Latest News from Sri Lanka

Current Significant Issues

 Saturday, 22 January 2011 07:04 AM  

Sri Lanka News Online wishes it's Hindu readers, a happy "Thaipongal"

Attack on Indian fishing craft by an unidentified gang? : History of similar incidents led to LTTE door - Strongly rejecting Indian accusations of an unprovoked attack on an Indian fishing trawler last Wednesday, Sri Lankan officials said the attack could have been carried out by a still unidentified gang, though Tamil Nadu politicians and a section of the Indian press conveniently blamed the Sri Lanka Navy. They said the Indians had leveled a similar allegation following the massacre of five Indian fishermen in Indian territorial waters off Kanyakumari on March 29, 2007. A thorough inquiry should be conducted by India to identify those responsible for the attack they said, pointing out that an investigation into the Kanyakumari massacre had cleared the SLN and revealed LTTE involvement.  That inquiry also revealed the possible involvement of some Indians colluding with those LTTE operatives responsible for the massacre, they said. It revealed that the LTTE gang had been engaged in transferring arms, ammunition and equipment from an LTTE ship anchored on the high seas. The Kanyakumari massacre took place in the backdrop of the disappearance of a large Indian fishing trawler, Sri Krishna, along with 12 Indian fishermen. Tamil Nadu blamed the SLN for the disappearance.  But the chance detection of an LTTE group in Indian waters on April 11, 2007 revealed the LTTE involvement in the March 2007 incidents.  Based on information elicited from six Sea Tigers apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard, the ‘Q’ branch of the Indian Criminal Investigation Department blamed the LTTE for the Kanyakumari massacre, seizure of the trawler and the abduction of 12 fishermen -10 from Kanyakumari and one each from Tuticorin and Kerala.   Under interrogation, those arrested in April 2007 said that the Indians were held in the LTTE—controlled Vanni. Interestingly, the LTTE group had been in two fishing craft with some of their Indian associates (Island : 15 January 2011).

78 ex LTTE cadres freed - After a vocational and language training, 78 rehabilitated former LTTE were reintegrated into society to mark the Thai Pongal festival yesterday. The 30 men and 47 women were released at an event held at the Jaffna Central College. Thousands of cadres in the former LTTE territory were held by the army during final days of the military thrust in May 2009 (Island : 15 January 2011).

‘The Abduction hoax’ – An investigative report into the ‘Mannar White-van abduction’ fallacy ‘Abduction of youth’, ‘broad daylight disappearances’, ‘armed death squads’, ‘white-vans’ and ‘sheer intimidations’ were constant malicious propaganda stunts orchestrated by a few vicious individuals/ groups that were left hapless, following the historic defeat of LTTE – the finale of a three decade prolonged tragedy in the island nation. Though the defeat in terms inked the military demise of a ruthless terrorist outfit - often described as the world’s most ruthless of its kind - its sleuths in hiding as bogus asylum groups and NGO-cum-human rights activists were shaken to the ground from their cradle of compliancy, giving-way to a new breed of anti-Sri Lankan sentiments and diabolic efforts at discrediting the government’s reconciliation efforts in the war-torn areas of North and East. Many allegations were leveled against Sri Lanka’s military in pro-LTTE media, with reports of alleged ‘abductions’ of innocent Tamil civilians by ‘armed personnel’ and ‘squads’. Despite such subtle attempts of spin and twist, the government’s road-map for reconciliation received unprecedented praise from international power players including India, U.S.A, China, Japan, Canada and the United Nations (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 15 January 2011).

Sri Lanka frees ex-Tigers to mark harvest festival - Sri Lankan authorities on Saturday released 78 suspected Tamil Tiger rebels from an internment centre to mark the Tamil harvest festival of Thai Pongal, an official said. A total of 48 women and 30 men left a military-run facility in the northern town of Jaffna, the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe said. Sri Lanka's minority Tamils celebrate Thai Pongal Saturday, but the festivities have been marred by floods that destroyed farmland and left more than 30 people dead across the island's northern, central and eastern regions. "We have about 4,500 men and women left in rehabilitation centres, and they will also be released in small batches shortly," Ranasinghe told AFP. Some 10,000 combatants gave themselves up when government troops wiped out the Tigers' top leadership in May 2009, ending the 37-year conflict which had claimed up to 100,000 lives, according to United Nations estimates (Lanka Business Online : 15 January 2011).

Ex-LTTE cadres urged to continue higher education - Fifty ex-LTTE cadres who have passed the Advanced Level examination were given special certificate and Rs. 5,000 for each to continue their higher education at a ceremony held at the Jaffna Central College, today.  Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe said out of 360 ex-LTTE cadres sat for the AL Exam 2010, 211 had passed the exam successfully. Meanwhile, marking the Thai Pongal festival, 78 ex-LTTE cadres were also released today at the ceremony held at the Jaffna Central College. The 78 ex-LTET cadres released include 48 males and 30 females and they had undergone vocational training in the rehabilitation centres (Sunday Observer : 15 January 2011).

Sri Lankan President rules out police powers for north - Reaffirming his commitment to “13 plus” (13th amendment with additional powers) formula to bring about an amicable political solution to the Tamil question, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa insisted that “the plus” should be a product of the hope and aspirations of the people of Sri Lanka.  Asked if police powers would be part of the formula, he categorically said, “No… It's not practical.” Pointing to an incident where the aircraft of a top politician was not allowed to land in an Indian State, he said: “We do not want such problems.”  The solution will be arrived at in consensus with all political parties depending on the proposals they make. Power sharing with the Centre “is very much on the table.” He said that once the Tamil parties and the government discussed the issues threadbare, the solution would also be discussed with the country, after which it could be fine-tuned for implementation. He reiterated what he had told The Hindu in an interview earlier: that he had a solution in mind, but was not in a position to reveal it.  Mr. Rajapaksa said the rehabilitation process was continuing in the north and this was independent of the demining activity. Asked for a time-frame for the demining to be completed, he said that it would take at least another six months. But this would not stand in the way of rehabilitation, he said. Only 7000 persons were left in the camps for the internally displaced. “We want to send them out also. But they have nowhere to go,” he said (Hindu : 15 January 2011).

78 former LTTE fighters released to mark Thai Pongal - Sri Lankan authorities have released 78 rehabilitated former LTTE cadres today to mark Thai Pongal, the widely celebrated Tamil Hindu harvest festival. Officials said 48 females and 30 males have been handed over to their families in Vavuniya, after they had undergone rehabilitation. Earlier in the month, rehabilitation officials said that nearly a half of former combatants who successfully completed the comprehensive rehabilitation process left the detention centres. At lest 5,586 former LTTE carders out of 11,696 left rehabilitation centres after receiving vocational training during the rehabilitation process,media reported early this month quoting commissioner general of rehabilitation Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe. There were 24 rehabilitation centers at the beginning of the programme and only 9 are remaining now, officials said (Zee News : 15 January 2011).

Cracks in the wall of the silence’- Racket on LTTE front groups in Switzerland - The federal plainclothes police arrested leaders of the LTTE terrorist in Switzerland in a raid on Tuesday (Jan 11). They are supposed to have extorted money from compatriots and thereby co-financed the war in Sri Lanka. The accusations come from Tamils themselves. - By Dario Venutti and Markus Brotschi. Nearly every one of approximately 40,000 Tamils in Switzerland donated money for the armed struggle of the Tigers in Sri Lanka: by conviction, as an obligation or because one was pressurized and extorted. According to the British ethnologist Christopher MacDowell, who knows theTamil Diaspora well, seven million franc flowed this way annually from Switzerland into the war chests of the Tigers. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office now wants to find out which portion of this money came through criminal means. In the actions on Tuesday coordinated by federal plainclothes police in ten cantons, the top leadership of the Tamil Tigers of Switzerland was arrested: the local boss of the rebels, the predecessor, the finance boss and further cadres. They are being accused of extortion, money laundering, forging of documents and of being members of a criminal organization. According to Federal Prosecutor’s Office, eight of the ten arrested are to be put custody. According to the Lawyer Marcel Bosonnet from Zürich who represents the Tiger boss, they reject the accusations. Even some time earlier accusations had been made against the boss, but these could not be proved (sri Lanka Defence Ministry ; 15 January 2011).

Political solution to ethnic problem: Govt for consensus - President Mahinda Rajapaksa said with regard to a political solution to the ethnic problem, a solution will be arrived at in consensus with all political parties depending on the proposals they make. The President said so at a discussion with foreign correspondents at Temple Trees yesterday. President Rajapaksa stressed that power sharing with the centre is very much on the table. He added that there is no room to devolve police powers. Commenting on the alleged killing of an Indian fisherman by the Sri Lanka Navy this week, President Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that reports from the Sri Lanka Navy show there was no such attack. However, discussions are underway to prevent any such incidents. “We have had arrangements earlier but these will have to be revised given the new peaceful situation in Sri Lanka,” he said. Explaining the situation, he said that during the conflict Sri Lanka prevented its fishermen from fishing in the Northern seas. He said that they are now able to do so, and there could be possibilities of misunderstandings and conflicts between fishermen from the two countries who are both Tamils. The President pointed out the importance of relevant parties talking to each other in such matters which is in accordance to the Joint Statement issued by India and Sri Lanka in June last year. Responding to a question posed by a journalist with regard to the summoning of Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in India Prasad Kariyawasam by the Indian government, President Rajapaksa said that any government including India has the right to do so and even the Sri Lankan government will take similar action in such situations. “We do not have any problem with that,” the President said. President Rajapaksa also said instructions are given to Government officials to expedite the distribution of flood relief and treat it as an essential service. He added that his visit to Batticaloa was cancelled due to bad weather but was in constant touch with developments there. President Rajapaksa appreciated India’s donation of flood relief and said that India came to Sri Lanka’s assistance without even a request. The relief material will reach Sri Lanka today (Daily News : 15 January 2011).

Rajapaksa rules out police powers for North - Reaffirming his commitment to “13 plus” [13th Amendment with additional powers] formula to bring about an amicable political solution to the Tamil question, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, insisted that “what the plus will be” should be a product of hope and aspirations of the people of Sri Lanka. Asked if police powers would be part of the “plus,” the President categorically said, “No… It’s not practical.” Pointing to an incident when aircraft of a top politician was not allowed to land in an Indian state, he said, “We do not want such problems.” The solution will be arrived at in consensus with all political parties depending on the proposals they make. Power sharing with the centre “is very much on the table.” He was speaking to foreign correspondents stationed in Sri Lanka over breakfast on Friday. On the broad process that the consensus will involve, he said that once the Tamil parties and the government discussed the issues threadbare, the solution would also be discussed with the country. Then the solution could be fine-tuned for implementation. He repeated what he had told The Hindu in an interview before — that he had a solution in mind but was not in a position to reveal it (Hindu : 14 January 2011).

EU Pushing Sri Lanka Toward China - Western pressure on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa over the defeat of the Tamil Tigers risks creating another Burma - That old habits die hard is clear from the way in which the European Union has been seeking to corner Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa for daring to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, rather than heeding their advice to call a ceasefire when the army had overrun the last sliver of territory controlled by the LTTE. With each advance the army made in early 2009, the demands for a ceasefire grew more strident. Once it became clear that Rajapaksa wouldn’t bow to Washington and Brussels, punitive measures were imposed on Colombo that continue today, the most recent being the US-EU withdrawal of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences for Sri Lankan textiles in August. It’s clear Sri Lanka is becoming another Burma—to be subjected to isolation and sanctions—all in the name of human rights and democracy. And, as in the case of Burma, the major beneficiary of the Western boycott will be the same—China. China has already displaced India as the country of consequence for Sri Lanka. The distancing of Colombo from Delhi began in 1999, when the then Bharatiya Janata Party-led government refused urgent requests for military assistance. The LTTE had been inflicting defeats on a demoralised Sri Lankan army, which was running out of ammunition and weapons. When it became clear that India would refuse assistance because of its own political compulsions (the BJP was being supported by the DMK, a Tamil party that has backed an independent ‘Tamil Eelam’ homeland carved out of Sri Lanka), the Pakistanis stepped in, providing generous dollops of military assistance that enabled the Sri Lankan army to fend off the LTTE (The Diplomat : 14 January 2011).

Re: Open Letter to LankaWeb for feeding racisim even after war ended nearly 2 years before - By Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada - Dear Paul George: After letting my belly stop doing somersaults laughing at your ranting over my writings about the Tamil Tigers in your Open Letter to Lankaweb, I decided to try and find out who really you were by Googling your name. All what I found out was that there is a Paul George in British Columbia who is interested in luxury tours in Sri Lanka. However, you may not be the person from British Columbia, but my search helped to satisfy my curiosity. Nevertheless, Paul George, who ever you are, I refuse to provide you with oxygen by responding in detail to your idiot hurl of charges at me, but I will leave you with just two incidents to squash your finger pointing at “Asoka Weerainghe’s racial attack on Tamil women and Tamil culture.” And I am going to leave it at that, and let you go on ranting at me, if you so wish…and provide me with more belly somersaulting laughs. Incident 1: When no Tamil man in Canada came to defend their Tamil culture when Ottawa’s lawyer Matt Garvey argued in court to defend a Tamil man for kidnapping a Tamil woman to be a Sri Lankan Tamil cultural trait, do you know who came to the Tamil men’s defense in public? You are not going to believe it Paul George! Sit down on a comfortable chair before you fall down in shock and hurt yourself. It was your racist, Asoka Weerasinghe. This is the letter that was published in The Ottawa Citizen on Friday, September 12, 2003 (LankaWeb : 14 January 2011).

Canadian court orders detention of MV ‘Sun Sea’ migrant - The man, one of 492 Tamils to enter British Columbia on the MV Sun Sea last August, has been ordered to remain in custody by the Federal Court. The Immigration and Refugee Board had ordered his release but the court recently overturned that decision, ruling it was made in error, the Globe and Mail reported yesterday. I’m not a Tamil Tiger – I only played one in the movies, the man told border officials soon after arriving in Canada. The man – whose name cannot be published and is referred to in court documents as B157 – told the Canada Border Services Agency in September that he was only a fisherman. He later changed his story and acknowledged he had acted in a film that promoted the LTTE. The man told border officials the film was funded by the LTTE and said he received a great deal of praise for his work.  Several of the man’s other comments also raised CBSA’s suspicions. The man initially told CBSA he didn’t owe any money to the smugglers who organized the MV Sun Sea’s journey. He later acknowledged that wasn’t true.  Despite the inconsistencies, the refugee board ordered the man released in November on a $1,000 cash bond. The adjudicator said at the time he was unsatisfied by CBSA’s argument that the man was a flight risk and unlikely to appear for future hearings. The adjudicator described the man as "completely co-operative" and "forthright" with border officials. The federal government appealed that ruling. In his decision, Federal Court Justice Yves de Montigny called the refugee board’s assessment of the man’s behaviour "generous" and "not borne out by the evidence." The judge ordered the man to stay in custody (Island : 14 January 2011).

A key change at Ministry of External Affairs - The government will shortly appoint Karunatilaka Amunugama, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Beijing as the Secretary to the External Affairs Ministry. Amunugama will succeed Romesh Jayasinghe, another career diplomat, who has held that post since Oct. 1, 2009. Sources say that Jayasinghe, who was Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in New Delhi during the Eelam war IV, will replace Amunugama in Beijing. Sources say Amunugama, who moved to China in July 2007 during a critical stage in Sri Lanka’s war against the LTTE has played an important role in strengthening SL-China relationship. Sources said that Additional Secretary to the External Affairs Ministry Ranjith Uyangoda, too, had been considered for Amunugama’s post, though it finally went to Jayasinghe. The Island learns that the decision to recall Amunugama triggered a hot contest for the Beijing vacancy. Beijing is one of the most important stations due to Sri Lanka’s long standing friendship and growing Chinese investments in Sri Lanka (Island : 14 December 2011).

Learning peace the Norwegian way - "Let the Solheims come and learn from what we have done, different to what they tried to teach us" – Mahinda Rajapaksa - Is it true they are coming? Well, that is how the story goes. What are they coming for? To teach us, I suppose. Surely, what can they teach us now? The usual thing… How we can have peace. What else can Norway teach us, except fishing …I mean in troubled waters. But we already have peace, what can they come and teach us? I understand it is about real peace. Now what the hell is that? We have defeated the LTTE. Prabhakaran is no more. What more is there in a real peace? Just leave that to the Norwegians….Erik Solheim is said to be an expert on winning peace. You mean they will come here to teach us the Solheim Peace Plan? That’s it. Do you think they will have enough to fill a classroom? many not; don’t you remember how may were following the Solheim Lessons in the past? Most of them item will think of this as a refresher course. How do you think the teaching programme will be structured? Well, the core of the programme is how a country can be at peace with itself, with a whole chunk of its territory and one third of its sea in the hands of an enemy. Well, that seems to be an interesting start. What else can one learn? There is so much to be taught. There will be whole sessions on how one can gain peace by strengthening one’s enemy. They can teach the modalities of a ceasefire agreement, where the enemy has the upper hand. What do you mean by the enemy having the upper hand? Well, being totally free to carry arms and move freely in the territory of the other side, and carry out assassinations at will too. Hmmm, quite an interesting approach to peace. That is not all. There are also the many lessons of how to strengthen the enemy, by being a facilitator of negotiations and peace (Island ; 14 January 2011).

Construction of the Kokavil Transmission tower reaches to the final stage

Landmine-clearing undresses pro-LTTE Eelam clowns - Military Spokesperson Major General Ubaya Medawala has said that a total of 307,200 mines have been cleared and destroyed by the Army Field Engineers in a land area of 1,872 square kilometers. This has been done by both manual and mechanical methods. Close to 1,300 soldiers have been deployed for this task in Jaffna, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Polonnaruva and Vavuniya districts, he said. The stretch from Oddusuddan to Nedunkerni has been completely de-mined by troops with the help of international and local organizations, he added.  This is not just painstaking work it is costly and extremely dangerous. The total number of landmines in the Northern and Eastern provinces remains undetermined. Those who bury them don’t necessarily keep meticulous records of location and as is natural in conflict situations, there is no guarantee that those who have some knowledge pass it on or that they are still alive.  It is a no-brainer that in a post-conflict situation where life and people return to normalcy and original residences respectively, ordinary citizens run the greatest risk pertaining to landmines. This is something that the pro-LTTE Eelam and anti-Government sections of the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora just don’t have the heart, mind or ethics to talk about (Daily News : 14 January 2011).

Kokavil transmission tower: Construction reaches final stage - The construction of the Kokavil Transmission tower reaches to the final stage.  The tower when completed by next March will give transmission facilities to all TV Channels, Mobile Telecommunication and Radio Broadcast to the North.  The tower will connect the North and the South over the Air through TV, radio programs and will give the people an opportunity to use any mobile service. Sixty eight regional towers have been planned to support the 177 metre mega tower. Thirty six have been erected. The Kokavil tower is in a high security zone. The regional towers are at army camps.  The Kokavil tower is the only of its kind to stand without any cable support in the country.  Sri Lanka Signal Corps Signal Brigade Commander Brigadier K R P Rovel told the Daily News that they will broadcast 2011 ICC cricket world cup matches to the people in the North with the completion of the tower (Daily News : 14 January 2011).

Asian Threat Forecast in 2011 - IN 2011, terrorism and insurgency will remain the tier-one non-traditional security threats in Asia. Located on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, Al Qaeda continues to influence threat groups in Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. While South Asia will appreciably suffer from terrorism in 2011, economic prosperity in Southeast and Northeast Asia will both pre-empt and counter the threat of ideological extremism and its by-product, terrorism. Nonetheless, with the exception of the terrorist and insurgent threats in South Asia, Asia is one of the world’s more stable and secure regions (EuroAsia Review).

Two refugee claimants named as Tamil Tigers - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada - The Editor THE OTTAWA CITIZEN; Sir: In an exclusive interview with Prime Minister Stephen Harper the page one of today’s (13 Jan.) Ottawa Citizen says;“On border security, he insisted that Canada-US discussions now under way are not a threat to this country’s sovereignty and are needed to strengthen protection from terrorists….” However, on page A3 of the newspaper you reported that “Two more Sri Lankans who arrived in Canada last August aboard the smuggling ship MV Sun Sea have been identified as suspected members of the Tamil Tigers rebels.” I note that you have been generous to call the Tamil Tigers “rebels” when the rest of the world including the UN designated them as “terrorists”. The question remains that if Stephen Harper is concerned about Canada’s sovereignty and protect Canada from terrorists, it is a no brainer how to deal with these two Tamil Tigers. Canada doesn’t want terrorists. Put them on the next plane out and send them off to Thailand, the country from where MV Sun Sea originated. Let the Thailand government deal with them. The bottom line is Canada does not want terrorists to make a home in our great country and create trouble for us. What are we waiting for Canada? (LankaWeb : 13 January 2011).

Norwegians did not see danger from terrorism US envoy in Oslo says in leaked cable - Norway revels in its role as the ‘moral superpower’ and points to the Oslo Peace Accords as a defining national moment’ US Ambassador in Oslo K. Whitney asserted the Norwegians’ indifference to terrorism in a confidential diplomatic cable sent to Washington on Feb. 13, 2009, amidst stepped-up efforts by a section of the international community to throw a lifeline to the sinking Tigers. The US, Norway, UK and France brought immense pressure to bear on President Mahinda Rajapaksa to suspend the offensive on the Vanni east front early 2009 after Sri Lanka liberated Kilinochchi in the first week of January. Whitney wrote: "… Norwegians do not generally see any threats. For example, they do not see a danger from terrorism. (This attitude prevails in the MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and other elites, despite FM Stoere’s hotel being attacked by suicide bombers in Kabul.) This societal attitude was demonstrated by Norway´s first terrorist case.  Despite shooting at Oslo’s synagogue, planning to behead the Israeli ambassador and to attack the Israeli and US embassies, the accused was convicted only of grave vandalism (although his strict sentence showed some understanding of the severity of the charges)."  Whitney goes on to say: "Norway has substantial funds to back any mediating role it chooses to play. Rich with energy funds, it has for years been a leading donor to the Palestinian authority, most recently chairing the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee. Historically, it has been willing to commit to the long-term, funding projects to promote peace, in Sri Lanka for example, for over 27 years. Norway´s desire to make a difference combined with the willingness to expend time and money has made it a mediator in conflicts as far as Sri Lanka, Colombia, Haiti, and Sudan. It has elevated peace and reconciliation studies in its universities and reorganised its Foreign Ministry to showcase its expertise in this area. It revels in its self-described role as the "moral superpower" and points to the Oslo Peace Accords as a defining national moment."  Whitney adds: "Norwegian society values dialogue above all. Talk, even without any expectation of results, is seen as valuable. Anyone who draws a line and refuses to talk to an opposing party is seen as a radical unilateralist. Conversely, Norwegians are extremely opposed to the use of military force to achieve goals, no matter how laudable." (Island ; 13 January 2011).

