Sunday, 15 March 2009 07:06 PM 

Tamil civilians in Wanni are hostages of LTTE Tamil Tigers

Over 1,000 Tamil civilians who were forcefully held by the LTTE terrorists as their "Human Shield" reach government controlled area

Sri Lanka Army soldier helping a Tamil child (See details and photos)

Immediate medical services for those who escaped from LTTE's human shield (See details and photos)

News Video's

• Final War - Puthukkudiyirippu hospital liberated from LTTE - Mullaittivu, March 12, 2009- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6vQ-piA_CI
• Wanni Operation 13 th March 2009 -Puthukkudiyirippu Hospital - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFmguSxgrIQ
• Northern Battle front (English Version) 13 th March 2009 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tuxlhj9OQZs
• Puthukkudiyirippu hospital liberated from LTTE by Sri Lanka Army (English) 2009 Mar 12: listen to this.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TNS5OWREDQ
• Wanni Operations on 11th March 2009 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0shHPrXHOQ
• President says conspiracies to give oxygen to terrorists will be defeated 11-02-2009 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=229A89QASiI
• LTTE targets Islam devotees attending the national Milad at a Mosque - March 10, 2009 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go4fPNmGo0Q
• LTTE TERRORIST KILLS MUSLIMS AT Milad Festival - SRI LANKA 10/03/09 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWGopm7TgK0
• Deadly LTTE Suicide Attack In Sri Lanka - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu60mYaVwBU&NR=1
• SLAF jets blasting the Chalai earth bund built by the LTTE prior to the military onslaught
• SL Air Force Air Attack South of Mullaittivu and South of Chundikulam
  

Killing of Muslims

LTTE Tamil Tigers are systematically killing Muslims in Sri Lanka (see details of major massacre of Muslims at Akuressa, Muththur and Kaththankudi)

Media Release by SLUNA in Canada - Tamil Tiger Terrorists Carry Out Suicide Attack At Muslim Religious Festival - The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) also known as the Tamil Tigers who are today cornered in a tiny sliver of land of less than 40 sq. km. in the northeast of the island, have activated a sleeper cadre planted in the south of Sri Lanka to blow himself up at a festival to celebrate the birthday of the Holy Prophet Mohammed on March 10, 2009 in the town of Akuressa, causing the death of 15 civilians and injuring 46 others. The LTTE which has waged a terrorist insurgency for the past three decades is acting out its desperate end game to try and embroil another minority community to provoke a backlash by targeting the Muslims participating in an important religious event, in the hope of delaying their complete rout by the surrounding Sri Lankan troops who would have to put out other fires elsewhere.   Such reprehensible and outrageous acts of terrorism have been the hallmark of the Tamil Tigers, as they have previously killed hundreds of Muslims at prayer inside mosques in Kattankudy, and Eravur in August 1990, the same year that they evicted 90,000 long resident Muslims of the Jaffna peninsula giving them just 24 hours to leave taking with them the equivalent of $10.00 under threat of death to become refugees in the Puttalam area. The Sinhala residents of the eastern province too have been subjected to numerous ethnic cleansing massacres by bands of armed Tamil Tiger cadres both men and women wielding AK47 rifles and machetes to kill, decapitate men, women and children, and even bash infants heads on rocks and trees, with the aim of chasing the Sinhalese out of this region sought for their mythical, mono-ethnic, fascist separate state called “Eelam”. Buddhist places of worship have been targeted from as early as 1985, when they machine gunned 144 pilgrims engaged in meditation and other religious observances at the sacred Bodhi Tree in Anuradhapura, attacks in Aranthalawa killing 33 novice monks and subsequent truck bomb attack on the Sacred Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Even Catholic pilgrims to the Holy Madhu Church and Hindu Priests have been murdered by LTTE gunmen in their maniacal quest to control territory and to crush those Tamils regarded as dissidents to their dictatorial domination of the community in the capacity of the self-declared sole representative of the Tamils (Read full Media Release in SPUR).

The US Secretary of State in a telephone conversation with President Mahinda Rajapaksa acknowledged that Sri Lanka is on the verge of defeating terrorism and this presented a great opportunity to restore peace in the country leading to reconstruction and rehabilitation

LTTE Tamil Tiger suicide bomb at the national Milad Muslim Festival injures 46 including Govt. Minister and kills 15 civilians

(Read more details in SPUR)

Minister Mahinda Wijesekara Injured

Chronology of Suicide Bomb Attacks by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists in Sri Lanka

Secret agreement between the opportunist Rauf Hakeem and leader of the world deadliest terrorists group, Prabhakaran

Kaththankudu Muslim Mosque massacre of 175 Muslims by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists

Jaffna Red Onions & Crabs & Prawns Find Way into Colombo along A-9 -: JAFFNA red onions, beet roots, dry shrimps and delicious JAFFNA crabs and prawns, famed for their quality have found their way to Colombo markets once again after the first convoy of 22 lorries from JAFFNA reached Colombo along the A-9 JAFFNA-KANDY road Thursday (12) evening. The Colombo-bound convoy after its ceremonial start from the Government Food Store in NAVATKULI in JAFFNA Thursday (12) morning after an absence of two decades, reached ELEPHAT PASS at about 10.00 a.m. Leading business men in JAFFNA, according to Hindu traditions, garlanded the lorries carrying their inaugural harvest to Colombo before the fleet left the NAVATKULI store. A total of 48,250 kg of fresh red onions, 1318 kg of beet root, 4750 kg of crabs and prawns and 5750 kg of dry shrimps and prawns on those 22 vehicles were received on the way at ELEPHANT PASS, OMANTHAI and MEDAVACHCHIYA before the fleet completed the rest of its historic mission towards COLOMBO. Those consignments are to be distributed through Government Cooperative stores and CWE stalls after stocks were received by the government warehouse in WELISARA. The same convoy on 10th March 2009 reached JAFFNA with a consignment of various food items, taken from COLOMBO. That stock contained 100 MT of dhal, 100 MT of sugar, 70 MT of vegetable oil, 60 boxes of orange, 132 boxes of pineapple, 97 boxes of apple, 10 boxes of grapes, 7 boxes of ginger and 10 boxes of mandarin orange. District secretary for JAFFNA Mr. K.GANESH on Tuesday (10) received those stocks during a brief ceremony at NAVATKULI. Army troops who escorted the convoy to JAFFNA handed over documents, connected to the delivery of those stocks to Mr. GANESH. A representative gathering of JAFFNA businessmen also witnessed the delivery (Full report in Media Centre for National security).

SCOPP Secretary General responds to comments by NGOs - Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat and Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, intervened in response to comments by non-Governmental Organisations in the Interactive Dialogue at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva yesterday. His remarks are carried below.  Sri Lanka is grateful to the Asian Legal Resource Centre for giving it the opportunity to clarify a misconception about our engagement with the Working Group on Disappearances. A loose reading of his printed text by the ALRC Spokesman gave the impression that we were ignoring over 5,000 cases of disappearances. In fact, as ALRC knows well, and as the graphics of the Working Group make clear, the vast majority of these cases related to the period 1989 and 1990.  Sri Lanka managed to clarify about half the cases reported for that period just before the introduction of the Ceasefire Agreement, through the sterling work of REPIA, the authority set up for rehabilitation purposes. Unfortunately the government that signed the Ceasefire Agreement abolished REPIA, for reasons that the ALRC may be familiar with, and the programme that had been set up for this purpose then broke down. This government has, with the support of the Office of the High Commissioner, developed a mechanism to go into the backlog, and we hope to deal with most of those cases in the next few months.  More vital for our ongoing commitment to Human Rights are the recent cases, and in this regard it was unfortunate that our reports on the 32 urgent cases sent to us in the first few months of last year, though prepared in early September, did not reach the Working Group until December. Though the Report seems to have been finalised after the meeting of the Working Group in November, we once again request the Working Group to report at least in an Appendix that we did reply last year, while accepting fully that it was our fault that the report reached the Working Group three months later than it should have (Full report in SCOPP).

Challenging nominations to Constitutional Council – Part I - The nominations of Justice C. V. Wigneswaran and the Colombo University academic Jayadeva Uyangoda to the Constitutional Council raise serious doubts and questions about their eligibility and their commitment to fulfil their roles as members of the Council with integrity. The Council is a latter day addition to the Constitution, introduced in the form of the 17th Amendment. Like all amendments the 17th Amendments was introduced to refine the Constitution and not to alter its fundamentals. Now the unwritten law of any constitution is that no individual can legitimately play an active role in any branch of the Constitution if that individual does not subscribe to the fundamentals enshrined in the constitution. In other words, Osama bin Laden cannot be appointed to any branch of the Constitution of the United States, even if he has the necessary qualifications, because he is ideologically and politically opposed the fundamentals laid down in the American Constitution. Ideological compatibility (as opposed to unquestioning conformity) and commitment to shared values of the people, from which the constitution derives its sovereignty, are a sine qua non for any appointee to function with integrity without raising any suspicion to actions following the appointment (Full report in Sri Lanka Guardian).

SCOPP Secretary General intervenes in debate with United Nations Special Rapporteurs - Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat and Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, spoke in the Interactive Dialogue on the Reports of Special Rapporteurs in Geneva yesterday. His comments are carried below.  Sri Lanka thanks the Special Rapporteurs who spoke this morning for their reports on two important areas. We still remember the visit of the Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion, and confirm that, as the only country in the world that has substantial proportions of its population belonging to four major religions of the world, we will continue to affirm pluralism and tolerance in this regard. The tragic occurrence yesterday at a mosque, where terrorism took the lives of people of different religions, shows that we need always to be on guard against forces that abhor the broadminded ecumenicalism that we strive to promote. With regard to the Report on the situation of Human Rights Defenders, we deplore a confusion that takes away from the very real dangers that could threaten such defenders. Though the Rapporteur did not refer to Sri Lanka in her presentation, the Report itself mentions Sri Lanka several times, and one of these instances was also the subject of an intervention by the Czech Republic. Significantly, this was the reference that seemed to us irrelevant, since it seems to privilege irresponsibility and a lack of transparency that we have found especially worrying in the context of inadequate safeguards against the funding of terrorism and terrorist related activities (Full report in SCOPP).

They Beat Them Further & Collect Weaponry - MULLAITTIVU: TROOPS of the 53, 58 Divisions and Task Force-VIII, penetrating further into Tiger strongholds in PUTHUKUDIYIRUPPU east intensified their assaults on remaining Tigers Thursday (12) while eliminating scores of Tigers. Search operations that pursued after clashes found two dead bodies, one RPG (Rocket Propeller Gun), fifteen T-56 weapons, one T-81 weapon, one Multi Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG) and two I-com sets from PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU area. During the same day, 59 Division troops found one 81mm Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and one hand grenade from MULLAITTIVU area. Meanwhile, one shot gun, four hand grenades and one electric mine were uncovered by Task Forces II, V and VI from the general areas of KOKAVIL and he southeast of POONERYN Thursday (12) (Sri Lanka Army).

Retiring the LTTE - For more than three decades, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eeelam (LTTE) has been endeavoring to weaken the democratically elected government in Sri Lanka. They have primarily used adroit terror and propaganda campaigns interspersed with political negotiation. During the history of its campaign, the LTTE has not displayed any keen, sincere interest in settling the conflict through political negotiations. The apparent reason behind this could be their firm belief in carving an independent state for the Tamils in Sri Lanka through military means. It used the negotiation table mostly to buy time, regroup, and rearm. Yet, its failure or rejection to sit at the negotiation table with firm commitments and sincerity is the gravest mistake the LTTE has ever made. Consequently, it has been paying the price for its failed militaristic approach towards the conflict. The LTTE, which started its campaign as a small vanguard movement of the Tamil insurgency, later developed into a powerful and highly structured terrorist organization with international offices. Over the years, it secured support for its activities from the Tamil community and others. One of the compelling reasons behind the persistence of support for and the attraction of international Tamils towards the LTTE has been the ability of its leader to ensure absolute authority over every aspect of the organization with high discipline and strict control over cadres. Some contend that the support for the activities of the LTTE is a function of pervasive unhappiness with some aspects of the policies of the Sri Lankan government toward genuine grievances of the Tamil community. According to others, a combination of social, political, and economic ills afflicting the Tamils could be the main reasons (Full report in Sri Lanka Guardian).

LTTE loosing its last stand; continue to take heavy beating - Puthukkudiyiruppu - Sri Lanka Army 53, 55 and 58 Divisions, have now entered into the final phase of the counter terrorist offensive against LTTE with soldiers getting exceptional attrition rates in the battle. According to the battlefield reports, infantrymen of 58 Division yesterday (Mar 12) further pushed their forward boundaries east of Kombavil Kulam, 4 Km north of Puthukkudiyiruppu. Troops overwhelmed intense resistance of the terrorist with heavy artillery and mortar shells fired from the No Fire Zone and inflicted heavy damages to the terrorist. Troops after 5 hours of intense fighting since 10, last morning found 11 bodies of LTTE terrorists , 17 T-56 riffles, 7 radio communication sets, 40 hand grenades, and one gas mask . Soldiers of 7 Sinha Regiment, 11 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (11 SLLI), 10 SLLI, 8 Gajaba Regiment (8 GR), 20 GR, 12 GR and 9 Gemunu Watch fought the battle. Separately, troops of the same Division found 3 bodies of LTTE cadres, 9 T-56 riffles, and few electronic items during evening hours following a confrontation elsewhere. Snipers deployed in forward areas reported 13 terrorist targets acquired (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

The Return of Gareth Evans, the Resurrection of Terror - Once again the International Crisis Group has pronounced on Sri Lanka, bang on cue after the other usual suspects. Most negative of these was Human Rights Watch, which is a specialist, along with ICG, in purporting to be balanced. In fact they both persist in treating an elected government on a par with the terrorists they thus privilege.  Both of them specialise in being economical with the truth, most notably by being extravagant about numbers. They also seem unduly wary of anyone who can correct their mistakes. Human Rights Watch has failed to respond to my rebuttals of their claims and most recently, despite what seemed initial enthusiasm on the part of their Director, refused to meet me in Geneva. International Crisis Group, in the form of its presiding genius Gareth Evans, failed to answer in 2007 to my detailed refutation of his suggestion that Sri Lanka was ripe for his own version of the doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect.  When I met him late last year in Geneva, he affected surprise when I told him he had not responded. Neither he nor his sidekick in Colombo, Alan Keenan, has since responded to my reminders. This is perhaps understandable since Gareth actually said that he realised I was a difficult person to engage with. In short, when they come across someone who knows more about a situation than they do, they run away - though I hope that that is not the reason for Gareth finally deciding to call it a day and leave ICG and his perverse patronising version of the doctrine he was instrumental in developing (Full report in SCOPP).

‘President is no fool’- By L. Jayasooriya - In a news item on the JVP ‘The Island’ on March 3 named the members of the committee the President has appointed to expedite implementation of the 13th amendment which would seal us as a client state of India or a colony, whichever phrase one would like to use. Let the people know what these names are. They are as follows: Douglas Devananda; Rajitha Senaratne; Dilan Perera; Tissa Vitharana; DEW Gunasekera; Reginold Cooray; And last but not least, Kumar Rupasinghe. To use language that has a chance of this getting published I have to say and I must say that more than two-thirds of the bulk of the UPFA supporters do not have one single red cent of an iota of faith in any one of the above names. Those must be the names recommended to MR by those within the government who want to destroy the government that MR has built up that no one can match. MR, the only man with a vision and who can see through others complied in the knowledge that time will look after itself (Island).

London Kills Me - A few years ago Hanif Kureishi made a film with the above title. It was not a success, unlike his two previous films which were sharply critical of Asian communities in Britain. The third film may not have been so good, but it also struck me at the time that perhaps the British establishment was not quite so happy about the English being at the butt end of criticism - at least by an Asian, though a British director might have got away with it. The title of the film came to mind last week, when it seemed that the Tigers were making their last stand in London as well as on the beaches north of Mullaitivu. Sri Lanka was the victim of a series of blows that were doubtless intended to knock us out during the meeting in Geneva of the Human Rights Council, at which we were told some European countries were attempting to arrange a special session on Sri Lanka. Not entirely coincidentally, these blows originated in London, beginning with the BBC misquoting the ICRC and then Bishop Tutu leading a group of swans onto that most prestigious of stages, the London Times. Last year there had been an attempt, led by the hugely entertaining then British Ambassador in Geneva, Nick Thorne, to have a motion on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council. This was avoided, largely because of the efforts of our own ambassador, Dayan Jayatilleka, as Thorne indicated in telling me that our ambassador thought he had won - but Thorne also added that we should wait and see. His replacement however struck me as a much calmer sort of man, much less competitive, Peter Hayes to Dominic Chilcott perhaps. At the same time one should not forget, as I was gently reminded by yet another British official, that they all represent the same policy, as expressed by the Foreign Secretary, who has been as avuncular to both Sri Lanka and India as only a bright young Oxonian could be (Full report in SCOPP).

EU MPS CONDEMN LTTE - Members of the European Parliament yesterday adopted a resolution “condemning the LTTE’s violence and intimidation which are preventing civilians from leaving the conflict area”, and “callings for an immediate ceasefire by the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE in order to allow the civilian population to leave the combat zone”. In a debate at the European Parliament held in Strasbourg on Wednesday night, British Conservative MEP and Chairman of the ‘Friends of Sri Lanka Group’ Geoffrey van Orden told Parliament that “the LTTE is now in a desperate end game and, typically in such situations, is turning to international apologists to get it off the hook. Referring suggestions to water down the statement in favour of the LTTE, Van Orden said: “We cannot support amendments to the resolution before us based on unattributable and often nonsensical allegations or selective quotation from one NGO report. And we have no good reason to dispute the Government’s firm assertion that its troops have not fired on no-fire zones and nor will they”. He added: “The greatest service all in this House can do is call on the LTTE to lay down its arms and to release the civil population from its grip. Then much-needed humanitarian aid can be delivered, people can begin to look forward to better lives, and all Sri Lankans can get back on the path of democratic politics and building a fair and more prosperous society for all its citizens, free from terrorist oppression”. British Conservative MEP and Conservative Foreign Affairs Spokesman Charles Tannock said “we should be resolute in our support for President Rajapaksa and his efforts to end an insurgency that has brought untold human misery to Sri Lanka and severely retarded economic development on that beautiful island (Full report in Daily News).

LTTE plot for mass scale chemical attack bared - Defence

Sri Lankan soldiers of Army 57 Division on Tuesday, the 5th of March found a large stock of gas masks and chemical resistant costumes from a captured LTTE camp in Udayarkattukulam North. According to the defence experts' view, the discovery exposes a possible terrorist plot for a mass scaled chemical attack against Sri Lankan soldiers. The LTTE terrorists have been using chemical gases against Sri Lanka Army during last two years of battle. However, the inherent limitations of the chemical weapons failed to give the intended impact on the battlefield with soldiers well prepared to meet a chemical threat. The experts are of the opinion that the chemical resistant costumes which are indeed used in a much close quarter attack would have been intended for a direct assault supported by chemical weapons. Earlier, the tactic used by the terrorist was to fire gas canisters at the soldiers using indirect weapons than direct weapons. According to the defence sources, there were 16 chemical resistant costumes, and 17 gas masks in the stock. Using chemical weapons is banned by the international law of war and considered to be a war crime. The types of armoury found from the liberated areas of Wanni in recent times expose the great disaster that Sri Lanka as a nation has been heading since the 2002 ceasefire. The LTTE had been allowed to import aircraft, heavy artillery, high tech communication equipment, chemical weapons, etc during the ostensible peace cherished by the shortsighted political leaders of this country (Full report in Lanka web).

LTTE: missteps, misdeeds, and 33 years later - What do you think the main difference between the operational realities between current Eelam War and the IPKF conducted war against the LTTE? There is no comparison between the two situations except that we were fighting the same opponent. Indian army was fighting for an objective that was not clear in a foreign country. India's goals had international influence. So it was primarily not a war against the LTTE or Sri Lanka. The war was thrust upon the army by political leadership who could not think through the problem. So our war did not enjoy broad political support in the home country and courted a lot of suspicion in Sri Lanka. In fact, the Indian operation in Sri Lanka became a victim of the political divide among three major political entities - a waning Congress, a rising BJP in league with other opposition groups, and rising regional satraps who had no common agenda on Sri Lanka. It finally led to the establishment coalition politics in New Delhi giving a big clout to the regional parties in national mainstream that continues to this day (Full letter in Sri Lanka Guardian).

‘The umpiring trio must join battle against terrorism’ - by Malin Abeyatunge, Melbourne, Australia - As usual, the steam has faded down off the Lahore attack but the whole world is eagerly waiting to know the perpetrators and bring them to justice for the brutal attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, the independent foreign umpires and killing eight others, including six policemen who provided a security convoy for them. The Australian umpires, Simon Taufel, Steve Davis and English umpire Chris Broad criticised the Pakistani government for the lack of security. Chris Broad was so critical of Pakistani security and said that they were "sitting ducks" to the bullets that came from the terrorists. We trust that just as much as the Sri Lankan team, including the Australian coach Trevor Bayliss, the three umpires would be able to deal with the traumas of the aftermath of the terrorist attack courageously (Full letter in Island).

SLMIC (UK) Condemns the LTTE suicide attacks - 'We, the Sri Lankan Muslim Information Centre UK condemn the suicide attack of the LTTE terrorist, on those who gathered to celebrate the Milad-un-Nabi Muslim Festival marking the birthday of the Holy Prophet Mohammed, at the Godapitiya Jumma mosque in Akuressa Godapitiya, around 10 a.m on the 10th of March 2009,' the SLMIC(UK) said in a press statement. According to the statement, "the Muslims from the North, East and the North Central provinces have been subjected to the LTTE’s wide spread genocidal activities since 1990. It is on record that the LTTE has constantly attacked the worshippers at the Hijar Mosque, Oddamavadi,; Jairiya Mosque , Sammanthurai ; Meeraniya Jumma Mosque and Hussainiya Mosque, Kattankudy; Akkaraipattu Mosque and killed hundreds of Muslims including children, and this heinous act of terror on those who gathered to mark a religious occasion will be another addendum to the LTTE terrorism against the Muslims of Sri Lanka." "We express our deep sympathies and condolences to the families who grieve the loss of their loved ones whilst praying for the speedy recovery of those who were injured in this barbaric suicide attack. "We also urge all the Sri Lankans to unite irrespective of their religion, race and ethnicity to eliminate the LTTE terrorism in Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Guardian).

LTTE terrorism has not spared any ethnic community with it’s barbarism : Anura Yapa - Government spokesman, Information and Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said 412 people have died due to terrorist attacks on sacred places by the LTTE since the Sri Maha Bodhi massacre on May 14, 1985 ending with the Jumma Mosque attack on Tuesday at Godapitiya, Akuressa. Condemning the attack unequivocally he said the barbarism of the LTTE has not spared any religious or ethnic group in the country. “They have desecrated all sacred places of Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians in their trail of destruction and mayhem in the last 30 years. They have massacred religious and political leaders and thousands of civilians belonging to all ethnic groups in Sri Lanka,” he recalled. Commenting on Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s alleged statement that the government is seeking a US$ 1.9 billion loan from the IMF because the economy is in the doldrums, Minister Yapa said the country’s economy would have been in serious trouble if the government did not abandon the neo-liberal economic policies of the Ranil Wickremesinghe regime. The 2001 UNP administration considered the private sector the ‘Engine of Growth’. Under this policy the state sector was discouraged and state commercial ventures were sold. Recruitment to the public sector was terminated by a Finance Ministry circular. Private investment and management were encouraged and state management and investment discouraged, Minister Yapa said. The Mahinda Rajapaksa regime however considers both the state and private sectors as equal ‘Engine of Growth’ and wants both sectors to develop and prosper equally, he emphasized. “We have pinned our hopes on a mixed economic policy that encourages cultivation of all agricultural products that can be grown in the country and provides all possible assistance to state and private sector commercial and industrial ventures based on ‘Mahinda Chintana’ which has proved to be a success (Daily Mirror).

