Extremist Tamils in various parts of the world who support LTTE terrorists to achieve their separatist goals have been continuing their false propaganda to mislead the world community and align the world against democratically elected Sri Lankan government. Sri Lankan government, while fighting world’s one of the most ruthless terrorist group, does not possess enough resources or will at embassy levels to fight the false propaganda war. LTTE terror supporters have fully utilized this situation to mislead the international community with fabricated stories (eg. genocide) to achieve their ill-minded goals.
While LTTE terrorists and their supporters continue to mislead the world with their false propaganda, there was a few key people who wanted to explore and find the truth. They did not want to get trapped in propaganda, but wanted to study the facts and make conclusions. Out of them, two recent were United Nations’ Under Secretery Sir John Holms and British Parliamentarian Hon. Lord Naseby. Both went to Sri Lanka and learnt the ground situation is completely the opposite of what LTTE terror supporters spread in the world using their giant propaganda network.
See below the interview with British Parliamentarian Hon. Lord Naseby.
Video:
Saturday, April 18, 2009
British MP Visits Sri Lanka and Reveals the TRUTH about LTTE Terrorism
Sri Lanka rejects UN truce appeal
Sri Lanka has rejected a fresh appeal by the UN to give civilians more time to leave a safe zone in the north-east, the defence secretary says.
Only a few hundred civilians used the two-day unilateral government truce with Tamil Tiger rebels to escape.
Between 50,000 and 100,000 civilians are still thought to be trapped in the zone - about 20 sq km (8 sq miles) of coastal area in Mullaitivu district.
Security forces are in what they say is a final push to defeat the rebels.
The government's decision to reject the UN appeal came after a meeting between Vijay Nambiar, chief of staff of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and senior government officials in Colombo this week.
>> Full Story: BBC
Open Letter to Mr. Richard Boucher
April 17th, 2009
Richard Boucher
Assistant Secretary Bureau of South & Central Asian Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Sir,
We are writing as members of Sri Lankans for Peace, a US-based organization which was formed to coordinate the work of the Sri Lankan diaspora in America to advance the cause of justice in Sri Lanka.
We read the press release from your office regarding your meeting, along with Ambassador Bake, with members of the American Tamil community. We were heartened to learn that you share our own interest in the humanitarian efforts being undertaken within Sri Lanka and our concern for the plight of civilians still trapped in the 20 square mile no-fire zone established by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL), and which is currently occupied by the LTTE.
We were very disturbed, therefore, by the hard stance taken by the US state department in the statement issued on 16th April 2009 on Sri Lanka, that called for an immediate cessation to the rescue operations conducted by the SL Army. It is puzzling as to why the US State Department believes that the LTTE will allow the civilians to move out of the safe zone if the Government halts operations. It was clear during the 48 hour ceasefire that there was a remarkable drop in the number of civilians who could flee the no-fire zone. This is a fact verified in a statement issued by John Holmes, the United Nations’ Emergency Relief Coordinator in Sri Lanka, and included in today’s report in the NYT. It has also been discovered that the LTTE subjected civilians to immense hardships by forcing them to build military fortifications during this ceasefire.
>> Full Story
How the Tamil Tigers have become involved in piracy
The Tamil Tigers are not a species of endangered cats; instead they are a notorious band of violent terrorists (acknowledged as such by over 30 countries in the world) that are based in northern Sri Lanka. They originally founded their organization in 1976, as a secessionist movement that seeks to create an independent Tamil state in the north of Sri Lanka [PBS Frontline, 2002]. Today they are commonly referred to as the LTTE or "Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam".
The LTTE are a very well organized militant group known for extremely violent attacks on civilians as well as carrying out assassinations of Sri Lankan and Indian officials. This group is also associated with the recruiting of young children as soldiers and is given credit for being the first to use the "suicide belt" bomb. They are also known to use women frequently as suicide bombers in their terrorist attacks. It has been reported by the media (PBS among others) that LTTE has delivered actual more suicide bombings than many other terrorist groups like Hamas and al-Qaeda.
>> Full Story: Helium
Minister refuses to meet Tamil protesters
By KENNETH JACKSON, SUN MEDIA
OTTAWA -- Tamil-Canadian protesters took down their flags once again yesterday, hoping to facilitate a meeting with the federal government.
But Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon's office dashed their hopes by refusing to meet. Protesters have been on the sidewalks along Wellington St. in front of Parliament Hill around the clock since April 7 and vow to stay until the government helps achieve a ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
The protest includes people who have been staging a hunger strike since April 8.
TERRORISTS
Government representatives have refused to meet the protesters as long as they continue to support the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a group fighting for a separate state in the south Asian country. They are listed as a terrorist group by Canada.
>> Full Story
Friday, April 17, 2009
Never Let Prabhakaran Leave Sri Lanka Alive
By Nissanka Wickramasekera
Dear Editor, Mr. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, & Our loved Commanders of our elite forces and our forces,
This war was waged by the egotistical school dropout from Wanni not only killing the growth and futures of his own people but also of our peaceful and blessed country and our future, the young and vibrant members of the forces who put their lives on the line for our Sri Lanka, our Mawbima. If we completely annihilate and clean our country as you set out to do, we will be the only country in the history of this world to do so other than Russia and China who are our allies. No one expected our forces to be this good except Russia and China. The Brits and others do not want us to succeed for the simple reason that it will be a slap in their face, more over it is Britain the country who brought these scoundrel from Tamil Nadu to work our Tea Fields just to get a kick, when at the time Sinhalese who are Arians by nature told them that we will never feather their nest by working like slaves. It is sad that previous leaders failed in their leadership towards their own Alma Mater. You Sir, Mr. Rajapaksa have been the envy of my life and the Soldiers and their parents who loved them dearly to bring repute and honour to our Mawbima. I for one respect any man or woman who has sacrificed their young lives so that Sri Lanka and its people will continue to live a peaceful and harmonious life as brave Sinhalese and above all humanitarians as we are and have been. I am a son of our Mawbima who was born there and grew up to be who I am today. Please continue to be focused on the task on hand and complete this process, as history will place our country in the annals of this world at the top and the only country to clean up terrorism and bring peace to its nation. Those who are asking for India to be their allies as Nadesan of the LTTE told India recently, only adds to the argument that they are seeking the help of India to back them up when the rest of the world except Australia have proscribed them as the notorious terrorist organization. First of all allies are only countries who seek friendship and support of other countries they are aligned with not individuals who seek assistance to continue annihilating innocent law abiding people who love peace. These people belong to India and not Sri Lanka and should go back to India and ask India to give them a separate state. I bet you my last copper, India will reject this notion and battle them all the way to kingdom come.
Our only request to you sir, with due respect to our Ranawiru who sacrificed their lives and for the future of our land, do not cave in as you are fully aware that Russia and China and Pakistan even without considering India will absolutely stand by us and happy that they too have an ally that good to back them up when the chips will ever come down one day. In addition, you will be the only leader in this developed world to have done so, with distinction.
Remember, we are in debt a lot and the completion of this war will only ensure that U.S.A, Britain, and all other nations holding illegal funds confiscated funds of the LTTE held in their domains will have to be released to your government to pay for these debts we carry as a country. Furthermore, these nuclear super powers of this world would not want our little Sri Lanka to succeed for it will be a slap in their face with all the machinery, armory they possess. So please do not allow these UN powers including USA to distract Sri Lankans of their due destiny. Get Prabhakaran and his gang of thieves and murderers “DEAD OR ALIVE”. Be BRAVE and MARCH FORWARD sir, you will do well. We trust you will stand by your words and promises for our nation have suffered a lot.
May the blessings of the Lord Buddha, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Mother Mary and Allah look after you, our brave forces, its leaders, and our people of all cultures to live and thrive to bring Sri Lanka as a world leader in battling Terrorism where others failed excluding Russia and China. Consult them for advice and stay close to them as they are future in world politics to bring prosperity to our land and out our Alma Mater called Sri Lanka. Lead our nation as you do, sir, you are just the envy of this world today.
National Post editorial board: Sympathy for Tamils, but not Tigers
Tamils who fly the flag the of the LTTE, a terrorist insurgency that once controlled much of Sri Lanka. What’s worse, the protesters have flown the LTTE flag alongside the Canadian flag — an insult to our own country.