Over 2,000 Muslims return to Mullaithivu - Over 2,000 Muslims, who were chased away by the LTTE in 1990, have been returned to their villages in Mullaithivu.  Over 15 bus loads of Muslim displaced people returned to former Muslim villages in Mulliyaweli from Puttlam, yesterday.  The Sri Lanka Army which de-mined the areas assisted by giving the dry rations and will help them to built their houses and clear the agicultural land to commence their livelihoods.  Each family is given a compensation of Rs. 50,000 compensation and will be given dry rations for six months (Sunday Observer : 13 January 2011).

‘I don’t need anyone’s lessons on peace’ Solheim not invited to SL - Neither he nor anyone else in his government had invited controversial Norwegian politician and former special peace envoy Eric Solheim to visit Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday told the media at Temple Trees. He was answering a question whether he had invited Solheim whom he had been very critical of during the war.  However, the President said, he had no objections to Solheim visiting Sri Lanka. "Let him come here and see the difference for himself," he said.  Asked to comment on reports that Solheim had offered to coach him on peacemaking a few years ago, the President said he did not need anyone’s lessons on peace (Island : 13 January 2011).

Tigers’ George Master exposed by Japanese emb. interpreter - P’karan’s son joined final battle from London LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s son, Charles Anthony is believed to have been in London during the Norwegian-led peace initiative. The Army killed him, while he was making a desperate bid to escape through a cordon in the third week of May 2009. A US diplomatic cable from Colombo transmitted on May 8, 2003, said that: "Charles Anthony, who is believed to be in London, is approximately 17 years old. Prabhakaran is believed to have another son and one daughter with him at his key base in Mullaitivu in northeast Sri Lanka." The cable dealt with a meeting Japanese peace envoy Akashi had with LTTE leader Prabhakaran at Kilinochchi on May 7 to pressure him to return to the negotiating table. The LTTE quit the negotiating process in April accusing the government of failing to address grievances of the Tamil speaking people. The large Japanese team included Ambassador to Sri Lanka Seiichiro Otsuka. Visiting London-based LTTE spokesman Anton Balasingham, political chief S. P. Thamilchelvam, and J. Maheswaran, an Australia-based LTTE official, also attended the meeting. At that particular meeting the Japanese had their own interpreter to ensure that they would know what the LTTE really meant. US Ambassador Ashley Wills wrote: Otsuka related that the Japanese side had brought along its own interpreter to the meeting. (Note: Most visitors in meetings with the LTTE rely on the group´s interpreter who is named "George." (George has often been accused of spinning his translations.) After the meeting, the Japanese interpreter told Otsuka that at one point Balasingham had said, suspended the peace talks to get concessions." (Note: This statement tends to highlight the tactical nature of the LTTE´s recent moves.) Obviously, "George" hadn’t translated what Balasingham said. Wills wrote: In another vignette, Otsuka commented that Prabhakaran had told him during the more social atmosphere of the lunch following the meeting that his son, Charles Anthony, was studying martial arts. A lively discussion on the matter ensued when Otsuka said that he had a brown belt in karate." In another US cable, the Colombo mission referred to comments made by an Indian diplomat on the LTTE’s decision to put off a key meeting of an important committee dealing with humanitarian issues. Apropos a meeting with Indian High Commission Political Chief Taranjit Sandhu on April 24, 2003,the US embassy said: "Taranjit Sandhu told us the Tigers´ decision was another "unfortunate" move by the group. He said he thought it was a "tactical" step by the Tigers, who wanted to put pressure on the GSL to cave in on various issues, including by reducing the security zones in Jaffna. India, he commented, had no indication that the group was intending to leave the peace process altogether." (Island : 13 January 2011).

Lest we forget……….. - by N. P. Karunadasa, SLAS (Retired), Kandy - Your excellent editorial (Flashback to an ugly past) appearing in The Island of 10th January 2011 vividly paints a frightening picture of what Sri Lanka would have become if Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW) had been elected president of this country in 2005. In short, he would definitely have handed over Eelam to that mass murderer Prabhakaran on a platter on the dictates of his masters, the so called international community led by the infamous Co-chairs, and by this time the entirety of Sri Lanka would have become Eelam! Prabhakaran would be preparing his grand plans for the greater Eelam by this time!! That editorial and the discussion The Island had on 8th January 2011 with ambassador John Gunaratne (JG), one time head of the Sri Lanka Peace Secretariat (news item titled ‘John G. on that radio equipment import by Norway on behalf of tigers’, appearing in the same issue) throws a lot of light on the sordid, treacherous activities carried out in a clandestine manner by RW and his government behind the back of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunge (CBK), who was kept in the dark all the time and therefore blissfully unaware of what was going on in the name of peace. The editorial also indicates how RW interfered in the judicial process to give bail to some LTTE terrorists who had committed non-bailable criminal offences. You have made the sinister motive of the international community in assisting Prabhakaran to achieve Eelam using RW as a cat’s paw, abundantly clear in your editorial. The US and the rest of the western powers need a state loyal to them as a firm foothold south of India and in close proximity to that rising economic giant China, and they believed that once the state of Eelam was created with their blessings and support Prabhakaran would obligingly provide that foothold for them with gratitude (Island : 13 January 2011).

US on the wrong tack -  ..... That the LTTE was not for peace was patently clear. At his 'international' media conference in Kilinochchi in 2002, Prabhakaran minced no words when he said, in answer to a question, that his order to his cadres to shoot him dead if he settled for anything less than Eelam was still valid! True to his word, he did not give up forcible recruitment, mostly of children, and continued to smuggle in arms shipments while talking peace. Most of all, he was making preparations for launching attacks on the Trincomalee harbour and the Palali airstrip simultaneously so as to cut off military supplies, trap the troops in the North and to force the government to concede defeat. "War is the continuation of politics by other means," Clausewitz famously said. For Prabhakaran the peace process became the continuation of war by other means! Yes, while most other newspapers portrayed the Oslo meeting as a boost for the 'peace process', we had the courage––like that little boy who bluntly told the emperor parading the streets in his 'new clothes' that he was stark naked––to call 'the peace process' a farce. As we predicted, the LTTE unilaterally pulled out of 'peace talks' three months after the Oslo Confab (Island : 13 January 2011).

Swiss police raided several properties and arrested ten LTTE Tamil Tigers

New Navy Commander - Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy Rear Admiral D W A S Dissanayake has been appointed as the Navy Commander with effect from January 15,Navy spokesman Captain Athula Senarath told the Daily News yesterday. Having joined the Sri Lanka Navy in 1977 as an Officer Cadet, Rear Admiral Dissanayake made a great contribution towards ending terrorism which engulfed the country for more than three decades. The Sri Lanka Navy destroyed the first LTTE boat with 19 terrorists on board for the first time in 1984 under his command.  He created a record in the Sri Lanka Navy’s history by overseeing the destruction of more than thirty terrorist boats.  Meanwhile present Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe has been promoted to the rank of Admiral with effect from yesterday. Admiral Samarasinghe was accorded a guard of honour at the Naval Headquarters yesterday morning.  Vice Admiral Samarasinghe having joined the Sri Lanka Navy in 1974 as an Officer Cadet won the “Sword of Honour” of the fourth Intake at the Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee. Later he was appointed as the 16th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy.  He also achieved the Best International Midshipman award at Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth UK in 1976 along with the appointment of Divisional Sub Lieutenant. Samarasinghe is a Specialist Navigator graduate from Navigation and Direction school INS Venduruthy, India securing first place in order of merit (Daily News : 13 January 2011).

Submission to the LLRC by Dr Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D. former Government Agent, Matara District, International Consultant-The Homeland and the Inland Traps - by Garvin Karunaratne, SLAS, Ph.D. former Government Agent, Matara District International Consultant - The Homeland Theory, is based on the idea that the Northern and Eastern Provinces entirely belong to the Tamil people who do now happen to be the vast majority in those Districts. While the population of the Northern Province is mainly Tamil, it is found that the population of the Eastern Province is roughly one third Sinhala, a third Tamil and a third Muslim.  Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith in his statement to the LLRC states that the Wanni areas- the Northern and Eastern Provinces were the homelands of the Tamils and that peasant settlement done by the Government was the cause of ethnic strife. A case has been fabricated as if these two provinces are not a part of a united Sri Lanka.  As a member of the Administrative Service for around five years I had to inspect cooperatives and paddy collection island-wide and have had to travel in the Northern and Eastern Provinces very often. All over the coastal areas there were small Sinhala fisherfolk villages. They were not mere fishing settlements but had the infrastructure of small Sinhala traders and bakeries.  These provinces were sparsely populated and the entire land in the Wanni areas were full of tanks built by the Sinhala kings of ancient times that had fallen into disrepair. When I was in charge of minor irrigation work in the Anuradhapura District in 1963 and 1964, I had the occasion to rebuild many of the tanks that had fallen into disrepair. On my visits very often I came across Brahmi inscriptions. Then, in nostalgia, I crept back a decade to my studies in paleography and made copies of the inscriptions. I could identify the script to relate to the few centuries before Christ, which meant that all these areas were then populated by Sinhala Buddhists- people who practiced agriculture for their livelihood (LankaWeb : 12 January 2011).

Leaked diplomatic cables reveal a deeper US role in failed Oslo bid - Tigers bought trawlers from India to engage in ‘fishing’ and warned SLN to keep its distance from its Mullaitivu shore positions, Balasingham told Moragoda in London. Leaked confidential US diplomatic cables reveal that the US were far more involved in the abortive Norwegian-led Sri Lankan peace process than the two other peace co-chairs, Japan and the EU.  Norway and the US had jointly tackled the Sri Lankan crisis, though the general perception was that Japan played a far more important role in restoring peace. According to a communique dated Aug. 1, 2002 addressed to Washington, the then US Ambassador in Colombo Ashley E. Wills, the US was briefed on the pre-peace talks negotiations between the government and the LTTE. The first round of formal peace talks was held in Sattahip, Thailand, between 16 and Sep. 18, 2002. Wills based his missive on his meeting with top Sri Lankan negotiator Minister Milinda Moragoda on July 31, 2002 following the Moragoda-Anton Balasingham powwow at the Norwegian embassy in London on July 27th. Balasingham’s Australian born wife Adele had represented the LTTE, while Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen, Special Envoy Erik Solheim, Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Jon Westborg, and Norwegian MFA official Lisa Golden were also present. It was the first highest level meet between the two sides before the confab in Thailand. As the London meet was taking place in the immediate aftermath of the then Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to the US and his meet with the then US President George W. Bush, the LTTE had inquired about the visit. Wills wrote: "Moragoda replied that President Bush had given PM Wickremesinghe his full vote of confidence and had expressed support for a negotiated solution to the conflict. Balasingham commented that this was fine with the LTTE, as the group understood that the US and India had key roles to play in the peace process. Moragoda briefly mentioned US assistance on military matters, commenting that a more secure Sri Lankan military would benefit the peace process." Moragoda played a key role in acquiring USCGC Courageous (WMEC-622). The United States Coast Guard donated Courageous to Sri Lanka on June 24, 2004, a few months after Karuna quit the LTTE and threw his weight behind the Sri Lankan military. She is currently serving the Sri Lankan Navy as P-621 SLNS Samudura. During the Eelam war IV, SLNS Samudura took part in operations directed against the LTTE ships on the high seas. Of the eight ships, four were hit in 2007 with the help of intelligence provided by the US. The SLN also installed US-built Bush Master 30mm cannon in its Fast Attack Craft (FAC), while thwarting LTTE attempts to procure arms overseas (Island : 12 January 2011).

The truth & lies of life in Post-War Jaffna - by Shenali Waduge - My first impressions of post-war Jaffna peninsula was certainly not how it was made out to be by both western and local media, missing too was the horrific scenarios supposed to be taking place on a regular basis. Instead, my visualization was of towns abuzz with shoppers, young girls a few even dressed in jeans freely roaming around in bicycles some even on motorcycles, kovils full of worshippers, most of all an aura of relief despite the presence of military personnel whose conduct was applauded by practically every Tamil civilian I spoke to through the journey leading to Jaffna. It is only by visiting Jaffna, walking amongst its residents, speaking with them, joining residents in prayer will one really find out what the pulse of the people is like. It is totally different to the versions that are being circulated amongst vested groups in the South, by certain media channels paid to ensure that Sri Lanka’s peace is only in name & by those who are all out to create some division or the other. It is not remotely near the horrors that are being portrayed as taking place. To gage the feelings of the people it is essential to think outside of the mental framework with which we function in Colombo. It is only by showing concern & interest in those that one talks to will that feeling be reciprocated. Likewise, I spent a bulk of time visiting kovils, mingling with the ordinary people, going to their homes, sitting down next to them, going to the market places, speaking to people on the roadsides, to find out how those newly resettled are starting a new life and even speaking to those that had once out of fear supported the LTTE and with each conversation it was clearly evident that a handful of sordid souls had ruined the country, played with innocent minds, fed them with untruths & sustained a misery that had lasted almost 30 years.. (LankaWeb : 12 January 2011).

Sri Lankan Tamil refugees – Refugee Board Notice - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada - The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN; Sir: Re: Refugee board notice protested by advocates for the very reason that, “The November ruling found that the human rights situation in Sri Lanka had improved and that the likelihood Tamils would be persecuted if they return to the country has diminished.,” is more a concern about the down-sizing of the million dollar human trafficking and refugee business of Sri Lankan Tamils by these advocates. I can well understand their concerns. When over a million Tamils live in the south of the island, and quite happily too without being harassed; the UNHRC announcing that in 2010 the number of Tamil refugees that they assisted to return to Sri Lanka voluntarily stood at 2,054 and are expecting more this year; and the recruitment of Tamil youths to the Sri Lankan military services and police being significantly on the rise, why are these Tamil refugee advocates so concerned unnecessarily? This month a group of 356 Police personnel including 20 women from the Tamil community in the North were among the latest batch of recruits to the Police service. What is significant of this recruitment is that the Tamil youth were shut out from this service for three decades for security reasons, because of the Tamil Tiger terrorists were kidnapping and recruiting Tamil child soldiers and suicide bombers to fight their separatist war. These Tamil refugee advocates should now accept the progress that is going on in Sri Lanka in rehabilitation of the former Tamil Tiger soldiers and reconciliation among the communities. The Tamil youth have nothing to worry and the Refugee Board was absolutely correct to say that the persecution of the Tamil youth, if there had been any, has diminished (LankaWeb : 12 January 2011).

Lanka welcomes Swiss swoop on LTTE rump - Ten arrested for forcing Tamil Diaspora to contribute to Tigers’ war chest - Sri Lanka on Wednesday (12) welcomed Switzerland taking tough action against the LTTE rump. An External Affairs Ministry official told The Island that tangible action was needed to stop those making money on the pretext of fighting for the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils. He said the government was confident that operations would continue until the total eradication of criminal gangs targeting the Tamil Diaspora not only in Switzerland but other developed countries too. The Defence Ministry said that a global effort was required to finish off the LTTE fund-raising apparatus to ensure ordinary people were not targeted though the war ended in May, 2009. Swiss police on Tuesday raided several properties and arrested ten LTTE operatives, accusing them of involvement in a criminal group as well as money laundering, news agencies quoted the Swiss Attorney General’s office as saying. The AG’s office said: "Today, the Swiss Federal Criminal Police carried out a nationally coordinated operation directed at Tamil individuals and members of the LTTE. They are accused, amongst other offences, of money laundering and being members of a criminal organisation." Some 23 premises were raided in ten cantons leading to the arrests. The raids were conducted after a criminal probe into their activities in Switzerland. "During the course of the investigation, the suspicion that, for many years, the accused persons had forced their fellow countrymen of the Tamil Diaspora to financially support the LTTE was substantiated," said the Attorney General’s office. "The victims in Switzerland were put under severe pressure, threatened, or subjected to extortion," it added. Authorities found that the accused had forced their fellow countrymen to take out large loans, and to hand over the funds. Those who refused were threatened with reprisals. The AG’s Department said: "Several million of Swiss francs" were raised and transferred to Sri Lanka, where they were used to finance Tamil Tiger activities, in particular, in the purchase of "war materials. To disguise the true origin of the funds, they were invested in companies with connections to the LTTE conducting legal business." Swiss prosecutors have established a toll free line 0800 10 20 60, calling on witnesses or victims to come forward if they had information on how the Tamil Tigers operate (Island ; 12 January 2011).

Teaching the Grand Mother “How to Suck Eggs” - by Prof. Hudson McLean - WikiLeaks exposes another Secret Report by the USA Envoy in Sri Lanka to his masters and boffins in Washington, on the opinions of Erik Solheim Norwegian “Guru” Minister of International Development. The documents expose how Solheim, in his own thinking, planned to “coach” the newly elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on the fine sensitivities of the ethnic problem, largely created by the British Colonial masters, the Indian Government and, lately facilitated by The Royal Nowegian Government. The Nordic Nations, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, Denmark have little or no understanding of the 3000+ year old cultures of Asia. As Vikings, and savages, their colinization (but failed) largely centred around Europe, with the exception of Denmark which ventured into Far East Trading. Swedes bantered around Finland and into Russia until Czar Nikolai booted them out of Russian-Finnish border town of Vyborg. Finns who are of Ungro-Ukranian descent found their way into the forests of Finland and lived as a secluded breed of farmers, largely inter-breeding with the occasional mix into the Northern Saamilainen, Russian, Swedish bloodlines. Until 1970's one could not find a Pizzeria or a Chinese restaurant in the whole of Finland, let alone of any foreign cultural knowledge. Even bananas were an exotic fruit. In my travels in Norway during the 1975, there were hardly any “coloureds” in any large city such as Oslo, Bergen, or from Tromso to Kristiansen except for a few Black Afro-American basketball players, whom the Norwegian girls adored for their reputed long “dicks”. As a sea-faring and a fisheries nation Norway suddenly discovered Sri Lanka with a tingling ethnic conflict (LankaWeb : 12 January 2011).

Swiss police arrest 10 LTTE men after raids - Swiss police Tuesday raided several properties and arrested ten Tamil Tiger rebels, accusing them of involvement in a criminal group as well as money laundering, the attorney-general's office said. "Today, the Swiss Federal Criminal Police carried out a nationally coordinated operation directed at Tamil individuals and members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). "They are accused, amongst other offences, of money laundering and membership of a criminal organisation," said the attorney-general's office.  Some 23 premises were raided in ten cantons, leading to the arrests in the operation that came after a criminal probe into the Tamil Tigers' activities in Switzerland.  "During the course of the investigation, the suspicion that, for many years, the accused persons had forced their fellow countrymen of the Tamil diaspora to financially support the LTTE, was substantiated," said the attorney-general's office.  "The victims in Switzerland were put under severe pressure, threatened, or subjected to extortion," it added.  Authorities found that the accused had forced their fellow countrymen to take out large loans, and to hand over the funds. Those who refused were threatened with reprisals.  "Several million Swiss francs" were raised and transferred to Sri Lanka where they were used to finance Tamil Tiger activities, in particular, in the purchase of "war materials," said the statement.  "To disguise the true origin of the funds, they were invested in companies with connections to the LTTE conducting legal business," noted the attorney-general's office.  Colombo defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 after killing the guerilla leaders who were fighting for an ethnic Tamil homeland. The UN estimates that up to 100,000 people died in the separatist conflict after the Tiger rebels first emerged in 1972. The Sinhalese are the majority in Sri Lanka, with the Tamils representing the minority. Swiss prosecutors have established a toll free line 0800 10 20 60, calling on witnesses or victims to come forward if they had information on how the Tamil Tigers operate (Sify News : 12 January 2011).

Norway’s secret letter to Prabhakaran - The confidential letter sent by the erstwhile Foreign Minister of Norway ,Jan Petersen to former Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran which was exposed by ‘Wikileaks’ had shed light on a hitherto unknown side : firstly , it proves that the accusations levelled by the pro Tamil Tiger Diaspora that Norway and the International community were responsible for the devastation of the Tamil Tigers are false ; and secondly , the allegations mounted by the political groups of the south of Sri Lanka (SL) that , Norway while acting as the mediator in the peace process was secretly helping the Tamil Tigers are baseless. The former foreign Minister of Norway had addressed this confidential letter to Prabhakaran on 16th August 2005. According to the Wikileaks exposures, the former Foreign Minister and Deputy foreign Minister Helgesen had met Tamil Tiger Theoretician Anton Balasingham in London and handed over the letter on 17th August 2005 in order that it reaches Prabhakaran via Balasingham. During that period , the Norwegian Ambassador in SL ,Hans Brattskar had informed America that the then ruling Govt. of Chandrika Bandaranaike hadn’t any knowledge of this letter , and if the Chandrika’s Govt. gets wind of this , it would leak out to the Colombo Press , Wikileaks exposures had declared. When the Norway foreign Minister and his Deputy met Balasingham in London, they had questioned the latter about the Tamil Tiger killings and their operations in the North -East. Balasingham who had expressed concern over the killings however had been evasive on the issue of accepting responsibility for the murder of former SL foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, the WikiLeaks had stated. The first letter sent by the Norwegian Foreign Minister to Prabhakaran clarifies many a fact . The letter is published hereunder : (Daily Mirror : 12 January 2011).

Education in Jaffna to be uplifted - Government has uplifted the education system in Jaffna to a higher level, Northern province Assistant Education Director Tirupathi Selvaratnam said. There was a steady development in the educational system in Jaffna after the Government's humanitarian operations, he said. There are 425 schools in Jaffna District and out of them, six are national schools. The schools have been receiving free uniform material, books and donations from the Government, he said. Most schools that were damaged and destroyed due to the war, had been repaired and reestablished. Almost all the schools had been reopened for the children. Plans have been made to upgrade the educational level even more higher, Selvaratnam said. He said that with the guidance of the Government, they intend to develop the standards of students in aesthetic and sports fields to compete in the national level. "It is a pleasure to see children having the opportunity of education without having to worry about their lives and having to hide in the jungle for long hours. We are looking forward to develop educational facilities to help children in rural areas," the Director said. Special development programs are currently being carried out under Uthuru Vasanthaya program. Even the schools that are in the high security zone were reopened, he said (Daily News : 12 January 2011).

