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 Sunday, 16 June 2013 11:31 AM  

Prime Minister D M Jayaratna is also against granting Police and Land Powers to Provincial Councils for details, listen to "Ada DeranaNews" on 15 June 2013

Govt. to present urgent Bill to repeal PCs’ power to merge - Northern PC polls in September regardless of PSC consensus on 13-A amendments

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	Listen to views on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (Sirasa TV News / VarunaMultimedia in Melbourne, Australia : 14June 2013).
	What happened in the parliament between Wimal Weerawansa and DEW Gunasekara on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (Ada Derana /Varuna Multimedia in, Melbourne Australia : 14 June 2013).

13A: TNA off to India - A delegation of Parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will travel to India today to discuss key issues following Government’s move to abolish the 13th Amendment. TNA General Secretary and Parliamentarian, Mavai Senathirajah told The Nation that the delegation was expected to hold discussions with members of the Central Government on recent developments pertaining to the 13th Amendment and issues such as land grab and colonization in the North and East. “The 13th Amendment was brought with the backing of India. Therefore, India should have its concerns and views on the Government’s move to do away with it,” he said.The delegation will include TNA Parliamentary Group Leader, R. Sampanthan, Senathirajah, Suresh Premachandran, Selvam Adaikkalanathan, M.A. Sumanthiran and Ponnambalam Selvarasa. The TNA condemned the Government for its steps taken to dilute the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and reiterated for the North and East Provinces to be merged. The government at last week’s Cabinet meeting decided to present an amendment to the 13th Amendment to Parliament on Tuesday (18) as an urgent Bill, to repeal all Constitutional provisions to merge two or more Provinces.TNA Parliamentarian, Suresh Premachandran on Friday said the call for an urgent bill highlighted the underlying fears that the state harbors over giving land and police powers to the Tamil. “We realize that the government through the PSC will have its way regardless of what the parties ask for.” “If the government should urge all communities to coexist, then why is it that Tamils cannot do the same through a merger as this?” he questioned. “The Tamil people of those two provinces have the democratic right to call for this merger.”The TNA had earlier said it would not attend the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that would be set up by the Government to discuss the national issue. “We believe the PSC is a ruse used by the government to act on selective provisions and make those findings law,” he said. “It goes to show the racist attitude which still prevails in the government.” He cited that TNA is opposed to the PSC and will not take part in those meetings. “One of the salient points of the Indo-Lanka Accord was the merger of the North and East which prevailed for the last 18 years. And although the Supreme Court order suggested for it to be imposed in a proper manner, the government feels that there is no other way around it but to repeal and abolish it.” Minister Keheliya Rambukwella addressing the Cabinet press briefing last week said the President’s right to proclaim the merger of Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment will be repealed making it impossible to merge the Northern and Eastern provinces. He added that this decision was taken with the consensus of Cabinet of Ministers (The Nation : 16 June 2013).

Will not participate in PSC, reiterates TNA -  The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday brushed off reports that it was considering being a part of the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to discuss national issues stating that there was no change in its stance from its earlier position where it had decided to refrain from taking part at the PSC. The Government recently said it would go ahead with the proposed PSC to discuss national issues.TNA Parliamentary Group Leader R. Sampanthan told The Nation that the Government had on a previous occasion had called for the formation of a PSC to which the TNA expressed its dissatisfaction over the move.He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa had agreed to go for a PSC based on the agreements reached at the bilateral talks between the Government and the TNA that were held in 2011. The talks came to an abrupt halt the early 2012 after the Government announced of the PSC. Sampanthan said the TNA had its reservations in the manner it was done. “The government failed to oblige to the agreement reached with the party that time. The TNA maintains the same stance as before,” he said.He added there was no official intimation of a fresh announcement by the Government on the formation of the PSC. “We have not heard anything officially. But there have been rumors and reports doing the rounds. However, the stance of the TNA remains the same,” Sampanthan said. Speaking further, Sampanthan said TNA’s registration as a political party would happen early next year when the Elections Commissioner calls for applications to register political parties. “Until such time, we will continue to work together with constituent parties,” he added (The Nation : 16 June 2013).

SLMC to participate in PSC - The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) while condemning the Government for tampering with the 13th Amendment has decided to take part at the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) meetings scheduled to commence this week, said Hassen Ali, General Secretary to the party. “The commotion over the merger of the North and East provinces is a deviation from pertinent issues surrounding the 13th Amendment.” He said. “The position of the SLMC remains unchanged. We do not wish to make piece-meal changes but add more essence and dwell on the pluses.” According to him, if there is to be a referendum on the matter pertaining to the merger of the provinces, it would be “a waste of time, since the president will ultimately have to proclaim it.” “There is no need to bring up the issue of the merger of the provinces when the Northern Provincial Council Elections are to take place. This is a move to satisfy the Sinhalese hardliners,” he said. “The SLMC has already submitted its proposal and reiterates that you can still have meaningful devolution of powers without a merger.” The government at a press briefing last week announced that it has decided to present an amendment to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to Parliament on Tuesday as an urgent Bill, to repeal all Constitutional provisions to merge two or more Provinces (The Nation : 16 June 2013).

JVP drafts fresh proposals for Govt - The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is working on fresh proposals to solve the ethnic issue. The new set of proposals is expected to be handed over to the government mid July, according to JVP General Secretary, Tilvin Silva. Silva said the JVP had earlier formulated a set of proposals on how the war-torn North and East provinces could be developed, soon after the war. These proposals were handed over to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on May 27, 2009. “It had proposed a “Task Force” which represents all the political parties. If we had implemented that, we wouldn’t have the need to speak about amendments to the Constitution or of issues faced by the Tamil community,” Silva said.  He also added that they (JVP) had identified and listed issues faced by Tamils, and had also spelt out solutions on how the issues could be solved over a period of two to three years. “Government has implemented a lot of mega projects in the North and East, but has not realized what development means. What is the use of having express ways or fly-overs, unless they do not have their traditional lands to live? Some still mourn for the disappeared and the ones in detention camps, administration issues. These have not even been addressed,” he added.  He also suggested that the country should be driven on production based development and not entertainment based development. “If we want to make the tourism sector as the number one foreign exchange earner, we should preserve the country’s beauty instead of building Casino clubs and concrete jungles,” he added. The leftist party’s General Secretary added that his party did not want to comment on the 13th Amendment, as it was against the Provincial Council system in principle. He however stressed that the JVP was in favor of a change in the system (The Nation : 16 June 2013).

Why Sri Lanka’s Government should not give Land and Police powers to PCs - by Shenali D Waduge - Let’s get some facts straightened out. The 13th amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution alongside the Provincial Council system were all offshoots of the 1987 Indo-Lanka Peace Accord which Sri Lanka had to sign under duress or face Indian invasion. Thus, neither the Accord, the 13th amendment or the PC system were anything the Sri Lankan people asked for and every letter in the documents were drafted in Delhi – the people have said and continue to say we do not want the 13tha or the PC system – therefore the GOSL must remove it forthwith. To add insult to injury India was simultaneously training, arming and financially supporting Sri Lankan Tamil militants while also contriving to force legislative changes to annex Sri Lanka to India in the event of things going out of control. And India has the audacity to think we would call its Government a “friend”. While pro-13a supporters are paranoid that India would invade us if Sri Lanka does not implement the 13a, the rest of the country are paranoid about not only India but other hostile nations taking over Sri Lanka if 13a is implemented. Our decision has to be based on NATIONAL SECURITY and the SECURITY OF THE SRI LANKAN POPULACE.  The President and the Government of Sri Lanka may well like to think of the following scenarios based on the premise that (LankaWeb : 15 June 2013).

TNA delegation to leave to India tonight - A delegation of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs is heading to India tonight to engage in an urgent discussion with the Indian government, on the latest political situation in Sri Lanka, TNA MP Mawai Senadhiraja said.  The TNA delegation inclusive of TNA Leaders R. Sampanthan and Mawai Senadhiraja and MPs M. A. Sumanthiran and Suresh Premachandran is expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well as several other officials of the Indian government including the External Affairs Minister, during the visit. “We expressed our wish to discuss the latest political developments in the country and their impacts on the Tamil community with the Indian government and they extended an invitation for us to visit and express our opinions,” MP Senadhiraja said speaking to Daily Mirror Online.He said that among the topics that would be discussed, are the proposals presented by the government on amendments to be made to the 13th amendment, which were announced earlier his month. “We do not believe the 13th amendment is a solution to the Tamil political problem but we believe it would open doors for a federal system of power sharing. Hence, we do not view the proposed amendments that would result in repealing the powers of the 13th amendment, in a favorable light,” he added.  The 13th amendment was an outcome of the 1987 Indo-Lanka accord. During the past few months, several political parties have been demanding amendments to the 13th amendment in order to revoke its powers. Subsequently, during the first week of June the government announced that the 13th amendment is to be repealed and a parliamentary committee is due to assemble next week to discuss the announced proposals.However, India has maintained their wish to see the effective implementation of the 13th amendment and the need for its current form to be preserved while expressing concerns over attempts to amend it (Daily Mirror :15 June 2013).

13th Amendment issues discussed at German foreign policy think tank in Berlin - Current developments relating to the 13th Amendment were discussed by Professor G. L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, at his interaction with diplomats, academics, officials and the media at the German Association for Foreign Policy in Berlin on Friday. This was one of the events in the Minister’s official programme which included bilateral discussions with Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany. Prof. Peiris highlighted the fact that the 13th Amendment, although enacted more than a quarter of a century ago, had not been implemented by any of Sri Lanka’s governments since that time. Indeed, legislation passed by Parliament in 1990 to give effect to some key aspects of the 13th Amendment was never brought into operation at any time, he said.With the elections contemplated for the Provincial Council of the Northern Province later this year, there is naturally a lively debate in the country on the question whether any changes, reflecting developments in Sri Lanka during the last two decades, are necessary prior to implementation on the ground. As expected, a wide variety of views has been expressed on this subject in recent weeks by varying shades of political opinion.Minister Peiris stressed that an essential condition for implementation is an adequate level of public support. It is because of lack of the required threshold of support that different governments, guided by divergent convictions and priorities, all felt unable to implement major provisions of the 13th Amendment during the last 25 years. What is now happening in the country is that, on the eve of Provincial Council elections in the Northern Province, some critical issues are being debated in earnest with a view to ensuring broad public support. It is with this objective in mind that some amendments have been formulated for consideration by the Cabinet of Ministers, Prof. Peiris remarked.  The Minister, in his address to the distinguished German audience, placed in perspective the approach by the Government of Sri Lanka on implementation of the LLRC proposals.He emphasized the structured character of this process, based on priorities. Having dealt effectively with the humanitarian issues relating to the resettlement of internally displaced persons, the re-integration of ex-combatants and the challenging demining process, as well as revival of the economy of the Northern Province by means of a massive emphasis on the development of infrastructure, the political issues are now coming to the fore in a timely manner, he noted.  It is in this context that commencement of deliberations on these issues in the Parliamentary Select Committee assumes heightened importance, he said. "Since constitutional reform is a matter within the responsibility of Parliament and requires a special majority, there is no substitute for an all-inclusive Parliamentary Select Committee Process" (Island : 15 June 2013).

Repeal 13A - by Michelle Alexander - July 29th marks the 26th anniversary of the Indo-Lanka peace accord. The purpose of this accord was to end the war between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the terrorist outfit known as the LTTE. Further, this pact introduced the 13th amendment (13A) to the constitution of Sri Lanka, devolving power to Provincial Councils. It must be noted this was done so under duress as Sri Lanka faced the threat of Indian invasion. It must also be noted that every letter in the documents relating to the 13th amendment was drafted in Delhi. What makes this even more galling is the fact that since the 80’s, successive Indian Governments have been directly or indirectly involved in LTTE activities (LankaWeb ; 15 June 2013).

A way out of the 13th Amendment trap - By Neville Ladduwahetty - Several prominent civil society members are opposing attempts of the Government to introduce revisions to the 13th Amendment. The issue is not whether there is merit or not in the contemplated revisions. The issue is that the constitutional procedures that need to be followed in the case of a Bill to amend/repeal provisions to the 13th Amendment or any matter set out in the Provincial Council List, makes progressive revisions a daunting undertaking. This makes the 13th Amendment a fetter to progress, and a trap from which the only escape is to repeal it altogether. For instance, there is popular consensus of the need to devolve power beyond the Provincial Councils to grass roots levels. Under current provision this task is left to the discretion of each Provincial Council. Since this is bound to create asymmetries in the powers devolved to grass roots levels among the provinces there is a need for uniformity of the devolved powers among the provinces. Such uniformity is possible only if it is constitutionally entrenched by means of an amendment to the current provisions of the 13th Amendment. However, approval even for such a progressive measure is made difficult due to the strenuous procedure of requiring a 2/3 majority to effect a revision. Thus, the 13th Amendment presents a fetter to progress. The procedure that needs to be followed for the amendment/repeal of any provisions of the 13th Amendment is stated in Article 154G (2). This provision requires a Bill to amend or repeal any provisions of 13th Amendment to be referred by the President "to every Provincial Council for the expression of its views thereon". If "every Provincial Council agrees to the amendment or repeal" such a Bill could be passed with a simple majority. If on the other hand, "one or more Councils do not agree to the amendment or repeal" such a Bill needs to be passed by a 2/3 majority as required by Article 82. The same procedure needs to be followed in the case of a Bill in respect of any matter set out in the Provincial Council List. Since the recently passed Divi Neguma Bill was such a Bill there was no option but to follow the procedure outlined above. The bottom line is that any attempt to amend any provisions of the 13th Amendment or a Bill relating to a matter set out in the Provincial Council List needs to be passed with a 2/3 majority in the event one or more Councils do NOT agree to such a Bill (Island: 14 June 2013).

13th Amendment was the contingency plan (Plan - B) of Prabhakaran, in case armed struggle (Plan - A) fails. The Plan - B is now launched !

SLMC headed by Hakeem will not support amending 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

LSSP: 13A ‘very weak’ as it is, so why panic? - by Zacki Jabbar - The LSSP said yesterday that there was an undue haste to dilute the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, but it was ‘very weak’ as it was, since none of the powers that mattered such as land and police had been granted. LSSP leader, Technology and Research Minister, Tissa Vitharana told The Island that a lot of hot air had been expended over nothing, since the President had the final say in all matters including policy issues. Even if the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) won the Northern Provincial Council Election (NPCE) it could not exercise land and police powers without it being implemented through the required legal channels, he noted.Asked what the LSSP’s view was on an urgent Bill to abolish the power of Provincial Councils to merge into one unit, which was to be presented to Parliament next week, the Minister said that they had requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa to hold the NPC polls under the existing law. Whatever amendments to the 13A, could be presented to the legislature after the polls were over, Vitharana said, adding that the people’s representatives could take a decision at that stage. The Minister observed that if the Northern Provincial Council was stripped of its more important powers, even though it was still confined to the law books, prior to the Councils first democratic election, the Tamil people could say that the same treatment had not been meted out to the other provinces. The Northerners, who had undergone enough suffering over the last three decades, should be left in peace to exercise their franchise at a free and fair election without creating unnecessary issues and confrontations, the minister observed (Island : 14 June 2013).

GL urges Germany to keep close tab on LTTE front organisations there - External Affairs Minister Prof G. L. Peiris has indicated to German authorities that there were a substantial number of schools operated in Germany by LTTE front organisations for propaganda and fund raising purposes. Prof Peiris has urged the German authorities to keep a close watch on their activities in breach of the EU proscription.  External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris made this request during his bilateral discussions in Berlin with Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, a press release issued by the Ministry said yesterday.It said: External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris, during his bilateral discussions in Berlin with Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, emphasized that conditions in Sri Lanka today are conducive to significant expansion of trade and investment relations between the two countries. Germany, he pointed out, is the second largest investor from the European Union in Sri Lanka, a very significant source of tourism, and the largest source of grant and soft loan assistance from the European Union to Sri Lanka. In these circumstances, it is important for Germany to be fully informed, Minister Peiris said, about current developments in Sri Lanka.Prof. Peiris briefed his German counterpart in detail about the LLRC implementation process and said that the country is entitled to the space and time to move forward with a homegrown programme.In their discussion of further scope for expansion of cooperation in the economic sphere, the Ministers focused explicitly on the Business Forum, to be held on the sidelines of CHOGM, as an ideal opportunity for this purpose.Minister Peiris expressed appreciation of the action taken by the German Parliament (Bundestag) to defeat a recent Resolution critical of Sri Lanka. He referred to the activity of several LTTE front organizations operating in Germany under the guise of community organizations. In particular, he said that, according to information available to Sri Lankan authorities, there are a substantial number of schools operated in Germany by these groups for propaganda and fund raising purposes. He urged the German authorities to keep a close watch on their activities in breach of the EU proscription.Matters pertaining to the performance of German Foundations in Sri Lanka and recent developments in this regard, were raised by the German Minister. Prof. Peiris, in response, explained the position of the Government of Sri Lanka in respect of these issues (Island : 14 June 2013).

Govt. to present urgent Bill to repeal PCs’ power to merge - Northern PC polls in September regardless of PSC consensus on 13-A amendments - by Zacki Jabbar-An urgent Bill is to be moved in Parliament next week to abolish the power of Provincial Councils to merge, as provided for in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.Media Minister Kekeliya Rambukwella told a news conference in Colombo yesterday, that the proposed Bill had been endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers.The government, he noted, would also move for the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to discuss the proposed amendments to the 13th Amendment, but regardless of a consensus being reached by the PSC, the Northern Provincial Council Election (NPCE) would be held before the end of September.Asked, if the NCP polls would be conducted in September, even if the PSC was unable to reach a consensus before the legally required date to call for nominations, the Minister said that in keeping with assurances given by President Rajapaksa both locally and to the international community including the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the long overdue Northern PC polls would be held before the end of September.Minister Rambukwella noted that in the event a PSC consensus couldn’t be reached prior to the time frame that had been set, its deliberations would continue after the election was concluded.The Cabinet of ministers had had a lengthy discussion yesterday on the two amendments proposed to the 13th Amendment and agreement had been reached on abolishing the President’s powers to merge two or more provinces. Accordingly, a Bill to give effect to the Cabinet decision would be presented to Parliament shortly, Rambukwalle observed.He said that it had been decided to refer the second proposal meant to abolish the constitutional clause that required the consent of all Provincial Councils to pass legislation pertaining to it to the PSC to be set up. "We will meet the Speaker on Tuesday and request that a PSC be appointed to discuss all issues pertaining to the 13th Amendment including land and police powers, he said, alleging that since the TNA changed its stance frequently, the government intended moving that members be selected from parties who were willing to participate in the PSC process.The SLFP, Jathika Hela Urumaya and the National Freedom Front, Rambukwella noted, were of the opinion that the 13th Amendment had to be amended since it did not suit a small country like Sri Lanka (Island : 13 June 2013).

Govt denies; Wimal Weerawansa had been manhandled by D. E. W. Gunasekera on disputes related to the 13th Amendment

Govt. denies Weerawansa assaulted during Cabinet meeting - by Zacki Jabbar-Amidst rumours that Engineering Services Minister Wimal Weerawansa had been manhandled by Senior Minister for Human Resources D. E. W. Gunasekera, during yesterdays crucial Cabinet meeting to discuss proposed amendments to the 13th Amendment, the government denied such an incident had taken place. Media Minster Keheliya Rambukwella, when asked at yesterday’s Cabinet press briefing, in Colombo, if Weerawansa had been hit by Gunasekera, replied that it was a ‘very creative story’ and he did not see such a thing taking place. When pointed out that he may have missed the drama amidst the noise and pushing and shoving, Rambukwella said "No, but there was a very heated and noisy argument, it was like a public meeting place. You, know that there are some vociferous speakers among our ranks, but no one hit Wimal." Informed sources that a volatile situation had erupted after Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem had questioned Weerawansa why he did not go to the North and East and obtain signatures against the 13th Amendment, since it was those two regions that needed devolution most.Hakeem had pointed out that Weerawansa, who had set a target of obtaining 10 million signatures to abolish the 13th Amendment, should first hold his "referendum" in the North and East and thereafter in the South. The sources said that Minister Gunasekera had endorsed Hakeem’s views, resulting in Weerawansa exhibiting his verbal skills to the hilt (Island : 13 June 2013).

13-A and Catch-22 - The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has, after weeks of dillydallying, written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa that it cannot be party to any move to dilute the Thirteenth Amendment or legislate for preventing a possible re-merger of the North and the East. This decision has come as no surprise. There has been a demand for a Muslim majority council with jurisdiction over noncontiguous Muslims dominated areas in the East in case of a permanent merger of the northern and eastern provinces. The late SLMC founder leader M. H. M. Ashraff advocated this power sharing structure based on the Pondicherry model way back in 1986. It remains a promise the SLMC has failed to honour. The North-East merger being a prerequisite for the creation of such an enclave, it is only natural that the SLMC is not amenable to any constitutional amendment aimed at either abolishing the provincial council system or foreclosing chances of a re-merger or stripping the PCs of land and police powers. EPDP leader and Minister Douglas Devananda, too, has got to perform a balancing act. For his political survival he has to be in President Rajapaksa’s good books while doing his damnedest to retain whatever support he has in the North. On the one hand he has to vie with the TNA which is campaigning on a platform of autonomy for Tamils in the North and the East and on the other he has to be mindful of the concerns of the Sinhala leaders he is working with. He has been running with the hare and hunting with the hounds all these years, but over the government’s move to amend the Thirteenth Amendment to take back powers devolved to the periphery he is caught between a rock and a hard place! President Rajapaksa is in a quandary. The uncompromising nationalist constituents of his government like the JHU and the NFF want the provincial councils abolished posthaste at any cost and oppose the Northern PC polls tooth and nail. His left allies are averse to any move to dilute the powers of the provincial councils. They, in fact, risked life and limb to make the 13-A work in the late 1980s when the JVP went all out to torpedo it through sheer violence. Many a leftist perished at the hands of JVP death squads in the process. The CP, the LSSP etc therefore cannot be expected to help the government weaken or scrap 13-A (Island : 13 June 2013).

SLMC won’t support amending 13-A - by Franklin R. Satyapalan - General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Parliamentarian M. T. Hassen Ali, said that his party leader Rauff Hakeem had informed President Mahinda Rajapaksa by letter yesterday that in no way would the SLMC support the repealing of the 13th Amendment at the present juncture. Hassen Ali said that in a 13-page letter addressed to the President, SLMC Leader and Minister of Justice Hakeem had clearly explained the reasons for his party’s decision. The letter was forwarded in response to the President’s request to leaders of all UPFA constituent parties to make known their position on the Cabinet Paper submitted by the government last Thursday to repeal certain sections of the 13th Amendment within a week. At the SLMC parliamentary group meeting presided over by Minister Hakeem on Monday a unanimous decision had been taken that the SLMC should not be a party to any changes to the 13th Amendment, Hassen Ali said. "They are of the opinion that any amendments to the Constitution to prevent the merger of the two provinces in the future will lead to the dilution of the legitimate powers of the Provincial Councils at a time when attempts are being made to further strengthen the 13th Amendment." The party had maintained that the two provinces should be merged since the days of the late Leader ‘Maamanither’ M. H. M. Ashraff, Hassen Ali said. A resolution to that effect had been passed unanimously by almost 1,200 delegates present at the 23rd Delegates conference in Colombo recently, he added (Island ; 13 June 2013).

The Bogeyman’s 13 th Amendment has to be thrown out in the National Interest - By Garvin karunaratne Former SLAS, Government Agent, Matara District-I was spurred to write these words because of the comments by the Friday Forum- a group of professionals stating that “it is with deep concern that we view current attempts to dilute the already limited provisions for devolution already embodied in the 13 th Amendment”. They even state that “effective devolution is essential for building trust and ethnic harmony securing future peace and good governance”(The Island:10/6/2013), and also because of statements made by India that dictates to us to keep the 13 th Amendment intact. India’s Union Minister Narayanaswamy has said that “India wants the Indo Lanka Accord signed between the Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and President Jayawardena to be implemented.” India has said that it will “push for the implementation of the 13 th Amendment in full.”(Colombo Gazette:10/6/2013) (LankaWeb : 12 June 2013).

Scrapping PCs: JHU discusses its proposal with UNP - by Dasun Edirisinghe - The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday met the United National Party (UNP) at the latter’s headquarters, Sirikotha, to get its support for scrapping provincial councils, which were established under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987, with India’s intervention. JHU spokesman Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe told The Island his party had had discussions with UNL leader Ranil Wickremesinghe flanked by UNP Chairman Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and UNP MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Wijedasa Rajapakshe. JHU MP Athuraliye Rathana Thera presented a private member’s motion, in Parliament two weeks ago, seeking to scrap the provincial council system. Warnasinghe said that his party had explained to the UNP delegation the JHU’s private member motion and discussed its five major points. "We explained to the UNP delegation, the danger of providing police and land powers to a provincial council under any government," he said, adding that the UNP had agreed to study the JHU proposal. Their meeting lasted for two hours. Warnasinghe said that they asked for the support of UNP members or to allow their members to vote freely when the proposal was taken up in parliament. UNP Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe had appointed MP Wijedasa Rajapakshe to study the JHU draft proposal and to brief him on it, Warnasinghe said. The JHU spokesman said that his party had got a copy of the UNP’s proposed draft Constitution and both parties had agreed to exchange their views on the two proposals at a future meeting. According to Warnasinghe so far, the JHU had discussed its proposal with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the UNP and the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC). The JHU was planning to discuss it with other parties shortly, he said. JHU leader Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera, General Secretary and Minister of Technology and Research Patali Champika Ranawaka, Western Provincial Minister Udaya Gammanpila, Attorney– at–Law M. C. Jayarathna and JHU Media Secretary Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe attended the discussion.UNP MP Wijedasa Rajapakshe said that they would inform the JHU of the UNP’s views on their proposal, at a future meeting, after studying their proposal (Island ; 12 June 2013).

Remove 13A-Lock, Stock and Barrel – People should know why President hesitates - By Charles.S.Perera- The President is respected by the people of Sri Lanka. Therefore, he has a right to keep the people informed without hiding any thing from them. The 13 Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka must be removed lock,stock and barrel, without leaving any trace of it remaining in the Constitution. It was a “desecration” of the Constitution of the Sovereign State of Sri Lanka, by a manipulating Indian Government. At the time there was no alternative left for the then President J.R.Jayawardhane other than to give into the pressure of India, with terrorism remaining the main threat, and the friend on whom he heavily depended for support, the USA dropping him off like a hot brick, at a time he needed his friend the USA most. It was a case of accepting the proposal made by India to adopt the 13A to the Constitution or allow terrorism to continue undeterred protected by India which would have kept its armed forces ready in case Sri Lanka attacks the terrorists.  The proposal had been accepted by the President of Sri Lanka under duress. Therefore, legally the document they signed accepting the inclusion of 13A into the Sri Lanka Constitution is not valid, and therefore null and void. If despite that the President having a two third majority in Parliament hesitates to remove it. He is making all efforts to keep the 13 Amendment removing only some still unspecified powers given to the Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment. He consults all political parties. He even asks the TNA which is openly defying the authority of the President , the Constitution and the Parliament to participate in the PSC along with the other Political parties to decide on the 13 Amendment. There must be some reason for the President to do so (LankaWeb ; 12 June 2013).

SLFP Central Committee in crucial meeting - by Franklin R. Satyapalan - An urgent meeting of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Central Committee (SLFP CC) is scheduled to be held at Temple Trees today (13), commencing at 6.00 p.m., according to party sources. SLFP Administrative Secretary S. H. Ariyasena, contacted for comment, confirmed that the CC memeting was scheduled to take place tonight with President Mahinda Rajapaksa presiding. Cources said that the main issues on the agenda were the protest by two constituent parties in the UPFA -the National Freedom Front (NFF) and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) - against the 13th Amendment and the holding of the PC polls in the Northern Province. The threat by 27 organizations of Buddhist monks led by the Sinhala Ravaya and the Bodu Bala Sena that they would take to the streets if the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was not abolished.The other topics to be discussed include the continuing boycott of the Eastern Provincial Council by the four Board of Ministers and all members of the ruling UPFA run council and holding of the PC elections as scheduled for the North-Western and Central Provinces (Island; 12 June 2013).

13th amendment is a threat to both Sri Lanka and India - by Shenali D Waduge - On 29 July 2013 the 25th year of the signing of the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord will be marked. What did it achieve and what it did not is as important as deciding where do we in Sri Lanka want to take the Accord and the 13th amendment both imported and forced upon Sri Lanka. Moreover, the chief architect of the Accord was assassinated by the LTTE which his mother trained and equipped while his counterpart in Sri Lanka is also no more. With both dead, the others tagging on to the Accord have no real basis to be demanding its continuance because none of what was promised in the Accord ever happened. If the Indo-Lanka Accord, the letters exchanged between PM Rajiv and President Jayewardene as well as the 13th amendment were ALL DRAFTED by the South Block of the Indian External Affairs Ministry we need to very clearly tell India that we no longer wish to carry its burden any more. Moreover, to make Sri Lanka sign an Accord and change its Constitution drafted by India under duress is itself is a violation of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. 25 years on the issue is of security and both India and Sri Lanka must look at things from a security angle.  The number of pacts signed between politicians are many but how many of these have actually benefitted the masses is a question never answered. Without a doubt the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord and the subsequent 13th amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution on 14 November 1987 and with it the Provincial Councils Act No 42 of 1987 to establish provincial councils will go down as one such unworkable agreement of little or no benefit to the masses. Ironically, India politically offered a Peace Accord and a new administrative system whilst training and arming and financially supporting the LTTE – proof is found very clearly in the Jain Commission report and Indian Government went to great lengths to omit references to India training and arming LTTE in the Report (LankaWeb : 12 June 2013).

JHU welcomes UNP’s commitment to unitary state - Two parties to discuss UNP’s new draft constitution today - by Zacki Jabbar - With the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) welcoming the UNP’s commitment to a unitary state, as contained in its new draft constitution, the two parties are scheduled to discuss the UNP’s new policy document today.  UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, MP, said that the meeting would be held in Colombo, on a request made by the JHU.He observed that the JHU’s willingness to discuss the UNP’s draft constitution indicated its widespread appeal and relevance in the current context."The fact that a hard line party was willing to sit down and talk to us on constitutional reform is indicative of the fact that our new radical programme has had a positive impact on the political fraternity," Attanayake noted. While welcoming the UNP’s commitment to a unitary state, sources said that they had many clarifications to make and would make use of today’s meeting to see if the two parties could work together to arrive at a constitutional formulation that suited the country and its people.Attanayake said that a meeting with the JVP had also been scheduled, but the date was yet to be fixed.The UNP, in keeping with the principles of a participatory democracy, would discuss its draft constitution with a cross section of society, the MP said (Island : 11 June 2013).

The Shocking Truth about 13A: 13A was Drafted by India While Arming and Training the LTTE - by Dilrook Kannangara - 13A was passed in parliament on November 14, 1987. However the 13th Amendment Bill was placed on the Order Paper of Parliament on October 9, 1987. The then President proceeded to send the Bill to the Supreme Court under Articles 120 and 121 to determine whether the 13th Amendment required the approval of the people at a referendum. Negotiations with the LTTE to establish the Interim Administrative Council (IAC) started in September 1987. Protesting it, some LTTE cadres launched a hunger strike on September 15, 1987 at Nallur. After extensive discussions with the LTTE chief, the Indian High Commissioner finalised the composition of the IAC on September 28, 1987. However, the LTTE leader disputed JR Jayawardena’s choice of appointee. Ironically he was proposed by the LTTE leader himself!  On October 3, 1987, 12 out of 17 LTTE cadres arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy for transporting weapons committed suicide. Hostilities between the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE began again when in the first week of October 1987 LTTE killed 200 Sinhalese which followed army retaliation. IPKF had to militarily intervene. On October 9, 1987 IPKF commenced military operations against the LTTE. Credit should go to Sri Lanka Navy for exposing the sham ceasefire of the LTTE and reigniting war on them.  (Source for dates and events: Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka and Role of Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) by P.A. Gosh). Until October 1987, the honeymoon between India and the LTTE continued. Details of the India-LTTE honeymoon can be viewed here. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/recruited-by-raw-trained-by-army-ltte/14462-3-1.html  13A bill was presented to parliament on October 9, 1987 on the day when IPKF and LTTE full scale war began. Obviously it was drafted months, if not years before that. In other words, 13A was drafted in India before the start of hostilities between India and the LTTE. In short, 13A was drafted while India was in bed with the LTTE, courting it. This makes 13A doubly dangerous (LankaWeb ; 11 June 2013).

PSC to take precedence over NCP polls? - by Shamindra Ferdinando - Amidst a simmering dispute, among political parties, over the proposed revision of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, there was a likelihood of the first Northern Provincial Council (NPC) polls being put off until the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) could reach a consensus, EPDP leader Douglas Devananda said yesterday. Minister Devananda was responding to a query by The Island, having discussed the issue with President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday evening. President Rajapaksa is on record as having said repeatedly that NPC polls would be held in September. The EPDP chief said that the PSC process would provide an opportunity for political parties to examine various proposals, both for and against the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.However, the decision to put off the NPC should be taken consequent to the launch of PSC deliberations, the minister said. Asked whether the EPDP had endorsed the move to put off NPC polls pending agreement among political parties at the PSC, Minister Devananda said that every effort should be made to prevent further splits, not only among UPFA constituents, but in other political parties as well. Minister Devananda said that the inauguration of the PSC would happen soon. Responding to a query, Devananda said that any attempt to dilute the 13th Amendment to the Constitution would be inimical to the interests of Tamil speaking people. Similarly, the Sinhalese too, had concerns, Minister Devananda said, adding that the differences and contentious issues were needed to be tackled amicably. Government sources told The Island that President Rajapaksa, during a recent meeting with the BJP-led Indian opposition parliamentary delegation, emphasized the importance of an all inclusive solution. The President ruled out the possibility of an agreement between the government and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to solve the national issue (Island ; 11 June 2013).