Has LTTE executed its military spokesman? - he LTTE may have killed their high-profile military spokesman on charges of being a "traitor" when they began suffering heavily early this year, Tamil sources say. Speculation that Irasiah Ilanthirayan alias Marshall has been executed has been doing the rounds of Tamil circles for around a month. The sources now say that he could have been done away with in January. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has not commented on the whereabouts of Ilanthirayan or his fate. There have been no references to him for some months in the media sympathetic to the LTTE. Ilanthirayan, who was adept in English and Tamil, was based in the LTTE territory in Sri Lanka's north when Colombo started a major offensive from late 2008, forcing the Tigers to cede land they had held for long years. According to the Tamil activists who spoke to IANS from Sri Lanka, Ilanthirayan was accused of being linked to the Sri Lankan intelligence and of plotting against the LTTE. The LTTE intelligence wing would have carried out his execution, the sources say. In the ultra-secretive LTTE, Ilanthirayan emerged as a valuable media source from August 2006 as fighting escalated between the military and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka's eastern province. Proactive by nature, he interacted with journalists in Sri Lanka and abroad, at times making friendly and informal telephone calls too. Ilanthirayan also kept in touch with MPs from the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA). None of the MPs have heard from him for months. Although he was supposed to deal only with military matters, he took questions from journalists on other issues as well. He could be contacted on telephone as well as email. It was Ilanthirayan who announced the appointment of B. Nadesan as the LTTE's political head in November 2007 after incumbent S.P. Tamilchelvan died in a stunning Sri Lankan air raid. His last major public statement was made in May 2008 when he claimed the death of 30 Sri Lankan soldiers and the capture of weapons from the military following heavy fighting in Mannar. If reports about Ilanthirayan's execution are true, then he must be the most high profile LTTE personality to be purged violently within, following a string of killings in the wake of the split in the Tigers in March-April 2004. Since its formation in 1976, the LTTE has killed a large number of Tamils it has accused of betraying its cause. In August 1993, the LTTE arrested its then number two, known as Mahattaya, and many of his supporters on charges of being Indian spies. He was executed in December 1994. Paranoid about infiltration into its ranks, the LTTE does not take kindly to unauthorised contacts by its members with outsiders. Even those allowed to interact with the outside world are closely monitored. Any act, seen as treachery by the LTTE, is neither forgotten nor forgiven (Full report in Daily Mirror).

Puthukuduyiruppu hospital captured Tigers remove equipment - The Security Forces engaged in the last phase of the Vanni battle had taken control of Puthukuduyiruppu hospital which the Tigers had used as a hideout before they fled, unable to resist the advancing troops. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanaya-kkara said troops of the 53 division and Task Force VIII continuing their offensive in the Puthukuduyiruppu front have overrun LTTE defence lines amidst stiff resistance put on by the Tigers and captured the Puthukuduyiruppu hospital. The Puthukudu- yiruppu hospital which was occupied by the LTTE was empty when troops took control. “The LTTE terrorists have removed hospital equipment before fleeing the area,” he added. The LTTE cadres used the Puthukuduyiruppu hospital premises as a major hideout and clinic for their wounded cadres since the fall of Mullaitivu town on January 25. Troops are conducting search operations in the area (Full report in Daily News).

LTTE prays for BJP victory in India - By Janaka Perera - The much vaunted international crusade against terrorism loudly proclaimed by big powers appears to be more rhetoric than action when it comes to their self interest. JHU (National Heritage Party) Parliamentarian Venerable Athureliye Ratana made this observation this week during a television debate on the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan. His comments on the TNL channel came a day before a LTTE suicide bomber struck at the Jumma mosque at Godapitiya, Akurassa, in the Matara district during the national Milad-Un-Nabi celebration, on Tuesday March 10. Venerable Ratana noted that India - which reiterated its stand against terrorism after the Mumbai attack - is still sending mixed signals when it comes to Sri Lanka’s crisis. Here it is apparent that domestic political considerations are more important to Delhi than opposing terrorism, especially with elections round the corner, he said. His views largely echoed those of Professor Nalin de Silva who observes that internationally Sri Lanka has two groups hostile to her national interests - one is in the West led by Britain. Norway is only a cat’s paw. The other comprises only of one country – India. The problem with the latter according to the professor is that in addition to the Delhi Government she has two more ‘regimes’ – the Indian Foreign Service and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) which assumed a powerful status in formulating India’s domestic and foreign policies since its formation in 1968. Both of these are opposed to Sri Lanka sovereignty in the true sense of the term. They are determined to keep this island in the Indian orbit (Full report in Asian Tribune).

Kandy Bishop satisfied with IDP facilities - Sri Lanka Catholic Bishops Conference Chairman and Kandy Bishop Rev. Vianney Fernando said he was happy with the facilities provided to displaced families who have crossed over to Government-controlled areas. “The Government has treated all alike,” he said after concluding his goodwill visit to Menikfarm Welfare Centre, Settikulam where displaced families are housed. The Bishop and his entourage were welcomed by Vavuniya Government Agent G.S.M. Charles at the welfare camp. They inspected the camp and saw the facilities provided to the displaced families. About 88,000 displaced persons who have crossed over to the liberated areas, have been housed in 14 welfare centres where food, health and other welfare facilities have been provided. In addition, Vocational Training Courses and self-employment projects have been provided for the youth. A school and a pre-school have been set-up for the children (Full report in Daily News).

Karuna’s office in Samanthurai attacked - An office run by cadres loyal to Minister Karuna Amman was attacked in Samanthurai, Ampara early this morning. Four people were killed in the attack. Police say they have launched an investigation over the incident (Full report in Daily Mirror).

Sinister designs on Sri Lanka - By Dimuth Gunawardena - "By attacking something your enemy holds dear he can be forced to surrender to your will" - Art of War-Sun Tzu - Much has been said about the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore and the basic details are common knowledge. The “who” and “why” are not clear yet, but what is generally accepted is that there were serious security lapses on the part of Pakistan, especially in terms of security guarantees and undertaking given by the PCB prior to the tour. Pakistan probably realises that such lapses only gives ammunition to its archrival India and of course the USA in whose interest (more than anyone else’s) it is to portray that country as being blown apart by terrorism. Interestingly, and indeed commendably, neither Pakistan nor Sri Lanka engaged in any immature blame game like what happened in the aftermath of the 11/26 attack on Mumbai. Neither the Sri Lankan people nor the Sri Lankan media made a Bollywood spectacle of the Lahore attack. There was no mass hysteria. That’s a kind of political maturity that the Indian masses and mass media are yet to attain, one is forced to observe. Such a course of action would have only serves the interests of the terrorists. On the contrary, Sri Lanka, very responsibly condemned those in the world media baying for Pakistan’s blood in its hour of greatest need, even as carefully ‘placed’ video camera footage and stories planted in the press in foreign capitals sought to play into the hands of the terrorists. To put ‘Mumbai’, ‘Lahore’ and of course, the countless such terrorist attacks that Sri Lanka has suffered at the hands of the LTTE in it’s proper context, an analysis of the Lahore attack in depth in a geo political sense is essential (Full report in Asian Tribune).

Canadian liberal party MP in hot water for participating in LTTE terrorist rally - By: Walter Jayawardhana - Making a statement a Liberal Party Member of the Canadian parliament has reassured that he is no way connected with the LTTE terrorist group. He made this statement after attending a Parliament Hill rally where some LTTE supporters started waving Tiger flags and making pro-Tiger statements at the rally. The MP had been criticized by others for taking part in the rally in support of a banned terrorist group. The Liberal Party Member of Parliament Gurbax Malhi of Canada has expressed his regret publicly for being misunderstood for attending a rally where some participants have been waving the Leaping Tiger flags of the banned terrorist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). In a March 11 statement published in his website he said, "There is no excuse for terrorism and attacks on civilians, and the world has to show its concern for the protection of the civilian population," in obvious reference to the LTTE terrorist group. The Mississauga News , a largely circulated community news paper said he was defending his attendance at a Parliament Hill rally last Thursday (March 5) in which some participants carried flags and made statements supporting the Tamil Tigers. He said he participated in the rally not in support of the said group but for some other peaceful purpose (Full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry)..

Landmass under LTTE is little over 20sq km- Gota - Although it is said that the area that is now under control of the LTTE 35sq km, it is a little over 20sq km once the lagoon area is removed, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said at the launch of the website of JHU legal adviser Udaya Gammanpila (Daily Mirror).

Puthukkudiyirippu hospital liberated from LTTE - Mullaittivu

Last Updated: Thursday, March 12, 2009 Published: Thursday, March 12, 2009 News Source: SinhalaNet®[COLOMBO, SinhalaNet 2009.03.12 11:25PM] - Sri Lankan Army soldiers of the 53 Division and Task Force 8 entered the Puthukkudiyirippu Hospital premises today (March 12) morning, driving away LTTE terrorists who had turned the hospital into a major LTTE hideout since the fall of Mullaittivu town on 25th January. The hospital was entirely turned into a terror bastion and its perimeter used as an artillery and heavy mortar launching pad against the advancing security forces. Patients who were receiving treatment were evacuated earlier by the ICRC to government hospitals at Vavuniya and Trincomalee via land and sea route. Terrorist put-on heavy resistance prolonging military from entering the Puthukkudiyirippu hospital with intense gunfire and heavy weapon attacks launched from inside the hospital premises. At least a dozen terrorists were killed during today's confrontations that ensued since early morning between troops and LTTE, security sources said. Subsequently, troops have found 7 LTTE bodies, 13 T-56 assault riffles, 6 radio sets(PRC-77) , 6 low-band PRC-77 radio sets, 2 I-com sets, 13 walkie-talkies and similar number of antennas. According to ground sources, one of the antennas found could be raised over 100ft at full length. LTTE terrorists have taken all medical equipment while destroying its buildings, operation theaters and vehicles including ambulances. LTTE have removed tyres of the ambulances and burnt medicines and vaccines before fleeing from the hospital premises, security sources said. The entire hospital was used as an LTTE command and battle co-ordination center the sources further added. Search and mop-up operations are continuing in the area (View more photos on SinhalaNet)

Lanka seizes hospital from rebels Troops kill 12 more rebels - The Sri Lankan army yesterday seized the last remaining medical facility held by separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in the north of the island and killed 12 rebels in fighting, a military official said. Military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said the troops took the facility near Puthukkudiyiruppu after launching an operation Wednesday. "We took complete control this morning," he told The Associated Press. "The hospital building was intact, but we are not sure about any of the equipment." There was fighting during the operation, Nanayakkara said, but no confirmation yet on casualties on either side. In early February, more than 300 patients were forced to flee the hospital because of fighting. Security forces captured more territory in northeastern Sri Lanka after heavy fighting that killed at least 12 rebels, the military said Thursday. Troops took control of the abandoned Puthukkudiriruppu hospital following Wednesday's clashes, a military official said. "At least a dozen LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) terrorists were killed and 24 injured," he said adding that an unspecified number of government soldiers were also wounded (From Daily Star)

LTTE air craft spare parts, accessories sized at Ampalavanpkkanai- Mullaittivu
[COLOMBO, SinhalaNet 2009.03.12 10:24PM] - Sri Lankan Army 18(GR) Gajaba Regiment infantrymen of the 58 Division, conducting search and clearing operations in general area Ampalavanpokkanai, North of Mullaittivu uncovered spare parts of LTTE air craft yesterday (March 11). According to ground military sources, the spare parts were found concealed and hidden inside oil barrels which were unearthed by the troops. Air craft tyres, batteries, engine parts, direction lights and several others accessories were among the items uncovered, security sources said. Meanwhile, defence observers are of the view that prompt investigations would lead to netting the perpetrators who had been behind masterminding the logistic supply and financing for the LTTE terrorists locally and abroad. "This is something that Sri Lankan need urgent international cooperation. The INTERPOL and all other international counter-terrorist investigation circles must work hand in hand with Sri Lanka immediately to identify the sources, dealers and agents of the global terrorist network (View photos on SinhalaNet)

LTTE plot for mass scale chemical attack bared -  Sri Lankan soldiers of Army 57 Division on Tuesday, the 5th of March found a large stock of gas masks and chemical resistant costumes from a captured LTTE camp in Udayarkattukulam North. According to defence experts , the discovery exposes a possible terrorist plot for a mass scale chemical attack against Sri Lankan soldiers. The LTTE terrorists have been using chemical gases against the Sri Lanka Army the past last two years of battle. However, the inherent limitations of the chemical weapon failed to give the intended impact on the battlefield with soldiers well prepared to meet a chemical threat. These experts are of the opinion that the chemical resistant costumes which are indeed used in very close quarter attacks would have been intended for a direct assault supported by chemical weapons. Earlier, the tactic used by the terrorists was to fire gas canisters at the soldiers using indirect weapons than direct weapons. According to the defence sources, there were 16 chemical resistant costumes, and 17 gas masks in the stock. Using chemical weapons is banned by international law of war and considered to be a war crime. The types of armoury found from the liberated areas of Wanni in recent times expose the great disaster that Sri Lanka as a nation has been heading towards since the 2002 ceasefire. The LTTE had been allowed to import aircraft, heavy artillery, high tech communication equipment, chemical weapons, etc during the ostensible peace cherished by the shortsighted political leaders of this country (Full report in Defence)

UN condemns diversification of Children's food to LTTE terrorists as combat rations
 (By: Walter Jayawardhana)

The United Nations have condemned the diversion of therapeutic high energy food meant for malnourished children to the to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Tigers (LTTE) terrorists currently fighting the Sri Lankan security forces in the North. A statement issued by the United Nations, March 11, said that the UN food supplied to malnourished children was found with a dead LTTE terrorist who was killed at the front. The food found in the possession of the dead LTTE terrorist was in fact issued for the ill-nourished children of Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu, the UN statement charged. "The UN deplores that such life-saving items, destined for severely malnourished children, were diverted from their intended purpose," a statement issued by the UN Sri Lanka office said. The United Nations office identified the high energy food found in the possession of the LTTE as BP-100 and had come from the stocks supplied to the government health authorities in Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu. "The last shipment of BP-100 was sent with all due government authorizations by the UN Children's Fund [UNICEF] to the Ministry of Health Regional Directors of Health Services in Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu in June 2007, for the treatment of severely malnourished children in those districts." (Full report in Defence)

'If there is any genocide in Sri Lanka it is by the LTTE' says Lord Naseby- (By: Walter Jayawardhana) Lord Naseby, Conservative Peer and Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group on Sri Lanka said on Wednesday(March 11), if there is any genocide in Sri Lanka it is by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who hold civilian Tamils by force as a human shield in the war. "This talk about genocide is rubbish. The only people who are causing genocide are the LTTE who are holding the civilians as a human shield," he said when a LTTE propagandist in the audience charged the Sri Lanka government of genocide. Lord Naseby was referring to the Tamil civilians who are being held against their will as a human shield in the current war by the LTTE and who are being shot at by the LTTE when they attempt to escape on foot and by boat. The British House of Lords member made this public statement, at a Forum discussion recorded in front of an audience , mostly consisting of British Tamil Forum members , at a studio in the Media House in Central London and broadcast by Press TV of Iran. A sympathetic labour member of Parliament to the Tamil movement in London, Jeremy Corbyn was the moderator of the show. Labour Party Member of European Parliament Robert Evans, Suren Surendiran a spokesman of the LTTE front organization, the British Tamil Forum and Douglas Wickramaratne , President of the Sinhala Association of London were the other members of the discussion panel (Full letter in Defence)

Jaffna Bishop silent on his wife’s letter - Mr HLD Mahindapala - The latest attempt to stop the military offensive is to propagate a campaign alleging “genocide” of the Tamils by the Security Forces. While Ronald Buerk, the BBC correspondent dismissed the charge of “genocide” on BBC’s Asia network as “an expression going too far” Dr. (Mrs.) Thaya Thiagarajah, wife of Rt. Rev. Dr. Daniel S. Thiagrajah, Bishop of the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South . India , is circulating letters alleging “genocide”. I questioned the Bishop on his wife’s letter asking him whether he can substantiate his wife’s allegation. In my e-mail to him I stated: “Tamil leaders are on record saying that Prabhakaran has killed more Tamils than all the other forces put together. So who is committing “genocide”? Who is c au sing the displacement of the Tamil people? Who displaced the Muslims and the Sinhalese from Jaffna ? …….When the options are open for Prabhakaran to stop this war (it was possible under Indo-Sri Lankan Agreement, the CFA and even now) why are others blamed for Prabhakaran’s arrogant intransigence? “ Despite a reminder the Bishop has responded with a stony silence (Please read full letter)

Northern Sri Lanka harvest reaches Colombo by road  - Thursday, March 12, 2009, 16:43 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka. Mar 12, Colombo:  Making a milestone in Sri Lanka history the first harvest stock from the North reached Colombo this evening by road in nearly 22 years. Reportedly 20 trucks carried harvest from North, especially from Jaffna on A-9 Jaffna-Kandy highway from the government food stores at Navatkuli to the CWE Stores Complex in Welisara. Prawns, lobsters, red onions, dry fish, and fresh vegetables were the main items transported from North, sources said. A total of 48,250 kg of fresh red onions, 1,318 kg of beet root, 4,750 kg of crabs and prawns and 5,750 kg of dry shrimps and prawns had been brought in these lorries. Those consignments are to be distributed through Government Cooperative stores and Ceylon Wholesale Establishment (CWE) stalls after stocks were received by the government warehouse in Welisara. , It is now possible to transport the agricultural produce of Jaffna to Colombo on the A-9. Sri Lanka government hopes to continue this process aiming to reduce the prices in Southern market and uplift the economy in the North. The transportation of goods was made possible by the opening of A-9 following the liberation of the North from the LTTE. A-9 is still not open for public transportation.

Austria demands the release of civilians held by LTTE - Sri Lankans living in Austria held a highly successful anti-LTTE demonstration last Friday March 6th at the Ballhausplatz, Vienna. The resistance to LTTE activities has been growing across Europe since last summer and a number of highly successful anti-LTTE demonstrations have taken place in several European cities in recent months. Friday's (6.3) protest rally in Vienna was organized by Austria-based “Sri Lankans against Terrorism”, who demanded the immediate and unconditional release of our Tamil brothers and sisters forcibly held by the LTTE as human shields. Around Sri Lankan and Austrians 200 demonstrators carryied anti-LTTE banners and placards demanding the release of Tamil civilians held hostageby the LTTE. Speaking to Sri Lanka Guardian Buro in Germany, Ranmal de Silva, the Convinor of the demonstration, said “the main objective of our demonstration was to request the Austrian Government to pressurize the LTTE to release Tamil civilians held against their wishes so that they too can live in peace and harmony with the rest of the Sri Lankan brethren within a united Sri Lanka”. Following the demonstration, a memorandum addressed to the Hon. Dr. Michael Spindelegger, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Austria, was handed over to his representative Dr. Robert Bilek at the Austrian Foreign Ministry in Vienna by two representatives of Austria-based “Sri Lankans Against Terrorism” (Sri Lanka Guardian).

THE THREE CRICKET UMPIRES SHOULD JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM - By Malin Abeyatunge, Melbourne, Australia - As usual, the steam as faded down of the Lahore attack but the whole world is eagerly awaiting to know the perpetrators and bring them to justice for the brutal attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, the independent foreign umpires and killing 8 others including 6 policemen who provided a security convoy to them.  The Australian umpires Simon Taufel, Steve Davis and England umpire Chris Broad criticized the Pakistani Government for the lack of security. Chris Broad was so critical of Pakistani Security and said that they were “sitting ducks” to the bullets came from the terrorists. We trust that just as much as the Sri Lankan team including the Australian coach Trevor Bayliss, the three umpires would be able to deal with the traumas of the aftermath of the terrorist attack courageously. However, one think is clear that “terrorism anywhere is terrorism everywhere” and  what group they belong to. There are no good terrorists or bad terrorists as some countries try to categorize them for their self political gains. There should be no complacency for any kind of terrorism in the war against global terrorism. The three umpires who came from the west have experienced a terrorist attack may be for the first time which they will never forget in their life time. There are hundreds of innocents killed daily by terrorist outfits spread around the world mainly in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Indonesia, and India etc. On Tuesday (10/3/2009) LTTE suicide bomber exploded himself at a Muslim Religious ceremony (celebrating Holy Prophets Birth day in mosque) in Akuressa killing 15 and injuring 46 others including a few Government ministers. Some of these terrorist outfits including LTTE are being nurtured and protected by countries like US, UK, Australia and India and Pakistan (Read full letter).

Members of the Constitutional Council should be representative of a balanced cross section of Eminent Persons reflecting the changing patterns in Sri Lankan society - It is reported that there are plans afoot to nominate and appoint members of the Constitution Council. While the masses, especially the people in the villages of Sri Lanka either directly or indirectly are on the verge of extricating themselves from the clutches of the LTTE terrorists and the interfering NGOs, quietly but surely another segment of our society mainly consisting of individuals and groups rejected by masses, is proceeding on a social engineering project to limit the powers of the elected President Their plan unfortunately is not to ensure good governance through proper checks and balances, but to promote individuals who will obstruct the elected President in implementing his mandate. Our views should not be taken as unconditionally encouraging the Chief Executive to abuse his power. More importantly the objective is to stop the Chief Executive and the people who elected him or her to be a helpless captive in the hands of individuals who are neither elected nor suitable to hold an office of this importance as they have openly acted or spoken against the changes which have taken place in Sri Lankan society over the years including the defeat of the LTTE terrorists (Read full Media Release).

SPUR Victoria Media Release - Suicide Bomb attack on a Religious procession by LTTE - The Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka condemns the brutal massacre carried out by the suicide bomber of the LTTE. Time and again the LTTE have proved that they are no respecters of religions. To carry out such a dastardly act at such a holy occasion shows up the LTTE for what they really are: a brutal, barbaric and bloodthirsty organisation.  By selecting a Muslim festival to carry out such an attack on civilians, the LTTE have again shown their contempt for the Islamic religious activities.. On previous occasions, the LTTE attacked mosques while the faithful were at prayer, and this time, they selected the celebration of the Prophet Mohammed's Birthday, one of the most holy days on the Islamic calendar, to carry out this brutal attack. Media like the BBC are questioning how the LTTE can carry out such suicide attacks if they are cornered in Puthukudiyiruppu. It is the cadres who were sent to the south during the infamous ceasefire for this very purpose who carry out these attacks. Then the plan was to cow the south into submission, now these attacks are intended to provoke a backlash against those Tamils who have chosen to live in peace and safety away from the bloodthirsty LTTE. The LTTE are hoping to gain the goodwill of the international community through fabrications that the Sinhala people are bent on genocide. Instead, the LTTE are shown up as those who commit genocide - even against their "own" people and minority Muslims. The international community and the international media should recognise the LTTE for what they are, not your friendly freedom fighter, but a brutal terrorist organisation interested only in turning Sri Lanka into a killing field - even if they do not achieve their Eelam. The Tamil people do not need the LTTE to fight for their freedom for they are free. They live and work, carry on their businesses and their day-to-day lives among the rest of the Sri Lankan community in the south (Full Media Release of SPUR Victoria).

LTTE plot for mass scale chemical attack bared - Sri Lankan soldiers of Army 57 Division on Tuesday, the 5th of March found a large stock of gas masks and chemical resistant costumes from a captured LTTE camp in Udayarkattukulam North. According to the defence experts' view, the discovery exposes a possible terrorist plot for a mass scaled chemical attack against Sri Lankan soldiers.  The LTTE terrorists have been using chemical gases against Sri Lanka Army during last two years of battle. However, the inherent limitations of the chemical weapons failed to give the intended impact on the battlefield with soldiers well prepared to meet a chemical threat. The experts are of the opinion that the chemical resistant costumes which are indeed used in a much close quarter attack would have been intended for a direct assault supported by chemical weapons. Earlier, the tactic used by the terrorist was to fire gas canisters at the soldiers using indirect weapons than direct weapons. According to the defence sources, there were 16 chemical resistant costumes, and 17 gas masks in the stock. Using chemical weapons is banned by the international law of war and considered to be a war crime. The types of armoury found from the liberated areas of Wanni in recent times expose the great disaster that Sri Lanka as a nation has been heading since the 2002 ceasefire. The LTTE had been allowed to import aircraft, heavy artillery, high tech communication equipment, chemical weapons, etc during the ostensible peace cherished by the shortsighted political leaders of this country (Full report in Sri Lanka defence Ministry).

Thirteen Top & Middle-rung Sea & Black Tigers Confirmed Killed - MULLAITTIVU: TOP and middle-rung Tiger terrorist leaders, now fighting tooth and nail to defend their rapidly shrinking final stronghold in PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU appear to be meeting with their Waterloo one by one as time was fast running for the outfit. Latest military intelligence as well as other technical sources on Thursday (12) confirmed scores of top and middle-rung Sea Tigers and Black Tigers have perished during ground confrontations in PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU and surrounding areas after Tigers directed artillery fire. LTTE Head in charge of the Financial Division, SUBARATHNAM SELVATURAI alias THAMILENDI was confirmed killed and the story was reported late night on Wednesday (11). (See Situation News Highlight on 11th March 2009) The weekend fighting in the northeast of PUTHUKKUDIYIRIPPU where over 150 dead bodies of Tiger terrorists were found has also claimed the life of the Sea Tiger leader, ‘Lieutenant Colonel’ SALEEM, the fourth in the LTTE rank hierarchy. Sea Tiger SALEEM after serious injuries on 1st March 2009 in PUTHUKKUDIYIRIPPU has reportedly succumbed to injuries on Tuesday (10). Two more Sea Tiger leaders, ‘Lt Colonel’ AMBALANAN and ‘Lt Colonel’ ELEEL CHELVAN, dispatched by PRABHAKARAN himself for ground battles against troops, have also lost their lives in the encounters. One more leading Black Tiger, famous for suicidal missions, identified as ‘Lieutenant Colonel’ MARAN has also fallen dead during PUTHUKUDIRIPPU fighting on Monday (9). Fighting also has eliminated Black Tigers, ‘Major’ TAMIL MARAN and ‘Captain’ KATHIER NILAVAN during same rounds of fighting in PUTHUKUDIRIPPU. ‘Major’ MALAR SHAMAL, ‘Captain’ ELAVILAN, ‘Captain’ KALAI KADIRAVAN and ‘Captain’ KALA ENIVAN who have also taken part in the offensives against the troops have perished during those clashes, reports confirmed  (Sri Lanka Army)..