Tiger buddy with nuisance value takes on Karuna - Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu may be five months away but at least one person has announced his candidature against the electoral might of Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi. Tamil film director-turned-actor Sebastian Seeman, a fiery supporter of the LTTE and the Tamil Eelam cause, has declared that he was ready to be the common candidate to challenge Karunanidhi at whichever constituency he contests, and sought the support of all Opposition parties. “My aim is to defeat Karunanidhi in a one-on-one fight for his betrayal of Sri Lankan Tamils and for this, I am ready to join hands with anyone, including the AIADMK,” he told reporters after a meeting with MDMK leader Vaiko. His sole agenda for the 2011 elections would be to defeat the DMK-Congress combine, he added. Seeman, 36, has been arrested twice under the National Security Act (NSA) by the DMK government for his fiery oratory in support of the LTTE and against Sinhalese living in Tamil Nadu. He had declared his intention to take on Karunanidhi after he was released from jail last month when the high court quashed his detention under the NSA. A supporter of slain LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran, Seeman had directed a Tamil movie titled Thambi, Prabhakaran’s pet name. In November 2009, he was deported from Canada for addressing pro-LTTE meetings and threatening the Sinhalese. During the last stage of the LTTE’s war against the Sri Lankan forces in 2009, Seeman had floated the Naam Thamizhar Iyakkam (Our Tamil Movement) to rally the pro-Tiger forces against the Congress and the DMK for not preventing the decimation of the rebel group. In the May 2009 Lok Sabha election, his outfit had supported pro-LTTE candidates against Congress nominees, including home minister P. Chidambaram. “Our campaign against the Congress was responsible for senior Congress leaders K.V. Thangkabaalu and E.V.K.S. Elangovan losing in those elections while Chidambaram himself could just squeak through,” Seeman had claimed after the results (The Telegraph, Culcutta: 12 January 2011).

Canadian Refugee Board says ... Tamils safe in Lanka

Federal police operation targets Tamil Tigers - The Swiss federal police have arrested ten people as part of a nationwide sting operation targeting members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). On Tuesday the police searched 23 sites and objects in cantons Basel City, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Graubünden, Lucerne, Solothurn, St Gallen, Vaud and Zurich. The operation was carried out in connection with an investigation dating back to May 2009, when several people of Tamil origin were accused of extortion, forgery, money laundering and membership in a criminal organisation. Using threats and blackmail, the accused are suspected of forcing their Swiss-based countrymen to support the LTTE financially. According to the federal authorities, the LTTE managed to collect several million Swiss francs, which it mainly used to buy weapons in Sri Lanka. Switzerland is home to more than 40,000 Sri Lankan Tamils, many of whom fled the civil war in the 1980s and 90s (Swis Info : 11 January 2011).

Norway lambasted Prabhakaran over Kadirgamar assassination, child soldiers – US - Balasingham danced around the issue of responsibility for Aug. 2005 killing-Norwegian envoys In a strongly-worded letter to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, in the aftermath of the assassination of the then Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in Aug. 2005, Norway asserted that whatever the LTTE position, people in Sri Lanka and abroad held the LTTE responsible for the assassination. Norway also lashed out at Prabhakaran for forcible recruitment of children and went to the extent of warning of punitive international reaction unless he behaved in line with the CFA. The Norwegian move has been revealed by a top secret US diplomatic cable obtained and released by whistle blowing website Wiki Leaks.  Sri Lankan sources told The Island that in spite of tough talk, Norway and the Peace Co-Chairs failed pathetically to rein in the LTTE leading to a suicide attempt on the life of the then Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka in April 2006.  Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen had handed over the letter to Anton Balasingham in London on Aug. 17, 2005 at a meeting also attended by Deputy FM Vidar Helgessen. Balasingham has translated and transmitted the letter to the LTTE leader.  Sources pointed out that Peace Facilitator International Development Minister Erik Solheim hadn’t been involved in this particular initiative. Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo Hans Brattskar had briefed the US mission of the developments in London. Brattskar had handed over a copy of the letter to the US embassy, while ruling out the possibility of sharing the information with the Sri Lankan government. He had also requested the US not to share the letter with anyone.  Sources speculated that Norway and the US may have denied the EU and Japan (Peace Co-Chairs) information on the move. The cable quoted Brattskar as saying that Vidar Helgessen had been ‘hoping mad’ over print media reports on his meet with President Kumaratunga on Aug. 16 in Colombo. Brattskar was also quoted as saying that handing over of a copy of the letter sent to Prabhakaran to the Sri Lankan government would be "like giving it to the Sunday papers.  Balasingham had expressed concern over recent LTTE actions in the North and East but had danced around the question of responsibility for Kadirgamar´s assassination and disavowed any prior knowledge during his meet with Petersen and Helgessen.  The following is the full text of Norwegian FM Jan Petersen’s letter dated Aug.16 to Prabhakaran: (Island : 11 January 2011).

A reply to Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian - M.A.Sumanthiran - By Charles. S. Perera - The Tamil National Alliance was launched by the terrorist Prabhakaran to have a group of Parliamentarians to be his spokesmen in the Parliament. While Prabhakaran continued his terrorism to set up his dream- Tamil Homeland in a merged North and East , he wanted his TNA Parliamentarians to be his complementary “companions in arms” to defend his activities in the Parliament, and to mislead the International Community by propagating that terrorism is only a fight for freedom and for a territorial separation of Sri Lanka to set up a separate Eelam State. With the elimination of terrorism, the TNA is apparently on their own or still under contract to the pro – terrorist Tamil expatriate community to be their voice in the Parliament in Sri Lanka and outside. However the TNA still remains the voice of “ Prabhakran” the Thalaivar. Now without calling for a separate Eelam State, TNA MPs are nevertheless pushing the same idea interposing a demand for a “ meaningful devolution of power” not forgetting the merger of the North and East by implementing the 13 th Amendment to the Constitution. M.A.Sumanthiran of the TNA has expressed the willingness of the TNA to work with the government to solve key issues affecting the Tamils in a long interview with the The Nation, adding that the TNA stands for “ meaningful devolution of power “, and constitutional reforms within a united country under a federal structure (LankaWeb : 11 January 2011).

Of Prabhakaran's blind plunge - Propaganda constituted a main prong of the LTTE strategy. It helped the outfit build a bulwark of myths and fear by way of defence. The Tigers subtly used the media to disseminate their propaganda lies and condition people psychologically to believe they were invincible. Until the capture of Kilinochchi, during the Vanni operations, the LTTE propagandists who included some journalists, both local and foreign, NGO activists and politicians, insisted that the Tiger heartland was impregnable and the army would have to beat a retreat nursing a bloodied nose before long. Among those who claimed that the war could not be won by either party were foreign diplomats helping further the LTTE's interests. However, Prabhakaran had a realistic assessment of his real strength, according to a classified US diplomatic cable exposed by Wikileaks. It reveals, as we reported yesterday, that he informed the Norwegians before the launch of the Vanni offensive that he was not capable of withstanding a military onslaught. Norway intimated this to the Co-Chairs. The cable tallies with our report in 2007 that Prabhakaran had summoned some TNA MPs to Kilinochchi and ordered them to campaign hard and bring international pressure to bear on the government to stop the Vanni operations and he would hold out until such time. That proved to be a terrible miscalculation on his part. The army marched faster than expected! (Island ; 11 January 2011).

SLMM and rogue arms ships  - It will be fascinating to see the Norwegian Lutheran regime explaining the latest Wikileak about the SLMM deliberately enabling a Tamil Tiger terrorist weapons ship to escape and then President Chandrika Kumaratunge wanting their commanding officer expelled. According to a news report: "A move by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) made a gunrunning vessel belonging to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), escape from the Sri Lanka Navy - whistle-blower website Wikileaks reveals. The highly confidential cable sent by Colombo US Embassy to Washington, dated October 23, 2003, was classified by Colombo’s Charge´ d´Affaires James F. Entwistle."  I am referring to the leak that speaks of the Norwegian SLMM tipping off the Tigers. Apparently that was an "honest mistake" that enabled the Tigers to evade the Sri Lankan Navy or was the mission playing a double game in face of an impotent, appeasing UNP led regime at that time and throwing egg in the faces of Sri Lanka’s national security interests?  How did these so called highly educated, experienced military professionals and top commanders/ experts at monitoring missions advertently let the Tigers off like this? Are rational, logical people to believe that these poor innocent naïve professional SLMM Nords were gullible "podi babbu" hoodwinked by clever Tigers? What else will the Wikileaks tell the world about the war in Sri Lanka? Was SLMM chief Tryggve Teleffsen an arrogant jerk who thought he could get away or was he a not so clever gullible General outwitted by uneducated but smart Tigers?  Now the US public also knows something the rest of the world knew for a long time; that Iraq had nothing to do with Jihadi terrorists and the main source of funding for Al Qaeda’s version of Jihadi intolerant Wahabi terrorism is Saudi Arabia and that is something the US government is afraid to tell Americans because of energy interests (Island : 11 January 2011).

Leaked diplomatic cable reveals : Solheim, Burns misjudged MR et al - Norwegian Peace Facilitator felt Prabhakaran completely isolated and clueless about what was happening in the South… - A leaked confidential US diplomatic cable, authored by the then US Ambassador in Colombo Jeffrey Lunstead in the wake of Nov. 2005 presidential election, has revealed how those spearheading the peace initiative misjudged the Sri Lankan leader. Following a meeting US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns had with President Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Jan. 23, 2006, the State Department official told Norwegian peace facilitator Erik Solheim on the same day that President Rajapaksa felt government security forces were ‘too weak to take on the LTTE’. The meeting had taken place at Lunstead’s residence with the participation of the then Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo Hans Brattskar. Lunstead titled his missive ‘Under Secretary Burns reviews Sri Lankan peace process with Norwegian facilitator Erik Solheim.’ Burns and Solheim, according to Lunstead had compared notes ‘on the efficacy and vision of various Sri Lankan politicians. But Norwegian Special envoy Jon Hanssen-Baur on April 11, 2006 told a meeting attended by senior representatives of Sri Lankan Peace Co-Chairs in Oslo that the Tigers had told the Norwegians that they could be militarily defeated by government forces. Sri Lankan government sources told The Island that Burns and Solheim had visited Colombo to explore the possibility of re-launching the peace process after the change of government. During the Jan. 23 meet at Lunstead’s residence, Solheim had declared that he didn’t expect the LTTE to stop attacks even if they agreed to talks with President Rajapaksa’s government. The LTTE launched claymore mine attacks on Dec. 4, 2006, targeting the Army and Navy. In Jan. 2006, the LTTE blew up a Navy Fast Attack Craft (FAC) off Trincomalee killing the entire crew (Island : 11 January 2011).

India backs revival of Sri Lanka's KKS harbour - India on Tuesday backed the restoration of Sri Lanka's northern Kankesanthurai harbour, saying it would boost regional trade activities as well as increase people-to-people contacts between the two countries. "The restoration of the Kankesanthurai harbour will provide a fillip to domestic and regional commerce in Sri Lanka. It will also result in increased connectivity and people-to-people contact between India and Sri Lanka, an objective to which both India and Sri Lanka are committed," said a statement issued by the Indian High Commission here. India's Ministry of External Affairs today signed an Agreement with RITES Limited for Consultancy Services on the preparation of a detailed project report and the conduct of geo-technical investigations for the rehabilitation of the Kankesanthurai Harbour. KKS harbour served as the supply point in the north for the government troops during its long drawn out conflict with the LTTE. Sri Lankan forces crushed the LTTE in May 2009 and killed its top leaders, who were fighting for a separate homeland for the Tamils, alleging discrimination at the hands of the Sinhalese majority (Zee News : 11 January 2011).

Tamils safe in Lanka: Canadian Refugee Board - "Your life is not in danger just because you’re a Tamil who has been sent back to Sri Lanka," says a new policy introduced by Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board. The "persuasive decision," a note aimed at maintaining consistency in IRB rulings, said meaningful changes in Sri Lanka suggest Tamils – particularly young males – won’t be persecuted because of their social group or political opinions. Although refugee board adjudicators aren’t forced to follow the new guideline, the IRB said such notes "are offered to members as models of sound reasoning that may be adopted in appropriate circumstances." The policy, which could affect refugee claimants who arrived in Canada aboard the Ocean Lady and MV Sun Sea, is being challenged in court by a lawyer who says it is not legally sound. The note was also criticized by activists, who suggested it could put lives in danger. The IRB’s decision was released last month, just before the holidays. Persuasive decisions derive from individual cases that are identified as being of persuasive value in developing guidelines. The case cited in the new IRB policy involved a 25-year-old Tamil male from Sri Lanka. (He did not arrive in Canada on either of the high-profile boats.) The claimant told the refugee board that "he has been and will be persecuted by the Sri Lankan army, government officials and paramilitary agents associated with the Sri Lankan government if he returns to Sri Lanka." The claimant said he was arrested by Sri Lankan forces in 2006, interrogated, hit in the stomach and pushed against a wall. He moved to a different area with a friend soon afterward, but was stopped by government forces the next year. He said his friend was eventually executed. The claimant fled to Malaysia in 2007 before arriving in Canada in 2009 (Island : 11 January 2011).

Solheim wanted to coach MR on how to make peace - A few days before leaving Oslo for Colombo, where he was scheduled to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Jan. 2006, Norwegian peace facilitator International Development Minister Erik Solheim claimed that the President needed to learn how to handle the peace process. Solheim boasted of his expertise in handling the Sri Lankan crisis when he met Ambassador K. Whitney, the newly appointed US Ambassador to Norway on Jan. 19, 2006. This is what Whitney wrote in a confidential memo dated Jan. 23 to the State Department: "Solheim, who is traveling to Colombo Jan. 23-26 (with a planned stop in New Delhi on his way back to Oslo), commented that expectations in the Sri Lankan press have gotten way out of hand — as if his visit would "save" the country. Solheim remarked that ironically, the same people who only two months ago were bad mouthing Norway and wanted to end the Norwegian mediation role were now counting on Solheim to get the peace process back on track.  The Minister outlined two basic objectives for his visit: 1) "stabilize the ceasefire" and 2) meet the President in his new capacity with a view to getting him to fully understand how he can advance talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) (emphasis mine). Solheim explained that he wants to get a re-commitment to the cease-fire, reduce violations, and move the country away from the brink of war. He added that while he knows the President well and thinks highly of him, Rajapaksa in his view is unfamiliar with the complexities of the ethnic issues and needs to learn how to best move the peace process forward (emphasis mine) Solheim intends to provide Rajapaksa the "LTTE perspective." On the question of getting the Sri Lankan Government and LTTE to the table, Solheim said that he hoped the parties would agree soon to a venue in Europe. While not ruling out Oslo, Solheim said that places like Sweden, Finland or Switzerland would be better. Solheim noted that he looked forward to comparing notes and discussing how best to advance the peace process with Under Secretary Nicholas Burns when they meet in Colombo." (Island ; 11 January 2011).

SLMM and rogue arms ships - by Mano Ratwatte - It will be fascinating to see the Norwegian Lutheran regime explaining the latest Wikileak about the SLMM deliberately enabling a Tamil Tiger terrorist weapons ship to escape and then President Chandrika Kumaratunge wanting their commanding officer expelled. According to a news report: "A move by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) made a gunrunning vessel belonging to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), escape from the Sri Lanka Navy - whistle-blower website Wikileaks reveals. The highly confidential cable sent by Colombo US Embassy to Washington, dated October 23, 2003, was classified by Colombo’s Charge´ d´Affaires James F. Entwistle." I am referring to the leak that speaks of the Norwegian SLMM tipping off the Tigers. Apparently that was an "honest mistake" that enabled the Tigers to evade the Sri Lankan Navy or was the mission playing a double game in face of an impotent, appeasing UNP led regime at that time and throwing egg in the faces of Sri Lanka’s national security interests? How did these so called highly educated, experienced military professionals and top commanders/ experts at monitoring missions advertently let the Tigers off like this? Are rational, logical people to believe that these poor innocent naïve professional SLMM Nords were gullible "podi babbu" hoodwinked by clever Tigers? What else will the Wikileaks tell the world about the war in Sri Lanka? Was SLMM chief Tryggve Teleffsen an arrogant jerk who thought he could get away or was he a not so clever gullible General outwitted by uneducated but smart Tigers? Now the US public also knows something the rest of the world knew for a long time; that Iraq had nothing to do with Jihadi terrorists and the main source of funding for Al Qaeda’s version of Jihadi intolerant Wahabi terrorism is Saudi Arabia and that is something the US government is afraid to tell Americans because of energy interests. Wikileaks may end up strengthening democracy and hold western nations more accountable for their actions than before. No wonder they want to charge Assange. The Wikileaks imbroglio has the US and Britain scrambling to silence Julian Assange. He is now a political prisoner being accused of breaking an archaic Swedish law about having unprotected consensual sex. In other words, the high and mighty preachers of political rights, human rights, and free speech are misusing Interpol (which never acts on sex allegations) and using their might to pressure Assange by bringing charges of having sex without a condom because of his temerity to challenge the world’s only military superpower. It seems that Interpol is more interested in imposing Sharia Law about extra marital sex these days just like Taliban (Island : 11 January 2011).

Another perspective on War Crimes allegations - According to one view Ban Ki-Moon had no business to appoint that UN Panel of Advisors as it did not have the sanction of the Security Council, the General Assembly, or any other UN body. According to another view he was well within his rights because the appointment of the Panel was an internal affair of the UN office, which was therefore something on which the UNSG could legitimately exercise his discretion. International opinion evidently favours the latter view while the SL Government has been most vehemently of the first view. The agreement therefore to allow the Panel to make representations to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee is a most embarrassing volte-face. There could be two possible explanations, the first of which is that the government has thought it prudent in the national interest to give in to Western pressure. The other is that a quid pro quo understanding could be in the offing (Island ; 11 January 2011).

Sudan: Secession is imminent for want of a Rajapaksa - By Garvin Karunaratne - Ph.D. The people of Sudan are sad today. The South of Sudan is in the process of receding and a referendum is being held now, asking the people of the South as to whether they want to establish a separate State. It is only the people in South Sudan that are voting! What would have happened to Sri Lanka, if a referendum was held for the people of the North and the East to vote as to whether they should secede from Sri Lanka and have a separate state, when the LTTE did rule the North and most of the East- before 2005? Sudan was a colony of the British till 1956. General Omar al Bashir, the present leader has ruled entire Sudan from 1989. It was a single country where the Southerners only amounted to 21% of the total population. But Omar al Bashir allowed Western Superpowers and their Non Governmental Organizations to get working, nibbling at the sovereignty of Sudan. Further, sadly, Omar al Bashir’s ranks did not throw up any hero to defeat the rebels. Yesterday the President of Sudan, al Bashir has stated that he will accept the vote for secession. He has totally given in! After a lapse of living twenty two years away from home in far off lands, in 1995, we packed our bags and returned home to Sri Lanka. We lived at our small family estate at Mawaramandiya for a while and then came to reside at Nugegoda till 2000. That was the time when the LTTE was the lord of the North and the East. Trincomalee was my pet city when I roamed island wide on my endless circuits. I always pitch my stay on a pilgrims rest beside the sea and slept on the beach on a bare mat. In 1995 to 2000 it was the LTTE that ruled that area. No Sinhala person was safe anywhere there. It was at this time that the LTTE massacred around thirty civilians at Rajagiriya near the Macdonald Restaurant. I remember that day. A group of LTTE cadres had occupied a private play school and was disturbed because the owner came in at an odd time in the evening when normally the school was closed. He saw a few people behaving suspiciously; knowing that something was amiss, he reported it to the police post close by. Two constables who marched in to investigate were gunned down. Then the LTTE cadres ran amok. They ran towards Borella on the main road shooting their way through, spraying T 56 bullets on every vehicle on the road. One cadre ran, shooting his way through the Castle Street Maternity Hospital and some scrambled into the top floor of a block of flats and the army surrounded it. The rest escaped. Over thirty Sinhala people were murdered in cold blood that evening (Asian Tribune : 11 January 2011).

TMVP slams ex-envoy - The Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) has expressed outrage over the Wikileaks exposure quoting former US Ambassador Robert Blake who had stated that paramilitary groups including the TMVP ran prostitution rings for Sri Lankan troops in government-controlled parts of the Northeast, and child sex trafficking rings using their networks in India and Malaysia. Denying the alleged statement exposed through the Wikileaks cable, TMVP Spokesperson Azath Maulana told News Now.lk that the TMVP ‘fully respected women’ and were not involved in such ‘dirty acts’ as alleged by the former US Ambassador. “The TMVP have and will always respect women. We lost a lot of our cadres during the time of the war, only to protect our people which included women. We are shocked and would never resort to such dirty acts as alleged by Mr. Blake,” Maulana said. The Wikileaked US embassy cable of May 18, 2007, said that former Ambassador Blake in a letter written to Washington stated that the governments of both President Mahinda Rajapakse, and his predecessor, President Chandrika Kumaratunga, aided and abetted these death squads. Blake was dismissive of government denials and investigations, declaring: “Outside the capital, the incidence of human rights abuses has continued, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, child trafficking, extortion, and prostitution.” (NewsNow.lk ; 11 January 2011).

Public wants more military presence in Jaffna - People in Jaffna have requested more military presence to curb organized crimes carrying out to discredit the government by unknown parties, military sources said. Accordingly, 24 hour surveillance and night patrols are being carried to ensure maximum security by the Army and Police. And several road blocks have been set up at certain junctions, said Commander, Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe. On the request of the people of Jaffna, the security has been further strengthened, Major General Hathurusinghe further added. He also emphasized that those criminals would soon unmask and bring them to justice. He said that the area covering the High Security Zone was reduced to give the city dwellers easier travel and carry out day life at freely (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 11 January 2011).

New bus service between Chavakachcheri and Jaffna - Facilitating a Public Transport service to the people in Thnankilappu, Maravanpulo, Kovilakkandy and Kachchanthoppu a new bus service between Chavakachcheri and Jaffna commenced with the beginning of the new year 2011. School children, sick and elderly persons and hundred of other dwellers of mentioned areas had no a Public Transport Service for many years and the new bus service help them to move between Chavakachcheri and Jaffna more conveniently. Earlier their transport problem was a major issue at discussions of a few Civil Development Committees comprising Army officers and community leaders in respective areas. Jaffna Private Bus Association will facilitate transport between Chavakachcheri and Jaffna via Thnankilappu, Maravanpulo, Kovilakkandy and Kachchanthoppu. According to the sources the new bus service is scheduled twice a day. It will start from Chavakachcheri, at 7.15 am and 11.30 am and from Jaffna at 9.00 am and 2.30 pm. Commander 523 Brigade Brigadier Prabath Dematampitiya, Army officers and other ranks serving under the Brigade and residents in surrounding villages attended the inauguration of the new bus service (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 11 January 2011).