India’s Calling For Talks With The TNA Over The 13th Amendment Is High Handed And Without Entitlement! - LankaWeb Weekly Editorial, June 13th 2013 - The current turn of events relative to the 13rh Amendment to the Sri Lanka Constitution which have been reported in the global media that India has called for an urgent meeting with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) over the issue of the 13th Amendment revision appears to be a blatant attempt on the part of India to interfere in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs.  What is more disconcerting is that despite political recognition of the TNA in Sri Lanka by virtue of their having gained a few parliamentary seats it still remains categorically a disentitlement of the TNA to consort with India over this all important National Issue. This said on the basis that the TNA in the first place should never have been tolerated as a political entity or given any leeway to enter parliament on the singlemost basis that they were openly supportive of the now deposed terrorist entity the Tamil Tigers and in many of their activities even at the present it is quite visible that they are none but another LTTE supportive group that needs to be driven to ground inasmuch as the LTTE for carrying within their manifesto as well as harbouring their objectives at times in collusion with the State of Tamil Tiger friendly Tamil Nadu of India.  They not only liase covertly with all the adversaries of Sri Lanka in Tamil Nadu and the bucket carrying sycophants there made up of visionless, ageing and seemingly confused politicians and part time actors turned leaders who have no comprehension about what goes on in Sri Lanka today who attempt to discredit the Government of Sri Lanka in the name of false sympathy with the Tamil people of Sri Lanka but also provide roadblocks towards progress in post insurgent Sri Lanka as well as instigating the intimidation of Sri Lankan citizens who enter the State of Tamil Nadu which even includes Buddhist clergy, sports groups and be aofficial representatives of the GOSL at every opportunity. Perhaps an eye opener for the Administration to take action towards remedying the ill effects of tolerating the TNA and confronting them towards disentitlement of political involvement unless they come clean, shed their attempts to recussitate the Tamil Tigers as many believe and swear allegiance to maintain their conduct relative to the Constitution and the legislative precepts set by the Government of Sri Lanka involving the code of political conduct that serves the Nation of Sri Lanka and her best interests rather than disrupting it towards their own objectives which takes no rocket science to interpret (LankaWeb : 11 June 2013).

13A: President tells EPDP, JHU to speak their minds - by Shamindra Ferdinando - President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday assured EPDP leader and Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Minister Douglas Devananda that the Government would not interfere in his ongoing protest campaigns against proposed changes to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. President Rajapaksa told Minister Devananda that he could freely voice his position as regards the issue in Parliament. The EPDP and SLMC have strongly opposed far-reaching proposals to do away with the rights of two provinces or more to merge in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. And, the second contentious issue has been the government proposal to repeal the Constitutional requirement that the consent of all provincial councils was necessary for the enactment of legislation in parliament that infringe on their powers. Senior Government sources told The Island last night that President Rajapaksa had held a separate meeting with and JHU General Secretary and Technology, Research and Atomic Energy Minister Patali Chamipka Ranawaka to discuss the ongoing JHU campaign calling for the abolition of the 13th amendment. Sources said that President Rajapaksa also told the JHU delegation led by Minister Ranawaka that the party could continue with its campaign and the government would not interfere with it. The JHU was also told that it could freely voice its position in Parliament. Asked whether the President had called National Freedom Front leader Minister Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa for a meeting, the sources said that the NFF leader was not among those invited for talks at Temple Trees yesterday. Sources said that the President decided to meet the EPDP and JHU in the wake of a sharp division in the SLFP-led ruling coalition over the first Northern Provincial council election to be held under the current constitution. There could be further meetings among UPFA partners within the next few days to iron out differences, government sources added (Island : 10 June 2013).

Many Govt. MPs willing to support UNP’s new draft constitution - Wijedasa - by Zacki Jabbar - Many government parliamentarians had endorsed the UNP’s new draft constitution as apolitical and would support it at the appropriate moment, Wijedasa Rajapakshe, MP, predicted.  Rajapakshe, a member of the Committee that prepared the UNP’s constitutional formulation, told The Island that many MPs in the ruling UPFA had commended the draft constitution for giving the voter a choice. Asked to name the MPs, he said that it was too early to do so and would be announced at the right moment. Wijedasa said that most ruling party MPs were aware of the dangerous path that the Rajapaksa regime had taken to the detriment of the country and its people, but kept silent for obvious reasons.  Government members regularly complained of the "family circus" and lack of power sharing and were very unhappy with the current situation, Rajapakshe noted.  The leader of the Democratic Party and former Army Commander, Gen. Sarath Fonseka, also said recently that many UPFA MPs were willing to come out in the open, if they were certain of forming an alternative administration.  They did not want to rebel and then go into the Opposition, he added. The UNP’s proposed new constitution was unique, since it gave the people three options of governance to choose from, Wijedasa said while pointing out that they were committed to the abolition of the Executive Presidency, whose powers would be divided among the Head of State, Prime Minister and the Speaker’s Council. The first option was to elect a Prime Minister who would govern with the Cabinet, which would be responsible to Parliament, Rajapakshe noted. The other system was for executive power to be exercised on an apolitical basis, subject to checks and balances.  The third option was to adopt a system similar to the Westminster model, he said, adding that whichever method a future UNP government choose, it would be presented to the people at referendum to be held within six months of coming to power. The MP observed that with a view to ensuring the ruling party did not obtain unfair advantages and to ensure free and fair elections, it had been proposed that Parliamentary and Provincial Council Polls be held simultaneously.In the event the Head of State was also elected, all three elections would be held together. With a view to preserving the peoples will the UNP had called for members of elected bodies including Parliament to be deprived of their seats, in the event they lost their party membership. Wijedasa said that there was an urgent need to enact a new constitution to enable the establishment of a just and equitable society, where all citizens could live in peace and harmony while enjoying their fundamental rights, irrespective of creed, religion, language or political opinion.The UNP as a party which believed in participatory democracy, had already begun consulting a cross section of society on their new policy document, Rajapakshe said (Island ; 10 June 2013).

JHU begins talks with all parties on scrapping 13-A

For the Sri Lankan Government to remain popular – 13th amendment must go - by Shenali D Waduge- The firm decision taken against tremendous odds defeated 30 years of terrorism in just 3 years. It is now time to take another firm decision. That decision has to be taken with the same passion and commitment that defeated terrorism. There is no reason NOT to do what is right by the people who voted the Government into power and people who will continue to ensure the Government remains in power.We do not need to go over and over again on why the 13th amendment deserves to be put into the wastepaper basket. The British divided Sri Lanka into provinces because it suited them not us. The Provincial Council system introduced through the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord of 1987 was designed to benefit India and not Sri Lanka. If according to Sri Lanka’s Constitution the will of the people is inalienable, then the Provincial Council system has no valid ground because it was not requested by the people of Sri Lanka. The provincial councils are costing millions without providing any proper benefit to the masses. It is a colossal waste of money that could be used to uplift the lives of thousands of people from their present state and provide means of livelihood assistance that would invariably uplift the self-sustenance of the country.We do not need to remind the voters in the North that the country was saved from terrorism – terror that denied most Tamils their fundamental freedoms. We cannot help if some Tamils are angered by the defeat of terrorism and equate the elimination of LTTE as an assault to them. Nowhere is terrorism tolerated. We cannot help that Tamils would wish to continue to support the TNA the very party and very politicians who claimed the LTTE represented all Tamils thereby placing all Tamils into the basket of the LTTE. The question of land and police powers would never have existed if the Indo-Lanka accord had not been introduced. Therefore it is a silly argument to be demanding the two simply because it is part of the clause India introduced. There are compelling reasons why there is hesitation to give land and police powers. Within 2 years of Varatharaja Perumal winning the merged NE elections he declared a unilateral declaration of independence which led to the NE provincial council having to be dissolved and both Perumal fled to India. Dayan J served as a cabinet Minister in Perumals NE Provincial Government. Given TNA’s track record and its election manifesto that clearly advocates separatism a Government would be insane to allow a Northern provincial election with police and land powers (Lanaweb : 7 June 2013).

Some UPFA allies resist move to dilute 13-A; EPDP, SLMC strike discordant note with Vasu, Rajitha,Tissa, DEW agreeing - By Shamindra Ferdinando - UPFA constituents, the EPDP and the SLMC have strongly opposed far reaching proposal to do away with the right of two provinces or more to merge in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.  External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris has made the proposal at a meeting attended by members of the Cabinet on Thursday. However, EPDP leader, Douglas Devananda and SLMC leader, Rauff Hakeem had joined forces to thwart the move, political sources told The Island. Minister Hakeem cut short a visit to Palestine to attend the meeting in view of a campaign by a section of the government to dilute the 13th Amendment ahead of the proposed first Northern Provincial Council election. Sources said that both Devananda and Hakeem had stressed that two or more provinces shouldn’t be deprived of their right to form a single administrative unit.Asked whether there had been dispute over any other issue, sources said that Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Devananda and Justice Minister Hakeem had also rejected Prof. Peiris’ pitch for repealing of the constitutional requirement that the consent of all provincial councils was necessary for the enactment of legislation in parliament that infringe on their powers. In accordance with the 13th Amendment subjects coming under the purview of Provincial Councils couldn’t be modified without the permission of all PCs.Government sources told The Island that the administration had felt the need to amend the 13th Amendment in the wake of the recent objections faced by the Divineguma Bill. National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara threw his weight behind the two minority party leaders. Sources said that Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne as well as Ministers, Dew Gunasekera and Prof. Tissa Vitharana, too, had been supportive of the position taken up by minority parties. Sources said ministers had agreed to put off final decision on two contentious issues pending further study.Minister Devananda has appointed a committee headed by former MP Dr. S. Thawaraja to study the issue.Political sources said those opposing government moves to dilute the 13th Amendment were likely to form a common front regardless of their political affiliations (Island : 7 June 2013).

GoSL still wary of possible LTTE revival: US - Sri Lanka is still wary of the LTTE’s international network and has voiced concern about the possible re-emergence of pro-LTTE sympathisers despite the military defeat of the LTTE, US State Department’s report has said.According to the US State Department’s 2012 counter terrorism country report, "The Sri Lankan government claimed that it continued to uncover abandoned weapons and explosives in areas of the country formerly controlled by the LTTE." Although there were no known LTTE activities in Sri Lanka in 2012, the government asserted that peaceful protests at Jaffna University in November were organised by students trained by overseas LTTE supporters and made several arrests, the reports said. The police in late November clashed with the Jaffna university students who were trying to commemorate the LTTE’s hero’s day which coincided with the birth anniversary of the late LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran.At least four students were arrested and later released by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa on parental intervention.The report said the Government of Sri Lanka remained concerned that the LTTE’s international network of financial support was still functioning; many counter-terrorism activities undertaken by the government targeting alleged LTTE finances. Counter-terrorism legislation in Sri Lanka has focused on eliminating the remnants of the LTTE and enforcing general security throughout the island (Island : 7June 2013).

President’s right to merge provinces to be repealed; Stripping of provinical land, police powers not discussed – Keheliya - by Zacki Jabbar - The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to repeal the President’s right to merge Provinces, which has been provided for under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella addressing a news conference in Colombo yesterday, said that constituent members of the ruling UPFA had been given time to study the Bill to amend the Provincial Councils Act. The proposed two amendments pertained to the President’s right to merge provinces and the requirement that the approval of all provincial councils were required to amend the Constitution, he noted.Asked if the government was also trying to strip the provinces of land and police powers, the Minister said that it had not been discussed. Rambukwella said that the UPFA had only taken up the proposals to repeal the President’s right to merge Provinces and the consent of all provincial councils to enact legislation.At yesterday’s Cabinet meeting the SLMC leader and Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem had asked for more time to study the proposed amendments and it had been granted. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has proposed that the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSSC) on the National Question be reconvened with or without the participation of the Tamil National Alliance. Informed sources said that the President was of the view that if the TNA refused to attend the PSC process, the?PSC should continue with the participation of Tamils in the government and Opposition (Island : 6 June 2013).

JVP insists on scrapping Provincial Councils - By Dasun Edirisinghe - The JVP yesterday urged the government to scrap the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and do away with provincial councils without wasting time in making amendments to the existing Provincial Council Act. JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath told The Island that the government’s draft amendment to the Provincial Council Act had been postponed for two weeks, when it was presented to the Cabinet yesterday.He said that the proposed amendment would only pave the way for passing something at the provincial council level even though it could not be passed by a council. Herath said that, for example, when the impeached Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake ordered that the approval of Provincial Councils had to be sought before taking up the Divi Neguma bill in Parliament, it was asked how the approval of the Northern Provincial Council could be obtained as there was no sitting council.According to the new amendment, it was not necessary to obtain the approval of all provincial councils, but the approval of a majority out of the nine provincial councils was enough to present it in parliament, MP?Herath said.The Gampaha District MP said that the Provincial Council system set up on the Indian model had failed to be a solution to the national issue. "We have been against the PC system since the inception and our stand on that remains the same," Herath said, adding that first of all the government had to abolish the provincial council system and thereafter it should look after the needs of Tamil people in the Northern and Eastern Provinces without further delay as four years had already passed since the defeat of terrorism (Island : 6 June 2013).

Investing in principled human rights leadership” - A message sent to the HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CENTER-MELBOURNE – Gyan de Mel - Dear Hugh ,HRLC is one of the mob of 8 that is supporting the screening of “The killing fields” crap to be shown in some capital cities in Australia. They are part of the Racist Group that is trying to punish Sri Lanka for defying the crumbling Anglo-American Empire and ending the terrorist war. The crimes committed by the LTTE have been totally forgiven by the Christian Church and the so called “International Community” President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka is the Prodigal Son of the West and has to be punished at all costs. (similar to Presidents Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein) He gave the ”Right to Life” to 20 million or more Sri Lankans by ending a 30 year terrorist war. After the 18th of May 2009, every Sri Lankan can leave his/her house and be sure of returning safely. This guarantee was not there for 30 years before that date. He also liberated close to 300,000 Sri Lankans who were under the Jackboot of LTTE and its leaders.  If “human rights” is the issue here, then look no further than the “Champions of Human Rights” That is where you guys have to ‘ Invest in principled human rights leadership’ (LankaWeb : 6 June 2013).

JHU begins talks with all parties on scrapping 13-A - By Franklin R. Satyapalan - Minister of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka said yesterday morning that his party would commence discussions with all parties represented in Parliament on abolishing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The Minister said that his party would hold rallies countrywide to raise public awareness of the dangerous consequences of the 13th Amendment to the country’s sovereignty. The JHU General Secretary said that invitations had been forwarded to all the parties in the ruling coalition as well as Opposition parliamentarians and the date and time would be fixed with their concurrence (Island : 6June 2013).

TNA: Tamils don’t want a return to violence… but anything is possible - By Zacki Jabbar - Amidst moves to amend the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said that neither it nor the Tamil people wanted a return to violence, but if the Rajapaksa government was not wise enough to resolve the ethnic issue through peaceful means, it could not predict what would happen in the future. TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, MP, addressing the Foreign Correspondents’ Association in Colombo, on Tuesday evening, said that the violence of the past had done no good to the country and its people and the TNA would do its damnedest to prevent history repeating itself, but if that’s what the Rajapaksa regime wanted they would have no choice in the matter. Refuting allegations that the TNA had nurtured the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), he said that successive governments, under whom racial pogroms had occurred over the last six decades, were responsible for the creation of the LTTE. "We did not create the LTTE," Sampanthan stressed while querying why his alliance was being blamed for something it had no control over. "The LTTE destroyed itself and we had no control over that either," the TNA leader said. The Tamil people, Sampanthan said, were fed up with the continuous violence witnessed over the last three decades and were only asking the government to devolve power under the country’s Constitution.He warned that any attempts to dilute the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, by removing its existing powers, including land and police, would negate the very essence of devolution and therefore be counterproductive. Dismissing fears that a Northern Provincial Council would lead to the division of the country, the TNA leaders said that such a belief existed only in the minds of the Jathika Hela Urumaya and the National Freedom Front and not among the vast majority of the Sinhala people."It’s a fanciful notion that devolution would lead to separation," Sampanthan said while querying why such things were not said by Presidents Premadasa and Chandrika Kumaratunga. Even the incumbent, Mahinda Rajapaksa had offered greater powers to the provinces than even what 13th Amendment provided for. "Is this theory of devolution leading to separation being spread now since the LTTE was no longer around to fight on behalf of the Tamil people," the TNA leader queried while stressing that the TNA was committed to a united Sri Lanka (Island : 5 June 2013).

LTTE prisoner’s escape: Two jailers being grilled - by Norman Palihawadana-LTTE member, Balasubramanium Jegatheeswaran had been able to escape unnoticed while working in the Vesak Zone in Matara recently, because he was wearing the national dress, prison sources said. They alleged that he had secured the support of two prison officers to make good his escape by paying them a lot of money."The two officers are being interrogated by a special team of policemen," sources said.The prison officials believe that his escape was planned a long time ago and he has fled the country in a boat (Island : 5 June 2013).

LET’S CALL A SPADE A SPADE AND CALL DR. JAYALATH JAYAWARDENA A TRAITOR - by Malin Abeyatunge-It’s not the right thing to speak ill of a dead person. But with reluctance, I ‘ll have to break those ethics and call deceased Dr. Jayalath Jayewardena as a Traitor to Sinhala Buddhists and to Sri Lanka. I fully endorse Malith Ekanayaka’s writing on Dr.JJ (Lankaweb) .There are some bunch of Sinhala political and media hypocrites who sang hosannas for JJ knowing well that he acted as a traitor to Sri Lanka. Some of them have completely forgotten how JJ appeased and mollycoddled LTTE and its Diaspora in every opportunity he got on his way. Yesterday’s Island (3/6/13) carried a big Hosanna by one of the worst tigers living Emanuel Pillai crying for Dr.JJ. That itself is enough to brand Dr.JJ as a traitor. As Sri Lankans who love their mother country will never forget his utterances against Sri Lanka and Sinhala Buddhists when he was in a foreign soil. He attended many LTTE organised political forums organised GTF and BTF in UK and didn’t spare a wink in lambasting Sri Lanka and Sinhala Buddhists. When the LTTE was murdering thousands of innocent Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims this guy was appeasing LTTE. Although Dr.JJ is now dead and gone, the harm he had done to Sinhala Buddhists and Sri Lanka will never be forgotten. I hope Mr. Malith “Karunananyake will pardon me to reiterate a few instances from his article titled “What should I call him…A Traitor” in Lankaweb website:quote • “Chennai, 14 November, (Asiantribune.com): Indian National Congress activists and anti-terrorism groups expressed shock at recentutterances of the Sri Lankan politician Dr Jayalath Jayawardana who urged Indian intervention to save the beleaguered Tamil Tigers in Kilinochchi. They said that Dr Jayawardana’s Press Release issued in New. Delhi stating that the Tamils in the north are starving and India should intervene to save them is contrary to the reports issued by UN bodies and various INGOs on the humanitarian situation (2008)(LankaWeb : 4 June 2013).

Gun, ammunition found in village well likely to be LTTE leftover - Mystery surrounds the seizure of weapons and ammunition in an abandoned well in a farm at an interior village on the outskirts of Trichy, though the villagers insist that they might have been hidden by LTTE activists who were active in the area more than 15 years ago. Police investigating that angle are however probing the role of presentday anti-social elements too, according to online Times of India report posted on June 3.The following is the Trichy datelined report: "It was on Friday afternoon that a carbine gun, 40 rounds of live bullets and 17 spent-detonators were found in an abandoned well at a farm, called Ayyar Thoppu, in Sathampadi village. Police acted on a tip-off from a villager who initially spotted the weapons and explosives in the well while cleaning it.During the initial probe, police found that the farm was owned by a Srirangam-based individual, whose identity is yet to be ascertained. As the farm was abandoned for a long time, anti-social elements would have gained access to the area which is away from the village.Inquiries with the villagers revealed that suspected LTTE men were hiding here years back. When TOI reporters visited the abandoned well and contacted the villagers on Sunday, a 45-year old man said: "At least two men had hidden in the farm more than 15 years ago. We had come to know about them when a police team had searched the area then. However, they had escaped from the area.""There were four men staying in the area. They spoke in a language that we could not understand. Later, the police team had raided the area and we came to know that they were LTTE workers, said a 65-year-old villager.The villagers also said that since that raid the well was not used for irrigation, the weapons might have been hidden by the LTTE or by any other anti-social element. A police officer on the condition of anonymity said that the gun looked old, though they could not ascertain the details. Police have sent the gun to Ordnance Factory, Trichy (OFT) and the bullets to a factory in West Bengal (Island : 4 June 2013).

Global Tamil Forum says death of Dr. JJ a great loss - The UK based Global Tamil Forum (GTF) has said that sudden passing away of UNP MP Dr. Jayalath Jayawardana is a great loss to Tamil speaking people, whose plight received the attention of the Gampaha District politician. The GTF said that Jayawardana was a genuine Christian politician who served people of all faith unreservedly (Island : 2 June 2013).

13th Amendment to the Constitution

Go for a Referendum without wasting time

13th Amendment: Valid any more? - By Gamini Gunawardane - (Excerpts of a paper read at the 12th Annual Conference on Sri Lankan Studies); This paper seeks to examine the question of legitimacy of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lanka Constitution. It seems necessary to re-visit this topic time and time again as the full implementation of the 13th Amendment is advanced by different sources as the ‘solution’ to the ‘conflict’ yet said to be persisting after the military defeat of the LTTE, and apparently on the basis that devolution of political power to the Provinces as the ‘solution, to the ‘conflict’ (The Nation : 02 June 2012).

Articles in Sunday Divaina on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution :

• A 6-Member team of Indian politicians, including Ravi Shanker Prasad, scheduled to arrive Sri Lanka to discuss with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa about the 13th amendment to the constitution (Sunday Divaina : 2 June 2013). .......... It is reported that Ministers Champika Ranawaka and Wimal Weerawansa are not included in the discussion, however, Ministers Rauf Hakeem and Duglas Devanada are included.
• A discussion with S L Gunasekara on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (Sunday Divaina : 2 June 2013).
• Weekly Defence Column by Keerthi Warnakulasuriya (Sunday Diviana : 2 June 2013).

How to get the 13th out - By Gunadasa Amarasekera, President PNM - The decision of the President to hold elections for the Northern Council in September under the present Constitution has brought back those fears that were lurking ever since the 13th Amendment was forced down our throat by India in 1987. The outcome of the election, that it will be won by the TNA is a certainty and once the TNA wins the election it would implement the 13th Amendment fully including land and police powers is also a certainty. ‘How this calamity could be averted?’ is the question that is uppermost in the minds of those who are concerned with the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this country. Sampanthan’s speech made a few months ago in Batticaloa wherein he outlined their roadmap provides enough evidence as to their final goal – separate state and Eelam (The Nation : 02 June 2013).

13th Amendment: valid any more? - by Gamini Gunawardane - (A paper read at the 12th Annual Conference on Sri Lankan Studies) - This paper seeks to examine the question of legitimacy of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lanka constitution. It seems necessary to re-visit this topic time and time again as, the full implementation of the 13th Amendment is advanced by different sources as the ‘solution’ to the ‘conflict’ yet said to be persisting after the military defeat of the LTTE, and apparently on the basis that devolution of political power to the Provinces as the ‘solution, to the ‘conflict’. This discussion will be done with the historical background of the genesis of this Amendment borne in mind. The immediate circumstances that led to the introduction of this amendment is the aftermath of the stalling of the Vadamarachchi campaign of the Sri Lanka Army, on its haunches, just before it was ready to deliver a ‘coup de grace’ on the LTTE in July 1987, by the Indian government (Island : 01 June 2013).

SLMC high command meets today to discuss crucial political issues; Including the 13th Amendment - By Franklin R. Satyapalan - The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) high command is expected to take up for discussion many crucial political issues, including the controversy surrounding the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, when the party meets today, SLMC General Secretary, M. T. Hassen Ali, MP, said. Party leader, Minister Rauf Hakeem will preside at the crucial sessions. Amongst the many key issues expected to be discussed are the ongoing boycott of the sessions of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) by the ruling UPFA including the four Provincial Ministers, the proposed elections to Northern PC, the call for the abolition of the 13th Amendment, protests against holding the Northern PC poll, the predicament of the Muslim community in the current political and economic context, Ali said. He said that following the developments in the Eastern Provincial Council, he visited Trincomalee to meet with Chief Minister Najeeb A. Majeed to discuss the situation. "I have sought for an appointment with the Governor as we have a moral obligation towards the people as it was the SLMC that extended support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to establish control of the Council amidst protests from the Tamil people", he noted (Island ; 01 June 2013).

SL must remove vessels near Katchatheevu: Vaiko - India’s MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Saturday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure the immediate removal of Sri Lankan naval vessels from Katchatheevu island, Indian media reports said.  In a letter to Singh, Vaiko said there were reports that Chinese vessels and Chinese navy personnel in Sri Lankan vessels had been spotted in the Palk Strait that divides India and Sri Lanka.  This, he said, "poses an impending challenge to the sovereign rights of India".  Terming the stationing of Sri Lankan battleships near Katchatheevu a trial balloon, Vaiko said: "The government should take up this serious issue with the Sri Lankan government and take appropriate steps so that the Sri Lankan naval vessels (are) withdrawn immediately." Political parties in Tamil Nadu have been pressing the Indian government to cancel a 1974 agreement under which New Delhi ceded the island to Colombo.  Vaiko said for years Tamil Nadu fishermen had been attacked and killed by the Sri Lankan Navy in the sea. "So far, 578 Tamil Nadu fishermen have been mercilessly killed," he said. "In such a situation, battleships of the Sri Lankan Navy are stationed near Katchatheevu and their navy personnel have threatened the Tamil Nadu fishermen who had gone fishing (there)," Vaiko said. However, the Sri Lankan navy denied all these allegations against it saying that some groups were trying to tarnish the image of the Sri Lanka Navy (Daily Mirror : 01 June 2013).

TNA opposed to UNP’s proposal on power sharing under unitary state - By Franklin R. Satyapalan - ITAK General Secretary and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mavai Senathirajah told the media on the eve of its crucial Central Committee (CC) meeting in Kilinochchi yesterday that the party is not in favor of power sharing under a unitary state to solve the national question, as proposed by the UNP in its draft manifesto, TNA sources said. ITAK and TNA leader, parliamentarian R. Sambandan presided at the CC sessions, where many current political issues and developments in the country were taken up during the deliberations, the sources said. The TNA parliamentarian said the party will be meeting shortly to discuss the UNP proposal in detail and express its stand. "We are yet to receive a response from President Mahinda Rajapaksa regarding the power sharing proposal the TNA had submitted during the bi-lateral talks with a government delegation over a year ago", he explained. Former parliamentarian and National Organizer of the TELO, M. K. Sivajilingam said that adding the final touches to the MOU to be signed between the alliance partners of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has been delayed further as a result of the CC meeting of the ITAK. "There was a positive meeting between TELO and ITAK on the proposed draft of the MOU in Colombo on May 23", he said. TELO had a discussion earlier with all the Alliance partners — TULF, EPRLF and PLOTE and later with ITAK. "We briefed them on the developments". The meeting of the TELO politburo presided by its leader, Selvam Adaykalanathan, MP. Is scheduled to take place on June 3 in Colombo as some differences have emerged between the Alliance partners of the TNA on the composition of the proposed decision-making high command Sivajilingam said (Island : 01 June 2013).

Vasudeva is wrong to say that the President can dissolve the Provincial Councils anytime - Media Release – Chanaka Bandarage, Sri Lanka Support Group - On 30 May 2013, in Sirasa TV program ‘Satana’, Hon Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, participating in a debate with Hon Minister Champika Ranawaka stated that people should not be scared of provincial governments because the President can dissolve them anytime. To stress this point, he mentioned Articles 154A1, 154 J, 154K, 154L, 154M and 154N of the Constitution (these are the English version Articles, he referred to the corresponding Sinhala ones). These provisions do not provide power to the President to dissolve the provincial councils willy nilly: Article 154A1 – this Article is about the President establishing the Provincial Councils – it does not talk about dissolution. Article 154J – On the ground that maintenance of essential supplies and services are threatened or that security of the country is threatened by war or external aggression or armed rebellion, the President may be able to dissolve a provincial government after issuing a Proclamation under the ‘Public Security Ordinance’ (note: not under the 13th amendment). Even herein, the words ‘dissolve or dissolution’ are not used. What it states is that “the President to hold that a situation has arisen in which the administration of the Province cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.” The then President Premadasa used this provision to dissolve Vardharaja Perumal’s provincial government (Perumal tried to mobilse the province’s 15,000 strong police force like an ‘Army’ and unilaterally declared a ‘Tamil Eelam’ in northern Sri Lanka – this will happen again under a TNA run Northern Provincial Council). Article 154K – This is not a power available for the President to dissolve a Provincial Council. It allows him to give a direction to the Governor and Provincial Council that directions to the Provincial Council be carried out. This has nothing to with dissolution. Article 154L – If the President is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the administration of the province cannot be carried out per the Constitution (failure of the administrative machinery), the President may assume the functions of the administration of the Provincial Council. What Mr Nanayakkara failed to say is that the President can do this only by Proclamation (to be approved by a resolution of the Parliament) and such Proclamation is valid only for 2 months (LankaWeb : 31 May 2013).

Who should decide on the 13th Amendment ? - by Chandre Dharmawardana, Ottawa, Canada - A seemingly democratic-looking statement, popular with the liberal-minded types like the candle-vigil people of Colombo is the proposition, “It is up to them, and not to us, to decide what the scope of the 13th amendment should be. Who are we to impose our will on them? If the TNA is representative of the Tamils, then we know that they have always officially rejected the 13th amendment in any form. They have merely found it useful as a bone of contention. Last year at the party session in Batticaloa (Madakalapuwa) Mr. Sampathan rejected it. Here is Mr. Mavai Senathiraja again rejecting it again, as reported in news media (e.g., the Daily Mirror, 31st May 2013). Mr. Sumanthiran has rejected it in several well-known statements. The LTTE fought against the Indian Peace keeping forces sent to enforce the 13th amendment. It was the Indians, and not ‘us‘ or ‘them‘ who formulated and decided in favour of the 13th. No referendum on the question was ever held to ask Sri Lankans for their vote (LankaWeb : 31 May 2013).

LTTE’s financial network still exists -US  -  The United States said that LTTE’s financial network of support continued to operate throughout 2012, and there were multiple reports of increased LTTE involvement in human smuggling out of refugee camps. “The LTTE used its international contacts and the large Tamil diaspora in North America, Europe, and Asia to procure weapons, communications, funding, and other needed supplies. The group employed charities as fronts to collect and divert funds for their activities,” the US Country Reports on Terrorism 2012 released by the US State Department said. It also said, counterterrorism cooperation and training with the United States in 2012 was limited, however, due to statutory and policy restrictions based on concerns about alleged past human rights abuses committed by Sri Lankan security forces (daily Mirror: 31 May 2013).

10 LTTE suspects acquitted by Bangalore court in bomb case - A court in Bangalore today acquitted 10 LTTE suspects who were being tried for allegedly possessing explosives and substances used for making bombs.  Sessions Judge M S Balakrishna acquitted the 10 accused for lack of evidence.  The ten were arrested by Frazer town police in the city in 2002. They were in judicial custody and were subsequently granted bail by Supreme Court and Karnataka High Court.  Two others arrested in the case died some years ago (Daily Mirror : 31 May 2013).

US powered Israeli jets enhance SLAF capability - War on terror revisited - by Shamindra Ferdinando On the night of April 27, the LTTE mounted a lagoon borne assault on Kayts Island situated west of the Jaffna peninsula, killing 18 soldiers and injuring several others. It was the worst attack on the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) since the LTTE resumed hostilities in the early hours of April 18, 1995, with the sinking of two Chinese gunboats anchored at the Trincomalee harbour (Tigers break truce, sink two boats––The Island April 20, 1995). The LTTE mounted the unprecedented underwater attack on SLNS Suraya and SLNS Ranasuru just three hours after the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was informed of the LTTE’s decision to break off negotiations due to the reluctance on the part of the government to vacate the army base at Pooneryn, grant the Tigers permission to carry weapons in government-held areas in the Eastern Province and lift restrictions placed on the fishing community as well as movements of food beyond Vavuniya. The SLA wanted to transfer some of those soldiers wounded in Thursday’s raid on Kayts to the Anuradhapura hospital. Having received treatment at the Palaly Military hospital, four personnel joined the passengers onboard an HS 748 Avro, the first flight out of the Palaly airfield on April 28, 1995. Although the LTTE had been on the offensive in both the northern and eastern districts, the SLAF continued routine flights. The Avro was on a regular flight. The then Northern Zonal Commander of the SLAF Wing Commander Roger Weerasinghe was among the passengers. The LTTE brought down the aircraft immediately after it took off from Palaly. Those on the ground saw one of the two Rolls Royce engines of the British built aircraft on fire before it exploded. The then military spokesman Brigadier Sarath Munasinghe as well as SLAF headquarters strongly denied an LTTE hand in the disaster when the writer asked them whether an LTTE?missile had brought it down. (Air Force plane explodes––40 killed; Engine trouble causes major accident after take-off from Palaly air base ––The Island April 29, 1995). (Island : 30 May 2013).

