender of weapons,
(11) Expresses its condolences to all families of innocent victims of recent violence.
>> Full Story- Asian Tribune -
Wanni Mission ship to change face in the middle of the sea
(Lanka-e-News, April 03, 2009, 9.20 AM) The Wanni Mission ship transporting humanitarian aids for the Tamil civilians stranded in Puthukudirippu area in Mullaithivu district is expected to arrive in Mullaithivu coast by April 12.
It was announced at a function held in UK to mark the launch of the mission Wednesday (01), that the ship would deliver pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and essential food items weighing 500 metric tons.
A source in UK said that the present crew of the ship would change with another group in the middle of the sea and the new crew would steer the ship to Mullaithivu coast.
Our source said that the ship would be loaded with a different kind of goods as the crew would change. These items are not categorized as essential food items.
>> Full Story
Britain probes ‘aid ship’ heading for Wanni
By Jamila Najmuddin
The Sri Lanka High Commission in London has raised serious concerns with the British authorities over a humanitarian aid ship scheduled to set sail from Britain next week, to deliver aid to the thousands of civilians trapped in the No Fire Zone in the Wanni.
The ship will carry over 2000 metric tonnes of food and medical aid for the civilians, collected by British politicians and celebrities, various British Tamil charities and UK based organization ‘Act Now.’
The ship, according to the organizers of the event will sail from Britain next week to deliver the aid supplies to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka High Commission in the UK says however that it has serious concerns about the ship’s cargo, claiming that Tigers have used previous aid ships to smuggle in arms and urged the British government to look into the issue, the Guardian reported.
A spokesman from the British Foreign Office had been quoted in the Guardian as saying that it was aware of the ship and had been contacted by the Sri Lankan government about it. She further said that the Foreign Office had passed the information they had to the relevant UK authorities.
When contacted by the Daily Mirror, Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona said that the Sri Lankan government was not aware of such a ship sailing from Britain and added that the they had heard about it only through the media. “The only way we have heard about this is through the newspapers,” Dr. Kohona said.
He further said that any ship which planned to enter the territorial waters of Sri Lanka ‘must follow the legal procedures’.
However a spokesperson from the Sri Lanka High Commission had told the Guardian that they were aware of the ship and was taking the matter up seriously with the British authorities. “We are concerned and we have serious questions about the ship. We know what has happened in the past,” she said.
The Spokesman added that the government might “consider the case” of whether to allow the aid into Sri Lanka if it received an assurance from the UK government that the ship had been checked and found to contain humanitarian supplies.
Graham Williamson, one of the directors of Act Now, rejected the accusations.
He said all the containers on the ‘Vananga Man’ ship were being x-rayed by British authorities so its cargo could be verified. “If that third party check isn't good enough for them, what is?” he said. “I think the government is being facetious and deliberately provocative and is trying to find an excuse for not allowing the aid to land,” he had told the Guardian.
The Sri Lanka Navy too have been out on high alert for unauthorized ships preparing to transport food and medical supplies to the Wanni, bypassing the government.
An official from the Navy on conditions of anonymity said that the Navy would be on high alert in the coming days to prevent any ship carrying food for the LTTE to cross into Sri Lankan waters.
>> Full Story
Columbia Cans LTTE ‘Propaganda Event’ Expats Score ‘Quiet Victory’
By a Special Correspondent
Los Angeles, Ca - Responding to protests from the Sri Lankan expatriate community, New York’s Columbia University canceled a panel discussion, slated March 31, that would have given a prestigious platform for Sri Lanka-bashing to LTTE operative Rudrakumaran Viswanathan and two other Tamils.
Titled “The Impact of International Development on the Crisis in Sri Lanka: Various Tamil Perspectives” the discussion was to be held under the aegis of the Columbia University Partnership for International Development (CUPID). The event billed Sellathurai Kanagarajah Dhayaparan, MD, and activist-writer Ahilan Kadirgamar as expert panelists alongside Rudrakumaran.
CUPID’s website described the discussion as “a platform on which students, faculty and all interested parties may engage in a constructive discussion on how the relationship between Sri Lanka and international development organizations affects the escalating ethnic conflict.”
But seasoned LTTE watchers in the Sri Lankan diaspora say they immediately recognized all the hallmarks of a pro-LTTE propaganda stunt and decided to contact university officials.
Undaunted by the fact that they learned about the Tuesday event just twenty-hours before it was to take place, Sri Lankan Patriots, the leading expatriate activist group in Southern California, Australia-based SPUR, and other similar groups went into action with a flurry of emails and phone calls. Some SLP members worked late into the night, ensuring that all Columbia University officials who were connected with CUPID had been contacted.
One CUPID officer who did not wish to be identified said the emails were an ‘eye opener’ and that ‘certainly, more thought needs to go into organizing discussions around volatile topics such as the Sri Lankan war.’
The CUPID website did not provide any reason for the last-minute cancellation other than a brief statement that said: CUPID sincerely regrets that we have had to cancel the event "TheImpact of International Development on the Crisis in Sri Lanka:Various Tamil Perspectives", originally scheduled for Tuesday 3/31. We apologize for any inconvenience and will work to determine whether we can reschedule the event in the future.”
Co-founded by leading world economist Jeffrey Sachs, CUPID’s stated objective is ‘to facilitate multidisciplinary dialogue, awareness, and action on international development.’ However, with a panel composed of non-academics who have strong LTTE- bias, the proposed event did not hold the potential for achieving such goals and was sorely lacking in the credibility associated with an institution such as Columbia. For one thing, Rudrakumaran’s academic background is hazy. He sometimes presents himself to Sri Lankan audiences as a US-based attorney ‘practising in New York.’ He also claims to have studied law at Harvard. Interestingly, CUPID introduces Rudrakuman in its event description as a Juris Doctor (JD) – one who has completed a professional degree in law but has not been licensed as an attorney. There is also no mention of Harvard.