LTTE air craft spare parts, accessories sized at Ampalavanpkkanai- Mullaittivu [Updated] Sri Lankan Army 18(GR) Gajaba Regiment infantrymen of the 58 Division, conducting search and clearing operations in general area Ampalavanpokkanai, North of Mullaittivu uncovered spare parts of LTTE air craft yesterday (March 11). According to ground military sources, the spare parts were found concealed and hidden inside oil barrels which were unearthed by the troops. Air craft tyres, batteries, engine parts, direction lights and several others accessories were among the items uncovered, security sources said.  Meanwhile, defence observers are of the view that prompt investigations would lead to netting the perpetrators who had been behind masterminding the logistic supply and financing for the LTTE terrorists locally and abroad. "This is something that Sri Lankan need urgent international cooperation. The INTERPOL and all other international counter-terrorist investigation circles must work hand in hand with Sri Lanka immediately to identify the sources, dealers and agents of the global terrorist network. This is not only a concern for Sri Lankan but a global issue; with the spread and decentralization of global terrorist networks all over the world. Following the 9/11 terror attack terrorist organizations and its agents have continued working discretely and exchanging terror tactics of mass destruction including the use of suicide bombers, which LTTE have specialized over the 30odd years of its existence" he further said. List of the spare parts and accessories uncovered by troops at Ampalavanpokkanai on Wednesday (11) (Full report in Sri Lanka defence Ministry).

More LTTE Recoveries Reported - MULLAITTIVU: WEDNESDAY’S (11) LTTE recoveries from the general areas of CHALAI, PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU, VISUAMADU and MANKULAM included three T-56 weapons, one Multi Purpose Machine Guns (MPMG), one Rocket Propeller Gun (RPG), one hundred and fourteen hand grenades, one hundred and ten anti personnel mines, one 60mm mortar bomb, one hundred and thirty T-56 ammunition rounds, two pouches, pieces of signal communication equipment, one coded message sheet, one LTTE note book, three T-56 magazines, three Multi Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG) ammunition links, two T-56 ammunition boxes, each containing one thousand and five hundred rounds, one military pack, one cyanide capsule, two body armoured jackets, two LTTE made Arul mortar bombs and the decomposed dead of body of an LTTE cadre. PUTHKKUDIYIRUPPU Hospital in Army Hands -MULLAITTIVU: ARMY troops operating in PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU made one more significant contribution to ongoing humanitarian VANNI operations Thursday (12) morning after they brought the famous PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU hospital under their control. This peripheral hospital mostly used hitherto by Tigers for treatment of their fighters was reportedly empty of residential patients at the time troops rolled on to the premises  (Sri Lanka Army)..

Philanthropist makes donation of C$ 1000 to 'Api Wenuwen Api' fund - Mrs. Rukmani Perera of Sasakatoon, Saskatchewan Canada made a donation worth of C$ 1000 for the 'Api Wenuwen Api' fund today (March 12). The cash cheque was presented to Secretary Defence Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Mr. Upali Perera (husband of Mrs. Rukmani) at the Ministry of Defence, Colombo. The 'Api Wenuwen Api' fund was established by Ministry of Defence in cooperation with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka for the construction of 50,000 houses for armed forces personnel. Each housing project also includes schools, shopping complexes, gymnasiums, and other facilities (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

LORD NASEBY MAKES A PUBLIC STATEMENT IN LONDON THAT IF THERE IS ANY GENOCIDE IN SRI LANKA IT IS BY THE TAMIL TIGER TERRORISTS By Walter Jayawardhana Lord Naseby, Conservative Peer and Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group on Sri Lanka said if there is any genocide in Sri Lanka it is by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who hold civilian Tamils by force as a human shield in the war. “This talk about genocide is rubbish. The only people who are causing genocide are the LTTE who are holding the civilians as a human shield,” he said when a LTTE propagandist in the audience charged the Sri Lanka government of genocide. Lord Naseby was referring to the Tamil civilians who are being held against their will as a human shield in the current war by the LTTE and who are being shot at by the LTTE when they attempt to escape on foot and by boat. The British House of Lords member made this public statement , at a Forum discussion recorded in front of an audience , mostly consisting of British Tamil Forum members , at a studio in the Media House in Central London and broadcast by Press TV of Iran. A sympathetic labour member of Parliament to the Tamil movement in London, Jeremy Corbyn was the moderator of the show. Labour Party Member of European Parliament Robert Evans, Suren Surendiran a spokesman of the LTTE front organization, the British Tamil Forum and Douglas Wickramaratne , President of the Sinhala Association of London were the other members of the discussion panel. Lord Naseby further said , during the course of the discussion, international pressure should be brought on the LTTE to release all those civilians. He said no international pressure is necessary , as Robert Evans suggested, to declare a ceasefire , by the government. He said the Sri Lanka government is an elected government and it is the LTTE who must down its arms and surrender to bring the military conflict to an end (Full report in LankaWeb).

MUSLIMS SHOULD LEARN FROM THE SINHALESE HOW TO STAND UP TO THE PROVOCATIONS BY THE TAMIL TIGERS SAYS SANGAREE - By Walter Jayawardhana The Muslims of Sri Lanka should learn from the Sinhalese lessons of tolerance as how to stand up to the provocations by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and keep calm without being played into the hands of the enemy said Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) President V. Anandasangaree referring to the LTTE suicide bombing at a Muslim festival. In a statement issued he said, “. I have a special massage for my Muslim brothers. We have got to learn some thing from our Sinhalese brothers. All acts of the LTTE are so provoking that they are beyond a man’s limit of tolerance. Yet we have to restrain ourselves without playing into the hands of the LTTE.” Condemning the act of sending a LTTE suicide bomber to kill and maim at a festival of Milad-ud-Nabi at a mosque in Southern Sri Lanka the TULF President said, that the LTTE who have become a frustrated lot would not leave one stone unturned in exhibiting their atrocities and day by day they are fast losing their credibility eroding the little support they are having. He appealed to all ethnic, political, and religious groups to unite against the LTTE closing all ranks to destroy them. The following is the full text of his statement:- (Full statement in LanakWeb).

LTTE Aircraft Accessories Unearthed - MULLAITTIVU: SEVEN aircraft tyres, six boxes of start plugs, twelve aircraft oil litres, three safety goggles, eight runway night lights, eight white runway lights, fifteen taxiway lights, one runway light panel, one fire extinguisher, two oxygen cylinders, six oxygen masks, thirty halogen lights, two landing gears, three tins of Euro grease, three batteries and one air filter, some of which have been kept neatly packed in oiled barrels, buried underground were among the latest recoveries that were unearthed and uncovered late Wednesday (11) evening when the troops stormed north eastern areas of PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU.  The Army Website Wednesday (11) night exclusively reported the discovery of a segment of those aircraft accessories while the troops were continuing excavation of the site. (See News Highlight titled “Buried LTTE Aircraft Parts Uncovered” on 11th March 2009). Discovery of those aircraft spare parts affirm the fact that Tiger terrorists, notorious for aerial attacks were busy perhaps experimenting the manufacture of a light aircraft in the area after assembling them together. Most of those parts have been imported and kept safely for eventual use by Tigers at the time troops spotted them and started digging the area  (Sri Lanka Army)..

Hijack Oprah Show! Vajira Warnakulasuriya Melbourne, Australia  The Editor, Washington Times- Please be kind enough to give some space in your esteemed journal to air my views about an impending false propaganda event! Hijack Oprah Show! Your show is widely seen all over the Globe, may not be simultaneously but it is. Due to the seriousness and sensitivity of the subjects you choose in the program, very high percentage of the audience appreciate and are thankful to you, for educating them of things that otherwise are unknown to them. This is the magic of audio visual media been very effective to capture the attention of the viewers. Sometimes your openness, goodness more importantly the milk of human kindness prompts people to approach you to deliver a message to your audience. Mostly these are of beneficial in nature; idle minds are set in motion to think. Who had no proper education; it opens their mind from darkness to the light! However amongst those who use your show to capture a wider publicity are a few rouges take you for a ride. You can remember a book that was given undue publicity in your show and later you regretted and apologised being naive to believe the author (Full report in LankaWeb).

Police Pursue Arsonists; Passenger Bus Set on Fire - BATTICALOA: LOCAL POLICE in co-ordination with Army troops on duty in the general area of NAVALADY junction on COLOMBO – KALMUNAI road has begun extensive investigations into the arson attack on a state bus near ALANKULAM in the BATTICALOA district during the wee hours on Thursday (12). Reports said a state passenger bus bound for COLOMBO from KALMUNAI was proceeding along NAVALADY junction, about 200 m away from ALANKULAM when an unidentified gang after forcing passengers to disembark has set fire to it at about 2.30 a.m. Thursday (12) morning. Terrified eye-witnesses have reportedly screamed in panic, but unidentified gunmen, said to have been masked have forced all the passengers to get off the bus before it was torched for reasons best known only to those terrorists. However, no suspect has been so far taken into custody by the Police, though a search in the area was still on. Police investigations are in progress (Sri Lanka Army).

A woman soldier gives a packet of biscuit to a displaced mother who reached the cleared areas from the LTTE held areas in Puthukuduyirippu yesterday. (Pic courtesy of Army Media)

A Letter to John Cannis, Liberal MP for Scarborough, Canada - John Cannis, MP Liberal MP for Scarborough Centre House of Common, Ottawa Dear John:  Watching Question Period yesterday on CPAC, I heard you loud and clearly, so did the Conservatives when you wanted to know what the government is going to do about the humanitarian catastrophe that is going on in Sri Lanka’s north.That question did not come from your heart but from the nudging of your Tamil constituents of Little Jaffna (Scarborough Centre), whom you represent. There was something eerie about that question, there was something vile and oppressive about that question, there was something infuriating about that question.John, that question was posed at the government within 24 hours of your ‘Doves of Peace’, the Tamil Tigers, detonating the 378th human bomb at Akurassa in the south of Sri Lanka opposite a mosque where Muslim devotees were celebrating the birth of their Holy Prophet killing 15 and wounding 20 others. And yet you were dumb not to ask the Government of Canada to pressure the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms and surrender. That question was posed within 36 hours of an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Food Ship being attacked with heavy artillery by the Tamil Tigers, your ‘Doves of Peace’ in Mullaitivu, and yet you were dumb not to identify the Tamil Tigers as the culprits of the humanitarian catastrophe and pressure yours and my government to ask the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms and surrender. After all, they are now cornered within a 35 sq.km sliver of land, and 100s of their soldiers are getting killed who are sent to the front line as cannon fodder. This is insanity at its highest order (Full letter in SPUR).

LTTE Financial Division: Top Tiger killed - Sabaratnam Selvathurai alias Ranjith Appa alias Thamilendri, the Head of the LTTE Financial Division has been killed in a Security Forces artillery attack directed to Puthukudiyiruppu believed to be on Monday or Tuesday, Military sources confirmed yesterday. According to military sources Sabaratnam Selvathurai a resident of Pallai Jaffna was among the first batch of LTTE cadres trained in India in the early 1980’s has been a close confidante of the Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. He had been trained in India along with LTTE Intelligence leader Pottu Amman, Sea Tiger leader Soosai and LTTE Education Section leader Baby Subramanium. He has handled all financial matters of the LTTE including allocation of funds to LTTE’s international arms smuggler K P Pathmanathan. He had coordinated international arms smuggling along with K.P. Pathmanathan. According to military intelligence Ranjith Appa has been injured during a battle in Velvetithurai, Jaffna. Later he was arrested by the Indian Peace Keeping Force in November 1987 and was released in the early 1990’s (Daily News).

Jayalalitha lets the cat out of the bag - That India by creating the LTTE in a bid to tame Sri Lanka made the same blunder as Pakistan, which helped the US father the Mujahidin terrorism in Afghanistan to counter the then Soviet Russia's expansionism, has today become clearer than ever. Their politico-military misreckoning or bêtise has come home to roost. Mujahidin gave way to Taliban, which spawned a mixed bag of terrorists who are unleashing hell in Pakistan: India's miscalculation has given rise to a groundswell of popular support for secessionist forces in Tamil Nadu. Even AIADMK General Secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha, widely believed to be a bitter critic of the LTTE, has lent her voice to the South Indian separatist lobby which is promoting terrorism in Sri Lanka. She makes no bones about her desire to see the creation of a separate state for Tamils in Sri Lanka, though she says she is opposed to terrorism. She makes a vain attempt to camouflage her separatist call by claiming that she wants a separate state within a unified Sri Lanka. This is nothing but plain baloney! Carving out a separate state is an irreversible process like scrambling an egg. After a melon is cut in half, there is no way one can put the two halves together ever again (Full Editorial in Island).

“Even elders are not spared by LTTE” - Sri Lanka military on Wednesday charged the LTTE with forcibly recruiting young boys and girls from temporary shelters for crash course and explosives use and turning them into suicide bombers as its last line of defence against the advancing security forces. The Defence Ministry in a statement, on the basis of interaction with civilians fleeing from the last remaining territory under the control of the Tigers, also alleged that the Tiger cadres are indiscriminately firing at fleeing civilians. “Men, women and even the elderly are not spared by them. While, children are turned into human bombs their parents are drawn into the forefront armed with clubs, T-56 assault riffles and grenades to shield the rear assault waves of LTTE hardcore cadres,” the Ministry claimed. It further maintained that the food, rations, medicine that were sent for the stranded civilians by the Sri Lankan government and aid agencies were being forcibly taken by the LTTE. “Only a few sacks of grains, flour and a little clean water is left for over 40,000 people who have to struggle with each other for what is left. These people are denied of their freedom of choice and taken to the edge of suffering any human can undergo,” it quoted an aid worker at Vavuniya as saying. The Ministry said the U.N. national aid workers and their families continued to be held hostage by the Tigers for several weeks now. Separately, pro-LTTE TamilNet in a report claimed that ‘Black Tiger commandos and Col. Kiddu Artillery formation’ launched a joint attack destroying six artillery positions of the Sri Lanka Army in the early hours of Tuesday. “More than 50 Sri Lankan soldiers were killed in the attack. Three Black Tiger commandos died in the mission,” it maintained. In the meanwhile, Postal Services Minister Mahinda Wijesekera, who was seriously injured in the suicide blast outside a mosque at Akurassa, is recovering well even as the death toll in the attack went up to 15 (Full report in Hindu).

Akuressa blast: CID takes over inquiry - The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inquiry into the Godapitiya suicide blast is in progress. The male suicide bomber is believed to have been residing in the Godapitiya area before carrying out the suicide mission, Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunaskera said. “ It is an estate area and we suspect that the LTTE cadre might have been residing in the Godapitiya area while carefully planning out the suicide mission”, SSP Gunaskera added. Fifteen people were killed and another 46 sustained injuries during the attack, which targeted the National Milad-Un-Nabi festivities, held at the Godapitiya Mosque in Akuressa on Tuesday. According to Police, the suicide kit worn by the LTTE cadre weighing 05 Kg had contained 2.5kg of C4 explosives and another 2.5 Kg of steel balls. SSP Gunesekera said that the CID had taken over the investigation, with two other Police teams assisting them. “Police are continuing investigations at the site. We also have information that the suicide cadre had come on a motorcycle, and presently the police are trying to trace this bike”, SSP Gunasekera added.. A spokesman for the Government Analyst, said that an old type suicide kit had been used in the blast. “A fuse too was found in the scene”, he added. Meanwhile, the Government yesterday took immediate steps to provide compensation to the bereaved families. The next of kin of the dead were provided Rs.50,000 each and the injured were given Rs.10,000 each as an initial sum. The Southern Provincial Council too is set to provide a separate compensation package for those who were injured in the incident and the next of kin of the dead. According to the District Secretary of the area, further compensation to help the affected in their need would follow, after initial investigations conclude (Daily News).

Defence nod must for national events - All national events held with public participation in any part of the country should obtain the permission of the Defence, Public Security Law and Order, the Media Centre for National Security said yesterday. The Government requests the people to limit the celebrations involving participation by the people, the release said. The release: "The Government has reached a decisive stage in the struggle to eradicate terrorism and usher in peace. It is clear that the LTTE terrorists in their desperation will take every possible effort to destabilise the other areas in the country and endanger the civilian life through terrorist activities. It is the paramount duty and responsibility of the President and the Government to ensure the security of the people of Sri Lanka and are bound to take effective action to realize the objective. In view of this all national events held with the participation of the people in any part of the country should obtain the permission of the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order. The Government requests the people to limit the celebrations involving participation by the people at this juncture. The Government emphasizes that all events to be held to celebrate the Sinhala-Hindu New Year should have the permission of the relevant security authorities to ensure the safety of the people (Daily News).

Return of Gareth Evans resurrection of terror - Prof. Rajiva WIJESINHA - Once again the International Crisis Group has pronounced on Sri Lanka, bang on cue after the other usual suspects. Most negative of these was Human Rights Watch which is a specialist, along with ICG, in purporting to be balanced. In fact they both persist in treating an elected government on a par with the terrorists they thus privilege. Both of them specialize in being economical with the truth, most notably by being extravagant about numbers. They also seem unduly wary of anyone who can correct their mistakes. Human Rights Watch has failed to respond to my rebuttals of their claims and most recently, despite what seemed initial enthusiasm on the part of their Director, refused to meet me in Geneva (Full report in Daily News).

UN accuses Tigers of misusing food aid - The United Nations yesterday accused the Tigers of siphoning off food meant for severely malnourished children in the north. The UN said a high-energy food supplement known as "BP-100" found on a Tiger killed in ongoing fighting was sent for children in the region in June 2007. "The United Nations deplores that such life saving items, destined for severely malnourished children, were diverted from their intended purpose," the UN said in a statement (Daily News).

Diplomats of Muslim countries condemn LTTE terror attack - The High Commissioners for Bangladesh and Malaysia, as well as the Indonesian Ambassador on behalf of their respective Governments, have strongly denounced the suicide bomb attack carried out by the LTTE on March 10 at the Godapitiya Jumma Mosque in Akuressa, targeting a peaceful procession led by Government Ministers to celebrate Prophet Muhammad's Birthday, held under State patronage. Participating in a discussion chaired by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama at the Ministry yesterday these diplomats expressed their solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka in the wake of this terror attack and wished the Government success in its current endeavour to defeat terrorism. The Minister of Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development, A.H.M. Fowzie and the Minister of Disaster Relief Services, S. Ameer Ali, who had a narrow escape in the bomb blast, as well as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hussein A. Bhaila and Foreign Secretary, Dr. Palitha Kohona were associated with Minister Bogollagama at the discussion held to brief Heads of Mission of 14 predominantly Muslim countries based in Colombo on this ruthless act of terrorism perpetrated by the LTTE. Ministers Fowzie and Ameer Ali recounted their own harrowing close encounter with death in the suicide bombing. The Foreign Minister took the opportunity to brief the diplomats of the historical antecedents of the targeting of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka by the LTTE for their strong opposition to the separatist agenda espoused by the LTTE. In particular, he highlighted the massacres of Muslim worshippers at the Meera Jumma and Husseniya Mosques in Kattankudy in August 1990, as well as the systematic slaughter of Muslim civilians in remote Muslim hamlets in the Eastern Province. He also drew the attention of the assembled diplomats to the wholesale ethnic cleansing of the entire Muslim community of the Northern Province in October 1990, which the LTTE carried out with cold blooded and clinical precision (Full report in Daily News).

Attack shows LTTE's thirst for blood - TULF - The Tamil United Liberation Front very strongly condemns the suicide attack on a religious precession in which the Chief Guest and other Guests were being taken to the Mosque where a function was organised to celebrate the National Milad-ud-Nabi festival. This is yet another incident in which the LTTE had shown its thirst for blood. The LTTE is now a frustrated lot. They will not leave one stone unturned to show the world their atrocious character. Day by day they are losing their credibility and the whole world is fast changing their attitude against the LTTE. Even the little support they had internationally has now gone to the rock bottom. This is the time the country must unite irrespective of political, racial and religious differences and work together to destroy them. This should be the only agenda on which all should work by closing ranks, states TULF President V. Anandasangaree in a press release. "This is another attempt of the LTTE to spark off a communal riot. We should prove that they will fail not only in this attempt but will also fail in all future attempts. I have a special message for my Muslim brothers. We have got to learn some thing from our Sinhalese brothers. All acts of the LTTE are so provoking that they are beyond a man's limit of tolerance. Yet we have to restrain ourselves without playing into the hands of the LTTE." "I express my deepest sympathies for the families that lost valuable lives and had many injured. I also convey my deepest sympathies to the Sri lanka freedom Party and the Communist Party of Sri Lanka both of which had lost very progressive and young leaders representing the people in Various Local bodies and to the kit and kin and also to their constituents who loved them dearly. I pray to god for the early recovery of all those injured civilians. Members of Political Party and the Hon. Minister Mahinda Wijesekara. May all these souls for whom I have the greatest respect rest in peace" (Daily News).

LTTE brutality proved to world - Religious Affairs Minister Religious Affairs - Minister Pandu Bandaranayake has vehemently condemned Tuesday's LTTE suicide attack on the Prophet Mohamed's birthday celebrations held at the Godapitiya Mosque and said it clearly proved the brutality of the LTTE to the whole world. The Minister in a communique issued yesterday said Tuesday's celebrations was a national event organised by his Ministry devoid any religious or communal bias. The brutal attack on a religious ceremony of this nature should gain the attention of the entire world community. He wished to reiterate that the humanitarian operations carried out in the North to liberate innocent civilians can never be halted or reversed by such cowardly attacks. Bandaranayake who expressed his condolences to the families of those killed in the attack including the Chairman of the Devinuwara Pradesheeya Sabha, Vice Chairman of Kamburupitiya and Akuressa Pradesheeya Sabhas, other local councillors wished speedy recovery to Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mahinda Wijesekera, residents in the areas and all others injured in the attack. He also thanked all public spirited officials and people who came forward to rush the injured to hospitals and assist the people stranded suffering from deep shock at the scene of the blast (Daily News).

High energy food with LTTE meant for malnourished children: UN - The United Nations says the high energy BP-100 therapeutic food found on a dead LTTE cadre, as reported by the Ministry of Defence, was part of a nutritional programme for Sri Lanka’s severely malnourished children. The last shipment of BP-100 was sent with all due Government authorisations by UNICEF to the Ministry of Health Regional Directors of Health Services in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu in June 2007, for the treatment of severely malnourished children in those districts. The treatment of malnutrition among children remains a priority for Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health, UNICEF and WFP. The United Nations deplores that such life saving items, destined for severely malnourished children, were diverted from their intended purpose.  Erroneous reports had stated that the BP-100 high energy therapeutic food had been sent to the area by the World Food Programme, the UN said. The Defence Ministry on Monday had said troops of the 55 Division while conducting search and clearing operations in general area South of Chalai, after thwarting an LTTE infiltration bid into the military defences Sunday (March 8), made a startling revelation of a possible flow of 'combat rations' to LTTE under the guise of 'nutrition supplements'. The Defence Ministry said a high protein BP-100 biscuit packet was in the possession of a slain LTTE cadre who was killed due to military small arms fire. Troops have also uncovered a T-56 assault riffle, 3x maps and a GPS, security sources said. The Defence Ministry said that earlier, on January 26, 2008, police personnel manning a check point at Medawachchiya apprehended a Vavuniya bound lorry with a stock of 39,000 kgs of 'BP-100 compact Therapeutical high protein biscuit' sent by the World Food Program (Full report in Daily Mirror).

Ex-Tiger cadres to be rehabilitated -  Around 300 ex-LTTE combatants who arrived in Vavuniya along with the internally displaced persons are to be rehabilitated and re-integrated with their families under a programme to be implemented within the camps where they currently stay, a Government official said yesterday. The official who insisted on strict anonymity told the Daily Mirror yesterday that ‘informal talks’ had been held with the National Peace Secretariat in this regard. At a preliminary survey of the IDPs, these ex-combatants were identified, he said, “We are planning to rehabilitate and re-integrate them with their families. We spoke to the National Peace Secretariat in this regard. However, we have not conducted a formal discussion with any other responsible organization to launch this programme,” he said. So far, 32,722 IDPs have arrived in Vavuniya from the uncleared areas of which 4,621 have been accommodated at the Menik Farm Welfare Centres. The others stay in 12 transit camps located in schools and public places. The official said that the Government had given instructions to speed up the construction of temporary houses to which those people at the transit camps are to be shifted soon. He said that 15 mentally retarded persons and 200 disabled persons had been identified in the survey conducted among the IDPs. Meanwhile, National Peace Secretariat Head Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha said there were 250-300 persons who admitted to being LTTE combatants. Prof. Wijesinha said that 32 hardcore fighters identified among them had already been sent for rehabilitation while the others stay with their family members (Daily Mirror).