An important decision in Sri Lankan History

JHU to hand over private member’s motion on abolishing 13th Amendment

An Appeal for the Abolition of the (13th)Thirteenth Amendment ; http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/an-appeal-for-the-abolition-of-the-thirteenth-amendment.html -  Petition Background (Preamble): Dear Mr President, An Appeal for the Abolition of the Thirteenth Amendment, The priceless Independence that our country achieved with blood, tears and commitment and the island nation?s unitary character have to be handed over in pristine form to the next generation and generations yet to be born. That is the formidable challenge facing us. We all know Your Excellency is above manipulation by various influences and threats designed for the insidious benefit of external agencies. These agencies are resorting to new strategies to divide our country having ignominiously failed to achieve their fantasy of Eelam by means of war and destruction. Their maneuvers are being sharpened and fine-tuned to form a single divisive force. A unitary island nation is the inalienable inheritance of the nations of Sri Lanka. The choice of the moment in our view is between the implementation of the Thirteenth Amendment with its conspiratorial clauses relating to police and land powers or its abolition in its entirety. The wrong choice is best with tragic consequences for our country. Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse?s recent pronouncement that the Thirteenth Amendment be done away with defies contradiction. We have no option but to free our country from the Thirteenth Amendment trap. As citizens who love our motherland we appreciate deeply the patriotism embedded in Your Excellency?s personality, a patriotism that inspired victory over the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world. Our plea is that our country be saved from a looming catastrophe lurking in the Thirteenth Amendment that bring to naught the victory won at the cost of thousands of lives. Most respectfully yours, Mithrawa Sansadaya

An important article on 13th Amendment to the constitution - by Keerthi Warnakulasiriya (Diviana: 30 May 2013)

GO FOR A REFERENDUM WITHOUT WASTING TIME - By Gomin Dayasri - “Parliamentary Select Committee only can change the Constitution” Minister Anura Yapa quotes the President. Parliament Select Committee on Constitution Reform is a perennial non-starter in a bluffer’s paradise – a procrastinator’s dreamboat. A condemned vehicle incapable of hopping on to it for the needed passengers or if shoved in, on persuasion or twisted arm [by India or USA]- will jump off it taking the exit route or sabotage from within. TNA and UNP – the wistful fellow travellers who will not undertake an arduous and hazardous trip to help the Government- when they are accomplished stone throwers from outside. If similarly positioned would SLFP or UPFA buy a one -way ticket to oblivion? There are no takers on both sides of the divide who think of doing the best for the sake of the country. A Parliamentary Select Committee [PSC] can do much if the intentions of its members are honest and sincere as when the Parliament converted itself to a Constituent Assembly to usher the first Republican Constitution of 1972. That was in a different realm of politics with a different breed of politicians. – 40 years is a long time with a generation gone! After ending of the war –three years ago- people gave a near 2/3 majority to enable the Constitution to be revised- it was not to extend the term of the President or arrogate more power with the 18th Amendment. People voted in gratitude for winning the war and to ensure the country remains undivided after the blood and sweat. Feeling remains the same but conviction has gone away. Next round of elections could hear again the belated cry of seeking the Peoples’ support to obtain a 2/3 majority to change the constitution. A shriek heard before to which the people responded favorably but are unlikely to repeat because the trust and confidence once reposed in the government cannot be rekindled without any genuine ignition towards a constitutional change. It’s a rallying cry that can still restore the government to power but not with the desired majority-back to main square but with many minuses: not one step forward but rather two or more steps backward. It would have been a flight of steps down a spiral if there were a meaningful opposition to cash in on the situation. In a waiting game is Mahinda Rajapakse gambling with a timer in hand to release the germ as an election gambit? Or is there sheer laziness to be positive or incapacity to strategize or not having a capable helmsman to deliver a draft? Otherwise, if the intentions were serious, the road show and the road map could have been unfurled and a distance traversed instead of being anchored at base camp in favorable weather (LankaWeb ; 29 May 2013).

The whole Nation should salute Jatika Hela Urumaya for beginning its Historic Role by the Nation in Parliament - Dr Sudath Gunasekara SLAS. Retired Ministry Secretary and President Senior Citizens Movement Mahanuwara - While congratulating the Jatika Hela Urumaya on behalf of the whole Nation as a founder member of this movement on the patriotic and historic steps that will be taken in Parliament during this week to abolish the 13th Amendment, the Indian imposed curse on modern Sri Lanka, and free Mother Lanka from its disastrous and deadly clutches, though belated, I would suggest that they also move for the following actions concurrently to be taken along with the move to abolish the 13th A (Lankaweb : 28 May 2013).

Gota-Sambanthan and why Nationalists say NO to the 13th amendment - by Shenali Waduge - If ever the nation of Sri Lanka stood united wherein all factions of society whatever their opposing views came together to say NO – that was when India forced Sri Lanka’s then President J R Jayawardena to sign the Indo-Lanka Accord on 29 July 1987 threatening to invade Sri Lanka if it did not do so. The SLFP, key members of the UNP, the nationalists, the JVP and even Prabakaran opposed it so much so that the signing of the Accord was done under emergency with curfew and a gag on media and eventually led to the deaths of 70,000 JVP youth who rose against it. Now, 25 years later the ground is being prepared for a similar scenario. When Gotabaya Rajapakse says that Sri Lanka should not sign anything to please India and that the threat to national security is a concern – the entire nation must pay heed. Unlike most he is a man who has delivered and a man who commands our respect because he has earned it by his actions and deeds. Sambathan may say he does not want to talk to Gotabaya Rajapakse because he is not the Government but this same Sambanthan had no qualms about taking orders from the terrorist leader Prabakaran and even went so far as to quote from Prabakaran’s Mahavir Speech inside Parliament which was opposed by JHU Ratana Thero. If our memories are not short we may well come up with numerous other instances of LTTE-TNA links that beckons Sambathan to respond to what makes Gotabaya repulsive and why Prabakaran is not! As a politician living off taxpayers money we demand him to answer. In our eyes we continue to equate the TNA with the LTTE and they have done or said nothing to change our opinion. The 13th amendment was signed under duress, the concerns of the Supreme Court were ignored, there was no people’s mandate. The first provincial council election in the merged North-East held in 1988 voted the EPRLF into power in which Varatharaja Perumal became the Chief Minister and Dayan Jayatillake was its ONLY Sinhala (Christian) member. It did not take 2 years for Perumal to declare unilateral declaration of independence going so far as to even print letterheads to the effect. Then President Premadasa had to dissolve the Provincial Council and Perumal fled to India (LankaWeb : 2 May 2013).

JHU will submit the Private Members Bill tomorrow to repeal the 13th Amendment (Read full in Divaina : 28 May 2013). 

Those who will not vote in favour of the Bill would be held responsible - JHU (Read full in Divaina: 28 May 2013).

Navi Pillay to visit SL in August - High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay will undertake a visit to Sri Lanka from 25 to 31 August 2013, in response to an invitation formally extended to her by the Sri Lankan government in April 2011, the government said. Addressing the Human Rights Council -23rd Regular Session in Geneva today Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka in Geneva and the Leader of the Sri Lanka Delegation Ravinatha P. Aryasinha said that Sri Lanka considers this visit as part of its continued, transparent and proactive engagement with the High Commissioner and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). “We believe that the visit would enable the High Commissioner to experience at first hand the significant strides made and also efforts presently underway in the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka, in the relatively brief period of 4 years since the end of the ruthless terrorist conflict that decimated our nation and its peoples for 30 long years.” He also said, “We hope that through the visit, a platform will be built for constructive engagement between Sri Lankan Government and the OHCHR, laying by the fallacies that have in recent years guided the UN system's actions and engagement with respect to Sri Lanka and its reconciliation process.” (Daily Mirror : 28 May 2013).

JHU to hand over private member’s motion on abolishing 13 A tomorrow - by Ranil Dharmasena - The Jathika Hela Urumaya would hand over a private member’s motion to the Secretary General of Parliament tomorrow, seeking to repeal the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which established the Provincial Councils, Western Provincial Council Minister Udaya Gamanpila said yesterday. Gamanpila told The Island that the Sinhala and English versions of the proposed draft bill were ready and the Tamil translation too would be ready by today. After handing over the bill, they would meet all political parties represented in Parliament, including the Tamil National Alliance, to apprise them of the importance of abolishing the 13th Amendment (Island : 27 May 2013).

LLRC Recommendations Not Met by 13A - by Neville Ladduwahetty - The recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) have come to be accepted by the International Community judging from the repeated references to it both nationally and internationally, in complete disregard to the Government’s National Plan of Action that was developed by incorporating selected recommendations in the LLRC Report. In the meantime, India while supporting International Resolutions to implement LLRC Recommendations is also insistent that Sri Lanka implement the 13th Amendment evidently unaware of significant incompatibilities between the two. Despite the fact that the 13th Amendment was made part of Sri Lanka’s constitution since 1987 at the insistence of India, the LLRC did not endorse it as the political arrangement that would suit Sri Lanka’s particularities. Instead, the LLRC made recommendations that are in fact incompatible with certain key provisions in the 13th Amendment. The Government is thus faced with a dilemma; whether to implement the 13th Amendment as provided in the Constitution and ignore the recommendations of the LLRC, or to modify the 13th Amendment in a manner that reflects the recommendations of the LLRC. Adopting the latter approach would require serious constitutional amendments and even revisions to the main body of Sri Lanka’s Constitution. The LLRC RECOMMENDATIONS deal with the following key provisions: (Island : 27 May 2013).

Tiger serving 5-yr term among 5 escaped convicts - By Saman Gamage - Five convicts, including an ex-LTTE cadre, serving a five-year prison term, gave prison guards the slip in the early hours of Sunday, while working in the Vesak Zone at Matara, organized by the Prisons and Rehabilitation Ministry. According to highly placed sources, the convicts were from Welikada, Boossa and Kuruwita. The LTTE convict, Balasubramanium Jegadeeshwaran, sentenced to a five-year jail term, had only served one year of his term at the time pf his escape. Taking out a convict, who had another four-year jail term to be completed, for outside work, was not in accordance with the prison rules and with whose permission the LTTE suspect had been used for that work should be probed, sources said. Prison Commissioner General Chandraratna told The Island yesterday that they had already launched a massive operation to recapture the escaped convicts with the assistance of the police (Island ; 27 May 2013).

In the past, Wimal Weerawansa has spoken lot against the 13th Amendment, but ....

Sampanthan says Gotabaya is not govt. . -  “Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said police and land powers would not be given to the Northern Province. I am not ready to talk to him because he is not the government,” said ITAK leader R. Sampanthan at the Trincomalee District General Meeting of the ITAK yesterday. The meeting was held at the New Silver Star Inn to appoint electoral agents, re-structuring party branches and to explain the current political situation. “The problems of Tamils have reached the United Nations. UNHCR conducted discussions with regard to Sri Lankan Tamils. Therefore, we cannot give up our principles for the sake of a 2 km road,” he said speaking at the meeting. “Except for the 50 acre-land acquired for the Sampur Electricity Scheme, all other lands will be released; that was the promise given to me by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, however, in spite of the promise the lands are still not released. Countries which helped to destroy LTTE, should place a solution before Tamils, be it the USA or India; we need a solution and they are duty-bound to provide it,” Mr. Sampanthan said. He further said “We have shared Rs. 5 million received from our decentralised budget among eleven temples. Had we joined the government, we would have received even Rs.100 million for development, but we will not deviate from our principles.” (Daily Mirror : 27 May 2013).

Lanka can't toe India line on 13th Amendment: Gotabaya - The influential Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has said Sri Lanka should jettison the system of devolution contained in the India-inspired 13th Amendment of the country’s constitution, irrespective of India’s reaction. “Just because India or some other country will get angry, we cannot stop doing what is good for our country,” Gotabaya told the Tamil daily Sudar Oli on Sunday. He was asked if his statements against the devolution of power to the provinces would not irk India, which was responsible for the promulgation of the existing devolution system through the India-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987 and the 13th constitutional amendment which followed it. Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid had recently expressed displeasure over Lanka’s attempts to prune the 13th amendment to deny the provinces powers over land and police. Gotabaya expressed the fear that if the Tamil majority Northern Province went into the hands of the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA) following the September 2013 elections to the Northern Provincial Council (NPC), that province would demand power over land and police and jeopardize national integrity and security. He recalled that the 13th amendment did not have the people’s support when it was enacted in 1987. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna had “set fire to the whole country,” and the LTTE leader Prabhakaran had rejected it, he pointed out. “Why should we implement it merely because it meets India’s needs?” Gotabaya asked. According to him some forces were trying to weaken Lanka’s Central Executive by divesting it of powers of land and the police; demanding independent commissions to make official appointments; and promoting an independent judiciary. Gotabaya, who is President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s sibling, suggested that Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims, should all “forget” about the 13th amendment and think about a “reasonable” solution to the ethnic question. However, according to “The Sunday Times” President Rajapaksa had told the cabinet that the NPC elections should be held as scheduled in September, and under the existing constitutional arrangement. Perhaps, Rajapaksa does not want to ruffle feathers in India and the West ahead of the Commonwealth summit scheduled to be held in Colombo in November (Daily Mirror : 27 May 2013).

JHU to mount "three pronged approach" to abolish 13th Amendment

‘US set to launch electronic war from Trincomalee’ - Champika - Unlawful agreement with Urban Council infringes on sovereignty; Political analysts warned that setting up information and activity centers, known as ‘American Corners’, in the country would pave the way for the US to interfere in the country’s sovereign affairs, this time on Sri Lankan soil. The USA has been in the forefront of moves to censure Sri Lanka in multilateral fora, as evident in the resolution against the country at the UN Human Rights Commission in March 2013. The US Embassy in Sri Lanka recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Trincomalee Urban Council, without informing the External Affairs Ministry, a clear breach of protocol, according to Ministry officials. Minister of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy,, Patali Champika Ranawaka expressed grave concerns over the issue as Trincomalee has been and continues to be a strategically important place. “It is well known that in addition to the traditional hardware of warfare such as guns, bullets, missiles and drones, the US is as focused on electronic warfare. Such operations are often conducted from seemingly innocuous facilities such as this ‘American Corner’ or through what appears to be scientific research programs focusing on deep sea mineral resources,” Ranawaka told The Nation. “No foreign mission should be allowed to set up any operative base anywhere in the country without sanction from both the defense authorities and the Ministry of External Affairs and even if such permission is obtained, there has to be consistent supervision,” he added. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister, Prof. G.L. Peiris said maintaining relationships with diplomatic missions required clear understanding by all parties about what was possible and what was not. Secretary to the Ministry has stated that explanations will be called from the US Embassy. A few weeks ago, US Embassy staff held meetings with a branch of the Young Mens’ Muslim Association (YMMA) in the same district to discuss issues outside the mandate of the mission. The latest move, according to political analysis, only confirms US intent to continue interfering in the domestic affairs of Sri Lanka. The US Embassy had previously set up two such centers in Jaffna and Kandy. According to officials at the US Embassy, the centers have been operational for at least two years. The centers have reportedly conducted several programs to the public and students. It was reported that the American Corner in Jaffna had recently conducted a program on the American Political History and Constitution, and on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka. The program was reportedly conducted by Sandra Day O’ Connor, a retired US Supreme Court Judge (The Nation : 26 May 2013).

It seems that several senior ministers may vote against the private bill by JHU to repeal the 13th Amendment to the constitution - Read full report in Divaina : 26 May 2013).

Dawn of the Tamil Eelam through the Northern Provincial Council – What the Government and we, as citizens can do can do to stop it - by Sri Lanka Support Group, Australia - Further to our Sinhala Media Release (posted on Lankaweb on 24 May 2013), we unequivocally repeat that formation of the Northern Provincial Council under 13th amendment of the Constitution will lead to formation of the Tamil Eelam. We say the Government can fundamentally do two (2) things to abolish the 13th amendment, prior to the proposed Northern Provincial Council election, as follows: 1.Article 86 of the Constitution – Based on the issue of ‘national importance’ the President can call for a national referendum. The question to be asked from the people will be – ‘Do you agree to abolish the 13th amendment in the Constitution, that was enacted in 1987, that has created the present provincial council system?’ Prior to that, a draft Bill in this regard (the current JHU Bill with minor amendments is sufficient) should be duly certified by the Cabinet (per Article 80 (2). It is expected that the ‘Yes’ vote will win, with a resounding majority. Thereafter, again per Article 80 (2), The President is required to issue a certificate in the following form: “This Bill/provision has been duly approved by the People at a Referendum.” This activity alone is sufficient to abolish the 13th amendment (no need to obtain 2/3 majority of the parliament). Then, that will be the end of the provincial councils (all 9 of them) (LamnkaWeb : 26 May 2013).

JHU to mount "three pronged approach" to abolish 13th Amendment - By Franklin R. Satyapalan - The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), an important constituent party in the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, yesterday unveiled a "three pronged approach" to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. JHU spokespesman, Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said the party would mobilize the public to urge the government to change its stand on the 13th Amendment by holding awareness rallies countrywide from the June 1, canvass the support of political parties in government and as well as the opposition and present a private member’s motion in Parliament after the conclusion of the Vesak celebrations. JHU sources said that the decision to take to the streets and "go before the people" was made in the backdrop of the statement made by Cabinet spokesman, Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa that the government had no intention of abolishing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution or postpone the Northern PC polls scheduled for September this year. "We are totally against the holding of the polls to the Northern PC as we believe the local and international political situation and pressures being brought to bear could have serious implications for the country", they said. If the polls should be held in the North, then the Sinhala and Muslim people who were ethnically cleansed from the North should be resettled. There were about 20,000 Sinhalese living in the Jaffna district earlier. All of them should be resettled before the polls are conducted", the sources said. When asked whether there was sufficient time before the scheduled elections in September to resettle these people, the sources replied "In that case, let the government postpone the polls until such time all Muslims and Sinhalese were resettled". Warnasinghe said that there would be no problem as the majority of the displaced Tamils are being resettled. All the IDP camps had been closed down. Asked about the implications the government would face from neighboring India and the international community if it abolished the 13th Amendment and went back on holding the Northern PC poll, Warnasinghe said that Sri Lanka, as a Sovereign country, need not give into pressures from any quarters, be it India or the international community (Island : 25 May 2013).

‘I didn’t mean any specific opposition to JHU’s stand’ — Ven. Ellawala Medananda - By Franklin R. Satyapalan - In the light of his statement that he was personally not in favor of any political party carrying out a campaign against the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) leader, parliamentarian Ven. Ellawala Medananda thera said yesterday that he did not mean to specifically oppose the stand adopted by the incumbent JHU leadership. "Nobody should forget that if not for President Rajapaksa’s courageous leadership, the country would not have been liberated from 30 year curse of terrorism", he said. There may be problems or issues that some party in government may have, but they should discuss it with the President and see how a solution could be worked out without campaigning against the government’s stand, the prelate said. When asked for comment, JHU spokesperman and National Organizer, Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said the party is not against the President or campaigning against the government. "The present leader of our party, Ven. Omalpe Sobitha thera has informed the President in writing almost a week ago that were opposed to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution as well as the holding of the Northern PC poll", he said. "We are not trying to push the President or the government into an awkward situation. Let us consult the people as well all political parties and arrive at an alternate decision on removing police and land powers from the 13th Amendment, which is detrimental to the interests of the country’s progress", he noted (Island : 25 May 2013).

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa opposed to police powers for PCs

Adele Balasingham is living comfortably in Southern England — Lord Naseby; She was the recruiter and organizer of Tamil child soldiers in Sri Lanka - By Sujeeva Nivunhella in London - Lord Naseby said that the creator, recruiter and organizer of Tamil child soldiers in Sri Lanka, Mrs. Adele Balasingham lives comfortably in Southern England. "It was the Tamil Tigers who created, recruited several thousand child soldiers and put them in the frontline so they died first", he said. Lord Naseby, the Chairman of the All Party British Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group, in a letter to British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg further said that the Tamil Tigers were a terrorist organization seeking an independent state Eelam. They followed no rules of war using suicide bombers with no warning, killing two Presidents, a Tamil Foreign Secretary and thousands of innocent civilians. "Tamil civilians who tried to escape were shot in the back by the Tamil Tigers. It was the same Tamil Tigers who refused to allow food and medicine convoys from the UN and the government to enter by road and then tried to sink the relief ships. Finally, they refused to surrender preferring to plant their heavy artillery next to the Field Hospitals", Lord Naseby noted. Referring to the answer given by Deputy PM Clegg to Simon Hughes MP at the PM Questions on 16th May, Lord Naseby said, "You highlight alleged despicable government atrocities - presumably based on films like Channel 4 whose filming is challenged by many and we know the claim of 40,000 being killed in the last days is a total exaggeration. The UN in Country Team estimate 7,000 - 8,000 supported by analysis from the recent census and missing persons investigation." "Your answer was not objective, not balanced, not accurate and appears to be aimed to give succor to those Tamil Diaspora, formerly LTTE supporters, who now campaign to blacken everything the democratically elected government of Sri Lanka does in an attempt to achieve Eelam by stealth. Frankly, you should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself", he said (Island : 25 May 2013).

Defence sec. opposed to police powers for PCs - Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he would never agree to the granting of police powers to provincial councils in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. He said that he had arrived at this decision after having considered the dangers and the challenges it would pose to the security services. The defence secretary was clarifying the position that had emerged after reports indicated that the NCP elections were to be held in keeping with the 13th Amendment. He said that he could only advise the government on matters concerning security as an officer and that the government would decide whether to implement them or not. At present no provincial council exercises police powers, and if they were to be granted such powers in future, such a measure could pose a serious threat to national security and he foresaw a dangerous situation, he said. If the councils were vested with police powers, a serious situation would arise with regard to the maintenance of law and order, and he feared that even the CID would become ineffective, he said. The defence secretary said he believed the Cabinet of ministers would consider this matter in its entirety before the proposed elections to the Northern Provincial Council took place (Daily Mirror: 24 May 2013).

Gota opposes NPC polls - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday warned the government of dire consequences in case the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) won the first northern provincial council election. The Defence Secretary was responding to a statement attributed to Petroleum Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, at Wednesday’s post-cabinet media briefing, that the election would be held in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Minister Yapa ruled out the possibility of diluting the 13th Amendment before the election. Asked whether he would publicly campaign against the decision, the Gajaba Regiment veteran said: "As the Secretary, Ministry of Defence, my responsibility is to warn the government of the grave repercussions of empowering a hostile provincial administration with land and police powers. Police powers in the hands of those still pursuing a separatist agenda can pose a severe threat to national security." The Defence Secretary said that the government should carefully examine the 13th Amendment to the Constitution without succumbing to international and domestic pressure. Declining to comment on the SLFP-led UPFA being divided on the issue with some constituents, the National Freedom Front and the Jathika Hela Urumaya voicing strong opposition to the proposed polls, the Defence Secretary said that the northern provincial administration could pursue the eelam project. Responding to a query, the outspoken official said that he accepted the need to hold the northern provincial council election. "But having paid a heavy price in the battlefield to eradicate the LTTE, it would be foolish on our part to create conditions for a new war," the Defence Secretary said. "I cannot impose my will on the political establishment. But, I intend to tell those who still consider the 13th Amendment as panacea for all our ills, it’ll be the primary cause for another conflict," he said. Tajapaksa that the government should immediately launch a wide ranging discussion on the 13th Amendment. "Let there be an open discussion on the issue. The legal fraternity can also examine it," the official said. Devolution of police and land powers meant that the Northern Province comprising the districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Mannar and Kilinochchi could pose a major security challenge, the Defence Secretary said. A hostile administration could interfere with anti-terrorism investigations undertaken by the government as well as positioning of personnel in the northern region, he said. Had the LTTE accepted the Indo-Lanka Accord (ILA) it could have had easily achieved eelam, the Defence Secretary said. Perhaps the LTTE, at that time, had failed to realize the 13th Amendment introduced in accordance with the ILA met its demand for a separate administration. Due to its arrogance and over confidence in military capability, the LTTE provoked the Indian Army to declare war on them in October 1987, the Defence Secretary said (Island : 23 May 2013).

Thirteenth Amendment posers - Salman Kurshid According to a recent news report, the Indian Foreign Minister, Salman Kurshid has instructed our Foreign Minister, to refrain from removing land and police powers from the Northern Provincial Council. The Indian Foreign Minister had also stated that India is not happy about the removal of powers vested with the Provincial Councils, by the 13th amendment. This writer recollects that in 1952, when the famous Bandung conference was held in Indonesia, attended by Sir John Kotelawela, Sri Jawaharlal Nehru etc., etc., Sir John made a speech and after his speech was over, Nehru, apparently not satisfied with the contents of the said speech, asked Sir John why he did not show a copy of his speech to Nehru, before delivering the speech. The instant reply from Sir John was "Why should I show my speech to you? Did you show your speech to me, before it was delivered? So, when the Indian Foreign Minister interfered in an entirely internal matter affecting Sri Lanka, as reported above, the reaction from Sri Lanka authorities should have been "Why are you interfering in our internal affairs? We never interfered in your internal affairs!" Be that as it may, the 13th amendment was forced down our throats, without consulting the people and after the Rajiv — J.R. pact was signed, Rajiv Gandhi said "it will be a short sharp exercise. We will eradicate your terrorist within 72 hours." That assurance was consequent to our introducing the 13th amendment at his request. Any doubting Thomas has only to visit the Government Archives and peruse the newspapers published, immediately after the signing of the agreement referred to, in 1987. Incidentally, Rajiv Gandhi did not keep to his promise and the war which he said will be finished within 3 days, continued for 22 years. If Rajiv Gandhi did not interfere in our internal affairs in 1987, when we were about to finish the war after the Vadamarachchi operations, then peace would have dawned on us in 1987, thus saving billions of rupees spent on a quite justifiable war for 22 years. It is time that we claimed from India, the money we had to spend on war, after signing the Indo Lanka pact. What defies imagination is why the U.N.O., the UNHCR in Geneva, the Secretary Generals and other leading officers in the U. N.O. did not raise any ‘accountability issues’ and failed to haul up Rajiv Gandhi before UNHCR for breaking a promise given to an independent nation, after interfering in the internal affairs of a country which is a full member of the U.N.O (Island : 23 May 2013).

UN intervenes in land issue in North

Now, UN intervenes in land issue in North - by Shamindra Ferdinando - Head of the United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Agnes Asekenye-Oonyu, on Tuesday flew to Palaly, where she discussed the issue with Security Forces Commander, Jaffna, Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe. Ms. Asekenye-Oonyu was accompanied by the deputy head of the mission, Mark Prasopa-Plaizier.  Authoritative sources told The Island that Jaffna Commander had explained the circumstances under which some land had been acquired in accordance with the overall post-war development plan encompassing Palaly and Kankesanthurai. The acquisition of some land in the Valigamam north was necessary to expand the Palaly airport as well as the Kankesanthurai harbour, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe told the visiting delegation.  India recently completed clearing the Kankesanthurai harbour of ship wrecks to pave the way for the expansion and related development work.  The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has repeatedly accused the government of taking over land in the Jaffna peninsula. Recently, a UNP delegation, led by its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, visited Palaly to examine the grievances of Tamil speaking people.  The Jaffna Commander said a section of the media, at the behest of certain interested parties, had been propagating lies to discredit the country. He explained the need for positioning troops within the Palaly-Kankesanthurai sector to face any eventuality.  Commenting on the ongoing resettlement programme in the Jaffna peninsula, the Jaffna Commander said that those displaced due to the acquisition of their land would be settled along the Jaffna coast. They would be adequately compensated, he said.  The visiting delegation was also briefed on the current deployment of troops in the peninsula and gradual decrease of the military presence since the conclusion of the conflict (Island ; 22 May 2013).

The Case against the Thirteenth Amendment - by G. H. Peiris Continued from Midweek Review Yesterday - As I have shown elsewhere in detail, arguments in support province-based devolution in Sri Lanka based on federal experiences of the community of nation-states are also, for the most part, extremely tenuous. At the time romantic SWRD Bandaranaike extolled the virtues of federalism there were only a few multi-ethnic democracies with that system of government. The United States – often hailed as the model federation ? was yet to have universal adult franchise, and (as only a few in Sri Lanka would be aware) one of the compulsory requirements it had for any part of the country to be accorded recognition as a state was that it should have a white majority. Almost the whole of Canada was a snow- or forest-clad wilderness with a thin scatter of settlements dominated, for the most part, by Anglophone migrants, with the Francophone province of Quebec having uneasy links with the rest of the federation. The large federations in South America were under autocratic rule, as was the Soviet Union and Germany. The only exception at that time was the confederacy of Switzerland (smaller than Sri Lanka) which was, in fact, a lose association of scattered and, often, physically isolated, communities, spread over mountainous terrain, each of which had jealously guarded its tradition of independence and self-government over several centuries. Devolution in conflict or post-conflict situations as a modality of either conflict resolution or post-conflict reconciliation has, barring a few experiences, been an unmitigated failure as shown in several highly authoritative world-wide surveys, a few extracts from which are cited below: (Island ; 22 May 2013).

Gotabhaya says "People of Sri Lanka never asked for 13th Amendment. The government is answerable to the people. Let there be a wide ranging discussion on the issue"

JHU will table a motion to repeal 13th amendment (Divaina : 22 May 2013).

On the land issue - by Nalin de Silva - We move from the topic Western science, Astrology and Arsenic temporarily in order to discuss one of the important topics in current politics. It is concerned with the power to distribute land as stated in the thirteenth amendment. The thirteenth amendment is not a solution to a problem in Sri Lanka but an act imposed on us by the Indians modeled on their state administration to solve a problem peculiar to India. India did not consider the history, the Eksesath Rajya we had before the Portuguese came to Sri Lanka, the culture or more importantly the demographic patterns and the powers that changed those patterns after 1506. In this article, I will consider only the problem of land distribution though from 1987 through the APRC I have opposed the 13th amendment in general and land and police powers in particular. At the APRC when Dr. Tissa Vitharana and many others wanted to submit an interim report to satisfy India stating that we agree to implement the 13th amendment in full, it was my objection that prevented them wording the report the way India wanted. I must place on record the dedication of Mr. Udaya Gammanpila of the JHU in opposing the Vitharana move. It is a well known fact obtained from the Portuguese historians that when the Portuguese conquerors came to the island we had an eksesath rajya though they do not refer to such rajya. There was no way that the Portuguese could have understood the system we had, and the reference to kings and an emperor in Kotte demonstrates that the Portuguese historians looked at the eksesath rajya using the concepts they were used to. We never had emperors in this country and the Portuguese who did not know anything of the eksesath rajya referred to the king of Sri Lanka Eksesath Rajya as the emperor. Those who insist on looking at history from the Portuguese point of view will continue with an emperor and so called independent kingdoms in the island. The first state intervention in changing the demographic pattern of the country took place during the period of King Senerath who settled the Muslims who were harassed by the Portuguese in the present eastern province. When King Senerath settled the Muslims in the present eastern province it was populated with the Sinhalas and it was the rice bowl at least from the time of Prince Saddhatissa, who cultivated Digamadulla. In any event the present eastern province was part of the Ruhunu Rata. It has to be mentioned that rata has been used by the Sinhala people not only to refer to the country but to parts of the country as well as exemplified by Atadahas Rata, Dolosdahas Rata etc. The present usage of Uda Rata and Pahatha Rata is following this tradition (Island : 21 May 2013).

A group of Tamil intellectuals demands a referendum on 13th Amendment 

(see details in Island : 19 May 2013).

An article by S Akurugoda on the 13th Amenment (LankaWeb : 17 May 2013). (Amarasara : 18 May 2013).

Holding Northern PC Elections. Amending the 13th Amendment or Abolishing the 13th A altogether with the Rajeev-JR pact. Which one will prevent the formation of EELAM and save the Motherland? - Dr Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS) Retired Permanent Secretary, President Mahanuwara Senior Citizen’s Movement 17.5.2013 - It is now speculated that the Government is ready to amend the 13th A by removing Land and Police powers and hold NPC elections in September. The conclusion of the NPC elections, I would say, could be the end of the control of the Sri Lankan Government in the north and be the beginning of a new phase of conflict which will end up by unilateral declaration of a unit of Tamil self rule that will lay the foundation for the future Tamil EELAM on our soil. The new PC will provide a strong ladder and a legitimate body for the LTTE monkeys and their proxies to convince the International community on the need for separation and setting up of an independent Tamil State in the north with the support of India and more particularly Tamilnadud. The West will kill two birds with this that is destabilizing both Sri Lanka and India. Formation of the NPC therefore I see as the first step in the division of the country. Therefore at a most critical time like this when the nation is at cross roads, a far more dangerous situation than ever before in the history of this Island nation, my wailing conscience compel me to pen these few words as a warning against this most dangerous move for whatever it worth in the name of my motherland and the generation yet to come. In this regard I would like to draw the immediate attention of the President and all concerned citizens of this country to the Island Editorial of 12th April (If they have not seen and read it) where in the editor has concluded his masterpiece editorial with the following quote. “Nobody who has read the Sarkaria and Punchhi Commission reports in juxtaposition will ever recommend such a system of governance (Provincial Councils) for this country. This is why the Northern PC election should never be held. This is why the Provincial Councils system should be scrapped or at the very least reformed. The unit of devolution should never be the province but the district. The need of the hour is to prevent the Indian contagion from affecting Sri Lanka. What the Punchhi Commission makes abundantly clear is that India is now a failing state which cannot counter the centrifugal forces at play in the States. We can’t afford to go down that road.” While highly commending the timeliness and appropriateness of this wonderful editorial I strongly urge all politicians and their learned advisors that they carefully read, re-read and understand this Editorial along with the Sarkaria and Punchhi Reports fully and digest them before they set the self-destructive and disastrous time bomb of NPC elections that will split this beautiful Island asunder into many an eternally antagonistic communal political enclaves killing each other within this Island eternally in future (LankaWeb : 17 May 2013).

Palaly-KKS security zone not raised in phone call from Delhi - Gota checks with GL -   Calls for wide-ranging consultations on 13A -  By Shamindra Ferdinando - Having consulted External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday afternoon, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told The Sunday Island that contrary to media reports, acquiring land by the government for the expansion of Palaly-Kankesanthurai security zone hadn’t been raised by Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid when he phoned his Sri Lankan counterpart on Friday morning. Rajapaksa said that positioning of armed forces during the war as well as post-conflict situation would be the prerogative of the government. The deployment of troops and military assets would be done in accordance with overall post-war security plan hence it couldn’t be amended owing to domestic as well as external factors. External Affairs Minister Peiris is expected to explain the government position in parliament this week. The Defence Secretary said that the issue of poaching Indian fishermen in GoSL custody had also been raised during Friday’s telephone conversation.He said that Sri Lanka needed time and space to addressing remaining issues. Those who had been continuously complaining about heavy security forces presence in the Jaffna peninsula had conveniently forgotten the Sri Lankan Army maintained 43,000 personnel in the Jaffna peninsula during 2007/2008 period whereas current deployment stood at 13,200. But the actual number of ground presence was less as a certain percentage was on leave at any given time, the Defence Secretary said. Commenting on the simmering controversy over high security zones, he said except for Palaly-Kankesanthurai sector, the military had given up all other security zones in the peninsula since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009. The Gajaba Regiment veteran said that the government’s efforts to formalize the taking over of land had been misconstrued as planned seizure of land. In fact, the military had been holding onto the area for many years and was now in the process of formalizing the takeover. The Defence Secretary urged those who had been critical of the government to examine the situation in the Northern and Eastern provinces before and after the conclusion of the conflict. At the height of the conflict, the Palaly-Kankesanthurai sector covered 13,000 acres and now it was down to 6,200 acres, while 21,000 acres of land held by the military, too, had been released in stages. Responding to a query, the Defence Secretary said that the LTTE had held considerable amount of land in the Vanni mainland for many years, though none of those shedding crocodile tears for the civilians dared to urge the LTTE to release land even after the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement in February 2002 (Island : 18 May 2013).