The ongoing Parliament Hill protests and hunger strikes by Tamil Canadians are meant to stir our lawmakers into action against Sri Lanka, whose government is waging a successful military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), 
better known as the Tamil Tigers. If anything, however, the protests have had the opposite effect: Just as radical Canadian Muslims attract disgust when they raise the flags of Hezbollah or Hamas, so too do Tamils who fly the flag the of the LTTE, a terrorist insurgency that once controlled much of Sri Lanka. What’s worse, the protesters have flown the LTTE flag alongside the Canadian flag — an insult to our own country.
As we have written several times before, we are not without sympathy for the cause of the Tamil people, many of whom have been treated as second-class citizens by the Sinhalese-dominated government in Colombo. Indeed, the Tamils would have had a rightful claim to the world’s sympathy — if the LTTE, which fights for an independent Tamil homeland, hadn’t itself adopted such inhumane tactics since its formation in the 1980s. The Tigers perfected the tactic of suicide bombing, deploying explosive-wrapped killers by the dozens even before the practice had caught on in the Arab world.
The LTTE has also press-ganged children as young as 10 into military service and, following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, they cleared out orphanages for foot soldiers and interdicted relief supplies to feed their adult insurgents and fund terror campaign against the Sri Lankan government. The sight of this group’s flags flying in Canada is nothing short of revolting.
Canada is home to the largest expatriate Tamil community in the world. Despite the Conservative government’s decision to declare the LTTE a terrorist organization in 2006, many of the most prominent Tamil groups in Canada remain fronts for the Tigers. Much of the money for the LTTE’s terror campaign has been extorted from Tamil Canadians, who have faced harassment if they show insufficient enthusiasm for the Tigers. Family members back home in Sri Lanka have even been held hostage until Tamils here pay hefty donations.
>> Full Story
53 Div seize control over LTTE built earth bund East of Puthukkudiyirippu
Sri Lankan security forces stepped-up fresh advances on Wednesday (April 15), towards the remaining non-liberated territory along the coast of Mullaittivu, following a government declared 48 hour unilateral humanitarian pause since Monday (13).
The military maneuvers are expected to set stage for the worlds' largest hostage rescue operation under taken by a conventional armed force in modern time according to defence observers. An estimated number of 40,000 odd people are believed kept forcibly by LTTE terrorists through sheer intimidation and torture inside the LTTE's 'open-human' prisons located at Puthumathalan, Valayarmadam and Vellamullivaikkal.
At least 13 terrorists were killed and 15 others reported injured during confrontations ensued between 53 Division troops and LTTE terrorists in general area East of Puthukkudiyirippu since the morning hours on Wednesday. According to ground sources, terrorists suffered another setback in its string of battlefront defeats as 53 Division infantrymen led by Major General Kamal Gunarathne seized total control over an LTTE built earth bund cum ditch in the outskirts of the No-Fire Zone.
6 more terrorists were killed sniped by 5th Gemunu Watch (GW) troops deployed at the battlefront. Meanwhile, troops have also uncovered one 130mm artillery gun trailer, 3 decomposed LTTE bodies, 9 T-56 assault riffles and an I-com set during subsequent search operation conducted in the area.
Placating LTTE: West on wrong track
[COLOMBO, SinhalaNet 2009.04.17 05:35AM] With U.S. Ambassador Robert Blake’s expressed desire to create a safe passage for Prabhakaran and the rest of his murderous gang out of Sri Lanka to some safe haven signs are that there is all possibility for the LTTE to graduate from a Sri Lanka-based terrorist outfit into a formidable terrorist organization with tentacles all over the world.
GOSL needs to take all possible steps to pre-empt any moves to build an escape mechanism for the 'Sun God' by a relentless military onslought on the remaining LTTE scum.
The West appears to be making the same mistake they did when they backed Islamic militants against the Soviets in Afghanistan. Eventually it boomeranged on them in the form of the Taliban and Al Queda. However Islamic zealots who found their way into Western countries and Australia did not openly identify themselves as such. But in the case of LTTE sympathizers they did not deny their political leanings and the Western ‘democrats’ and ‘liberals’ welcomed them with open arms and still continue to do so. They are backing a terrorist gang that tolerates no dissent against a legitimate, democratically elected government in the name of democracy and human rights!
Today thousands of Tamils in both the United Kingdom and the European Union expressing solidarity with the ‘Sun God’ indicate that there is no possibility for GOSL to have any dialogue with the large majority of the Tamil Diaspora in these countries except on their own terms. Tamil Eelam or nothing is their demand. India has learnt a bitter lesson by nurturing this Frankenstein monster. Now it is the turn of the West to learn the same lesson.
And the Tigers have the audacity to demand a permanent ceasefire under international supervision. No need to be surprised if the next terrorist bombs go off in UK, USA, Australia or Canada – excepting perhaps Norway the home of Prabhakaran’s guardian angels. Tiger vermin are already disrupting life in London, Melbourne and Toronto. It appears Ambassador Blake or rather the U.S. Government wants the same developments in the USA too – wittingly or unwittingly.
So GOSL should ask any foreign power calling for a ceasefire in the island’s North to go and fly a kite. It is a wise move on the government’s part that Major General Udaya Perera has been appointed Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner in Malaysia to crack any possible moves by LTTE to use Malaysia as the base for its international network.
Elimination of the remaining LTTE top leadership will end one headache for both Sri Lanka and India.
Kurunagar fish market reopened in Jaffna after 20 years
Kurunagar fish market in Jaffna town which had remained closed by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for nearly 20 years due to security reasons and occupied by the SLA for the last 15 years was officially reopened by SLA yesterday (15) for public use, Army sources in Jaffna said.
Fisheries and Marine Resources Ministry, Jaffna Deputy Director, N. Tharmalingam, SLA officials, Fisheries Society representatives and political party persons took part in the event where fishermen sold their catch to public.
>> Full Story
A Trojan horse of British make
The government has acted wisely by rejecting Britain's call for an extension of the humanitarian pause declared in view of the traditional New Year on April 13 and 14. The kneejerk reaction of the LTTE to the government's gesture was to spurn the truce offer contemptuously out of hand and step up attacks on the troops, demanding a 'permanent' ceasefire with international mediation.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has evinced a keen interest in Sri Lanka's conflict. Britain is full of weretigers and Miliband lacks only a striped tail to go with his Tigerine voice. He and others of his ilk like Keith Vaz, MP in the LTTE's pocket are desperate to throw a lifeline to the sinking Tigers.
Miliband and his political bosses are also trying to distract the public attention from the plight of the marginalized sections at home as well as from Iraq and Afghanistan, where they are mired in a never ending war. For them Sri Lanka's conflict has come in handy. They are trying to use it as a fig leaf to cover their humanitarian nudity as regards their war on terror and to keep the LTTE terrorism afloat so that they could continue to have a strong presence in this region on the pretext of conflict resolution.
The Daily Telegraph has reported (see the World View section today) that one in five elderly people in Britain skip meals to save money on food, while two-fifths are struggling to afford essential items. Many of the aged are said to be ‘going to extreme measures to cope putting their health at risk’. This has been the dismal record of the Brown government which is trying to export humanitarian concerns to the rest of the world! Charity, they say, begins at home!
>> Full Story
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Unhealthy civil act
Business cries foul over public defecation; health of hunger-striking Tamils begins to slip
Upon learning there were complaints of people defecating in the World Exchange Plaza's parking garage over the weekend, a spokesman for the Tamil protesters on Wellington St. went on a speaker yesterday and reminded demonstrators to respect local businesses.
It's not known exactly who was defecating in the garage, or if it was a protester, but a plaza employee said it's not common. "It's not against any rules but it's breaking a moral code," said the employee, who didn't want to be identified.
He also said protesters were sleeping in their cars in the garage. Other garages in the immediate area said they've had no problems. The protest has created some problems for businesses in the area.
A sign at the Tim Hortons at Metcalfe and Sparks streets yesterday advised customers the washrooms were out of order. Meanwhile, the protest carried on through its seventh day on Wellington St. in the shadow of Parliament Hill.
Paramedics were called to check on one of the five people on a hunger strike shortly before noon after he complained of stomach pains.
>> Full Story: Ottawa Sun
Other nations could learn from Sri Lanka Navy's fight against the Tamil Tigers
"Internationally, maritime terrorism is a new threat that is developing in the Indian Ocean," Fish writes. "While the conflict with the LTTE is approaching its conclusion, the application to extend Sri Lanka's Exclusive Economic Zone and the discovery of oil resources means that the SLN will play a vital role in the reunified country's future maritime strategy."