Returning Tamils are safe – Canada - Your life is not in danger just because you’re a Tamil who has been sent back to Sri Lanka, says a new policy introduced by Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board. The “persuasive decision,” a note aimed at maintaining consistency in IRB rulings, said meaningful changes in Sri Lanka suggest Tamils – particularly young males – won’t be persecuted because of their social group or political opinions. Although refugee board adjudicators aren’t forced to follow the new guideline, the IRB said such notes “are offered to members as models of sound reasoning that may be adopted in appropriate circumstances.” The policy, which could affect refugee claimants who arrived in Canada aboard the Ocean Lady and MV Sun Sea, is being challenged in court by a lawyer who says it is not legally sound. The note was also criticized by activists, who suggested it could put lives in danger. The IRB’s decision was released last month, just before the holidays. Persuasive decisions derive from individual cases that are identified as being of persuasive value in developing guidelines. The case cited in the new IRB policy involved a 25-year-old Tamil male from Sri Lanka. (He did not arrive in Canada on either of the high-profile boats.) The claimant told the refugee board that “he has been and will be persecuted by the Sri Lankan army, government officials and paramilitary agents associated with the Sri Lankan government if he returns to Sri Lanka.” The claimant said he was arrested by Sri Lankan forces in 2006, interrogated, hit in the stomach and pushed against a wall. He moved to a different area with a friend soon afterward, but was stopped by government forces the next year. He said his friend was eventually executed. The claimant fled to Malaysia in 2007 before arriving in Canada in 2009 (Daily Mirror : 11 January 2011).

Sri Lanka’s UNP Govt. pledged not to get involved in Karuna-LTTE split- Norway - A highly classified diplomatic cable published by Wikileaks, reveals contrary to popular belief that the then United National Party (UNP) regime caused Karuna-LTTE split, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had promised Norwegian government that his government will not get involved in Tiger’s internal affair. “PM Wickremesinghe made clear that the GSL would not get involved in the situation between the LTTE and Karuna,” US Ambassador Jeffery Lunstead reveals in his the cable dated March 15, 2004, quoting Norwegian Special Envoy Eric Solheim. “Separately, during two meetings, Solheim said The PM also said that the government would avoid taking advantage of the situation.” However UNP high rankers, including Economic Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda, have always maintained claimed that credit for Karuna’s defection should go to UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, for engineering a split within the LTTE through the peace process whilst at the same time keeping the movement locked in via an international security net (Asian Tribune: 11 January 2011).

LTTE left peace talks in 2003 to win concessions

Presentation made by Douglas Wickramaratne,UK to LLRC - Representations made by Mr. DOUGLAS WICKREMARATNE to the Commission of Inquiry on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation at its public sittings held on 0Ist DECEMBER 2010 at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies. Chairman (opening statement). Mr. Wickramaratne may I take this opportunity of thanking you for having come over here all the way from London to give your evidence before this Commission. As a person who has been involved in this ethnic problem — so to say — for a very long time, I think you could make a very valuable contribution to the matters that come within the purview of our orbit. And I believe you know the general procedure that we follow in this Commission about public sittings and sittings in camera. So I take it that you want to give your evidence in public. So you can proceed (LankaWeb : 10 January 2011).

Wikileaks Revelations Ranil in powwow with Lunstead vented his spleen on CBK, Kadir - The then Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has strongly criticized President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s approach to the Norwegian-led peace process. The UNP leader has also faulted Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar for not being realistic, thereby an obstacle to the peace process.  According to a recently leaked US diplomatic cable posted on the Internet by Wikileaks MP Wickremesinghe, at a meeting with the then US Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead, said it was President Kumaratunga who had the mandate and not he. The US Ambassador quoted the UNP leader as saying, "President Kumaratunga and Foreign Minister Kadirgamar did not understand the psychology of the LTTE. They [the LTTE] only want to discuss an interim administration. They will never agree to discuss final issues now."  The meet took place shortly after Wickremesinghe’s UNF administration lost the April 2004 general election to the PA.   Wickremesinghe said, according to the cable, that he had discussed the issue with Kadirgamar, but the Foreign Minister had insisted that he wanted to take up hard issues now. Ranil said that he had ignored some transgressions by the LTTE because it was the only way to keep negotiations going. The President did not understand the ground reality, the US embassy quoted the UNP leader as saying. Wickremesinghe has also alleged that the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) had used the breakaway Karuna faction to target the LTTE. Wickremesinghe was also quoted as saying, "…the government was playing a dangerous game because the DMI was using the breakaway LTTE rebel Karuna to get back at the LTTE. Ranil said he "knew" this was the case — he had sources in the military who had told him so. The US Ambassador told the UNP leader that the then UNP spokesman G. L. Peiris, MP, had commented that the President Kumaratunga’s efforts were a "sham" peace process and not helpful. One could criticize what the President wanted to do, Ambassador said, but should not imply that she was not interested in peace. At a subsequent meeting, the then Indian High Commissioner N. Sen said that the SL military had been directed to stop supporting Karuna, though they had worked together earlier (Island : 10 January 2011).

Before outbreak of Eelam War IV Tigers told Norwegians they could be militarily defeated - Successive Sri Lankan governments overestimated the LTTE’s conventional military capability and feared the group could never be militarily defeated - The LTTE had told the then peace facilitator Norway that it could be militarily defeated by the Sri Lankan government several months before fighting broke out following an LTTE attempt to overrun the Trincomalee Navy base in Aug. 2006. Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen-Baur revealed the LTTE’s frank assertion during a meeting he had with representatives of Sri Lankan Peace Co-chairs at the Norwegian Foreign Ministry on April 11, 2006 to discuss a meeting with the representatives of the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE. According to a confidential US diplomatic missive released by the whistle blowing website Wiki Leaks, citing recent contacts with the LTTE, Hanssen-Baur told representatives from US, EU and Japan that the LTTE had admitted its conventional military capability couldn’t match the firepower of the government. The armed forces liberated the Eastern Province in mid 2007 and cleared the North by May 2009. The LTTE collapsed on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon on May 19. A US diplomat quoted Hanssen-Baur as saying: "Hanssen-Bauer finds mixed messages from the LTTE. Although the LTTE indicates it wants to go beyond cease-fire talks and eventually discuss other issues with the GSL (e.g. economic development and democracy building), the first LTTE issue is a guarantee of security for the Geneva-bound LTTE delegation, which Rajapaksa has given. Hanssen-Bauer finds the LTTE’s greatest issue is for the GSL to disarm/disband the Karuna faction. The LTTE feels that the GSL is "shutting its eyes" to Karuna’s operations, and speculates that Karuna may be used by the GSL as a weapon in a war against the LTTE." Government sources pointed out that the LTTE had accepted the superiority of armed forces even before losing the first of its eight floating arsenals on the high seas. The Navy blew up the first vessel off Kalmunai in Sept. 2006 and the remaining seven in three separate confrontations in 2007. The cable quoted Hanssen-Baur expressing concern at a private meet with a US diplomat following the Co-Chairs’ confab that the LTTE political leadership was under increasing pressure from its military leadership. The cable also revealed that the then US Ambassador in Colombo Jeffrey Lunstead had intervened to pressure Sri Lanka to provide SLAF transport to the LTTE. According to the cable, Hanssen-Baur had praised Lunstead’s efforts, though Sri Lanka refused to give in to pressure (Island ; 10 January 2011).

Wikileaks puts light on - That the SLMM was helping the LTTE with its separatist project was only too well known. The same was true of the Co-Chairs of the 'peace process', who pulled the SLMM’s strings. Teleffensen and his staff were only puppets. The purpose of the CFA was to create conditions for the LTTE to emerge strong enough to mount a blitzkrieg at a time of its choosing, having gained enough international recognition for its cause. Prabhakaran's plan was to use the CFA to consolidate his power around the strategic locations in the North and the East like the Trincomalee Harbour and the Palali airbase with his heavy guns installed with those targets within their range so that he could declare war and sever the sea and air supply routes in one fell swoop giving the government Hobson's choice; the army would have been left with no alternative but to seek safe passage and return Colombo in such an eventuality. When the war resumed, it may be recalled, the LTTE successfully pounded the Trincomalee Harbour and Palali with artillery fire. Unfortunately for Prabhakaran there was a person who guessed his moves and alerted President Kumaratunga to the impending danger. Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda is his name. He and his team gathered intelligence, prepared maps of the LTTE camps and the locations of its heavy guns and briefed President Kumaratunga on the LTTE's game plan, which the then Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar revealed to India and a section of the Sri Lanka press. The kneejerk reaction of the UNF government was to vilify Karannagoda and Kadirgamar. The ITN at that time ran a scurrilous programme on Karannagoda, who successfully sued that institution for defamation (Island : 10 January 2011).

Sri Lanka: LTTE left peace talks in 2003 to win concessions - A top secret diplomatic cable made public by Wikileaks reveals that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) left peace talks with Sri Lankan government in a tactical move to “get more concessions”.  Although the then United National Party (UNP) government led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, had given more than enough concessions to the world’s most ruthless terror outfit, the Tigers had confessed to Japan that the terror group suspended peace talks with the motive of getting more concessions.  This remark was made by none other than Tiger’s Chief Ideologue Anton Balasingham himself, who along with Tiger Supremo Vellupillai Prabhakaran met Japanese envoy Akashi and Japanese Ambassador Seiichiro Otsuka on May 7. Ambassador Otsuka provided US Ambassador Wills a readout of the Kilinochchi talks early May 8.  “GoJ (Government of Japan) interpreter told Ambassador Otsuka that at one point Balasingham had said, ‘we suspended the peace talks to get concessions.”  Although Balasingham had not elaborated on what he meant, the cable notes that this statement tends to highlight the tactical nature of the LTTE´s recent moves.  During the meeting held in the LTTE-controlled town of Kilinochchi, Japanese envoy Akashi pressed the LTTE to return to the peace talks and gave the Tigers one week to make a final decision on whether they will attend the June donors’ conference in Tokyo (Asian Tribune: 10 January 2011).

SLMM made a gunrunning vessel belonging to the LTTE, escape from Sri Lanka Navy

Flashback to an ugly past - ..... The US embassy in Colombo says in the dispatch in question, dated Dec. 20, 2002, that the import by the UNF government of radio equipment for the LTTE with Norwegian assistance, left ‘a bad taste in everyone's mouth’. The summary of the cable reads: The recent import of radio equipment for the LTTE has stirred controversy, with critics asserting that the government and the Norwegian facilitators have gone too far in pleasing the Tigers. In response, the GSL says it assisted in the import of the equipment in exchange for the LTTE´s agreement to work within broadcasting regulations. The Norwegians underscore that they were working to further the peace process at GSL request. The incident has left a bad taste in everyone´s mouth. At the same time, it is important not to miss the fact that this was an instance where the Tigers paid heed to government regulations, something they never did in the past.  The US claim that the Tigers ‘paid heed to government regulations’ is ludicrous. The UNF, too, peddled such flimsy arguments in a bid to cover up its impotency. (It is like an assault victim claiming that the crushing of his nose hurt his assailant's fist!) In reality, the Tigers never respected the Sri Lankan law. A case in point is that when some of its armed cadres were arrested in the areas 'controlled by the GOSL' in the Eastern Province, during the ceasefire, theLTTE promptly abducted a group of soldiers forcing the UNF government to interfere in the judicial process to have the terrorists bailed out in exchange for the soldiers in captivity, though the offence they had committed was nonbailable.  The Tigers pretended to respect Sri Lanka's law whenever it served their purpose. When Anton Balasingham came by a seaplane and landed on the Iranamadu tank creating a very bad precedent, the UNF government claimed that he had obtained permission from the government and that amounted to the LTTE abiding by the Sri Lankan law! During the so-called peace talks, LTTE delegates brought in through the BIA huge crates of undeclared goods, which were sent straight to Kilinochchi with no customs duties, and the then government sought to justify its pusillanimity by claiming that the LTTE leaders had obtained Sri Lankan passports to travel abroad! (Island : 9 January 2011).

Lanka takes on ICG at EU - Alleged war crime allegations targeting Sri Lanka and post-war developments will come up for discussion at the EU today (Jan. 10). Sub Committee on Human Rights of the European Parliament is scheduled to meet today in the wake of Sri Lanka’s hard hitting written response to criticism of its conduct during the war against the LTTE and post-conflict HR situation by two INGOs, including the International Crisis Group (ICG) funded by the EU, Norway and the US. The ICG and Permanent People’s Tribunal’ based in Ireland made representations on Dec. 6 last year before the EU’s HR Committee, accusing the Sri Lankan political and military leadership of war crimes and continuing infringement of international laws. External Affairs Ministry sources told The Island that Sri Lanka had been given an opportunity to present written submissions after the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha demanded ‘right of reply.’ Sources said that the EU had invited the two INGOs overtly hostile to Sri Lanka to make a presentation without allowing Sri Lanka to defend itself. Responding to a query, sources said that Sri Lanka expected the EU to take its response into consideration vis-a-vis the allegations made by the ICG and Permanent People’s Tribunal. Citing a range of unsubstantiated allegations, the ICG urged the EU to ensure that foreign funded development projects, especially in the North wouldn’t help ‘institutionalise an unjust peace fuel new grievances and violent conflict, particularly with regard to the use and ownership of land. External Affairs Ministry sources said that the ICG should explain what it meant by ‘unjust peace’. Sources said that the ICG had conveniently forgotten the circumstances leading to the outbreak of war in Aug. 2006. Sri Lanka had refrained from launching a full scale attack even after the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and the attempt on the life of the then Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka in April 2006. The ICG urged EU member states to use their political and financial influence to press the World Bank and the ADB to tie the delivery of their aid to more inclusive, participatory and democratic forms of planning and implementation, especially in the north and east. The INGO also requested the EU and its member states to work actively with India, Japan, the United States and other donors to develop a more coordinated and principled approach to their humanitarian and development assistance, to enhance their ability to influence the Sri Lankan government to adopt more democratic and rights-friendly policies (Island : 9 January 2011).

Former Sri Lanka President demanded Norway to remove SLMM chief - WikiLeaks cable - Former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has demanded that Norway remove the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) chief accusing the mission has lost "objectivity", according to a cable sent by the United States Embassy in Colombo.  However, the US was not certain how far the President would push the matter as the mission thought that she "has a propensity for making huge issues of matters and then dropping them."  The cable dated October 23, 2003 released by WikiLeaks to the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten said the former President in a letter to the Norway government has demanded the removal of SLMM head Tryggve Teleffsen while the then Sri Lankan government led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe was engaged in a peace accord with the LTTE.  President Kumaratunga has accused the SLMM of preventing the Navy from intercepting an LTTE arms resupply ship operating in high seas off the northeast coast by tipping the terrorist organization.  The President has directly accused the SLMM of either deliberately trying to tip off the Tigers via a phone call so that their boat could escape, or acting in a highly negligent manner, the US mission in Colombo reported.  Tellefsen, for his part has admitted to the US Ambassador, that his office has contacted the Tigers and asked them about a report that one of their ships was operating off the northeast coast but denied that his office intended to tip off the Tigers.  The US mission however has felt that it would be best for all concerned if President Kumaratunga backs down soon as disruptions in the SLMM's operations would be highly problematic for the ceasefire and the peace process (Colombo Page: 9 January 2011).

SLMM tipped-off LTTE - A move by Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) made a gunrunning vessel belonging to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), escape from Sri Lanka Navy, whistle-blower website- Wikileaks reveals. The highly confidential cable sent by Colombo US Embassy to Washington, dated October 23, 2003 was classified by Colombo’s Charge´ d´Affaires James F. Entwistle. Entwistle reports that this series of events led to then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga requesting the Norwegian government to remove the then incumbent SLMM chief Tryggve Teleffsen (Daily Mirror : 9 January 2011).

TRC raids 22 illegal TV stations - The Telecom Regulatory Commission (TRC) and the police raided 22 illegal TV stations operating in the country within the past few months, TRC Director General Anusha Pelpita said yesterday (08 Jan).  According to the TRC 19 of these illegal TV stations were raided in Jaffna while the other three are in the southern parts of the country. He said some of these stations have been given time to prove their authenticity before taking legal action to suspend their operations in the light of self proclamations that they were owned by registered TV companies.  "When the officials stormed these illegal entities they immediately claimed that these are sub stations owned by leading companies in the country and that prevents us from taking further action, "he said.  But now we have decided to call for documentary proof to substantiate their claims. If these stations have actually been acquired by these companies, there has to be some form of documentation, he said.  These big companies cannot maintain franchises such as supermarkets and fast food outlets," the TRC DG said adding that if they find the big companies breaching the agreements with the TRC, they will take tough action.  The TRC DG said a leading cable TV company has offered to redeem some of the mini stations raided in Jaffna by the TRC, with the claim that they were sub stations owned by the company.  "We want to ascertain if this is actually so. If found otherwise we will go ahead with a Court order to shut them down."  The latest raid on the illegal station in Nawalapitiya was carried out by the Gampola police last week. The CID is also conducting investigations on these illegal stations, Mr. Pelpita further said (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 9 January 2011).

Envoy says Malaysian Uni’s possible target - Amidst reports that some groups are attempting to promote radical ideologies at Malaysian universities including the agenda’s of the LTTE, the Sri Lankan envoy in Malaysia said that such a possibility does exist with so many private universities operating in Malaysia. The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Malaysia Dr. D.D. Ranasinghe, speaking to News Now.lk, said that the Malaysian Home Ministry is carefully monitoring any attempt by terrorist groups including the LTTE to carry out terrorist related activities in Malaysia. Asked if it is possible that the militarily defeated LTTE could promote its agenda at Malaysian universities, Dr. D.D. Ranasinghe said that such a possibility does exist but noted that LTTE activities in Malaysia are far less than what it was earlier. The Malaysian media reported that university students are being exposed to radical ideology — including Islamist extremism and Tamil separatism — although there is no immediate threat of it turning into terrorism. The country’s Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein had said on Wednesday that the authorities, with help from foreign and local intelligence reports, were monitoring those who sought to spread militant ideas on campuses and elsewhere. (News Now.lk) (Island : 9 January 2011).

SLMM deliberately tipped off the Tigers-CBK - “In her letter (to Norway), the President also specifically complained that the SLMM had recently acted to prevent the navy from intercepting a reported Tiger arms re-supply ship operating off the northeast coast. The president directly accused the SLMM of either deliberately trying to tip off the Tigers via a phone call so that their boat could escape, or acting in a highly negligent manner. Mission was told by the Defense Minister that the SLMM´s actions in this matter were inadvertent.”  The Cable also reveals that the SLMM chief (reportedly an experienced Norwegian serviceman who retired as General) had admitted to then US Ambassador that the SLMM in fact caused the events that allowed the LTTE to evade apprehension by Sri Lanka Navy.  “(Recently, US) Ambassador briefly spoke to Tellefsen about the October 16 incident off the northeast coast. (The conversation took place before the demand for his ouster). Confirming what we were told by the Defense Minister, Tellefsen admitted that his office had made a mistake by contacting the Tigers and asking them about the report that one of their ships was operating off the northeast coast.”  However Tellefsen had defended his subordinate’s action adding that, “there was no intention to tip off the Tigers” (Daily Mirror : 9 January 2011).

Norway’s Reputation and dealings in SL - by Gamini Premadasa  - The submission by Deputy Minister V. Muralitharan to the LLRC that funds given by Norway were used by LTTE to buy weapons cannot be dismissed off hand in the same manner as the retaliatory response by the Norwegian Development and Environment Minister, as reported in The Island Online on December 30. The Norwegian Minister says, "In Sri Lanka lies are used for political gain, to taint someone’s reputation". Deputy Minister Muralitharan, after all, was the LTTE military leader in the Eastern Province in the heyday of the LTTE, and he obviously knows his onions.  The reputation, as well as the machinations, of the various ministers and representatives of Norway is well known to most Sri Lankans. It is this very same Norwegian Minister who once used the expression His Excellency – a title that is reserved for Heads of State, ambassadors and others of a similar status - when referring to Anton Balasingham, the LTTE ideologue.  In 2002 Sri Lanka was the recipient of Norway’s ‘largesse’ in the form of a Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) it brokered between LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka. Although a lull in hostilities appeared to follow the CFA - hardly surprising as LTTE was given, on a platter control of a third of the land mass and two thirds of the coast of the country - LTTE made certain that all the trappings of a separate state such as a national flag, a national anthem, police, judges, taxes, etc. got institutionalised. Concurrently, the LTTE continued with a massive expansion of its inventory of arms for an attack on Sri Lanka’s armed forces (Island : 9 January 2011).

Karuna said that police powers need not be vested with the Provincial Councils but remain with the Central Government to ensure national security

Little now !!! More later !!!

Are we serious about a solution based on Indo-Lanka Accord ?

Read more about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution)

Police powers should remain with Central govt. - Minister Muralitharan - President is genuinely committed to the welfare of Tamils: Deputy Minister of Resettlement Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan said that police powers need not be vested with the Provincial Councils but remain with the Central Government to ensure national security. The LTTE's former Military Leader of the Eastern region, Minister Muralitharan also known as Karuna Amman said that the best solution to solve the problems of Tamils was the 13th Amendment and the aspirations of Tamils could only be fulfilled through the UPFA government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. "President Rajapaksa is the only leader who is genuinely committed to the welfare of the Tamils". He called upon all Tamil political parties to unite with the government to develop the North and the East. According to Minister Muralitharan, Tamils are fed up with the separatist ideology or demanding their rights. They however, need economic and educational development to stand on their own after suffering for 30 years under LTTE terrorism. "Apart from a good economy and educational opportunities, what more do the ordinary Tamils need ? All the so-called demands are political slogans", he said. He refuted the allegation about the government's attempts for a Sinhala colonisation in the North and said that no Tamil had been discriminated against under the UPFA government. Here are excerpts from the interview (Sunday Observer : 9 January 2011).

What went wrong? - By S Akurugoda, Melbourne - At a time when some ‘influential’ people of the order of Cardinal and Bishops are continuing to sing their usual song of ‘Sinhala Only Official language’, ‘Settling Sinhala people in Tamil Homelands’ etc as the cause for the so-called ‘ethnic problem’, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) shall consider the following key misdeeds (out of numerous) made by our successive governments and their political leaderships since the country cannot afford to make way for terrorists once again (The Nation ; 9 January 2011).

Sinhalese displaced from North ‘not resettled yet’ JHU rejects baseless allegations against troops on ‘mass killings’ - By Arthur Wamanan The Sinhalese did not take up weapons against the Tamils despite several terrorist attacks on the community since 1984, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) said at the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). JHU general secretary and Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, along with party spokesperson and UPFA Western Provincial Council member Udaya Gammanpila, presented their submissions to the commission on January 5. Minister Ranawaka, in his submission, also pointed out that the 30-year-old war had affected all the communities in the country. Ranawaka pointed out that the Sinhalese people did not opt to attack the Tamil people even though LTTE had carried out 202 attacks against the Sinhalese since 1984 to 2000. “In 1984, the LTTE attacked Kent Farm killing 29 people, Dollar Farm killing 33 and another Sinhala village in Kokilai. In addition it also carried out bomb attack on the Central Bank, Maradana and Dehiwela Railway station and several other places, killing hundreds of people.” Ranawaka also pointed out that Tamils continued to live in harmony with the Sinhalese despite such incidents in the past (The Nation : 9 January 2011).