Troops seizes haul of arms, ammunition -  The security forces have reportedly inflicted heavy damages on LTTE terrorists fighting in Pudukkudiyiruppu area during Tuesday while stocks of arms and ammunition were also seized in many areas, military sources said. The 53 Division troops also sustained minor injuries in these confrontations reported between 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Media Centre for National Security reported. Meanwhile, the troops of Task Force 8 caused damages to the LTTE in confrontations in the Mulliyaweli and Pudukkudiyiruppu areas between 11.35 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the same day. The soldiers too sustained minor damages due to LTTE artillery attacks and the anti-personnel mine explosions in Vishvamadu area. Meanwhile, 40 hand grenades were recovered by the troops in a search operation conducted in the Puliyanpokkanai area throughout Tuesday whilst the 57 Division troops recovered four hand grenades from Kilinochchi. In Kuppilankulam area the army caused more damages to the LTTE cadres and recovered the following war materials from the area. The items consisted of three T-56 assault rifles, two T-81 guns, an LMG drum, three hand grenades, 210 T-56 ammunition, three T-56 magazines and 200 grams of C4 explosives. Meanwhile, clashes erupted in Pudumathalan and Pudukkudiyiruppu and heavy LTTE casualties were reported. A total of 195 anti-personnel mines were recovered by the troops of Task Force 3 in two locations in the Mankulam area. The troops operating in the Chinnakulam area have recovered a skeleton believed to be of an LTTE cadre along with a dog tag from the area. Meanwhile, the troops recovered one Belt order, one Hand grenade, a pair of boots and a water bottle from the Thanniyatta area on the same day. The troops also recovered 3000 T-56 ammunitions in the Thannikallu area. In Trincomalee the military recovered 761 T-56 ammunition, two T-56 magazines, 156 MPMG ammunition and six hand grenades in Vettakachchena area as well. Meanwhile, three 60 mm mortar shells, a Claymore mine and two Improvised Explosive Devices were recovered by the troops in the Alavaddichena area on the same day. The troops also recovered two hand grenades in the Mavadivembu area. Meanwhile, 378 civilians have been transferred to government controlled areas of Mullaitivu and Jaffna during Tuesday, the Media Centre for National Security reported (Daily Mirror).

JVP vows to thwart full implementation of 13 Amendment - The JVP yesterday criticized the government for its moves to implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution fully and described it as a betrayal of the mandate given to it by the people in recent elections. The People had voted for the UPFA in 2004 and 2005 against the provisions of this amendment seeking the devolution of powers to the provincial level but now the Government plans to implement it, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva, told a press conference, yesterday. The most recent move in this direction was the appointment of a committee by the government to expedite the process of putting sections of the amendment into practice. He said "this committee comprises Ministers Douglas Devananda, Rajitha Senaratne, Dilan Perera, Prof. Tissa Vitarana, DEW Gunasekera, Reginold Cooray, and Kumar Rupasinghe, all ardent advocates of the division of the country," he said. Silva alleged that Minister Devananda was there because the latter had plans to become the next chief minister in the Northern Provincial Council and enjoy all powers including control over land and the police. Ministers Senaratne, Perera with NGO activist Kumar Rupasinghe were the ones who held marches and rallies against the security forces eliminating terrorism through military means. DEW, Prof Vitarana and Cooray were those who worked for the LTTE agenda while remaining within the government ranks, he alleged (Full report in Island).

Buried LTTE aircraft parts uncovered - The continuing spate of recoveries of LTTE arms and ammunition, sophisticated equipment and more importantly their buried stocks amply proves how meticulously terrorists were equipped and what else would have been needed by them to destabilize this country. Wednesday's (11) uncovering of a stock of aircraft spare parts including aircraft tyres, batteries, engine parts and several other accessories, kept buried by Tigers in oil barrels from Puthukkudiyiruppu northern areas came about as another startling recovery of the troops in the week (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

LTTE head of finance wing killed - East of Puthukkudiyirippu - LTTE's financial wing chief, Subarathnam Selvatureiy alias Thamilendi, was killed yesterday, 10 March, in confrontations took place in east of Puthukkudiyirippu, military sources said. Thamilendi was a high profile LTTE leader and he handled the LTTE's bank accounts, tax collecting and all other matters relating to outfit's finances, military sources added (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Troops Forge Ahead Despite Resistance - MULLAITTIVU: DESPITE stiff resistance, being offered by terrorists, now restricted to a demarcated area, valiant troops of the 55, 57, 58, 59 Divisions and Task Force-VIII continued their forward march in the past twenty-four hours, ending Wednesday (11) afternoon. Heavy rounds of fighting in PUTHUKKUDUYIRUPPU, MULLIYAVELI, KUPPILANKULAM, PUTHUMATALAN and near MULLAITTIVU town caused damages to the enemy and recovered forty hand grenades, three T-56 weapons, two T-81 weapons, one LMG drum, three T-56 magazines, one belt order, 210 ammunition rounds of 9.6mm and 2 kg of C-4 explosives from those areas. At least a dozen LTTE terrorists were killed and twenty-four were injured, ground troops confirmed. Several soldiers sustained injuries during the fighting (Sri Lanka Army).

More of LTTE brutality: Fleeing civilians shot and hacked to death - "We heard gunfire and we knew we were surrounded. Two boats with several dozen people were fleeing from the area and our boat was the third. They (LTTE) came running and directing small arms fire towards us from the coast. Several people fell overboard receiving gunshot injuries, may be they were killed on the spot or drowned. I don't know, but I saw one boat spiraling on the water and within minutes its engine died-off. They are killing us and killing at will". This was what Soosai Jeyamarasa Jenistan, 20, had to say after being rescued by Security Forces in the shallow waters North of Chalai, while desperately fleeing from LTTE. He now feels fortunate to have defied probable death, hopes to start a new life and return home once LTTE is wiped. Jeyamarasa, his 48 year old father Isador Soosai and the Principal of the Therumurikandy Government School Asirwadan Soosainadar, 42, are among the many others who sought protection with Security Forces on 6thMarch, 2009. This is just a glimpse of what is actually happening in the non-liberated territory under LTTE occupation. "People are held forcibly against their will in the largest hostage taking of any kind in recent history", a defence observer told our Wanni correspondent (Full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

One More Batch of Civilians Takes Refuge in Jaffna - JAFFNA: TWENTY-TWO more civilians fleeing LTTE grips in PUTHUKUDIRIPPU area have managed to arrive in VETTALKERNI area to the south of JAFFNA peninsula on Wednesday (11) morning. The group, including eight males, six females, one boy and two girls have reportedly escaped the LTTE grip and received the help of a boat to arrive in JAFFNA for safety and protection. Troops after providing them with snacks and refreshments took necessary steps to direct them to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) center for temporary housing (Sri Lanka Army).

A-9 MSR facilitates passage of first food convoy - The first consignment of food and other essential items for Jaffna civilians was dispatched along the A-9 Main Supply Route (MSR) yesterday (10 March) after it was brought under full control of the Security Forces during their Humanitarian Operations in Wanni recently. A special ceremony giving prominence to religious rites was held at the Wanni Security Forces Headquarters, Vavuniya on Tuesday (10) morning at 10.00 a.m. before 22 lorries carrying the consignment left Vavuniya. Ministers Douglus Devananda, Rishard Badurdeen, President's Advisor and Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa, Wanni Security Forces Commander Major General Jagath Jayasooriya, District Secretary for Vavuniya Ms. Charles, a large crowd of distinguished guests and military personnel were present at the ceremony. The convoy reached Jaffna by the same evening (Full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

eBTC makes donation for war heroes at "Ranaviru Sevana" Sports - Committee of eBuilder Technology Centre (eBTC), a leading global information solution providing company in Sri Lanka and a subsidiary company of eBuilder AB in Stockholm, Sweden, donated an electric wheel chair and 21 pairs of Aluminum Elbow Crutches for the use of war heroes at "Ranaviru Sewana" in Ragama yesterday, 10 March. The donation was made with the contribution of all staff members of eBTC and the company itself as a gesture of expressing gratitude for the war heroes who have sacrificed their limbs for defending the motherland while serving in the battlefront. Director of eBTC, Mr. Chaminda Attanayake, and a few representatives of eBTC Sports Committee also participated at the event (Full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Troops thwart LTTE infiltration bid: 4 terrorists killed at Mullaittivu - Troops of the 58 Division comprehensively thwarted an LTTE pre-dawn infiltration bid into the military forward defences at Kuppilankulama in Mullaittivu yesterday (March 10). According to military, bodies of 4 terrorists were found scattered in the fringes of the forward defence line. Meanwhile, 6 more terrorists were killed and 8 others reported wounded when 58 Div infantrymen forced into an LTTE resistance position in general area Puthumathalan, during Tuesday's confrontations. 5 terrorists were also killed in general area East of Puthukkudiyirippu, by Army snipers deployed ahead of the FDLs (Full report in Sri Lanka defence Ministry).

Karuna joins Govt; leads over 2000 Tamils from East to SLFP - Mr. Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan MP, the former Deputy Leader of the LTTE whose nom-de-guerre was Karuna Amman, joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Monday (9), with a large following of Tamils from the East, and was later to be sworn in as the Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation. More than 2000 Tamils from the East, both men and women, including a large number of former LTTE cadres who left the leadership of Prabhakaran with Karuna's defection from the terrorist organization a few years ago, and many others who had remained loyal to the LTTE even after, joined the SLFP, at a special event at Temple Trees on Monday evening. Mr. Muralitharan and 12 others obtained their membership from President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the President of the SLFP. President Rajapaksa told the large gathering at Temple Trees that the talented leader from the East, Mr. Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan, who joins the SLFP with a strong following from the East, will be appointed a minister. He said the people of the East already knew of the development taking place there, and that most of the development work of the government was now taking place in the East (Full report in sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

More civilians rescued - Puthukkudiyiruppu - Sri Lankan soldiers rescued a group of 297 Tamil civilians from LTTE clutches in Puthukkudiyiruppu East yesterday (Mar 10). According to the defence sources, the group of civilians consisting 103 adult males, 118 adult females and 76 children, sought refuge with the soldiers engaged in humanitarian operations in the Kombavil and Northeast of Iranapali areas, during daytime. The civilians were rushed to the welfare centers in Kilinochchi (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Suicide blast kills 15 injures 46 - Ministers A. H. M. Fowzie, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene, Ameer Ali, Pandu Bandaranayake and Chandrasiri Gajadeera escape unhurt - Fifteen people were killed and another 46, including Posts and Telecommunication Minister Mahinda Wijesekera were injured in a suicide attack which targeted the National Milad-un-Nabi festival at the Jumma Mosque in Godapitiya, Akuressa (Matara District) around 10.30 am yesterday. Eye witnesses said around 5,000 including several Government Minister’s were proceeding to the Mosque in a procession to attend the main event held in celebration of Prophet Mohommed’s birthday when the suspected LTTE suicide bomber struck. Minister Wijesekera who was participating in the event as the Guest of Honour was seriously injured in the blast and was later airlifted to Colombo, where he was undergoing emergency surgery at the time of going to press. Several other Ministers including A. H. M. Fowzie, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene, Ameer Ali, Pandu Bandaranayake and Chandrasiri Gajadeera who were participating in the procession escaped unhurt. Minister Fowzie, who was participating in the event as the Chief Guest told over the phone that he was covered in blood and flesh in the aftermath of the blast. Earlier eye witness reports suggested, that he was critically injured. It was found that the Minister was unharmed. Non Cabinet Minister, Ameer Ali commenting on his experience said that he saw a severed head in front of him in the immediate aftermath of the blast. He admitted that he was numb with shock for a short while due to the blast (Full report in Daily News)

SRI LANKA GOVERNMENT SAYS IT CONDEMNS IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS “LTTE SUICIDE ATTACK ON MUSLM FESTIVAL” - By Walter Jayawardhana - The Sri Lanka government said that it condemns in the strongest possible terms the LTTE suicide bomb attack killing ten people and injuring scores of others including Mahinda Wijesekera , the telecommunication minister of Sri Lanka at a Muslim festival of Prophet Mohamed’ s birthday at a procession of a mosque. “The attack reaffirms the fact that the LTTE is not only a ruthless terrorist outfit but also one which has no regard or respect for religion. This is an attack that deliberately targeted the Muslim Community and one that has sought to sow ethnic and religious disharmony”, the statement said. 1.4 million Muslims live in Sri Lanka representing 7.5 % of the islands´19 million inhabitants. Islam is the nations third largest religion after Buddhism (over 13 million faithful, 69% of the population) and Hinduism (circa 9 million). “This reminds us of the LTTE’s massacre of more than 200 Muslims at worship in three Mosques at Kaththankudy and Eravur in the East, in August 1990, in its war of terrorism”, the government’s statement added. The statement further said, selecting of a Muslim shrine and a day sacred to Muslims, both in Sri Lanka and the world over, to carry out this attack, underscores the hatred the LTTE has towards the Muslim population of Sri Lanka, who have suffered considerably under its policies of ethnic cleansing both in the North and East of Sri Lanka. The following is the full text of the statement: “The Government condemns in the strongest possible terms the LTTE suicide bomb attack on the Milad-un-Nabi Muslim Festival to mark the birthday of Holy Prophet Mohammed, at Godapitiya, Akuressa, Matara this morning around 10.a.m. in which 10 persons were killed and many others injured, including a Government minister. “The Government notes with utmost contempt this wanton act of terrorism and observes that the attack bears the unmistakable signature of the LTTE. The attack reaffirms the fact that the LTTE is not only a ruthless terrorist outfit but also one which has no regard or respect for religion. This is an attack that deliberately targeted the Muslim Community and one that has sought to sow ethnic and religious disharmony. “Selecting of a Muslim shrine and a day sacred to Muslims, both in Sri Lanka and the world over, to carry out this attack, underscores the hatred the LTTE has towards the Muslim population of Sri Lanka, who have suffered considerably under its policies of ethnic cleansing both in the North and East of Sri Lanka. This reminds us of the LTTE’s massacre of more than 200 Muslims at worship in three Mosques at Kaththankudy and Eravur in the East, in August 1990, in its war of terrorism. “The Government is of the view that this is another desperate act that the LTTE terrorists, now on their last legs, have perpetrated to divert the attention from the humanitarian mission of the Security Forces, to flush them out from their last remaining foothold in the Wanni. “The Government remains unwaveringly committed to rid the country of the terrorist menace and bring about peace. This attack will only serve to strengthen the resolve of the Government and the security forces in this regard. “The Government urges all citizens to remain calm and unprovoked, and support the Security Forces and Police by exercising utmost vigilance as the LTTE, facing imminent annihilation, could very well resort to other similar acts of desperation. “The Government offers its condolences to the families of victims of this brutal attack and wishes speedy recovery of the injured.” (EOM).

Government condemns - The Government condemned in the strongest possible terms the LTTE suicide bomb attack on the Milad-un-Nabi Muslim Festival to mark the birthday of Holy Prophet Mohammed, at Godapitiya, Akuressa, Matara this morning around 10.a.m. in which 15 persons were killed and many others injured, including a Government Minister. The Government notes with utmost contempt this wanton act of terrorism and observes that the attack bears the unmistakable signature of the LTTE. The attack reaffirms the fact that the LTTE is not only a ruthless terrorist outfit but also one which has no regard or respect for religion. This is an attack that deliberately targeted the Muslim Community and one that has sought to sow ethnic and religious disharmony. Selecting of a Muslim shrine and a day sacred to Muslims, both in Sri Lanka and the world over, to carry out this attack, underscores the hatred the LTTE has towards the Muslim population of Sri Lanka, who have suffered considerably under its policies of ethnic cleansing both in the North and East of Sri Lanka. This reminds us of the LTTE’s massacre of more than 200 Muslims at worship in three Mosques at Kaththankudy and Eravur in the East, in August 1990, in its war of terrorism. The Government is of the view that this is another desperate act that the LTTE terrorists, now on their last legs, have perpetrated to divert the attention from the humanitarian mission of the Security Forces, to flush them out from their last remaining foothold in the Wanni. The Government remains unwaveringly committed to rid the country of the terrorist menace and bring about peace. This attack will only serve to strengthen the resolve of the Government and the Security Forces in this regard. The Government urges all citizens to remain calm and unprovoked, and support the Security Forces and Police by exercising utmost vigilance as the LTTE, facing imminent annihilation, could very well resort to other similar acts of desperation. The Government offers its condolences to the families of victims of this brutal attack and wishes speedy recovery of the injured (Daily News).

Blast claims 15 lives: Minister Wijesekera critically injured - At least fifteen persons were killed and 40 others seriously injured when an LTTE suicide cadre blew himself up at the Godapitiya Jumma mosque in Akuressa, where the national Milad-Ud Nabi festival was to be held to mark the birthday of Prophet Mohammed yesterday. The suicide bomber, who arrived at the scene on a bicycle, triggered off the bomb around 10.15 a.m. while the chief guest and guests of honour were coming into the mosque in procession to participate in the national Milad-Ud-Nabi festival. Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mahinda Wijesekera, who was critically injured in the blast was first admitted to the Matara hospital and later airlifted to Colombo. He was undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the time of going to press. Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Minister A. H. M. Fowzie, who was an eye witness to the blast, told The Island that the area was thronged by thousands of people who had come to attend the ceremony and the religious leaders and guests were being conducted to the mosque in a procession. Minister Wijesekera was walking ahead of the other politicians when the suicide bomber blew himself up. Fowzie said Wijesekra was walking along with him and the other ministers about 20-30 metres in front of the procession but suddenly he decided to move to the front despite appeals to stay with the other politicians (Full report in Island).

A show of brutality on a holy day - Yesterday's dastardly suicide terror attack on the national Milad-un Nabi celebrations at Godapitiya, Matara, which left 15 dead and over 40 others injured, has demonstrated once again that the LTTE will never give up violence. If it does not heed calls from the international community to eschew terrorism, bid farewell to arms and enter the democratic mainstream at a time it is about to be decapitated, never will it change. It is being argued that the LTTE’s target was a group of government politicians. But, what could the LTTE achieve at this juncture by accounting for some politicians who could be targeted anywhere with ease. The LTTE suicide bombers usually go for high profile political or military leaders thought to be a threat to the outfit's cause and/or responsible for the government's current military campaign. Given the deep crisis Prabhakaran finds himself in, expending suicide bombs will not serve his purpose unless the elimination of the targets concerned has a debilitating impact on the war. He cannot be unaware that even if he succeeds in wiping out half of the Cabinet, he won't be able to put the brakes on the government’s military onslaught. Nor can he boost the morale of his cadres surrounded by the army with death staring them in the face by means of some terror strikes elsewhere. Why did the LTTE carry out yesterday's attack? (Full Editorial in Island).

Surgery on Minister - Post and Telecommunication Minister Mahinda WijesEkera and two other persons have been airlifted from Matara hospital to Colombo National Hospital owing to their serious injuries after yesterday’s bomb explosion at Godapitiya Jumma Masjid mosque. National Hospital Director General Dr. Hector Weerasinghe yesterday said, Minister Mahinda Wijesekera has sustained severe head injuries and was immediately taken to the operating theatre of the National Hospital for neurosurgical treatment. The doctors have performed surgery on the Minister and he is under constant surveillance of neuro surgeons, said Dr. Weerasinghe. The two patients who were taken to the hospital with serious injuries along with the Minister were put under intensive care, he said. He said, a team of special medical officers has been flown to Matara to help the victims on the directions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, aboard a Sri Lanka Air Force 30-seater MI 17 helicopter (Daily News).

Army Special Forces and Sri Lanka Navy Overcoming LTTE’s threat - By Sanjeewa Karunaratne - If you want to defeat a terrorist organization, talk in a language they understand as done by the Sri Lankan government. In civility, it is difficult and seems "war time excess" or even described as violations of "human rights," however, scores of innocents daily killed by suicide attacks may not come within the purview of "human rights," according to these experts. But desperate times call for desperate measures. It is ludicrous for countries harnessing terrorist support to advocate peaceful settlements with single-minded terrorists, who would neither settle nor compromise. SL Government with over twenty five years of experience in warfare understood this simple fact and met eye-to-eye with the LTTE. This is a story about two innovative military tactics that changed the course of the civil war in Sri Lanka. The deployment of special forces (SF) units by the SL Army to attack the enemy within its territory created chaos in the insurgency. Confronted by an enemy adept at using terrain to mask movement thereby leaving conventional forces blind to their intentions, it was only natural that the military should create a capability to monitor and disrupt deep within the enemy-held territory. From saturation patrols along the de-facto LTTE-held border to near-suicide missions and compromised positions in the always dangerous LTTE heartland, these units unflinchingly "walk the razor’s edge" every day and has became one of the most respected and most feared illusive battalion in the history of the of the separatist war (Full report in Asian Tribune).

LTTE defeated, says think-tank - An estimated 150,000 civilians are trapped in an ever shrinking space, forcibly held back by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the International Crisis Group (ICG) said, EuAsiaNews yesterday.In a report on Monday, the ICG said the Sri Lankan military has already achieved its military objectives and essentially won the war. The Brussels-based think-tank said: “The Sri Lankan government must hold off on the final assault to allow adequate supplies of food, water and medical aid to reach the civilian population and to let those civilians who wish to leave to do so.” “The LTTE has been defeated and must surrender,” the ICG said, adding that the group’s current actions demonstrated its “utter disregard for the Tamil people”. “The international community should send its strongest possible messages to the LTTE that it must negotiate a surrender. In exchange, key international parties should commit to supervise the surrender and to guarantee the physical protection of any surrendered fighters.” On the other hand, if the LTTE continues to use civilians as a human shield and forcibly recruit children and adults, the report suggests that its leadership should face international justice for its serious war crimes. International leaders, in particular the UN secretary-general, Indian prime minister and the president of the US, must press for these actions immediately, the ICG stressed (Daily News).

Tiger attack jeopardises food supply - Tuesday’s LTTE artillery attack on MV Bintan carrying essential food items to people trapped on the Vanni front would severely affect attempts to move in supplies and evacuate the sick and wounded with the help of the ICRC, government sources said. A Foreign Ministry official asserted that the attack could be part of the LTTE’s strategy to block supplies to civilians, now believed to be fewer than 70,000, to bolster its call for an immediate ceasefire. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said that the humanitarian operation launched with the help of the ICRC was evidence of the Rajapaksa administration’s commitment to provide assistance to civilians. ICRC spokesperson Ms. Sarasi Wijeratne told The Island that since the launch of medical evacuations on February 10, 3175 sick and the wounded and some of their relatives had been moved out of the 20 sq. km. civilian safety zone. Responding to our queries, she said that passenger vessel Green Ocean had been deployed on nine occasions to carry out the evacuations, the last deployment being on March 6. She said that the next operation hadn’t been finalised. She said that the ICRC, in its capacity as neutral intermediary had facilitated the movement of ships carrying essential items to the LTTE-held area. According to her, the operation got underway on February 18th and so far over 170 metric tons of essential items had been moved to Puthumathalan (Full report in Island).

LTTE, JVP and campus politics – II - by Nalin de Silva - The early Marxist movement did not do much to establish a communist state or a socialist state (forget the withering away of the state in Classical Marxism), and in the eyes of the JVP which was a party in the Maoist tradition with a so called nationalistic outlook the old left had been a traitor. The JVP as we said last week vacillated between the internationalism of Marxism and nationalism, and reduced Marxism to a few slogans and five classes. However the party undertook to carry forward the class struggle though not in the name of the proletariat but of nirdhanin (those without wealth), and establish a socialist state taking up arms against the bourgeois state. The LTTE on the other hand was a product of Tamil racism and separatism, and was disillusioned with the old Tamil parties that did not do much to establish an Eelam in the opinion of the former. In the eyes of the LTTE the old Tamil racist parties were traitors just as much the old left parties were reckoned so by the JVP. The LTTE (and the other parties of the Tamil youth) ironically learnt from the JVP and took up arms to establish a separate state in the early seventies. The LTTE unlike the JVP did not have to vacillate between separatism and any other "ism" and the political outfit and its leader Prabhakaran from the very beginning had only one objective which was to establish a separate state in the northern and the eastern provinces. However it could be said that the westerners and the LTTE would have been thinking of establishing the Eelam in the entire country not confining to the northern and the eastern provinces. If UK and USA had continued with supplying so called developmental material through Norway and if the humanitarian operations were delayed by an year or two nobody could say exactly what would have been the outcome of the "struggle" of the LTTE (Full report in Island Mid-Week Mirror)

LTTE suicide bomber attacks Milad Festival - Akurassa [Updated - The latest updates on brutal terrorist attack at the national Milad Festival in Sri Lanka, indicates that 10 civilians were killed and at least 20 others , including a government minister were injured. An LTTE suicide bomber attacked the Jumma mosque at Godapitiya, in Akurassa , in the Matara district around 10.30 , this morning (Mar 10). According to the defence sources , the LTTE terrorist has targeted the Islam devotees attending the national Milad-Un-Nabi celebration , held at the mosque. The Milad-un-Nabi , the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed is celebrated as a national festival in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile , hospital sources say Minister Mahinda Wijesekara who was also attending the celebration has suffered injuries, in the explosion. The sources add that another 15 people with injuries have been admitted to the government hospital Matara. The LTTE is a ruthless terrorist outfit fighting for a mono ethnic separate state for Tamils in Sri Lanka since 1983. Lead by its psychopathic chief V. Prabhakaran, the outfit has slaughtered tens of thousands of innocent civilians during its three decades of terror campaign against Sri Lankan citizens. The LTTE has been engaged in a systematic and brutal ethnic cleansing campaign against Muslims and Sinhalese living in the North and Eastern Provinces in it fanatical attempt create an ethnically pure Tamil State in the Island nation (Daily News).