(Lanka-e-News 16.April.2009 11.45AM) Jane's is the leading open source intelligence provider more than 100 years of experience, an IHS company, holds an unrivaled reputation for the reliability, accuracy and impartiality of their information and advice, trusted and relied upon by business, government and military decision-makers worldwide.
Tim Fish, IHS Jane's maritime reporter, visited Sri Lanka in January to examine the Sri Lanka Navy's contribution to the defeat by government forces of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) - a contribution that has been almost completely ignored by western media outlets.
In a feature for Jane's Navy International, Tim Fish reports: "Bringing the conflict to a conclusion after 30 years of war would not have been possible without the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN)".
In order to counter the LTTE and its Sea Tiger cadres, the SLN developed three categories of small craft and associated war fighting tactics as part of a Small Boats Concept, which was a major turning point in the progress of the war against the separatist organisation. The Small Boats Concept effectively copied the Sea Tigers' asymmetric tactics, but on a much larger scale.
>> Full Story
Prabha is not in the no-fire zone; may have escaped back to jungle, says Karuna
(Lanka-e-News, April 16, 2009, 7.05 PM) Former LTTE military leader and present Minister of National Integration Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman says that he believes the Tiger leader Prabakaran is not in the no-fire zone and may be hiding in Mullaithivu, Kilinochchi or Mannar jungles.
He made these observations talking to a special interview with the Lanka-e-News today (16).
According to Karuna Amman, Prabakaran has not fled to a foreign country. He can never flee to India. He can escape to a country like Indonesia but cannot hide there. But he can seek asylum in Norway and Karuna believed that Norway would protect him.
The full test of the interview with Karuna Amman will be posted in 'Lanka-e-News' tomorrow.
>> Full Story
President visits Kilinochchi: 'first ever visit by a head of state'
H.E the President and Commander-in-Chief, Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the recently liberated Northern Town of Kilinochchi today (April 16).
The President made this goodwill visit during the traditional Sinhala and Hindu New Year period to meet with the troops stationed there as well as IDPs and other civilians.
This is the first visit by a Head of State to this part of Sri Lanka after the first Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Mahamanya D.S. Senanayake toured the area in early 1950s.
Killinochchi was considered the headquarters and administrative centre of the separatist LTTE, until it was taken over by the security forces on January 02 this year, in the current operations to eliminate terrorism from this country.
On the arrival at the proposed new hospital complex in the heart of Kilinochchi town Thursday (16) morning, the President and his entourage were received by Defence 
Secretary Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Roshan Goonatilake and Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickaramratne who had arrived in Kilinochchi prior to the visit of the Presidential team.
At the outset, General Officers Commanding 57 and 58 Divisions Major General Jagath Dias and Brigadier Shavendra Silva briefed the President on the tiring long march made for liberation of Kilinochchi by respective Divisions from the commencement of the Wanni humanitarian operation.
During this historic visit, President shared his thoughts with valiant soldiers present at the venue while joining them to taste traditional sweetmeats during tea. A cross section of soldiers from all ranks representing Wanni-based military units received New Year gifts from the President. A large stock of weaponry including artillery and other sophisticated guns captured by the Army from the LTTE was also kept on display for President's inspection.
>> Full Story
Video:
Prabhakaran May Not Go On Trial
Comment by L. Jayasooriya
Whether Prabakaran lives to go on trial or not will be decided by the government troops now closing in on him. The killing of innocent villagers a few days ago in the remote areas of Uwa in retaliation for the liquidation of a terror group in the jungle that has been systematically killing innocent civilians in these remote areas for many years may prompt the government troops to kill Prabakaran even if it became possible to catch him alive.
If that were to happen the hope of the IC nations that could attempt to force our government to get Prabakaran tried at the International Court of Justice at The Hague threatening dire consequences if we do not, will end up in smoke and it will also end the incessant calls for a negotiated settlement that has for quite some time been treated with absolute contempt by the national patriots. Remember Mavil Oya anicut? That is where this all started and that was the biggest mistake the IC nations did to force Mahinda Rajapakse to surrender to the LTTE. At no time did they like him because he is a patriot.
The violent LTTE Diaspora we have seen in their thousands in the West and the vast majority of the Western educated effluent Tamils who have been living among the Sinhalese and who owe their prosperity to the patronizing of their businesses by the Sinhalese will maintain that the LTTE could never be eradicated from this country.
For their information I would like to remind them that all the Tamils in the North and the East excepting the very few LTTE sympathisers who will dare not show that they are pro-LTTE to the other Tamils will never allow the LTTE to raise is head ever again. They will instantly report any suspecting LTTE remnant to the army.
That leaves the only possibility of the LTTE resurrecting itself in Sri Lanka to be among the Tamils living in Colombo and other parts in the Western Province. Will they provide them with that support? They will dare not. So the question of the LTTE surfacing again in Sri Lanka will not arise. It will go home to roost in India where it was born, nursed and bred. May be Karunanidhi and Vaiko will inherit the mantle of Prabakaran. India will then begin to reap the harvest for the seeds she planted in our country nearly 30 years ago.
>> Full Story
Diplomatic furore in Colombo: US Ambassador Robert Blake attempts escape mechanism for LTTE through UN, Norway
• US Ambassador Blake known to have frequented social functions and US Ambassador Robert Blake parties of LTTE supporters and sympathizers in Colombo, but Ambassador denied association with LTTE supporters and intermediaries
• Attempting to bring UN Peace Keeping Force for LTTE leadership to surrender and escape
• Norwegian envoy in Colombo Torre too linked in the manipulations
Colombo, 16 April, (Asiantribune.com): Top international diplomatic source revealed that the LTTE has established contact with the United States of America through Norwegian facilitation to get safe passage for the LTTE Leaders by way of a surrender, through the United Nations.
The surrender of the LTTE through the United Nations has been a move which has been suggested by the current LTTE leadership and has been endorsed by Robert Blake, United States Ambassador in Sri Lanka, who has been actively persuading the Government of Sri Lanka to allow the LTTE Leadership and cadres to obtain safe passage to another country using the good offices of the United Nations.
It now appears that Ambassador Blake is now only interested in creating a safe passage for Tiger Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, his son Charles Anthony and his most vicious intelligence operative Pottu Amman and other senior leaders who are collectively wanted for genocide and other crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka.
The 48- hour ceasefire that was negotiated and agreed upon by the Government, at the insistence of Ambassador Blake, on the sidelines of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on the 13th and 14th April in Sri Lanka, has not yielded a single trapped civilian from moving from the ‘No Fire Zone’. Even Ambassador Blake is known to have told his associates that the LTTE will “never release the civilians” during the ceasefire, and thus the question being asked is why did Blake then champion a ceasefire? The fact that the ceasefire which was brought about by the pressures of the international community has not yielded the proper results is causing the Military to suspect a conspiracy to enable the LTTE leadership to escape.
>> Full Story
FMs say Tamil Tigers using 'human shields'
LONDON (AFP) – The British and French foreign ministers said Wednesday that Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka are using civilians as human shields, which was preventing them from leaving the conflict zone.
In a joint statement issued in London, Foreign Secretary David Miliband and his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner urged the Sri Lankan government to declare a new ceasefire to allow aid in and civilians out.
Sri Lankan security forces resumed their offensive against the Tigers on Wednesday after a 48-hour ceasefire, but Miliband and Kouchner said that had not been long enough for civilians to have moved to safety.
"We are deeply concerned that there was no large scale movement of civilians away from the conflict area to safety as we had hoped to see, in the short period allowed for the pause," the statement issued by the Foreign Office said.
"It is clear that the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) have been forcefully preventing civilians from leaving the conflict area and we deplore their determination to use civilians as a human shield."
>> Full Story
Norway's Moment of Shame
Sunday's dastardly terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oslo has demonstrated the ghastly extent of infiltration by LTTE terrorists of the so-called advanced democracies sheltering a gallimaufry of criminal outfits from the four corners of the world. What is really shocking is not so much the terror strike concerned as such but the inexcusable failure on the part of the Norwegian government to apprehend the perpetrators of that inexpiable criminal act, in spite of the availability of damning evidence. Equally baffling and intriguing is the deafening silence the international community is so nonchalantly maintaining on the apathetic and impervious conduct of Norway while frantically campaigning for restoring the rule of law elsewhere.
Norway, which prides itself on its Nobel Peace Prize, must be ashamed of having perverted its law to save a bunch of terrorists and thereby further its political interests. How would it have reacted, had any of its missions abroad come under a terrorist attack and the perpetrators gone scot free? Oslo would have run riot.