But there is nothing hazy about Rudrakumaran’s ties to the LTTE. In addition to being part of the LTTE’s legal team, he is said to be a ‘political adviser’ for the banned terror outfit.
As for Dr. Dhayaparan, with the CUPID website introducing him as ‘People’s Guides of Tamil Eelam,’ the New York internist’s qualifications to serve as a panelist are as dubious, if not downright amusing.
The LTTE's certain defeat at the hands of the Sri Lankan forces has led to frenzied activity among its overseas operatives and front organizations who are desperately trying to marshal international intervention by presenting outrageous claims of ‘genocide’ and exaggerating incidences of civilian casualties at the hands of the military.
SLP president Podinilame Dissanayake charged that ‘had the panel discussion been held, it would have been yet another platform for LTTE supporters to make wild allegations against the Sri Lankan military in order to build a case for foreign intervention.’
Dissanayake added that open discussion and debate about the conflict, which included all sides, should be encouraged. ‘But this particular discussion was going to be totally one-sided, without any doubt an LTTE- sponsored affair that Columbia University would have been ashamed of.’
He referred to the cancellation of the panel discussion as a ‘quiet victory for anti-terrorist forces’ and credited Consulate of Sri Lanka in Los Angeles with having taken quick action to notify expatriate groups of the event.
This consulate was responsible for a similar ‘quiet victory’ when it effectively countered disinformation spread by M.I.A. on the Tavis Smiley show. The rap singer made the infamous allegation of ‘genocide’ against the Sri Lankan government during an interview on the popular PBS program. The Consulate's negotiations with PBS resulted in Smiley interviewing Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohonna via satellite and providing an opportunity for the Sri Lankan government to disprove M.I.A.’s unsubstantiated allegations.
BEEN ENCIRCLED OUTNUMBERED AND OUTGUNNED BY SRI LANKA ARMY THE TAMIL TIGERS ARE FACING A DILEMMA TO FIGHT OR NOT
(By Walter Jayawardhana)
Having been encircled, outnumbered and outgunned by the Sri Lanka army on all sides and lost their only supply route along which they received all their logistical supplies the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leaders were facing a dilemma either to run away from their enclave , surrender or fight to their deaths.
"The troops seized Pachchapulmudai village. With this, the Tigers have lost their last road link to carry supplies and logistics to the Pudukudiyyirippu junction," an army spokesman said.
A military source said the Sri Lankan troops have cutoff their only supply route and the LTTE cadres remaining in the Pudukudiyippu area are facing a situation in which the LTTE had never faced in their entire history.
According to the military sources the LTTE is surrounded in a narrow sliver of land not exceeding 1 square mile. It was in the same area the army said a day previously that the son of the LTTE leader Charles Anthony was injured with gunshot injuries. Charles Anthony is a commander in the rebel force.
The New York Times said LTTE leader could already be dead or not and carrying on the movement of LTTE could be made much easier only if he is alive.
The Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka addressing a SLFP representatives meeting from his electorate said, if not for the civilians , the army could have finished off the remaining LTTE cadres in 30 minutes.
He added, "The Government can finish off terrorism completely within half an hour if it acted in an inhuman manner. Driving out terrorists (LTTE) from a very small bastion in the north has been time consuming because the Government is acting most humanely considering the safety of civilians held by LTTE as a human shield."
LTTE loses two battle hardened leaders Amuthab & Gobith
Defence Intelligence sources have revealed that leader of the "Charles Antony" band of the LTTE, Amuthab, and former leader of the same band Gobith were killed in recent fighting in Puthukkudyiruppu.
The civilians sought refuge with the armed forces yesterday (Apr 2) also confirmed the fact and told the soldiers that the junior and middle level cadres of the LTTE have lost their faith in the outfit and planning to surrender or seek refuge with the armed forces as civilians . 
"Charles Antony" is known to be the elite band of the terrorist outfit that was there in almost all the major battles that the terrorists fought with the Army. The two slain LTTE leaders were known to be the most battle hardened fighters in the band. Unlike the corrupted LTTE top level leaders, they were also known to be treated with respect by the junior cadres, reveal the intelligence sources.
Gobith was replaced by Amuthab few months back as a result of a dispute he had with the LTTE leadership.
>> Full Story
How JR’s legal eagle Shiva Pasupathy became Prabhakaran’s jinx
By Philip Fernando
(April 02, Los Angeles, Sri Lanka Guardian) Shiva Pasupathy former Sri Lankan Attorney General to President J R Jayewardene has the audacity to write to UN Human Rights High Commissioner Navanetham Pillay about the plight of civilians in the Northern mainland of Sri Lanka. He sheds crocodile tears about the civilians now being used as a human shield by Prabhakaran getting protective custody from the armed forces.
How Pasupathy morphed from being JR’s legal eagle to Prabhakaran’s veritable jinx provides excellent reading in the light his recent letter to Navanetham Pillai published in transCurrents.com.
Pasupathy as AG co-authored JR’s constitution of 1978 and also the infamous Prevention of Terrorism act (PTA) which put hundreds of Tamil civilians in dire straights. Later, he helped draft the sixth amendment to the constitution of Sri Lanka that prevented anyone from advocating separation including Tamil MPs who were debarred from parliament under that amendment.
So what is Pasupathy urging Navanetham Pillay to do now? In his words: ensure that all citizens are allowed to remain wherever they want to stay and that none should be compelled to move to detention camps against their will. What is civilians are running from LTTE harm's way--never mind all that. Enjoying a lucrative pension from the Sri Lankan government, Pasupathy now paints a different story about civilian safety. The civilians that suffered at the hands of Prabhakaran had gone unnoticed as Pasupathy practiced amnesia all these years.
>> Full Story
‘Lak Ru’ television channel to be launched
Government Information Department, together with Sri Lanka Telecom affiliate Visioncom, will launch ‘Lak Ru’ a new television channel bringing local television viewers a totally new experience. The launching ceremony will be on April 11, marketing the 90th birthday of Sri Lankan cinematic legend Dr. Lester James Peris, President Mahinda Rajapaksa will grace the occasion by inducting Lak Ruk on April 05, at 11.00 a.m.