JHU Bill to repeal 13th amendment

Gotabhaya won’t compromise on national security - Gotabhaya - by Shamindra Ferdinando - Military presence in the Jaffna peninsula as well as the Vanni was meant to guarantee the security of people living in the northern region, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said yesterday. He told The Island that security forces’ presence was nothing but a necessity, though various interested parties and a section of the media were playing politics with purely a security issue. The country had paid a very heavy price due to the failure of previous governments to take security measures. "I have no intention of repeating the same mistake," he said without mincing his words. The war veteran was responding to the allegation that an intimidating post-war military presence in the northern region, particularly in the Jaffna electoral district was inimical to restoring full civilian rule. He alleged that critics had conveniently ignored the gradual decrease in military presence since the conclusion of the conflict on May 19, 2009. Whatever the critics say, those who had lived there during the conflict couldn’t be deceived by propagating lies, the Defence Secretary said. The reduction of military presence was visible, not only in the peninsula but in the Vanni as well, he said. The Gajaba Regiment veteran stressed that post-war deployment of security forces was the prerogative of the armed forces in consultation with the Defence Ministry. Commenting on ongoing controversy over high security zones in the Jaffna peninsula, the Defence Secretary said that the presence of the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) deployment in the Jaffna peninsula had been gradually reduced since the end of war. Security Forces Commander Jaffna Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe yesterday said that during the 2007/2008 period, the SLA presence in the Jaffna peninsula and the Jaffna islands amounted to 43,000 personnel. "By December 2009, the SLA strength there consisted of 26,400 officers and men. Today, the total SLA deployment comprised 13,200 personnel," Major General Hathurusinghe said noting the area covered by high security zones, too, had been reduced. The Jaffna Commander said: "In Palaly sector alone, we held 13,000 acres at the height of the conflict. Today, our deployment covers 6,200 acres." (Island : 15 May 2013).

Four Norwegians liable, Colombo court rules - UK, Norway funded peace project goes sour - by Shamindra Ferdinando - A major diplomatic dispute is in the offing with the District Court of Colombo ruling that four Norwegian foreign ministry officials, including its former Ambassador in Colombo, Hilde Haraldstad, are accountable for multiple banking transactions undertaken by local NGO, the Foundation for Co-Existence, in support of ‘peace projects’ underwritten by the governments of Norway and the UK during eelam war IV. The ruling comes in the wake of Norway warning of breaking diplomatic relations if Sri Lanka went ahead with the case. The dispute has sent shock waves through the local NGO community, with Norway insisting those recipients of its funding should throw their weight behind them. At the fifth hearing of the case, Additional District Judge Amali Ranaweera has said that of the 11 defendants, four persons, namely first defendant Ms Haraldstad, fifth defendant State Secretary Espen Barth Eide, sixth defendant Deputy Director General Kjersti Anderson and ninth defendant Foreign Service Control unit director Erik Glenne, were liable in Sri Lankan court. The decision was given on April 30th. The hearing will resume on August 2. NGO guru Dr. Kumar Rupesinghe had moved the District Court of Colombo against 11 Norwegian officials, including former minister Erik Solheim, who had spearheaded the Norwegian peace initiative here. According to the plaintiff, Norway had failed to honour the tripartite agreement, signed in June 2008, under which the Foundation for Co-Existence was to be paid by both the Norwegian and British governments. The signatories to the agreement were Tore Hattrem, the then Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo, on behalf of Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tom Owen–Edmunds, Head of Political and Development Section of the British High Commission, on behalf of British High Commission in Colombo and Dr. Kumar Rupesinghe, on behalf of the Foundation for Co-Existence (Island: 15 May 2013).

JHU Bill to repeal 13th amendment - The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) is to table a bill within next two weeks to repeal the 13th amendment to the Constitution. The decision has been taken at the party's central committe last evening. The CC had taken a decision to request the party leaders to let MPs to vote according to their conscience. Once the bill is tabled the party intends to meet all political parties in parliament including the TNA to explain the purpose behind its bill, party sources told Daily Mirror (Daily Mirror : 15 May 2013).

Island reports that the Leader of the National Freedom Front (NFF), Minister Wimal Weerawansa had stated that this party will start campaigning countrywide from 13 May to create awareness amongst the masses on the importance of conducting the Northern PC poll sans the controversial police and land powers.

An Appeal to Abolish the 13th Amendment which will divide Sri Lanka

Read more about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Sri Lanka

Basil says no final decision yet to repeal certain sections of 13th Amendment - By Franklin R. Satyapalan - National Organizer of the SLFP, Minister Basil Rajapaksa said yesterday that the government has still not reached finality on the longstanding proposition to repeal certain sections of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution considered obstacles to government’s development initiative. He said the effort envisaged the scrapping of land and police powers, an issue which has gathered momentum with the impending Northern PC polls. Rajapaksa was of the opinion that whatever the UPFA government’s final decision on the matter was, it would be the moral obligation and responsibility of all constituent political parties to abide by the President’s decision to conduct the Northern PC polls in September this year. Meanwhile, Leader of the National Freedom Front (NFF), Minister Wimal Weerawansa had stated that this party will start campaigning countrywide from tomorrow (13) to create awareness amongst the masses on the importance of conducting the Northern PC poll sans the controversial police and land powers. When asked to comment on his party’s position on this crucial issue, Weerawansa refused to discuss it and promptly disconnected the line. The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) another constituent Party in the UPFA government led by Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka had also taken up the position that the party is opposed to holding the Northern PC polls and would campaign against it. Basil Rajapaksa said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would make the announcement calling for the holding of PC polls to the Northern, North Western and the Central Provinces at an auspicious time so that the elections could be held in September. The UPFA would not name its chief ministerial candidate as usual and its list of candidates would be multifaceted. The UPFA list would include candidates of its constitutional parties such as the EPDP led by Minister Douglas Devananda in the Jaffna district, All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) headed by Minister Rishard Bathuideen in the Wanni district and the candidates of the Left parties in the coalition, the Minister told The Sunday Island.He said candidates of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) the main constituent party of the UPFA and independent Tamil candidates including academics, lawyers, doctors and intellectuals who had no affiliations whatsoever with any militant group or political party will also be included in the list.. Newspaper advertisements calling for applications from such individuals have been inserted to appear in many Tamil newspapers on Sunday (12) while discussions with prospective individual candidates are also continuing, he noted. "The government has expectations that those elected should be good people who are dedicated to be of service to the Tamil community after the conclusion of the elections in the North", he explained (Island : 11 May 2013).

MOTHER LANKA COMMITS HARA-KIRI - by Malin Abeyatunge - President Rajapaksa in the recent past has been telling the people that Northern Provincial Council(NPC) elections will be held in September under 13 Amendment. If NCP elections are held and the onetime LTTE proxy TNA wins (not if, they will most certainly will) on the very next day the patriotic tabloids if there are any, would carry the headlines as “Mother Lanka commits hara-kiri (ritual suicide) being unable to bear the pain of seeing that she will be dissected into ethnic enclaves”. There is no doubt that TNA is going to win as unlike the Sinhalese, the Tamils will vote only to a Tamil whatever the party is. How much the Tamil population in the North is showered with milk & honey, houses, hospitals, schools, water, electricity, opportunities of employment and self-employment and building infrastructure by the Government, rescuing 283000 Tamils held hostage by the LTTE, still they will forget all good things done by the Rajapaksa Government and vote for TNA who did nothing to uplift their lives but instead supported LTTE to keep the Tamils under the jackboots of LTTE leaders. The government should understand this stark truth before having elections in the North. The UPFA should not take it for granted that the Tamils will vote for UPFA candidates leaving out TNA despite the excellent development taking place in the North for the upliftment of the Tamils. Thousands of Sinhala Ranaviruwan sacrificed their lives and thousands became disabled from all forces in protecting the territorial integrity and unitary status of Mother Lanka. Whilst all Sri Lankan are enjoying the dividends of peace, their sacrifices would be in vain if NPC elections are held under 13A and handover the NPC to TNA Eelamists on a platter. Same way when Varadharaja Perumal declared Unilateral Declaration of Independence in the Eastern Province (though quashed), TNA will declare Unilateral Declaration of Eelam in the Northern Province next morning and implement police and land powers and opt for secession from the Government. They will get hundred precent backing from Tamil Nadu, India and the western countries who have vested interest with the Tamil Diaspora. If such a situation arises, is the government ready with a strategy to quell such situation? Can we have faith that if TNA wins that they will give up its clamour for a separate State? If we observe the behavioural pattern of the TNA over the past few years in domestic politics and in the international arena, they have been propagating separatism with the support of western countries like US, UK, Canada, some EU countries and India, we cannot expect TNA to give up Prabhkaran’s Eelam dream (LankaWeb : 6 May 2013).

Wimal’s protest and Hobson’s choice - National Freedom Front leader and Minister Wimal Weerawansa tells us that he will go it alone on May Day in protest against the government’s decision to hold the northern PC polls and its failure to abolish the 13th Amendment which he considers a threat to Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. Anyone’s right to oppose or support the 13-A cannot be questioned. Minister Weerawansa is exercising his democratic right and has, we think, struck a responsive chord with many Sri Lankans who believe that the provincial system is a failure. The problem with the 13-A is that seriously flawed as it is, it continues to be considered, in some quarters, the panacea for the country’s ethnic ills perhaps for want of a better alternative. If the rights of all Sri Lankans regardless of their ethnicity, religion etc could be protected with equal opportunities provided to one and all, the need for such special mechanisms could be obviated. Apart from being an ambalama (wayfarers’ inn) for politicians rejected at general elections and a stepping stone for others aspiring to enter national politics, the provincial councils have not served the purpose of the general public. Before 1988, we had only two colonies of political leeches, one at the national level and the other at the grassroots level. Now, we have three to contend with! However, the abolition of the 13-A is not as easy as the demolition of a wayside wall, given the tremendous pressure Sri Lanka has come under from India as well as the West. Some political analysts have attributed the failure of the provincial councils to the fact that they have all been controlled by the two main parties since the collapse of the North-East PC run by the pro-Indian EPRLF led by Vartharajah Perumal. And they believe that the Northern PC to be elected will make a difference with the TNA at its helm. The northerners, the proponents of devolution argue, have been discriminated against as they have been denied a constitutionally guaranteed right to elect a provincial council whereas their counterparts in all other provinces have exercised theirs (Island : 24 April 2013).

Sri Lanka Defence Secretary tells Indian MPs

A separate system of governance for the Northern and Eastern Provinces would never be a reality

Bombs: US and Sri Lanka - by  Malin Abeyatunge- Our sympathies are with kith and kin of the three victims of the Boston Bomb Blast and many others who were injured. But Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria who experience daily bombs blasts and Sri Lanka up to 19 May 2009 experiencing daily bomb blasts by LTTE terrorists should have no sympathy with America nor they will condemn the brutal act because of America’s double standards on terrorism. Before 2009 every other day there was a bomb blast by LTTE suicide bombers. Bombs planted by LTTE in Colombo and its suburbs, North, North Central Province and the East killed hundreds of innocent civilians. But America and her allies in the west never sympathised with the hapless victims nor America did condemned those dastardly acts. Instead America continued to harbour LTTE activists in her soil and even now. There is one time LTTE terrorist activist who is wearing different hat and now in good books of some American congressmen. I refer to LTTE front TGTE operating freely in USA. US President Barack Obama has vowed to track down the people responsible. ""Make no mistake, we will get to the bottom of this," he told a press conference. "We will find out who did this and why they did this." Good on you Mr. Obama. One of Sri Lanka’s popular ministers Mr. Jeyaraj Fernadopulle and 14 others were killed including our Olympic marathon athlete Karunaratne (took part in 1992 Olympics in Barcelona ) injuring many other onlookers on 6 April 2008 by LTTE in the same manner when the minster as chief guest was about to flag off a marathon race as part of the Sinhala New year celebration. Where was America and its allies then? They never cared to condemn the terrorist act bluntly nor the western media didn’t give much coverage to that massacre like the way they give it to Boston Bomb blast. But when President Rajapaksa annihilated the LTTE terrorist outfit once and for all, America and its allies instead of congratulating him, talk of "genocide"" by the armed forces and trying to bring charges against the President and the armed forces for war crimes conniving with UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon and Navi Pillai. According to western media reports Obama has not called it a terrorist act. But "The United States Department of Defense defines terrorism as "the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological." Within this definition, there are three key elements—violence, fear, and intimidation—and each element produces terror in its victims. The FBI uses this: "Terrorism is the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." The U.S. Department of State defines terrorism to be "premeditated politically-motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience". (Source Google). Then What is it Mr.Obama? Who ever who is behind this is a terrorist or a terrorist group. America and its allies wanted SL Government to talk peace with LTTE terrorists when hundreds of ordinary civilians were killed over the years before 2009 when they were conclusively annihilated by the Rajapaksa Government. We would like to see America pardoning the terrorists involved in Boston Blast without taking revenge.The American Government should at least now stop the "Double Standard" policy on terrorism. Don’t hang on to the false claims made by LTTE rump calling "Genocide" in Sri Lanka with the support of UNHRC Commissioner Navi Pillai and third rate media propaganda by Channel 4 etc. It’s time for Obama the administration thought not to pursue with the War crime against Sri Lanka knowing very well it was planned by the LTTE rump ( most brutal terrorist outfit before 2009) and cunningly put forward by Navi Pillai . Please throw that paper into the bin before the next UNHRC session and allow Sri Lanka space to complete the rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconciliation process for a peaceful Sri Lanka (Island : 19 April 2013).

BOSTON ONLY TWO BOMBS AND HUNDREDs OF BOMB BLASTS IN SRI LANKA UNTIL 19 MAY 2009 - by Malin Abeyatunge - Our sympathies are with kith & kin of the three (reports 4 now) victims of the Boston Bomb Blast and many others who were injured. But Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria who experience daily bombs blasts and Sri Lanka up to 19 May 2009 experiencing daily bomb blasts by LTTE terrorists should have no sympathy with America nor they will condemn the brutal act because of America’s double standards on terrorism. Before 2009 every other day is a bomb blast by LTTE suicide bombers. Bombs planted by LTTE in Colombo and its suburbs, North, North Central Province and the East killed hundreds of innocent civilians. But America and her west allies never sympathised with the hapless victims nor America condemned those dastardly acts. Instead America continued to harbour LTTE activists in her soil and even now. There is one time LTTE terrorist activist who is wearing different hat and now in good books of some American congressmen. I refer to LTTE front TGTE operating freely in USA. US President Barack Obama has vowed to track down the people responsible. “”Make no mistake, we will get to the bottom of this,” he told a press conference. “We will find out who did this and why they did this.” Good on you Mr. Obama. One of Sri Lanka’s popular ministers Mr.Jeyaraj Fernadopulle and 14 others were killed including our Olympic marathon athlete Karunaratne (took part in 1992 Olympics in Barcelona ) injuring many other onlookers on 6 April 2008 by LTTE in the same manner when the minster as chief guest was about to flag off a marathon race as part of the Sinhala New year celebration. Where was America and its allies then? They never cared to condemn the terrorist act bluntly nor the western media didn’t give much coverage to that massacre like the way they give it to Boston Bomb blast. But when President Rajapaksa annihilated the LTTE terrorist outfit once and for all, America and its allies instead of congratulating him, talk of “genocide”” by the armed forces and trying to bring charges against the President and the armed forces for war crimes conniving with UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moont and Navi Pillai. Western press reported that Obama has said that it’s not a terrorist act. But ”The United States Department of Defense defines terrorism as “the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological.” Within this definition, there are three key elements—violence, fear, and intimidation—and each element produces terror in its victims. The FBI uses this: “Terrorism is the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.” The U.S. Department of State defines terrorism to be “premeditated politically-motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience”. (Source Google). Then What is it Mr.Obama? Who ever who is behind this is a terrorist or a terrorist group. America and its allies wanted SL Government to talk peace with LTTE terrorists when hundreds of ordinary civilians were killed over the years before 2009 when they were conclusively annihilated by the Rajapaksa Government. We would like to see America pardoning the terrorists involved in Boston Blast without taking revenge. The American Government should at least now stop the “Double Standard” policy on terrorism. Don’t hang on to the false claims made by LTTE rump calling “Genocide” in Sri Lanka with the support of UNHRC Commissioner Navi Pillai and third rate media propaganda by Channel 4 etc. It’s time for Obama administration thought not to pursue with the War crime against Sri Lanka knowing very well it was planned by the LTTE rump ( most brutal terrorist outfit before 2009) and cunningly put forward by Navi Pillai . Please throw that paper into the bin before the next UNHRC session and allow Sri Lanka space to complete the rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconciliation process for a peaceful Sri Lanka.

Separate system of governance for N&E won’t be a reality - Defence Secy tells Indian MPs - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has told a visiting Indian parliamentary delegation that a separate system of governance for the Northern and Eastern Provinces would never be a reality. The Defence Secretary was responding to a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) suggestion, made through the six-member Indian delegation, during a meeting at the Defence Ministry last Thursday afternoon. The war veteran alleged that the TNA had been repeating the LTTE demands since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009. Sources described the discussions as cordial. Having met the TNA leadership in Colombo as well as in Jaffna, the Indian delegation told the Defence Secretary that the political grouping was no longer interested in either 13th Amendment to the Constitution or 13 plus. Instead, the TNA and some civil society representatives, according to the Indian delegation, preferred a separate system of governance for the two provinces. The delegation also met External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe et al.The Indian delegation told Defence Secretary Rajapaksa that the TNA was perturbed over post-war Sinhala settlements coming up in the Northern region as well as new security forces cantonments. The Defence Secretary emphasized that there hadn’t been a single such settlement, while inquiring whether the Indian delegation was aware of any. Responding to a query regarding new security forces cantonments that were being established in the Northern region, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa pointed out that unlike in India, families of security forces personnel hadn’t been accommodated in any of the bases in the Northern Province. He invited the Indian delegates to visit the Northern bases to see the situation for themselves. Having explained the measures taken by the government to provide relief to the people of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, since the conclusion of the conflict, the Defence Secretary stressed that India, Tamil Nadu and the rest of the international community should appreciate what the government had done. He asserted that external pressure was inimical to the post-war recovery process. The Indian delegation assured the Defence Secretary that India was a friend of Sri Lanka and the delegation wasn’t here to question the government or engage in a fact-finding mission. The Defence Secretary alleged that the TNA had done nothing for the Tamils since the end of the conflict. He said that de-mining had been prerequisite for resettlement of the internally displaced persons and the government gave priority to reconstruction and rehabilitation. He said that the government’s obligation was to the people (Island ; 15 March 2013).

Sri Lanka Online News wishes a Happy Sinhala and Hindu New Year

Can US ignore TNAs complicity in LTTE terror? Gotabhaya - EU report cited to prove direct link - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that US Ambassador Michele J. Sison was either ignorant of the post-war situation in the country or chose to ignore it in deeping with the US?agenda. Ambassador Sisons recent speech at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo was meant to strengthen those still pursuing a separatist agenda, both here and abroad, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa told The Island. The outspoken official was responding to Ambassador Sisons address to members of the Colombo based Foreign Correspondents Association (FCA) on Wednesday evening. Commenting on the Ambassadors assertion that the resumption of a dialogue with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on political devolution is crucial, Rajapaksa said the US should realize the TNA was playing politics with the issue. He emphasized that the TNA had regained its right to represent Tamil speaking people again only after the eradication of the LTTE in May 2009. Until then, the TNA simply acted as the LTTEs mouthpiece both here and abroad. Maybe Ambassador Sison still doesnt know Prabhakaran compelled the TNA to recognize the LTTE as the sole representative of Tamil speaking people way back in 2001. That effectively kept the TNA out of the Norwegian-led negotiating process. As TNA leaders feared for their lives, they remained silent. None of the Colombo based diplomatic missions, including the US, intervened on behalf of the TNA, the Defence Secretary said. He said that latterly the TNA joined the LTTE in its strategy to pursue the eelam project and contested the December 2001 parliamentary under the auspices of the LTTE. European Union Election Monitoring Mission, in its report alleged that TNA candidates had benefited from the LTTE unleashing violence on other political parties in the fray, he said. The visiting EU monitors even reported how the LTTE stuffed ballot boxes on behalf of the TNA candidates, the retired colonel said. The official said that those demanding accountability on Sri Lankas part for alleged atrocities were strangely silent on the TNAs role during the conflict. Let TNA at least explain its position on the LTTE using children as cannon fodder as well deploying them on suicide missions, the Defence Secretary said. He said that the LTTE went to the extent of depriving people of the Northern and Eastern Provinces of their franchise at the November 2005 presidential polls. In fact, the polls boycott decision had been announced by the TNA in Kilinochchi in the run-up to the November 17, 2005 election, the Defence Secretary said. Today, the TNA is presented as Tamil peoples only choice, Rajapaksa said, urging US Ambassador to clarify matters with the TNA, which in fact backed the LTTEs war to the hilt to the very end. Although the LTTE remained a proscribed organization in the US as well as the UK, those who had been working with the LTTE at different levels were operating freely, the Defence Secretary said. The official said that ambassador Sisons explanation on second US resolution targeting Sri Lanka was deceptive. The ambassador was speaking as if Sri Lanka was the only issue at Geneva, whereas the US was isolated on several other votes at the recently concluded Geneva sessions. The Defence Secretary said that those preaching to us on media freedom had acted differently when they felt their interests were threatened. The US response to Wiki Leaks revelations highlighted its double standards in dealing with similar situations, the Defence Secretary said. Instead of investigating massive abuses, the US arrested the person accused of releasing US military and diplomatic cables and then dismissed the US State Department spokesperson who criticized the bad treatment of the suspect. The war veteran said that the international community hadnt been bothered about accountability issues when the LTTE was in command. Have you ever heard of them demanding accountability when the LTTE was advancing its campaign of death and destruction, he asked (Island : 11 April 2013).

India gave LTTE Rs 50 lakh as compensation for Indo-Lanka pact - by B Sivakumar, TNN Courtesy The Times of India - CHENNAI: Did India compensate the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) after the 1987 Indo-Lanka pact and the dispatch of Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka? The US administration believed so, according to a cable sent by its embassy here and released by Wikileaks. A cable dated April 5, 1988 cites newspaper reports, which quoted J N Dixit, then Indian envoy to Sri Lanka that a stipend was agreed upon and was to be paid to the LTTE by the Indian government in view of the tax loss it suffered after IPKF was sent. The US cable said Rs 50 lakh was the compensation paid to the LTTE in July 1987 and only one payment was made before September that year when LTTE walked out of the deal over its participation in the interim council. An unnamed LTTE spokesman in Madras is quoted as saying that the payment was part of a larger secret package of guarantees, which Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi offered LTTE leader V Prabhakaran in July 1987 to get him to agree to the bilateral accord, said the cable. “We were in the jungles when the amount was said to have been paid to the LTTE. There was no communication from the ministry of external affairs to us about the payment made to get Prabhakaran to agree to the terms. It must have been a move by the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW),” said Col (retd) R Hariharan, an analyst of Sri Lankan affairs, who served in the IPKF. Other features of the package for the LTTE included an assurance of an offer of 7 out of 12 seats to enable it to form a majority in the interim provincial council in the north and east of Sri Lanka. India said it would route Rs 1 billion through the interim council to rehabilitate Jaffna besides $40million that was agreed upon by New Delhi at an earlier consortium meeting in Paris. The Indian government also promised to develop a police force after the formation of the interim council. Despite all this, the deal fell through almost the same day, said the cable. As a parting shot, the embassy expressed doubt over the agreement itself. It said, “Left unsaid is an indication whether the package suggested above is still on the table in India-LTTE talks, which apparently have been going on for sometime.” Quoting a BBC correspondent, the cable said talks between the LTTE and India began in Madras in February 1988, but fell through a week later (LankaWeb : 10 April 2013).

LTTE could have threatened Karunanidhi, U.S. surmises - R. K. Radhakrishnan (Courtesy the Hindu) - Tamil Tigers might have threatened the then Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, in 1989 “with a significant increase in the level of militant violence in Tamil Nadu” if he did not “boost their cause,” the United States surmised. “While all agree that it would be counterproductive for Karunanidhi to continue overt support for the several losers among the Sri Lankan Tamil political groups, his energetic and unwavering and totally uncritical agreement with the LTTE’s every move is raising numerous eyebrows, and alienating members of his own party… One extreme view, to which we do not subscribe, is that Karunanidhi is interested in a Tamil eelam variant for his Indian state. Another, perhaps more credible theory is that the LTTE has threatened Karunanidhi with a significant increase in the level of militant violence in Tamil Nadu, enough perhaps to lead to the imposition of President’s rule, if he doesn’t boost their cause,” says a cable from the U.S. Consulate in Chennai to its Embassy in New Delhi and the State Department (90MADRAS1249_a, CONFIDENTIAL). In its heyday after ‘driving’ out the Indian Peace Keeping Force, and burning bridges with friends in New Delhi and Colombo, the gun-toting Tigers had a free run in Tamil Nadu, till they over-reached themselves with the killing of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The cable speculates if Mr. Karunanidhi was becoming the LTTE’s elder statesman, and details the understanding of the U.S. Consulate of the situation which led to Mr. Karunanidhi’s change of stance. Citing Mr. Karunanidhi’s stance against the Indian Peace Keeping Force, his spin on the LTTE abducting Tamil Nadu fishermen and his futile but persistent attempts at forging unity among the fratricidal militant Tamil groups in Sri Lanka, the cable concludes that “the Chief Minister has gone out of his way to demonstrate his commitment to the Tigers — at what would appear to be significant political cost. No political figure here, least of all from the DMK, can explain to anyone’s satisfaction the gamebook Karunanidhi is using. As he becomes more and more of a ‘Tamil eelam hardliner’, some may feel he is burning bridges with Delhi. We are at present baffled.” (Lankaweb : 9 April 2013).

Agreements that betrayed Sri Lanka : 2002 Ceasefire Agreement - by Shenali Waduge - Winning hearts and minds of terrorists, mentality of surrender, advocating theory of “unwinnable war” and policy of appeasing, reducing the country to a pariah state, knowingly giving a terrorist organization status on par with a sovereign state and a democratic government were the characteristics of those led by Ranil Wickremasinghe that went on to sign 2002 infamous ceasefire agreement today described as one of the greatest betrayals of the nation. The supporters of the ceasefire were those that equated the removal of checkpoints giving them freedom of movement as a victory for freedom and peace to the entire nation. Little did these people think what these “removals” and carte blanches would eventually mean to the entire nation. Lust for power is no different from those unwilling to give up power. Similarly, those that hunger for personal glory and international acceptance rarely view what is good for the nation above their personal gains. These weaknesses as one should view them led to the blindness to the reality of what the 2002 ceasefire agreement would entail. The lack of consultation and the total disregard to the views of the People of Sri Lanka depicted arrogance of those that hungered for personal glory. The lessons are that these very protagonists signatory to the agreement and those that praised it and spoke in favor of it are not suited to be entrusted with handling any matters related to Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and territorial integrity – ever. Unfortunately, some of these players continue to hold key portfolios and continue to maintain the same mentality and questions those that watch these officials once again attempt to dig Sri Lanka’s grave. It was Kathy Stone writing to the Weekend Liberal in 2002 that exposed how LTTE would have used Charles Gnanakone to strike a deal with the UNF Government that led to the 2002 CFA. Incidentally, it was Gnanakone’s brother who smuggled shipments of weapons to the LTTE via our own customs. It was Ranil’s Chief Negotiator and our present Foreign Minister who went to the extent of requesting the lifting of the ban on the LTTE that his predecessor Mr. Lakshman Kadiragamar worked hard to achieve. Did we also forget to say that this same Chief Negotiator and present Foreign Minister called Anton Balasingham as “Your Excellency”! (LankaWeb : 07 April 2013).

An Appeal to Abolish the 13th Amendment which will divide Sri Lanka

Petition published by Mithrathwa Sansadaya (Click here)

Read more about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Sri Lanka

13-A: A response - by D. Siriratna - I refer to the letter of Gamini Gunawardana appearing in your issue of 27th March, 2013 under the caption Positive of Geneva Resolution that the Government immediately proceed to do away with the obnoxious 13th amendment. He has also very correctly stated that Sri Lanka seize this opportunity and immediately abolish the 13th amendment. While totally endorsing the views expressed by Mr. Gunawardana, may I be permitted to make the following observations on this subject.  Way back in 1982, a referendum was held covering the entire island to get the approval of the voters to extend the period of the Parliament by six years, without holding a general election. The people endorsed the extension of the period of the parliament. Extending the period of the Parliament by six years, fades into total insignificance when compared with the far reaching changes made to the Constitution by the 13th amendment. Thus, a referendum would have been an absolute necessity, to ascertain the views of the voters with regard to the 13th amendment. Moreover, when the 13th amendment was referred to a Constitutional Court, the nine judge bench returned a 5-4 verdict, in favour of the amendment, It was wafer thin majority, where four eminent Judges were not satisfied with the 13th amendment. In an ordinary trial by jury consisting of seven members, if the Jury brings a 4-3 verdict, then the presiding Judge asks the Jury to reconsider their decision. If the Jury, thereafter, returns the same verdict, then the Jury is dissolved and the case will get heard before a fresh jury. Thus, the 13th amendment is bad in law on two counts. i.e 1. Not holding a referendum and 2 Wafer thin Majority of the judges referred to (Island : 01 April 2013).

India rejects TN resolution against SL - Days after the DMK pulled out of the Centre and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa barred Sri Lankan cricketers from playing in Chennai, the Indian Central government has rejected the Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution against Colombo. The resolution sought a separate Eelam for Sri Lankan Tamils and said Sri Lanka should not be treated as a friendly country by India. Speaking to CNN-IBN's Karan Thapar on this week's Devil's Advocate, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said while the government was sensitive to Tamil concerns, it won't accept such demands. Following is the transcript of an excerpt from the interview: (Daily Mirror : 29 March 2013).

Probe on LTTE war crimes in Lanka should start with Karuna: HRW - The Human Rights Watch (HRW) today called for an investigation into war crimes allegations against the LTTE, starting with a probe into the role played by its former deputy leader, now a Sri Lankan deputy minister. The New York-based rights watch group has termed “cynical” the call for probe by Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan aka Karuna, currently the deputy minister of resettlement in the UPFA coalition led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, given the minister’s alleged “prominent” role in the war crimes. “The Sri Lankan government should act on the call by a government deputy minister to investigate war crimes by examining his own role in serious abuses”, a statement said. “Karuna’s call for war crimes investigations should not allow him to airbrush out his own role in atrocities. His LTTE forces were implicated in some of Sri Lanka’s most horrific abuses, so the government’s long-stalled war crimes investigations might as well begin with him”, HRW Asia Director Brad Adams said. In June 1990, 400 to 600 police officers who had surrendered to LTTE forces, many of whom may have been under Karuna’s control, were bound, gagged and beaten. The LTTE then executed the Sinhalese and Muslim police officers among them, the HRW said (The Hindu Business Line : 28 March 2013).

Probe on LTTE war crimes should start with ‘Col’ Karuna: HRW - The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday called for an investigation into war crimes allegations against the LTTE, starting with a probe into the role played by its former deputy leader, now a Sri Lankan deputy minister. The New York-based rights watch group has termed “cynical” the call for probe by Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan aka Karuna, currently the deputy minister of resettlement in the UPFA coalition led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, given the minister’s alleged “prominent” role in the war crimes. “The Sri Lankan government should act on the call by a government deputy minister to investigate war crimes by examining his own role in serious abuses,” a statement said. “Karuna’s call for war crimes investigations should not allow him to airbrush out his own role in atrocities. His LTTE forces were implicated in some of Sri Lanka’s most horrific abuses, so the government’s long-stalled war crimes investigations might as well begin with him,” HRW Asia Director Brad Adams said (Deccan Herald : 28 March 2013).

Sri Lanka: Probe into LTTE Crimes Should Start with Karuna - Deputy Minister Among Senior Leaders Linked to Wartime Atrocities - (New York) – The Sri Lankan government should act on the call by a government deputy minister to investigate war crimes by examining his own role in serious abuses. In early March 2013, Deputy Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, known as Col. Karuna, called for war crimes investigations into the Tamil National Alliance, an opposition coalition of ethnic Tamil political parties, presumably because some members had links to the secessionist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Karuna was effectively the second-in-command of the LTTE and the head of its Eastern Province forces until he broke away from the group’s leader, Vellupillai Prabhakaran, in March 2004. “Karuna’s call for war crimes investigations should not allow him to airbrush out his own role in atrocities,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “His LTTE forces were implicated in some of Sri Lanka’s most horrific abuses, so the government’s long-stalled war crimes investigations might as well begin with him.” LTTE forces under Karuna’s command were directly involved in some of the worst crimes of Sri Lanka’s 26-year-long armed conflict, which ended in May 2009, Human Rights Watch said. In June 1990, 400 to 600 police officers who had surrendered to LTTE forces, many of whom may have been under Karuna’s control, were bound, gagged, and beaten. The LTTE then executed the Sinhalese and Muslim police officers among them. Karuna has admitted that the LTTE committed these killings in an interview with the BBC, but claims he was not at the scene. Under the legal principle of command responsibility, though, Karuna could still be criminally liable for the massacre even if he was not physically present. In another case, in July 1990, Karuna’s forces stopped a convoy of Muslims traveling in eastern Batticaloa district and executed about 75 people, including women and children. In August 1990 Karuna’s forces killed more than 200 civilians in two incidents in Batticaloa district. The LTTE widely recruited and used children as soldiers, which Human Rights Watch documented in a 2004 report, “Living in Fear: Child Soldiers and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.” Karuna’s forces played a prominent role, routinely visiting Tamil homes to tell parents to provide a child for “the movement.” The LTTE harassed and threatened families that resisted, and boys and girls were abducted from their homes at night or while walking to school. After Karuna broke away from the LTTE, his forces continued to operate with the complicity of the Sri Lankan government security forces. The Karuna group, as it was known, abducted children for use as soldiers in Sri Lanka’s eastern districts, taking boys from their homes, work places, temples, playgrounds, public roads, camps for the internally displaced, and even weddings. These abuses are documented in Human Rights Watch’s 2007 report, “Complicit in Crime: State Collusion in Abductions and Child Recruitment by the Karuna Group.” The Karuna group eventually joined forces with the Sri Lankan security forces and helped push back the LTTE’s stronghold in the east. After that, Karuna entered politics. He has been a member of parliament since 2008. His party is part of the coalition of the governing United People’s Freedom Alliance. He is currently the deputy minister for resettlement. “Karuna has enjoyed immunity for some of the worst atrocities committed during Sri Lanka’s long conflict,” Adams said. “His threat to initiate investigations against a political party is a cynical gesture aimed at silencing the opposition while denying his own responsibility for war crimes.” (Human Rights Watch : 28 March 2013).