In a way, such callous indifference is something to be expected of a nation which has presumptuously chosen to sponsor the LTTE's barbaric terrorism which has claimed tens of thousands of lives in this country. Norway has manifestly become a state sponsoring terrorism!
Norway is not alone in the game of backing Sri Lanka's terrorism, which is thriving in India, Canada, Australia, Britain, France, Germany and the whole of Scandinavia. The question is whether any of these countries would have dared sponsor America's terrorists in that brazen manner. No country told the US to negotiate with the Somali pirates who took a captain of a US ship hostage the other day. The US rescued its citizen with the help of sheer military force – quite rightly so. India did likewise, when Mumbai came under a terrorist attack last November. That is the way terrorism must be tackled.
>> Full Story
Karunanidhi blames LTTE’s ‘wrong ways’ for failure to find solution
NEW DELHI, April 13: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi today blamed the LTTE for the failure to find a solution to the Sri Lankan Tamil problem so far.
Writing in his column in ‘Murasoli’, a Tamil newspaper owned by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and published from Chennai, Karunanidhi said: "A solution to the Sri Lankan Tamils’ problem could not be found yet because the LTTE acted in wrong ways, heeding to the wrong advice of wrong people in Tamil Nadu."
"Those who did not read history or turning a deaf ear to the advice given by learned people, might laud the Nedumaran group. But independent observers, who have love and affection for the Sri Lankan Tamils, are well aware of the fact. I am one among them," he wrote.
His comments come in the wake of efforts of pro-LTTE leaders like Nedumaran and Vaiko to make the Sri Lankan Tamil question a poll plank to garner votes in Tamil Nadu in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
They have been criticising both Karunanidhi and the Congress Party, claiming that they are not doing enough to secure a ceasefire in Sri Lanka to save the lives of thousands of Tamils stranded in the conflict zone. Karunanidhi is DMK president; the DMK is an ally of the Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) that is in power at the centre.
Karunanidhi had last week appealed to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to treat Tamils and even beleaguered LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran with respect and dignity, irrespective of the fate of the militant outfit in the ongoing Army offensive.
Enumerating the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s Government to help solve the Sri Lankan Tamils’ issue, Karunanidhi wrote: "The Centre's stand has been against a military solution to the problem. It wants a political solution and relief measures for affected Tamils."
>> Full Story
Tamil Tigers controlled non-profit group: RCMP
World Tamil Movement raised money for weapons purchases, police allege
Stewart Bell, National Post
Published: Wednesday, April 15, 2009
TORONTO -- The Tamil Tigers directly controlled a Canadian registered non-profit organization that fundraised and produced propaganda for the Sri Lankan guerrillas, according to RCMP documents released on Wednesday.
The documents allege that the director of the Toronto-based World Tamil Movement of Ontario was personally appointed by the leader of the Tamil Tigers, Velupillai 
Prabhakaran, who is wanted by Interpol for terrorism. In addition, the documents claim the World Tamil Movement was told in 2005 to help raise $7-million to finance the purchase of anti-aircraft missiles and artillery needed to fight a war for Tamil independence.
The hundreds of pages of seized documents and unproven police allegations are the result of Project Osaluki, an RCMP counterterrorism investigation into the Ontario fundraising activities of the Tamil Tigers. Documents concerning a related investigation in Quebec were released last week.
>> Full Story: National Post
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Ottawa won't budge on banning Tamil Tigers
DAWN WALTON
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
April 15, 2009 at 4:22 AM EDT
CALGARY — Canada has done its best to end the long-running conflict in Sri Lanka, but will not bow to pressure to remove the Tamil Tigers from the list of banned terrorist groups, a federal cabinet minister said yesterday.
For more than a week, Tamil supporters have been gathering around Parliament Hill to protest the war in the South Asian country and ask Ottawa to intervene. On Friday, more than 1,000 people lined Wellington Street in front of the Parliament buildings waving Tamil flags. Five people are on a hunger strike.
"We have done everything that these protesters are asking Canada to do - namely call for a ceasefire - except we will not respond to a demand of anyone to legalize a banned, illegal terrorist organization," Immigration Minister Jason Kenney told reporters in Calgary.
In 2006, Canada placed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on a list of banned terrorist organizations under the federal Anti-Terrorism Act, which prohibits financing such groups.
>> Full Story: Globe and Mail
Desperate Measures
April 15, 2009: Expatriate Tamils, who have long supported (if not always voluntarily) the LTTE with cash, are now holding large demonstrations in Britain and Australia. This is part of an LTTE attempt to gain popular support and diplomatic pressure on Sri Lanka to agree to a ceasefire. If this can be achieved, the LTTE can rebuild and resume its fight to partition the island into Tamil and non-Tamil sectors. The Sri Lankan government refuses to even discuss a permanent ceasefire, and will only negotiate if the LTTE disarms.
The number of civilians escaping the 20 square kilometer "no-fire" zone has declined from 2,000 a day two weeks ago, to less than 200 a day. So far, over 67,000 civilians have been able to get out of the zone. The two day truce apparently allowed the LTTE fighters to increase their efforts to control the thousands of Tamil civilians in the no-fire zone. During the two day ceasefire, troops could see LTTE fighters directing Tamil civilians to build fortifications. The army announced that they are resuming their offensive, which will apparently involve troops advancing slowly against LTTE bunkers, while trying to avoid hitting Tamil civilians the LTTE are using as human shields. The remaining LTTE fighters appear willing to fight to the death, and force Tamil civilians to die as human shields.
>> Full Story
Temporary truce ends, government forces recommence operations in Sri Lanka
Apr 15, Colombo: Following the conclusion of two day temporary truce period Sri Lankan government forces today commenced their humanitarian operations in the Northeast, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.
Speaking to the media military spokesman confirmed that the forces are now continuing their operations once again, especially the rescuing process of trapped civilians in rebel held areas.
Government forces halted military operations on the midnight of April 12th to mark the Sinhala and Hindu New Year under the directive of Commander-In-Chief, President Mahinda Rajapaksa to limit operations to defensive nature.
Announcing the temporary truce, President urged the LTTE to take the opportunity to free thousands of civilians under its control in the No-Fire Zone in Mullaitivu district.
However, the rebels rejecting the truce as an 'eyewash' to deceive the international community, violated it by attacking the troops on the first day of the truce period. According to the military LTTE cadres have killed a soldier by sniper fire and also fired mortars in the direction of government forces wounding a soldier at Puthukkudyiruppu in Mullaitivu District.
During the lull in fighting troops conducted search and clear operations in the recently captured area of Puthukkudyiruppu.
Troops of 53 Division troops have uncovered 4 surface to air missiles (SAMs) in the general area East of Puthukkudyiruppu
>> Full Story
A minor earth tremor in Sri Lanka
Apr 15, Colombo: A minor Earth tremor occurred this morning at several areas of Central, Eastern and Uva provinces in Sri Lanka, the Meteorology department said.
According to the sources the earth tremor was reported from Amapara, Panama, Monaragala, Badulla and Nuwara Eliya areas.
Several houses were damaged due to the tremor, but there were no injuries reported, Meteorology Department said.
Residents of those areas said the earth tremor lasted for about two minutes.
>> Full Story
Sea Tiger suicide bid foiled, one boat captured
(Lanka-e-News, April 15, 2009, 3.30 pm) In the morning of the Sinhala an Hindu New Year yesterday (14), Sri Lanka Navy opened fire on two Sea Tiger boats and sank one of them. The other boat was taken into the custody of the Navy.
Three bodies believed of Lt. Colonel Karna, Waran and another were recovered from the boat that was taken into custody. A 12.7 mm anti-aircraft weapon, one M. P. M. G. weapon, a revolver and a large stock of explosives and dry rations were also recovered from the arrested boat.
The other boat was destroyed in the Navy attack and sank with the LTTE cadres in it.
Navy siphoned the LTTE communication that instructed Sea Tigers to infiltrate amidst the troops and to attack them.
>> Full Story
53 Div uncovers dumped SAM missiles in Puthukkudiyirippu
53 Division troops led by Major General Kamal Gunarathne have uncovered 4 surface to air missiles (SAMs) dumped by LTTE terrorists in general area East of Puthukkudiyirippu yesterday (April 14) evening.
The missiles were found during a search and clearing operation conducted by the 5th Gemunu Watch (5GW) infantrymen, area security sources said. Meanwhile, 430 anti-personnel (AP) mines were also uncovered by 1GW troops during a separate search and clearing operation conducted in the area.