Ravinatha to replace Bandula? - The vacancy created by the shifting of Foreign Ministry’s public communications director-general Bandula Jayasekera is now likely to be filled by Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Brussels Ravinatha Ariyasinghe, according to government sources. Jayasekera has been appointed the director-general, President’s Media and spokesman. Ravinatha, who has a wealth of experience in the media field, is expected to return to the country after completing his term in Brussels shortly. In the 1980s, he was one of the pioneers of TV news journalism serving as an anchor for the Rupavahini Corporation. He even covered several state visits of then President J R Jayewardene for Rupavahini, including the Third SAARC Summit in Katmandu in December 1988 before becoming a career diplom (The Nation ; 9 January 2011).

WikiLeaks shed light on peace process - By Arthur Wamanan - A recently released WikiLeaks cable has shed light deep inside the failed peace process. The cable has leaked 34 documents, most of them during the time of the peace process. According to WikiLeaks, a letter was handed over to LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham in London by the then Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Peterson and Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen on August 17, 2005. The letter, addressed to LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran called upon the group to show its commitment to the peace process due to the situation that had arisen following the killing of the then Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. “The assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar has exacerbated the situation. It is not up to Norway to draw conclusions about the criminal investigations now under way in Colombo, or on any other judicial matter in relation with the killings. However, public perception both in Sri Lanka and internationally is that the LTTE is responsible. This public perception is a political reality. The LTTE needs to respond to this situation in a way that demonstrates continued commitment to the peace process,” the letter dated August 16, said. The document stated that Balasingham was concerned of the LTTE activities in the north and east, but ‘danced around the question for responsibility for the killing of Kadirgamar. The documents contained details of a low key visit of the Norwegians to the Wanni and of their meetings with LTTE high rankers in December 2004. In addition, another document dated December 12, 2002 stated that the government had assisted in the importation of radio equipments for the LTTE. “The GSL says it assisted in the import of the equipment in exchange for the LTTE´s agreement to work within broadcasting regulations. The Norwegians underscore that they were working to further the peace process at GSL request,” the document said. The cable also sheds light on the incidents that took place due to the political instability within the country at the time, as the President and the Prime Minister were from different political parties. The then Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe had met former president Chandrika Kumaratunge on November 12, 2003 to find a solution for the political crisis that had arisen after she had fired three key ministers. However, the document stated that no agreements were reached at the meeting. “A Norwegian delegation arrived to meet with all parties regarding recent political events and its effect on the peace process. Separately, Tamils and Muslims expressed concern over the President´s November 4-5 actions to the visiting Norwegian peace facilitators.” (The Nation : 9 January 2011).

Security tightened in north - By Arthur Wamanan - The recent violence in the Jaffna peninsula has seen a decrease during the past week, the military said. Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said the security forces and the Police had taken stern steps to curb the violence in the peninsula. “A few attacks took place in the peninsula. The security forces have put up snap checkpoints at random places in order to ensure that these incidents do not happen,” he said. In addition, the security forces have also commenced patrols in several places in order to reduce these isolated incidents. Maj Gen Hathurusinghe said that four persons who were arrested in connection with the killing of a Hindu priest were produced before courts. Unknown gunmen who had attempted to rob Murugamurthi Kovil in Changaanai, Valikaamam, shot the chief priest, Niththiyantha Sharma (56) and his two sons who had rushed to help him. “One person has been identified as an ex-army person. Two have been identified as ex-LTTE cadres,” Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said. He said the Police were investigating the killing of the Jaffna Deputy Zonal Education Director Markandu Sivalingam. “All these incidents were isolated attacks. These were carried out either for robbery or personal disputes. However, we have taken steps to ensure that culprits do not get away with this,” he added. In addition, Maj Gen Hathurusinghe also said there were LTTE elements remaining in the north. “We have fought for three years and we cannot expect everything to be clear. There will be some remnants. However, thee attacks were not carried out in an organised manner.” Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Jaffna District Organiser, Ankajan Ramanathan said the Police and the security forces had stepped up security measures to reduce the number of incidents. “I would also like to urge the people to cooperate with the police and the security forces in bringing down these incidents,” he said (The Nation ; 9 January 2011).

Track down and and acquire remaining 8 LTTE ships

Yal Devi to go upto KKS - Train services to the North will be extended up to Omanthai before the end of this month, Railways Department Planning Director Vijaya Samarasinghe told the Daily News. The objective of the move is to get the Yal Devi train to Kankesanthurai as soon as possible, he said. Accordingly the railway track will be extended in three stages. The first will be limited up to Omanthei. The track will again be extended up to Palei from Manthei under the second stage. Under the final stage it will be extended up to Kankasanthurai, he said. Minister Kumara Welgama has also taken measures to ensure the work on this rail line is expedited, Samarasinghe said (Daily News : 8 January 2011).

Sri Lanka: a response to your comment - by  Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada - Hon. Surjith Singh Barnala Governor of Tamil NaduRaj Bhavan Chennai – 600022, India - Dear Governor Surjith Singh Barnala: Sathyalaya Ramakrishnan reports from Chennai (7 January, Asian Tribune) that you have expressed your concern that “The governor of Tamil Nadu Surjith Singh Barnala had said that when speaking about the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, pointed out that many Tamil civilians were still “languishing” in camps and not even preliminary steps had been initiated on the long-cherished political solution,” and you stymied me. Reading that statement from the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Surjith I cracked up. What if these “languishing” Tamils do not wish to return to their homes, because they are well looked after, a roof over their heads, three meals a day, visits to medical clinics free of charge… what better do they want for survival, when you should be crying with shame when there are less fortunate Tamils in your part of the world begging for survival. Go to Ana Salai and Royapettah and you will see Tamils begging near traffic signals in Anna Salai, near the Central Railway Station and Egmore, and you are worried about a few Sri Lankan Tamils “languishing” in camps enjoying three meals a day and sheltered under a roof from the hot sun and rain. Phew! Just, come off this crap, Surjith. Tamil Nadu politicians like you make me sick. And step off that 1980s M.G.Ramachandran, Jayalalitha, Karunanidhi train. It only leads to the fatal Nandikathal lagoon that these three politicians prepared as the final resting place for the mythical Eelam searching Sri Lankan Tamils who called themselves ‘Tamil Tigers’. This is where their leaders died from gun shot wounds on 18 May 2009 (LankaWeb : 8 January 2011).

Police enlist Tamil speaking recruits - The recruitment of Tamil youths to the military service and especially to the Sri Lanka Police is significantly on the rise.  A group of 356 Police personnel including 20 women from the North region joined Police service yesterday.  These youths were recruited to the law and order establishments after a period of 30 years. They received appointment letters from Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya after the completion of a six-month training at the Police Training School.  The Police hopes to recruit more Tamil speaking youths to the Police service to overcome the language barrier in State service.  Plans are underway to encourage more youths to join these services who speak all three languages. Youth who came to Police service from the North are conversant in Sinhala, Tamil and English.  During the LTTE terrorism, the Northern youth could not enter Government service due to fear. Showing a marked contrast, there is a growing demand among Tamil people to join the Government service now (Daily News : 8 January 2011).

With friends like Norway who needs enemies? Part II - by H. L. D. Mahindapala - Europe has two major anti-Sri Lankan, pro-Tamil Tiger bases headed by – .a). Fr. S. J. (I’m-a-Tamil-first-and-a-Christian-later) Emmanuel, President of the Global Tamil Forum, located in Germany with links to UK and b). Perinpanayagam Sivaparan (better known as Nediyawan, “the Tall Man”) who runs the Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC) in Norway. Wikipedia records that “TCC handles millions of Norwegian krone stolen from diaspora Tamils, and procured from legitimate and black market businesses. He later took control of a majority of the LTTE’s overseas dealings and institutions. This was done after he was appointed chief of the Diaspora Affairs of the Organization.” Norway is also the base for TamilNet – the main anti-Sri Lankan propaganda medium along with the BBC Sinhala program. Unable to face the uncovering of his underhand dealings when he was a “facilitator” of peace: Solheim has hit back in the Norwegian media accusing his Sri Lankan critics as liars. His crooked deals in handling the Sri Lankan crisis make him the last man who can claim to speak the truth. That apart, what has he done about the racist lies propagated by TamilNet located in his own backyard? Norway, which pontificates to Sri Lanka about upholding the law, knows that these activities are in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 and yet it has done nothing about it. Is this the act of a friendly nation – particularly a country that claimed to have acted in restoring peace in Sri Lanka? (LankaWeb : 8 January 2011).

WikiLeaks: Sri Lanka imported radio equipment for LTTE - The Sri Lankan government had imported radio equipment for the Tamil Tiger rebels in 2002 as it tried to work out a peace deal in collaboration with the Norwegian facilitators, according to a cable sent by the US mission in Colombo revealed by WikiLeaks. The move 'left a bad taste in everyone's mouth' stirring controversy that the government and the Norwegian facilitators have gone too far to please the Tigers, the US cable dated Dec 20, 2002, said. The ruling United National Party (UNP) in 2002, with the assistance of Norwegian Embassy in Sri Lanka, ordered the radio equipment for the LTTE radio station 'Voice of the Tigers', which was legalized by the government as a private entity and given permission to broadcast, the colomboPage.com reported Saturday. According to the cable released recently by the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten, the duty free shipment was received by the Norwegian Embassy and was handed over to the Peace Secretariat from where it was transferred to the LTTE with the help of the defence ministry. After the shipment, both the Sri Lankan and Norwegian governments came under severe criticism from various political parties, particularly from the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna party, the cable noted. The Sri Lankan government responding to the flak, said that the import of the equipment was allowed because the LTTE had agreed to accede to government's broadcasting regulations. The Norwegians have told the US that they were only working to further the peace process at the Sri Lankan government's request. The US in the leaked cable says that while the incident did not cause much damage to the peace process, but its handling provided the skeptics of the peace process some ammunition. The current Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa abrogated the failed ceasefire agreement in January 2008 and launched a massive military offensive against the militants that ended the country's decades-long insurgency of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May 2009 (Sify News : 8 January 2011).

India expressed concern over LTTE radio equipment: U.S. cable - India had expressed concern to the Sri Lankan government on allowing the Tamil Tigers to import radio equipment amid fears that it would equip the LTTE “broadcasts to reach Tamil Nadu,” a secret cable from the U.S. embassy here has revealed. The diplomatic cable leaked by the whistleblower website WikiLeaks said the government, headed by the prime minister Ranil Wickremasinghe in 2002, had requested assistance of the Royal Norwegian government, the facilitator of the troubled peace process, to import radio equipment for the LTTE’s radio “Voice of Tigers” during the ceasefire period. A worried India had expressed concern to the government over the issue. “The Indian government reportedly has expressed concerns to the GSL that the equipment will allow LTTE broadcasts to reach Tamil Nadu,” the cable said. It was believed that the equipment were to allow the VOT radio to upgrade its FM capability. “At this time, the Voice of the Tigers had very limited FM and short-wave capabilities, allowing the station to be dimly heard in parts of the north and east...Some press reports state that the FM-upgrade equipment cost about USD 90,000 and that the equipment was bought in Singapore. It is not clear what range the new equipment will allow the ‘Voice of the Tigers’ to have,” the secret American document said. “The equipment in question was brought into Colombo harbour last month in a shipping container. Because the consignment was for the Norwegian Embassy, no duty was paid,” according to the cables published in the media. The whistleblower website said the “Norwegian Embassy has confirmed that it turned the consignment over to the GSL’s Peace Secretariat, which then passed the items over to the LTTE with the assistance of the Defence Ministry.” At some point in this process, the LTTE’s radio station, the “Voice of the Tigers” was legalized by the GSL as a private entity and given permission to broadcast,” the cable said. Mr. Wickremesinghe’s government was targeted by the opposition groups for allowing the radio equipment as a demonstration of the then prime minister’s appeasement of the rebel group (Hindu : 8 January 2011).

Chennai Sangamam Row:HC restrains government to include Kanimozhi's "Thamizhmaiyam's" name in the advertisements - The Madras High Court has directed the DMK government to avoid "Thamizhmaiyam's" name in its advertisements to conduct 'Chennai Sangamam' folk festival organised by chief minister M Karunanidhi's daughter M K Kanimozhi and her close associate and LTTE supporter father Jagathgaspar.  Madras High Court on Friday directed the government not to carry the name of Tamil Maiyam on the advertisements issued by it for promoting the Chennai Sangamam festival, scheduled to begin on January 12.  The First Bench comprising Chief Justice M Y Iqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam, disposing of a PIL, recorded the TN government’s submission that there was no financial transaction between the government and Tamil Maiyam.  The Bench also directed that Tamil Maiyam shall continue to be associated for the effective conduct of the event.  The PIL filed by advocate P Pugalendhi sought to restrain the Tourism and Culture department and the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) from associating themselves with the Tamil Maiyam, represented by managing trustee Fr Jegath Gasper Raj, for the Chennai Sangamam.  In his PIL, he contended that any association of the State with an organisation that was under the CBI scanner, would be contrary to public interest.  The government in a counter affidavit had submitted that “there is no financial transaction between the government and Tamil Maiyam. The remuneration for artists is paid directly by the TTDC based on government sanction and vouchers obtained from the artists.  The Tamil Maiyam has not say in organizing the events except identifying and deploying artists.  ”The affidavit submitted the tourism department forwarded proposals for sanction of`1 crore, of which `67 lakh was for remuneration to the artists and `33 lakh for release of advertisements (Asian Tribune : 8 January 2011).

The government reiterated that it will not leave room for LTTE terrorism to raise its head again in Sri Lankan soil - The government reiterated that it will not leave room for LTTE terrorism to raise its head again in Sri Lankan soil. The Malaysian police received information regarding certain incidents where LTTE supportive elements have tried to use the students who are following higher studies in Malaysia on scholarship to carry out their day-today propaganda activities. LTTE supportive elements are trying to influence these students by force. Malaysian police also reported about some incidents where some students were abducted by these LTTE supportive elements. This has been a trade and a practice of LTTE. Malaysian police is investigating on this incident in a detailed manner (SLBC : 8 January 2011).

Orphaned elephants to Mullaitivu sanctuary - The Agrarian Services and Wildlife Ministry has proposed to release several orphaned elephants in Uda Walawe Elephant Transit Camp to the new wildlife sanctuary in Mullaitivu considering the available space in this forest, a Ministry official said. The Mullaitivu forest which was a LTTE stronghold was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary recently. The area of this jungle extends for about 100,000 acres. This forest is now accessible to the public with the end of the war. An Elephant Transit Camp spokesperson said that the proposal is under discussion and the dates for this activity will be finalized later (Daily News : 8 January 2011).

Government committed to Jaffna security - The Government made a significant gesture towards the success of reconciliation in the post-conflict scenario, when it announced Thursday that it accepted responsibility for the security situation in the North, especially Jaffna and would take all action to ensure normalcy in the daily lives of the people there, while bringing to justice those responsible for the recent crimes in the region. The statement to this effect by the Mass Communications and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella at this week’s post-Cabinet media briefing was prompted by questions raised by journalists about what is being reported as a deteriorating law and order situation in the North. The Media Minister’s statement of the Government not shirking its responsibilities towards the people of the North, followed soon after the special statement made in Parliament, Tuesday, by Traditional Industries Minister Douglas Devananda. Minister Devananda said the security situation in the Jaffna peninsula which was deteriorating had to be addressed without further delay (Daily News : 8 January 2011).

Submissions made on behalf of the Buddhasasana Karya Sadhaka Mandalaya before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) - by Most Venerable Thirikunamale Ananda Thero, Anunayaka of the Amarapura Dharmarakshaka Nikaya Manohara R. de Silva, President’s Counsel Deshabandhu Olcott Gunasekera, Formerly of the Ceylon Civil Service and President, Dharmavijaya Foundation 17th December, 2010 (PDF File in Sinhale Hot News).

Sri Lanka: Defence Ministry to track down and assign LTTE's ships to the Government - During today’s (6th January 2011) Parliament session, Minister of Water Supply and Drainage and Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena in response to a question for oral answer submitted by Gamini Jayawickrama Perera (MP – United National Party) stated that the considerable number of ships from the rump LTTE are engaged in illegal activities and they will be located and assigned to Government of Sri Lanka. “It have been reported that a considerable number of ships have been used for illegal activities such as human smuggling, etc.,. It can be pointed out as an example that recently ‘Eeshawari’ MV, a ship belongs to the rump LTTE entered Canada illegally. Information has been received that some of the remaining ships of the rump LTTE are beyond repairs and those ships have been berthed in a Port of a Southeast Country. The Government Chief Whip, further added “Due to the manner of registering some of the ships, obstacles have been arisen in the legal and diplomatic processes, in the event of assigning those ships to the Government. But necessary actions and investigations regarding those ships are continuously being carried out. Even though further information cannot be provided, due to the security concerns of those intelligence and investigation activities, Ministry of Defence would like to inform that necessary steps have been taken with a strategic plan and with utmost responsibility, regarding this matter,” he said. Minister went on to say that, even though LTTE was militarily defeated within Sri Lanka in May 2009, the international network of L.T.T.E. is still functioning as usual, with the intention of revamping the LTTE movement again in Sri Lanka. Under these circumstances Ministry of Defence has planned to curb the activities of the international network of LTTE, and also operations have been continually carried out to weaken the international network and acquire their assets depending on the information gathered from the leading LTTE sources. “Number of LTTE activists were taken into custody and earlier important documents regarding the International activities of LTTE were found during the Wanni Humanitarian Operation. Further investigations have been carried out through close relationships, between our Intelligence services and Intelligence Services of other countries where L.T.T.E. outfit is still active. As a result of that number of LTTE activists have been taken into custody in those countries, as well as investigations have been carried out to take other activists into custody (Asian Tribune: 7 January 2011).

'LTTE radio equipment worried India' - India had expressed concerns after the Sri Lankan government imported radio equipment from Norway for supplying to the separatist Tamil Tigers, a new US cable leaked by Wikileaks has revealed. The secret cable sent by the US Embassy in Colombo claimed that the United National Party (UNP), which was in power in 2002, had requested and received radio equipment which was then handed over to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) through the government departments. The equipment was meant for LTTE's radio channel, Voice of the Tigers (VoT), broadcast out of areas under control of the rebels. "The equipment in question was brought into Colombo harbor last month in a shipping container. Because the consignment was for the Norwegian Embassy, no duty was paid. The Norwegian Embassy has confirmed that it turned the consignment over to the GSL's (government of Sri Lanka) Peace Secretariat, which then passed the items over to the LTTE with the assistance of the Defense Ministry," the cable - leaked to the Oslo-based Aftenposten newspaper, explained. The incident had worried India because New Delhi was apprehensive that the radio broadcast could reach Tamil Nadu and other parts of South India. "The Indian government reportedly has expressed concerns to the GSL that the equipment will allow LTTE broadcasts to reach Tamil Nadu. It is not clear what range the new equipment will allow the VoT to have," the cable said, adding "the station has broadcast some pretty bloodcurdling stuff in the past, including salutes to the LTTE´s terrorist acts." Colombo defended the move, saying that by helping the LTTE in getting advance radio equipment, it was successful in bringing the VoT under government regulations and that the rebels would have anyway smuggled the equipment into the country. Norway tried to deflect the controversy by saying that it was helping the peace process. However the Government of Norway "(GoN) only agreed to help if the equipment was provided to the (Sri Lankan) Peace Secretariat -- and not directly to the LTTE," the cable added (Hindustan Times : 7 January 2011).

Make Peace with Diaspora LTTE Terrorist Rump? - by Prof. Hudson McLean - Whats the kick-back for Jehan Perera in promoting the scum of the leftover of Expat Diaspora Rump of the LTTE Terrorists? Rudrakumar the American lawyer and the playboy Paki Saravanamuttu in the UK are getting fat on LTTE leftovers, are the last of the scum to be invited to meet with SLG. And their bank-rolling friend Rajaratnam is now well settled in an American Jail. As the SLG recognizes, the LTTE Diaspora is now waking up from their slumber to start another day to make their bank balances fatter. Its not for the love of the Sri Lankan Tamils, since the Tamil Motherland is in Tamil Nadu India. If they really love the Tamils, they should concentrate their efforts on relocating all Tamils in Sri Lanka into Tamil Nadu. But there are bigger game in Tamil Nadu and the likes of Rudrakumar and Saravanamuttu are not given any place on Tamil Nadu platform. SLG under President Rajapaksa has given more than the due fair share to these Tamil Immigrants and Squatters, and if any of them should need any further attention, “Please Knock and Await for an Invitation to Enter!” To Make Peace with the Diaspora LTTE Terrorist Rump? - Peace is on the Table. Next Move is upto the Diaspora! (LankaWeb : 7 January 2011).

Sri Lanka’s UNP Government requested Norwegian help for Tiger radio equipment - A top secret diplomatic cable obtained by Wikileaks and published by the Oslo-based newspaper- Aftenposten, makes a startling revelation that the then United National Party (UNP) government led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, had requested Norwegian assistance in the importation of radio equipment for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a bid to give legal recognition to the “Voice of the Tigers”. “Norwegian Ambassador (Jon) Westborg told us that the Sri Lankan government had specifically requested his Embassy’s assistance (for the importation of radio equipment) several months ago,” reveals the cable, dated December 20, 2002. “The Norwegians underscore that they were working to further the peace process at GSL request,” the cable further states. “The recent import of radio equipment for the LTTE has stirred controversy, with critics asserting that the government and the Norwegian facilitators have gone too far in pleasing the Tigers. In response, the GSL says it assisted in the import of the equipment in exchange for the LTTE´s agreement to work within broadcasting regulations.” However the Government of Norway “(GoN) only agreed to help if the equipment was provided to the (Sri Lankan) Peace Secretariat -- and not directly to the LTTE,” it added. The US Embassy opines that “the incident has left a bad taste in everyone´s mouth” “The equipment in question was brought into Colombo harbor last month in a shipping container. Because the consignment was for the Norwegian Embassy, no duty was paid. The Norwegian Embassy has confirmed that it turned the consignment over to the GSL´s Peace Secretariat, which then passed the items over to the LTTE with the assistance of the Defense Ministry,” the cable explains  (Asian Tribune: 7 January 2011).