TN crisis bolsters anti-devolution project – Gotabhaya - Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that the ongoing crisis in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, over accountability issues here, should discourage those pushing for devolution of power under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. A hostile provincial administration in the Northern or the Eastern Province in Sri Lanka could be inimical to the post-war national reconciliation process, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said in an exclusive interview with The Island. Such an administration could be as intimidating as the conventional military challenge posed by the LTTE, he said. Asserting that Tamil Nadu was clearly dictating terms to the Central government of India at the behest of some Western powers as well as the LTTE rump, represented by the UK-based Global Tamil Forum (GTF), the outspoken official said that the deepening crisis in Tamil Nadu was nothing but a glaring lesson for the Sri Lankan government. "Could we afford to have a provincial administration here, which pointed a gun at the national leadership at the drop of a hat? We don’t want to be at the mercy of scheming provincial administrations," the Defence Secretary said, highlighting the danger in foreign powers using bankrupt local elements to influence sovereign governments. "We have had bad experience on a number of occasions due to foreign interference in our affairs. We are determined not to allow external elements to meddle in domestic politics at the expense of national reconciliation," the Defence Secretary said. With an unprecedented two thirds majority in Parliament, the government could take tangible action in accordance with the country’s Constitution to safeguard national interests. The Defence Secretary said that those wanting to drag Sri Lanka before an international war crimes tribunal should peruse a recent commentary by former Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal. He said that Sibal had lucidly highlighted the absurdity of the situation in one paragraph: "If our foreign policy towards Sri Lanka should be based on the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu today, then sentiments in West Bengal should dictate our foreign policy towards Bangladesh tomorrow, and those in UP and Bihar should determine what we do with Nepal day after. It would be a mistake to begin treating our relations with our neighbours as extensions of the pulls and pressures of our domestic politics. Our neighbours are independent, sovereign countries, which require that we control our domestic lobbies and prevent them from distorting our policies in our periphery. Moreover, when the states are today resisting strongly encroachment on their powers in a federal system, they should also respect the prerogative of the Centre to make foreign policy." The former Indian Foreign Secretary couldn’t have made the statement at a better time, the Defence Secretary said alleging that Tamil Nadu was being used by Western powers to influence the Center much to the embarrassment to all those concerned. India would never have voted against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for two consecutive years if not for heavy Tamil Nadu pressure over this particular issue, the Defence Secretary said (Island : 28 March 2012).

Urgent need of the day – an island wide Referendum is needed to test the 13th Amendment - by Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra - The recent Geneva Resolutions against Sri Lanka, instigated by the US and India, have been designed to enforce the 13th amendment fully. The 13th amendment was enacted in 1987 by the then President, JR Jayewardene; at that time he failed to hold a referendum to seek the consensus of the masses – as required by the Constitution. The learned Supreme Court judge, the late Justice, Raja Wanasundera, in his judgment about the enactment stated that it was an unlawful act. The then government still passed legislation, with the legal advice given to it by the then Attorney General (who is today a leading figure in the international Tamil Diaspora and works against the Government). In 1987, there was no popular support for the 13th amendment. The Indo-Sri Lanka pact that prescribed the enactment was signed when the populous was vehemently demonstrating against it, all round the country. It is reported that closer 1000 public owned buses alone were burnt down by the angry citizens (not a single Tamil was harmed). Many innocent protestors were shot dead by the security forces. An island wide curfew was imposed prior to signing of the pact. The then Prime Minister and the Deputy Defence Minister boycotted the pact signing ceremony. A disgruntled naval officer, tried to assault the visiting Indian Prime Minister – some say his (stupid) action was a personification of the dissatisfaction of the whole nation. Even today, more than 26 years after the enactment, it seems majority of the Sri Lankans still detest the 13th amendment. The provincial council system has become a monstrous white elephant. It has rendered no service to the country, but has imposed many burdens on the public, including heavy taxes. Very little of the central government’s allocated funds go to the people, this is because most are spent on maintaining the provincial government machinery. The works of the provincial governments can be effectively done by the central government (this was the case until 1987). Having separate governments for such small units like Wayamba, Sabaragamuwa, etc giving them wide legislative powers is nothing but a big joke (some provinces do not even have more than 300,000 voters and the land mass for some provincial councils is too small). (LankaWeb : 28 March 2013).

Senator Segal’s (Canada’s) Attitude to Sri Lanka - by Ira de Silva London, Ontario - The Honourable Hugh Segal Member of the Senate of Canada , Ottawa, Ontario; Dear Sir: I am writing to you regarding your views expressed prior to your visit to Sri Lanka when you claimed that you were going with an open mind and your snide remarks at a meeting in Sri Lanka at the lecture titled “The Commonwealth as Force for Good” where you were a guest, which indicate that far from having an open mind, you were expressing the same biased, belligerent attitude of your fellow members of the Conservative Party in the Canadian Government. You attended the lecture after visiting the north of Sri Lanka and had seen the effort by Sri Lanka to develop that part of the country which had been laid to waste by the LTTE for the past 30 years which is why you refer to concrete superstructures. However you went on to say “but superstructures of civility and generosity would be of immense value”. You imply that there is a lack of civility and generosity. If re-directing most of Sri Lanka’s post war spending to the war ravaged areas of the north, perhaps at the expense of the other parts of the country, is not generosity, what is? As for civility, can you explain what was “uncivil” in the effort to restore peace and an create an environment in which the people of the country can resume their normal lives? That you have recognised the huge difficulties that needed to be overcome and seen the tremendous achievements made in such a short space of time but refuse to acknowledge progress, indicates how mean spirited Canada is, that you are not generous and that certainly you are uncivil. Considering that Canada has permitted funding of Tamil terrorism for decades, perhaps you are just expressing Canada’s disappointment that terrorism was ended and that you can not report back to your government and Canadian Tamil supporters of LTTE terrorism that development is taking place, that there is peace and that civilians are living without fear which was what Canada was supporting prior to 2009 (LankaWeb : 27 March 2013).

Positives of Geneva Resolution - by Gamini Gunawardane - The Geneva circus has come and gone. I would like to point out some positives that arise out of the ensuing seemingly dismal situation. First is that the Rajapaksa government despite all its faults, has received a fresh popularity boost from the country free of charge! As a result of the US sponsored anti-Sri Lankan resolution passed in the Geneva sessions of the UNHRC last week, the country has reaffirmed its backing for the government which was becoming unpopular owing to the imminent increase of electricity charges following the recent fuel price hike. It was just emerging from its recent unpopular move resulting in the expelling of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranyake in a shoddy procedure. Now the government comes back smiling as if nothing happened! It looks like this is going to be a free annual popularity boost for the government courtesy US, EU and India, a feature that the Opposition will not fancy. But the more important positive is the golden opportunity it has presented the government, if it is interested long term, to immediately proceed to do away with the obnoxious 13th Amendment. Let me explain. The only reason that the government seems to hesitate to do this is the concern that it may displease the Indian government that is pushing this as the political solution to the perceived ‘national’ problem facing this country. India, has voted against Sri Lanka for a second time, though under extreme pressure by Tamil Nadu. It is now crystal clear that India is acting solely in its self interest. If India wanted the US resolution to be watered down, it is not for the love of Sri Lanka, but for its own protection so that it does not boomerang on them on a future date when the US gets cross with them. Hence it is no sin to act in self interest in these matters. It is fair game. It is now clear that if we do not do what is good for us nobody else is going to do it for us. How we finally finished the terrorist problem is the best example here. Hence this suggestion that Sri Lanka seize this opportunity and immediately abolish the 13th Amendment. For, right now India may be too embarrassed to intervene in such a move (Island : 26 March 2013).

Sea tigers open new front, with suicide attacks at sea - War on terror revisited - Part 122 - by Shamindra Ferdinando - Maintaining a lifeline to troops based in the Jaffna peninsula during three phases of the eelam conflict was unarguably the single most difficult task undertaken by the security forces during this period. Had the navy failed in its challenging task, the army would have had no option but to quit Jaffna at the onset of eelam war II (June 1990 to Aug. 1994), thereby giving the LTTE control over the entire Northern Province. The navy struggled to meet the growing requirement for arms, ammunition and equipment as well as food in the Jaffna peninsula as the army gradually expanded its deployment there. Convoys moving from Trincomalee to Kankesanthurai sometimes had to fight their way into Kankesanthurai. Even unloading of armaments at the main northern port at Kankesanthurai had to be carried out under mortar fire. At the onset of eelam war II, the LTTE had gun positions close to Kankesanthurai as well as Palaly to engage the harbour and the airfield. During the third week of Oct 1990, over four months after the outbreak of eelam war II, the army launched Operation Jayashakthi to expand the area under its control to give some depth to the Palaly and Kankesanthurai bases. Soon after the conclusion of the operation, President Ranasinghe Premadasa flew to Palaly along with the service chiefs, for an on-the-spot assessment. At the height of the conflict in Nov. 2008, the army had four divisions deployed in the peninsula comprising over 40,000 troops. Although the air force played a vital role in maintaining an air bridge, the navy had to bear the major burden (Island : 26 March 2013).

Senator Hugh Segal and his snide remark in Colombo - by Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . Canada;  The Honourable Hugh Segal Member of the Senate of Canada Parliament of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; Honourable Senator Segal: Here is what I read on reports of your visit to Colombo. Sunday March 24, 2013, “GL (G.L.Peiris, Sri Lanka’s Minister of External Affairs) reacts angrily to Canadian Senator’s comments”. “It was Sri Lanka’s number one diplomat, External Affairs Minister G.L.Peiris in a burst of anger, Peiris was to tell the Senator in the presence of all, that had he not been a guest of the Government, he would have known how to deal with him.” Hmmmm…..rough going I see, Senator! The Daily News of Monday, 25 March 2013, said “NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL COMMONWEALTH DOCTRINE – Minister Peiris”. And it continued: “Senator Segal was also asked by a journalist: When the Canadian indigenous people went on hunger strike, the Canadian courts gave a ruling adverse to the Canadian government?” “Yes, we did not however impeach the Chief Justice due to that adverse ruling, ‘Senator Segal said. Had I not been the host I would have retorted to that inappropriate remark in a much sharper manner, Minister retorted.” Hmmmm……..ugly…ugly…..ugly, Senator! So you delayed Canada’s Ides-of-March by one week to do your “Et tu Brute” on Sri Lanka in Colombo. But this time it was not with a dagger but with a closed fist to hit Sri Lanka below her belt. You asked for it, and I wish Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Minister G.L.Peiris, ripped into you, guest or no guest of the Government of Sri Lanka, and it would have been an exciting debate for all who were at your presentation at the Lakshman Kadiragamar Institute to be judge and jury, and to show you that Sri Lanka too can, perhaps better Canada, with Sri Lanka’s brand of fire works, compared to what you are used to on a July1st (LankaWeb : 26 March 2013).

India must boycott Colombo CHOGM, say DMK and AIADMK - BY S. VENKAT NARAYAN Our Special Correspondent - NEW DELHI, March 25: Even though Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is planning to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo in November, pressure is mounting on him not to go.  Amid protests in support of Sri Lankan Tamils in Tamil Nadu, the state’s ruling All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) today mounted pressure on the Centre, demanding that India boycott the Colombo summit.  "At the very least, India must stay away from the CHOGM to be held in Colombo and, thereby, exert pressure on Sri Lanka to do justice by its hapless, much exploited Tamil Minorities," Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa said in a letter to Dr Singh.  Her letter to the prime minister came soon after a meeting in Chennai of the DMK Executive, chaired by its chief Muthuvel Karunanidhi, asked New Delhi to boycott the Commonwealth summit to reflect the sentiments of Tamils world over and to keep up their democratic spirits.  When some countries had decided against attending CHOGM, "India without any hesitation should announce its decision about boycott immediately," the DMK meeting said in a resolution.  "...any high level participation or engagement from the Indian side in the CHOGM will not only embolden the Sri Lankan regime but also incense public opinion and sentiment in Tamil Nadu on this very sensitive issue even further," Ms Jayalalithaa declared in her strongly-worded letter.  The proposed CHOGM in Colombo is another opportune occasion for India to ratchet up further pressure on Sri Lanka to ensure that accountability is established under an international framework for the "war crimes and genocide committed in the closing stages of the civil war and the ongoing gross human rights abuses," she said (Island : 25 March 2013).

The aftermath of Geneva - Reflecting on the post-Geneva scenario, the conclusion is irresistible that the very fact that the resolution was moved at all de-stabilized India, endangering the continuity of its Congress-led central government. Tamil Nadu was able to demonstrate that in the context of coalition politics, the tail could wag the dog and India was again forced into a situation of having to vote at UNHRC for a country specific resolution much against the wish of the New Delhi government and India’s national self-interest. This was the case in Geneva last year too. We, fortunately, did not fall into the trap of negotiating with the US to dilute the early drafts of the resolution and agree to its adoption by consensus. Although it was manifestly clear that the resolution, either the hard-line original or a softer version would be carried, the vote that did take place was necessary from Sri Lanka’s point of view. The final division saw those in favour numbering one more than last year. But that is of negligible significance given that the composition of UNHRC had changed since the previous vote. A Lanka bashing resolution will now be moved in the Indian Parliament to further placate Tamil Nadu. But Karunanidhi’s and Jayalalitha’s wish that India moved to harden the Geneva draft did not come to pass; in fact it was quite the contrary. We must remember that resolutions in the UN system, either in Geneva or even at the General Assembly in New York, are not legally binding. What will be binding will be a Security Council resolution, but given the veto powers the permanent members of that body enjoy, such a resolution against Sri Lanka has about as much chance as a snowball in the sun. Can sanctions be applied against us? If such be the case, they must be bilaterally and not collectively imposed and seem unlikely at this point of time. Nevertheless we must take note of the fact that the post-war situation here is more and more an issue that is not totally ours any more but increasingly an internal matter in India too. While it is true that parochial political interests in Tamil Nadu, for purposes of their own, are whipping up anti-Sri Lanka sentiments in the State, we are not totally unaffected by the backlash. It is no longer possible for Buddhist pilgrims from here to engage via Chennai or other South Indian cities in the Dambadiva vandana that is the ultimate dream of many ageing upasakas and upasaka ammas. However the more costly alternative of reaching the important North Indian sites by air remains open (Island : 23 March 2013).

Gota calls on SL’s critics to study the engineering of the invasion of Iraq - Defence Secretary’s take on Geneva events - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that those wanting to haul Sri Lanka up before an international war crimes tribunal on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations propagated by the LTTE rump should examine the circumstances leading to the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 by Western forces. Western governments and major media networks constantly quoted so called credible sources based in Iraq and Iraqi Diaspora as having said that the then government was in the process of making Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Even 10 years after the invasion, Western intelligence services hadn’t been able to find Iraq’s WMDs or at least some secret facility, which may have been used by the Iraqis, the Defence Secretary said. It was all about making a case against the leadership of a particular country, the Defence Secretary said, urging people to be wary of anti-Sri Lanka propaganda efforts.Defence Secretary Rajapaksa alleged whatever the situation in Iraq at that time, the country was a victim of a global conspiracy executed by those wanting to get rid of the Iraqi leadership. In fact, the then Sri Lankan government went to the extent of supporting the invasion of Iraq on the basis of false intelligence and media reports, the Defence Secretary, said adding the UNP-led administration’s position was revealed in the United Nations General Assembly. Responding to a query, the Defence Secretary alleged that since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009 Western powers and the Opposition had been working overtime discredit the government, thereby justify calls for an international investigation due to long delay in implementing the recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) (Island : 23 March 2013).

Resolution against SL passed Geneva - India supports US, Pakistan backs SL, Japan and Malaysia abstain - by Shamindra Ferdinando - The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) yesterday adopted the second US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka, titled ‘Promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka’, at the conclusion of the 22nd sessions in Geneva. It was sponsored by 41 countries. The US is a member of the 47-member UNHRC council divided into five regional groups. Of the 47-member council, 25 countries voted for the resolution, 13 against, eight abstained and one was absent. Of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) members in the UNHRC India voted with the US, while Pakistan and the Maldives sided with Sri Lanka. The first US resolution was adopted last year with 24 voting for 15 against and eight abstentions. India voted for that resolution, too. Addressing the UNHRC, Indian envoy Dilip Sinha emphasized that Sri Lanka should address accountability issues to the satisfaction of the international community. Making a strongly worded statement, Sinha declared: "We call for effective and timely implementation of all the constructive recommendations contained in the LLRC report, including those pertaining to missing persons, detainees, disappearances and abductions, reduction of ‘high security zones’, return of private lands by the military and withdrawal of security forces from the civilian domain in the Northern Province. We reiterate our call for an independent and credible investigation into allegations of human rights violations and loss of civilian lives. We urge Sri Lanka to take forward measures to ensure accountability. We expect these measures to be to the satisfaction of the international community." The Indian government threw its weight behind the US resolution in the wake of DMK threatening to quit Premier Manmohan Singh’s ruling coalition unless it supported the US move. However, in spite of heavy domestic as well as western pressure, Malaysia abstained (Island : 21 March 2013).

P’karan’s son guarded by man wearing Indian camouflage uniform - SF - Former Army Commander Gen. Sarath Fonseka Tuesday night strongly disputed allegations that LTTE leader Prabhakaran’s 12-year-ild son, Balachandran, had been in the custody of the Sri Lankan Army during the final phase of the conflict. The former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) insisted that the boy shown in the pictures, released by the British media outfit Channel 4 recently, was wearing an Indian sarong and the person in camouflage uniform couldn’t be a Sri Lankan soldier as that particular type of camouflage uniform wasn’t used by the Sri Lankan Army. The leader of the Democratic Party was responding to a query by a member of the Colombo based Foreign Correspondents Club during a meeting at Galle Face. The Democratic Party leader’s spokesperson Sanjeeva Samarasinghe quoted the former Army Chief as having said that the pictures could have been doctored. The Channel 4 television network last month released new photographs of, what they called, Balachandran inside an army bunker having a snack and another frame which showed his bullet riddled body. The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) reiterated its call for an international war crime investigation in the wake of what he called new evidence. "The bunker where the boy was seated couldn’t have been one of ours in the battle field. It looked so tidy and orderly and our troops didn’t have the luxury of having such bunkers," the Gen. Fonseka was quoted as having said. The tough talking Sinha Regiment veteran said that he was ready to face an indepemdent international investigation as the former Army Chief (Island : 21 March 2013).

Gotabhaya deeply disappointed with India’s stand - Thanks those who voted against and abstained - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday expressed his deep disappointment with the Indian government’s position articulated by its envoy to the UNHRC, Dilip Sinha. Responding to a statement attributed to Sinha that Sri Lanka should address accountability issues to the satisfaction of the international community, the Defence Secretary told The Island that those wanting Sri Lanka to satisfy the global community should realise that they were adopting double-standards. In fact, they would never have tolerated external intervention in domestic issues, though Sri Lanka was being asked to give into an investigation on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations. Would India address its accountability issues to the satisfaction of Western powers or the UN? the Defence Secretary asked, while pointing out that no one was talking about the accountability of those godfathers of terrorism here. He thanked those governments which voted against the US-led resolution as well as those that abstained in spite of heavy pressure. The Defence Secretary said that the government always felt it should go for a vote to expose those who had been undermining the post-war reconciliation process at the behest of the LTTE rump. "Had we agreed to a joint resolution, those hypocrites would never have been exposed," the Defence Secretary said, adding: "We are glad as many as 22 countries didn’t go with the US move, in spite of heavy and intense pressure from the most powerful country on earth backed by other ex-colonial powers. With all that they managed only 25 votes." (Island : 21 March 2013).

Indian govt. agrees to bring resolution on SL - In a bid to placate a combative Karunanidhi - by S. Venkat Narayan Our Special Correspondent - NEW DELHI, March 19: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s United Progressive Alliance (UPA) today decided to bring a resolution on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue in Parliament in a bid to placate its key ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Sources said the government is drafting a resolution to be brought in Parliament. The DMK’s sulking chief Muthuvel Karunanidhi announced in Chennai this morning that he was withdrawing its support to the ruling coalition for ignoring its demand to introduce tough amendments to the United States-sponsored resolution at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, calling for an independent international probe into human rights violations in Sri Lanka during the last phase of Eelam War IV in 2009. He also wants that Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, his brother and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and others should be tried and punished for "war crimes" committed against innocent Tamils while putting a bloody end to the war against the LTTE. However, Karunanidhi has made it clear that the DMK will reconsider its decision if India supports a strong resolution at the UNHRC and brings a resolution in Parliament on the issue. The decision to introduce the resolution in Parliament was taken after a meeting of the Congress Core Group, hours after Karunanidhi announced that his party will withdraw support to the UPA. Chidambaram said the Congress Core Group, headed by party chief Sonia Gandhi, had considered the two suggestions made by the DMK at length. He said Karunanidhi’s statement "deserves all respect." Voting at the UNHRC on the US resolution on Sri Lanka is due on Thursday. Dilip Sinha, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, is now here for consultations with the government on its next move. The resolution in the Indian Parliament has to be moved latest by Wednesday (Island : 19 March 2013).

Why IC keeps mum on LTTE atrocities: SL - Presidential Special Envoy for Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe while saying that the country does not believe “That everything is fine” urged for the international community to give the country “time and space” to ensure overcome the ensuing challenges. Answering a question during the sessions at the Universal Periodic Review at the 22nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva today Sri Lanka also asked the International Community as to why “it keeps silent on the atrocities committed by the LTTE.” Following is the full statement at the Adoption of the Report of the UPR Working Group by Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe at the 22nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (Daily Mirror : 15 March 2013).

How does a sovereign nation respond when terrorists and supporters make accusations? - by Shenali Waduge - Sri Lanka lands itself in a precarious situation. Where have anyone heard of terrorists making accusations of human rights violations? The terrorists and their fronts make the accusations because they need to exist. The countries accepting these accusations do so because they can then use these as leverages to advance their agendas while the international organizations are mere puppets simply facilitating the masquerade Bizarre but true and this is the situation Sri Lanka finds itself in. So where do we go from here? Moreover, how much of these realities are the member nations of the UNHRC aware of in deciding how they vote? (LankaWeb : 15 March 2013).

Section of Intl. Community not verifying facts – Mahinda Sam - The full text of Minister Samarasinghe’s statement - "My delegation and I join you this morning with a deep sense of satisfaction. November 2012 saw Sri Lanka face its second UPR and we were able to lay before the working group, our progress since 2008 and the expectations for future improvements in the promotion and protection of human rights, going forward. We have come a long way since the initial Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka during the first cycle in 2008. My country then was engaged in a conflict against terrorism – commencing in 2006 – trying to rescue a civilian population held by a ruthless group of terrorists. A year after that first review, we finally achieved success in the humanitarian operation and witnessed the dawn of a new era of peace, stability and prosperity for all Sri Lankans. Since May 2009 we engaged in a period of consolidation, removing military involvement in civil administration, reconstruction, demining, rehabilitation, resettlement and launched our initial efforts at national reconciliation and peace-building. Mr President, the UPR has been an event in which we have been able to periodically pause, take stock, reflect and share with our friends in the Human Rights Council our achievements, challenges and determination to move forward. The interest and level of participation in the UPR of Sri Lanka is also sincerely appreciated. We noted that a clear majorityof the countries that engaged in the UPR last November acknowledged our progress. Some of the countries that did so also pointed out the challenges that we faced. We were able to take up some of the constructive recommendations made and we also made voluntary commitments. To sum up, Mr President, Sri Lanka received a total of 204 recommendations during the second cycle of its UPR held last November. At the adoption of the report in the Working Group, Sri Lanka accepted 110 recommendations and following further examination, Sri Lanka decided to support a further 3 recommendations, bringing the total number of recommendations enjoying our support to 113 (Island : 15 March 2013).

Army commander calls for credible proof of wrong doing by his men - By Madura Ranwala - The army is ready to resume any investigation at any moment, even in the future, if any victim or any party provides guaranteed evidence to prove that its men violated international law in defeating the LTTE during the final stage of the humanitarian operation in 2009.  Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya, after opening a multifunctional recreation complex in Kurunegala on Thursday, told the media, when asked about the allegations of human rights violations leveled against the army, by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, now in progress and in the wake of the second US resolution against Sri Lanka, due to come up soon, which experts say is the same as earlier.  The Commander, who studied the Court of Inquiry findings, based on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission recommendations, to conduct a fair inquiry into alleged shelling of civilians, said that even the LLRC had failed to provide concrete evidence to say that the army killed civilians by deliberately targeting them.  The Commander stressed that those finding fault with the army, regarding human rights violations during the final stage of the humanitarian operation in 2009, had failed to prove anything factually and it had been a usual occurrence when the Geneva sessions were in progress, where some sections of the international community find ways and means of harming the integrity of the motherland. But, the army would wait patiently until substantial allegations come their way to take action against those allegedly responsible despite being army personnel, he insisted.  He said that the army completed its task by finishing the court of inquiry in advance as recommended by the LLRC and that itself was a classic example of transparency in handling sensitive issues such as conducting investigations against its own men despite accusations of being hesitant to do so (Island : 15 March 2013).

Tamils issue: Govt. in process of finalising response - India is in the process of working out its stand on the UN Resolution against Sri Lanka, government on Friday said with an emphasis that there should be accountability besides an "impartial, independent and transparent" probe into allegations of atrocities on Tamils according to the PTI.  External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid made a statement in the Rajya Sabha in the wake of demands made by DMK and AIADMK that India should support a US-moved resolution at UNHRC condemning killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka and holding of an independent inquiry.  "We are in the process of finalising our response. As soon as final view is taken, we will come back to the House," the PTI quoted him as having said.  The minister said the process for a decision on the resolution is underway and India has already started engaging with other countries to finalise its view on the resolution.  "Since anxiety has been expressed, the process for resolution is now underway. We are engaging with all member countries. We are absolutely committed. Whatever steps are necessary, will be taken by the government," he said.  The Minister also said, "There must be accountability and there must be a fair participation. A life of dignity must be ensured (to Tamils in Sri Lanka). We are in pursuit of this objective."  Khurshid said investigation must be "impartial, independent and transparent" and said India remained committed to this cause.  DMK and AIADMK earlier demanded that government support a US-based resolution at the UNHRC condemning killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka and institution of an independent inquiry.  Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha soon after it met for the day, Tiruchi Siva (DMK) said students in Tamil Nadu are on agitation. "The state of Tamil Nadu is burning," he said demanding that India support the UN resolution condemning war crimes. He also sought to know India’s stand in Geneva.  V Maitreyan (AIADMK) said students will intensify their agitation after March 22 and the government should strengthen the U.S. resolution by condemning the genocide (Island : 15 March 2013).

An exercise in inducing amnesia – Australia’s Human Rights Law Centre teams up with LTTE rump to ignore decades of atrocities and bash Sri Lanka on alleged war crimes and human rights - By George Rupesinghe - The Human Rights Law Centre, based in Melbourne, has fallen prey to the LTTE rump in Australia. On March 7 and 8, at two events in Melbourne and Sydney, they staged an exercise in Sri Lanka bashing with the help of an alleged card-carrying member of the LTTE youth wing, Parimala Nathan Sampavi alias Sham alias Sam Pari, now wearing the lily-white robes of a human rights campaigner, aided by two scribes, Gordon Weiss and Frances Harrison, who have latched on to a lucrative business of sniffing bones and counting carcasses in fanciful numbers at the end of the bloody conflict in Sri Lanka. Joining them was Bruce Haigh, former diplomat and now columnist specialisiing in writing columns critical of Sri Lanka. Weiss, who was scheduled to appear only in Melbourne, came to Sydney as well, ostensibly to bolster the panel and leave little time for questions and avoid the “chaotic” situation that prevailed at the Melbourne meeting. The Sydney venue was changed at the eleventh hour to the Sofitel Wentworth Hotel owing to “security reasons.” Despite strong protests against the one-sided nature of the panel when the event was announced, the HRLC was not moved to adopt an even-handed approach and change the composition of the panel (LankaWeb : 14 March 2013).

Lies of Pro-LTTE Panelists exposed at Human Right’s Law Center – Australia - by Shenali Waduge - The Human Rights Law Centre scheduled 2 events in Sydney and Melbourne 6-9March 2013 to highlight the alleged human rights issues against Sri Lanka vis a vis the conclusion of the war that was under speculation once more at the United Nations. Numerous appeals addressed to the HRLC Board stating the nature of the biased panel fell on deaf ears. The HRLC needs to be reported to the Australian authorities on the grounds that whilst ignoring the calls for fair play the Executive Director of HRLC Mr. Hugh de Kretser made a statement at the event that the Sri Lankan High Commissioner Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe though invited did not turn up. An Executive Director making a callous statement and having to recorrect himself when the audience demanded a correction depicts very poorly on HRLC. It has turned out that the High Commissioner had registered his displeasure highlighting Sam Pari as being a proved LTTE supporter. Given that the concern of the HRLC is “human rights” why did the HRLC ignore all the appeals made to balance the panel? An entity such as the HRLC should not be functioning in such a biased manner. An Executive Director cannot say that “the HRLC was unable to contact any Sri Lankan community organization in Sydney that the HRLC wanted to invite” when there is sufficient evidence to prove otherwise. Ethically HRLC have overstepped their boundaries and Australian authorities need to investigate them. Firstly to hold a discussion on Sri Lanka, how much of Sri Lanka’s history are the organizers aware of. If their scope is only Australian human rights laws why have they chosen Sri Lanka as a topic for discussion? In what context has the limits of the discussion to the last 4 months relevant to people living outside of the war zone and having no clue as to what went on in the last stages? How can writers of fiction be accepted for Gordon Weiss has been quoting civilian casualty figures for different audiences as evident at his book launch (LankaWeb : 14 March 2013).

Geneva Resolution against Sri Lanka demanding decentralisation of power to the north and eastern provincial governments – a recipe for the division of Mother Lanka - by Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra - As stated before, the West with India went to Geneva asking the Sri Lankan Government to implement the LLRC recommendations, but therein they have put new demands of their own that were not in the LLRC report. The Government is under enormous pressure in Geneva to implement policies that are very damaging to the country. The proposed Geneva Resolutions are designed to enforce the 13th amendment to the fullest and more– a clandestine attempt to finally create a separate state in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan people do not want this. One of the proposed Geneva Resolutions demand the decentralisation of power to the North and Eastern provincial councils; this is in order to give maximum Land and Police powers to them. Even India will agree there is nothing in the 1987 India – Sri Lanka pact (13th Amendment) that states that Land and Police powers must be given to the two provinces. It is up to the Sri Lankan Government, in accordance with the Constitution, to determine what powers should be given to the two provinces, and what powers should be suppressed. This is an internal issue for Sri Lanka only. A few countries gathered in Geneva or elsewhere cannot by force enforce such fundamental changes upon Sri Lanka. A Federal system, as secretly demanded in the proposed Geneva Resolutions, may work for India, which is huge and had been comprised of separate states in the past, whereas Sri Lanka has always been One Nation (it was called Sinhale in the past). In Sri Lanka, such a system will lead to secession. In this context, the Government must strongly counter-attack the proposed Resolutions rather than maintaining a silence in Geneva. Political parties like the UNP, JVP must articulate that they are against the proposed Resolutions, the international community may give deference to their views (LankaWeb : 12 March 2013).

Commonwealth Dilemma: The Colombo Summit - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada - The Editor, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN, Ottawa - Dear Editor- Re: Commonwealth Dilemma ; Dear Editor: I have a different take on Harper’s Government’s feeling that the decision to allow Sri Lanka to host this year’s summit was premature. And, of course Prime Minister Stephen Harper wanting to boycott the summit if he didn’t find Sri Lanka’s significant progress in its human rights, is really playing to the Tamil gallery who gave him nine ridings in the Greater Toronto Area at the last election. I am at a loss to understand what he is talking about. This is a Prime Minister of a Commonwealth country who let the Tamil Diaspora feed the Tamil Tiger terrorists with two million dollars a month for 13 years to buy weapons to kill 100,00 innocent people in 27 years; this is a Prime Minister who has had it difficult to acknowledge that by eliminating the Tamil Tigers, the most ruthless terrorists group in the world, who also assassinated two heads of state, Rajiv Gandhi of India and President Premadasa of Sri Lanka and his Tamil Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, the Sri Lankan Government gave back the right-to-life to 22 million Sri Lankans which had been hijacked for 30 years; this is the Prime Minister who had it difficult to pat on Sri Lanka’s back and say “Way to go Sri Lanka for eliminating the most ruthless terrorists group in the world single handed” when other countries in the west did, and let his Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon send out a pathetic Press Release after the war ended; this is the Prime Minister who had difficulty up to now to acknowledge the fact that the Sri Lankan soldiers liberated 295,873 Tamils who were held as a human shield by the Tamil Tigers for 30 months and herded them like unwashed cattle from the west coast to the east coast; this is the Prime Minister who has had difficulty to acknowledge the fact that the Sri Lankan government prepared a million meals a day to feed these liberated Tamils three hearty meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and not let them starve to death in their temporary welfare camps; this is the Prime Minister who has had difficulty to acknowledge the Sri Lankan Government sending these nearly 300,000 liberated Tamils back to their original homes after they had been restored, rebuilt within three years and the terrain that they atood on de-mined, and who wants to boycott the Colombo summit in November (LankaWeb : 11 March 2013).

Geneva Resolution demanding an international investigation into military operations during last stages of the War - by Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra - The Western do gooders in Geneva plus India allege Sri Lanka committed war crimes during the last stages of the War. They desperately try to depict Sri Lanka and its people as brutals. Sri Lankan Government has vehemently maintained its stand that its forces did not commit such brutal, horrendous crimes. Now the enemies of Sri Lanka in Geneva demand an international war crimes investigation into Sri Lanka’s last stages of the war. They make the allegation relying on Mr Gordon Weiss’ assertions and the Channel 4 documentaries. Apart from these two dubious sources, they do not have any credible evidence to demand such an investigation against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra unequivocally says Mr Weiss is biased against Sri Lanka, his allegations are not credible and that the Channel 4 videos are unauthentic. Both parties have motives to lie. Sri Lanka Support Group has shown 58 situations where the Channel 4 ‘Killing Fields’ video was unauthentic (please see our previous media releases). (LankaWeb : 11 March 2013).