>> Full Story
'Security forces will eliminate terrorism from Sri Lanka very soon' says Army Chief
Sri Lanka Army Comander, Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka said over the years the Sri Lanka security forces were able to kill 18,000 cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and make them lose most of its heavy arms and he vowed to eliminate terrorism from the Indian Ocean island nation.
"We were able to crush the Tiger's dream of a separate state and we have destroyed most of their weaponary, planes and sea craft," General Fonseka said in a message on the occasion of the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year.
He triumphantly declared that the Tamil civilians held by the LTTE have now completely come to trust the security services and he lauded the men of the armed forces who in a dedicated service have rendered to win the hearts of the Tamil people.
"Hospitality, friendliness, kindness and other noble qualities shown towards the civilians on their arrival to cleared (government-controlled) areas have proved that we are a disciplined and friendly army," The Army chief further said.
Promising all Tamils who are still under the bondage of the LTTE, freedom soon General Fonseka said, "Ever rising number of civilians reaching cleared areas .... Confirm this truth" about their ever increasing trust in us.
>> Full Story
Britain bans ‘Mercy Ship’ bound for Wanni
The British government has banned the humanitarian aid ship ‘Mercy Mission’ from leaving the shores of Britain to deliver aid to thousands of civilians trapped in northern Sri Lanka until the appropriate clearance was given by Sri Lanka, government sources said yesterday.
The ship was expected to carry over 2,000 metric tonnes of food and medical aid for the civilians in the Wanni collected by British politicians and celebrities, various British Tamil charities and British based organisation ‘Act Now’ over the last few weeks.
The ban, preventing the ship from sailing to Sri Lanka was declared by the British government after serious concerns were raised by the Sri Lankan authorities about the ship’s cargo.
The Sri Lankan government claimed that the LTTE had used previous aid ships to smuggle in arms to the north and urged the British authorities to look into the issue.
An organiser of the mission, Arjunan Ethirveeraisgham confirmed to the Daily Mirror yesterday that the ship had not yet left Britain but said they were hopeful that there would be a development on the matter sometime this week.
According to Ethirveerasingam the ship could not sail for Sri Lanka on the decided date of March 31 as they were awaiting approval from the Sri Lankan government to enter the Sri Lankan waters.
However, according to a spokesperson from the Sri Lanka High Commission in UK the Sri Lankan 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.
However, one of the directors from UK organization ‘Act Now’ said that the containers on the 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 asked. “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 said.
However, the Sri Lanka High Commission in London has raised its dissatisfaction and continuous concerns with the British authorities and raised questions about the ship’s cargo.
High Commission authorities had even informed the Foreign Ministry in Colombo and alerted the necessary authorities of a possible aid ship heading for the Wanni.
>> Full Story
Fighting resumes after 48-hour ceasefire
Sri Lankan troops resumed their offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels in the northeast at the end of a 48-hour ceasefire, the two sides said.
A military spokesman said security forces restarted operations against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The pro-rebel Tamilnet website said both sides began exchanging rocket and gunfire as the military's unilateral two-day ceasefire ended at midnight.
After losing large swathes of territory they once controlled, the remaining guerrillas are now boxed into a narrow strip of jungle in the northeast where they are vastly outnumbered.
An LTTE demand for a permanent truce was rejected by the government.
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse, who called the ceasefire only to coincide with the traditional New Year on Monday and Tuesday, said his troops were on the verge of total victory.
The Tigers have been accused of holding tens of thousands of civilians in the shrinking territory still under their control as a human shield.
The government had wanted the Tigers to free civilians during the break in fighting, but military officials said there was no large exodus over the past two days.
>> Full Story
BoC to open branches in North and East
Colombo-Lankapuvath-April 14) – Bank of Ceylon (BoC), the leading State bank in the country will open eight branches each in the North and the East provinces by the end of the year.
Chairman of the BoC Dr. Gamini Wickremasinghe said that at present there are 17 branches in each province.
The bank in addition has installed nine ATMs in the North and seven ATMs in the East 
while five ATMs for each province will be added during the year to service the liberated areas as well.
Mobile units of the bank visit the IDP camps daily to help the people carry out their banking work without a delay. In addition, plans are under way to open 10 branches each in the two provinces in 2010.
>> Full Story
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sri Lanka dismissed rumors of safe passage to LTTE Leader – Clock is ticking
Prabakaran’s ultimate options left are limited - either to commit suicide or be killed by the advancing security forces
Colombo, 14 April, (Asiantribune.com): Sri Lanka dispelled rumors that Norway as well as United States of America negotiating to give safe passage to the LTTE’s leader Velupillai Prabakaran and a couple of senior Leaders including his son, to move out of the country.
Government also dismissed the rumor that LTTE has offered to surrender some 500 LTTE cadres to the Government Forces, provided a safe passage is facilitated for their leader V. Prabhakaran, his son Chales Anthony, Deputy and so called intelligence head Pottu Amman , and sea Tiger chief Soosai to depart to an unnamed foreign land.
Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Colonel (retired) Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in an telephone interview with Asian Tribune, flatly denied that there are no negotiations going on with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). "There is no truth in these rumors, he said.
"Prabakaran’s ultimate options left are limited - either to commit suicide or be killed by the advancing security forces.Now the time has come for the Tamil community in Sri Lanka to find a moderate Tamil leader who respects the democratic process. They have to do it, and do it now, Rajapaksa urged
When speaking to Asian Tribune he emphasized that to negotiate with the LTTE, there should be LTTE in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately they are almost decimated. Sri Lankan military has virtually defeated the terrorist outfit and restricted its few leaders left to a mere 17 square kilometer area in the government declared ‘No Fire Zone’ for civilians.
He added, "some times back some of media and some so called Defence Analysts called Prabakaran a 'military genius'. But today Sri Lanka armed forces have defeated him militarily. At the moment why the so called genuine military strategist, lurking behind the innocent Tamil civilians? Is it another strategic move by the so called ‘military genius’?", Rajapaksa asked. He added, Prabhakaran, the so-called military genius was defeated within a matter of nearly three years by the Sri Lankan military. Today he is a liability to everyone. The clock has begun ticking on him, he said.
>> Full Story
Army chief vows to eliminate terrorism from island
Colombo, Apr 14 (PTI) Claiming that LTTE has lost 18,000 cadres and most of its heavy weaponry in the fighting with security forces over the years, Sri Lankan army chief Sarath Fonseka today vowed to eliminate terrorism from the island nation and crush the Tigers' "dream" of a separate state.
"We have destroyed their (LTTE's) weaponry, planes and sea craft," Fonseka said in a message on the occasion of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
The army chief said the civilians held hostage by the LTTE have now begun to trust the humanitarian operations conducted by the security forces as he lauded the work of the armed forces in this regard.
"Hospitality, friendliness, kindness and other noble qualities shown towards the civilians on their arrival to cleared (government-controlled) areas have proved that we are a disciplined and friendly army," Fonseka said.
He said the army fought for nothing but to establish peace for all Sri Lankans. "Ever rising number of civilians reaching cleared areas .... Confirm this truth. Those who are still under LTTE detention will see their freedom soon."
>> Full Story
Sri Lanka stands by statement on Lanka-Mexico talks
Sri Lanka maintains that an assurance was given by Mexico last week that the island nation will not figure in the agenda of the UN Security Council and stood by a statement issued by the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry on the talks between both countries.
“Mexican Vice Minister Gomez-Robledo categorically said Sri Lanka will not be on the UN Security Council agenda,” Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona said when he was contacted by Daily Mirror to respond to some reports which said the Foreign Ministry statement was inaccurate.
>> ALSO SEE: Mexico says statement by Lanka "not accurate"
Urgent action needed to counter LTTE propaganda
Tamil tiger sympathisers and LTTE agents are running amok misleading the world. Yet GoSL response appear to be insignificant. A million bogus refugees are working against Sri Lanka, propagating disinformation. The tiny Sinhala group abroad is unable to match the LTTE effort and GoSL action is urgently needed. Our missions abroad has to take effective action to counter LTTE propaganda. Certainly many are doing so, but actions need to be coordinated and response rapid. The simplest is to organise one to one or small group meetings to tell the truth. A rapid response team is needed, able to counter LTTE propaganda in a professional manner and a coordinator is also needed. A team, not just Prof. Wijesinhe is needed, who can communicate confidentially with world leaders, as we are dealing with a deadly terrorist group. The fact that we are dealing with a rich deadly terrorist group, who are masters at disinformation has to be communicated. Resources also
should be provided to various groups that are attempting to counter LTTE propaganda.