Dr. Lester James Peris, among other producers creating documentaries behalf of the Government Film Unit, is the most senior producer so far it. Prior to his first ever cinematic creation ‘Rekhawa’, Dr. Lester James Peris had been working as a film director attached to the Government Film Unit. With many contributions from such legendary film producers, Government film Unit possesses a diverse collection of documentaries of global repute and many popular films of yesteryear.
The Government Film Unit, celebrating its 60th year, intends to channel such valuable resources to the public over Lak Ru, its latest television channel. This rare collection treasures works of Italian maestro Julio Petrioni, renowned British artiste Ralphkin, and legendary Dr. Lester James Peris. Among others, Praangasoma Hettiarachchi, D. B. Nihalsingha, Dr. Thissa Abeysekara, Dr. Dharmasena Pathiraja, Thissa Liyanasuriya, Sugathapala Senarath Yapa, Erwin Dassanayaka, Sudath Mahadiwulwewa, Vijaya Abedeva and Vimukathi Jayasundara have also made contributions of high quality and content.
Apart from Government Information Department contributions, various other ministries, departments and other institutions also contributed much into the collection. And, this rare collection has been further enriched by many talented youths of the new generation. They also contributed their own creations making the collection richer. Lak Ru welcomes all and intends to facilitate telecasts of such documentaries even, the Information Department says, Lak Ru can be viewed via 48th channel of SLT Visioncom’s Peo TV network round the clock.
>> Full Story
Tiger ‘cop’ given taste of own medicine
An LTTE police officer who infiltrated in disguise the Manikfarm welfare village was set upon by its inmates on Wednesday, April 1.
The police officers who were on duty at the welfare village had rescued the ‘LTTE police officer’ and arrested him.
It was revealed that this particular LTTE police officer who was attached to the LTTE Mullaitivu LTTE police post had caused several problems for the people in area. When the security forces liberated Mullaitivu this police officer had come to the Vavuniya Manikfarm welfare village in disguise.Police say that the IDPs staying in the village had recognized this officer and tortured him. Named Vishneshwaram he had served the LTTE police under 110 service number.
>> Full Story
Sri Lankans ‘left stranded’ on Australian shores
Fifty asylum seekers were left stranded for five days after their boat hit a reef in the Torres Strait because Australian Customs officials were uncertain how to respond.
The boat is believed to have run aground on Warrior Reef, north-east of Thursday Island, on Saturday night.
It took Customs officials until Wednesday to move the boat people, believed to be Sri Lankans, on to the customs vessel Roebuck Bay.
It’s believed that Customs officials had no idea how to act because of unusual circumstances. The boat was a lawful vessel travelling through international waters when it hit the reef. It had not been heading towards Australia when it was becalmed and authorities did not expect a boatload of asylum seekers.
The confusion was compounded because responsibility for border protection was transferred from defence to Customs late last year and officers were inexperienced.
Torres News editor Mark Bousen said the asylum seekers were finally brought to Horn Island, off Queensland’s coast, yesterday morning. They were transferred to Christmas Island last night to have their claims assessed. Mr. Bousen said Warrior Reef was a lucrative area for crayfishing and people smugglers
may have disguised the boat as a fishing vessel.
He said Customs and immigration officials would not let him speak to the boat people while they were held at a detention centre on Horn Island.
A spokeswoman for Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus last night refused to say whether the boat was left stranded.
>> Full Story: Island
26 Suicide bombers on the prowl: President cautions Cabinet
Fri, 2009-04-03 04:39
By Ravi Ladduwahetty- Sri Lanka Editor- Asia Tribune
Colombo, 03 April, (ASiantribune.com): President Mahinda Rajapaksa has cautioned his Cabinet that he had been notified by intelligence sources that 16 LTTE suicide cadres have entered the Colombo city.
The President had cautioned his Ministers at the weekly Cabinet meeting Wednesday night, political sources told Asian Tribune.
He has also advised Ministers not to hold large scale meetings in the run up to the Western Provincial Council polls billed for April 25 and had asked them to be extremely careful about their movements.
He has also said that there have been 10 suicide cadres who have entered the outstations.
There have been three earlier suicide attacks on Ministers of the Rajapaksa Cabinet. The most senior has been former Chief Government Whip, Highways Minister and Gampaha District MP Jeyaraj Fernandopulle who was killed in a suicide blast while he was about to launch a race at a play ground at Weliweriya and Nation Building Minister and Puttalam District D.M. Dassanayake who was killed in a suicide blast while he was travelling from his electorate at Anamaduwa to Parliament
The most recent attack was at the Milad Un Nabi celebrations at Matara where a suicide attack was launched with Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mahinda Wijesekera was injured in his head and where Petroleum Minister A.H.M. Fowzie and Cultural Affairs Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena narrowly escaped unhurt.
>> Full Story
Army Website Receives New Re-Design
YOUR FAVOURITE http://www.army.lk/website is back on track with a colourful re-design from today (2nd April 2009) onwards after it dispensed with previous technical failures, experienced under our former service-provider. The Army while thanking our readership for their enormous interest, enthusiasm and more importantly, the persistent understanding they have been showing towards us, as and when the previous website service goes off whenever the world wants to learn the truth from us, is proud to announce that the Army Information Technological Unit has now undertaken its maintenance with the unstinted support, extended by Sri Lanka Telecom Ltd.
>> http://www.army.lk/
Sri Lanka President says troops enter final phase of the war
Apr 02, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that his troops now have entered the final phase of the battle with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Tigers (LTTE) who at present have been trapped in a small area.
Speaking at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday night, the President said that though the military continues to request the remaining LTTE cadres to surrender, there was no positive response from those cadres.
The President revealed that these requests had been sent through radio communication by the forces.
Meanwhile, at the same meeting, the President instructed his ministers to be vigilant of LTTE suicide bombers, as intelligence sources have warned that there are 16 suicide bombers in Colombo already.