LTTE suicide bomber attacks Milad Festival - Akurassa [Updated] The latest updates on brutal terrorist attack at the national Milad Festival in Sri Lanka , indicates that 10 civilians were killed and at least 35 others , including a government minister were injured. An LTTE suicide bomber attacked the Jumma mosque at Godapitiya, in Akurassa , in the Matara district around 10.30 , this morning (Mar 10). According to the defence sources , the LTTE terrorist has targeted the Islam devotees attending the national Milad-Un-Nabi celebration , held at the mosque. The Milad-un-Nabi , the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed is celebrated as a national festival in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile , hospital sources say Minister Mahinda Wijesekara who was also attending the celebration has suffered injuries, in the explosion. The sources add that another 15 people with injuries have been admitted to the government hospital Matara. The LTTE is a ruthless terrorist outfit fighting for a mono ethnic separate state for Tamils in Sri Lanka since 1983. Lead by its psychopathic chief V. Prabhakaran, the outfit has slaughtered tens of thousands of innocent civilians during its three decades of terror campaign against Sri Lankan citizens. The LTTE has been engaged in a systematic and brutal ethnic cleansing campaign against Muslims and Sinhalese living in the North and Eastern Provinces in its fanatical attempt create an ethnically pure Tamil State in the Island nation (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Suicide Explosion Injures Minister Wijesekara & Kills over a Dozen - MATARA: MINISTER MAHINDA WIJESEKARA and several parliamentarians were among the seriously injured and rushed to MATARA General Hospital at about 11.00 a.m. today (10) when a suspected suicide bomber of Tamil Tigers stormed an Islamic function organized at GODAPITIYA JUMMA MOSQUE, AKURESSA in connection with MILAD UN NABI, the birthday of the HOLY PROPHET MOHAMMED. The suicide explosion that had injured so many at the time this report was filed have been admitted to MATARA General Hospital for treatment. Initial reports said over fifteen Islamic devotees were among the dead  (Sri Lanka army)..

Former Deputy Leader and Military Wing leader of the LTTE Tamil Tigers, Karuna, who gave up the terrorism and choose the way of democracy.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Mr. Vinayagamoorthy, known by his nom de guerre, Col Karuna, sworn in as Minister of National Integration. Karuna, the former Deputy Leader of the LTTE , and gave up the terrorism and choose the way of democracy).

Mr. Vinayagamoorthy(Commonly known as Karuna) sworn in as Minister of National Integration with Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa

Muralitharan sworn in as Minister - TMVP leader and Parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan with another 3000 followers from the Eastern Province joined the SLFP to strengthen the hands of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday. Following his entry into the party, Muralitharan had been appointed a Non-Cabinet Minister for National Integration and Reconciliation by President Rajapaksa. Addressing an august gathering at the ceremony, President Rajapaksa asserted that those carrying arms and weapons, should drop and abandon them spontaneously and automatically, in line with the country’s development and its prosperity. “We earnestly need a country, a motherland, in which the Sinhalese, the Tamils, the Muslims and all communities could live in harmony and work together as one family. Several progressive parties have already rallied around us and we are all working together under one banner. We cordially welcome them into the fray”, he said. He claimed that similarly to the liberation of the East from the ruthless terrorists, the North too would be freed and liberated very soon. Like the Negenahira Navodaya (Eastern Renaissance), the ‘Northern Spring’ will follow thereafter. “The East is being developed rapidly. The daunting challenges and problems confronted by the Eastern polity, is being addressed to and being solved gradually and systematically. The North will follow suit”, the President added. President Rajapaksa pointed out that already a Tamil oriented and Tamil speaking civilian administration has been put into place. Over 300 policemen have been recruited from the local community. Several other civilian appointments have been given to the civilians there. Several infrastructural development projects such as roads, electricity, irrigation, bridges and water supply, are already under way in the region to facilitate and uplift civilian life and administration. Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan addressing the gathering said that he was taking an epoch-making decision today, to join the SLFP and strengthen the hands of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, whom he rightly considered as the greatest leader, liberator and saviour of the nation. “We will get-together to mould and build a progressive nation”, he stressed (Full report in Daily News).

Karuna joins Cabinet - Within hours after officially joining the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) along with 1,750 cadre, parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan (Karuna), former deputy leader of the LTTE, was sworn in Minister of National Integration on Monday. Mr. Muralidharan alias Karuna recently parted ways with the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) following differences with Eastern Province Chief Minister, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) and announced his decision to join the SLFP. The Presidential Secretariat said here at least 1,750 Tamils from the East, both men and women, including a large number of former LTTE cadre who left the leadership of Prabakaran with Mr. Karuna’s defection in 2004, and many others who had remained loyal to the LTTE even after, joined the SLFP, at a special event at Temple Trees. Mr. Muralidharan and 12 others obtained their membership from Mr. Rajapaksa, who is also the president of the SLFP. The statement quoted Mr. Rajapaksa as describing him a “talented leader”. When development goes ahead, the arms will fall off the hands of people, said the President. The time when the Tamil people of the North would also be liberated like those of the East is very near, he said (Full report in Hindu).

Ex-rebel made Sri Lankan minister - The former deputy leader of the Tamil Tigers - known by his nom de guerre, Col Karuna - has been appointed a minister by Sri Lanka's government. Vinyagamoorthi Muralitharan is the new non-cabinet minister for national integration and reconciliation. He broke away from the rebels in 2004, delivering a major setback to the movement and contributing to their loss of control of the east in 2007. Mr Muralitharan was sworn in by President Mahinda Rajapaksa (Full report in BBC).

Karuna sworn in as Minister - Leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulika (TMVP) Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman took oaths as a Non Cabinet Minister of National Integration yesterday before President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees. The position was previously held by D. E. W. Gunasekara. Party sources said that the TMVP leader joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) with their 3000 supporters at a function held at the Temple Trees. Soon after he joined the SLFP took oaths. General Secretary of the SLFP, Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Development Minister Maithreepala Sirisena, General Secretary of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), Education Minister Susil Premajayantha, and Transport Minister Dallas Alahapperuma also attended the ceremony. Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan joined the LTTE organization in 1983. He was its Military Wing leader. However he broke away the LTTE in 2004 and entered the politics with registering a new political party TMVP. In 2007 he was arrested in London claiming possession of a false passport. After a term of nine month is imprisonment he was released by British authorities in 2008. After arrival to Sri Lanka he re-commenced his political activities and UPFA government offered him a National List MP which was vacant by the JVP MP Wasantha Samarasinghe’s resignation to contest the North Central Provincial Council (Island).

Media Release - SPUR unequivocally condemns the drive by shooting by the Real IRA that caused the death of two young British servicemen who were about to be deployed to Iraq and caused injury to two pizza deliverymen. An act of deliberately targeting service personnel is a reprehensible act of terrorism. This action of killing service personnel and civilians is an act of terrorism not second to the attacks on service personnel and unarmed civilians that are carried out on a daily basis in Sri Lanka by the LTTE. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has rightly condemned the attack and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. An elected government is expected to protect the people from terrorism. Both the Prime Minister of Britain and the President of Sri Lanka understand this. However, it is unfortunate that the British Prime Minister is rather ambiguous in his public statements when commenting on extreme terrorism of the LTTE affecting Sri Lanka especially the British no see evil , no hear evil policy of LTTE fronts' operations in the UK. Therefore, the British policy and statements smack of double standards. By taking responsibility for this act of terrorism, the Real IRA has proved to have more integrity than the LTTE that denies each and every act of terror they carry out, including shooting civilians fleeing away from them to safety in the back, and attempting to cast the blame on the Sri Lankan security forces. Anyone guilty of terrorism should be brought to justice swiftly if justice is to be done to the victims. Terrorism anywhere is terrorism everywhere! Our sympathies go out to the families of the deceased soldiers and we hope the perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly - Ranjith Soysa, Spokesperson, SPUR (Victoria).

Ronald Burke says genocide blamed on Sri Lanka by the LTTE is an expression exceedingly going too far (By: Walter Jayawardhana) Ronald Burke, BBC's former Colombo correspondent making an independence appearance in a radio debate between the Sri Lankan and pro-Tamil Tiger parties in London and answering a question whether there is any truth in the charge by pro-LTTE section about a "genocide" in Sri Lanka said it is exceedingly an "expression going too far." Burke said undoubtedly some civilians are getting killed in the war but the allegation about genocide is not true. But Burke protested the inability of journalists not being able to see for them what was happening inside the warzone. The debate between the two Sri Lankan groups was moderated by the popular broadcaster Nihal for the BBC's Asian network. One side was represented by the President of the Sinhala Association of London Mr. Douglas Wickramaratne and the PRO-LTTE side was represented by Mr. Ramanan Sri Pathmanadan. But during the debate Mr.Sri Pathmanadan had to accept that the child soldiers conscripted by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the suicide bombing practiced by them are two indefensible acts, although officially the LTTE has never said so before. Douglas Wickramaratne replying to charges of discrimination said what Eaton and Oxford educated Bandaranaike did was only replacing English , spoken only by six percent of the people , the elite of the Sinhalese and the Tamils , with Sinhalese as the state language which was understood and spoken by eighty percent of the population. He also introduced reasonable use of Tamil immediately after the Sinhala act. This upset, mostly the Tamil elite who had become an over privileged sector of the society due to the divide and rule policies of the British imperial government, Wickramaratne charged (Full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

At Least Ten Confirm Killed in the LTTE Suicide Attack on the JUMMA Mosque Procession - MATARA: POSTS and Telecommunications Minister MAHINDA WIJESEKARA who was seriously injured in the suicide blast at GODAPITIYA JUMMA MOSQUE, AKURESSA Tuesday (10) morning was airlifted to COLOMBO National Hospital as his condition was very serious after His Excellency the President dispatched a special medical team to MATARA hospital from COLOMBO to attend the injured. A procession organized to mark the birthday of HOLY PROPHET MOHAMMED and also the Medin Full Moon Poya day was on its way closer to JUMMA MOSQUE at GODAPITIYA, AKURESSA this morning (10) at about 11.00 a.m. when an LTTE suicide bomber blew him self up as the procession attended by Muslim, Catholic and Buddhist clergy was wending its way before a grand religious ceremony later in the morning. At least a dozen participants in the religious procession were pronounced dead and more than fifteen have been injured including the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, MAHINDA WIJESEKARA and few other local politicians. Among the dead in suicide explosion were DEVUNDARA Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman LINTON ABEYDEERA, AKURESSA Pradeshiya Sabha Vice Chairman UPALI SARATHCHANDRA, KUMBURUPITIYA Pradeshiya Sabha Vice-Chairman TILAK WIJESEKARA and ATHURALIYA Pradeshiya Sabha member ANURA WICKRAMASINGHE. Initial investigations confirmed the suicide bomber on motor bike has rammed the procession which was attended by Ministers and Religious leaders and the public in the area  (Sri Lanka army)..

Islam guides humanity on right path - Islam seeks to guide humanity on the right path of brotherhood, mutual understanding, cooperation and tolerance, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a message to mark Milad-Un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Mohammed. The President's message: "I am pleased to send this message of greetings to the followers of Islam in Sri Lanka, as they join their brethren in faith the world over, to celebrate Milad-un Nabi, the birth of the Holy Prophet Mohammed. This day of significance for the followers of Islam draws attention to the teachings of the Holy Prophet that lays emphasis on peace and harmony, which led to the building of important religious and cultural traditions, and also fostered the study and development of science and research. Guided by the teachings of the Holy Prophet, Islam seeks to guide humanity on the right path of brotherhood, mutual understanding, cooperation and tolerance. Highlighting non-violence as the better path to peace, Islam rejects violence and terrorism, which has great significance in today's world, where terrorism is a threat to many societies. Milad-un-Nabi is celebrated as a national festival in Sri Lanka, and my Government has made arrangements for this year's celebrations to be held in the Matara District, giving due emphasis to the religious and cultural activities of the Muslims there (Full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Several Politicians Among the Dead - MATARA: SEVERAL Pradeshiya Sabha members, Provincial Councilors, local politicians and former members of Parliament were among the seriously injured and killed following the suicide blast Tuesday (10) morning at GODAPITIYA, AKURESSA. DEVINUWARA Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman LINTON ABEYDEERA, AKURESSA Pradeshiya Sabha vice-Chairman UPALI SARATHCHANDRA, KABURUPITIYA Pradeshiya Sabha vice-Chairman TILAK WIJESEKARA, ATHURALIYA Pradeshiya Sabha member ANURA WICKRAMASINGHE were among the dead so far identified by the Police at this report was pasted. Former Parliamentarian H.G. SIRISENA injured seriously in the incident was also airlifted to COLOMBO National Hospital a few hours ago as his condition turned worst. Earlier Minister of Posts and Telecommunications MAHINDA WIJESEKARA was also airlifted to COLOMBO National Hospital following serious injuries sustained in the blast while he was attending the religions ceremony in the area. At this story was filed, medical specialists at the COLOMBO National Hospital are busy performing a major surgery on Minister MAHINDA WIJESEKARA at the COLOMBO National Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) operation theatre. Several more died in the LTTE suicide blast are still to be identified (Sri Lanka army).

LTTE receives heavy beating South of Chalai: scores killed, troops recover over 150 terrorist bodies- Mullaittivu At least 200 terrorists were killed, as many wounded and over 150 LTTE bodies recovered by Sri Lankan security forces, following heavy fighting that broke out between troops and LTTE since last Thursday (March 5), at the Mullaittivu battlefront South of Chalai and Palamathalan. The 55 Division, 58 Division including Special Force (SF) and Commando troops comprehensively neutralized the LTTE offensive waves also seizing a large haul of weapons, security sources said. Security forces thwarted successive offensive attempts made by LTTE to infiltrate the military forward defences South of Chalai yesterday (March 8), which left over 100 terrorists killed and as many injured, battlefield sources reported (Full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

LTTE suffers biggest loss in single day - The LTTE faced its biggest battle reversal in a single day on Sunday in their bid to breach the 58 Division defences in Ampalavanpokkanai South of Chalai as troops recovered 82 Tiger bodies and 186 T-56 weapons yesterday after the fiercest battles military sources told the Daily News. ”It has been observed that dozens of other Tiger cadres were killed and scores injured and disabled in the fierce counter attack launched by the 58 Division troops foiling the Tiger bid to breach Security Forces defences”, a senior military official told the Daily News. “A number of bodies of the Tiger cadres were also seen floating in the lagoon in the South of Chalai as troops carried out further search operations to trace Tiger cadres who had infiltrated into jungle patches in the South of Chalai”, sources added. Military officials told the Daily News that the LTTE suffered the biggest beating at the hands of the Security Forces and retreated abandoning their attempt halfway after more than 100 of their cadres were killed in their aborted mission. The 58 Division troops supported by Commando troops Special Forces troops foiled a major attempt by the well trained cadres from the Radha Regiment and Charles Anthony Brigades to breach the Security Forces defences on Sunday for the fourth consecutive day. They were supported by the Sri Lanka Air Force through their close air support and by the barrages of artillery fire from ground troops. Apart from the 186 T-56 guns, troops also recovered two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns, two Light Machine Guns, nine Rocket Propelled Grenades, 15 I-com sets and 15 radio sets, four 60 mm mortars, two T-81 guns. Military sources also said that the fate of many Tiger leaders entrapped in the ensuing battle were not known and some bodies believed to be of Tiger leaders are yet to be identified by troops. According to ground troops more than 250 Tiger cadres were killed in battles along the 58 Division front since Thursday morning as they have recovered more than 150 Tiger bodies by yesterday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Security Forces are also advancing on the last terrain of the LTTE, from a North to South direction closer to the safe zone (Full report in Daily News).

The military situation is comparatively satisfactory - Greetings Professor Wijesinghe. Please tell us briefly how you view the current political- military situation in Sri Lanka? The military situation is comparatively satisfactory, in that the LTTE is on the verge of military defeat. However, since they managed to prepare a defence line of human shields, with no one bothering about preventing this when it might have been easy, our forces now have to move very carefully, which means very slowly. Meanwhile, in addition to using these civilians as physical shields, the LTTE is also trying to use them to get the world to try to stop the forces from advancing. With regard to the political situation, the withdrawal from negotiations of the LTTE allowed for greater involvement with other Tamil parties, and the TMVP is now in power in the Eastern Province. I hope very much that we will be able to have at least Municipal elections in the North, to make it clear that there are brave politicians whom people will vote for, who are willing to work for their people within a united Sri Lanka. It is also important to ensure full implementation of the 13th amendment, including in particular areas that impact closely on the lives of the people such as education and infrastructural development, to allow for development through diversity. What are the key factors behind the government success against Tamil Tiger rebels? (Full report in Sri Lanka Guardian).

How Tigers get combat rations - Troops of the 55 Division, while conducting search and clearing operations in the general area South of Chalai, after neutralizing an LTTE infiltration bid on Sunday (March 8), made the startling revelation of a possible flow of 'combat rations' to the LTTE under the guise of 'nutrition supplements' according to the Defence Ministry website. A high protein BP-100 packet of biscuits was in the possession of an LTTE cadre killed due to small arms fire. Troops had also uncovered a T-56 assault rifle, 03x maps and a GPS (Global Positioning System). Earlier, on 26th January, 2008, police personnel manning a check point at Medawachchiya apprehended a Vavuniya bound lorry with a stock of 39,000kgs of 'BP-100 compact Therapeutical high protein biscuit' sent by the World Food Program (Island).

Govt condemns attack on food ship - The Government of Sri Lanka strongly condemns the artillery shelling by the LTTE yesterday March 9 of a ship carrying urgent supplies of food and other essential items to the civilians who are being held hostage by the LTTE in the narrow coastal strip, north of Mullaitivu, said a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday. Addressing a media briefing at the Ministry today, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama vehemently denounced this cowardly attack by the LTTE on an unarmed vessel engaged in a purely humanitarian mission to feed the people. The LTTE is trying to starve these self-same Tamil people whom it claims to represent, perhaps with the ulterior motive of giving credence to the myth of starvation that is being circulated in some quarters internationally by the LTTE’s propaganda machinery. The Government had arranged for a vessel, ‘MV Bintan’ through the Commissioner General of Essential Services to send 500 mt of food, including flour, dhal, sugar, vegetable oil, as well as kerosene and petrol to Puthumattalan, Mullaitivu from the Trincomalee port last Friday (6th March), he said. “This complex logistical operation undertaken by the Government with the help of the good offices of the ICRC is tangible proof of its profound concern for the helpless civilians, who are undergoing untold misery and suffering at the hands of the LTTE, which is preventing them from moving out to the cleared areas, resorting to its familiar brutal terror tactics, including shooting and killing those daring to flee to safety and freedom,” he added. “Although it was possible to unload 142 mt of the cargo yesterday (8th March) off the Puthumattalan coast and taken ashore in smaller boats, this humanitarian mission had to be suspended today (9th March) when the LTTE launched an unprovoked heavy artillery barrage at the ship around 8.30 a.m., which compelled the captain of the vessel to turn back and move into deeper waters, where bad weather conditions have further aggravated the situation,” the release said (Full report in Daily News).

Yal Devi will be back on track – President - Government sources said yesterday that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s vision was to put the Yal Devi back on the track to the North with the cooperation of the South. He is expected to announce this as a National Project shortly. General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan said that Minister of Transport Dulles Alahapperuma had said at a meeting yesterday morning that SLR should be prepared and ready to implement all decisions arrived at by the Government. The GM said that to his knowledge the date scheduled for this announcement had been postponed beyond March (19). He said that 160 kilometres of rail tracks had to be laid from Thandikulam in Vavuniya and many Railway stations along the way had to be rebuilt. The Government is also going ahead with the construction of the railway to Kataragama 160 kilometres from Matara the Southern terminal. Land acquisition and preparing the ground is taking place at a fast pace he said (Island).

Fleeing teenager injured by LTTE fire - A young female was injured when LTTE cadres indiscriminately fired at a group of civilians seeking protection with the Security Forces on Sunday in Puthukudiyiruppu. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said 45 civilians fleeing from the grip of the Tigers had come under LTTE fire while they were making escape from the uncleared area on Sunday. “A 17 year old female injured by the LTTE fire was treated at the Army medical corp before she was transfered to hospital,” he added. He said however, the fleeing civilians were rescued by the Army. “Troops of 8 SLLI (Sri Lanka Light Infantry) under Brigade 581 operating in the Puthukudiyiruppu east rescued civilians fleeing from the LTTE clutches”. The LTTE cadres are holding civilians as human shield to slow down the Security Forces humanitarian operation in the Vanni and liberate civilians. He said over 40,000 displaced civilians arriving from the Vanni were resettled in the Vavuniya and Mannar IDP welfare centres (Full report in Daily News).

Sri Lanka Rules out Indian Hand in Attack on Cricketers - Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on Monday ruled out any hidden Indian hand in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan last Tuesday. "From our view point India is our friend and neighbor. Why should India attack our cricketers?" Bogollagama told reporters, adding that "we have no reasons to suspect India." Bogollagama said it was too early to rule out any involvement by Sri Lanka's rebel group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). "We await an interim report by Pakistani authorities as the LTTE has many international links," the Sri Lanlan foreign minister said. Six Sri Lankan cricketers and their assistant coach, a British national were injured when a terrorist gang fired rocket propelled grenades and automatic guns on the team bus on March 3. Sri Lankans abandoned the cricket match with the Pakistani team and returned home Thursday morning. Sri Lanka toured Pakistan when most international teams refused to tour citing security fears. Sri Lanka's tour came in place of India who canceled the tour accusing Pakistan of involvement in the Mumbai terrorist attacks last November. The Sri Lankan national cricket team is a major cricketing team in the world. The team won the 1996 Cricket World Cup by beating Australia in the finals (Full report in CriEnglish).

Humanitarian operations and civilian safety - Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, MP was interviewed by Stephen Sackur for “BBC HARDtalk” on March 02, 2009 - Following are excerpts of the interview: (See full interview).

To Jaffna via A-9 - Catalyst for economic resurgence in peninsula - After two decades - The transportation of essential consumer goods to Jaffna peninsula, via the land based A-9 road recommenced yesterday, after a lapse of more than two decades. A convoy consisting of more than 25 lorries and containers carrying over 350 metric tons of essential food items left the CWE warehouse in Welisara yesterday morning, after a simple ceremony, chaired by Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda. Minister Devananda addressing the gathering described the use of the A-9 to transport goods to Jaffna as a very significant development in bridging the North and the South. While complementing the Security Forces who gained full control of the A-9 highway last month, the Minister said the use of A-9 to its full potential, after a lapse of more than 20 years, would act as a catalyst for a new economic resurgence in the peninsula. The use of A-9 to transport consumer goods to Jaffna is expected to bring down the cost of living in the peninsula drastically. In addition, the travel costs of Jaffna residents, who want to visit areas in the South including Colombo are expected to come down in a big way with the resumption of public transport via A-9 in the near future. During a major period of the last two and a half decades, authorities had to resort to the costly exercise of using sea and air routes, when transporting goods and passengers to the Jaffna peninsula. I n addition the doors of the southern market too remained closed to the Jaffna farmers and businessmen due to the closure of A-9, considered as the main land based link between Jaffna and the rest of the country. The new initiative is not only expected to deliver goods to Jaffna, but is also set to bring back the produce from Jaffna farmers and businessmen to Southern parts, expanding their market prospects (Full report in Daily News).

Cambodia mulls probe of foundation supporting LTTE - The Cambodian Government was considering to investigate the actions of a local foundation which allegedly supported the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, national media said on Monday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has sent a letter to Interior Minister Sar Kheng to request him to do so, said English-Khmer language newspaper the Cambodia Daily. The Foreign Ministry received a diplomatic notice from the U.S. Embassy warning of the existence of the U.S. based Tamil Foundation, the paper quoted the letter dated February 26 as saying. “Please, Minister, be informed about the organization and take measures to investigate the actions of this organization,” said the letter, while not elaborating whether the Tamil Foundation was known to be active within Cambodia. In July 2007, international security magazine the Jane’s Intelligence Review reported that Cambodia was a significant source of weapons for the Tigers, but failed to mention its sources. The Cambodian Government denied it at the time, saying that Cambodia had destroyed many of its surplus arms and that the report referred to the situation before 1998 (Daily News).