A good, valid and constructive comments made by Prof. McLean is given below.
>> Full Story
Sri Lanka says no permanent truce until laying down of arms
COLOMBO, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's government here Tuesday rejected a call by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels for a permanent ceasefire. "Taking the history of the conflict into consideration we can't agree to a ceasefire until the LTTE lay down arms", Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena told reporters. "The LTTE want breathing space either to re-arm and regroup or time to have their leaders flee the area they are trapped in", Abeywardena said. The Minister's response came to a rebel statement calling for a permanent ceasefire. The LTTE dubbed the 48-hour truce ordered by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse as one to hoodwink the Tamil community as well as the international community. Meanwhile the defense officials said that the 48-hour truce would end at midnight local time (1830 GMT) Tuesday. The military blamed the rebels for not honoring the truce called on account of the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year
>> Full Story
LTTE observes no humanitarian pause; troops withstand machinegun fire and shelling - Puthukkudiyiruppu
Sri Lankan soldiers manning their defences in the Puthukkudiyiruppu East and Ampelavanpokkanai areas encountered heavy machinegun fire and intermittent shelling yesterday (Apr 13) as they strictly observed the humanitarian pause ordered by the President.
According to the battlefield reports troops on the frontlines had to remain at their defensive positions all day long as LTTE fired small arms and heavy machine guns continuously. A soldier of 58 Division lost his life due to a sniper shot while two others of 53 Division suffered injuries in shelling.
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka on Saturday (Apr 12) ordered the armed forces to remain defensive in view of the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebration. The LTTE's immediate response to this humanitarian pause was a brutal massacre of nine innocent civilians, including two children at Mahagodayaya village , in Buttala.
Meanwhile, troops manning the rear areas have stepped up de-mining and clearing operations in the areas previously occupied by the terrorists. Troops removed 12 anti personnel (AP) mines , one hand grenade, 200 ammunition used for T-56 rifles, 3 claymore mines, and one RPG bomb.
>> Full Story
Sri Lanka Defense Secretary says war will continue until terrorism is wiped out
Tuesday, April 14, 2009, 4:53 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Apr 14, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary said that the war will continue despite any international pressure until the LTTE terrorism is completely wiped out from the country.
"Whatever the pressure, be it national or international, we will not stop the war on terrorism until it is defeated completely," Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who is the brother of the Sri Lanka President told the local media yesterday.
The latest statement was in response to the recent demands by Western leaders for Sri Lanka to stop the war against the Tigers and go for a ceasefire.
Sri Lankan government has repeatedly rejected call for ceasefire as the LTTE has used every ceasefire to rearm and strengthen the outfit.
Sri Lanka called a 48-hour truce from Midnight Sunday coinciding with the Sinhala and Tamil New Year to encourage the civilians to seek safety in government controlled areas.
>> Full Story
World Vision antics exposed in Canada
Mahinda Gunasekera, President of the Sri Lanka United National Association (SLUNA) of Canada has told the Canada’s House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development that a Presidential Commission of Inquiry had revealed that the Canadian-funded World Vision had launched operation 'Mustard Seed' to convert poor Buddhist and Hindu communities in Sri Lanka to Christianity.
Through this project the WV set up Day Care Centres for pre-school children in villages, placing them in the care of recent converts to Christianity. These converts try to indoctrinate the children by distributing gift boxes with pictures of 'Baby Jesus' filled with lots of goodies. At the same time they gave empty boxes with pictures of the Buddha to the same children thus making them disillusioned with their ancestral religion taught to them by their parents.
WV had also offered a government doctor in charge of a rural hospital a special payment by World Vision to assist in a WV-run medical clinic. The doctor however had not accepted the allurement or bribe as he would have been compelled to neglect his official duties at the hospital. Thereupon false allegations had been made against this doctor accusing him of abusing two young girls. This matter was fully investigated and the charges were proved to be false.
Mahinda Weerasinghe was responding to a question by Bob Rae, MP, Liberal Party who wanted to know about regarding the hidden agenda of INGOs relating to unethical conversion of Buddhists and Hindus to Christianity. He specifically asked why the World Vision was accused of such conversions.
SPUR Tells Australian Authorities: Proscribe Tigers
THE SOCIETY for Peace Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR) has urged Australian authorities to proscribe the LTTE and its front organisations in Australia under the Criminal Code Act of 1995 to prevent them from disrupting ethnic harmony and presenting a threat to the national interest of Australia.
In a memorandum addressed to the Attorney General of Australia Robert Mc Clelland, MP, SPUR said the LTTE facing imminent defeat militarily and politically in Sri Lanka has launched a frenzied and desperate campaign to create tension within the expatriate communities in Australia to tarnish the international image of Sri Lanka.
The memorandum signed by SPUR spokesperson Ranjith Soysa and copied to Australian Foreign Minister and Home Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Shadow Attorney General said Tiger supporters travelling in motor vehicles carrying pro Tiger banners and shouting anti-Sri Lanka slogans attacked Sri Lankan Australians attending a peaceful demonstration held on the steps of the Victoria Parliament demanding the release of civilians held by the LTTE.
One of the vehicles confronted the dispersing Sri Lankan community after the rally leading to an ugly scuffle which was reported in the Australian media. Videos of the incident was soon published through the LTTE propaganda network immediately which suggested that it was set up by the LTTE and its allies to discredit the Sri Lankan community.
Some Sri Lankans who were returning home after the demonstration were physically attacked by LTTE goons within the Melbourne CDB in broad daylight.
One of them bashed with a wheel brace was hospitalised with head injuries. The same night several business establishments in suburban Melbourne operated by Australians of Sri Lankan origin were also vandalised.
There is evidence that LTTE lobbyists are actively promoting the recent downgrading of the Victorian Supreme Court Case on terrorism charges against several Tiger supporters giving an open licence for the LTTE to expand its clandestine operations to the public domain. LTTE activities have risen to a level not previously seen disrupting ethnic harmony and causing a threat to the national interest of Australia.
The memorandum has also urged extreme vigilance by Australian authorities to ensure that Australian Tamil children and youth are not recruited by LTTE operatives by use of emotive propaganda as done in Canada, Britain and US. Permitting LTTE activities would encourage Australian supporters of other international terror groups as well and lead to ethnic divisions in the country. (Courtesy: Daily News)
>> Full Story
Sri Lanka drops Norway as peace facilitator
Apr 13, Colombo: Following the attack by pro-LTTE Tamil protesters on Sri Lanka mission in Oslo on Sunday Sri Lankan government has stripped Norway of its role as a peace facilitator of the island's dying peace process with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE), a government official said.
Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry today summoned the Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo, Torre Hattrem, to the Ministry to lodge an official protest, the Foreign Ministry said.
Sri Lanka government debriefed the Ambassador over the omissions of security to its mission in Norway and questioned the actions taken by the Norwegian government to arrest the attackers.
Sri Lanka yesterday said it deeply regretted that the Norwegian government has failed in discharging of its obligations under international law to provide adequate security to the Sri Lanka Mission in Oslo.
A group of pro-Tiger protesters stormed the Sri Lankan Embassy yesterday afternoon and extensively damaged the Embassy property. No one was inside the premises at the time of the attack, Foreign Ministry said.
The Royal Norwegian government has informed the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oslo that they have arrested one person involved in the attack.
However, the video footage from the CCTV cameras at the Embassy premises obtained by the Norwegian television clearly shows the faces of several attackers and the face of a another giving instructions.
Following the incident Norwegians have apologized to Colombo for the attack but, Dr. Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka's Foreign Secretary stressed that the Norway government has legal obligations to protect the Sri Lankan embassy as this was a serious issue.
Asela Ruwan Weerakoon, Sri Lanka Ambassador in Oslo said that they will carry out its normal duties despite the properties of the Embassy were destroyed by the attackers.
>> Full Story
Monday, April 13, 2009
Sri Lankan embassy in Oslo attacked by LTTE supporters
The Sri Lankan embassy in Oslo has been seriously damaged by LTTE supporters. The Government of Sri Lanka has condemned this violation of Norway's obligations under international law (to provide adequate security to diplomatic premises) in the strongest terms and called Norway to bring the perpetrators to justice immediately.
The perpetrators can be readily identified on the CCTV recording which has been made available to the authorities. The demonstrations which had been building up in intensity in the past few days provide an indication that something was being planned. The attack was carefully videoed by the attackers and is already available on the following web link.