The President also instructed his ministers not to attend elections rallies for the upcoming Western Provincial Council polls because of this new threat.
>> Full Story
Sri Lanka seeks Interpol help to arrest Sicille Kotelawala
Apr 02, Colombo: Sri Lanka police authorities have a requested the International Police (Interpol) to arrest a director of collapsed Golden Key Credit Card Company, Mrs. Sicille Kotelawala.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed Mt. Lavinia Magistrate that it has already sent the warrant, issued by Chief Magistrate Mt. Lavinia to the Singapore branch of the Interpol.
Mrs. Kotelawala is the third suspect in the magisterial inquiry in connection with the alleged misappropriation of Rs. 26 billion of Golden Key Credit Card Company.
Earlier Mt. Lavinia Chief Magistrate Harsha Sethunga remanded the Chairman of GKCC Lalith Kotelawala and Deputy Chairman Michael Khavan Perera and several others over the case.
>> Full Story
Sri Lanka to introduce laws for honorary awards
Apr 02, Colombo: Sri Lanka has appointed a Ministerial Committee to introduce a set of recommendations when conferring honorary awards by various institutions.
Sri Lanka Cabinet approved a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Plantation Industries D.M. Jayaratna to appoint a Ministerial Committee to consider facts containing in the above reports and submit its conclusion, to direct the Legal Draftsman to draft required legislation for the above purpose.
In the recent past, there were many local and international organizations conferred honorary awards to many politicians, businessmen etc. without adhering to any standards.
Vast improvements in Sri Lanka IDP centers
UNHCR yesterday welcomed the positive developments at the IDP sites as they are now in line with the international standards.
Apr 02, Colombo: Sri Lankan government has taken several measures to vastly improve the conditions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) centers where civilians fleeing from the LTTE rebel control are housed currently.
Addressing a media briefing held at the Presidential Secretariat today Mahinda Samarasinghe, the Minister of Human Rights and Disaster Management said the objective of the government is to provide maximum relief to ensure the well-being of the IDPs without compromising security of the people.
According to the Minister a visitor centre has been set up in each IDP centre to facilitate contacts among IDPs and their friends and relatives within the centers. Another positive development was the establishment of telephone facilitates for IDPs. This has enabled them to maintain personal contacts with their friends and relations, the Minister said.
Pointing out that unification of family members separated while escaping from uncleared area is a significant achievement, the Minister said 1,108 IDPs who were living in 13 camps, and two villages were unified, through proper coordination. This is a positive development and a great step forward, he added.
Meanwhile 377 elderly persons in centers in Vavuniya have been sent to friends or relatives and about another 100 have been sent to elders' homes.
According to government statistics, 62,106 IDPs have reached the cleared area from the rebel-controlled area so far. Out of that 2,860 have arrived within the last four days.
The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) has evacuated 6,597, out of which 3,257 are patients and the others are of normal health. Foreign Secretary, Dr. Palitha Kohona said The United Nations' Refugee Agency, UNCHR in an independent survey has affirmed that the conditions in the IDP camps have become much better with the unification of separated family members, supply of essential items and establishment of telephone facilities.
UNHCR yesterday welcomed the positive developments at the IDP sites as they are now in line with the international standards. The agency also commended Sri Lanka for drawing up a plan to facilitate visits by relatives of the IDPs to the sites, once the registration process is complete.
UNHCR further urged the government to separate the 300 ex-combatants from the civilian population at these sites, and accommodate them in a separate facility where they can undergo rehabilitation.
>> www.colombopage.com
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Dear Patriotic Sri Lankan in Overseas:
It’s well known to all of us that Sri Lankan government is also in a economically difficult situation due to world economic meltdown (e.g. demand for our tea and garment products have dropped, middle-east job losses, etc.), but the country is still moving forward confidently while fighting against the world most ruthless terrorist organization a.k.a. LTTE.
We all have the expectations and hopes that this meaningless war will end soon bringing the hope and prosperity to our motherland again. So, it’s our duty to help support our motherland at this needy moment while we’re working and living in overseas.
You may know that Pro-LTTE Diaspora in overseas are asking their people not to send money to Sri Lanka, and they want to economically destabilize the country to stop the war against the terrorism. It was clearly visible that when they try to stop the recent IMF loan asked by the Sri Lankan government.
I’m not asking you to donate your hard earned money to the government or to any other organization, but you could save your Dollars, Euros, and Pounds in Sri Lankan government banks by opening NRFC accounts whether you’re still Sri Lankan citizen or NOT. In return, you could get greats benefits. Sri Lankan, who have lost their original citizenship due to gaining other citizenships, can still open NRFC accounts in Sri Lanka. This was confirmed by a Senior Manager from Bank of Ceylon. Please see the bottom of this email for the confirmation.
Major 3 Sri Lankan government banks (BOC, NSB, and PB) offer very attractive interests rates for most of the dominant currencies in the world.
When you save money in overseas countries, you have to pay taxes for the interest earned, but when you earn interest through NRFC accounts from Sri Lankan government banks, you DO NOT have to pay taxes to the Sri Lankan government. You can open NRFC account from overseas countries, and you’re allowed to withdraw NRFC accounts to bring the money back to your resident country, if required. You can communicate with Sri Lankan banks via emails.
For detailed information and downloading required applications, please visit the following URLs:
Bank of Ceylon (BOC)
National Savings Bank (NSB)
People’s Bank (PB)
Please pass this message to fellow Sri Lankans around the world who wish to help our motherland at this needy moment. May you have peace and happiness in your mind!
Army Destroys One More Tiger Boat
MULLAITTIVU: VALIANT troops operating in the remaining narrow coastal strip of PALAMATTALAN observed two Sea Tiger boats Wednesday (1) around 11.00 a.m. and opened fire at them.
The fire destroyed one boat and caused it to sink in the seas while the other one had fled towards the interior of the high seas.
The troops also recovered two T-56 weapons from the same area after some time.