No negotiations on US resolution: Aryasinha - Sri Lanka will not negotiate with the US on the text of the forthcoming US resolution before the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha on Friday told the US Ambassador for Human Rights, Eileen Donahoe.  "I conveyed to Ambassador Donahoe, that GOSL rejects entirely the premise on which this resolution is based, and as has been its consistent position, does not intend negotiating with the US on the text," Aryasinha said intervening at a meeting called by the US to discuss its draft resolution on "Promoting Reconciliation and Accountability in Sri Lanka."  This meeting was chaired by Donahoe and many member and observer states of UNHRC participated in the discussion. A number of NGOs were also present at the event.  "GOSL does not recognize resolution 19/2 and maintains its consistent position that, through resolutions of this nature, what is being perpetuated is a politicized process in a manner which is unfair, biased, unjust, and contrary to the principles of cooperation, genuine dialogue and the founding principles of universality, impartiality non selectivity, that should guide all member states in facilitating the method of engagement and the mandate of the Council," Aryasinha said.  He said that he was participating the Friday’s meeting as he did not wish to dismiss the interest taken in Sri Lanka by member and observer states, representatives of international organizations and civil society, irrespective of whether such interest is justified or not.  "GOSL always has, and continues to remain engaged with all parties seeking a respectful and constructive dialogue on how to move the process of reconciliation in Sri Lanka forward. We hope this spirit of engagement will be reciprocated, and that member and observer states of the HRC will view developments in Sri Lanka with an open mind," he said (Island : 9 March 2013).

Sri Lankan Tamils won’t commit suicide for Prabhakaran’s cause - Shavendra - by Shamindra Ferdinando - Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Maj. Gen. Shavendra Silva said yesterday that since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009, not a single Sri Lankan Tamil had committed suicide in Sri Lanka or abroad calling for an international war crimes investigation targeting the government.  Regardless of unsubstantiated allegations against the government by politically motivated elements, those who had been saved from the clutches of LTTE were now enjoying peace and stability, Ambassador Silva said.  The former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 58 Division, responsible for the execution of the unprecedented civilian rescue mission on the Vanni east front in early 2009, was responding to media reports of a person belonging to the fishing community at Nallavadu, Chennai setting himself ablaze on the afternoon of March 4 demanding war crimes probe against Sri Lanka.  Ambassador Silva was speaking to The Island in Colombo before returning to New York. He said that there had been at least one previous case of self-immolation in Tamil Nadu since the end of the war. A section of the media was building up a frenzy and using the suicide to justify the ongoing anti-Sri Lanka campaign at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva, the outspoken official alleged, emphasizing the need to examine the circumstances leading to cases of self-immolation in South India.  The Indian media identified the deceased as L. Mani, a social worker. Mani died of excessive burn injuries in the Kilpauk Medical College in Chennai on Monday night. The Maj. Gen. recollected media reports of mass scale suicides in the event of the LTTE losing Kilinochchi, the nerve centre of terrorist operations.  Maj. Gen. Silva said that those inquiring into Mani’s suicide should closely examine a partly typewritten and partly handwritten note left at the scene of the suicide attempt declaring his support for the US resolution scheduled to be moved against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC. The Indian media quoted Mani as having declared, in his note, that his suicide be considered as the first vote for the Tamils to get a separate Tamil Eelam.  The frontline military commander alleged that the LTTE rump remained extremely active on the ‘media front’ with special projects timed for the annual UNHRC sessions in Feb-March, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November and UNGA sessions in September (Island : 8 March 2013).

Where are the next of kin of the supposedly executed 40,000–125,000 Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka? - by Shenali Waduge - The “experts” and “authorities” must have their say and certainly their voice is far more powerful than a country as small as Sri Lanka. They are the ones that make the laws, they decide who the villains and the heroes are, they can make heroes into villains and villains into heroes, they can frame charges, they can also decide not to frame charges – in short it is only their wishes that prevail. Justice is justice that suits them and not the victims. Victims are who they define as victims on a selective basis and perpetrators are all those that do not conform to their agendas. It is with these incongruities that Sri Lanka finds itself being allegedly bullied and thrown figures of casualties that vary between initial figures of 7000 to 40,000 to 60,000 and now to 125,000. Given that we accept the figures by these “authorities” – what next needs to be asked is 4 years on where are the next of kin of these 125,000 or even 40,000 – why have they not come forward naming the “executed”? We now come to those who are making these guestimate figures. US Secretary of State Robert Blake states 40,000 died at the US Congressional hearing to which US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega asked “why are we picking on a little country like Sri Lanka” and Mr. Faleomavaega recommended that the US Resolution should be withdrawn for “focusing only on the last few months of the war and failing to acknowledge…. almost 30 years, …….the Tamil Tigers hacked to death innocent men , women and children in Sri Lanka, carried out some 378 suicide attacks more than any other terrorist organization in the world.” (LankaWeb : 8 March 2013).

Rights of Sri Lanka’s Soldier’s vs LTTE Terrorists - by Shenali Waduge - In the current context of things it is imperative that we draw the lines between what and who are legal and what and who are not. With 32 nations including Sri Lanka having banned LTTE as a terrorist organization we would first like to have legal luminaries tell us what rights under international human rights laws terrorists like the LTTE has whatever LTTE fronts masquerading and lobbying amongst foreign parliamentarians and the UN may say. The armed forces of a country are the legitimate entity tasked to safeguard the territorial sovereignty of a country and the safety of its citizens – not LTTE terrorists. Only the armed forces of a country have the legal right to a hierarchical command structure with distinguishable uniform and weaponry given by the State to protect the nation and its people – not the LTTE. We would like to know why and who has placed a terrorist organization on par with a sovereign Government when it is classified a terrorist organization which under IHL has no rights when they are armed non-state actors involved in an armed conflict? A sovereign nation has the right to domestically apply laws to nullify threats to the country. That instance was hijacked by several foreign nations through various interferences that not only helped continue LTTE terrorism but resulted in thousands of civilian deaths. Why is the accountability of these foreign Governments/representatives never subject to investigation? It was in July 1987 that Sri Lankan forces cornered LTTE leader in Vadamarachchi and India threatened to invade Sri Lanka if Prabakaran was not let free, India went so far as to give Prabakaran refuge in India. India has conveniently forgotten its culpability. It was foreign Governments that forced 5 peace talks and ceasefire none of which arrived at any solution except to virtually hand over territory to an armed terrorist organization and watched them acquire arms and recruit children to kill. These very trainers live on foreign soil and questions why their roles in training children to kill is not investigated or charged (LankaWeb : 8 March 2013).

Geneva crisis: SF blames govt, LLRC - ‘Absolutely no basis for war crime allegations’ - by Shamindra Ferdinando - Accusing President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government of failing to counter the growing threat on the human rights front in Geneva, Democratic Party Leader General Sarath Fonseka yesterday said that there was absolutely no basis for allegations directed against the military. However, the observations and the recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) appointed by the President had aggravated the situation, the outspoken General said. Addressing the media at party office at Kotte, Sri Jayawardenapura, the former Army Commander and Chief of Defence Staff said that his troops hadn’t been responsible for rights violations during the final phase of the conflict. Commenting on specific allegations regarding mass rape of surrendered LTTE women cadres, the war veteran insisted that it was nothing but a lie. Gen. Fonseka said that the country was at the risk of being isolated internationally due to failure on the part of the incumbent administration to address issues raised by those wanting to haul Sri Lanka up before an international war crimes tribunal. The US had changed its position on post-war Sri Lanka, Gen. Fonseka said, adding that the second US resolution on Sri Lanka at the ongoing UNHRC sessions would reflect the hardening of their approach. India, too, was now likely to go against Sri Lanka, the former army chief said. Although government leaders had been boasting of a counter offensive in Geneva, they did nothing but running away when UNHRC Navy Pillay called them for a meeting. The Gen. alleged that the Sri Lankan delegation wouldn’t have shunned HR chief Pillay’s invitation without consulting the President. Commenting on a section of the international community calling for shifting Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka later this year, Gen. Fonseka alleged major Commonwealth countries were opposed to Sri Lanka’s being the venue. Responding to a query, the war veteran said that those who had been found guilty of violations in various parts of the country, including the northern and eastern provinces were dealt with throughout the conflict. An irate General Fonseka said that as the Commander of the victorious Sri Lanka Army he was ready to respond to various allegations made by a section of the international community. The defeated Presidential candidate said that it was his responsibility to speak on behalf of the country, the people as well as the army regardless of what the government said. The army, Gen. Fonseka said was disciplined during his tenure as the Commander, though allegations were now directed the service (island : 6 March 2013).

Madras: Tiger backers attack Mihin Lanka office - by Thushari Kalubowila - A gang of LTTE supporters yesterday attacked Translanka Air Travels Private Limited, the air ticketing booking office of Mihin Lanka at Kaalavasal, Madras causing extensive damages. Sources said that the gang had threatened to attack again unless Mihin Lanka ceased its operations there. Sources said that law enforcement authorities had failed to provide security in spite of growing threat by various political elements supporting the LTTE cause. The Indian media quoted the police as having said the gang numbering over 30 had stormed the office and gone on the rampage, damaging the glass panes, computers, furniture and other utilities. Four computers and modems were damaged in the attack. The staff of the airline office was not harmed by the gang. The police later arrested them. Mihin Lanka launched its direct flight service from Colombo to Madurai and vice versa by flying an Airbus A320 aircraft weekly thrice on December 7, last year (Island : 6 march 2013).

Geneva: Mahinda skips Navi Pillay’s meeting - Presidential Human Rights envoy and Plantations Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe has caused quite a diplomatic stir in Geneva by skipping a meeting called by United Nations Human Rights Commissioner (UNHRC) Navi Pillay, following a swipe he had at her in Geneva last week. The reason for his decision to keep away was not immediately known. Asked whether he had obtained the government’s nod for skipping Pillay’s meeting, sources answered in the negative. In his Feb. 27 address to the ongoing 22nd sessions of the UNHRC in Geneva, Minister Samarasinghe lashed out at Pillay. Sri Lanka has been critical of Pillay for what it calls a human rights witch hunt. Although it was speculated initially that the government would downgrade its delegation to Geneva this year, President Mahinda Rajapaksa intervened at the eleventh hour to have Minister Samarasinghe make a statement on behalf of Sri Lanka, though the country’s Permanent Representative in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha was scheduled to do so. Current sessions which began on Feb 25 will continue till March 22. The Sri Lankan delegation to Geneva sessions comprised 12 persons, including Minister Samarasinghe and his personal secretary. The delegation included six from the Attorney General’s Department and two officials from the Ministry of External Affairs. Sources said that Minister Samarasinghe’s statement antagonized some countries, particularly the EU with German Ambassador Hanns H. Schumacher taking on Samarasinghe. The German envoy was quoted as having said that Navy Pillay was increasingly faced with unjust criticism and the statement made my Minister Samarasinghe at the ongoing sessions constitute an illustration. The UNHRC comprised 47 countries divided into five sectors. Three of Sri Lanka’s major supporters namely Russia, China and Cuba are no longer members of the UNHRC, though they represented the global body last year (Island : 4 March 2013).

First Northern PC poll: 2012 Registrar of electors ready - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday said that the forthcoming first election to the Northern Provincial Council would be conducted on the basis of the latest register of electors compiled in the second half of 2012. Asked whether he was ready for the Northern PC polls, Deshapriya said that he would need only three months notice to prepare for national elections. The Election Secretariat prepared the registrar of electors between June 1 and Dec. 31, 2012. Deshapriya told The Island that there couldn’t be any difficulty in having elections in any part of the country as terrorism was a thing of the past. Although the Election Secretariat hadn’t been officially informed of the northern polls yet, President Mahinda Rajapaksa had, on several occasions, declared his intention to hold the Northern Provincial Council elections in Sep. 2013, Deshapriya said, noting that the elections to the Maritimepattu Pradeshiya Sabha and Puthukudirippu Pradeshiya Sabha, too, had to be conducted. Responding to a query the polls chief said that he was ready to go ahead with the polls when the court gave its decision. A group of people moved the court against holding election in the one-time LTTE strongholds, before resettlement of those who had been displaced during the conflict. Earlier, the Election Secretariat conducted local government elections in the Northern region, except in Maritimepattu and Puthukudirippu. The latest registrar of electors would be the basis for the forthcoming Pradeshiya Sabha election, Deshapriya said (Island : 4 March 2013).

FRAMING SRI LANKA – THE FARCE CONTINUES - by Mahinda Gunasekera Toronto, Canada - Three decades of terrorist violence was finally brought to an end on May 19, 2009 by a concerted military effort by Sri Lanka’s Security Forces which achieved the total defeat of the internationally designated terror group called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), aka Tamil Tigers , which held nearly 1/4th of the island’s terrain, a large army, naval unit, a mini-air force and a squadron of suicide bombers to pursue its terrorist objectives of establishing a mono-ethnic Tamil separate state in the north and east. Six separate attempts to reach a peaceful settlement failed as the LTTE did not negotiate in good faith, using such ceasefire periods to replenish their weapons stockpile and rebuild their forces to resume hostilities. The LTTE ignored a call to surrender opting to fight to the end. New dawn of peace: At the conclusion of the military action, Sri Lanka’s population of 21 million from all ethnic communities who had been constantly targeted by the Tamil Tiger terrorists with detonating claymore mines, bombs in public transit and shopping centers, bomb attacks on public buildings, destruction of passenger aircraft and public utilities, facing a total of 388 exploding suicide bombers, day and night time ethnic cleansing massacres, attacks on places of worship, shooting and machete attacks, and every form of violence, heaved a sigh of relief and looked forward to restoring ethnic ties and enjoying the newly won peace. The citizens had regained their right to life from terror attacks and prepared to undertake the massive task of caring for the nearly 300,000 displaced Tamils rescued from the control of the LTTE who used them as slave laborers, conscripts, plus a human shield, and developing the war affected regions and the country which lagged behind due to ongoing terrorism (LankaWeb : 3 March 2013).

Jim Karygiannis in Geneva bashes Sri Lanka - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada - Jim Karygiannis, Liberal MP for Scarborough-Agincourt, Ontario House of Commons, Ottawa; Dear Jim: Here’s what I read in a news item coming out of Geneva – ‘Karygiannis joins panels at International Council of Eelam Tamils Conference” - My immediate reaction was, “This guy is no dumb Greek. He knows how to line up his pockets with dollars by dipping his hand into the Eelam cookie jar of their billion dollars Sinhalese blood-soaked largesse.” Why not Jim when there is easy money to get at go after it as long it is legal. But I do take issue when you are becoming a millionaire on the back of Sri Lanka, where I come from. That is when I tell you, “Hey Jimmy boy stop that farce. Drop that baseball bat of yours and stop bashing my Mother Lanka, before I come and intervene to tell the world that this guy is a Big Bully Ba! Humbug!” Jim, I will never ever forget that image of yours when you got up in the House Chamber during the Emergency Debate on Sri Lanka – The Tamil Blarney Canadian Parliamentary Gong Show – on 4 February 2009, when you were like a drunken Greek sailor flaying your animated arms and asked the Conservative Government: “When is the government going to rise and say that if Sri Lanka does not change its ways, it is going to be kicked out of the Commonwealth?” At that moment I told myself under my breath, “What arrogance. This is a guy who couldn’t care two rumbling farts about the almost 300,000 Tamils, pregnant mothers, feeble seniors, children and infants among adults who are shunted like a herd of unwashed cattle by the Tamil Tiger terrorists as a human shield from the west to the east coast, and who didn’t protest even with the pip-squeak admonishing these rascals, now wants the Commonwealth to kick out Sri Lanka if it “does not change its ways”. This guy must be under the influence of some kind of an after dinner Greek drug.” And that is what I told myself, Jim. And you couldn’t care another rumbling fart whether the Sri Lankan soldiers were getting killed trying to liberate these 300,000 Tamils from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers. By 19 May 2009, 7000 Sri Lankan soldiers had died trying to save and liberate 295,873 of these Tamils. And that liberation of 295,873 Tamils was a classic text book effort to promote human rights of the Tamils by the Sri Lankan Government. There was no violation of their human rights nor was this an act of Tamil ‘genocide’ Jim (LankaWeb : 3 March 2013).

Army did not kill Prabhakaran’s son, claims Mahinda - ‘Arab Spring won’t happen in Sri Lanka, ties with India are fine’ - Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has claimed that the island’s army did not kill LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s 12-year-old son Balachandran at the end of the socalled Eelam IV War. His reason for thinking so: if the army did it, he would have known. Since he does not know, it could not have happened! In an interview to The Hindu’s Colombo Correspondent RK Radhakrishnan published in the newspaper today, Rajapaksa proclaimed: "Had it happened, I would have known (it). It is obvious that if somebody (from the armed forces) had done that, I must take responsibility. We completely deny it. It can’t be." The photographs of Balachandran munching a snack in an army camp and his bullet-ridden body that were broadcast by Britain’s Channel 4 television and shown and printed in the media worldwide last fortnight has caused a global uproar and condemnation of the brutality allegedly perpetrated by Sri Lankan security forces. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa has demanded that economic sanctions be imposed on Sri Lanka for killing an innocent child just because he happened to be Prabhakaran’s son. All political parties in the southern state unitedly denounced the child’s brutal murder. Curiously enough, Rajapaksa did not explain who could have killed that hapless child possibly on the last day of that fateful war in May 2009. On the new evidence of wrongdoing in the final stages of the war in 2009, collated by international organisations and media outlets, the President said that putting out such reports and videos was their "job." "We must not merely look at one side. They must not merely listen to one group and the Opposition [in Sri Lanka]. So they [the Opposition] are trying to get the support of other countries to create an ‘Arab Spring’ here. That won’t happen in Sri Lanka." Asked if he will hold the Northern provincial elections in September, Rajapaksa said: "Yes, we will hold [the poll] in September. That’s why we have postponed the other [provincial] elections too. I did not want to face the criticism that I was doing it only because I had no intention of holding the Northern provincial elections." The North will have powers which are "not more, not less" than those enjoyed by the eight other provinces. On the coming United States-sponsored resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva later this month, Rajapaksa said Jaffna has been provided with all infrastructure just three years after the war ended. "Who did this within three years? Anybody who has come and seen it has talked about it positively and has commended us." (Island : 2 March 2013).

The Unhrc Resolution And India - The government knew that we would be facing resolutions at this UN HR Council session this year and should have anticipated its content and even its possible outcome if appropriate pre-emptive action was not taken. It would be of interest to the public of this country to know of the pre-emptive measures we have taken to head off any adverse actions by this UN body, particularly because from all reports we would face an extremely difficult situation which could even impinge of the sovereignty of our country. Suffice it to say that Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe is a brave man to have accepted this assignment at such short notice, knowing what the outcome would be; we are happy and need to congratulate him for his comprehensive statement; he has categorically stated that "we strongly object to any unfair, biased and unprincipled and unjust approach that may be adopted by this Council with regard to the protection and promotion of Human Rights in Sri Lanka". He has also taken on Navi Pillai, who is making sweeping generalizations such as "massive violations of Human Rights’’ and in the words of Minister Samarasinghe been constantly targeting Sri Lanka based "on unsubstantiated evidence founded on conjecture…." (Island : 2 March 2013).

MR denies Army killed Balachandran - Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has denied that the Army killed LTTE chief Prabakaran’s 12-year-old son Balachandran. “Had it happened, I would have known [it]. It is obvious that if somebody [from the armed forces] had done that, I must take responsibility. We completely deny it. It can’t be,” he told The Hindu in an exclusive interview. On new evidence of wrongdoing in the final stages of the war in 2009, collated by international organisations and media outlets, he said that putting out such reports and videos was their job. “We must not merely look at one side. They must not merely listen to one group and the Opposition [in Sri Lanka]. So they [the Opposition] are trying to get the support of other countries to create an ‘Arab Spring’ here. That won’t happen in Sri Lanka.” Asked whether he would hold the Northern provincial elections in September, as he had told this newspaper, Mr. Rajapaksa said: “Yes, we will hold [the poll] in September. That’s why we have postponed the other [provincial] elections too. I did not want to face the criticism that I was doing it only because I had no intention of holding the Northern provincial elections.” The North would have powers which are “not more, not less” than those enjoyed by the eight other provinces. On the coming U.S.-sponsored resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Mr. Rajapaksa said Jaffna was provided with all infrastructure just three years after the war ended. “Who did this within three years? Anybody who has come and seen it has talked about it positively and has commended us.” Even India was “harassed” by the UNHRC over Kashmir, he said. “Sri Lanka is like a volley ball. Everyone is taking turns punching it to cover up their sins.” On the issue of a political solution for the Tamil people, he said that unless the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), an umbrella group of Tamil parties, joined the Parliamentary Select Committee, there could be no way forward. “Without TNA [on the committee], I will not be able to do anything… Earlier, all the leaders gave their solutions from the top. It has failed. The 13th Amendment has failed. Everything has failed,” he said. Mr. Rajapaksa allayed fears that MPs of the majority community would hijack the agenda, pointing out that some individuals and parties in the government would not allow it to happen. -  (Daily mirror : 2 March 2013).

Human Rights Law Center/Australia – Your Panel are all Pro-LTTE supporters - by Shenali Waduge Colombo, Sri Lanka - The Convenors Human Rights Law Center, Australia, Dear Organizers, The Human Rights Law Center has invited participants to a discussion about accountability for war crimes and the current human rights situation in Sri Lanka to be held on 7th and 8th March 2013 in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. The panelists featured for this discussion are Frances Harrison, Dr. Sam Pari, Gordon Weiss and Bruce Haigh. My question is exactly how does the Human Rights Law Center founded on the principles of “Freedom. Respect. Equality. Dignity. Action” propose to have a “discussion” when the 4 panelists who have been invited by the HRLC are openly critical of Sri Lanka and are open LTTE-sympathizers. To what extent is there fairplay? Nevertheless, whatever allegations that the 4 panelists will take pains to promote they cannot erase the fact that Sri Lanka is a democratic and sovereign nation, its military effort was against a terrorist organization banned in 32 countries and no amount of “allegations” without proof can diminish the fact that the Sri Lankan armed forces saved approximately 295,000 Tamil civilians from the LTTE sacrificing 5000 lives of soldiers and all these civilians are now resettled whilst 11770 LTTE combatants who gave themselves up are now rehabilitated and reintegrated except for a handful still undergoing rehabilitation whilst the State has pardoned all child combatants number over 500 (LankaWeb : 1 March 2013).

SL intervenes during screening of Ch-4 film -  Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinghe today intervened during the screening of the “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka” film of the UK’s Channel-4 and protested against attempts by the organizers to use the UN premises for the screening. Following is the full statement released by the Sri Lankan mission in Geneva: The Government of Sri Lanka strongly protests against the efforts by the organizers of this event – Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Festival du Film et Forum International sur les Droits Humains (FIFDH), to use the UN premises for the screening of this film “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka”. Sri Lanka also strongly protests the perception that has been sought to be created in the public mind, through pro-LTTE websites, as well as by duping even better known media organs such as even the International Herald Tribune, which yesterday in an article quoted the Director of this film Mr. Callum Macrae as saying that the film “would be screened at the 22nd Session of the Human Rights Council now underway in Geneva, where the United States plans to introduce a resolution asking Sri Lanka to investigate the allegations of the war crimes by its army”. Sri Lanka views this film ‘No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka’, which follows the screening of ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ (June 2011) and ‘Sri Lanka's Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished’ (March 2012) screened on the sidelines of previous HRC sessions, as part of a cynical, concerted and orchestrated campaign that is strategically driven and aimed at influencing the debate in the Council on Sri Lanka. It is clearly motivated by collateral political considerations. Earlier this week, upon coming to learn of this insidious attempt, on 24 February 2013 I drew this matter to the attention of Ambassador Remigiusz Achilles Henczel, President of the Human Rights Council. This was followed up with a meeting with the President on 25 February 2013, where I drew attention to ECOSOC Resolution No. 1996/31 of 25 July 1996 that stipulates the parameters of the consultative relationship between the UN and NGOs, which clearly lists as grounds for suspension and withdrawal of consultative status of NGOs, inter alia, specifically where such an organization either directly or through its affiliates or representatives acting on its behalf, clearly abuses its status by engaging in a pattern of acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the charter of the UN including unsubstantiated or politically motivated acts against member states of the UN incompatible with those purposes and principles. This being the third occasion when a Channel 4 film is being showed to coincide with a session of the Human Rights Council, I pointed out that a clear pattern had been established by the NGOs involved, who in the view of the Government of Sri Lanka are abusing their privileged status with ECOSOC. -  (Daily Mirror: 1 March 2013).

UN Human Rights Council disassociates itself from the screening of ‘No fire Zone’ at the UN in Geneva - Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN Geneva - The United Nations Human Rights Council has disassociated itself from the screening of the Channel 4 film “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka” organized by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and FIFDH to be held on Friday (01 March 2013) in Geneva at the UN premises. In response to a protest lodged by Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha last Monday, which was followed up with a meeting on Tuesday, the President of the UN Human Rights Council Ambassador Remigiusz A. Henczel in a letter dated 27 February 2013, has observed that such events “do not reflect an official position of the Council”. In his letter, President Henczel has observed that “the participation and consultation with the observers of the Human Rights Council, including INGOs, is based on arrangements, including Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996, and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights (rule 7 of the Council‘s Rules of Procedure)”. He further notes that “NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC have the right to organize side events”, and that “a large number of such meetings take place in the margins of the session and they do not reflect an official position of the Council”. He however adds that “the organizers of side events take full responsibility for the content of their events”. Sri Lanka on Monday lodged a formal protest against the screening of the latest Channel 4 film. In his letter addressed to Ambassador Remigiusz Achilles Henczel, President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Aryasinha had obsereved that “Sri Lanka views this film, as well as the timing of its broadcast as part of a cynical, concerted and orchestrated campaign that is strategically driven, and clearly motivated by collateral political considerations” (Lankaweb : 28 February 2013).

SL at UNHRC session... .- Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, the President’s Special Envoy on Human Rights delivering Sri Lanka’s National statement at the 22nd regular session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva said Sri Lanka strongly object to any unfair, biased, unprincipled and unjust approach that may be adopted by this Council on Sri Lanka. - (Daily Mirror : 27 February 2013).

And who looked after Prabakaran’s parents? - by Shenali Waduge - India is getting its media to relay photos of Prabakaran’s dead son and interviewing Callum Macrae producer of the latest documentary tarnishing Sri Lanka’s image but has conveniently forgotten how India’s Central Government refused entry to Prabakaran’s own ailing 79 year old mother (Velupillai Parvathi Pillai) with Indian policemen not even allowing her to alight from the aircraft at 11:30p.m. on 16 April 2010 – how inhuman was this gesture from the Indian Government for an old lady requesting medical attention? No parent would ever want their child to turn into a murderer or mass killer and mentally the parents of Prabakaran would have suffered much in silence for what their son had turned into. Neverthless, Asian culture is such that the elderly are always treated with reverence and respect whatever their faults and in times of ill health all differences are put aside. Such was the manner the armed forces treated the parents of Prabakaran ensuring that nothing happened to Prabakaran’s parents by their own people. Prabakaran’s parents came to the liberated areas on 17 May 2009 and was stationed at Menik Farm (Zone IV). It was after the Tamil people came to realize who they were that a tense situation arose forcing authorities to remove Prabakaran’s parents lest harm should come to them. This was a poignant incident because by this time having realized that the LTTE dictatorial rule had finally ended the Tamil people who had suffered because of the LTTE were now free to voice their emotions that had been kept bottled up for fear. Nevertheless, the military authorities out of concern for the aged couple inspite of being Prabakaran’s parents were quick to remove them to a safe accommodation in Panagoda. Not many kudus were given by media but that was always to be expected. On 4 January 2010 Prabakaran’s parents requested to be shifted to Jaffna though Velvetiturai was their ancestral home. However, 3 days later on 7 January 2010 Prabakaran’s father (Veraswami Thiruwengadam Velupillai ) passed away. Prabakaran’s only sister Vinothini Rajendran living in Toronto, Canada requested Prabakaran’s mother to be permitted to fly to Canada and she flew to Malaysia in April 2010 but visa issues resulted in her going to India but India too decided to deport her (LankaWeb : 27 February 2013).

Gota rubbishes Channel 4 photos - Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday rejecting the photographs displayed by Channel 4 television station of UK which is alleged to be of Prabhakaran’s youngest son Balachandran, questioned as to how Channel 4 could say that he is in a bunker with the military by only looking at the pictures which do not indicate anything related to the military.  “They always cut and put these pictures which they have being doing for quite sometime. Who took these pictures? They never talk about the children killed by the LTTE and also about child soldiers who were trained to go on suicide missions as well as to munch a cyanide capsule,” he charged.  When questioned whether the Military had any information about the deaths of Prabhakaran’s family, he said that himself, the President and Sarath Fonseka were informed of such, only when those who were in the field had found their bodies.  “It was a battle field not Manhattan Street. So we did not go the next day soon after defeating the LTTE, searching for bodies. We went to some areas after a few days, a week later and to some areas even after a month,” he said.  “Most of the bodies found around the Nandikadal Lagoon were highly decomposed and badly wounded. Therefore it was difficult to establish the identity of each and every individual. You know that we could not even find the body of the most wanted LTTE Intelligence Chief Pottu Amman, who we know died during the battle,” he noted.  Finally when questioned as to how the government will respond to such allegations which continues to surface from time to time, he said that the Defence Ministry conducted a number of analysis along with census, which provided correct and accurate information.  “These people come with the same allegation in a different manner. The LTTE network cannot collect money now so they do these kinds of things. Who is behind such things, people like Fr. Emmanuelle who has even posed for pictures with Prabhakaran and they still want to divide the country,” he noted. He said that people know what the government has done before 2009 and after 2009. We lost 6000 soldiers and officers between 2005-2009 and after all people in North and East knows what they can enjoy now. “Anyone can walk freely in those areas even the President can, he went on the road when he recently visited North. You know that we can do ten surgeries at once at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, these are the facts that people who accuse us needs to know,” he added.  “Not even the TNA could go to those areas. Now anyone can go. Those who are accusing us should also know that we did not punish any LTTE cadre who surrendered to us. We are educating Soosai’s children and they are being looked after by the Navy- which was always targeted by Soosai as he was leader of the LTTE Sea Tiger wing,” he noted.  “I have told the US Ambassador about what we have done and achieved throughout the last couple of years by emphasizing the fact that we need to look into the future,” Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said (Daily Mirror : 22 February 2013).

Court of Inquiry investigating controversial Channel 4 claims conclude: SHELLING DEATHS DUE TO LTTE - LTTE targetted civilians fleeing to safety - Forced conscription of children, old people - The Court of Inquiry investigating into the controversial Channel 4 claims, concluded yesterday that the instances of shelling referred to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) Report were not caused by the Sri Lankan Army. The Court of Inquiry appointed by Sri Lanka Army Commander Lt Gen Jagath Jayasuriya completed its inquiry concerning the first part of their investigation with regard to the allegations of excessive civilian casualties, as a result of alleged heavy shelling. Army spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya in a press release yesterday said the Court of inquiry report concluded that instances of shelling mentioned in the LLRC report were not caused by the Sri Lanka Army and the civilian casualties might have occurred due to unlawful acts by the LTTE. He said that the President of the Court of Inquiry Major General Chrisantha de Silva handed over the Court of Inquiry (Cof I) Report to the Army Commander at the Army Headquarters yesterday. The Army spokesman said the Court of Inquiry report has upheld that civilian casualties may have resulted, due to unlawful acts by the LTTE. “These acts include targeting civilians fleeing to the safety of Army held areas and likely routes of escape, dropping of artillery rounds fired by ill trained LTTE gunners on to civilian concentrations, employment of sub standard artillery guns and incompatible and substandard artillery rounds obtained from illegal sources by the LTTE, forced conscription of civilians including children and old people for LTTE combat purposes thus exposing them to danger’, he said. The Army Court of Inquiry on Channel 4 Allegations referred to in the LLRC Report submitting its findings to the Commander of the Army Inquiry reveals that the instances of shelling were not Caused by the Army. The Army Court of Inquiry appointed by the Commander of the Army Lt General Jagath Jayasuriya VSV USP ndu psc to investigate the controversial Channel 4 claims referred to in the LLRC Report, completed their inquiry concerning the 1st Part of their investigation with regard to the allegation of excessive civilian casualties that said to have been caused due to heavy shelling (Daily News : 16 February 2013).

Julie Bishop MP and Scott Morrison MP Joint Press Conference ABC News 24 (You Tube).

Norway in unprecedented legal wrangle with NGO guru - Warns of irreparable damage to diplomatic relations - By Shamindra Ferdinando - One-time peace facilitator Norway and Sri Lanka are on a collision course over NGO guru Dr. Kumar Rupesinghe moving the District Court of Colombo against the Nordic country for refusing to make payments amounting to millions of rupees to the Foundation of Co-Existence, headed by the plaintiff, in accordance with a tripartite agreement signed in June 2008. The British government is party to the agreement which covered a three-year period. The signatories to the agreement are Tore Hattrem, the then Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo, on behalf of Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tom Owen–Edmunds, Head of Political and Development Section of the British High Commission, on behalf of British High Commission in Colombo and Dr. Kumar Rupesinghe, on behalf of the Foundation for Co-Existence. Well informed sources told The Island that under the agreement, the Foundation for Co-Existence was to implement projects in support of the peace process with funds received from Norway and the UK. The agreement was finalized at the height of the war on the Vanni front. There hasn’t been any previous case similar to the ongoing legal dispute involving a local NGO and its foreign partners. Interestingly, Norway was to fund the project to the tune of 75 percent with the remaining funding from the UK. Having made some payments in accordance with the agreement, Norway suspended further payments in early May 2009, just weeks ahead of the conclusion of the conflict. However, the UK met its full commitment in keeping with the agreement. Responding to a query, sources revealed that the Attorney General’s Department had intervened after the Norwegian Embassy obtained a commitment from the External Affairs Ministry not to proceed with the case due to respondents enjoying diplomatic immunity. However, the Attorney General’s Department has asserted that the case could be heard in Colombo. Sources said that the Norwegian Embassy had taken up the position that any attempt to summon Norwegian officials and diplomats before the High Court of Colombo would cause irreparable damage to diplomatic relations between the two countries. Among the defendants cited in the petition are International Development Minister Erik Solheim and Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store. Rupesinghe incurred the wrath of some his donors, particularly Norway by switching his allegiance to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the height of the Vanni battle. A major rift surfaced after Rupesinghe had met LTTE representatives on behalf of President Rajapaksa shortly before the LTTE made an attempt to assassinate Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in late 2006. Evaluation of Norwegian peace efforts in Sri Lanka, during the period from 1997 to 2009, revealed Norwegian funding for a range of NGO-run projects, with Rupesinghe being identified as the recipient of the Lion’s share of Norwegian finding amounting to $ 6 mn (NOK 35 mn). (Island : 8 February 2013).