Suicide cadre's brother held - A brother of an LTTE suicide cadre was arrested yesterday by Kalutara North police in Alvis Watte, Kalutara, police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said. Following information, Kalutara North police deployed a team and arrested the suspect and a van while he was at a garage in Alvis Watte, Kalutara South. "The suspect was a brother of a suicide cadre who was arrested in the Modera area sometime ago", SSP Gunasekera said. The suspect is a resident of Hekitta, Wattala. Police are investigating whether the suspect had any link with the LTTE (Daily News).

Sri Lanka’s economy on firm footing - Amidst all the financial crises, contrary to pessimistic predictions, Sri Lanka’s economy has held firm and moved forward on a broad front, Foreign Ministry Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona said. Addressing the business community at the Key Persons’ Forum organized by the Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED), a Project of Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) and Friedrich Naumann Stiftung, he said it is to the credit of the Government that a consistent economic approach has been maintained while external pressures mounted and the demands of the military escalated. Dr. Kohona said foreign direct investment last year had exceeded US $ 800 million while over 1.5 million expatriates had remitted US $ 3 billion to the country money credited to the LTTE funds by a section of misconceived diaspora for the LTTE to pursue its self-destructive military goal which is totally a mirage, could now be used to enable misled youth to achieve their dreams in some prestigious academic institution, Dr. Kohona said. “While we managed the economy with care, we continued to maintain our caring social approach. Our social indicators are the envy of the developing world. “While we are well placed on the UN Human Development index, we are also on the way to achieving Millennium Development goals,” he said. The Samurdhi Program has contributed significantly to this development and the absolute poverty levels are down to around 15 per cent, Dr. Kohona said (Daily News).

US-led evacuation of trapped civilians unlikely - Tigers fire at ship carrying supplies to civilian safety zone - Contrary to reports of an imminent US-spearheaded effort to mount an amphibious operation to evacuate civilians in the LTTE held area, now down to about 45 sq. km., authoritative military officials asserted that such an intervention seemed unlikely at the moment. Responding to The Island queries, officials said that unless the US reached an agreement with the LTTE for the evacuation, troops engaged in the operation would come under LTTE fire. A large scale rescue mission would involve thousands of troops landing within the civilian safety zone on the north-east coast, they said. As the 20 sq. km. civilian safety zone is under LTTE control, foreign troops would definitely face resistance, they said. According to media reports, a marine expeditionary force of the US Pacific Command would land in Mullaitivu to carry out the evacuation. The LTTE still controls a 15 km stretch of Mullaitivu beach with 55 and 59 Divisions positioned north and south of the civilian safety zone. The 55 Division is operating at Puthumathalan north after having pierced an earth bund (Full report in Island).

Troops make startling discovery - Troops of the 55 Division, while conducting search and clearing operations in the general area South of Chalai, after neutralizing an LTTE infiltration bid on Sunday (March 8), had made the startling revelation of a possible flow of 'combat rations' to the LTTE under the guise of 'nutrition supplements' according to the Defence Ministry website. A high protein BP-100 packet of biscuits was in the possession of an LTTE cadre killed due to small arms fire.Troops had also uncovered a T-56 assault rifle, 03x maps and a GPS (Global Positioning System). Earlier, on 26th January, 2008, police personnel manning a check point at Medawachchiya apprehended a Vavuniya bound lorry with a stock of 39,000kgs of 'BP-100 compact Therapeutical high protein biscuit' sent by the World Food Program (Island).

Tigers fire on food ship - The LTTE yesterday morning fired artillery at a ship that was unloading food items for the civilians trapped in Mullaitivu, the Military said. The ship MV 'Bintan' had left Trincomalee on Friday with 500 metric tons of essential items and reached Putumatalam, Mullaitivu by 7.30 a.m. on Saturday, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said. He said that 145 metric tons had been unloaded by Sunday evening and awaited unloading of the rest of the cargo this morning. He said soon after the incident the ship was taken to deep sea amidst bad weather to avert further shelling by the LTTE (Full report in Island).

A Trojan horse? - Time was when the prominent members of the international community thought Sri Lanka was not equal to the task of defeating terrorism. Even after the army reached Kilinochchi, they did not want to believe that the Tigers would be confined to a small area in Mullaitivu within weeks and their roar reduced to a pathetic whine. As for military assistance, Sri Lanka received none whatsoever from the self-appointed crusaders against global terrorism. Instead, they with the help of their INGO allies have gone all out to scuttle the war on terror here. Having turned a Nelsonian eye to the plight of civilians who went through hell under the jackboot of Prabhakaran for nearly thirty years, they suddenly woke up to human rights of those hapless people only after they were convinced beyond doubt that the LTTE's days were numbered. It is reported that the US is toying with the idea of launching a humanitarian operation with the help of Marines in Mullaitivu to rescue civilians trapped in the LTTE-held terrain. Yesterday, our special correspondent in India said speculation was rife in the Indian diplomatic circles that the US was likely to discuss the matter with the Indian leaders shortly. The US has neither confirmed nor rejected the reports at issue (Full Editorial in Island).

Will Pakistan become worse before it gets better? - The attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore, Pakistan on 3rd March is a stark reminder of the growing civil war in Pakistan which is getting worse by the day. The battle lines for this intractable war are clear. On one side is the government led by the unpopular President Zardavi who is notorious for his greed dissolution and venality on the other side the extremist Taliban, influenced by the teachings of Mohammad ibnu Abdul Wahab led by Baitullah Mehshud who is known to have close dealings with CIA operatives in Pakistan. Another Taliban stalwart in Pakistan is Moulana Fazlur Rahman the godfather of the Taliban. In addition to these players in this war there are the tribesmen in South and North Waziristan. Behind all these players, the unseen hand of the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency are pulling the strings to work out its own diabolical agenda in Pakistan. The US has pursued a deliberate policy of destabilizing Pakistan in order to have a pretext to seize control of its nuclear sites as Pakistan is the only Muslim country that possesses nuclear bombs. Few analysts in Pakistan have any doubts of the US’s intentions. The US is getting bolder by even directly attacking Pakistan in the border regions without any reference to the Pakistani authorities. These attacks have caused civilian causalities although they were blatant breaches of international law and have a serious destabilizing impact on Pakistan supposedly a key ally of the US (Full letter in Island).

Opening of A-9 highway a benefit to all - by Dasun Edirisinghe in Elephant Pass - It was not just another dawn at Elephant Pass on March 2, 2009, but a historic one. The National flag flutters high along with the regimental flags of the Sri Lankan Army which were hoisted opposite the newly established Military Movement Control Centre at neck of the Jaffna Peninsula. Over 300 soldiers and officers get ready to return to their homes, on leave. The reopening of the A-9 Jaffna-Kandy Highway after 24 years for military transport was truly a historic moment. This will enable all service personnel to reach their homes within 24 hours anywhere in the country. Twenty buses were all set and ready to leave Elephant Pass at the auspicious hour of 9.00 am amidst the chanting pf Pirith by the Maha Sangha. Jaffna Security Forces Commander, Major General Mendaka Samarasinghe, who was the chief guest at the simple ceremony, said military transportation along the A-9 road will significantly cut down the time of travel, which was earlier by sea and air, which took around four to five days. Naturally, as a result there would be a massive saving of funds by the security forces. "On one hand, the reopening of the A-9 highway will serve as a link between the people in the North and South." (Full report in Island).

MP Karuna appointed as Minister - Parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman took oaths as the Non-Cabinet Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation before President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees, this evening (Daily Mirror).

Essential supplies ship attacked by suspected LTTE: Army - Suspected LTTE rebels today launched heavy artillery attacks on a government ship carrying 500 metric tonnes of food and rations for the displaced people in the embattled north of Sri Lanka, officials said. The ship MV Bintan carrying CGS Cargo from Trincomalee to Putumatlan in Mullaittivu came under heavy shelling by suspected LTTE militants during unloading, the army said. The ship had cast off from Trincomalee on Saturday with with the biggest shipment dispatched since the beginning of the humanitarian war in the North so far for the Tamil Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS). The ship had reached Putumatalan around 7.30 a m yesterday and had unloaded 142 metric tonnes when the attack took place. According to the captain of the ship the LTTE had launched heavy artillery attacks around 8.30 a m. The unprovoked attack has compelled the ship to penetrate further into the deep seas where the bad weather conditions have aggravated the situation, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said. According to officials, the LTTE attack has now moved to deeper seas off Putumatalam. No damages to the ship has been reported so far (Full report in Indopia)..

Special Forces & 58 Division Troops Collect Eighty LTTE Dead Bodies & more LTTE Weapons - MULLAITTIVU: TROOPS of the Special Forces (SF) and 58 Division on extended search and clear operations in PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU east recovered thirty more dead bodies of Tiger terrorists increasing the total number of dead bodies recovered to eighty by Monday (9) afternoon. In addition to the one hundred and eleven T-56 weapons collected by SF and 58 Division troops earlier, one hundred and fifty seven more T-56 weapons were also recovered from the confronted area Monday (9) morning. Troops also found eight T-58 weapons, eighteen Rocket Propeller Grenades (RPGs), ten Multi Purpose Machine Guns (MPMG), six 60 mm mortars, two 12.7mm anti aircraft guns, two Light Machine Guns (LMG), one 40 mm grenade launcher, one 9 mm pistol, one M 91 sniper gun, seven I-com sets and one compass from the area. Special Forces and 58 Division troops Sunday (8) launched a massive counter attack on LTTE terrorists who attempted to infiltrate the troops’ defence line in PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU east killing a large number of terrorists. (See today’s Situation Report titled “Fierce Gun Battle between Troops & LTTE Kills Large Number of Terrorists; Fifty Tiger Dead Bodies Recovered”) (Sri Lanka Army).

Cambodia mulls probe of foundation supporting LTTE - The Cambodian government was considering to investigate the actions of a local foundation which allegedly supported Sri Lanka's separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, said national media on Monday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has sent a letter to Interior Minister Sar Kheng to request him to do so, said English-Khmer language newspaper the Cambodia Daily. The foreign ministry received a diplomatic notice from the U.S. Embassy warning of the existence of the U.S.-based Tamil Foundation, the paper quoted the letter dated Feb. 26 as saying. "Please, Minister, be informed about the organization and take measures to investigate the actions of this organization," said the letter, while not elaborating whether the Tamil Foundation was known to be active within Cambodia. In July 2007, international security magazine the Jane's Intelligence Review reported that Cambodia was a significant source of weapons for the Tamil Tigers, but failed to mention its sources. The Cambodian government denied it at the time, saying that Cambodia had destroyed many of its surplus arms and that the report referred to the situation before 1998 (China View).

Air Marsha l Roshan Goonetileke - The sky is his terrain -  His life is synonymous with the Sri Lanka Air Force as he is the son of a former Air Force Commander. Having lost his best friend and younger brother to enemy fire, he has braved personal loss to guide the Air Force to its current glory. His commitment and strategic direction has paved the way for numerous Air Force victories. Under his command the Air Force has developed to a truly modern and high-tech fighting force. He has successfully confronted the world’s first-ever terrorist air wing. Persevering to achieve success through teamwork, the Air force has proven its strength yet again by destroying the suicide aircrafts of the LTTE that appeared in the skies over Colombo recently. Air Force Commander, Air Marshal Roshan Goonetileke is on a constant vigil. His responsibilities are immense and he is adamant to see an end to the menace gripping the country. This is his life (Full report in Business Today).

Troops Find LTTE Firing & Explosive Devices - VAVUNIYA: ARMY TROOPS on search and clear operations in the general area east of ILUPPEKIDARA in VAVUNIYA recovered one suicide belt, one claymore mine of 7 kg, one CDMA phone, one firing device, three remote controllers, sixteen electric detonators, three electric circuits, 65ft detonator codes, three maps, medicine and code sheets Sunday (8) (Sri Lanka Army)..

Our Forces lead global war on terror Sri Lankan - Armed Forces have brought unprecedented fame to the country. Terrorism which the most powerful Armies in the world failed to crush, was made to kneel down by our Forces, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. The terrorists whom our Forces are fighting, have been designated as the most ruthless outfit of the world. Therefore, the Sri Lankan Armed Forces give the lead and strength for all Armed Forces in the world in their war against terrorists, President Rajapaksa said. He was speaking at the Colours Award Ceremony of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in Trincomalee on Saturday. "I remember, it was in 1986 that the terrorists captured Tennamarachchi, Velvetiturai and Vadamarachchi areas in Jaffna, confining our Armed Forces only to the Jaffna Fort," the President said (Full report in Sri Lanak Defence Ministry).

Two Dead Bodies & Other LTTE Items Recovered - MULLAITTIVU: TROOPS of the 57 and 58 Divisions, Task Forces II, IV and VIII, during their search and clear operations Sunday (8), recovered two LTTE dead bodies, fifteen T-56 weapons, one Multi Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG), sixteen hand grenades, one bowzer, one communication set, one claymore mine, one Out Board Motor, 20 m detonator codes, LTTE uniforms and two hundred and fifty rounds of T-56 of ammunition from the general areas of VISUAMADU, KACHCHILAMADU, KOMANTHURAI east and PUTHUKUDIYIRUPPU (Sri Lanka Army)..

Terrorists fire upon fleeing civilians, one receive injuries - Puthukkudiyiruppu East - Forty-five Tamil civilians, who had been forcefully held by LTTE terrorists as human shields, have managed to reach security forces yesterday (8 March) seeking safety for their lives, defence sources in battlefront said. Troops of 8 SLLI (Sri Lanka Light Infantry) attached to 581 Brigade operating in Puthukkudiyiruppu east defence line rescued civilians who had been fired upon by the terrorists while escaping LTTE held area, defence sources added. According to the available sources, a 17-year-old girl who received gun shot injuries due to LTTE indiscriminate fire was later transferred to the hospital following initial treatment given by the troops of army Medical Corps (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Terrorist Artillery Fire on MV Bintan Hinders Unloading of Essential Items for IDPs - MULLAITTIVU: THE cargo ship MV BINTAN which carried essential items to civilians in the “Safe Zone” came under heavy LTTE artillery fire while being unloaded at PUTHUMATALAN this morning (9) around 8.30 a.m.. The ship left TRINCOMALEE Friday (6) around 4.15 p.m. with 500 metric tons of essential items including 399 tons of flour, 61 tons of dhal, 1400 tons of kerosene, 20 tons of sugar, 21 tons of vegetable oil, 200 tons of petrol and 90 kg of chlorine and reached PUTHUMATALAN by 7.30 a.m. on Saturday (7). 145 metric tons had been unloaded by Sunday (8) evening and awaited unloading of the rest of the cargo when the LTTE fired artillery on the ship this morning (9). However, the ship was taken to the deep sea amidst bad weather to avert further shelling by the terrorists depriving innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) trapped in the “Safe Zone” of essential supplies sent by the government (Sri Lanka Army)..

WFP distributed 'high protein-nutrition biscuit' found with slain terrorist - Troops of the 55 Division while conducting search and clearing operations in general area South of Chalai, after neutralizing an LTTE infiltration bid into the military defences Sunday(March 8), made a startling revelation of a possible flow of 'combat rations' to LTTE under the guise of 'nutrition supplements'. According to ground sources, a high protein BP-100 biscuit packet was in the possession of a slain LTTE cadre who was killed due to military small arms fire. Troops have also uncovered a T-56 assault riffle, 03x maps and a GPS, security sources said. Earlier, on 26th January, 2008, police personnel manning a check point at Medawachchiya apprehended a Vavuniya bound lorry with a stock of 39,000kgs of 'BP-100 compact Therapeutical high protein biscuit' sent by the World Food Program (WFP) (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Claymore Mine & Hand Grenades Recovered - AMPARA: TROOPS in AMPARA found one claymore mine, five hand grenades, two detonators and 5 ft long wire from KANNAGIPURAM area Sunday (8) (Sri Lanka Army)..

Secretary Defence visits People's Republic of China - Secretary Defence Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa made an official visit to the People's Republic of China, from 28th Feb 2009 till 06 March 2009. Secretary Defence during the visit met with the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry & Information and Director General of SASTIND, His Excellency Chen Qui Fa, and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency He Yifei. Secretary Defence extended his gratitude towards People's Republic of China and its people for the steadfast support given over the years to Sri Lanka to strength the war against terrorism. Mr Gotabata Rajapaksa also held discussion rounds with the Chief of the General Staff and Vice Minister of the Ministry of National Defence, His Excellency Lt General Mia Xio Tian, on training of security personnel between China and Sri Lanka (Full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Pre-Dawn LTTE Attacks on Chalai Troops Repulsed - MULLAITTIVU: 55 DIVISION troops confronted pockets of Tiger terrorists who aimed continuous fire at soldiers in the CHALAI area Sunday (8). Soldiers operating along the narrow coastal strip of CHALAI retaliated and repulsed the LTTE attacks that commenced early morning Search operations that followed found one LTTE dead body, one T-56 weapon, three T-56 magazines, one Global Positioning System (GPS), one hand grenade and ration items from the area. Further search operations continued (Sri Lanka Army)..

144 people seek protection with security forces - 144 Tamil civilians had sought protection with security forces on Sunday (March 8), arriving from the non-liberated patches at Mullaittivu, according to security sources. The civilians had arrived in three groups: 51, 38, 34 and 22 including 52 men, 47 women, 23 boys and similar number of girls.The people had arrived at Kaddaikadu, Alivavalai and Chundikkulam general areas and were later directed to the established civilian welfare centers (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Fierce Gun Battle between Troops & LTTE Kills Large Number of Terrorists; Fifty Tiger Dead Bodies Recovered - MULLAITTIVU: A FEW infiltration attempts by Tiger terrorists now being restricted to a small area of land between PUTHUKKUDIRIPPU and CHALAI were foiled by the Special Forces (SF) soldiers and 58 Division troops Sunday (8). In the wake of massive fire power of the 58 Division troops, terrorists lost nearly one hundred of their fighting cadres in addition to large number injured. During the search that followed, troops recovered fifty dead bodies of Tiger terrorists, one hundred and eleven T-56 weapons and some other military hardware belonging to terrorists (Sri Lanka Army).

Commander-in- Chief at the Naval POP - Trincomalee - Seventy Naval officers belonging to the 45th Intake of Midshipmen, Direct Entry Volunteer Lady Officers Intake 02/2008, Direct Entry Volunteer Officers Intake 03/2008, Direct Entry Volunteer Counseling Officers and Service Entry Candidate Course 01/2008 passed out at a colourful commissioning parade held at the Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee, on the evening of the 07th March 2009. The Chief Guest was His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He was accompanied by First Lady Madam Shiranthi Rajapaksa. Among the distinguished invitees who graced the occasion were Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, Secretary of Defence Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Secretary to the President Mr. Lalith Weerathunga. Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda was also in attendance to witness the historical event (Full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Military links existed between Tigers and LeT from 90s: Presidential Secretariat - COLOMBO: Military links between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the militant based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) organization go back to the early 1990s, the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat said on Friday. As early as 1992, LTTE leader Sathasivam Krishnakumar alias Kittu negotiated an arms deal with these militants based in Peshawar, the presidential research unit said in a report. The links date back to 1992, the report said, when Kittu, a prominent strategist of the LTTE at the time, negotiated arms purchases for the LTTE in Peshawar. In 1993, an Indian intelligence agency identified the vessel in which Kittu was transporting the weapons as belonging to the LTTE. The ship was believed to have been destroyed at sea and Kittu killed in the attack. There was also speculation at the time that the LTTE might have had external help in learning to fire missiles, which were placed atop two Avro aircraft, killing a large number of civilians near Palali airbase in April 1995. ‘It was believed at the time that the LTTE may have used mercenaries with links to Peshawar or Afghanistan, to fire these missiles, links which have remained even today.’ (Full report in Daily Mirror).  (Re-Produced in full in SPUR)

Sri Lankans in Austria hold demonstration demanding release of Tiger terrorist held civilians - A number of highly successful anti-LTTE demonstrations have been held in several European cities over the past few months and continuing this patriotic tradition Sri Lankans in Vienna for the second time protested on Friday 6th March at the Ballhausplatz, Vienna. It attracted over 100 persons in spite of the rainy weather. Friday's protest rally in Vienna was organized by Austria-based Sri Lankans Against Terrorism, who demanded the immediate and unconditional release of our Tamil Brothers and Sisters forcibly held by the LTTE as a human shield. A letter requesting the Austrian government to pressurize the LTTE to release civilians was handed over to the office of the Austrian Foreign Minister. The demonstration’s main objective was to request the Austrian Government to pressurize the LTTE to release the Tamil civilians held against their wishes so that they too can live in peace and harmony with the rest of the Sri Lankan brethren within a united Sri Lanka. A memorandum addressed to the Hon. Dr. Michael Spindelegger, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Austria was handed over to his representative Dr. Robert Bilek at the Austrian Foreign Ministry in Vienna, after the demonstration (Full report in Info Lanka).

DESPITE THE WAR EFFORTS OF HIGH PROFILE MILITARY LEADERS THEIR COUNTER OFFENSIVE AND EXPERTISE FAILED - By Walter Jayawardhana - Although high profile LTTE leaders like Bhanu, Lawrence and Soosai commanded the Tamil Tigers trying to break a military strangle hold of Sri Lankan military forces the attempt failed and more than 100 LTTE troops perished reports from North Eastern Mulaitivu said. The Defence Ministry announced , “As the Mullaittivu battle reached its last phase, the LTTE terrorists made several desperate attempts in vain to infiltrate the military forward defences." The statement further said that since last Friday the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam who once ruled sprawling areas in Northern and Eastern provinces were now cornered to a jungle swathe of 50 square kilometres. Reports said , a series of counter attacks by the Tamil Tigers were successfully beaten back by the Sri Lankan military driving the rebel forces into sheer desperation with ominous signs. The government accused the Tamil Tigers of engaging heavy artillery and mortars in areas where the civilians are gathered to seek shelter from the ongoing conflict. The military said their offensive against the Tamil Tigers was running behind the schedule since the army is very much concerned of avoiding the civilians. The Sri Lanka Army was able to meet the challenge of the counter attack due to the improved intelligence on the enemy troops in advance army sources said. Tiger Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran is expected to be holed up in a bunker in the same Mulaitivu jungle, military sources said (EOM).

Britain, Terror does the Full Circle!! - Prof. Hudson McLean Northern Ireland is back on the news! The IRA (Irish Republican Army) conducted a violent campaign in Britain over many years. During that period, numerous governments tried their level best to contain the bloodshed, especially when Lord Mountbatten got himself targeted and blown up in the midst of water. It is pertinent to state that the British government refused to negotiate with IRA or Sinn Fein face-to-face until the terrorists abandoned terror, which was largely funded by the Irish-American Diaspora in USA. Not even the mighty British Army, using its full muscle could prevent the escalation. The British government even prevented the democratically elected Sinn Fein parliamentary representatives taking up seats in the House of Commons. A lesson in Democracy from the Mother of Parliaments. And it must be stated that what Sinn Fein and the IRA demanded was the return of Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland fold, was quite legitimate and logical, irrespective of the divisions within the Protestants and Catholics. However even after such a bitter lesson, British government took a lopsided, jaundiced view of the Tamil Tiger Terrorist LTTE tried to carve out the Island of Sri Lanka, into a divided two-State philosophy. Unlike the Irish which live on both sides of the divide, have a right to independence in a United Ireland, the Tamil Tiger Terrorists are illegal squatters. Their "homeland" Tamil Nadu is across the Palk Straits, within the Republic of India with over fifty million Tamils, but not an independent "homeland". And never will be! Since the Tamils in Tamil Nadu are still within the governance of the Central Government of the Republic of India, they have to kow-tow to the Prime Minister of India (Full report in LankaWeb).