In the meantime, fresh confrontations that raged in the general area east of PUTHUKUDIYIRUPPU Wednesday (1) from 6.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. caused considerable damages to terrorists.
During search and clear operations, troops found three dead terrorists, ten T-56 weapons, thirty-one rounds of cannon-type ammunition and one I-com radio set.
Meanwhile, troops in the general areas of NAVATKULAM in VAVUNIYA, VISUAMADU and IRANAMADU in MULLAITTIVU also recovered two anti tank mines, thirteen 60 mm mortar bombs, twenty-three hand grenades, twenty-eight Rocket Propeller Grenade launcher (RPG) rounds, one RPG, three Arul type bombs, three 81mm mortar bombs, two Improvised Explosive Device (IED), connected 81mm mortar bombs, eight anti personnel mines and one hundred (100) 82 mm mortar bombs during Wednesday (1).
>> SL Army
Interpol wanted terrorist KP seeks Norway assistance, mislead UN
LTTE's in charge of cross border terrorist activities Kumaran Padmandan [KP] is reportedly seeking assistance of the Norwegian government to meet Sir John Holms, Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator of the United Nations.
KP is known to be the LTTE's key link to the global terrorist network through which the outfit has been able to acquire arms, ammo and the technology to sustain its brutal terrorist campaign against Sri Lankan citizens. Also, he is the chief of the outfit's illegal enterprises, including drug trafficking, human smuggling, financial frauds, gunrunning, etc. The Jane's Defence Review recently called the LTTE to be the world's most sophisticated terrorist outfit with its own naval and air assets. The annual income of the terrorist outfit is known to be about US dollars 200-300 million.
Meanwhile, defence intelligence sources recently revealed that LTTE is planning to appoint this Interpol wanted terrorist as the outfit's chief negotiator and the international spokesperson with a disguised identity. According to the sources, KP's initial plan was to operate under the name Selvarajan Pathmanadan and to continue his illegal activities using his new designation as a cover.
Defence observers view, KP's attempt to meet the UN official is to win sympathy towards the terrorist outfit which is now facing an inevitable military defeat in Sri Lanka. The LTTE will do its best to mislead the UN and the International Community with its trite propaganda ploys such as genocide, human rights violations, etc and want the UN to throw a life line for the terrorist outfit, the observers further said.
>> www.defence.lk
LTTE CADRES ENCIRCLED
The advancing military surrounded the last LTTE held area, outside the ‘no fire zone,’ yesterday, trapped a large number of Tiger cadres within it and launched a massive onslaught on them, military sources said.
Troops of the 58 Division captured the last junction connecting the ‘no fire zone’ –Pachchapulmudai -- and the less than one square kilometre patch of jungle in Puthukkudiyiruppu East, confining the LTTE within the area. 
“We believe that several hundred LTTE cadres and several senior LTTE leaders are trapped in this area without any supplies,” said a senior military officer yesterday.
With the capture of Pachchapulmudai, troops of the 58 Division and Task Force 8 linked up just south of Pachchapulmudai completely encircling the remaining LTTE held areas.
The officer said that since the previous night troops had been calling on the remaining LTTE cadres to surrender through radio communications. But there had been no response so far. During the past few days a fierce battle has been in progress in the area.
With the capture of this crucial junction, fighting between the military and the LTTE has intensified and heavy casualties have been reported by the LTTE, according to this officer.
>> Full Story
NAVY ON ALERT FOR ILLEGAL ‘AID’ SHIPS
By Jamila Najmuddin
The Sri Lanka Navy has been put on alert for unauthorized ships preparing to transport food and medical supplies to the Wanni bypassing the Government, Navy sources said yesterday.
This follows a global appeal being launched in Britain yesterday where supplies are being collected to be loaded on a vessel which will leave for Sri Lanka this month.
Many Tamil charities in Great Britain along with the UK-based organization ‘ACT NOW’ are preparing to send food and medicines on a ship named ‘Mercy Mission’ to the Tamil civilians trapped in the Wanni in the coming days in an attempt get more food and medicines across to the area.
An organizer for the event said the ship would set sail for Sri Lanka only after they obtained the consent from the Sri Lankan Government.
“The ship will hopefully set sail for Sri Lanka in the coming days.
Although we are yet to get the consent of the Sri Lankan Government, we are hopeful that agreement will be reached and the supplies reach the civilians in the Wanni,” Arjunan Ethirveerasingam, an organizer for the event said.
He added that while the global appeal programme for Tamil civilians was launched on Tuesday, a launch would also take place in the coming days when the ship sets sail for Sri Lanka.
“This Mission will bring desperately needed humanitarian relief to the civilians enduring great hardship and suffering behind a humanitarian blockade and a media blackout,” a posting on the event’s website said.
Meanwhile an official from the Navy said that the Navy had been alerted by the authorities of a ship carrying more than 2000 metric tonnes of food for the LTTE in the guise of aid for civilians, about to sail from Britain.
The official who spoke to the Daily Mirror on condition of anonymity said that the Navy would open fire on the ship if it came into Sri Lankan waters without obtaining the approval of the Sri Lankan Government.
He said the Navy would be on high alert in the coming days in order to prevent any ship carrying food for the LTTE to cross into Sri Lankan waters.
Meanwhile US-based Sri Lankan Tamil songstress Mathangi Maya Arulpragasam a.k.a. M.I.A, is also backing the mission to send food and aid to the civilians in the Wanni.
Mother of a newborn, M.I.A has issued a statement saying that while her baby will grow up with healthcare, food, free education, freedom of speech and religion and liberties that people in democracies take for granted, babies born in the Tamil-speaking war zone of Wanni, are being deprived of all these things.
She added, “The Mercy Mission will carry dry food and medicines for Tamil civilians in the Wanni within the Sri Lankan Government’s ‘safe zone’. Many have already perished from starvation and preventable disease. We cannot ignore these genocidal conditions, and if the aim of the SL Government is to protect the lives of the civilians, then this ship will reach its destination and lives will be saved.”