'Radio equipment for LTTE by SL worried India' - India had expressed concerns after the Sri Lankan government imported radio equipment from Norway for supplying to the separatist Tamil Tigers, a new US cable leaked by Wikileaks has revealed. The secret cable sent by the US Embassy in Colombo claimed that the United National Party (UNP), which was in power in 2002, had requested and received radio equipment which was then handed over to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) through the government departments.  The equipment was meant for LTTE's radio channel, Voice of the Tigers (VoT), broadcast out of areas under control of the rebels.  "The equipment in question was brought into Colombo harbor last month in a shipping container. Because the consignment was for the Norwegian Embassy, no duty was paid. The Norwegian Embassy has confirmed that it turned the consignment over to the GSL's (government of Sri Lanka) Peace Secretariat, which then passed the items over to the LTTE with the assistance of the Defense Ministry," the cable - leaked to the Oslo-based Aftenposten newspaper, explained.  The incident had worried India because New Delhi was apprehensive that the radio broadcast could reach Tamil Nadu and other parts of South India.  "The Indian government reportedly has expressed concerns to the GSL that the equipment will allow LTTE broadcasts to reach Tamil Nadu. It is not clear what range the new equipment will allow the VoT to have," the cable said, adding "the station has broadcast some pretty bloodcurdling stuff in the past, including salutes to the LTTE´s terrorist acts."  Colombo defended the move, saying that by helping the LTTE in getting advance radio equipment, it was successful in bringing the VoT under government regulations and that the rebels would have anyway smuggled the equipment into the country. Norway tried to deflect the controversy by saying that it was helping the peace process. However the Government of Norway "(GoN) only agreed to help if the equipment was provided to the (Sri Lankan) Peace Secretariat -- and not directly to the LTTE," the cable added (Hindustan Times : 7 January 2011).

Facts vs hearsay - Why are the Sri Lankan refugees returning from South India? There are only two possible answers. Either the situation in Sri Lanka has improved for them to come back after the conclusion of the war or India is ‘not doing enough’ for them. Else, there is no reason why those men and women want to leave the Indian camps where they have been living for years. If the second answer is correct, then instead of venting his spleen on Sri Lanka, Rahul should direct his barbs at the Tamil Nadu government and Chief Minister Karunanidhi, who runs with the Congress and hunts with the pro-LTTE lunatic fringe in South India. If the first answer is correct, Rahul's contention is invalid. It is also possible that both answers are correct!  Likewise, those who claim that the Sri Lankan military intentionally targeted the Tamil civilians during the Vanni offensive should be asked why, given the first opportunity, the people trapped in the war zone after being forcibly evicted by the LTTE, fled to the army-controlled areas braving as they did violent methods the LTTE employed to prevent them from escaping such as training machine guns and heavy weapons on them. There were many instances of the LTTE chopping some civilians, who tried to escape, to death by way of deterrent punishment, but the people were not deterred at all. They ran away seeking protection from the advancing army. Would they ever have done so, if the army had been killing civilians?  If the army had really wanted to massacre civilians, need it have taken the trouble of taking so many LTTE cadres into custody and rehabilitating them? Couldn't the troops have mowed them down the way the LTTE killed 600 policemen who surrendered to the outfit in 1990 in the East on orders of the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who sought to salvage a crumbling peace process at their expense? (Island : 7 January 2010).

Ranil says KP should be handed over to India - The government should immediately hand over the former LTTE Chief Arms Procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan to India, without hurling baseless allegations against Opposition politicians, UNP leader Ranil Wickremsinghe says. Addressing a public meeting in Negombo on Thursday evening, Wickremesinghe said that the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime was barking up the wrong tree, while turning a blind eye to the various accusations that have been levelled at KP (Island : 7 January 2011).

LTTE weapon found in house in Devinuwara - A T56 assault rifle used by the LTTE was recovered yesterday from the backyard of a house of a postman in Devinuwara, Matara, police said. The postman was also taken into custody.  Initial inquiries revealed that the weapon had been used by the LTTE during the war and was believed to have been used for several major criminal activities in the South thereafter with the price earned by lending the weapon suspected to have been in the region of Rs.200, 000 per crime committed.  The 38-year-old suspect was to be handed over to the Terrorist Investigations Division (TID) for further investigations to take place. The Gandara police at the time of the raid found out that the rifle was loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition and believed that it was going to be used in a crime in the future (Daily Mirror : 7 January 2011).

8 LTTE ships still at large – Govt. - The government yesterday told Parliament that the LTTE was still in possession of eight ships that were being used for various illegal activities such as human smuggling. Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardane placed this information before the House in response to a question by UNP MP Gamini Jayawickrama Perera. The answer had been provided by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.  Mr. Gunawardane said though the LTTE was destroyed in May, 2009, its international network was still intact. According to the intelligence reports, he said, the ship ‘Eeshwary’ used for the smuggling of Sri Lankan immigrants to Canada recently is one of them.  Citing intelligence reports, the government said that some LTTE ships which are beyond repair for economical use were berthed at a port of a South-east country.  “The LTTE had not registered any purchased ship under its name. They had been fraudulently registered under different international organizations. Legality has been obtained under the flags of those countries,” he said.  The Sri Lanka Navy, with the assistance of the Air Force has destroyed 11 of those ships. Besides, the Ministry of Defence still carries out investigations to curb the LTTE activities overseas through the co-ordination of intelligence services. Mr. Gunawardane said a number of LTTE operatives had been arrested in those countries as a result of these initiatives by the Ministry.  According to the answer, the government has encountered problems in taking legal and diplomatic action due to the manner in which some ships had been registered.  Meanwhile, Mr. Perera raised a supplementary question about the alleged understanding between the government and present LTTE leader Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP. He said there were media reports about the government using the assets seized from KP (Daily Mirror : 7 January 2011).

Indo-Lanka MOU signed - India and Sri Lanka today signed a Memorandum of Understanding on passenger transportation by sea which will see the commencement of ferry services between the two countries, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said this evening. The High Commissioner of India, Ashok K. Kantha and the Secretary of the Ministry of Ports and Highways, Mrs. Sujatha Cooray signed the MOU in the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at Temple Trees. The MoU envisages putting in place ferry services between Colombo and Tuticorin and Talaimannar and Rameswaram. Resumption of these services signals an important step in the restoration of the traditional links between the two countries, the Indian High Commission said. Both countries are taking immediate steps to start a passenger ferry service between Colombo and Tuticorin where the necessary infrastructure is already in place. For this purpose, a Joint Committee Meeting is being held on 10-11 January, 2011 in Colombo, during which officials from India and Sri Lanka will discuss the modalities to start the service. The Shipping Corporation of India has already received Expression of Interest from potential ferry service operators in India and is examining them in order to finalise the grant of a concession to operate ferry services between Tuticorin and Colombo, which could commence shortly. Services between Talaimannar and Rameshwaram will commence once the requisite infrastructure is put in place on both sides. An Indian company, IRCON, has already commenced survey work for this purpose to restore the damaged pier in Talaimannar (NewsNow.lk : 7 January 2011).

LTTE in Malaysian Uni's - Amidst reports that some groups are attempting to promote radical ideologies at Malaysian universities including the agenda’s of the LTTE, the Sri Lankan envoy in Malaysia said that such a possibility does exist with so many private universities operating in Malaysia. The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Malaysia Dr. D.D. Ranasinghe, speaking to News Now.lk, said that the Malaysian Home Ministry is carefully monitoring any attempt by terrorist groups including the LTTE to carry out terrorist related activities in Malaysia. Asked if it is possible that the militarily defeated LTTE could promote its agenda at Malaysian universities, Dr. D.D. Ranasinghe said that such a possibility does exist but noted that LTTE activities in Malaysia are far less than what it was earlier. The Malaysian media reported that university students are being exposed to radical ideology — including Islamist extremism and Tamil separatism — although there is no immediate threat of it turning into terrorism. The country’s Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein had said on Wednesday that the authorities, with help from foreign and local intelligence reports, were monitoring those who sought to spread militant ideas on campuses and elsewhere (NewsNow.lk : 7 January 2011).

Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told Parliament that 8 of the 20 LTTE still being operated by the Tigers living overseas

Govt.: LTTE Ships Still In Operation - The government has told parliament today (6) afternoon that the LTTE is still in possession of eight ships and that they are being used for various illegal activities. Chief Government Whip and Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has noted that the vessels were being used for illegal activities like human smuggling. Gunawardena has made this statement in response to a question posed by UNP parliamentarian Gamini Jayawickrema Perera. According to Gunawardena, the LTTE’s international network was intact even though it was defeated in May, 2009. He has said that intelligence reports have revealed that the LTTE had acquired 20 ships through various fraudulent means. However, none of them had been registered under its name. Parliament was informed that the vessel’ used to smuggle Sri Lankan immigrants to Canada is one such ship owned by the LTTE. The Sri Lanka Navy with the assistance of the Air Force has destroyed 11 vessels owned by the LTTE (Sunday Leader ; 7 January 2011).

LTTE Ships Being Used for Illegal Activities: Sri Lanka - Ships belonging to the LTTE are still being used for illegal activities by its remaining international network, the Sri Lankan government said today. Dinesh Gunawardena, the Chief government whip minister, informed parliament today that 11 ships have been destroyed by the armed forces during the past. At least 8 LTTE ships were still being used for illegal activities by its remaining international network, the government said. The ships are registered under different names of international orgnisations and are being used for illegal activities such as human smuggling, the minister said. "A ship named Eeshswari, which was used to smuggle some Sri Lankans to Canada recently, is one of them, can be stated as an example," he said. Lankan authorities have already taken steps to curb the LTTE activities overseas where remaining elements are still active. Amid fears that LTTE cadres may try to reunite after the Sri Lankan forces crushed the rebels in May 2009, the government continues to screen hundreds of former Tamil Tiger fighters who are still in custody (Outlook India : 6 January 2011).

Eight LTTE ships still in operation - Dinesh - Chief Government Whip, Water Supply and Drainage Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena told Parliament yesterday that eight of the 20 LTTE were still being operated by the Tigers living overseas. The Minister said those vessels registered under names of different international organisations were being used for illegal activities such as human smuggling. "Eeshswari ship, which recently entered Canada illegally, is a case in point," the Minister said in response to a question raised by UNP MP Gamini Jayawickrama Perera. He said that some ships that needed large sums of money for repairs had reportedly been berthed in a port in a Southeast Asian country. The Chief Whip added that necessary action was being taken by the Intelligence authorities in connection with the remaining ships but the details could not be divulged due to security reasons. Eleven ships that were in the possession of the LTTE had been completely destroyed in joint operations conducted by the Navy and the Air Force during the past eight years, the Chief Whip said adding that even though the LTTE had been militarily defeated in Sri Lanka, their international network was still active. Under those circumstances, the Ministry of Defence had planned to curb the activities of the international network of the LTTE. Operations had been continuously carried out to weaken the international network of the movement and acquire those assets with the help of data ascertained from the LTTE in custody. As a result a large number of LTTE activists had been taken into custody in those countries and investigations carried out to take others into custody. Through these processes government had been able to acquire some of the assets of the LTTE, the Minister said (Island : 6 January 2011).

8 LTTE ships being used by ex-rebels' international network: Sri Lanka - Ships belonging to the LTTE are still being used for illegal activities by its remaining international network, the Sri Lankan government said on Thursday. Dinesh Gunawardena, the chief government whip minister, informed Parliament today that 11 ships have been destroyed by the armed forces during the past. At least 8 LTTE ships were still being used for illegal activities by its remaining international network, the government said. The ships are registered under different names of international orgnisations and are being used for illegal activities such as human smuggling, the minister said. "A ship named Eeshswari, which was used to smuggle some Sri Lankans to Canada recently, is one of them, can be stated as an example," he said. Lankan authorities have already taken steps to curb the LTTE activities overseas where remaining elements are still active. Amid fears that LTTE cadress may try to reunite after the Sri Lankan forces crushed the rebels in May 2009, the government continues to screen hundreds of former Tamil Tiger fighters who are still in custody. The LTTE waged a three-decade civil war for a separate state for the Tamils of Sri Lanka, alleging discrimination against the minority community at the hands of the majority Sinhalas (DNA : 06 January 2011).

TN refugee camps becoming empty as more Tamils return home - This year, says top Colombo-based UNHCR official Michael Zwack, more refugees will return voluntarily to the Northern Province, where they’ll receive assistance from the agency to settle down. Close on the heels of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of Sri Lanka’s rehabilitation, reconstruction and re-settlement efforts in the post-war era, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says that Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in South India are keen to return home. "The number of refugees wanting to return home since the end of the conflict in 2009 is clearly on the increase; in response, we have streamlined our procedures and introduced some new measures to make the return process quicker and easier," said the Colombo-based UNHCR representative Michael Zwack (Island : 6 January 2011).

Submissions to LLRC by Dr. M. Edward Perera from Germany - The following is the full text of written submissions to LLRC by Dr. M.Edward Perera (Dr.Rer.Pol.[Berlin], Dip.HD [Kassel], B.A. & B.A.Hon.[Sri Lanka], MCP [Microsoft]). Dr. Edward Perera is the Chairman of Hela Abhimana Foundation in Germany and the Executive Committee Member of Sri Lankan Global Forum in Canada. 0.0 Definition or re-definition of “ethnic issue” in the context of Sri Lanka politics; 1.0 Dealing with the cause rather than meddling with the effects of problems; 2.0 Identifying main cause as “anomie” the normlessness in other words a kind of lawlessnes in the society; 2.1.1 Relating French Sociologist Emile Durkheim’s theory of Anomie to Sri Lanka in order to understand why the individuals or groups deviate from society and how these deviation could lead to social action ranging from individual criminal behaviour to politically motivated armed uprisings or terrorism; 2.1.2 Taking the conduct of rebelious youths in 1971 and in 1988-89 period and also the inception of Tamil youth movements based on separatism in early 70s as an example; 2.1.3 The above mentioned examples clearly indicate that the level of frustration amongst youth whatever the ethnic identity is could easily result in anti-government or anti-social behaviour (Sinhale Hot News : 5 January 2011).

Surely Mr. Nayar…. - by Ariyawansa Ranaweera - The role played by India during recent times by fanning the divisive tendencies in nurturing the LTTE preventing the total defeat of LTTE in the Vadamarachchi operation the forcible intervention by way of the 13th amendment are too well known to be discussed in detail (Island : 6 January 2011).

Jaffna Commander assures security - Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe yesterday rejected the claims made by Minister Douglas Devananda on the security in the Jaffna Peninsula in parliament. He said that the army had begun routine night patrols while assisting the police in maintaining law and order in Jaffna. “The crimes are related to burglaries, killings and other criminal activities by civilians which are almost based on personnel disputes”, he said. Major General Hathurusinghe said that most of these issues are based on family disputes where most of them went to other areas during the war while others used to stay back. “With the situation improved dramatically in Jaffna most of them again started coming to their respective lands and these criminal activities started to take place due to personnel disputes”, he added. “The Law and Order in the peninsula is maintained by the police with assistance from the army. However the army is focused on development and taking measures to improve the conditions in the area for tourism,” he said. “To support government ministries and agencies in the peninsula is another primary task of the army. The army is also continuing to look for pro LTTE elements in the peninsula”, he added. He also said that investigations are virtually in the final stages with regard to the killing of the Zonal Education Director of Valikamam who was shot dead by assailants who came on motorbikes a few weeks ago (Daily Mirror : 6 January 2011).

LTTE possess eight ships - The LTTE is still in possession of eight ships, which are being used for various illegal activities such as human smuggling, the government informed Parliament today. Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardane placed this information before the House in response to a question by UNP MP Gamini Jayawickrama Perera. Mr. Gunawardane said that though the LTTE was destroyed in May, 2009, its international network was still intact. According to the intelligence reports, he said, the LTTE had acquired 20 ships through various fraudulent means, but none of them had been registered under its name. The ship ‘Eeshwary’ used for the smuggling of Sri Lankan immigrants to Canada recently is one of them. The Sri Lanka Navy, with the assistance of the Air Force has destroyed 11 of those ships. Besides, the Ministry of Defence still carries out investigations to curb the LTTE activities overseas through the co-ordination of intelligence services (Daily Mirror : 6 January 2011).

Army to sell vegetables - Army will be purchasing vegetables from the farmers to sell them at a concessionary rate in Colombo in a bid to control the prices of vegetables. This programme was implemented under the directions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa (Daily Mirror : 6 January 2011).

Response to TGTE’s article by Lenin Benedict, President of CaTpad, Canada - We Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy (CaTpad) totally rejects the claim by the Mr.V.Rudrakumaran of so called Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), as “ Thamil Eelam was the Thirst of Tamils” but was the thirst of LTTE. Until 2002 ceasefire agreement, the slogan of the LTTE is “Pulikalin Thaakam Thamil Eelath Thaayakam” (Thamil Eelam is the Thirst of Tigers). In the ceasefire LTTE agreed to abandoned their separate state claim and accepted the united Srilanka Constitution, they were forced to give up this slogan when its was questioned by Srilankan officials at various meetings and occasion that LTTE still promoting the ideology of separatism as its official position, LTTE was compelled to abandon this slogan and changed to “Thamilarin Thaakam Tamil Eelath Thaayakam” (Tamil Eelam is the Thirst of Tamils) to convince its hard core supporters and hard core Tamil Nationalist in the fear of loosing its image as a savior of Tamil Nation (Sinhale Hot News : 6 January 2011).

The military refuted allegations made by Minister Douglas Devananda on the security situation in the Jaffna Peninsula

‘Only George and Daya Masters would have formed LTTE’ - If standardization led to armed struggle - Only George Master and Daya Master would have formed the LTTE if standardization policy (Sinhala only) led to the armed struggle, JHU General Secretary and Minister of Power and Energy, Patali Champika Ranawaka said yesterday before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). Responding to a panel query on whether standardization pushed Tamil youth towards an armed struggle, Minister Ranawaka stated that since George and Daya masters are the only top LTTE personnel who are well conversed in English, only they could hold the excuse of standardization as one a reason that led to the armed struggle. “The LTTE distorted the history and used is as one of the reasons to justify their armed struggle. They made false claims stating that the Sri Lankan governments expelled Tamils of Indian origin to Tamil Nadu. However, I believe that Sri Lanka’s policy towards individuals of Indian origin were fair as opposed to the manner in which countries such as Burma and Kenya followed regarding such individuals,” the Minister said. He also pointed out that the decision of making Sinhala the official language is also not a reason that can justify the armed struggle because once Tamil was made the administrative language in the North, the Sinhalese living in those areas also faced the same inconvenience that the Tamils went through. sHe said that the rebellion movement in 1983 was completely politically motivated and added that it should not be blamed on the majority of Sinhala community. “Both the Tamils and the Sinhalese faced hardships during this period. However the difference was that the Tamils were resettled in the areas within six months of the calamity, but the Sinhalese who were residing in those areas never again had the chance to return to their homes,” he said. “There were 20,482 Sinhalese living in Jaffna during 1971 and it was 3% of the population in the district. During 1971 – 2010 the Sinhalese population has grown by 1.71%. If the ethnic crisis did not occur and the Sinhalese residing in those areas were allowed to return to their homes, about 35,499 Sinhalese should be living in Jaffna by now,” he said (Daily Mirror : 6 January 2011).

HR allegations against SL forces baseless: LTTE atrocities taboo for some - The allegation that Sri Lankan security forces perpetrated mass killings during the final phase of the war is baseless since over 9,000 LTTE cadres who were actively engaged in the war surrendered to the Army. All these LTTE cadres would have been killed if the security forces were fighting without considering rules of combat, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) yesterday. He further said all these allegations are fabricated by certain local and foreign organizations and politicians to put the blame on the Sri Lankan Government. The embryo of Tamil terrorism was not laid in recent history. Red Bana, Sarvodaya and TRRO organizations were systematically establishing the notion of a separate Tamil homeland and the culmination of their demand was the LTTE terrorism, he said. After the war, a group of Sinhalese who migrated to Jaffna to settle down were rousingly welcomed by the Tamil community as brothers. But certain racist Tamil political parties are still protesting against the Sinhala migration, he said. 'All the blunders are being done by the Tamil politicians and not by the Tamil people. Tamil politicians should be responsible for the bloodshed among all communities in the history," he said. He said Sri Lanka was the only country that treated all the ethnic communities equally. Only one section of the crisis has been identified by the people. Sinhalese were the grieved party due to this war. In the 1983 riot, all Tamils who were discriminated by politically backed groups were returned within six months but Sinhalese who were chased from the Jaffna Peninsula and North and East regions are still deprived of their basic human rights even to return to their residences where they were staying for a long period, he said. The Sinhalese who were chased from Jaffna under the LTTE's ethnic cleansing project are still living in Mihinthale and Kurunegala areas. Only Tamil displacement was highly emphasized and extensive media attention was focused on them (Daily News : 6 January 2011).

Make Peace With the Tamil Diaspora in New Year – January 4,2011 - by Ira de Silva London, Canada The Editor The Island Colombo, Sri Lanka; Dear Sir: Reference this article by Jehan Perera, it appears that he is continuing with his theme only now instead of making peace with Prabhakaran’s LTTE he is now advocating negotiation and “peace” with the rump of the LTTE overseas, namely the so-called Tamil Diaspora. It is a fact that he has been and continues to make millions as the spokesperson for western interests who wanted to give the LTTE their Eelam and used the likes of him and P. Saravanamuttu to do so. This article must be seen in that context. It is true that the Tamil Diaspora are not an alien community. However it is not correct to state that their sentiments are the same as those who remain in Sri Lanka. They are continuing with their goal of dividing the country by whatever means possible – in Sri Lanka the bulk of the Tamils did not and do not have that goal. Those who did were led by the LTTE and funded by the Tamils overseas to divide the country by violence. It was the Tamil population in Sri Lanka that paid the price with their lives. The Diaspora provided the funds and Perera and those like him in Sri Lanka provided the arguments but instead of paying a price, earned millions. His former role of promoting the LTTE argument must be second nature to him because he states that the Sri Lankan government must engage with the Tamil Diaspora, in other words the LTTE. Would fair minded Sri Lankans be able to “engage” with a set of people who reject unity and have stated in no uncertain terms that they will only settle for a division of Sri Lanka? Is that not reminiscent of Prabhakaran? He met a few Sri Lankans in Toronto but missed the thousands who paraded on the streets of Canada for Eelam and to save Prabjakaran, including many who had been born overseas, as well as the Tamil spokespersons in Canada who regularly make public statements that they will settle for nothing less than Eelam. Most importantly he has missed the fact that the “diaspora” are foreign nationals whose only interest in Sri Lanka is to get their Eelam (LankaWeb : 6 January 2011).

Military rejects Douglas claims - The military today refuted allegations made by Minister Douglas Devananda on the security situation in the Jaffna Peninsula. “The military totally refuting those claims,” Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe told Daily Mirror. Minister Devananda told Parliament yesterday that fear psychosis is present in the North and the crime rate is on the rise in Jaffna. Major General Hathurusinghe also said that the army had begun routine night patrols while assisting the police in maintaining law and order in Jaffna. “The crimes are related to burglaries, killings and other criminal activities by civilians which are mostly based on personal disputes”, he said (Daily Mirror : 5 January 2011).