Another Liberal MP bites the dust on Parliament Hill for supporting the Tamil Tigers - By Asoka weerasinghe, Canada - Gurbax Mahli, Liberal MP for Bramalea-Gore-Malton was swatted by the Conservatives during Question Period for speaking at the ruthless terrorist Tamil Tiger rally on Parliament Hill on Thursday March 5, where scores of large Tamil Tiger terrorist flags were displayed.“Although a number of attendees at the rally chose to wave the LTTE (Tamil Tiger) flags, I did not realize the significance of these flags, nor was I aware that other speakers made statements in support of the LTTE’, he explained in a Media Release. I asked him in a letter what he had smoked that morning for his mind to be so fuzzy, and whether he thought that the blood-red flags with a growling Tiger in the center with its head resting on the crook of two Kalashnikovs with a ring of bullets around its head, was a demonstration to “Save India's Bengali Tigers from Extinction’?“I’d like to let you know I’m helping you guys. I’m behind you because you are fighting for a right cause”, he said to the Tamil Tiger demonstrators. What distresses me is to know how soon he had forgotten how the Sikh terrorists downed Air India Flight 182 killing 312 Indo-Canadians, the worst terrorist attack on Canada. That happened on June 23, 1985.(Comment: There is much to be understood about these Liberals when it comes to International Terrorism and domestic politics. For them its Votes, Votes and more Votes, and it don’t matter whether they are soaked in blood.) Larry Comeau from Ottawa writes in reference to ‘Liberal MP Hit for Appearance at Tamil Tigers Rally’, Stewart Bell, March 6 in National Post.The presence of Liberal MP Gurbax Singh Malhi at the huge Tamil Tigers rally yesterday in Ottawa was disgusting. The Tamil Tigers are responsible for perfecting the suicide bomb—now being used to kill our soldiers in Afghanistan – yet votes seem to trump national security when it comes to the Liberal Party of Canada. Also remember that the Liberals refused to place the Tamil Tigers on Canada’s List of terrorist organizations.” (Comment: Glad to know that someone else too has noticed the Liberal Party shenanigans with the Tamil Tigers.) (Read full article).

Solving India's & Tamil Nadu's concern for Sri Lanka's Tamil civilians - Shenali Waduge - Sri Lanka has been at the receiving end of a plethora of accusations regarding the manner it is looking after the Tamil civilians who are fleeing from LTTE controlled areas. India's concern is so great that it has sent consignments of food to Sri Lanka & also went to the extent of declaring that the LTTE does not represent the Tamil people but quickly retracted the statement & the Indian external affairs minister immediately requested a ceasefire on the grounds that the Tamil civilians can move to safety. Yes, election time was round the corner & India's Government had to appease its partners. The fact these civilians have to flee LTTE control leaves little doubt that whatever number of civilians there are the LTTE prefers to use them as human shields. Therefore, how worthwhile is a ceasefire & for whom is the most important question. Those who are aware of the LTTE through its 25 year terror campaign will know how artfully it has used ceasefires, peace talks & negotiations to rearm & prepare for more devastating attacks. Little do many remember that it was during the infamous 2002 ceasefire that the LTTE has to its credit over 3000 ceasefire violations & the annihilation of 2 Tamil personages who were serving in the Sri Lankan Government the foreign minister Lakshman Kadiragamar, tipped to be the next Prime Minister & Jeyraj Fernandopulle the Chief Government Whip=85..& the LTTE says that Tamils are being discriminated! (Full report in LankaWeb).

Liberal MP hit for appearance at Tamil Tigers rally - by Stewart Bell - Friday, March 06:A Liberal MP was criticized yesterday for speaking at a rally on Parliament Hill surrounded by flags bearing the militaristic emblem of the Tamil Tigers, a banned terrorist organization in Canada. A video posted on YouTube shows Gurbax Singh Malhi, MP for Bramalea-Gore-Malton, telling demonstrators waving Tamil Tigers flags that, "I’d like to let you know I’m helping you guys. I’m behind you because you are fighting for a right cause." The protesters then chanted: "Freedom fighters, Tamil Tigers." During Question Period, Peter Kent, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said he was "sickened by the pandering of a Liberal member on the front lawn of Parliament to a flagrant display of the symbols of a listed terrorist organization." Reached by phone last night, Mr. Malhi said he had not planned to speak at the rally but was passing by and decided to say a few words. He said his comments concerned the plight of civilians caught in fighting between the Sri Lankan forces and the Tamil Tigers. "My concern is innocent people, you know. They are killing the civilians," he said. "I just came out of the bus and I think what’s happening? "My concern are civilians, where the human rights violation is happening, I’m against that, but I have nothing to do with anybody, I don’t know anybody who was there, I don’t know the name of the people who were there." Asked about the many Tamil Tigers flags were visible at the event, he replied: "I came out of the bus, I don’t even know. I don’t even notice anything (Full report in Island).

Troops surround Tiger leaders - Attempts to breach defences foiled - Over 200 Tigers killed in battle - More than 50 Tiger cadres were reportedly killed and scores of others injured as 58 Division troops foiled a desperate LTTE attempt to breach the Security Forces defences in Ampalavanpokkanai in the North of Puthukudiyiruppu, once troops advanced 400 metres closer to the Puthumattalan safe zone, military sources told the Daily News yesterday. Military sources confirmed that fierce battles erupted in Ampalavanpokkanai in the South of Chalai and North of Puthukudiyiruppu as desperate Tiger cadres now entrapped in less than 40 square kilo metres made yet another attempt to breach the Security Forces defences for the fourth consecutive day yesterday. “Top rung Tiger leaders Swarnam and Lawrence who were physically present to lead the Black Tiger cadres to breach the Security Forces defences in Ampalavanpokkanai were reportedly entrapped along with 50 other Tiger cadres in the ensuing battle and were making desperate attempts to escape from the area since yesterday morning as Security Forces effectively surrounded them in the area from all fronts”, sources added. Reinforcements were rushed to cordon off the area with the information that the LTTE was making desperate attempts to rescue these top rung leaders. The bodies of Tiger cadres were seen scattered in the area and search operations will soon be conducted in the area to ascertain the number of Tiger cadres killed in the battle. Well trained cadres from the Radha and Charles Anthony brigades providing personnel security for the top level Tiger leaders made their first attempt to breach the Security Forces defences in the wee hours of Thursday and the attempt was effectively foiled by the 58 Division troops and the Commando troops killing more than 60 Tiger cadres (Full report in Daily News).

Our Forces lead global war on terror - Sri Lankan Armed Forces have brought unprecedented fame to the country. Terrorism which the most powerful Armies in the world failed to crush, was made to kneel down by our Forces, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. The terrorists whom our Forces are fighting, have been designated as the most ruthless outfit of the world. Therefore, the Sri Lankan Armed Forces give the lead and strength for all Armed Forces in the world in their war against terrorists, President Rajapaksa said. He was speaking at the Colours Award Ceremony of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in Trincomalee on Saturday. “I remember, it was in 1986 that the terrorists captured Tennamarachchi, Velvetiturai and Vadamarachchi areas in Jaffna, confining our Armed Forces only to the Jaffna Fort,” the President said. He said our Forces fought an extremely difficult battle while being inside the Fort. “Supplies by sea or overland were denied to them. At this critical juncture it was the Air Force which rendered a yeoman service to our besieged Forces. The Air Force dared to undertake supplies to the Jaffna Fort and evacuate the injured soldiers. The gallantry displayed by the Air Force was remarkable.” he said. “Whenever our military camps in the North and East were threatened, the Air Force came to their rescue. An officer who rendered a commendable service to the country at that time is your present Commander who gives leadership to you today. Transport of troops and supplies, and air and sea surveillance are other prerogatives of the Air Force. The hawk-eyed Air Force could cast its spell over the most ruthless terrorist outfit to make it bow down before it (Full report in Daily News).

ANANDA SANGAREE CONGRTULATES S. CHANDRAKANTHAN FOR HIS BRAVE DECISION TO HAND OVER ALL WEAPONS OF THE TMVP - By Walter Jayawardhana - The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), the oldest Tamil democratic party among Tamils has congratulated the youngest democratic leader among the Tamils of Eastern Province for taking a brave decision to do away with the weaponsof his party to shed remnants of its violent past. In a letter to the leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) TULF President and veteran politician V. Ananda Sangaree said, the decision “will certainly be a welcome news to the people of the Eastern Province.” The TULF leader said they were keeping the weapons because of the grave threat to their lives by the LTTE and hereafter their protection will be provided by the security forces. The TULF leader also advised the younger Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, addressing him as the younger brother(thambi) that his party also should drop the word “Pulikal” (Tigers) that too denotes their past connections with the Tamil Tigers. The Tamil Makkal Viduthali Pulikal (TMVP) is a renegade breakaway group of the LTTE that started the beginning of the end of the LTTE. The following is the full text of the letter: “The Tamil United Liberation Front very warmly welcomes the historical decision of the Tamil Makkal Viduthlai Puligal, to do away with the weapons that they had in their possession for several years. The credit goes to its leader Mr. S. Chandrakanthan for guiding his party to take such a decision, which will certainly be a welcome news to the people of the Eastern Province. It is true that the TMVP Members were facing grave risk to their lives from the LTTE and possession of arms for self-defence could not be dispensed with at that stage, but it is also equally true that the civilian population was not feeling comfortable to work with an armed group. The real democracy had dawned in the East only now. The Members of the TMVP should also change the name of the party by dropping the word “Puligal” in their name and also release all child-solders, if they still have any with them. They must now mix up with the people and give them a sense of security and brother-hood. “I strongly urge the TMVP to see that the people enjoy all rights un-interrupted and without the interference of any one. They must also compel every group in their midst to surrender the arms in their possession and seek Government Security if required. Well done Thamby Chandrakanthan! Please keep it up.” (EOM).

More civilians escape as Tiger defences collapse - Almost 500 civilians reached government-held areas on Saturday as the army foiled a last ditch LTTE attempt to thwart the ground offensive now in its final phase. The army had repulsed two large scale counter offensives last Thursday and Friday causing heavy damage to the LTTE. At least 150 LTTE cadres had been killed in clashes, mainly with the 58 Division, the army said. A senior military official said that men, women and children arrived at Munani, Championpattu, Vettilerkerni and Chundikulam. According to him, the LTTE wouldn’t have the time or the resources to effectively block civilian movements as the army gradually ate into the area under its control. "They are down to about 40 to 45 sq. km," he said, emphasising that this included the civilian safety zone as well. The army received the civilians against the backdrop of Friday’s attack on people fleeing the Mullaitivu coast in boats. Friday’s attack caused three deaths and wounded two. Over 40,000 people escaped the LTTE controlled area this year leaving fewer than 70,000 trapped in the war zone. Basil Rajapaksa, MP, told The Island that the government would welcome civilians reaching the areas under its control. He asserted that large groups of people would be able to escape as the army advanced further into the last LTTE bastion (Full report in Island).

Suicide air attack: More details emerge - Army recovers 13 empty SAM launchers in North - ‘Tigers may have another plane and chopper’ - Investigations have revealed that both LTTE aircraft involved in the February 20 abortive suicide attacks on Katunayake air base and SLAF headquarters had been hit by the newly created 32 land-based air defence wing. SLAF spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara told The Island that by the way of an elimination process they were able to identify the gun which zeroed-in on the Zlin 143, as it approached SLAF Headquarters in Colombo as a 12.7 mm mounted on the top of a high-rise building situated in close proximity to the Central Bank. Initial reports indicated that the weapon that hit the aircraft had been mounted on a building at the Rangala navy base. The aircraft which targeted the Katunayake air base had been hit by 12.7 mm, 23mm and 40mm rounds, the official said, adding that according to a post mortem, the man at the controls had his lungs pieced by a 12.7 mm tracer round. That particular round had been fired by a gunner atop a building at Katunayake. Nanayakkara said that the air defence wing which had received a mega boost in terms of men and equipment following previous LTTE raids, particularly the one directed at the Kelanitissa power station late last October, responded commendably (Full report in Island).

Beyond Prabhakaran - Now that the self –designated enclave of the LTTE is shrinking and becoming minuscule and unsustainable, the self-proclaimed liberators of the Tamil people are, without any moral qualms or a shred of shame, cowering behind civilians, using the latter as human shields and desperately hoping for a miracle to happen and save them from annihilation.This is the ruthless band of marauders who, for well over two decades, drove terror into the hearts of innocent civilians island wide, with their mindless destruction and horrific carnage, enervating an economy that was buoyant and steadily climbing at the time,to new heights. It was indeed ironically most tragic that a fascist who openly spurned democratic equity and entertained imperial designs of resurrecting a pan Thamil kingdom of Pandyan or greater proportions was propped up and virtually given all encouragement to pursue his grand reverie by a sympathetic West whose end objective at one stage was to see the eventual dismemberment of India.However,with fresh international re-alignments, these strategies have undergone a sea change giving rise to new polarizations based on perceptions of the commonality of global and regional interests affecting in turn the intra- national relations of countries within the Asian region (Full letter in Island).

I have important things to do at home: Rajiva - Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process and Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Prof Rajiva Wijesinha told the UN Human Rights Council he has "important things to do back at home rather than playing Sherlock Holmes in a cold and comfortless Geneva; finding out the origins and the rationale for falsehoods." Prof Wijesinha told the council that he should be working on rehabilitation and education and empowerment for people who have suffered for so long from terrorism instead of dealing with "distortions" of the truth on the Sri Lankan situation by groups like Human Rights Watch. "There are problems in Sri Lanka which we need to solve. We look forward to the cooperation of serious countries and serious people such as the High Commissioner to improve matters. But we also want concerted action to ensure that the civilians now held hostage by the LTTE are set free. I want that, you want that, he and she want that, we want that, the LTTE are the only people who don’t want that," he told the council according to a statement posted on the website of the Sri Lankan mission in Geneva.He was responding to remarks on Sri Lanka made by Non-Governmental Organizations during the Inter-Active Debate on the Report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. He said Sri Lanka strongly condemns attempts by interested parties to damage the good relations between Sri Lanka and its partners by deliberate or culpably careless misquoting. "The ICRC and the UN do good work under difficult circumstances, and agencies such as Human Rights Watch with nothing better to do must not waste their time and ours in pursuing clarifications," he said (Full report in Daily Mirror).

Tiger supporter arrested in India -  MDMK propaganda Secretary, Nanjil Sampath, who was wanted in connection with a case for allegedly making provocative remarks on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue at a public meeting, was arrested near Chennai, police sources said here. A special police team from Tirupur and Palladam had gone to Chennai and arrested Sampath at Thambaram, they said. He was to be produced before the Avanashi Magistrate court, which was holding additional charge of Tirupur Magistrate court, they said. Sampath had reportedly made a provocative speech against Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Indian sovereignty at Tirupur on March one (Full report in Daily Mirror).

Indian medical team here today - As agreed between the Governments of Sri Lanka and India, an Indian medical team will arrive in Colombo today, and proceed to Pulmoddai in the eastern district of Trincomalee, where they will treat sick and wounded Tamil civilians arriving from the war-zone in north Sri Lanka, the Indian media reported. The team would comprise eight experienced physicians and surgeons as well as para-medical staff and technical staff. It will also carry all necessary medical equipment and medicines. In addition, a consignment of urgently needed medicines and other supplies worth approximately SL Rupees 70 million, will be handed over to the Sri Lankan Health Ministry (Daily Mirror).

Triumphant troops gearing to ply on A9 after 24 years.

Young Girl Injured in Terrorist Fire Directed at Fleeing Civilians - 2009-03-08 19:05:56 MULLAITTIVU: Forty-five civilians from un-cleared area in MULLAITTIVU reached the troops at the PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU east Defence Line Sunday (08) morning. Those civilians on their way to Security Forces – held areas had been fired upon by LTTE terrorists who waylaid the civilians escaping from LTTE held areas. A seventeen year old girl who sustained LTTE gun shot injuries was among those IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons). After giving first-aid by soldiers of Army medical team, she was referred for further medical treatment while others were provided with meals before they were sent to the closest IDP relief village. Seventy more IDPs who were received by the troops are to be sent to the relief village soon (Sri Lanka Army).

Far from the battlefront - Once they were LTTE child combatants, now in the protective environment of a rehabilitation centre off Colombo, these youth are honing skills that will lead them to a future without guns and bombs. Kumudini Hettiarachchi reports. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara Powerful notes of a song waft through the still clear air, competing only with bird calls and accompanied by the orchestra of the cicadas and the rhythmic beating on tables. Tranquillity and peace, enhanced by the surroundings…………a river gently flowing by, a landscape of green, mostly coconut country on one side and mountains on the other, a far cry from the dust and the grime, the blood and the horror of the battlefront. And the masculine voice paints pictures of a better tomorrow in a language that may not be heard that often in this area. Here, 40 km from Colombo, protagonists have become partners to build a better life for those drawn into a war not of their own choosing (Full report in Sunday Times).

Red Cross at Crossroads! Where are the wounded Tigers? - What exactly is the role of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in Wanni? Under normal circumstances and for the reputation the Red Cross (ICRC) enjoys globally, such a question need not be raised. But in respect of its operations in Sri Lanka certain pertinent questions need to be asked. The primary obligations of the Red Cross are governed by international humanitarian laws that impacted the Geneva Conventions as well as customary international law to protect the victims of international and internal armed conflicts such as war wounded, prisoners, refugees, civilians and other non-combatants. Their role must be fair, just and non-partisan. There is no doubt the Red Cross has been generally carrying out duties in Sri Lanka that fall in line with its declared and avowed principles. However, serious doubts have arisen in respect of the current scenario in Wanni. There is strong evidence now that weeks prior to the current military campaign, the people of various townships and farm villages were forced and persuaded to uproot themselves at short notice and march towards Mullaitivu and Puthukudiyiruppu (Sri Lanka Guardian).

Toronto’s Tamil groceries shop told to sell kanchi rice - We have news that David Poopalapillai who has difficulties to be calm and collected in discussions has asked all the Tamil grocery shop owners in Toronto to sell kanchi rice only. His contention is that the Wanni Tigers are providing Uppu Kanchi (salty gruel) to their hostage captives in Puthukudiyirruppu, the Micro-Mini Eelam under siege and therefore the Toronto Tamils should express solidarity with them. He was not quite clear whether solidarity is to be for the Tigers or the captives! All that is known is that some 60 Tiger ‘braves” tried to escape through the Chalai swamp using 300 unfortunate hostages to march in front of them but the Sri Lankan army got most of the feline braves and managed to spare the civilians who disappeared into the jungle. It is believed Father James Pathinathar is hiding in that area with four of his nuns for the last seven days. He needed this rest in hiding after helping the Tigers to herd up civilians as hostages. The Wanni Tamils were the most provided community with their rich agricultural resources that they themselves worked hard for and quite justly enjoyed the fruits of their labour. That was until the Tigers entered their region and began to destroy not only their agriculture but also their families. It was a scourge that visited Wanni like a terrible pestilence (Full report in Sri Lanka Guardian).

57 Div confronts with terrorist; 8 LTTE bodies found - Mullaittivu - Infantrymen of 57 Division confronted with LTTE terrorists in general area Visuamadu yesterday, 07 March, causing heavy damages to the enemy, military sources said. Heavy fighting commenced around 6.30 AM and lasted till 4.30 PM, military sources said. In subsequent search operation conducted in the area, troops have found 8 bodies of LTTE terrorists killed during the confrontation. A large quantity of military items of the LTTE terrorists was also found, defence sources in the battlefront said. 10 x 60mm mortar bombs, 29 x 60mm mortar cartridges, 03 x Arul bombs, 01 x T56 assault rifles, 54 x Hand grenades, 01 x Packs and 32 x T56 magazines were among the recoveries (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

More LTTE warlike items found - Mullaittivu - Troops of Task Force 2 are conducting massive scale search operations in recently liberated areas in Mullaittivu district to free the area from LTTE land mines and trappings, defence sources said. In a search operation conducted last evening, 7 March, in general area Katkulam troops have found LTTE warlike items left behind by the felling terrorists. 20 x 81mm mortar bombs, 20 x electric detonators and 1 x RPG bombs were among the recoveries, defence sources further said (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

TMVP hands over its arms

The Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) symbolically handed over the arms that had been provided to its members for self defence and security in the wake of LTTE atrocities Saturday (7) afternoon during a brief ceremony at the Weber stadium in Batticaloa.  Chief Minister Eastern Province and leader of the TMVP Mr. Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, Batticaloa Mayoress Ms Sivageetha Prabaharan, DIG Eastern range Central Mr. Edison Goonatilake, senior Army and Police Officers and members of the TMVP were present on the occasion. To mark the handing over, a member of the TMVP handed over a weapon to Brigadier Dampath Fernando, General Officer Commanding of the 23 Division who represented the Security Forces. According to the TMVP, members of their armed wing are to be rehabilitated and provided with various domestic and foreign job opportunities after the hand-over their weapons. TMVP sources further said that since the LTTE is to be entirely defeated and wiped out from the country, there would be no threat to their party members (Full report and photos in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

The UN, World Leaders & Human Rights Groups forget that Tamil civilians are fleeing LTTE control! - By: Shenali Waduge - So far close upon 40,000 civilians have FLED to Government controlled areas. "FLEEING" Tamil Civilians clearly signals to the world that the LTTE has no right of place amongst the Tamil people or Sri Lankan society. Footage of these innocent men, women & children braving days of hardship, minus food & holding whatever possessions they could call their own were accepted with warmth by Sri Lanka's armed forces - no one can deny the manner in which we viewed army, navy & air force personnel taking these people to safety, feeding & comforting them. What is strange is that very little appreciation was given to these armed force personnel by human rights groups who choose instead to harp upon an "unknown" & unverified number of civilians supposedly still in LTTE "territory". There is much significance in the use of the word "FLEE". It connotes the misery of suffering by these Tamil people all these years, most of whom have had no escape from tiger territory, most of whom have had to sacrifice their children for suicide missions, children denied the right to life, right to education & right to live in peace (full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

How to Kill Civilians in the Name of “Human Rights”: Lessons from Sri Lanka - Prabhakaran imposed a blood tax on the people under his control. Each family had to provide a son to the LTTE—a pattern condemned by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the UN. LTTE made every follower bear a cyanide pill (thus few “Tigers” were ever captured) and established special units, such as the “black Tigers,” for murder and assassination. In fact, until the early 1990s, the LTTE led the world in suicide bombings, with victims including a president and many ministers of Sri Lanka, as well as a former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi (1991). Unsurprisingly, the UN, EU, U.S., and India all declared the LTTE a terrorist group. Still, in the rich West, pro-LTTE groups were allowed to collect funds (and occasional recruits), always illegally and under threat, usually under the pretext of “freedom of expression” but, in places like Canada, for electoral considerations (Full report in LankaWeb).

LTTE takes heavy beating: 24 terrorist bodies, weapons uncovered - Mullaittivu - As Mullaittivu battles reached its last phase LTTE terrorists made several desperate attempts in vain, to infiltrate the military forward defences which left over 100 terrorists killed and as many injured since Friday dawn (March 6). LTTE terrorists were preparing for a large scale offensive towards the existing military defences at Palamathalan and North of Puthkkudiyirippu, inducting over 200 cadres including suicide bombers and sea tigers. Following the initial thrust terrorists had planned to send waves of 100 odd cadres to provide reinforcements. Bahnu, Lowrence, Soosai and few other high profile LTTE terrorists were directly involved in master minding the preemptive assault, security sources said. According to military, this is the first time during recent battles LTTE has inducted many of its 'high profiles' to the battlefront. Yet, timely detection and precise INTEL information received proved decisive as terrorist offensive waves were received with intense military counter attacks at the crack of dawn on Friday (6). Over 30 terrorists were killed during the initial thrust while the rest were hunted down by 2nd Commando Regiment troops, 12 GR, 12 GW and 8 GW troops during the past 48 hours (full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

Support for terrorism by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative-CHRI - by Ben Silva, UK - CHRI: Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative - Dear Sir, Giving a life line to terrorists by terrorist sympathisers in CHRI I am referring to an article on the Tamilnet with the Title ‘Commonwealth ministers’ silence, Colombo’s membership questioned’ ref: http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=28637 It does appear that LTTE may have had a hand in generating the statement by CHRI. From the staff list in CHRI, I noticed the presence of at least 2 Tamils and not a single Sinhalese. Although I am not implying that the Tamils are pro LTTE it is a possibility as recently the army has obtained photographs and other images linking LTTE to Tamil Nadu politicians. Also the LTTE emblem is similar to the emblem used by destructive Chola invaders from south India. It is against natural justice, that the views of the Sinhalese are not taken into account. It is obvious that CHRI has only heard the Tamil terrorist version of events. In fact if any one in the CHRI was genuinely interested in Human rights rather than giving a lifeline to the LTTE terrorists, then they should have thought about lobbying to cut off the funding to the terrorists, rather than lobbying to give a life line to the terrorists. In a nutshell, the problems in Sri Lanka are caused by a racist terrorist group, with South Indian links, attempting to carve out a part of Sri Lanka for a mono ethnic racist Tamil State, that get funding for terrorism from global bogus Tamil refugees and global Tamil racists (Full report in LankaWeb).

Troops Collect Terrorist Dead Bodies & Other Items During Search After Clashes - MULLAITTIVU: THE troops over powered stiff resistance from the LTTE terrorists in their advance further into the limited territory held by the terrorists during Saturday (7). Heavy confrontations took place in the general areas of CHALAI, PATTIKKIRAI and PUTHUKUDIYIRUPPU east causing heavy damages to the LTTE terrorists. In the meantime, 57 Division troops engaged in search and clear operations in VISUAMADU area on Saturday between 6.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m., were attacked by a group of LTTE terrorists. Troops repulse the attack killing number of terrorists. In the search that followed, seven dead bodies of terrorists and another terrorist decomposed dead body were recovered by the troops. Moreover, ten 60mm mortar bombs, twenty-nine 60mm mortar cartridges, three Arul bombs, one T-56 weapon, thirty-two magazines, fifty-four hand grenades and one man pack were recovered from the area by the 57 Division troops in their search operations. Meanwhile, 58 Division troops in a search operation followed by the confrontations with the LTTE terrorists in PUTHUKUDIYIRUPPU, recovered nineteen dead bodies of terrorists, eighteen T-56 weapons, one heavy machine gun, one 40 mm grenade launcher, three Rocket Propeller Grenade (RPG) bombs and five I-com sets on Saturday (7) from 3.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. On the same day, troops recovered one T-56 weapon, twenty 81 mm mortar bombs, one RPG bomb, twenty electric detonator codes and twenty-three anti personnel mines during search operations conducted in CHALAI KATKULAM and ODDUSUDAN areas (Full report in Sri Lanka Army)..