>> Full Story
Europeans and their tribes - Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha
The tenth session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva has come to a close without the anticipated assault on the Sri Lankan state. This had been on the cards for quite some time, beginning with the motion against Sri Lanka that had been put forward three years ago. Fortunately some concerted diplomatic action, involving regular briefings of all states who were genuinely interested in the country, saw that motion scratched in 2007, and since then there was much less pressure.
This year however was different, for the LTTE saw this as their best hope of internationalising the issue. Hence the hordes of LTTE sympathisers who turned up, to buttonhole various ambassadors, to brief the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to make aggressive interventions during the debate. They were aided and abetted by a number of Non-Governmental Organistions, some genuinely if foolishly idealistic, others closely associated with the LTTE, still others not perhaps keen on the LTTE in itself but so bitter about the Government that they had no qualms about the LTTE benefiting from their performances. Hence indeed the ludicrous situation of Nimalka Fernando, representing her grand sounding organisation with its dead treasurer and its absence of accounts for years, joining with the London head of the TRO to denigrate Sri Lanka to a Navanethem Pillay harassed by a surfeit of e-mails.
The reason I find Nimalka’s dead treasurer so fascinating is that the finances of all these organisations are very shady. I am not talking here only of the TRO and suchlike, which have been recognised in several places as LTTE fronts. What is equally worrying is the fact that so many of our local NGOs are funded by countries that want to criticise us, and then use the findings of these NGOs to claim that we deserve criticism. Thus the European Union funded an organisation that then claimed elections in the East would be bad, whereupon the EU, claiming it had objective evidence, had the gall to call in our ambassador in Brussels and tell him that having elections in the East would be undemocratic.
Why is the EU so prejudiced against Sri Lanka? I should note that this is not true of all member states, indeed most are sympathetic or could not care less, but their leader has now got into the habit of claiming to speak for 27 states and their candidate members too, and whether these statements are carefully researched or not means little to most of the rotating leadership. Indeed we found the ignorance of some of them startling.
One Minister asked about a complaint he had received from a young Tamil lady resident in his country, who had claimed that babies were torn out of the wombs of mothers and killed before their eyes, though he at least had the grace to ask us if this story could be true, since he needed to respond to his Tamil fellow countrywoman. Sadly his Ambassador for Human Rights has not as yet responded to my query as to how they had responded once we had briefed them. And more absurd was the much younger Minister from another country who wanted to know whether our forces had stopped using child soldiers.
Such nonsense. Much of it springs of course from assiduous LTTE propaganda, but assuming these are intelligent people one realises that they have to play along because they need votes. It is no coincidence that the vast majority of the small number of British MPs who scream about us come from marginal seats where the Tamil vote is quite influential. Indeed one Tamil Labour Councillor told what seems to be a local Harrow paper called the Leader that Harrow MP Gareth Thomas ‘could be a goner at the General Election… if Harrow Tamils changed their allegiance.'
At the same time, leaving aside folly and self interest, there is a streak of sanctimonious self-justification amongst some of the European politicans who criticise us, just as there is in the Nimalkas of this world. After they hold forth, they get very upset when they are accused of amorality themselves, in playing up to the Tigers in a manner that can only precipitate greater suffering for the Tamil people. In some cases indeed one senses an attempt to convince themselves that they are the standard bearers of all civilised values, even as they come to terms with the fact that Europe is no longer at the top, no longer indeed second or even third, as Russia revives and the Asian giants leap ahead. And when they are lectured back, with more logic and knowledge of facts than they can command, they can sometimes get very testy.
Of course economically they still call the shots, and will continue to do so for some time yet. But that has never been enough for the heirs of Greeks and Romans, and hence the attempt to assert a different sort of leadership with a country they think is small enough to knuckle under. Elsewhere I will look at the factors they bring up, and show that they have no evidence at all for the moral superiority they affect, and that in the end all their complaints boil down to the fact that there are civilians still trapped by the Tigers in the small area under their control, and that these civilians will continue to suffer so long as the Tigers continue in action. But my point here is simply the relentless self-righteousness of people who will not utter a word against the excesses of other countries to which they owe allegiance, including their fellow members.
So, as a couple of the Europeans themselves told us, there had been an attempt to have a special session on Sri Lanka. When that failed, encouraged perhaps by Ms Navanethem Pillay’s increasingly strange statements about us, they wanted her to make a statement on Sri Lanka to the Council. There were attempts too to place the matter on the Agenda of the Security Council in New York. And, when we were advised of this by several nations that thought all this excessive, and made this clear to the European tribe, the story sprang up, as it had sprung up in 2007 when the European motion lapsed, that we had been saved by undemocratic nations.
When I heard this I was reminded of an African comment at a meeting of the Dutch Third Chamber, when a sanctimonious journalist said that he had been frightened by the Chinese presence in Africa. His argument was that they would prop up undemocratic regimes, but he was reminded of the various regimes the West had propped up when they were exploiting the place shamelessly. Human Rights now seems a tool to ensure the domination of regimes acceptable to the West, whereas some competition for influence might actually be more beneficial than the old monopoly under another name.
Certainly people change, and one must hope that there is some genuine feeling in some of those who pronounce. But remembering the support rendered by the West to that most racist and undemocratic of regimes, the Jayawardene government under which the Tamils suffered so much, one cannot help feeling that this strange coalition, ignorant European Ministers and characters like Nimalka – and Sunanda Deshapriya – who feed their ignorance, along with extraordinarily able and focused Tigers, is really rather disgusting.
>> Source
FM summons Norwegian envoy
By Kelum Bandara
The Foreign Ministry yesterday summoned Norwegian Ambassador Tore Hattrem and expressed its displeasure over Norway facilitating a meeting between LTTE’s international representative Kumar Pathmanathan alias KP and United Nations Humanitarian Chief Sir John Holmes.
The government is also known to have asked why such a meeting was arranged without consulting the Sri Lanka governemnt.