US contemplated sanctions against Sri Lanka: WikiLeaks - Barely 10 days before the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka in 2009, the US had contemplated imposing sanctions on Sri Lanka if Colombo went ahead with its plans of procuring arms from North Korea and Iran. A new set of confidential cables leaked by Wikileaks said intelligence reports revealed that a Lankan company was planning to buy Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers and multiple rocket launchers from a North Korean weapons firm. The cable dated May 8, 2009 –- published by Oslo based Aftenposten newspaper -- also said: “Recent intelligence reports indicate that a Sri Lankan company responsible for the acquisition of equipment and services for the Sri Lankan military is negotiating the purchase of RPG-7, Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers (RPGs) and Multiple Rocket Launchers (MRLs) from North Korea´s primary weapons trading firm.’’ It added: ``Moreover, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp force element located in Sri Lanka provided details to an Iranian shipping company for the sale of weapons to the Sri Lanka army.’’ The sanctions could have been imposed because “any arms purchase contracts entered into by Sri Lankan entities with North Korea or Iran, if implemented, could trigger sanctions against the entities involved under the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act (INKSNA).” The cable added that purchases from either of the two countries would have been in violation of UN resolutions against trade with either country. Sri Lankan officials denied their involvement in any illegal weapon purchases, but the US ambassador in Colombo wasn’t convinced. As background, the cable said that Colombo had attempted to purchase arms from countries under UN Security Council sanctions in 2006 as well (Hindustan Times : 5 January 2011).

LLRC assures transparency, rejects criticism - Responding to criticism by a section of the media and NGOs over the police denying the media access to the Boossa detention facility, a spokesperson for the Lessons Leant and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) told The Island, now an attempt was being made to discredit the presidential commission. The LLRC had always conducted its work in a transparent manner since launch of public sittings last August in Colombo, the spokesperson said. The spokesman said: "It is a well known fact that all sessions so far conducted at the Kadirgamar Institute in Colombo were open. All of the sessions so far conducted in the districts of Batticaloa, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, and Vauniya likewise have been public sessions. At all these venues, the members of the public and the media had open and free access to the sessions. At some of these sessions, during intermissions the representatives of the media were seen chatting with persons who came to give evidence. Even some members of the diplomatic corps attended sessions of their own choosing in Colombo and in the districts. It is only when the person giving evidence requested confidentiality that sessions were held in camera. These were very few of them indeed." According to the LLRC, the session in the Boosa detention facility was a special case. "Even though the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission is an autonomous and independent body deriving authority from a Presidential Warrant, the Commission, too, had obtained prior permission from relevant authorities to enter and interview detainees. It is vital for all institutions to abide by the laws of the land. Within this proviso, and subject to the wishes of the person giving evidence, the Commission assures the Media that it will, as done before, continue to facilitate open and free access to all public sessions." "With regard to Boosa, it is also appropriate to understand that detainees have rights to privacy under domestic and international law and hence detainees would have the right to decide whether they should be publicly exposed or not." The LLRC assures the general public of Sri Lanka that notwithstanding the presence or not of the media, the Commission will give voice to the concerns of detainees (in Boosa), and consider their representations seriously and impartially (Island : 5 January 2011).

National reconciliation: Northern youth take to law enforcement - Those who survived forcible LTTE conscription drives in the North during war now have an opportunity to return to the North after completing training in the South.  Sri Lanka is ready to deploy the Tamil police personnel recruited and trained after the conclusion of the war in May 2009. The police say 336 personnel enlisted from the Northern Province and trained in the South will pass out from the Kalutara Police Training College on Friday (Jan.7) evening. IGP Mahinda Balasuriya would take the salute, sources said. Sources said that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had authorised the recruitment of Tamil youth from the Northern Province as part of Sri Lanka’s reconciliation process in the post-war era. Enlistment of Tamil youth would help with the restoration of the civil administration in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, sources said. The gradual increase in the police presence would help address a major post-war concern raised by a section of the international community and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that the military continued to play a major role in spite of the end of the conflict, sources said. The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) sources told The Island that the enlistment of youth from areas previously held by the LTTE would give confidence to those living in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. That would also help counter the threats posed by armed groups operating in some parts of the two provinces in spite of eradication of the LTTE, sources said. The LLRC in its interim submissions to President Mahinda Rajapaksa requested the government to take immediate action to disarm all armed groups operating in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. During its sittings in Colombo, the LLRC raised the issue of paramilitary personnel and armed gangs with Sivanesanthurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillaiyan, Chief Minister of the Eastern Province and EPDP Leader Minister Douglas Devananda (Island : 5 January 2011).

Canadian court upholds extradition of alleged Tamil arms dealers

Regional envoys discuss human smuggling - External Affairs Minister G L Peiris told the Heads of Missions of select affected countries of the region that human smuggling was a global security issue linked to other areas of transnational organized crimes such as financing of terrorism, money laundering, human trafficking and trafficking in arms. "Sri Lanka was an example where the LTTE during the past conflict had benefited from its human smuggling networks worldwide in order to finance its activities in Sri Lanka.  Even today when security and stability has been re-established, Sri Lanka continues to be negatively affected by this problem as these networks rely on disseminating a false image of Sri Lanka internationally to sustain their activities," he added. The Ambassadors who participated explained some of the steps taken by their countries to address human smuggling. The acting Australian High Commissioner said Australia is very concerned about human smuggling, and has engaged in productive cooperation with Sri Lankan authorities to address this issue.  The Canadian High Commissioner stated that the recent incidents of illegal migration from Sri Lanka have attracted a lot of attention in Canada. The government has appointed a distinguished senior civil servant as Special Envoy on People Smuggling to address this problem, he said.  The Indonesian Ambassador of Indonesia said that his country is a transit point for those who want to travel illegally to Australia." He observed that during the last two years, there has been a rise in the number of Sri Lankans who arrive in Indonesia legally and then travel to Australia illegally. Indonesia has tightened its security to thwart such efforts and will cooperate with Sri Lanka in this regard. Currently discussions are underway to repatriate 342 Sri Lankan illegal migrants who have been apprehended in Indonesia," he added.  The Thailand Ambassador said that his country has already tightened its visa procedures to prevent abuse by illegal migrants headed to other countries. A large number of Sri Lankans have been arrested in Thailand for immigration offences, observed the Ambassador.  The Malaysia Ambassador also reiterated the need for co-operation among the countries affected by human smuggling operations. Malaysia also has arrested approximately 200 illegal migrants from Sri Lanka (Daily News : 5 January 2011).

Sri Lanka: Refugees want to return, says UNHCR - The number of Sri Lankan refugees wanting to return home since the end of the conflict in 2009 is increasing significantly, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says. Thousands fled abroad because of the decades-long conflict between government forces and the now defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which had been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland. "Many of these refugees have been away from Sri Lanka for years and want to come back, be reunited with their families and pick up the threads of their lives," Jennifer Pagonis, deputy country representative for UNHCR, told IRIN in Colombo on 5 January. In 2010, the number of refugees helped to return to Sri Lanka jumped to 2,054 against 843 in 2009. Most of the returnees came from refugee camps in Tamil Nadu in India (Malaysia Sun : 5 January 2011).

Canadian court upholds extradition of alleged Tamil arms dealers - The Ontario Court of Appeal has upheld the extradition of two Canadians wanted in the United States for allegedly helping supply arms to the LTTE.  Pratheepan Nadarajah and Suresh Sriskandarajah had challenged a 2009 lower court ruling that found there was sufficient evidence to justify their extradition, the National Post reported.  But in decisions handed down on December 17, the court dismissed their appeals, opening the door for their transfer to New York to stand trial on terrorism-related charges.  “The evidence against Sriskandarajah, while mostly circumstantial, was extensive,” the judges wrote. “The extradition judge correctly assessed that evidence as a whole.”  U.S. prosecutors have charged Nadarajah with attempting to buy USD 1-million worth of missiles and AK-47s for the LTTE.  Sriskandarajah, also known as “Waterloo Suresh,” is accused of laundering money and conspiring to procure equipment for the terrorists.  Both men were arrested in 2006 following a joint RCMP FBI investigation called Project ONeedle. Three other Canadians have already pleaded guilty to involvement in the missile plot. A sixth Canadian who allegedly conspired with Sriskandarajah, Ramanan Mylvaganam, has already been extradited (ISRIA : 4 January 2011).

Half of ex LTTE cadres left custody – Rehabilitation Chief Out of 11,696 former LTTE combatants in custody, 5,586 have left rehabilitation centres after successfully completing comprehensive rehabilitation program.  Following rehabilitation 5,586 LTTE cadres have left rehabilitation centres since the end of the war. At the beginning rehabilitation centres held 11,696 LTTE combatants and directed them for various vocation trainings during their rehabilitation progrsm, Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, Brigadier Susantha Ranasinghe said.  Commissioner General of Rehabilitation said that only 4,761 remained in his care in centres in the Northern Province. The majority of them could be freed this year, he said, adding that those scheduled to be handed over to their families on Jan. 15 would be the first batch to be freed in 2011.  The Commissioner said that Sri Lanka had received the support of the international community and business leaders to accelerate the rehabilitation process. Foreign diplomats who observed the rehabilitation programs also commended the initiatives taken by the Sri Lanka government to grab ex-LTTE combatants for country’s productivity.  Brigadier Ranasinghe said that there were only nine rehabilitation centres for ex-LTTE combatants at present, though there had been 24 at the inception. The Rehabilitation Chief said that out of some 361 child soldiers, who had sat the GCE (O/L) examination last year, 211 qualified to do GCE (A/L (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 4 January 2011).

Train service from Colombo Fort to Omanthai - The train services between Colombo Fort and Omanthai will resume at the end of this month and the rail track has been constructed up to Omanthai under the Northern Railway Development Project. Earlier the trains were operated only up to Vavuniya and after the Northern Railway Development project was launched the rail track was developed and trains were operated up to Thandikulam. The Northern railway development project is being implemented under three phases. In the first phase the trains are operated from Vavuniya to Omanthai and from Omanthai to Palai in the second phase. In the third phase the services will be extended from Palai to Kankesanthurai. The Department of Railways has said that 159 kilometers are being developed under the project that includes 85 bridges, 58 culverts, 16 railway stations and 12 sub stations (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 4 January 2011).

Engaging Diaspora - by Bandula Epa - Jehan Perera’s gratuitous advice to the government that it should be ‘positively engaged’ with the Tamil Diaspora is outrageously naive. Here is a group that has declared quite unequivocally that it stands for a separate state and as a first step it has even formed a transnational government in exile however ridiculous that entity may be in practice. So what does Perera mean when he urges the government to engage the so-called Diaspora positively? Does he suggest that the government enter negotiations with them, who are citizens of other countries whose loyalties are not with the people of Sri Lanka? Does he suggest that the government appease those foreign nationals who over the past three decades have bankrolled terrorism in Sri Lanka causing death, destruction, damage, misery, and hardship to the nation? The people of Sri Lanka have spoken with one voice at recent elections and their voice is represented by the present government and not by citizens of other countries who have unsuccessfully attempted to destroy the peace, progress and development of Sri Lanka. Let Perera and his associates remember that they who relentlessly advocated a negotiated settlement with the terrorists do not represent the will of the people of Sri Lanka (Island : 4 January 2011).

Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC)

The Website of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) can be accessed on http://www.llrc.lk  The transcripts pertaining to the public sittings which have been held so far also available on this website.

The Mandate

• To inquire and report on the following matters that may have taken place during the period between 21st February, 2002 and 19th May, 2009, namely ;

• The facts and circumstances which led to the failure of the ceasefire agreement operationalized on 21st February, 2002 and the sequence of events that followed thereafter up to the 19th of May, 2009.

• Whether any person, group or institution directly or indirectly bear responsibility in this regard;

• The lessons we would learn from those events and their attendant concern, in order to ensure that there will be no recurrence;

• The methodology whereby restitution to any person affected by those events or their dependants or their heirs, can be affected;

The institutional administrative and legislative measured which need to be taken in order or prevent any recurrence of such concerns in the future, and to promote further national unity and the reconciliation among all communities, and to make any such other recommendations with reference to any of the matters that have been inquired into under the terms of the Warrant.

List of Persons Invited to make Representations at the Sittings at LLRC  (Click here for the full list of presentations).

Presentations scheduled for;

• 5 January 2011 - Jathika Hela Urumaya (Group of 4 persons), Governor, Central Bank of Ceylon and Dr. Edward Perera;

• 11 January 2011 - Mr. Sarath Weerasekera;

• 12 January 2011 - Dr. Nalin de Silva; 

• 13 January 2011 - Mr. Senake Weeraratne, Mr. Ariya Rubasinghe and Mr. Samankumara Ramawickrema.

• 14th January, 2011 - Mr. Malinda Seneviratne, Dr. S. Mahadeva, Dr. Mohan Kumararatne and Mr. Shanaka de Silva;

• 20th January, 2011 - W. Somasiri Jayawardena and People's Association for Peace and Development -Rev. Fr. Firth

Lessons to be learnt - The following is an extract from a written submission sent to LLRC by S Akurugoda, Melbourne, Australia (via email; llrc@sltnet.lk ) - Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) shall consider the following key misdeeds (out of numerous) made by our successive governments and their political leaderships since the country cannot afford to make way for terrorists once again. Permitting registration of political parties based on racial grounds - Permitting the formation and registration of political parties based on racial demands. (such as Tamil Liberation, Tamil Elam etc, Tamil Vimukthi Koti, Muslim etc ). These political parties still exist and will continue with their usual propaganda for their own survival. This is highly detrimental to reconciliation.    While misguiding their own communities, the politicians of those parties (identified above) have failed to learn how to live with the majority community of the country in peace.  Mutual respect among all communities is essential, majority should respect the minorities and vice versa.No group formed on ethnic, racial or religious segregation (Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Islamic etc) should be registered as a recognised political party and should not be allowed to engage in active politics. Permitting free movement of separatist elements - Removal of security forces from strategic location along coastal areas of Northern and Eastern provinces, especially the naval forces, by the Government of JR Jayawardane (J.R.J) after 1977. This unwise action of the Government of Sri Lanka led to the free movement of terrorist groups and arms shipments (Sri Lanka News Online : 4 January 2011).

Jaffna to get SOS village - The Jaffna district will get an SOS Children's village soon. SOS Children's Villages International President Helmut Kutin said the construction of the Jaffna center would be completed within this year. Kutin was speaking at a press conference at the Piliyandala SOS children's village yesterday. Every child needs a loving home to flourish in and SOS villages have helped many to have a home,a family to belong to and a means to grow up with long care in the country since 1979. SOS villages are at Piliyandala, Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Anuradhapura and Moneragala, he added. There are over 700 young children and youth being cared for in SOS families in 5 SOS Children's Villages. Over 5,000 children and adults from neighbouring areas of the SOS children's villages are direct beneficiaries of various programs such as SOS kindergartens,medical entres, family strengthening programs,vocational training centres and SOS Hermann Gmeiner School, he said. "We were able to take action with regard to unaccompanied children in the IDP camps in the North. Nearly 200 children and youth were provided care at the SOS Temporary Care Project," said SOS National Director Ananda B Karunarathne. One hundred and twenty children were reunited with their families, extended families as well, he noted. The Jaffna SOS Children's village will be a home for the children at the SOS temporary care project and for many children in the North, who are at risk due to losing the care of their families, he said (Daily News : 4 January 2011).

Launch of IGP’s book: Dedication helped fight LTTE - The three Forces and the Police were dedicated to their commitment and were able to break the LTTE network and bring peace to the country, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.  “The men who were in the forefront of the war against the LTTE must be having a number of experiences during their battle with the ruthless terrorists,” he said. “Put these experiences into a ‘book’ for the benefit of the future generations,” he said. The Defence Secretary was speaking at the launch of the book titled The rise and the fall of LTTE by Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya.  The Defence Secretary said that Sri Lanka is the first country to defeat a terrorist group after three decades battle.  "The military capability of the LTTE was developed and enhanced by Velupillai Prabhakaran. Our forces and the police were able to collect all information gathered by the LTTE and conducted investigations to defeat the LTTE.  The LTTE was very careful in their operations, but our forces were able to collect small clues and operated accordingly to defeat the LTTE," he said. The Defence Secretary speaking about the killing of Janaka Perera, said that at that time, people accused the Government of being responsible for the killing.  "Our intelligence bureaus, NIB, CID and TID collected correct information and apprehended the culprits responsible for the killing," he said.  Prof Rohan Gunaratne in his foreword stated that Sri Lanka defeated the world's first insurgency of the 21st century on May 19, 2009, and the country achieved a great strategic and moral triumph by militarily defeating the LTTE. The theory that a political solution is a prelude to defeating an insurgency, often articulated by Western theorists and scholars, was shattered, he said.  After three decades of fighting a cruel and a costly insurgency, peace and prosperity finally returned to Sri Lanka, Prof Gunaratne added.  IGP Mahinda Balasuriya thanked Defence Secretary Rajapaksa who encouraged him to conduct this project (Daily News : 4 January 2011).

Ship crew were Tigers, say officials - Four crew members of the MV Sun Sea that arrived off the coast of BC last summer are alleged to be LTTE operatives who helped organize the high-seas smuggling trip, federal officials say. Hearings to determine if the four can stay in Canada have been requested by the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), which alleges the men pose a threat to national security. The men are being held in segregation at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre in BC where they have been questioned by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and border agents. Melissa Anderson of the Immigration and Refugee Board, said the hearings will take place this month or in February. “We are alleging they are inadmissible to Canada on security grounds for being members of the Tigers,” Anderson said. At least 49 women and 157 men out of the 492 carried by the Sun Sea have been ordered released by the IRB, with many choosing to remain in the Vancouver area Toronto Sun (Daily News ; 4 January 2011).

‘Resolution’ is never obtained by myth-modelling, misnaming and mischief - by Malinda Seneviratne - Harim Peiris, spokesperson for Chandrika Kumaratunga from 2001-2005, in an article titled ‘Rahul Gandhi, the UN and US express concern about Sri Lanka’ (Daily Mirror of December 30, 2010), has argued that when friends raise issues they need to be taken seriously. He is correct. We need to listen to friends.  In this case however the friendship credentials of Gandhi (as or not as proxy for India – he’s just an MP), the USA and UN are pretty thin, all things considered and are of the contractual kind or worse, the mas raaththala (pound of flesh) type, not forgetting of course a manifest hypocrisy when it comes to these ‘concerns’. These are not hands-without-blood folks we are talking about and indeed the crimes against humanity they are guilty of by omission and commission make the concerns expressed regarding Sri Lanka (much of it unsubstantiated allegation and not fact) sound rather silly. In short, Peiris is not making much of a point.  What is really intriguing about his article is the slipping in of two very serious caveats that are so unrelated to the title of his article that one must conclude that this and not the expressed and commented on ‘concerns’ are what really concern him. Here’s the first: ‘A political solution to the ethnic problem should be found within a united Sri Lanka enabling the Tamil people to participate in their own governance in the North and East. Implementing the 13th amendment is an important first step.’ (Daily Mirror : 4 January 2011).

Crew members of the MV Sun Sea are LTTE operatives - Canadian officials  - Federal officials of Canada’s immigration and refugee board (IRB) say the four-member crew of the migrant ship MV Sun Sea that arrived in Vancouver last August are alleged to be Tamil Tiger operatives and they pose a threat to national security, Toronto Sun reported yesterday.  The four crew members of the MV Sun Sea, a Thai cargo ship modified to accommodate people, are alleged to have helped organize the smuggling trip with 492 asylum seekers on board from Thailand to Vancouver Island in British Columbia in August 2010.  The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) which says the men pose a threat to national security has reportedly requested hearings to determine whether the four members can stay in Canada.  The Toronto Sun reported that the men are currently being held in segregation at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre in B.C., where they have been questioned by the RCMP and border agents.  The Sun report quoting an immigration and refugee board (IRB) official said the hearings will take place this month or in February.  The IRB reportedly has ordered the release of at least 49 women and 157 men out of the 492 carried by the MV Sun Sea. All migrants on the MV Sun Sea have filed refugee claims (Island ; 3 January 2011).

Crush Rejuvenated Tamil Armed Resistance Militarily without Denying It - by Kumar Moses - The writing is on the wall. Tamil armed groups are back. There is no denying that. However, for political reasons government and the Ministry of Defence refuse to admit it. Living in denial is very dangerous. Four months ago three Sinhala traders were stabbed and seriously wounded in Jaffna. Just a few weeks ago a Hindu priest and his sons were shot in Jaffna and now the deputy zonal education director of Jaffna has been shot dead. It is the same clear pattern of violence that was seen in the 1970s. For political reasons the then Sirima Bandaranaike government refused to take action after her government was blamed for excesses in putting down the 1971 insurrection. Delay costed the country dearly. When open war started it was far too late (LankaWeb : 3 January 2011).

Northern crops to be re-introduced - The government has taken steps to re-introduce all crops that had been cultivated n the North prior to the war.  Northern Province Governor Major General G. A. Chandrasiri said that the government was planning to cultivate another 40,000 acres of abandoned lands in 2011.  "We are planing to cultivate black gram on 19,786 acres across the five districts of the province and groundnuts on 7,231 acres, red onions on 4,709 acres, green chillies on 4,329 acres and cowpea on 4,729 acres," he said.  Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri said that the government had already started rehabilitating the irrigation systems damaged by the war.  The Maha Season is the main period for the farmers in the North and they cultivated 212,925 acres with the help of monsoonal rains. Between May and September, during the South West Monsoon, they cultivate only about 8,893 acres, Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri said.  Chandrasiri said that according to statistics, the extent of cultivated land in the province had increased by 60 per cent during the year 2010 (Island : 3 January 2011).

IGP writes on the LTTE's rise and fall - Sri Lanka's top police officer's version of the rise and the fall of one of the world's most feared terror groups, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, was released at a function here on Sunday. “In the 21st century, Sri Lanka is the only country in the world to root out terrorism,” said Inspector-General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya. “Sri Lanka sent a very clear message to the world on how to defeat terrorism through humanitarian operations,” he added. The book is an abridged, updated and revised version of his doctoral thesis on “National security and terrorism - a case study”, that he completed from the University of St. Petersburg, Russia. The country's 31st IGP is also the only top officer in the force to hold a Ph.D. Mr. Balasuriya said the book would be useful for all security professionals and would serve as a guideline to meet future challenges. Later, talking to The Hindu, he said he planned to publish the book in India. He had not set a deadline for publishing it in India, he added. Receiving the first copy of the publication from Mr. Balasuriya, Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said it was the same security force that had existed for long that defeated the LTTE, asserting that Sri Lanka did not import personnel from third countries. “It was the same Army, the same Navy and the same Air Force. How did we manage?” he asked, and pointed to leadership as the deciding factor. Recalling a meeting with the former Indian National Security Advisor, M.K. Narayanan, at Temple Trees, the official residence of the Sri Lankan President, a day after the military defeat of the LTTE in 2009, the Defence Secretary said he told Mr. Narayanan: “Sri Lanka took 30 years to correct the mistake that we did during JRJ's [J.R. Jayawardene, former President] period.” The mistake was not to keep India informed and take into confidence, he told The Hindu, in response to a question (Hindu : 3 January 2011).