>> Full Story
LTTE responds government's humanitarian pause with village massacre - Buttala
LTTE terrorists have responded the government offered humanitarian pause for the on-going counter-terrorist operations, with a brutal village massacre in the Island's South. According to the defence sources, the terrorists have butchered eight civilians including two children at Mahagodayaya village in Buttala last evening (Apr 12), just few hours after His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka declared a humanitarian pause, in view of the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year celebrations.
Police said a group of armed LTTE terrorists have stormed the village around 7.10 PM and killed 8 civilians, including two children, three women and three men by shooting them at point blank range. Among the victims were a one and half year-old infant and an 11-year boy. One child and an elderly woman have sustained serious injuries. The injured chilled is being treated at the intensive care unit at the government hospital Monaragala.
Defence observers are in the view that the attack is a clear indication of LTTE's lack of scope in finding a political solution to the legitimate grievances of the Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka.
A senior defence observer speaking to defence.lk said that it is high time for the UN and other international bodies that insist on a ceasefire on the part of the government, to understand the true nature of the terrorism that the Sri Lankan citizen have to live with during last three decades.
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (Apr 12) ordered the armed forces to remain defensive during the traditional New Year celebrations that's starts form today. The Sinhala & Tamil New Year is symbolic of the amity prevailing amongst all communities in Sri Lanka.
>> Full Story
Sunday, April 12, 2009
UN Sect Gen tells LTTE to respect pause of military operations
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the declaration of a two-day restriction of military operations by the Government of Sri Lanka and told the LTTE to protect civilians by respecting the pause.
In his message today, Mr. Ban called on the LTTE to “take concrete and immediate steps to protect civilians by respecting the pause, for its full duration,” and allow civilians to leave the conflict zone.
Even though the Government's two-day truce was less than the several-day humanitarian pause Mr. Ban had been advocating, he said it was a “useful first step” and “an opportunity to move towards the peaceful and orderly end to the fighting now so badly needed.” , the UN said.
>> Full Story
Sri Lanka Embassy in Oslo, Attacked and Vandalized
Oslo, 12 April, (Asiantribune.com): Sri Lanka Embassy in Oslo, Norway is attacked and vandalized this afternoon. According to Embassy sources, Sri Lanka Mission located at Nedre Vollgate, is supposed to be in a high Security Zone area in Oslo .
In the same building Embassy of Kazakhstan is located in the 2nd Floor and the Sri Lanka Mission is in the 5th Floor.
When Asian Tribune Contacted Ambassador Esala Weerakone, he said that Police contacted him and informed about the incident and they sent their vehicle to escort him from his residence to the Mission.
Ambassador said that he was working yesterday all alone in the embassy and as it was Sunday he did not go to the Mission.
He said that the reception area of the embassy has suffered extensive damage and the computer terminal fully vandalized.
He said that there is five home based staff working in the Embassy.
Already the incident has been brought to the notice of the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry by the Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo.
Norwegian Police are still investigating in the site at the time of posting this news report.
>> Full Story
>> Sri Lanka condemns attack on the Sri Lanka Mission in Oslo
HE orders Armed forces to go Defensive during festive season
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka today (Apr 12) ordered the Armed Forces engaged in counter terrorists operations in the Island's Northern province to remain defensive during the Sinhala and Tamil new year celebrations that starts from tomorrow.
The statement issued by the President's Office in full :
As the nation celebrates the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year, His Excellency the President is deeply conscious of the need to give the civilian population entrapped as hostages by the ruthless actions of the LTTE, the opportunity to celebrate these festivities in a suitable atmosphere and to have uninhibited freedom of movement from the No Fire Zone to the cleared areas.
With this objective in view, His Excellency has directed the Armed Forces of the State to restrict their operations during the New Year to those of a defensive nature.
The Sinhala & Tamil New Year is symbolic of the amity prevailing amongst all communities in Sri Lanka. In the true spirit of the season, it is timely for the LTTE to acknowledge its military defeat and lay down its weapons and surrender. The LTTE must also renounce terrorism and violence permanently.
>> Full Story
Prabhakaran agrees to rescue mission by a Western country: Report
'But the army commander has reportedly said that any decision to enter into ceasefire should be taken by the government but has agreed to have a 48-hour pause in firing if there is a guarantee that civilians are allowed to move out of the No-Fire-Zone freely,' the Sunday Observer said.
Colombo, April 12 (IANS) Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, who is said to be facing a military rout at the hands of the government troops, has 'agreed to a rescue mission by a western country', a state-run media report said Sunday.
The report comes a week after the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) lost the cream of its fighting cadre, including a dozen battle-hardened leaders in the fight for Puthukkudiyiruppu. It was their last bastion where the rebels had maintained several military and naval bases and armoury over the past three decades.
It said that the 'diplomatic moves are now on' to get the LTTE to agree to allow the civilians to move out of the No-Fire-Zone. The government has refused to agree to any ceasefire with the LTTE at this juncture, fearing that 'the LTTE may use such an opportunity to strengthen itself or to flee the country with the support of outsiders'.
'Diplomatic sources indicate that Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran has apparently agreed to a rescue mission by a Western country,' the state-run Sunday Observer said.
'He has agreed to this offer after he lost all his top level leaders in the Puthukkudiyiruppu battle as there is no point for him to operate there in the No-Fire-Zone without the ability to give leadership to the remaining cadres,' it said.
Amid mounting international concern for the safety of thousands of civilians trapped in a small strip of coastal land in the island's north-eastern Mullaitivu district, US ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert O'Blake had met Army Commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka.
According to the media report, the US ambassador 'had apparently made a request for him (army chief) to agree to a seven days' ceasefire to rescue the civilians trapped inside the No-Fire-Zone'.
'But the army commander has reportedly said that any decision to enter into ceasefire should be taken by the government but has agreed to have a 48-hour pause in firing if there is a guarantee that civilians are allowed to move out of the No-Fire-Zone freely,' the Sunday Observer said.
Killing over 525 LTTE cadres in 72 hours of fierce battle for Puthukkudiyiruppu, the military said that the troops were 'close to the last leg of the war' against the LTTE which has been fighting for a separate state over the past quarter century.
'As the troops are poised to enter the No-Fire-Zone, it has been reported that Prabhakaran is making an effort to flee the country apparently with the assistance of the Norwegian government,' the media report said.
It said although there had been no official intimation about the discussions the Tamil Tigers had with the Norwegian government, LTTE's political leader Nadesan has had a lengthy discussion with the Norwegians about the situation in the No-Fire-Zone.
There is no immediate response from the LTTE in this regard.
A top visiting UN envoy has said that over 100,000 civilians were 'trapped in the 14 sq km no-fire zone' and expressed deep concern for their lives.
>> Full Story
Sri Lanka conflict: 'Two of us fled. 75 other women killed themselves with grenades,' says Tamil Tiger
One UN worker described how a five-year-old boy was shot in the head as he tried to flee.
"We were careless and we had fallen asleep," she says. "The army were only 10 metres away when we saw them. They started to jump into the bunker. We couldn't do anything. Seventy-five committed suicide with their grenades. There were parts of them spread on all sides. I can never forget that scene. Only two of us escaped. This war has been useless."
By the time Arulmathy and her fellow Tamil Tigers realised they were surrounded, it was too late. They had fallen asleep and now Sri Lankan soldiers were swarming into their bunker. Arulmathy watched aghast as 75 women she had fought beside for so many months reached for their hand grenades, pulled the pins and blew themselves to pieces, as they had been ordered to do.
But Arulmathy had had enough of the Tigers' war. She had no wish to die for a cause in which she no longer believed. As the grenades detonated, she slipped into a supply trench and ran for her life. In January, as the Sri Lankan army intensified its campaign against the dwindling rebel force, she surrendered.
Trapped inside a tiny coastal strip no larger than 20 sq km, the last fighters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are almost out of time. Since the start of the year, the Sri Lankan military has stepped up its campaign. Outgunned, they have fallen back to an area designated a "no-fire zone", where civilians were told to gather to escape the fighting. In the past week, more than 500 rebel fighters were reported killed
>> Full Story: Guardin.co.uk
Puerto Rico parasite for battle against piti makuna
The parasite to fight and control the mealybug or piti makuna that is wreaking havoc to local plants, fruits, and flowers is to be brought down from Puerto Rico after Avurudu, while the Agriculture Department steps up its efforts, supported by the weather gods, to curb this pest.While discussions were on between the Horticultural Crop Research and Development Institute and the American authorities to airlift the parasite, sources in the Agriculture Department were hopeful that the rainy weather will rein-in the spread of the epidemic.