Norway came under fire last week from the National Freedom Front (NFF), an ally of the government regarding the meeting urged the government to sever diplomatic relations with Norway.
Political sources told Daily Mirror the Norwegian Ambassador was also questioned about numerous other allegations.
The Ambassador is said to have admitted to his country facilitating the
meeting between KP and Sir John and that two government members had been contacted by Norway prior to arranging the meeting.
However, the Foreign Ministry had said it was against diplomatic protocol to bypass the Ministry and consult someone else in the government on a matter of this nature.
Meanwhile, NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa said his party would take strong action unless the government requested the Norwegian government to withdraw Mr. Hattrem from Colombo immediately.
Mr. Weerawansa charged that KP is an arms dealer for the LTTE, and the government should have the backbone to take action against a diplomatic mission maintaining links with such a person.
“KP is wanted even by the Interpol. He is a criminal. We do not want to be part of the government unless it can take action against this ambassador,” Mr. Weerawansa charged.
>> Full Story
Rights Council turns its back on victims of the double standards of Human Rights Watch
Attn Human Rights Watch
Dear Directors..... Kindly go thro the attached media release dated 1st April which will help you to understand why the developing
countries detest organizations such as yours when you attempt to market 'conflicts' to fit into your own agenda.
Sri Lankan situation clearly shows that HRW is neither interested in human rights nor the human beings living
in Sri Lanka.
If your sole purpose is to market conflicts and ensure the emoluments of your staff, within a short period of time
you will be relegated to the dust bins of history. You will be completely ignored by the emerging world.
In the attached letter your lack of knowledge about Sri Lankan issues, your dishonesty in evading meeting with Sri Lankan
representatives and your readiness to repeat information churned out by the LTTE sources are discussed.
You are not important at all to Sri Lanka in defeating the LTTE and liberating Tamils and others. BUT, if
you attempt to carry the LTTE and their fronts on your shoulders providing space to inhuman terrorists in
the international human rights conventions etc YOU WILL BE NAILING YOUR OWN COFFIN.
We no longer consider you as a moral force as you obviously prefer Sri Lankan Tamil civilians to be
under the LTTE, the world's most brutal terrorist organization. HRW appears to be a party benefiting from the
'globalization' of issues such as the LTTE. You have let down the 'global civil society' for a few pieces of silver.
If you still consider to uphold your sacred objectives go through the letter, accept your faults, your viscous agenda
and the poor quality of your staff .CHANGE THE DIRECTION and MANAGEMENT of HRW.
Best Wishes
Ranjith Soysa- SOCIETY FOR PEACE, UNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN SRI LANKA-AUSTRALIA
Lanka charges Arundhati Roy of false assertions
NEW DELHI: The Sri Lankan High Commission in India on Tuesday accused writer and activist Arundhati Roy of making false and damaging assertions on the situation in the island country.
Roy had described the latest developments in the country as constituting an "openly racist war’’ and held the government guilty of genocide.
A statement issued by First Secretary Sugeeshwara Gunaratna said that Roy’s comments made in an article in this newspaper on Monday are likely to encourage the LTTE into believing that its propaganda is successful and that it should therefore remain even more obdurate in holding onto the civilians.
"Today, around 54% of Sri Lanka’s Tamil community live in areas other than the North and East and in locations where the majority population is Sinhalese. This intermingling of the communities symbolises the pluralism inherent in Sri Lankan society,’’ said the statement.
"The LTTE by contrast has sought through the use of terror to carve out a mono ethnic state. They have consistently rejected the path of negotiation and the several attempts to evolve a political solution equitable to all communities on the island, including through the provisions for devolution,’’ it added.
The LTTE continues to hold on close to 50,000 civilians in the north-eastern part of the country and the statement highlighted foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement in Parliament in February that "LTTE would best serve the interest of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians and laying down arms’’.
"Given this situation, the government has been compelled to deal resolutely with the terrorism of LTTE. The government is confident that the eradication of terror will create further space for the political process aimed at healing the wounds caused by the conflict,’’ said Gunaratna in the statement, adding that the well being of civilians entrapped remains the foremost consideration of the Sri Lankan government and its armed forces.
>> Full Story
Spine-chilling horror during an escape attempt
At this point, the leader randomly picked up five and ordered them to come forward. Then he lined them up facing this group and without a moment’s hesitation shot them on their forehead.
By Jyoti Easwaran in Vavuniya
(April 01, Jaffna, Sri Lanka Guardian) During the early days of the human shield crisis, a group of some two hundred civilians conspired to breakaway from the clutches of the Tigers and escape through the jungles and into the territory under the control of the Armed Forces. Soon this group swelled into about five hundred and most of them with a mamotty in their hands were ready to move just before midnight. Their one hope was that there were no Tigers nearby.
Hardly had they moved a kilometer they were confronted with a wall of armed Tigers who ordered them to stop on the spot and wanted to know what was happening and why they had mammotties in their hands.
It was then one of them said very sheepishly they wanted to go over to a more secure and safer place. This angered the Tiger cadres, some seven of them and they were young except for their leader who was perhaps in his thirties. At this point, the leader randomly picked up five and ordered them to come forward. Then he lined them up facing this group and without a moment’s hesitation shot them on their forehead.
Then he turned around and demanded whether they still wanted to move on as they had planned. Their answer needs no wise guy to ponder; they turned around and went back to from where they started.
A few days later, however, many of them took the risk to escape and this time they succeeded. The mammotties they took was to be able to make shallow trenches to keep their bodies flat to the level of the surface of the ground in case there was some confrontation and shoot out between the Armed Forces and the Tigers.
>> Full Story
LTTE's Chemicals for Bomb Production Unearthed::
[SLA] VAVUNIYA:AN ESTIMATED quantity of 3500 kg of Potasium Chloride, used for production of C-4 explosives and other deadly mines, etc by Tigers was unearthed by the troops in OLUMADU, VAVUNIYA last evening (31) while the stock remained buried in a container. 