Thambi Back To Mother's Womb - Professor Ali Sukhanver, Pakistan - Hidden designs, concealed desires, secret dreams and disclosed intentions are the very roots of the promoted philosophy of a nation. When we look around, we find different countries observing different philosophies based on these ingredients. The US philosophy is; be superior at any cost. The Great Britain follows the philosophy; never oppose anyone openly and never be an open friend. Pakistan observes the rule; live and let others live. The Indian belief is; give others a tough time for nothing or they would give you the same .Israel says; never behave like a gentleman. Such type of philosophies may be called the national themes or the national slogans of their respective countries. Usually All countries are very much sincere and dedicated to their adopted national theme. Same is the case with India when we analyze its role in Sri Lanka with particular reference to the LTTe activities. The nineteenth day of the last month provided the world with an undeniable proof that India is strongly supporting the terrorist activities of LTTe in Sri Lanka. That was really a momentous day for the Sri Lankan armed forces. CNN, IBN and other media were rife with the reports of absconding of the dreaded LTTe leader, Velupillai Prabhakran to India. It was reported that Prabhakran was picked up by two Indian military helicopters when he was in Jaffna. It was the time when the Sri Lankan troops had succeeded in tracing out his presence there and they were just about to grab him (full report in LankaWeb).

AP Mine Recovered - EAST: TROOPS engaged in a search operation north of MAVILARU recovered one anti personnel mine on Saturday (7) around 1.45 p.m. (Full report in Sri Lanka Army).

A Duty call to you as a "Fellow Human" - Jaliya Wickremarachchi - To Mr. Sivaratnam, Please allow me to respond to some of your false allegations in your message to Mr. Bodhi Dhanapala. First, your statement that the staff at the hospitals where the Tamil victims are treated, only speak Sinhalese is incorrect? My nephew and his wife are two Sinhalese Doctors who have worked in the Mannar District Hospital for the last two years. Before they went to Mannar they were given crash courses in Tamil, like many of the Sinhalese Doctors who work in hospitals in the North and the East. After nearly two years of working in the Mannar Hospital, I am glad to see that both my nephew and his wife can speak Tamil fluently. It is important to understand that Mullathive jungle is a war zone - not a Disneyland - and there are great risks and dangers to the Medical Staff and the Armed Forces from the Tiger terrorists who can easily send suicide bombers disguised as innocent civilians to blow up the whole operation, as the terrorists have done a few weeks ago. In spite of such extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances, the government and Armed Forces are doing a tremendous job, and must be commended for saving the Tamil victims. Of course, you will never hear this side of the story from the pro-LTTE Tamilnet (Full report in LankaWeb).

Civilians Ignore LTTE’s Death Threats & Flee Un-cleared Areas - JAFFNA : DURING Saturday (7) about four hundred and eighty-five civilians consisting of men , women and children escaped form the clutches of Tiger terrorists reached Army controlled areas of MUNANI, CHAMPIANPATTU, VETTALAIKENI and CHUNDIKULAM and sought the protection of Army. They were directed to relief villages after giving them refreshments by the troops. It was the previous day (6) that LTTE terrorists fired and killed three Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and injured two more while they were escaping to cleared areas in boats (Full report in Sri Lanka Army).

Last battle this week Next 72 hours crucial for the LTTE, says military - As ground battles raged on the eastern flank with troops making slow but steady progress, the military yesterday asserted that the final outcome of the Eelam war IV would be decided within this week. A senior officer directing operations said that the next 72 hours would be crucial as the LTTE, struggling to stall the army, would mount counter attacks whatever the losses that would entail in terms of both men and material. With the area under its control now down to about 45 sq. km with direct access to the north-east sea restricted to about ten km, the LTTE was likely even to launch mass suicide attacks, these sources said asserting "we are ready for any eventuality." Two major confrontations between the 58 Division and heavily armed LTTE units, in some instances spearheaded by LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s personal bodyguard, in the early hours of Thursday and Friday had signaled the Tigers’ readiness for the final showdown. "They have no option but to throw everything they have at the army," the officer said. Had Thursday’s counter attack directed at the 58 Division troops south of Chalai succeeded, the LTTE would have been able to delay the army’s progress, he explained. Although the LTTE had overrun several positions held by Brigadier Shavendra Silva’s 58 Division troops deployed on an islet who then crossed over to the mainland, the army had responded swiftly to the threat. Within hours, the 58 Division, under the directions of Silva who also heads the Commando Regiment, had closed the gap, regained the islet and recovered bodies of almost 50 attackers, both men and women (Full report in Sunday Island).

100 LTTE fighters killed: Lankan Govt - More than 100 cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were killed in intense fighting in the last 48 hours, the Sri Lankan military claimed on Saturday. At least 42 rebels were also injured in the same period, the military added. Heavy fighting has been reported around the area of Puthukkudiyirippu (PTK) in the northeastern district of Mullaitivu. The remaining cadres, including around 400 trained recruits, are now confined within an area of 45 square kilometers.  The defence ministry said that the LTTE personnel were fighting desperately and firing heavy artillery and mortar from within the declared no-fire zone. Neither defence ministry nor the military however released army's casualty figures. Reports have indicated that the final phase of the battle is also taking a heavy toll on the Sri Lankan army (SLA). The LTTE cadres continue to be surrounded by tens of thousands of displaced civilians sandwiched between rebels and advancing SLA troops. About 36000 civilians have moved to government-run camps from areas controlled by the LTTE. While the government says a little more than 70000 civilians are now in LTTE-controlled areas, rights groups have put it between a lakh and 2.5 lakh. (Full report in Hindustan Times).

A view of the cell where LTTE chief Velupillai Prabakaran was kept in 1985

A dormitory cell with cement slabs that served as beds for inmates and paintings of deities on the walls Photos R. Jayakantha

Troops marching on to LTTE’s last terrain Tigers fight back in desperation - Deploy 2000 civilians in front line - The week long battle in Puthukudiyiruppu, the last township under the control of the LTTE, has given strong indications that Tiger outfit cannot bear the pressure exerted on them by the Security Forces although their last batch of cadres are engaged in a do or die battle to avoid their last hideouts falling to the hands of the Security Forces. The elite commandos of the Tiger outfit, from the Radha regiment are now in action in the battlefront. What they are trying is to breach the Security Forces defences and come out of the small terrain they are now holding in the Puthukudiyiruppu East and Iranapalai area to get rid of the huge pressure, they face. It is also now clear that the LTTE had kept their well trained cadres as a reserve to deploy them in the battlefront at a critical stage like this. The elite commando type cadres from the Radha Regiment who were providing personal security for Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran are now making a desperate attempt to protect their leader from being killed or captured by the troops marching towards their most sensitive high security zones in Iranapalai (Full report in Sunday Observer).

Troops open A9 - Sigh of relief on sweat and blood - Captain Indika Gamage is one of the happiest among the lot. It was special as he was about to return home on leave on the same road that he had fought the terrorists barely two months ago. He recalled how the troops of the 55 Division advanced from Muhamale to capture the Elephant Pass (EPS) while the troops of the 58 Division pushed the LTTE from the EPS. Triumphant troops gearing to ply on A9 after 24 years. It was not just another day for the soldiers as well as all of us. It was the historical opening of the `gateway to Jaffna’- the Alfa 9 (A9). Waiting with his luggage, Capt. Gamage was to travel along the A-9, the highway that connects Jaffna and Kandy which is now opened to transport troops after 24-years. Apart from his contribution to free the road from the LTTE, he was happy that the security forces were able to open the road so soon. The National flag together with the colourful regimental flags of the Sri Lanka Army were rythemically fluttering in the crystal clear blue sky over the EPS while the pirith chanted by three Buddhist monks - Ven. Meegahadure Sirivimala, Ven. Thalalle Dhammadeva and Dehipe Vanarathana vibrated in the once terror filled land. It followed a brief religious ceremony attended by the Jaffna Security Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Mendaka Samarasinghe, 55 GOC Brig. Prasanna Silva, 51 GOC Brig. Priyantha Jayasundera, Brig. Lalith Abeywardena and other senior army officers (Sunday Observer).

US tells LTTE time to stop shooting - The US Assistant Secretary of State, Richard Boucher has accused the LTTE for the `increasing sufferings 'of civilians in the embattled Wanni region and asked the LTTE to stop firing shells and guns into the safe zone declared by the government. Boucher also called on the LTTE to give up their arrogance and allow the innocent civilians to flee the shrinking war zone at a press meet with a group of South Asian journalists on Friday. "The Tamil Tigers by trapping them, the civilians and by continuing the conflict are just increasing the sufferings of the Tamil people. So it is very much time for them to allow safe passage for people to leave," Boucher said. "We are glad to see that the government managing to get some additional food supply to these areas this weekend," Boucher said. But that could not be the case with the Tamil Tigers. "We have seen the Tamil Tigers shelling that safe zone. We have seen them continuing hostilities in other places. So we believe that it is time for them to stop fighting and allow these people to go safely to other parts of safe places," Boucher said. It is only then there could be discussions on how to end hostilities. "Making political calls and statements, does not really count when you are still lobbying shells and shooting guns. It is time to stop shooting guns," Boucher said (Full report in Sunday Observer).

A9 highway gears for non-stop run - The Alpha 9 of Sri Lanka or better known as A9 road is progressing to return to her busy schedule like in those good old days. It not only connects two different cities but it heralds peace and harmony of two different ethnicities. A peaceful A9 symbolizes a traditional bond between the North and the South of our motherland. The A9 was closed in 1984 when the LTTE attacked the Pooneryn defences of the Sri Lanka Army which posed a threat to the Elephant Pass. Years later the A9 was reopened on 8 April 2002 after the Ceasefire Agreement between the Government and the LTTE was concluded. Again in 2006, while the truce was in operation, the A9 had to be closed down due to the massive LTTE attack on Muhamalai entry exit point (Sunday Observer).

President hails airmen for their timely actions - "The most ruthless and powerful terrorist organisation in the world is now kneeing down before our Armed Forces said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the colours award ceremony at the China Bay Air Force base yesterday morning. He said the Sri Lanka Armed Forces have provided a morale booster to other armed forces in the world as to how to fight a powerful and a ruthless terrorist organisation at a time like this the Sri Lanka Air Force ought to be commended for their valour. The President said that he can very well remember way back in 1986, when Valikamam, Vadamarachchi and Thenmarachchi Army Camps were threatened and it was the Air Force that went to their rescue. When the Army was forced to confined themselves to the Jaffna Fort we were not in a position to provide supplies by land or the sea. During this time the Air Force came to their rescue. They helped to evacuate the sick and the wounded soldiers. "We cannot forget the services rendered by the Air Force. They conducted several sorties during that period. Through their eyes they were able to locate several terrorist camps in the area and destroy them successfully. They even silenced LTTE terrorist leaders like Thamil Chelvam and Sornam. There is a perception in the world that a conventional Army could not simply defeat a ruthless terrorist organization. But our Armed Forces have shown the world that they can be defeated. "We salute our soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the motherland" (Full report in Sunday Observer).

TMVP hands over weapons - TMVP leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan yesterday handed over the weapons of his outfit to the Army Eastern Command. The arms, which comprised T 56 assault rifles, T 81 guns, RPG shells and ammunition, were handed over to the army at the TMVP’s party office at Meenagam, Batticaloa. Chandrakanthan who is the Eastern Chief Minister has ruled out the need for the weapons as the LTTE is being defeated by the military (Full report in Sunday Island).

LTTE turning desperate: Colombo -  The Sri Lankan military on Saturday claimed to have killed 101 LTTE cadre in the last 48 hours and said the outfit is making “desperate efforts to prolong its imminent defeat”. Three days ago, the military had estimated that the strength of the fighting cadre of the LTTE as less than 500 and that the Tigers were confined to 45 sq km. However, little is known about the fate of an estimated 70,000 civilians trapped in the war zone. The pro-LTTE TamilNet in a report alleged that 281 civilians were killed and several injured in artillery fire by the Army into the “no fire zones”. The military denied the charge. Meanwhile, the breakaway LTTE group turned political outfit Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal Party (TMVP) cadre led by Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) surrendered arms to the Army Eastern Command. Mr. Pillayan is on record that there is no need for his cadre to carry weapons as the LTTE is being overwhelmed by government forces (Full report in Hindu).

LTTE responsible for sufferings of Tamil civilians: US : Holding the Tamil Tigers responsible for the "increasing sufferings" of civilians in Sri Lanka's embattled north, the US on Friday asked the outlawed LTTE to stop lobbying shells and shooting guns out of the safe zone declared by the government. US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher also called on the LTTE to stop the violence and allow the innocent Tamil civilians to flee the shrinking war zone. "Tigers have been shooting shells out of the safe zone. We call upon the government not to shoot back, but first and foremost the Tamil Tigers have to stop shooting. "That is where we are asking to stop the violence, let the people find safety, and then talk about how to end hostilities," said Boucher, who heads the South and Central Asian Affairs at the State Department. Talking to a group of South Asian journalists, Boucher insisted that the US call to stop fighting is to both the LTTE and Sri Lankan Government. "The Tamil Tigers by trapping them (civilians), by continuing the conflict are just increasing the sufferings of the Tamil people. So it is very much time for them to allow safe passage for them to allow these people to leave," Boucher said (Full report in Sunday Island).

SLAF played major role in defeating the LTTE - The Katunayake-based jet squadrons and Mi 24/35 "Hind" helicopter gunships operating from Hingurakgoda SLAF base are on the final stage of their offensive action against the LTTE east of the A9 road. Despite on and off setbacks during the past two and half years, the SLAF has achieved tremendous success, particularly in the Vanni theatre of operations where No. 10 Kfir and No.12 MiG squadrons had caused heavy losses on the LTTE. The No. 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron, too, had scored some significant hits. The latest addition to the jet squadrons is No. 5 Jet Squadron of Chinese F7 interceptors. All three squadrons are based at Katunayake. Had the LTTE succeeded in its ambitious attempts to hit jet squadrons, it would have given them a strategic advantage and caused irreparable damage to the overall war effort. The SLAF’s much needed assistance had been essential in the destruction of LTTE fortifications, artillery pieces and providing support to the navy when required. The Sea Tigers had suffered sizeable losses due to air action facilitated by real time intelligence provided by Israeli built unmanned aerial vehicles. Although the UAVs had been in service with the SLAF since 1996, they had never been used like this to the advantage of the armed forces (Full report in Sunday Island).

Navy rescues 74 brave Tamil Civilians fleeing amidst LTTE’s Merciless Firing: Three dead and Two severely injured - Sri Lanka Navy saved the lives of 74 brave Tamil civilians who had been fleeing amidst the LTTE’s merciless firing. The Navy rescued them on the 06th March 2009 in the seas between Chundikulum and Vettileikerni around 08.50 a.m. However, three innocent civilians had died and two had been injured from the LTTE’s merciless gun fire. The rescued consisted of 42 adults (21 males and 21 females) and 32 children (17 boys and 15 girls). The group had been found on board four white flag-hoisted dinghies while attempting to flee from the LTTE clutches in the un-cleared areas of Mullaithivu. The rescued had been badly shaken due to the narrow-escape. All were filled with deep sorrow for the dead and the injured. Speaking in anger while attempting to hold back the streaming tears, they described how the LTTE cadres mercilessly started firing at them when they were struggling to sneak into the dinghies. Despite the LTTE’s gunfire, they had kept on pushing towards the deep seas in order save themselves, they further claimed. Upon rescuing, all were brought ashore at the Munai Beach and provided with much-needed food, refreshments and medical assistance. The rescued expressed their heart-felt gratitude to the Navy for coming to their rescue. After the preliminary investigations, the three dead bodies were handed over to the Point Pedro Police and the casualties (a toddler and a young child) were later transferred to the Base Hospital in Point Pedro by the SLA. The rest were handed over to the SLA at Point Pedro (Full report in Sri Lanka Navy).

The jail that was - It was here that Veer Savarkar was kept before he was transported to the Andamans. Besides, Congress and Communist leaders from Tamil Nadu, several leaders like DMK founder C.N. Annadurai, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa were lodged in this prison. Various leaders of the DMK, too, were lodged here during the Emergency. LTTE chief Velupillai Prabakaran was, too, was kept here in 1985-1986 (Full report in Spectrum).

Definitely LTTE may have executed this gun and grenade attack through an international terrorist group to create a backlash between Sinhalese and Tamils in Sri Lanka as they did in July 1983

Sri Lankan cricketers, from left, Ajantha Mendis, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara,Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana together with team coach Paul Farbrace, and scenes from the attack in Lahore. Pictures: Courtesy AFP

Read more about LTTEs links with other international terrorist groups

[1]  http://www.senter.no/PDF/LTTEalQaeda.pdf - Osama hand in glove with LTTE - The Times of India
[2]  http://www.svik.org/lttealqaeda.htm - The LTTE - Al Qaeda link
[3]  http://www.svik.org/thai.htm - LTTE and Thailand
4] http://www.slembassyusa.org/defense/2004/amb_black_statement_08sept04.html - Question: Mr. Ambassador, do you find any evidence about links between the LTTE and Al-Qaeda?
[5]  http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items02/241002-1.html
[6] http://www.southasianmedia.net/cnn.cfm?id=221465&category=Politics&Country=SRI%20LANKA

Cricket Umpire Receives a Death Threat from LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists - The Daily Telegraph, Wednesday 12 May 1999 - Page 72 (Back Cover- Sports Page) (Read full details).

• Video - LIVE FOOTAGE OF TERRORIST ATTACK ON SRI LANKAN CRICKET TEAM ON MARCH 3, 2009 IN LAHORE

• Video - Sri Lanka's cricket team attacked in Pakistan 3 March 2009

• Video - LATEST NEWS - Terrorist Attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan (03-03-09 Tuesday)

• Video - attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore 03/03/09

• Video - Terrorist attack on Sri Lankan Cricketers 03/02/2009

• Video - Lahore Terror Attack On Sri Lanka Cricketers

• Video - Sri Lankan team attacked in Lahore(4th Video)

• Video - sri lanka cricket team under attack

• Video - Sri Lanka's cricket team attacked in Pakistan 3 March 2009

• Video - Sri Lankan team attacked in Lahore(5th Video) - Sri Lanka Rupavahini News

• Video - Sri Lankan cricket team attacked in Pakistan, six players injured....

• Video - Sri Lankan team attacked in Lahore(2nd Video)

• Video - Gunmen attack Srilankan Team in Lahore. Live Footage

• Video - 'Terror Arrests Made' In Pakistan - Sky News

• Video - Lahore Terror Attack On Sri Lanka Cricketers

• Video - Attack on Sri Lankan Cricketers (Mawbima Lanka)

• Video - Sri Lanka Cricket Team Attacked; 5 Police Killed in Pakistan Lahore (Mawbima Lanka)

• SLA Uses Captured LTTE Artillery Guns To Hit LTTE Back 2009 Feb 26 - Thank Yiou Tamil Diaspora for donating Two 130mm Artillery Guns to Sri Lanka Army

• SLA Attacks LTTE with two 130mm Artillery guns captured from LTTE itself 2009 Feb 26

• SLA Attacks LTTE with two 130mm Artillery guns captured from LTTE itself 2009 Feb 26

• LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists attacked with their own artilleries - Feb 26, 2009

• SL Army: Two LTTE 130mm Arti Guns Siezed

Video News

• SLA captures LTTE Communication Towers At Puthukkudiyiruppu 2009 Feb 28

• LTTE Vehicle Smugling And Racketeering Uncovered By SLA 2009 Feb 28

• Hidden LTTE Weapon Stash Unearthed From Chalai By SLA 2009 Feb 28

• SLA 58th Div Meets 8th TF at PTK; LTTE Iranapallai Under Siege 2009 Feb 28

• LTTE sympathizer MDMK Leader Waico Y Gopalsamy Placed Under Arrest 2009 Feb 28

• SLA Enters Puthu Mathalan After Capturing Challai South 2009 Feb 28

• SLA Enters Puthu Mathalan After Capturing Challai South 2009 Feb 28

• LTTE Fires and Kills Fleeing Civilians

• Pudukureppu LTTE Communication Tower Captured

• Northern Battle Front 27 th February 2009

• LTTE earth bund at Puthukudiyiruppu FDL breached 27/02/2009 - Another Submarine

• Wanni Operation 27 th February 2009 - Communication Equipment from Norway; Sound proof generators;

• Troops advancing West of Puthukudiyiruppu 27/02/2009

• LTTE Sniper Tamils Who Flee To SLA Controled Area 2009 Feb 26

Douglas Wickramaratne and the truth about Black July (Vedio).

  http://www.spur.asn.au/LTTE_Suicide_Bomb_20081006_Janaka_Perara.asp

E - Petition to Save Sri Lanka from the terrors of a fascist - Please sign the E-Petition

Petition to EU - Freeze LTTE and TRO Funds in Europe-  (Please read the full petition and sign it).

Is LTTE the Sole Representatives of Tamils?

A list of atrocities committed by the LTTE on Tamils, whom the LTTE say have to be "liberated" (A list of atrocities committed by the LTTE on Tamils, whom the LTTE say have to be "liberated" (from May 2002 to September 2003)

SPUR News Archives             SPUR Search Engine

News on LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists, Suicide Bombers, Child Soldiers, Human Smuggling, Weapon Smuggling, Ethnic Cleansing.....

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ADT Security

 

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2008 December							2009 January							2009 February
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
1	2	3	4	5	6	7				1	2	3	4							1
8	9	10	11	12	13	14	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
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29	30	31					26	27	28	29	30	31		23	24	25	26	27	28

 

ADT Security

 

2008 september							2008 October							2008 November
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
1	2	3	4	5	6	7			1	2	3	4	5						1	2
8	9	10	11	12	13	14	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
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29	30						27	28	29	30	31			24	25	26	27	28	29	30

 

Here is your search engine. Please type the key words (ex: LTTE, Child soldiers, etc) and then press search

2008 June							2008 July							2008 August
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
						1		1	2	3	4	5	6					1	2	3
2	3	4	5	6	7	8	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
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2008 March							2008 April							2008 May
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
					1	2		1	2	3	4	5	6				1	2	3	4
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24	25	26	27	28	29	30	28	29	30					26	27	28	29	30	31
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2007 December							2008 January							2008 February
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
					1	2		1	2	3	4	5	6					1	2	3
3	4	5	6	7	8	9	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
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2007 September							2007 October							2007 November
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
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24	25	26	27	28	29	30	29	30	31					26	27	28	29	30

 

2007 June							2007 July							2007 August
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
				1	2	3							1			1	2	3	4	5
4	5	6	7	8	9	10	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
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25	26	27	28	29	30		23	24	25	26	27	28	29	27	28	29	30	31
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2007 March							2007 April							2007 May
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
			1	2	3	4							1		1	2	3	4	5	6
5	6	7	8	9	10	11	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
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2006 December							2007 January							2007 February
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
				1	2	3	1	2	3	4	5	6	7				1	2	3	4
4	5	6	7	8	9	10	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
11	12	13	14	15	16	17	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
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25	26	27	28	29	30	31	29	30	31					26	27	28

2006 September							2006 October							2006 November
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
				1	2	3							1			1	2	3	4	5
4	5	6	7	8	9	10	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
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25	26	27	28	29	30		23	24	25	26	27	28	29	27	28	29	30
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  Chronology of LTTE Tamil Tiger Atrocities since June 2005

Kalyanapura, Gomarankadawala Massacre on 23 April 2006

More Pictures 01	More Pictures 02	More Pictures 03	More Pictures 04	More Pictures 05
More Pictures 06	More Pictures 06	More Pictures 08	More Pictures 09	More Pictures 10

Read more details on Kalyanapura Massacre (SPUR)

LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists continue to assassinate civilians, members of the rival political parties and security personnel under the banner of cease-fire agreement (CFA)

LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists massacred 61 Sinhalese villagers including 17 Women and 7 children on 18 September 1999 (Read details)

See how LTTE has implemented the so-called cease-fire agreement

Deadly suicide attack on Sri Lanka navy - Chronology of Suicide Bomb Attacks by Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka (see details in SPUR)

 TRO &  LTTE  NEXUS  Abstracts of articles on the nexus between the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), better known as the Tamil Tiger terrorists (Full report in SPUR).

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