Earlier there were plans to courier the parasite from Puerto Rico, but it would die within the seven days it takes to do so, institute director Dr. J. Soysa, said. “So we are hoping to airfreight it,” he said.
The dangerous mealybugs
As agro-chemical companies such as Hayleys and CIC set up help desks and joined forces with the Agriculture Department, The Sunday Times understands that many groups have been mobilized to fan out across the affected areas to battle the piti makuna.When asked why there seems to have been lethargy on the part of agriculture officers in combating this menace which was first reported in June last year, a source said the department got activated soon after the first reports came in that the destructive bug had come from South India.
“As there are mealybugs in the country, we needed confirmation that this was a new and invasive species. We were able to confirm this by August and set about controlling it. Then when the rains came last year, there was a natural reduction in the pest,” the source explained, adding that it emerged once again in January and February this year when the weather turned hot.
The department has been conducting massive awareness campaigns among the people and advising them on simple control methods and also working with the Provincial Councils in the affected areas. Agriculture Research and Development Officers, Grama Niladharis and Samurdhi Niyamakas have all been mobilized, the source explained. “We have also spread the message through the media.” Asked whether there was a help-desk, the source said that anyone who needed information about this menace could contact the department’s toll-free helpline 1920.
Other experts suggested to The Sunday Times that the department should get the assistance of local government bodies and professional pest control organizations to spray large trees affected by this pest.
>> Full Story
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Libya offers $ 500 million plus 100,000 jobs:
President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was on a three day official visit to Libya returned to the island yesterday.
During the visit he met Libyan Head of State Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Prime Minister Dr. Baghdadi Ali Al Mahmudi and other leaders. Besides the bilateral talks between the Sri Lankan delegation and the Libyan leaders President Rajapaksa also had a one-to-one meeting with Libyan Leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
During the visit two MoUs were signed between Sri Lanka and Libya on political consultation and on economic cooperation between the two countries. In addition, another MoU was signed between the Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce and its Libyan counterpart. Libya agreed to provide a financial co-operation package of US $ 500 million and 100, 000 job opportunities in Libya for Sri Lankans, mainly in construction, health services and information technology sectors.
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Libya open for Lankan businessmen
LTTEs waterloo
Maj. Weerasekara said that Theepan’s body which was found near a shrub indicated that he was injured a few days ago and the terrorists had been trying to take him out of the fighting.
“He was given blood and the two tubes were fixed to drain the blood caused due to internal bleeding. He was wearing an army shirt and a black trouser”, he said adding that the name Theepan was carved in the trouser belt and no tag hung around his neck.
The tracer lights continuously lit up the skies of the one square kilometre fierce battle front, indicating that the terrorists trapped in encircled land were trying 
to flee. The open ground and the jungle territory was half illuminated by moon light, and the shadows of terrorists was slightly visible. While the firing was going on continuously, the terrorists, who did not know that they were trapped from both ends, were trying to breakthrough from a short cut to the A-35 road leading to the No Fire Zone (NFZ), barely 2.5 kms from the point of fighting.
Though the troops were tired after days long non-stop fierce fighting in the encircled area, where the LTTE leader was hiding for months but fled just two days before the fighting erupted, the soldiers did not leave breathing space for the run 
away LTTE cadres. They attacked them from dawn to dusk. Last Saturday, after a continuous three-hour long battle, troops of 6 Gemunu Regiment of the Air Mobile Team under the directions of Lt. Col. Mohan Ratnayake, captured the entire encircled area - Anandapuram.
It was the end game for nearly a dozen of top rung LTTE leaders including females. Mislead, some recruited as child solders to the outfit, breathed their last helplessly after they were abandoned by their so-called leader, the `sun God’, who promised a separate land for them for decades.
“We found 19 bodies and a large amount of weapons,” said Major Nandana Weerasekara explaining the ground situation where they found a body with tubes and a cannula.
Theepan’s body
The body was LTTE’s military leader Theepan which was discovered after it was despatched to the camp.
Theepan, the ruthless terrorist was responsible for killing many soldiers in the Northern terrain. Initially, the terrorists, consisting of 600 cadres had planned to attack via A-35 to recapture Puthukkudiyiruppu (PDK). But the pre-monitoring foiled this as the troops of the Task Force 8, 58 and 53 Divisions had surrounded the terrorists from all directions, completely sealing off their supply routes in Puthumathalan.
>> Full Story
Oil exploration to commence in Q1
Central Bank has stressed the importance of continuing oil exploration in the Mannar basin despite the recent dip in international oil prices.
‘Cairns Lanka Ltd, the local subsidiary of Cairns India Ltd is to commence exploration activities during the first quarter of 2009,’ bank’s 2008 Annual Report stated.
The report added that progress was made in respect of oil exploration in the Mannar Basin in 2008.
‘The Ministry of Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development, called for bids from international oil companies for petroleum exploration in Blocks 2, 3 and 4 in the Mannar basin. Cairns India Ltd was selected as the successful tenderer and has been offered the licence for exploring oil in Block 2,’ the report stated.
The oil exploration project has been categorised into three phases. Phase one of the project has commenced in a 3300 km 2 area in the Mannar basin. It is learnt that it would take at least four years to obtain the first barrel of oil.
The programme of work will be in the block SL 2007-01-001 which is offshore North West Sri Lanka and covers approximately 3,000 square kilometres (km2) in water depths of 200 metres to 1800 metres in the Mannar basin.
Earlier in September 2008, the Board of Investment (BOI) and Cairn Lanka (Private) Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cairn India, signed an agreement for a commitment of an initial investment of more than US$110 million towards the exploration of hydrocarbons. (AR)
>> Full Story
Climate change impacts coconut - Coconut Rearch Center
There is a broad consensus that climate change is occurring, and that it is linked to a build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere enhancing the natural greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is, by far, the largest contributor to greenhouse effect. In addition to increased CO2, with climate changes, the plants have to adapt their ways to a new environment – in most cases warmer and possibly with the periods of extreme rainfall and drought.
As plantation researchers, we are mostly concerned about the changes in coconut yields by increased temperatures, precipitation differences and also from carbon fertilisation for plants. Whilst high temperature and long dry periods adversely affects the coconut yield, elevated CO2 positively affects plant productivity as the latter is a substrate for photosynthesis. The climate scientists predict future climates using different scenarios. However, projecting climate impacts is one thing, but plantation crops add multiple more dimensions of complexity – what are the sensitive stages of fruit development to stress condition, intensity of heat or drought stress, heat and drought tolerant coconut varieties, irrigation, soil moisture conservation, soil fertility and much more. In addition, the coconuts grown in different agro-climatic zones and different land suitability classes (There are five groups from very suitable to marginally suitable soils.) will respond differently to the climate change; some areas may be more vulnerable than the others. Therefore, one should understand that climatic change impacts on coconut sector are not a phenomenon controlled by a single factor.
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We will not allow LTTE to regroup
Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella is the most prominent in his role as government Defence Spokesman. With the military operation to capture the territory held by the LTTE nearly drawing to a close, the remaining issue is the rescuing of Tamil civilians trapped in the No Fire Zone. According to the Minister, the military is not in a hurry to move into the 20sq.km. stretch in order not to cause any harm to the civilians. He is quite confident that the LTTE will not be able to regroup militarily and there will be peace in Sri Lanka at least for a century or two. The Defence Spokesman also emphasised the necessity to make changes to the political system, in order to provide a lasting solution to the problem. Terming the Sri Lanka military the “best in the world,” the Minister is of the view that when it comes to discipline and commitment, they are the number one military in the world. Minister Rambukwella expressed these views in an interview with The Nation.
Following are excerpts:
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Charles Anthony, Swarnam escape to Malaysia?
Army Intelligence has unearthed information that the LTTE leader’s son Charles Anthony and military leader Swarnam have fled to Malaysia for medical treatment for wounds sustained during a clash with the security forces.
Army Intelligence has also revealed the disappearance of a submersible object which was kept berthed close to the schools in Pudumattlan, It is believed to be a submarine that was kept under cover.
The Security forces have inferred that the escape of Charles and Swarnam happened while the Navy was attacking ten LTTE boats that were going from Vellamullavaikkal to Kokilai with Therimban, Jeyam and other LTTE leaders on April 3 as a diversionary measure.
The LTTE is believed to be planning to establish their international network centre to be based in Malaysia, and the current posting of Major General Udaya Perera as the Deputy High Commissioner there has also been done with the motive of cracking this network.
>> Full Story
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