The consignment in 70 bags of 50 kg each has been apparently brought to the area by Tiger terrorists long time ago for distribution among terrorists for production of explosives
>> Full Story
Tigers do not represent anyone ..... certainly not the Tamil people' says Lord Naseby
Lord Naseby, a veteran Sri Lankan monitor provides an insight to the country's war on terrorism
Lord Naseby, a veteran Sri Lankan monitor provides an insight to the country's war on terrorism
"The A9 road to Jaffna was reopened after 10 years. The only sinister element is that the Tigers have forced the Tamil civilians to go with them to provide a human shield. The UN estimates the numbers at 250,000 but other state 100,000, however nearly 50,000 have got out, despite the Tigers shooting some. 
Appeals have been made by the UN, the four Co- Chairs, the Red Cross and the civilians to leave as the area of jungle held by the Tigers gets smaller and smaller - but to no avail", states veteran monitor of Sri Lankan Affairs, Chair of All Party Parliamentarian Group Lord Naseby.
"People ask why there can't be a cease fire; the answer is that this terrorist group has held Sri Lanka to ransom for 25 years. They can surrender or be wiped out. The Tigers do not represent anyone - certainly not the Tamil people" he further asserted in a special report provided on Sri Lanka in The House Magazine titled, 'Ransomed in the last redoubt', on March.
Full text of Lord Naseby's report of the Sri Lankan issue.
I have known Sri Lankan since 1963 when I worked there. The purpose of my visit in January was to assess the political situation and to do some private touring to revisit places I had not seen for 45 years.
One has to remember that tension between the minority Tamil community (18 per cent) and the other ethnic groups goes back to British rule when the civil service was purposely recruited from the minority on a sort of divide rule strategy. One could go back to the first century AD and right through the centuries as the peoples of the South India invaded, destroying what are the World heritage sites at Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. I visited them both and what a wonderful job of restoration has been done by the Sri Lanka department of Culture and UNESCO.
Post independence, the tension increased under the two Bandaranayake government in the 50s and 60s, when Sinhalalese was made the only official language. Gradually it eased until today when both Sinhalese and Tamil are official; indeed I noted many road and other government, signs in both languages. Moreover it is requirement of peoples entering the civil service to be able to write and speak both languages. The languages issue has now virtually been solved, but it caused today's problems.
>> Full Story
Prabha’s Son Charles Anthony Confirmed Injured
2009-04-01 14:30:04
MULLAITTIVU: TIGER supremo, PIRABHAHARAN’s son, CHARLES ANTHONY PIRABHAHARAN (24) alias DHANASEKARAN in the LTTE outfit has been confirmed injured during the most recent offensives in PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU, according to Military Intelligence and other technical sources.
CHARLES ANTHONY, in charge of LTTE’s manufacturing unit of Weapons and Explosives (IED) was born in TAMIL NADU on 18th April 1985 and trained as an expert for manufacture of explosives cum technician for aircraft engineering in the organization. He was instrumental in producing at least two kinds of powerful LTTE bombs, known as “RAGAVAN I, II, III” and “SAMADANA SHELL”. He was also associated with the production of bombs for use in LTTE aircraft.
CHARLES ANTHONY was also the brainchild behind LTTE aerial attacks on KATUNAYAKE Sri Lanka Air Force base on 26th March 2007. On 29th April 2007 he was also responsible for sending an LTTE aircraft targeting KOLONNAWA oil storage and MUTHURAJAWELA gas storage complex. He engineered the abortive attack on PALALY air base in JAFFNA on 24th April 2007.
He received his name after Tiger leader’s TRINCOMALEE confidante, CHARLES ANTHONY died during a gun battle with Army troops in MEESALAI in 1983. PIRABHAHARAN’s son born, just two years after his death, was named accordingly as a token of respect in his memory.
>> Full Story
INGO named PANOS promotes terrorism in Sri Lanka - Defence spokesperson
Sri Lanka's Defence Spokesperson, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella today (Apr 1) exposed another sleazy INGO directly supporting terrorism in Sri Lanka. Addressing the weekly media briefing at Media Centre for National Security, he revealed that an INGO named PANOS have been funding a project involved in propagating the LTTE's extremist ideologies locally and internationally.
According to the minister, evidence have been surfaced that the INGO has bought number of unscrupulous journalists to write articles supportive of tribalism and aimed at tarnishing the good image of the country and its armed forces. He said that, majority of these so- called journalists engaged in this sordid project are Sri Lankans , who have been writing under fake names to several local and international journals. The authorities have identified them and legal actions would be initiated against them, he added.
He highlighted that there are ample evidence to show that some of the INGOs and NGOs have been directly supporting the LTTE terrorism throughout its campaign against Sri Lankan citizens. It was these ground realities that the government has initiated action to regulate the operations of those organizations, he added.
>> Full Story
Halted: LTTE manipulated Panel Discussion at Columbia University, USA
LTTE manipulated panel discussion at Columbia University, USA was halted due to the prompt action taken by patriotic Sri Lankans in USA. Four panelists were supposed to participate in this discussion and one of them was identified as the legal advisor to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.>> Full Story: Columbia University
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Eastern Province to be mine free by end April
Mine clearance operations of the Eastern Province is expected to be completed by the end of April, a four month delay on the previous deadline of December 2008. De-mining in Mannar kicked off two weeks ago.
National Steering Committee for Mine Action Chairman M.S. Jayasinghe said “We have already completed 98% of the land area in the Eastern Province,” Jayasinghe confirmed.
Security clearance was also given to begin de-mining operations in Mannar two weeks ago.
The total land area cleared as at the end of 2008 since 2002 amounts to 433.32 square kilometres and 157,079 devices have been recovered.The Japanese Government earlier this month donated US$700,000 to the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD).
Nine mine clearing organisations are functioning in Sri Lanka at present. They are Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Halo Trust, Danish De-mining Group (DDG), Mines Advisory Group (MAG), Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD), Horizon, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), Sarvatra, Milinda Moragoda Institute for People’s Empowerment (MMIPE).
>> Full Story
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