Vaiko challenges ban on LTTE - CHENNAI: The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader, Vaiko, has moved the Madras high court opposing ban on the LTTE. The first bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Elipe Dharma Rao and Justice Aruna Jagadeesan issued notices to the union of India and the Tamil Nadu government. While the Centre issued a notification on November 7, 2012 invoking the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Tamil Nadu government issued a gazette notification on January 4, 2013. Since 1992, when the LTTE was first banned in India, the governments had been extending the ban periodically. On June 6, 2012 the centre constituted Justice V K Jain committee and on July 17, 2012 and made the reference to the tribunal to adjudicate whether or not there was sufficient cause for declaring LTTE as unlawful association. Vaiko, who argued the matter in the high court in person on Monday, said in the petition that the activities or pro-LTTE organisation, individuals, sympathisers, who are members of the LTTE cannot be reason to declare the LTTE as an unlawful association. Te centre has not produced any legally acceptable corroborative material to establish the particular activity was done by any of the embers of the LTTE. Denying the Centre’s claim that the LTTE’s object for separate Tamil Eelam threatened the sovereign and territorial integrity of India, Vaiko said the object was restricted only to Tamils living in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. As for Centre’s claim that fundraising and propaganda activities were on in Europe, Vaiko said neither the state nor the central government had given an iota of evidence to substantiate the allegation. As for internet propaganda against India, he said: "There is nothing wrong in the Tamil diaspora in criticising top Indian political leaders and bureaucrats responsible for the defeat of the LTTE. Had the Indian top political leaders and bureaucrats not aided the Sri Lankan government, there would not be any criticism against those responsible for the massacre of Tamils in Sri Lanka." (Island : 29 January 2013).

An Article by Gomin Dayasiri on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (Divaina : 27 January 2013).

More Tamils to be recruited to Army - Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya said that more Tamil nationals would be recruited to the Army based on their qualifications. He said that Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has told the Army to look for Tamil nationals from North and Eastern Provinces. “We have about two or three senior Brigadiers who are Tamils and currently serving in the Army, we do not have restrictions like that and we are in the process enrolling more of them in near future,” he said. “More than us the police recruited hundreds of Tamils since the end of the war for police stations in the North and East,” he added. Last November 103 Tamil girls were recruited to the Sri Lanka Army and were enlisted in the Volunteer Force of the Sri Lanka Army and assigned to serve under the 6th Battalion of the Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps. After initial military training they were assigned to Killinochchi and Mullaitivu Districts and it is hoped that they will facilitate the ongoing military-civil cooperation activities in the areas. They were recruited to the Army after facing an extensive interview which were conducted in the North and East (Daily Mirror: 26 January 2013).

SLAAS: Stoking fires of separatism - by Susantha GOONATILAKE - A few months ago, the Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) with its total membership of approximately 50,000 professionals issued a unanimous statement rejecting the 13th Amendment (the 13th A). The 13th A, we should recall was imposed on Sri Lanka by Indian gunboats and the threat of an invasion. It created a non-existent exclusive traditional Tamil Homeland in the Northern and Eastern provinces which were only demarcated for their own colonial purposes by the British in the 20th century. There was massive resistance in the country against the 13th A, but the ruling government yielded to Indian military threats. Previously the OPA had done a study on the working of the 13th A and found it to be most inefficient and a waste of national resources. I have been involved with the OPA several times including as an invited speaker. Another organisation I have been actively involved is the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS)which I led in 1986 as its youngest General President. Usually in an organisation, members especially those who have taken a leading role like myself should deal with its internal matters within the organisation itself. But not when the larger issues of the sovereignty of the country are at stake (Daily News : 21 January 2013).

Navi Pillai: After Sri Lanka again and getting bashed - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada - I just read in Colombo Page Sri Lanka’s Acting Secretary of the External Affairs Ministry, Kshenuka Senewiratne’s, scathing attack on you. Wow! What’s all this hulla-baloo, Navi Pillai? You obviously upset Kshenuka, and it does seem that she has taken her diplomatic gloves off and is outside the squared circle and ready for a street fight with you. If I were you, I would be careful confronting her. Someone told me that Kshenuka is a prize Olympic boxer with a stinging upper-cut. If I were you, I would watch out. And if I were you, before the March meeting when you are hoping to pin Sri Lanka to the wall, I would go to a boxing training gym and train myself to dodge Kshenuka’s upper cut before she floors me. Don’t take chances Navi Pillai, you have asked for it, and Kshenuka is prepared to give it to you in buckets full. I know you have mastered some dodging, like dodging going to Sri Lanka having accepted the invitation from the Sri Lanka government. I would give you some credit for that bit of ‘dodging’. You have figured out that once you go to Sri Lanka, you will see a different picture, miracles happening there, your Tamil people looked after well and with dignity, and they are happy as clams other than the TNA politicians the former mouth pieces of the LTTE, and that you will have difficulty to be that vindictive, unfairly, on Sri Lanka. That’s right, isn’t it Navi Pillai? In my parlance, I would call it “chickening out”. By the way, Navi Pillai, does Kshenuka know that you are a Tamil, as someone told me, that you are a four generations removed distant cousin of Velupillai, the Tamil Tiger leader? I know that you are still smarting that his life was snuffed out by the Sri Lankan soldiers that is why this vindictive performance against Sri Lanka. Right, Navi Pillai? I understand, and can’t really blame you as blood is thicker than water! (LankaWeb : 23 January 2013).

Explosives at TNA office: TNA MP to be questioned, aide arrested at BIA - By Shamindra Ferdinando - The police arrested Ponnambalam Luxmkanthan, a senior aide to TNA Jaffna District MP S. Sridaran, at the Bandaranaike International Airport, as he was about to board a flight for India. The suspect, formerly of the LTTE media unit, was wanted for questioning in connection with the recovery of 500 grammes of ‘low’ impact explosives from the TNA political office in Kilinochchi. The police searched the TNA office in the afternoon of January 12 after arrestung two persons, including a TNA activist allegedly supplying ‘low’ explosives for fishing purposes. The police arrested them at Gurunagar on the night of January 11 while they were travelling in a three wheeler. A senior security official told The Island yesterday that the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) would shortly question MP Sridaran regarding the recovery of ‘low’ explosives and a stock of pornographic material from his office. Asked whether Ponnambalam had recently met MP Sridaran, the official said that the suspect had been in touch with the politician. In fact, at the time, the police had searched the TNA office, Ponnambalam, too, was present along with Arunasalam Velamahaligithan, the office administrator, who functions as the TNA organizer for Kilinochchi.The official said that the police recorded Ponnambalam’s statement following the search, though he was not detained. According to him, the investigators had subsequently wanted to take Ponnambalam into custody. As he couldn’t be found, the police alerted the staff at the BIA of a possible attempt by the suspect to flee the country. Ponnambalam had been involved with the LTTE for a long time, sources said, adding that he was one of the key propagandists. The suspects arrested at Gurunagar had visited the TNA office in Kilinochchi earlier in the day hence those based at the office could not be unaware of the lucrative business in ‘low’ explosives, the sources said (Island ; 20 January 2013).

Sri Lanka removed from UN “child and armed conflict” list – LTTE must stand trial for forced conscription - by Shenali Waduge - Unless it’s a mistake or purposely done the UN removal of Sri Lanka from its List of Shame for child conscription does not clearly distinguish the fact that it was the LTTE that conscripted children to its terror outfit and not Sri Lanka’s army. Therefore, Sri Lankan authorities need to ask UN authorities to make this distinction clearly known. Moreover, it is now long overdue for LTTE to be put on trial for usurping every right of a child by kidnapping and training children to kill (Lankaweb : 14 January 2013).

Security Forces Bust TGTE-TNA-JSU Terrorist Plot - by Kumar Moses - If you follow the weapons trail, you will unearth the plotters behind. This modern adage among defence circles the world over provides an easy and reliable pointer towards terror bigwigs. World illegal arms trade is estimated to be around 1 billion a year. Tamil Tigers had the world’s most advanced weapons procurement system equipped with ships, dealers, money collection up to $300 million annually, contacts with other terrorist organizations, assembling facilities in Cambodia and Vietnam, drug dealings in Colombia and other connected facilities. Although the war ended in 2009, Tamil terrorist networks continue to operate albeit at a lower scale. After a few bloody internal battles in Norway, Canada and France, TGTE has taken over bulk of Tamil terrorist finances. These finances are channeled to propaganda and terrorist activities that go hand in hand. Mid 2012 several TNA MPs and ACTC leaders visited Tamil Diaspora activists in Europe and Canada. A plan was hatched to revive the armed struggle around the LTTE Heroes Day 2012. They were given an energy jab by the April 2012 UNHRC resolution. TNA MPs through their coordinating committee instigated the JSU (Jaffna Students Union) to launch a violent movement to revive the movement. Millions of rupees passed hands. However, most Tamil students at the Jaffna University were uninterested in LTTE activities. Still a small but influential group of TNA connected students clashed with the police. LTTE/TGTE and JSU link is Jaffna District TNA MP, Sivagnaam Sritharan. S Sritharan, MP, has several connections with both sides of the new Tamil violent movement. He was the principal of the Kilinochchi Maha Vidyalayam, a school of large attendance. As a result he developed a close rapport with young Tamil students. This is what came handy in getting the JSU to do TGTE/LTTE dirty work. However, Sritharan has other LTTE connections too. His wife is the sister of Velayuthapillai Bharathakumar (aka Brigadier Theepan). Theepan was a senior Tamil terrorist leader who managed to survive until the last phase of the war. Family connections and work relations with LTTE/TGTE and JSU are not the only influencers he has over them. In April 2012 he travelled to Tamil Nadu to participate in a seminar by pro-Tamil Elamist lawyers including the Madurai Bar Association and Madurai Tamil Advocates Union. Marudai Tamil advocates closely worked with several LTTE operatives arrested in India over the years as their lawyers. Madurai Bar Association staged various fasts and protests against the court case and the conviction of Rajiv Ghandi assassins – all of them Tamils. As such Sritharan has emerged the new central hub of TGTE, LTTE, Tamil Nadu ultra-Tamil nationalists, JSU, TNA and the general public of Jaffna and Vanni. Sritharan and Vasanthan, a TNA grassroots level activist, were accused by northern Tamils for the attack on TELO breakaway faction’s political office in 2012. They were arrested recently in the possession of C4 explosive – the most common explosive used by Tamil terrorists. Security forces also found a large volume of pornographic material in their possession. Attempts by various NGOs and other LTTE sympathizers to get them released have failed so far. For the sake of national security, these terrorist elements must be kept away from the general public. Sri Lanka won a bloody battle against Liberation Tamil Terrorists of Elam (LTTE) in May 2009. Since then peace has dawned on the island nation (LankaWeb : 14 January 2013).

Sri Lanka News Online wishes its readers, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Lankans in US Court for aiding LTTE - Two men extradited from Canada on charges of supporting a Sri Lankan rebel group that has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States were ordered held without bond Thursday during an appearance in Federal District Court in Brooklyn.  The two men, who were born in Sri Lanka and became naturalized Canadian citizens, had been sought by the United States since 2006. Each has been charged with conspiring to provide material support to the Tamil Tigers, the separatist group that was defeated three years ago after more than 25 years of insurgency.  The men’s fight against extradition ended this month after the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed their appeals, clearing the way for them to be sent to the United States.One defendant, Piratheepan Nadarajah, 36, also faces charges of conspiring to acquire antiaircraft missiles for the group, known formally as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.  Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said Mr. Nadarajah and several co-conspirators had engaged in negotiations in 2006 with an undercover F.B.I. agent to buy twenty SA-18 heat-seeking missiles, 10 missile launchers and 500 AK-47 assault rifles. The other defendant, Suresh Sriskandarajah, 32, assisted Tamil officials in researching and acquiring aviation equipment, submarine and warship design software and communications equipment, a criminal complaint charged.  Loretta E. Lynch, the United States attorney in Brooklyn, said the defendants "were part of the cycle of sophisticated arms and large sums of money that fueled" the Tamil Tigers, an organization that authorities said had used suicide bombings and political assassinations. Mr. Nadarajah and Mr. Sriskandarajah were both wearing khaki jumpsuits and were cuffed at the ankles when they entered not-guilty pleas before Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom. A bail hearing was set for Jan. 9.  Mr. Nadarajah’s lawyer, Sam A. Schmidt, said later by phone that his client was "an honorable hardworking family man who has demonstrated his responsibility to the courts in Canada."  Joshua L. Dratel, a lawyer for Mr. Sriskandarajah said: "He’s gone through this process for six years; this is another chapter that we’ll have to overcome."  After the proceeding, Mr. Dratel asked the judge to allow his client’s mother, who had traveled to New York from Canada, to greet her son. They were allowed to exchange a few words across a short distance in the courtroom, with the mother visibly weeping (Island : 28 December 2012).

45 former LTTEers arrested in Jaffna - At least 45 ex-LTTE cadres, who were hiding since long period without surrendering to the security forces, were arrested in the Jaffna peninsula by the Terrorist Investigations Division (TID), official sources said. They said that following several search operations covering the entire peninsula in the recent past, these former LTTE members were taken into custody. The TID was interrogating these suspects and steps would be taken to take legal action against some of the suspects, if found involved in criminal activities (Daily Mirror : 26 December 2012).

LTTE checkmated - War on terror revisited - Part 86 - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Army chief, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka was on an official visit to China when Brig. Shavendra Silva’s celebrated 58 Division prepared to launch the final clearing operation targeting the cornered Tigers taking refuge among civilians in a two-square-kilometre patch of land in Vellimullivaikkal. Brig. Silva was confident of wiping what remained of the LTTE’s military wing. Although the Army Commander was away for about a week, he was in touch with field commanders. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, too, was abroad as the army surrounded Vellimullivaikkal. Having finalized preparations for the assault, the 58 Division chief was at his headquarters when a lagoon borne LTTE group overran a section of the frontline held by the 53 Division. The LTTE operation got underway at 3 a.m. on May 17, 2009. Although the LTTE managed to overrun army defences, it couldn’t sustain the assault until it could clear a path for their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and his family to escape into the nearby jungles. Unbeknownst to the army, Prabhakaran, his family and a team of close protection personnel were trapped either in the Nanthikadal lagoon or the two square km area. A section of the army top bass feared Prabhakaran had escaped amidst battlefield chaos. (The previous piece dealt with two abortive LTTE attempts to escape through the area held by the 53 Division). The 58 Division had no option but to suspend the final assault and stabilize the situation in the neighbouring area. Brig. Silva spearheaded the stabilization effort. The absence of Sinha Regiment veteran Lt. Gen. Fonseka worsened the situation. The ground commanders faced the unenviable task of explaining the failure on their part to prevent Prabhakaran’s escape. What they didn’t know at that time was that the leader was still alive and kicking. The 58 Division blocked all land access to the 2 square km area, where the LTTE leader was believed to be trapped, while leaving the lagoon front open. At one point Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa directed the SLAF to operate an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in support of ground forces even after its operating hours. He emphasized that all support should be given to ground forces to achieve their goal event at the risk of losing the precious UAV (Island ; 23 December 2012).

US Defence Advisor on LTTE surrender offer, ‘white flag’ allegation - It has been alleged that Brig. Shavendra Silva on the instructions of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa executed some LTTE leaders and their families carrying white flags during the final clearing operation. None other than US Defence Advisor in Colombo, Lieutenant Col. Lawrence Smith on June 1, 2011 questioned the very basis of these claims. Responding to a query by retired Indian General Ashok Kumar Metha on June 1, 2011, the second day of a three-day symposium on the Sri Lankan combined military campaign (Aug 2006-May 2009), Lt. Col. Smith stressed the need to examine the credibility of the alleged attempts made by Kumaran Pathmanathan aka KP and Nadesan, in charge of the ‘LTTE police’, to arrange for a surrender of LTTE leaders in the final days of the battle. The official said that the surrender offers he was aware of seemed to have come from those who had nothing to do with the command of the LTTE fighting cadre on the ground. Discussing the situation on the final days and hours of the three-decade long conflict, the US official, who had been in Sri Lanka since June 2008, pointed out that the likes of KP and Nadesan had no real control over the LTTE, in spite of being the groupmouthpieces. Smith said that the surrender offers had come from those who worked for the LTTE but never had control over the LTTE leadership or the combat power of the LTTE. "We need to examine the credibility of such offers before coming to a conclusion." Lt. Col. Smith went on to argue that the same could be said about the ‘white flag’ allegation. He hadn’t been convinced of various statements made by the LTTE’s mouthpieces, ahead of the collapse of the Tigers’ military wing, which at one-time was considered invincible by military experts, who pressed for a negotiated settlement. The US statement meant that KP and Nadesen could have been engaged in an attempt to arrange for a ceasefire with the help of some foreign powers, though not having the consent of the fighting cadre. The situation would have been different if Soosai or Pottu Amman had done so on behalf of the LTTE and sought an unconditional surrender, without involving third parties. The Island reported Smith’s statement the following day. (Now, US suspects credibility of LTTE surrender offer with strap line Dismisses KP, Nadesan as ‘mouthpieces’ with no real authority-The Island June 2, 2011.) The US State Department quickly distanced itself from the statement, without denying it (Island : 23 December 2012).

No news about the previously promised court case against the 13th Amendment to the Constitution

Canada to extradite LTTE suspects to US - Canada's Supreme Court on Friday ruled that Canada can proceed to extradite two Sri Lanka men the United States has accused of involvement with the Tamil Tigers, which waged a bloody war for independence in Sri Lanka and is considered a terrorist organisation by Washington and Ottawa, reuters reported. Piratheepan Nadarajah was alleged to have tried to purchase surface-to-air missiles and AK-47 assault rifles for the Tamil Tigers from an undercover officer posing as a black-market arms dealer on Long Island, New York. The other man, Suresh Sriskandarajah, was alleged to have helped Tamil Tigers get electronic equipment, submarine and warship design software and communications equipment. The Canadian government declined to comment on when they would be extradited. Canada's Supreme Court on Friday upheld an anti-terrorism law enacted after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, ruling unanimously that those who choose to engage in terrorism must "pay a very heavy price." The law's constitutionality was challenged by Mohammad Momin Khawaja, convicted in Canada of terrorism for involvement with a British group that had plotted unsuccessfully to set off bombs in London. It was also challenged by the two Sri Lankan men accused of terrorism by the United States for trying to buy missiles or weapons technology for the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers (Daily Mirror : 15 December 2012).

Supreme Court of Canada says extradite Sriskandarajah and Nadarajah to the US to face charges - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada - What do you know? Our, yours and my Supreme Court of Canada, today made the decision to send two of your area Tamils Suresh Sriskandarajah and Piratheepan Nadarajah to the U.S. to face charges for supporting the Tamil Tigers, by attempting to buy missiles and AK47 assult rifles on Tigers behalf., for millions of dollars. I chalk the decision as ‘one’ for Asoka Weerasinghe, the anti-Tamil Tiger Canadian rump activist, ‘one’ for our Canada, and ’0' for Stephen Woodworth, the Conservative MP for Kitchener Centre. Stephen, there are moments when I wish that the Canadian politicians, the Conservatives, Liberals and NDPiers alike who are still supporting the Tamil Tiger rump be extradited to Sri Lanka to face charges for suporting Tamil Tiger terrorism to destroy that island nation and divide that island into two when we cling on to Quebec with all our might not letting them separate from the rest of Canada. That’s how disingenuous my politicians are, and you included. My advise to you Stephen, is to start talking to the Sinhalese community and get their side of the story without being a dunce-capped fool supporting the separatist Tamils, not knowing a damn thing about Sri Lanka. We, Sinhalese have a story to tell you and it is an honest one for that. Have a great Holiday Season. And I wish you one thing for the New Year. I hope when you wake up one morning, throwing your arms up to yawn your sleep away, acknowledge the divine revelation that -”today I shall and will speak with the members of the Sinhalese community to get a better understanding of this separatist Tamil problem, now that I have been brain-washed by these Tamils in my constituency. At least I should contact this guy Asoka Weerasinghe in Ottawa to get his take on it.” Be honest with yourself and don’t try to destroy my Sinhalese people back in my Mother country – Sri Lanka. They deserve better. And let me tell you one more thing Stephen: The Sri Lankan Government owes every thing to the Tamils for staying back in Sri Lanka and not buying a plane ticket and land on our soil saying that they are Convention refugees; and Sri Lanka owes absolutely nothing to these refugees who abandoned the country flying out of the koha’s nest in search of greener pastures to re-build their comfortable nests with green paper doller bills. And that is what this story is all about (LankaWeb : 14 December 2012).

Statement on Sri Lanka - by Ira de Silva London, Ontario.Canada; Mr. Stephen Woodworth, M.P. House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario; Dear Sir: I have just been made aware of your statement on Sri Lanka where you express concern about the Jaffna University students and your concerns about “human rights abuses”. What do you expect law enforcement to do when students throw petrol bombs at buildings in Canada? Congratulate the students and encourage their violence? You know that is not what Canadian law enforcement does so what gives you the right to expect law enforcement in other countries to be different? Your blatant bias and double standards are, to say the least, offensive and do not reflect Canadian experience, standards or values. It is particularly disturbing that being the M.P. for Kitchener you have obviously forgotten the hue and cry in Canada when Canadian Tamils from your area travelled to the U.S. with two million dollars to buy surface to air missiles for the Tamil terrorists. They were arrested in New York, are now convicted and in jail. These are the law abiding Canadian citizens who funded extreme terrorism in Sri Lanka from Canada with the help of Canadian politicians. It appears that you are also following this path. You may have forgotten this type of action by Canadian citizens but the people of Sri Lanka who were killed and maimed do not. The human rights of the people of Sri Lanka were violated by Canada and what have you done to rectify that? Nothing. You are continuing to violate human rights in Sri Lanka. So much for your standards and lack of principles. I am forwarding my comments sent to Mr. Patrick Brown regarding his biased, ignorant statements on Sri Lanka which apply to you too because you are also a member of the Conservative Party. Instead of representing the Canadian values of democracy and peace you are promoting Tamil terrorist ideals of fascism and extreme violence against the people of Sri Lanka for a few hundred Tamil votes. While you talk of human rights in Sri Lanka, you are in fact violating the human rights of all Sri Lankans. Obviously you do not subscribe to the Canadian values of democracy. It would be prudent to inform yourself of the activities of the Tamil terrorist supporters in your area and try not to be a spokesperson for them as they have not given up their goal of terrorism in Sri Lanka. Yours truly, Ira de Silva London, Ontario (LankaWeb : 14 December 2012).

Top UN team here to look at LLRC report’s implementation - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Amidst political turmoil in Colombo in the wake of the government’s move to impeach Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, a high level UN delegation is here to examine the implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) recommendations as well as other post-war developments.  The Japanese-led delegation included Permanent Representatives from Nigeria, Romania Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York. The delegation was accompanied by senior Italian, Brazilian and South Africa’s top diplomat in New Delhi, Geoff Doidge, concurrently accredited to Colombo.  The delegation’s report is expected to be available for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) before its 20th sessions in Geneva next March.  Authoritative sources told The Sunday Island that having arrived in Colombo, the delegation had met Justice Minister and SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem at his ministry before meeting Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe and TNA leader R. Sampanthan.  They said that the inclusion of HC Doidge in the delegation was important in view of ongoing South African efforts to iron out differences between the GoSL and the TNA over post-war national reconciliation efforts. During discussions the delegation raised the contentious issue of devolution powers to the provinces in line with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, minority rights et al. Justice Secretary Kamalini de Silva, wife of former Attorney General C. R. de Silva who headed the LLRC was present during Minister Hakeem’s meeting with the visiting delegation. Sources said that Minister Hakeem had briefed the delegation as regards issues coming under his purview and measures taken by the GoSL to address their concerns.  Responding to a query, the minister said that the vast majority of those held in detention camps at the conclusion of the conflict had been now reintegrated into society.  The delegation also queried the action taken by the GoSL against those officers and men accused of committing atrocities. Minister pointed out that that didn’t come under his purview and those found guilty of such charges would be dealt under military law.  Minister Hakeem also revealed plans to introduce witness protection Bill and also set up four special high courts to try those held for terrorism charges.  The delegation met President Mahinda Rajapaksa and External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris at Temple Trees to ascertain their views. The TNA reiterated its serious concern over the government’s failure to address their grievance, though the conflict in May 2009 (Island : 09 December 2012).

Statement on Sri Lanka - by Ira de Silva London, Ontario, Canada - Mr. Patrick Brown M.P. House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario. Dear Sir: Reference your recent statement on Sri Lanka, it appears it is one more of your biased, uninformed statements, perhaps at the behest of your party, to help retain the Tamil Tiger voting block in the Greater Toronto Area. That you have linked your views with the NDP M.P. for Scarborough-Rouge River, Rathika Sitsabaiesan, who everybody knows is an ardent supporter of the Tamil Tigers as evidenced by the fact that she had the Tamil Tiger flag on her facebook page and was supported by Tamil Tiger supporters in the last election, indicates that you too hope by these constant inaccurate rants against Sri Lanka to retain support for the Conservative Party in the Tamil Tiger support base of Toronto. I would like to remind you that it was successive Canadian Governments that supported Tamil terrorism in Sri Lanka by allowing funding by Canadian citizens from Canada to the Tamil terrorists so they could kill thousands of Sri Lankans, that Canadian politicians openly supported fund raising events and provided political support to the Tamil terrorists which means that Canada’s opinions are not respected by Sri Lankans because Canada was part and parcel of the Tamil Tiger terrorism that they suffered from. Having supported terrorism what gives you as a Canadian the right to now ask Sri Lankans to pay attention to what you want Sri Lanka to do after the war ended? Your statements may help your Tamil Tiger support base in Canada but are of no consequence to non-Tamil terrorist Sri Lankans either in Canada or Sri Lanka. Let us examine one of your “requirements” of the Sri Lankan Government, not that it matters, but to help you to understand that what your Tamil Tiger friends are providing you with is a load of rubbish particularly as the local population want the army to stay for their security and to help them re-settle. For example, you “urge Sri Lanka to remove military from Tamil populated areas of the north and leave the administration to civilian officials. That is a “quotation” from the left-over Tamil Tiger supporters in Canada who hope that they can once again, with your help of course, start terrorising Sri Lankans. Please note that the security forces of Sri Lanka were stationed in the north before and during the war so why should they not be there after the war? Where the military is stationed whether it is Canada or Sri Lanka is for each government to decide. After thirty years of extreme terrorism, the military is stationed all over the country, as it was before the war, to protect civilians and the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka which is the responsibility of the government, a fact that you seem to be unaware of or believe that it is right for Canada but not for Sri Lanka which clearly indicates your double standards or wilful ignorance. Canada has it’s military stationed throughout Canada for the same reason, for security and to protect it’s territory. Would you agree if Sri Lanka asks the Canadian Government to remove the Canadian military from anywhere in Canada? If not, why are you expecting Sri Lanka to do so just because you want them to? Your bias, ignorance, arrogance and double standards are exposed (LankaWeb : 8 December 2012).

Sampanthan says LTTE destroyed itself - by Saman Indrajith - Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentary Group leader R. Sampanthan said yesterday that the LTTE was a terrorist outfit which killed Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala leaders and its destruction was inevitable owing to the path it took. Participating in the committee stage debate on budget 2013, under the Defence Ministry heading, the MP said: "The LTTE was not created by Tamils but by successive governments in the country. There were legitimate reason for the LTTE to emerge, that was why it became a terrorist organization and started killing Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese leaders and civilians. You call us LTTE proxies. Do you call us LTTE proxies because we did not get killed by the LTTE? "Nobody destroyed the LTTE. They destroyed themselves by not adhering to democracy and human rights. My late colleague Lakshman Kadirgamar was largely responsible for getting international support against the LTTE. If he was alive today, he would be horrified to see what is happening in post war Sri Lanka. "The 30 year war is over and the Tamil people want to put it behind them and move on with their lives. "Just because the LTTE is no more, it does not mean Tamil problems are no more and necessary steps should be taken to solve them. "There is a belief that Tamils do not want the army in the North and East. It is not right. We have never said we don’t want the army in the North and East. We do not like the manner in which the army is deployed in the North at present, which gives the idea that the Tamils are different to those living in other areas of the country. Incidentally, November 27 was a Hindu religious event Kadhikam Theepam where you light lamps to remember the dead and pay homage to God Murga. "What is wrong in a Tamil mother lighting a lamp to remember her dead son. What is wrong in remembering those who died in war? The JVP commemorates their heroes day and nobody complains about it. It is a fundamental right that one can remember. The army should not have entered the Jaffna University that day. The army was wrong. It was an unwarranted entrance and an unauthorized interference. I appeal to the government to look into the matter carefully and request that those students to be released. We do not want to get involved in any confrontation. "Of the 50 divisions in the army, 15 are stationed in the North .This means there are 150,000 soldiers in the North alone. This is highly unnecessary. We want all entities utilized by army to be handed over to civilians. Time has come for the government to ensure that Tamil people are allowed to live in peace with dignity." (Island : 7 December 2012).

13th Amendment to the Constitution is the main reason for many problems in Sri Lanka

Weekly Defence Column by Keerthi Warnakulasuriya  (Divaina: 2 December 2012).

The future of 13-A - By Neville Ladduwahetty - The responsibility for the illegality/unconstitutionality of 13A should be collectively borne by the then Supreme Court and the then Parliament. When the 13A Bill was forwarded to the then Supreme Court, the only determination the Court was constitutionally required to make as per Article 120 (a) was whether it required "approval by the People at a Referendum". It could be legitimately concluded that 5 out of the 9 Judges of the then Supreme Court found that the 13A Bill AS PRESENTED required a referendum. However, the determination forwarded by the then Chief Justice Sharvananda to Parliament stated that 4 Judges did NOT order a referendum, 4 others found the Bill required a referendum and the 9th Judge stated: "The provisions of Article 154G (2) (b) and 154 (3) (b) of the Bill to amend the Constitution of Sri Lanka (Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution) require approval by the People at a Referendum by virtue of the provision of Article 83". The then Parliament took upon itself to delete the requirement for a referendum from the original Bill, and passed the Bill without making the needed revisions as well as without resubmitting it to the Supreme Court. The 13th Amendment is being assailed primarily from two fronts. One front has revived the illegality/unconstitutionality of the 13 A that was first raised on September 9, 2009 in an article to The Island while the second front is marshalling forces to repeal 13 A on grounds that it is too restrictive and limiting. Despite the fact that the latter aspect of 13A was also brought to the attention of the public through several articles, it is not until the procedural restrictions required by 13A was demonstrated during the passage of the Divi Neguma Bill through the Supreme Court that the political establishment realized the full impact of 13A’s limitations relating to issues of governance. The responsibility for the illegality/unconstitutionality of 13A should be collectively borne by the then Supreme Court and the then Parliament. When the 13A Bill was forwarded to the then Supreme Court, the only determination the Court was constitutionally required to make as per Article 120 (a) was whether it required "approval by the People at a Referendum". It could be legitimately concluded that 5 out of the 9 Judges of the then Supreme Court found that the 13A Bill AS PRESENTED required a referendum. However, the determination forwarded by the then Chief Justice Sharvananda to Parliament stated that 4 Judges did NOT order a referendum, 4 others found the Bill required a referendum and the 9th Judge stated: "The provisions of Article 154G (2) (b) and 154 (3) (b) of the Bill to amend the Constitution of Sri Lanka (Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution) require approval by the People at a Referendum by virtue of the provision of Article 83". The then Parliament took upon itself to delete the requirement for a referendum from the original Bill, and passed the Bill without making the needed revisions as well as without resubmitting it to the Supreme Court. Such conduct was collectively illegal for the following reasons: (Island ; 22 November 2012).

When the going gets tough, the tough get going… - War on terror revisited - Part 73 - by Shamindra Ferdinando - The Vanni military offensive launched in March 2007 was undoubtedly the single most difficult mission undertaken by the Sri Lankan military during the eelam war. The failure on the part of one fighting formation either east or west of the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road could have easily caused irrevocable damage to the entire war effort. The 57 Division advanced on the central front, west of A9, whereas Task Force I (TF) was on the western flank. Having launched operations in March 2007 and Sept 2008, respectively, the two fighting formations continued to encounter strong enemy resistance in late July/early Aug. 2008, in spite of their linking up on June 30, 2008 to form the widest ever frontline against the LTTE. The going was extremely tough, particularly due to the Tigers exploiting ground conditions to their advantage. East of A9, the 59 Division tasked with destroying LTTE fortifications in the Anandakulam and Nagacholai forest reserves, which stood as natural defences for Mullaitivu, too, was facing extreme difficulties. The 59 Division had been on the move since Jan 2008. Task Force II (TFII) given the responsibility of clearing enemy positions along the west-east axis, too, didn’t find its task easy, though it secured Navvi on July 11, 2008. TF II used south of Palamoddai as a springboard to launch offensive action in June 2008 (Island : 22 November 2012).