Thaipongal freedom for LTTE cadres - Of 11,696 LTTE personnel taken into custody, 5,586 have left rehabilitation centres since the end of the war - Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe says more than half of combatants and support personnel of the LTTE detained at the conclusion of the war in May 2009 have been reunited with their families.  Brig. Ranasinghe says following rehabilitation 5,586 LTTE cadres have left rehabilitation centres since the end of the war. At the beginning rehabilitation centres held 11,696 LTTE personnel.  The brigadier emphasised that the army and the police hadn’t imposed restrictions on the LTTE cadres. Responding to a query by The Island, he said that about 100 more ex-Tigers would be released at a public gathering in Jaffna on Jan. 15 to coincide with Thaipongal.  Alan Keenan, Senior Analyst and Sri Lanka Project Director, International Crisis Group (ICG) recently criticised the rehabilitation process at the Sub Committee on Human Rights of the European Parliament. Interestingly, the Sub Committee conveniently had not invited Sri Lanka for the confab.  Keenan said: "The latest numbers we have been able to obtain – despite the lack of public registers – suggest that some 5,400 remain in detention, with 600-700 of these identified for legal prosecution. While it is positive that most seem now to have been released from arbitrary and unmonitored detention by the military, we have been receiving worrying reports that some of those who have been released to their home areas are subject to frequent and arbitrary questioning by the police and military.  e, the absence of independent monitoring of either the detention or "reintegration" of suspected LTTE cadres remains very worrying. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was ordered last month to close its remaining offices in the Northern Province, after previously being blocked from working in government detention camps for LTTE suspects. The ICRC’s expertise in tracing the thousands of missing people in the north and east is and will be sorely missed."  Brigadier Ranasinghe said that unlike thousands of Sinhala youth detained for five years by the then government for their involvement in the second JVP insurrection in the 80s, more than half of the LTTE fighting cadre had been already released. He said that only 4,761 remained in his care in centres in the Northern Province. The majority of them could be freed this year, he said, adding that those scheduled to be handed over to their families on Jan. 15 would be the first batch to be freed in 2011 (Island : 2 January 2011).

Patriotic National Movement’s ‘Pro-LTTE’ accusation and the LLRC - Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera, President of the Patriotic National Movement (PNM), recently leveled a serious accusation against the LLRC. In an unexpected manner, this has caused some embarrassment, I believe, to both Dr. Amarasekera and Prof. GL Peiris, Sri Lanka’s Minister of External Affairs. The reason for this embarrassment is a peculiar one; for it is not only the nature of the accusation, but the inability of Dr. Amarasekera to clarify the real name which he dropped during the course of PNM’s now controversial press briefing, which has caused much embarrassment.  It is the name ‘GL Peiris’ that the BBC-Sandeshaya heard being used by Dr. Amarasekera; hence the report titled "Sri Lanka war panel ‘pro-LTTE’" (dated 24 December, 2010). The report states the following: "Sri Lanka’s foreign minister has accused some members of the presidential panel investigating the war of being pro-Tamil Tigers, a Sinhala nationalist organisation affiliated to the government claims. Chairman of the Patriotic National Movement (PNM) Dr Gunadasa Amarasekara said Foreign Minister Prof GL Peiris advised him not to appear before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC)."  The report goes on to point out that Dr. Amarasekera, in the course of the press conference, said the following: "I told Prof GL Peiris that we would testify before the LLRC. Then the minister asked me why you should testify, there are some members who are against us …"  If one listens to the precise words used by Dr. Amarasekera, one would note that Dr. Amarasekera did make the accusation that there are some within the LLRC who are sympathetic towards the LTTE (Koti hithawaadeen). Yet, having stated so, the name that he drops does not seem to be that of Prof. GL Peiris (as the BBC-Sandeshaya reported), but rather that of Prof. GH Peiris, the well known academic and leading social scientist. What is also clear is that Dr. Amarasekera, does not use the word Emethi thuma (i.e. ‘then the minister asked me…’ as stated in the BBC-Sandeshaya report above). Instead, the word used is mahathmaya (Island : 2 January 2011).

Govt to move courts against over 700 Tiger suspects - The government is in the process of taking legal action against 703 ex-LTTE combatants detained at Omanthai. Sources say among the detainees are those who commanded theLTTE fighting units as well as those attached to special formations, including intelligence.  Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe told The Island that the police were conducting investigations. The Brigadier said that the detainees were no longer part of the rehabilitation process.  The majority of the LTTE leadership died on the Vanni front after the Army captured Kilinochchi in January 2009 (Island : 2 January 2011).

Tamil alliance for LG elections - The Tamil political parties were trying to forge an alliance to contest the local government election under a common symbol, former MP M.K. Sivajilingam said today. Mr. Sivajilingam who is now the Secretary General of the Tamil National Liberation Alliance (TNLA) told Daily Mirror that the PLOTE, the EPRLF (Pathmanabha) faction, the TULF had already agreed with his party in this regard. However, Mr. Sivajilingam said that talks would be held with other Tamil parties including the TNA soon. The government announced last week that the local bodies would be dissolved on January 10. The election is likely to be held in March according to the law. The date will be announced by the Elections Commissioner after accepting nominations. “Now, we try to reach common understanding on a political solution. We should stand together at the election to show our collective strength. If we are divided, people will also lose their confidence in us,” he said. The last local government election was held in 2006. However, the election could not be conducted for most local bodies in the North and the East at that time due to the volatile security situation. Later, the government conducted the polls for certain local bodies in the East in 2008. Also, the elections were conducted for the Jaffna Municipal Council and the Vavuniya Urban Council in August, 2009 (Daily Mirror : 2 January 2011).

TNA looking forward for discussions - The Tamil National Alliance is looking forward to meet the government this month to discuss the contours of a political solution. There are positive signals from the government in this respect, TNA Spokesman MP Suresh Premachandran told Daily Mirror. “We hope the government will engage us in this regard. We are looking forward to it,” he said. Asked whether the TNA would put forward proposals for a political solution, he said that his party would decide on it depending upon the progress of talks between the two sides. “We do not know what the government is up to. If they are genuine, we will submit our proposal. We will wait and see,” he said. Responding to a query about talks with the Tamil Political Parties Forum (TPPF), he said that the TNA would discuss such proposals with likeminded Tamil parties if and when the situation demanded. In its manifesto released for the April 8 election, the TNA had asked for an extensive power sharing arrangement on federal lines for the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Also, the party demanded the two provinces be merged. The government of India too has requested the two sides to engage with each other in pursuit of a political solution. According to highly placed political sources, Indian leaders had communicated this message to President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his visit to India last year. They also conveyed a similar message to the TNA (Daily Mirror : 2 January 2011).

NEW BOOK LAUNCHED- Sri Lanka - The War Fuelled by Peace - Authored by Palitha M Senanayake The Author should be commended for the tremendous amount of research done in to the subject and for exposing hitherto dormant but neverthless relevant aspect of the Sri Lankan Society that have impacted on this conflict- Professor Sunanda Mahendra (LankaWeb : 2 January 2011).

Sri Lanka News Online wishes it's readers happy and prosperous new year, 2011

Mega projects this year for North - More extensive development programs will be implemented in the Northern province in the spheres of infrastructure, agriculture, education and housing in the Northern Province in the new year, Governor Maj.Gen G.A. Chandrasiri told the Sunday Observer. All sectors involved in implementing development programs in the Northern province worked relentlessly under the ‘Vadakkin Vasantham’ (Northern Spring) program since the defeat of terrorism in May 2009.  Remarkable progress in the spheres of infrastructure, rehabilitation, education, agriculture, housing and livelihood facilities have been achieved, he said. He expressed optimism that several major development programs that are to be implemented this year and in the following years will improve the quality of life of the long-distressed Northern Tamil community to a great extent.  The A 32 highway has been fully rehabilitated and the newly constructed Pooneryn Bridge on the highway will be opened by President Rajapaksa soon, he said.  Ninety-five percent of the de-mining process has been already completed and only some heavily mined areas in Mullaitivu and Mannar need to be cleared.  Work is now in progress. Of the 20,000 yet-to-be resettled IDPs in the Chettikulam welfare centres, about 10,000 have left the centres on their own and the remaining 10,000 will be resettled within the next one or two months, the Governor said. The Government is now working on a plan to extend micro credit facilities to the resettled families to conduct small scale businesses, trades, industries and other self-employment ventures to generate and enhance their source of income, to help them stand on their own feet, the Governor said.  The Government is also implementing intensified programs to bring vast areas of arable lands under cultivation by providing all incentives and assistance. This includes the distribution of free seed paddy, free agricultural implements, subsidised fertiliser, land preparation assistance, rehabilitation of irrigation tanks and cleaning jungles in abandoned paddy lands and distribution of two-wheel tractors, the Governor said (Sunday Observer : 2 January 2011).

More asylum seekers return - Still more Sri Lankan Tamils who came to Thailand hoping to seek asylum in a third country by legal or illegal means have decided to return home. Since December 23 another 20 or so Sri Lankan Tamils have abandoned their quest for refuge and returned to Sri Lanka after they were arrested by Thai police for violating the country's immigration laws by overstaying their visas or for illegal entry. Earlier almost 50 Sri Lankan Tamils returned bringing the total of returnees to around 70 since the Thai police started their crackdown on Sri Lankans staying in their country in violation of immigration laws. In three separate raids conducted by the Thai police and immigration police since last October, some 250 Sri Lankans were rounded up and some taken to the courts for violating immigration laws. Most of them have been fined and are still languishing in the Immigration Detention Centre in Bangkok. Some do not have passports and others are unable to pay their fines and buy the air ticket to return to Colombo. Some are awaiting clearance from the Immigration Department in Colombo for issuance of emergency papers. Still others are seeking to enter a third country via the UNHCR with which some of them have registered as refugees. Meanwhile, Sri Lankans are turning up almost every week at the Sri Lankan Embassy to report stolen or lost passports. They have had their pockets picked or their bags holding passports and money neatly cut probably with sharp knives or other instruments and their contents stolen. Much of the losses are reported from around a Bangkok area called Prathunam which is a huge market place of hundreds of stalls with relatively cheap clothes, other goods and trinkets. Dozens of Sri Lankans, possibly like other nationalities staying and shopping in this congested area, have had handbags and other baggage picked or cut open and contents missing. Sri Lankans who are visiting Thailand in large numbers on easily-obtained tourist visas got through genuine or bogus travel agencies or dubious 'agents' are warned to be careful of their possessions especially passports and wallets. Goods are stolen even at the vast Suvarnabhumi airport and visitors are warned not to take their eyes off their baggage and be especially careful of money and passports. Though occasionally passports are returned to the police in some cases, the passports are bought or obtained somehow by those who doctor documents and travel papers and sell to others in desperate need of a passport (Sunday Times : 2 January 2011).

De-mining programme declared a ‘great success’ - A total of 432 square kilometres of land in the North and the East has been cleared of mines in the 23 months between January 1, 2009 and November 30, 2010, according to United Nations Senior Co-ordination Officer, Colombo, Tom Hockley.Since the end of the war in May 2009, the UN and several countries and organisations have been assisting in the country’s de-mining programme. Country and organisational representatives expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved, and have described the programme as a “great success.” The UN has assisted in upgrading systems and working closely with government groups overseeing de-mining activities. Norway’s role in de-mining in Sri Lanka goes back to 2003. According to Edle Hamre, Counsellor, Developmental Preparation of the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo, said the Norwegian government has given a total of Rs. 1 billion between 2003 and 2010 for de-mining work, extending its assistance through a number of non-government organisations (NGOs). Ms. Hamre said the success of the programme was based on the extent of land cleared and certified for re-settlement and use. The Norwegian government has been working through NGOs and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs), including Halo Trust, the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action, the Milinda Moragoda Institute for People’s Empowerment (MMIPE), and two Indian NGOs, Sarvatra and Horizon. The US has given more than US$10 million for de-mining operations, mainly in the North. The US assistance has come in the form of equipment, specialised training of Sri Lanka Army de-mining units, and funding for international and domestic NGOs working closely with the Sri Lankan government. The US has been working with the Halo ALO Trust, Mine Action Group (MAG), Danish De-mining and the Swiss De-Mining Federation (Sunday Times : 2 January 2011).

IGP’s book on LTTE launched today - The book "The Rise and Fall of the LTTE" by Dr. Mahinda Balasuriya, the Inspector General of Police, will be launched today at 4.30 p.m. at Senior Police Gazetted Officer’s Mess, Bambalapitiya. The book, published by the Asian Network on Conflict Research (ANCOR), covers three main areas. First, the essential ingredients for defeating the LTTE – political leadership and a well trained armed forces, police and an intelligence services. Second, government of Sri Lanka dualistic approach of war and peace. Third, LTTE’s origins, development, decline and finally its defeat. First copies of the book will be presented to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Public Security and Law and Order and Professor Rohan Gunaratne, Head, International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, Singapore. The three Service Commanders, the Attorney General and academics are expected to participate in the book launch (Island : 1 January 2011).

Minister Ranawaka, CB Governor Cabraal among those to testify at LLRC - Power and Energy Minister Champika Ranawaka and three others from the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) have been invited to make representations before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) chaired by former Attorney General C. R. de Silva, PC when it resumes sittings at the Lakshman Kadirgama Institute for International Affairs on January 5 commencing at 3 pm . On the same day, the Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal has also been invited to make representations starting from 4.30 pm . Journalist Malinda Seneviratne has been invited to make representations on January 14 commencing from 3pm followed by Dr. S. Mahadeva at 4pm and Dr .Mohan Kumararatne at 5pm . The following persons are scheduled to make representations before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission during the month of January 2011 said Secretary to the Presidential Commission S. B. Atugoda (Island : 1 January 2011).

Tamil issue will work against the DMK - Issues like the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils will work against the ruling DMK in the Tamil Nadu assembly polls due in May, MDMK chief Vaiko said today.  The 2G spectrum scam and other issues like the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils will work against the ruling DMK in the Tamil Nadu assembly polls due in May, MDMK chief Vaiko said on Saturday.  While 2010 was the year of scams with the 2G spectrum allocation scam at the top, 2011 would be a year ofchanges in the political arena, he said.  He had time and again charged the Congress-led UPA with aiding the Sri Lankan army in its fight against LTTE in the last leg of the civil war.  Vaiko said Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse "cannot go scot-free" with regard to human rights violations allegedly committed by the Lankan army against Tamil civilians and said the international Tamil diaspora "would not spare him."  He said the issue would have its repercussions on DMK's poll prospects. He charged DMK President and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi with doing little to stop the war or mitigate the sufferings of the ethnic Tamils (Daily Mirror : 1 January 2011).

ICG singing for its supper - Sri Lanka cannot expect the International Crisis Group (ICG), which is pressing for a UN ‘war crimes’ probe targeting the country’s political and military leaderships to take an impartial stand due to its heavy financial dependence on those who had opposed war against LTTE terror, senior officials say. Alan Keenan, Senior Analyst and Sri Lanka Project Director, ICG, recently attacked Sri Lanka before the Sub Committee on Human Rights of the European Parliament. Sri Lanka wasn’t even allowed to respond to Keenan’s criticism. Officials say Keenan basically echoed those who wanted Sri Lankan leaders hauled up before an international ‘war crimes’ tribunal.  The bottom line is that ICG or any other INGO or NGO cannot go against the wishes of their principal donors, they say. Obviously the ICG cannot be an exception, they say. Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU, Ravinatha Aryasinha, won a right to respond after he strongly protested against the EU move.  The ICG’s existence would depend on its readiness to promote the ideals and strategies of donors, a senior official said.  In spite of paying millions of dollars to foreign PR firms, the government had pathetically failed to counter anti-Sri Lanka propaganda directed at the State, an irate official said (Island : 1 January 2011).

THE NATIONALIST PAPERS : On friends and friendships - by Malinda Seneviratne - ..... The immediate question that arises from this contention is ‘Who is a friend?’ This needs to be followed by an examination of Harim’s claim that India, the UN and the US are our ‘friends’. Harim claims that India and the USA helped us fight the LTTE ‘through crucial support and intelligence sharing’. He elaborates thus: ‘From mid 2006 to May 2009, Indian intelligence information was essential for our Navy to intercept and sink the LTTE re-supply vessels, while political support and nod of assent was necessary for all the weapons supplies we received from Israel and Pakistan, two significant US military aid recipients.’ He does not tell us what the nature of friendship with India and the USA were during the time he was the then President’s spokesperson, whether there was similar willingness to ‘help’ and if word was followed by deed. That’s ok. If India and the USA helped as Harim says they did, it was very nice of them (Island : 1 January 2011).

‘Hardcore Tigers’ held at Boosa want police probes expedited – LLRC - Hardcore LTTE cadres detained at Boossa want the government to expedite investigations into their alleged involvement in terrorist activities.  They urged the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) on Thursday (Dec. 30) to intervene on their behalf.  A spokesperson for the LLRC told The Island that they had had an opportunity to meet 20 detainees between 10.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. as part of the on-going consultations in keeping with its mandate.  The LLRC launched its sittings last August at the Kadirgamar Centre for International Relations at Horton Place.  The official said that the LLRC had met the parents of the 20 detainees during field visits to the Northern and Eastern Provinces since last August.  The spokesman said: "The detainees were pleased to hear that their parents had got an opportunity to meet members of the LLRC during public sittings in the North and East. They didn’t complain about the general condition of the detention facility, but emphasised the need for investigations conducted by the police to be expedited."  According to him, the 20 detainees were among those held at Boossa by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID).  The LLRC said that the Boossa meeting had not been a public sitting. "We wanted to speak with those who had been held on charges that they had carried out clandestine missions in the South causing death and destruction. They weren’t ordinary LTTE fighting cadres, who faced the Army on the battlefields but carried out operations targeting military, political, economic and civilian targets," the official said in answer to a question.  The police headquarters denied the electronic and print media an opportunity to cover the LLRC’s meeting with LTTE cadres, though the media had been invited by the LLRC with the approval of the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS).  Sources said that the LLRC had recommended several interim measures for the benefit of the Tamil speaking people in the aftermath of the war. The LLRC, headed by former Attorney General C. R. de Silva, recommended urgent steps to tackle the language and land issues, disarming of all armed groups, special mechanism to handle cases of LTTE detainees and ways and means of giving their families access to them.  The LLRC will visit villages in the Anuradhapura District, which were targeted by the LTTE during the war. The LLRC is likely to schedule Anuradhapura visit for late January (Island : 31 December 2010).

Panel will not only talk to LLRC - The United Nations has reiterated that its expert panel would not only talk to Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), the Inner City Press reported today. Responding to an email questionnaire sent by the Inner City Press, UN spokesmen Farhan Haq had said “..as I made clear to you at the time, the panel has not confirmed travel to Sri Lanka yet. The arrangements would need to be right. It is NOT the case that the panel would only talk to the LLRC. The panel made clear to me that their work is broader than simply dealing with the LLRC. That's all we have to say on it for now.” The government said yesterday it would issue visas for the United Nations expert panel to visit Sri Lanka and meet the LLRC, if and when such a request was made by the UN Secretary General’s office. “They will not be permitted to carry out investigations, record evidence or visit places of their choice without prior government approval,” Media Minister Keheliya Rambuklwella said (Daily Mirror : 31 December 2010).

Sri Lanka can be proud - The United States today said that the Sri Lankan government has every right to be proud of its progress in resettlement. “None of us can forget the enormous challenges that Sri Lanka faced at the end of the war and how far the country has come since then in meeting these overwhelming physical needs. The Sri Lankan government has every right to be proud of its progress in resettlement and we are also proud to have contributed to this massive effort,” stated U.S. Ambassador Patricia A. Butenis. She was speaking at an event to announce a new donation from the USAID of $5.5 million (Rs. 610.5 million) of food aid to support the return of people displaced by the conflict in the North. Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa received the donation in Colombo today, the US embassy in Colombo announced (Daily Mirror ; 31 December 2010).

Northern bound Yal Devi to reach Omanthai - The Yal Devi train which is now plying between Colombo and Thandikulam via Vavuniya on the peace path to the North is prepared to reach Omanthai from next month. The extension of the rail track beyond Vavuniya and the rebuilding of stations are now in progress incurring a huge expenditure. Accordingly, to reach Kankesanthurai in Jaffna, 159 kilometres of the rail track had to be rebuilt from Vavuniya. It includes 16 railway stations, 12 sub stations and 85 bridges. The leading Indian Railway Construction Company, IRCON has undertaken reconstruction of the line. The new signalling and tele-communication network system will also be established on the Northern railway line under this project. Construction of the track from Thandikulam to Omanthai is in the final stage. Accordingly, the Railway department is confident that it would be possible to operate the Yal Devi train up to Omanthai from next month (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 31 December 2010).

Are we serious about a solution based on Indo-Lanka Accord ?

Read more about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution)

News Archives

• 2010 December 01 to 31
• 2010 November 21 to 30
• 2010 November 11 to 20
• 2010 November 01 to 10
• 2010 October 01 to 31
• 2010 September 01 to 30
• 2010 August 23 to 31
• 2010 August 01 to 22
• 2010 July 16 to 31
• 2010 July 01 to 15
• 2010 June 16 to 30
• 2010 June 01 to 15
• 2010 May 16 to 31
• 2010 May 01 to 15
• 2010 April 16 to 30
• 2010 April 01 to 15
• 2010 March 21 to 31
• 2010 March 11 to 20
• 2010 March 01 to 10
• 2010 February 11 to 28
• 2010 February 01 to 10
• 2010 January 21 to 31
• 2010 January 01 to 20
• 2009 December 22 to 31
• 2009 December 11 to 21
• 2009 December 01 to 10
• 2009 November 22 to 30
• 2009 November 11 to 21
• 2009 November 01 to 10
• 2009 October 25 to 31
• 2009 October 18 to 24
• 2009 October 11 to 17
• 2009 October 06 to 10
• 2009 October 01 to 05
• 2009 September 26 to 30
• 2009 September 20 to 25
• 2009 September 16 to 20
• 2009 September 10 to 15
• 2009 September 01 to 10
• 2009 August 20 to 31
• 2009 August 05 to 22
• 2009 August 01 to 04
• 2009 July 11 to 22
• 2009 July 01 to 10
• 2009 June 14 to 26
• 2009 June 01 to 13
• 2009 May 24 to 31
• 2009 may 15 to 23
• 2009 may 12 to 14
• 2009 May 03 to 11
• 2009 May 01 to 02
• 2009 April 29 to 30
• 2009 April 23 to 28
• 2009 April 14 to 22
• 2009 April 01 to 13
• 2009 March 21 to 27
• 2009 March 14 to 20
• 2009 March 08 to 13
• 2009 March 01 to 07
• News prior to March 2009