NFF emphasized that it would move the Supreme Court against the 13th Amendment to the Constitution regardless outcome of the Parliamentary Select Committee

Read more about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Sri Lanka

Thirteenth Amendment illegally passed in House, NFF to tell SC - A partner in the UPFA will challenge the constitutionality of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, its lawyer said yesterday.?Chinthaka Mendis, Attorney-at-Law told the Sunday Times that he will file a petition in the Supreme Court next week arguing that the amendment has been “illegally passed” without recourse to due process. Mr. Mendis said the National Freedom Front (NFF) initially wanted to complain to the Court on November 14, the day on which the 13th Amendment became law 25 years ago in 1987, but will now be filing the petition in a few weeks time. Though the Indo-Lanka Accord had the characteristics of an international treaty, much of its provisions were focused on internal matters of Sri Lanka, Mr Mendis said spelling out the basis on which the 13th Amendment will be challenged.   Most importantly, it represented an interference in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka on behalf of the Sri Lankan Tamils who ‘are our citizens’, Mr. Mendis argued.?Continuing, he said the actions and omissions on the part of India and with the absence of Tamil representation, the Accord necessarily had to fail although the Sri Lankan Government went all the way to implement it on its own, believing in Indian assurances, he charged. He pointed out that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was passed and the Provincial Councils Bill was formulated to give effect to the obligations arising from the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord signed on July 29, 1987. The 13th Amendment sought to amend the Constitution and by the addition of a new Chapter XVIIA and Articles 154A to 154T relating to the executive, administrative and legislative powers of Provincial Councils, the Provincial Councils Bill provided implementing legislation to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. He alleged the J.R. Jayewardene Government followed a dubious course in the process of the enactment. “We should make these dealings public,” he said. The 13th Amendment Bill was placed on the Order Paper of Parliament on October 9, 1987. The then President proceeded to send the Bill to the Supreme Court under Articles 120 and 121 to determine ‘whether the 13th Amendment required the approval of the people at a referendum.’ “In respect of the Provincial Council Bill, he asked the Court two specific questions, whether (a) the Bill or any provision thereof, is inconsistent with the Constitution and (b) if so, whether the Bill, or any provision thereof requires the approval by the people at a referendum by virtue of the provisions of Article 8.3.” Consequently, Mr. Mendis pointed out, the issue before the Supreme Court was to decide whether the Bills could be enacted by Parliament by only a 2/3rds majority, or it required a 2/3rds majority plus a referendum. “The final outcome of the reference to the Supreme Court gave rise to a complicated and complex result,” he said adding that people are still confused today. Chief Justice Sharvananda and three judges namely Justices- E.A.D. Atukorale, Percy Colin-Thome and H.D. Thambiah, decided that the Bills did not need a referendum as the amendment would not affect the unitary nature of the state. Nevertheless, five judges, Justices R.S. Wanasundara, O.S.M. Seneviratne in separate judgments and Justice L.H. de Alwis and H.A.G. de Silva in a joint judgment along with Justice Parinda Ranasinghe in a separate judgment (conceptually agreed with Chief justice Sharvananda but dissented on Article 154 (g) (Sunday Times : 18 November 2012).

Tambimuttu drops bombshell - Says provinces must go as they are impractical and security threat - by Rohan Abeywardena - Sri Lanka Freedom Party organiser for the Batticaloa District Arun Tambimuttu like his late father, assassinated TULF parliamentarian Sam Tambimuttu stands up for his convictions and does not mince his words when he says that the 13th Amendment and the provincial councils need to go as the time has come to evolve a more practical system of devolution and administration in their place. He notes that the British who devised the provinces in the first place abandoned it as it was not practical and instead settled for the district level administration with easy access to most people, which continues to this day. These are not the ideas of a fanatic, but of a thoughtful man in his mid-30s. He points to the district as the base for the new system and if it could be shown how workable and fair it would be for everybody, the international community would also have to automatically accept it. Q: Politicians like Wimal Weerawansa or Champika Ranawaka critics can say are arguing on the basis of their fears or from their nationalistic thinking alone, but in your case despite being a Tamil you look at things from a wider picture and you also see that the 13th Amendment is not the answer. So can you explain in your opinion what the answer should be? A: The 13th Amendment has two parts to it; the Tamil language being made an official language of Sri Lanka and the setting up of the provincial councils. Making the Tamil language an official language is a right thing and that has made Tamils feel that at least now there is constitutional recognition to their language. On the other hand the provincial councils were set up in a very controversial circumstance. We all know the Indo-Lanka accord came through India’s intervention at a time when militancy was at its worse from the mid-80s when the country was brought to a virtual halt and in that context the provincial councils emerged. The PC s are supposed to have dealt with two major issues, one is the Tamil question which was brewing in the North and East of the country and secondly dealing with the issue of lack of regional development. In post-independence Sri Lanka most of the development was centred on Colombo and the western province. So there was a feeling that the provincial councils system will bring the development and give that necessary impetus to bring up Sri Lanka to live up to its potential. However, we are now on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the provincial councils and the 13th Amendment. In 25 years, of course we know, at first the North and East were merged into one council and it became defunct after the adventures of Varathraja Perumal after his party created a clandestine army, the Tamil National Army and subsequently declared a unilateral declaration of independence. And quite a lot of children who were conscripted into that army were massacred by the LTTE, while Perumal and some of its other leaders escaped. Then the war took its own path and we saw President Premadasa being assassinated. Many parliamentarians were also assassinated. What you were left with was 20 years of calamity. From that history we also saw the Supreme Court rule that the merger of the two provinces was unconstitutional and it formally demerged the two and we had the Eastern Provincial Council election where former LTTE fighter Sivanesaturai Chandrakanthan alias Pillaiyan became the Chief Minister. He administered the province for four years and after four years we recently had the second provincial council election there, in which his administration was rejected. Now today the current Eastern province administration doesn’t have a single Tamil in its rank, throwing the whole concept of sorting the Tamil question into utter chaos (Island : 18 November 2012).

Weerawansa’s bid against 13A postponed, not abandoned - On hold as he’s a member of the impeachment Select Committee - By Shamindra Ferdinando - UPFA constituent, the National Freedom Front (NFF) yesterday emphasized that it would move the Supreme Court against the 13th Amendment to the Constitution regardless outcome of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) inquiry into a spate of allegations directed at the Chief Justice, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake. The breakaway JVP faction led by Minister Wimal Weerawansa, MP, is confident that action could be initiated early next year. Attorney- at-law, Chinthaka Mendis, who is spearheading the effort on behalf of the NFF, said that the party was to initiate action last Monday. "We temporarily suspended the initiative due to NFF leader, Weerawansa being a member of the 11-member PSC," Mendis told The Sunday Island. Mendis stressed that they would definitely go ahead with planned legal action immediately after the PSC announced its decision on Chief Justice Bandaranayake. The PSC recently called for the CJ’s written response to allegations made against her by a group of government MPs by Nov 23, 2012. Mendis dismissed assertion that the NFF called off its much publicized effort due to political pressure. There was absolutely no other reason than NFF leader Weerawansa being on the PSC headed by Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, said Mendis who is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Constitutional Law at Indiana University in the United States. Commenting on the ongoing simmering political debate involving various political parties, with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) calling for constitutional changes to pave the way for the country to be divided to three or four zones instead of Provincial Councils, Mendis said that there was no way out of constitutional imbroglio other than seeking a ruling from the Supreme Court. Such a course of action would prevent various interested parties, both here and abroad from making a political issue as part of their overall strategy targeting the Sri Lankan state. Alleging that the then JRJ administration had introduced the 13th Amendment at the behest of India, Mendis said that it was enacted in violation of many fundamental constitutional provisions. The attorney-at-law alleged that the JRJ administration acted in contempt of the Supreme Court hence violated procedural process and the tripartite division of powers of government in the Constitution. "Certainly, the procedure prescribed by the Constitution has not been followed in the enactment of the 13th Amendment and as such irreparable procedural error has been caused in the enactment. Therefore it should never to have become laws in this country,"Mendis said. Asked whether the NFF was seeking to gain political mileage at the expense of ongoing national reconciliation efforts, Mendis said that the late Justice R.S. Wanasundara had clearly explained the circumstances under which the 13th Amendment was brought in. "If you go through the proceedings of the National Revival Commission, you’ll realize the illegality of the entire process with regard to the 13th Amendment as well the Provincial Council law," Mendis said. Responding to another query, Mendis said that the 13th Amendment was akin to the Post Tsumani Operational Management Structure (PTOMS), which, too, sought to bring the LTTE to the political mainstream. Commenting on the enactment of 13th Amendment as well as the Provincial Councils Bill under questionable circumstances, Mendis said that they would seek a declaration from the Supreme Court on the legality of the 13th Amendment and the Provincial Councils. He said that the following steps should have been followed for the valid enactment of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the Provincial Councils Bills without deviations from the law as per the Supreme Court Determination: (1)The revised 13th Amendment should have been referred for the opinion of the Supreme Court. (2) If the revised 13th Amendment was approved by the Court, it should have been presented to Parliament for debate, voted on and passed as indicated by the Court. (3) If the 13th Amendment becomes law on the grant of the Speaker’s certificate, then the second Bill, the Provincial Councils Bill, must itself be referred to the Supreme Court for its opinion. (4) If its legality is approved by Court, this Second Bill viz. the Provincial Councils Bill, must be presented to Parliament, voted on and passed with the required majority (Island ; 17 November 2012).

“Moves to repeal the 13th Amendment would damage Sri Lanka’s future” – Sampanthan - by Asada M Erpini - Dear Mr. R. Sampanthan TNA Leader - Your pronouncement that the moves to repeal the 13th Amendment (to the constitution of Sri Lanka) would damage Sri Lanka’s future, as reported in the media on 16 November, would not surprise any peace-loving Sri Lankan. The tax-paying Sri Lankans, the large majority of whom happen to belong to the Sinhala ethnic group who also are contributing to the salaries and other enviable perks enjoyed by the parliamentarians, including you, are yet to hear a word of praise from you as regards the stupendous achievement of the Sri Lanka government and its armed forces that liberated the near 300,000 Tamil civilians who had been corralled by the LTTE to serve as a human shield. Sri Lanka’s future was damaged by the LTTE over the past three decades. Sadly, your group served as the spokesperson for this terrorist gang, and India, the country to which the members of your team run at the drop of a hat to solve the problems of Sri Lanka’s – not India’s – Tamils are equally responsible for all the bombings and killings that went on during that period. Dear Sir, the 13th Amendment is not anything that Sri Lankans ever wanted or asked for. It was a stipulation that was rammed down the throat of the then President of Sri Lanka whose only choice was to say “Yes, sir”, to Rajiv Gandhi who had his warships be anchored off the port of Colombo with his fighter jets hovering over Jaffna. Reconciliation is a two-way process. It is you and your colleagues who have not shown that you are ready to treat Sri Lanka as your home country. The large majority of the Sinhala people have been ready to accommodate the minority groups – probably the biggest mistake that they have been doing for centuries – while those of your calibre seem to be adamant on carving out territories for your own people while the rest of Sri Lanka is there for your Tamilians and the Sinhala, Moor, Burgher and Vanniye Eththo communities. The hardships that you talk of are not specific to the Tamils whom you claim to represent: they are there for everyone of the 20 million in the country except for a handful who are fortunate to have all the good things in life. Reconciliation has to start from you: the Sri Lankan government and its armed forces have already done more than their share (LankaWeb : 17 November 2012).

Last Opportunity to save Sri Lanka from 13+ not to be missed

War-time conduct of UN in SL: Report riddled with gaping holes - – Bogollagama - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Sri Lanka’s war-time Foreign Minister, Rohitha Bogollagama yesterday said that many lives could have been saved had the UN acted swiftly and decisively when the LTTE exposed its plan to take refugee among civilians. "The LTTE’s intentions were clear as early as February 2007. The LTTE went to the extent of warning the UN not to interfere with its plans," Bogollagama told The Island. The first indication of the LTTE’s move came to light soon after the army opened a new front on March 5, 2007 west of Vavuniya. The former minister alleged that the LTTE had detained two local Tamil employees for helping some civilians to escape the war zone. The UN had not cared to inform the government of the illegal detention, he said. The army opened two more fronts in the Vanni in September 2007 and January 2008 to facilitate civilian attempts to cross over to the government-held area. The former minister was responding to a UN report, which inquired into the organization’s actions during the final phase of Sri Lanka’s war. The internal review panel recently completed its eight-month study, and its head, Charles Petrie, presented the findings and recommendations to the Secretary-General last Wednesday. Bogollagama held the foreign ministry portfolio from January 27, 2007 to April 20, 2010. International news agencies quoted UNSG Ban Ki-moon as having said that the UN system had failed to meet its responsibilities. Instead of demanding the immediate release of UN workers, the mission in Colombo and its Kilinochchi-based representatives had had clandestine talks with the LTTE in a bid to secure their release, Bogollagama said noting that the International Committee of the Red Cross as well as Norway-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) couldn’t have been unaware of the LTTE’s high handed action as both organizations maintained presence in the Vanni region. As the army advanced on multiple fronts, the LTTE had forced the civilian population to retreat along with its fighting cadre across the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road towards the Mullaitivu coast, Bogollagama said (Island : 16 November 2012).

UN failure in Sri Lanka - The mechanism that UN has put in place to "leak" information that is intended to be leaked is admirable. The second report that it leaked about Sri Lanka, few days ago, has served its purpose like the first one. However, now the report has been officially released and it is time for us, Sri Lankans, to express our views about the UN’s "Failure" and its "Leaking" strategy as well. Ever since this "LEAK", the Western media has been firing volleys of news alerts, using this piece of information as their latest weapon against Sri Lanka. It has reinvigorated the misinformation campaign against Sri Lanka orchestrated by Amnesty, HRW and Crisis group along with their Tamil Tiger backers in the Western world. Yet, none of these intended outcomes of the "Leak" is sufficient to cover up the UN’s "grave failure" in Sri Lanka. The true "system breakdown" as the UN chief calls it, is clear even in usually distorted news reports on the BBC on this issue. To assess the true cost of the UN’s failure, one has to analyze the situation when the UN was presumably successful in Sri Lanka. Certainly, it can be a remarkable success story not only for the UN but also for Amnesty and other Human Rights worthies critical of Sri Lanka. That Sri Lanka was the home to Asia’s longest running internal war is a fact known to many. However, few know what compelled Sri Lanka to live with it for 26 years. That is where the success story matters. The story begins with the notorious anti- Tamil riots in 1983 for which no one cared to demand "independent investigations" of any sort to find out the culprits. In a matter of years, a gang of cutthroats became the deadliest terrorist outfit known to the humankind. The outfit’s contributions to the domain of terrorism include; invention of suicide terrorism, horrendous orgies of violence called "village massacres" for ethnic cleansing, notorious "Baby Brigade" of child soldiers and above all, the sophisticated propaganda mechanism that works hand in hand with certain organizations profiting from human sufferings. During these successful years for UN in Sri Lanka, there were ample bomb blasts in buses, trains and public places, village massacres, suicide blasts, and assassinations for the world to talk about. There was at least one major attack to the country’s economic nerve center every year added on to the misery. The UN has been extremely successful in issuing elegantly drafted messages of its "concerns" and frequent "urges" to "both parties" to settle the matters peacefully (Island : 16 November 2012).

TNA wants nine provinces replaced with three or four zones - … warns repealing of 13A could endanger country’s future - By Saman Indrajith - The government should do away with the existing provinces and introduce a system of devolution and administration consisting of three or four zones so that the expenditure to maintain nine provincial councils could be reduced, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, MP said in Parliament yesterday. He warned that any attempt to repeal the 13th Amendment could cause grave harm and irreparable damage to the country’s future. Taking part in the fifth-day of the second reading stage of the budget debate, TNA Leader Sampanthan said any attempt to modify or nullify the 13th Amendment or to make it ineffective and worthless, would be counterproductive. "The 13th Amendment is the only provision that recognizes the diversity of the country to a certain extent." The TNA leader said that the President had mentioned national reconciliation in his budget speech. He demanded to know what had been meant by those words. He said: "People undergo hardships and are unable to repay loans. How could they think of reconciliation when they are over burdened with economic difficulties? Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced due to war. No allocation has been made for them in these budget proposals. Is this the way towards reconciliation?" (Island : 15 November 2012).

Army recruits 100 Tamil women soldiers - By Norman Palihawadana - One hundred young Tamil women would join the Sri Lanka Army on Nov. 17 at Killinochchi, Military Spokesman Brig. Ruwan Wanigasooriya said. He said the official recruitment of those soldiers would be done according to Hindu customs where the parents of those girls would come and hand them over to the Army and they would serve the North once they complete their training period. All the interviews had been completed in the last two weeks and what remained was their ceremonial entry to the service, he said. The highest ranking Tamil woman in the army is said to be a major, while there are at least one Tamil male major General and a senior Brigadier with a doctorate (Island : 15 November 2012).

Australia denies illegal migrants opportunity to seek asylum - By Madura Ranwala - Woes of economic refugees continue as Australian government has deported another batch of 32 Sri Lankan men yesterday to Sri Lanka from Christmas Island, bringing the total number of Lankan illegal expelled from there since August 13 to 324. Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen was quoted by the media as having said that this was the sixth removal of economic asylum seekers in a week. They were denied any opportunity of seeking refugee status in Australia. Before deporting they were transferred to Nauru and Manus Island, where detention centres had been put up, he said. About 232 Sri Lankan have been deported in the last seven days or so after they had paid millions to human smuggling kingpins to take them on perilous voyages. Australian government has advised economic asylum seekers not risk their hard earned money and lose everything in the end while risking their lives by taking dangerous voyages to Australia in unsafe boats, Browen has said (Island : 15 November 2012).

Tigers lose Balraj as Army makes progress - War on terror revisited - By Shamindra Ferdinando - In the wake of modest success on the central (57 Division) and western (Task Force II) flanks, the then Army chief, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka opened a new front in the North of on April 23, 2008. The elite 53 and 55 Divisions advanced from their 8 km-wide frontline from Kilaly extending to Kadolona in the early hours of Wednesday and reached the LTTE’s first line of defence without much difficulty. Having secured about 700 m, troops were in the process of consolidating their positions when the LTTE launched a devastating artillery and mortar barrage, causing heavy loss of life. They were forced to retreat leaving bodies of some of their colleagues on the battlefield. The LTTE returned the bodies through the ICRC. (Government jolted by outcome of Muhamalai battle—The Island April 25, 2008). The capture of Madhu on April 24, 2007 by the 57 Division didn’t lessen the demoralizing impact the Jaffna catastrophe had on the war effort (Island : 15 November 2012).

Northern offensive begins amidst battle for East - War on terror revisited - The then Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka launched operations on the Northern front on Mar.5, 2007. The opening of a new front was a bold decision as the LTTE still retained the capability to wage large scale combat operations in the Eastern Province. The newly raised 57 Division launched operations from the army frontlines west of Vavuniya between Vavuniya and Mannar. Operations were badly hampered for want of effective armour and artillery support. The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 57 Division Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias told the annual symposium May/June 2011 of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) that effective deployment of armour and artillery couldn’t be achieved due to initial confrontations between 57 Division troops and the LTTE in jungles. The Division struggled in the face of fierce LTTE resistance. But the 57 Division persisted with offensive action on the central front. The Army Chief named Gajaba Regiment veteran Dias as the GOC of the 57 Division, subsequent to some setbacks suffered by the formation at the onset of the offensive. The offensive got underway in the wake of an LTTE mortar attack directed at SLAF choppers immediately after they landed in Batticaloa in the morning. The Feb 27 attack caused injuries to 10 persons, including the then Italian and German ambassadors and a UN official. The LTTE fired mortars from Vavunativu. The attack prompted Dr. Rohan Gunaratne, who was also a guest speaker at the 2011 KDU symposium ‘Challenges of Post Conflict Sri Lanka’ to declare that war couldn’t be won by either party. A story captioned, ‘Sri Lanka, Tamil Tiger Rebels Fight a War That Can’t be Won,’ by Colombo based Anusha Ondaatjie, quoted head of terrorism research at Singapore’s Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, Rohan Gunaratna as having asserted: "Continuing the current spate of violence is not going to bring about a different outcome or change the status quo. Both parties have developed significant support to be able to recover from losses, but this type of warfare is protracted." Gunaratna declared: "What is needed is a negotiated settlement to the conflict." (Island : 14  November 2012).

13A : UNP agreeable to ‘practical’ amendments - by Zacki Jabbar - The UNP was opposed to the abolition of the 13th Amendment, but if the government wanted to make any changes, it should ensure a proper alternative to the Provincial Councils system, the UNP said yesterday. As the 13th Amendment was rushed through parliament, following the 1987 Indo–Lanka Accord, certain shortcomings had crept in and they needed to be rectified. But, the Amendment as a whole should not be repealed, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told a news conference in Colombo. He said that changes, if any, should be practical and they should not seek to nullify the concept of devolution. While noting that the supremacy of parliament should prevail at all times, Attanayake said that devolution was necessary for the smooth functioning of areas which were far removed from the centre. However, he stressed that any discussions on the amendments to the Constitution should necessarily involve the future of the executive presidency, the electoral system and re-establishment of the Independent Public, Police, Elections, Judicial Service and Bribery and Commissions, which were abolished by the 18th Amendment. Attanayake said that the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, he said, had explained his party’s position on constitutional reforms when National Freedom Front leader and Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa met him at the Opposition leader’s Office in Parliament, last week. The talks had been held at Weerawansa’s request and the UNP had, at no stage, agreed to the abolition of the 13th Amendment if the executive presidency was scrapped, he noted. "When Weerawansa called for amendments to the 13th Amendment, Wickremesinghe asked him what he had to say about the pledges given by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India that the 13th Amendment would be implemented in full. Weerawansa replied that it was the government view and he was talking about the position of his party the NFF. Wickremesinghe then said that any discussion on amending the 13th Amendment should include the future of the executive presidency, the electoral system and re-establishment of the Public, Police, Elections, Judicial Service and Bribery and Corruption Commissions, which had been scrapped with the introduction of the 18th Amendment." (Island ; 14 November 2012).

An Unexpected U-Turn

Wimal Weerawansa would not move the Supreme Court against the 13th Amendment as he has been appointed to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) for impeachment of Chief Justice.

13th A: UNP says amend it but don’t discard it - The main opposition United National Party (UNP), the architects of the 13th Amendment, which resulted in the provincial council system, said today this amendment should be amended to rectify any shortcomings but it should not be abolished. “The government should come up with an alternate unit of devolution in the event it decides to abolish provincial councils,” UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said. He told a news conference that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution contained several shortcomings which needed to be rectified. Mr. Attanayake said the amendment should be rectified to prevent provincial councils bypassing Parliament. He admitted that the 13th Amendment was enacted in a hurry under an agreement between then President J.R. Jayewardene and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Mr. Attanayake said UNP would support certain changes to 13th Amendment but would not agree to it being abolished. He said the party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had explained the UNP stance to National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader and Minister Wimal weerawansa when the two parties met last Saturday (Daily Mirror : 13 November 2012).

Weerawansa baulks at moving SC against 13-A - By Shamindra Ferdinando - UPFA constituent, National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Minister Wimal Weerawansa would not move the Supreme Court against the 13th Amendment as he was a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to investigate allegations directed against Chief Justice, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, NFF spokesman Anuruddha Bandara told The Island yesterday. Colombo District MP Weerawansa on Saturday (10) declared that he would file a petition in the Supreme Court on Monday seeking the abolition of the 13th Amendment. The petition was in line with the one filed before the then Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva for the de-merger of the Eastern Province from the Northern Province. Asked whether the NFF had consulted the UPFA as regards its move, Bandara said that his party had made that decision on its own. Bandara quoted senior lawyers as having told Minister Weerawansa to put off planned action. "They are of the opinion Minister Weerawansa shouldn’t go before the Supreme Court until the conclusion of the PSC inquiry," Bandara said. The spokesman dismissed assertion that they had been forced to back down due to the NFF plan not being compatible with the overall UPFA strategy. Minister Weerawansa’s is the only political party accommodated among the six-member UPFA group in the PSC headed by Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. Except Weerawansa all others are SLFP representatives, namely Nimal Siripala De Silva, Rajitha Senaratne, Dilan Perera and Neomal Perera. The NFF was joined by Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka (JHU) in calling on the government to do away with the 13th Amendment. JHU spokesman Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe told The Island that the NFF hadn’t discussed its plan, to move the Supreme Court, with the JHU, though they had called a joint media briefing to explain their position as regards the 13th Amendment. Warnasinghe said that they hadn’t agreed on a particular strategy, though both parties strongly felt the urgent need to abolish the 13th Amendment. Responding to a query by The Island, CPSL Secretary General Minister DEW Gunasekera said that his party opposed moves to link three critical issues, namely Divineguma Bill, impeachment of the Chief Justice and ongoing moves to do away with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Senior Minister Gunasekera declined to comment on the impeachment motion and the PSC process. "All I can tell you is that I declined to join the PSC on the CJ," National List MP Gunasekera said. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa called for the abolition of the 13th Amendment on October 14. Political sources said that the government was of the view that the 13th Amendment shouldn’t be repealed without reaching an agreement on a mechanism to replace Provincial Councils set up under the 13th Amendment. Sources said that the government was exploring the possibility of initiating a fresh round of dialogue with UPFA constituents as well as Opposition parties to reach an agreement on an alternative system (Island : 12 November 2012).

Reiterates commitment for 13-A principles - EPDP accepts need for con. Reforms - By Shamindra Ferdinando - EPDP leader Minister Douglas Devananda, MP, yesterday said that he realized the need on the part of the government to introduce constitutional reforms in the wake of the Divineguma Bill being declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. But that wouldnmean the 13th Amendment to the Constitution could be repealed to pave the way for the Divineguma Bill, Minister Devananda said. Jaffna District MP Devananda was responding to a query by The Island. Asked whether he was concerned about an influential section of the government calling for the abolition of the 13th Amendment, MP Devananda expressed confidence that President Rajapaksa wouldn’t do anything to cause anxiety among Tamil speaking people. The EPDP leader said that UPFA was discussing the possibility of bringing in a new Amendment (19 A) to the Constitution to address the issues caused by the Supreme Court blocking the Divineguma Bill. The minister said that he expected the proposed Amendment also to accommodate not only 13 Amendment but what was promised by President Rajapaksa, in addition to that. The bottom line was that the Tamil community expected genuine devolution, he said. "The issue here is whether the proposed amendment can accommodate what is enshrined in the 13th Amendment." MP Devananda is the only political party leader to sign the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice. The minister said that an all-party effort was required to address the contentious issue of constitutional reforms. Responding to a query, the minister noted that the SLFP revealed its readiness to bring in amendments to the Divineguma Bill hence, ruling out a referendum. The SLFP position was made known at a recent media briefing held at the Mahaweli Center. The minister said that a section of the international community seemed worried about the recent developments. However, the minister said that he was in the process of consulting various members of the government, who still remained committed to the principles of the 13th Amendment. The minister said that since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009, there had been tremendous improvement in the ground situation in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The MP stressed that there was a huge difference between what the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and sections of the Tamil Diaspora as well as the international community said and the actual ground situation. None of them wanted the government to settle post-war issues, the minister said, alleging that an influential section of the Tamil media was working overtime to undermine the reconciliation process. Commenting on allegations that the government was maintaining a domineering military presence in the Northern Province, particularly in the Jaffna peninsula, the minister said that regardless of what the critics said the military had been vacating areas occupied during the conflict. "During my last visit to Jaffna about a week ago, the military vacated three Grama Seva Niladhari areas in Madagal west. That is a gradual process. More villages will be handed over in the near future," the minister said. The one-time militant said that security related issues could be tackled though some acted as if the eelam war was continuing. The EPDP chief said that the government would have to accelerate the normalization process on the ground as well as constitutional reforms. The minister acknowledged that the 20th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva in March 2013 and the proposed elections for the first Northern Provincial Council were influential reasons to address post-war grievances as early as possible. The MP said that there wouldn’t have been peace as long as Prabhakaran lived. "I survived at least 13 assassination attempts. But there could have been many other bids during the conflict." (Island : 12 November 2012).

13-A: Wimal said NFF’s position differed from Govt - Gayantha  - by Zacki Jabbar - The UNP said yesterday that it was not agreeable to piece meal changes to the Constitution and any discussions on the subject should include all institutions required for the establishment of good governance and the rule of law. Amendments to the Constitution should necessarily involve the future of the executive presidency, the electoral system and re-establishment of the Independent Public, Police, Elections, Judicial Service and Bribery and Commissions, which were abolished by the 18th Amendment, the UNP’s Media Spokesperson Gayantha Karunathillake MP, told a news conference in Colombo. The MP said that there had been incomplete reports on the outcome of the talks between National Freedom Front(NFF) leader and Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa and a UNP delegation led by Ranil Wickremesinghe held at the Opposition leaders Office in Parliament, last week. Firstly, the talks had been held at Weerawansa’s request and the UNP at no stage agreed to the abolition of the 13th Amendment if the executive presidency was scrapped, he noted. "When Mr. Weerawansa called for amendments to the 13th Amendment, Mr. Wickremesinghe asked him what he had to say about the pledges given by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India that the 13th Amendment will be implemented in full. Mr. Weerawansa replied that it was the government view and he was talking about the position of his party the NFF. Mr. Wickremesinghe then said that any discussion on amending the 13th Amendment should include the future of the executive presidency, the electoral system and re-establishment of the Public, Police, Elections, Judicial Service and Bribery and Corruption Commissions, which had been scrapped with the introduction of the 18th Amendment." Karunathillake observed. The UNP spokesman said that the UPFA government should first reach a consensus among its constituent political parties on the future of, the 13th Amendment before seeking the Opposition’s views. As usual the Rajapaksa regime was trying to obfuscate matters by using parties such as the NFF to drag the UNP into a debate, without first sorting out differences among its coalition partners Several parties in the UPFA had already stated their objection to the 13th Amendment being repealed, Karunathillake observed (Island : 12 November 2012).

13th Amendment – Implications of Eelam - by Sarath Bulathsinghala, New Zealand - The 13th Amendment in its various manifestations is in for consideration. It is best if the following issues are discussed in this forum and elsewhere by patriots so that their implications for the future of Sri Lanka and for the future generations of all Sri Lankans are given due consideration. Let the politicos who are only worried about their length of stay in power and their families too understand the implications. Most of all let the people know! (LankaWeb : 12 November 2012).

LTTEers, illegal economic refugees to Australia screened for criminal records - 250 Sri Lankan boat people sent back - by Zacki Jabbar - Regardless of whether former LTTE cadres or economic refugees seek illegal entry into Australia, they are all scrutinised for any criminal records, Jose Alvarez, Australia’s Immigration Regional Director said yesterday. Alvarez, speaking to The Island at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, said that the Australian government had a no nonsense approach to illegal immigrants and they would be deported soon after they arrive at their favourite places such as Christmas and Cocos Islands. Asked if there was a special procedure to prevent the smuggling of LTTE cadres into Australia, he said that it did not differ from how the economic refugees were tackled. "It does not matter who the individual is. It could be a former LTTE cadre or an illegal economic refugee. Our advanced detection systems will nab them and search for all past criminal records," Alvarez said. Asked if any of the masterminds behind the human smuggling operation had been arrested, he replied, "Yes, an Australian operative with contacts in Sri Lanka and some other Asian countries was recently convicted by Court and sentenced to 14 years in jail." Asked what sort of monies were paid by the boat people, he said it ranged between a couple of lakhs to over a million Sri Lankan rupees. But, it was all in vain because they were invariably caught and sent to either Nauru or Manus Islands in Papua New Guinea, where they could spend long periods before being deported home. Addressing a news conference earlier in the day, Alvarez said that since August 13, this year more than 250 Sri Lankans who tried to enter Australia illegally had been returned both voluntarily (87) and involuntarily (170). "Australia will not take people who do not engage in international obligations. They will be sent back on the first available flight. So don’t waste your money and don’t risk your life," he said, adding "There is no money nor reintegration assistance for those sent home involuntarily. Lies and false promises are being told about what awaits people who are smuggled into Australia. My government is committed to preventing people from taking the dangerous boat journeys. Part of that commitment includes the reinstatement of offshore processing." In a video taped message from Australia the country’s Immigration and Citizenship Minister, Chris Bowen said that people were dying at sea on unseaworthy boats based on false pledges. "We are committed to stopping people from undertaking dangerous voyages. There is nothing to gain here and no visa awaiting those who make the journey. All they do is lose money and risk their lives on the high seas," the Minister observed. Bowen said that regular transfers to Nauru and more Sri Lankans returning home, was further proof that there was no advantage by engaging with people smugglers (Island ; 12 November 2012).

UNP will support abolition of the 13th Amendment, if coupled with Executive Presidency - Ranil says at a meeting with Wimal Weerawansa

Wimal Weerawansa said that the NFF would join forces with any party to abolish the 13th Amendment

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UNP will support 13th Amendment abolition if coupled with Executive Presidency - Ranil - By Saman Indrajith - Housing and Construction Minister Wimal Weerawansa met with UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday to enlist his support for the abolition of the provincial council system. Minister Weerawansa whose National Freedom Front (NFF) has launched a campaign to abolish the PCs called on Wickremesinghe at the Opposition Leader’s Office of the Parliamentary Complex yesterday afternoon. "We are meeting with different political parties with a view to forming an alliance against the 13th Amendment. The first such meeting was with the UNP," Minister Weerawansa told reporters after the hour-long meeting. Wickremesinghe had said the UNP would support the abolition of the 13th Amendment if it is coupled with the abolition of the Executive Presidency. The UNP leader had also queried what the alternative mode of devolution of power would be if the PCs are abolished. "We support any measure to strengthen the Legislature," Wickremesinghe had said. Minister Weerawansa had proposed that a unit smaller than a province should be created to devolve power. The two sides have agreed to meet again after the UNP Convention in early December to discuss the issue, Weerawansa said. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, MPs John Amaratunge, Lakshman Kiriella, Ravi Karunanayke, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera and Joseph Michael Perera were associated with their leader while NFF members Piyasiri Wijenayake and Mohamed Muzammil represented the NFF with Minister Weerawansa. Weerawansa said that the NFF would join forces with any party to abolish the 13th Amendment, which has become a stumbling block for the development of the nation (Sunday Island ; 11 November 2012).

‘Pandora’s Box’ called 13th Amendment - The Ministry of Economic Development recently presented a bill to the Parliament to form a new department known as Divi Naguma. The subject of the bill was poverty alleviation. It was challenged in the Supreme Court. The judgment declared that the proposed bill has to be approved in all the Provincial Councils before it can be put on the order paper of the Parliament as it dealt with the devolved subject of rural development. Thereafter, the President intimated to the Speaker of the Parliament and approval from all councils has been obtained. The Divi Naguma Bill was again challenged on the basis that the Governor of the Northern Province has no authority to give approval to the bill as there is no elected Provincial Council for the North. The 13th Amendment was the basis for petitions against the bill. Whatever the judgment of the Supreme Court, the developments have created a lot of anxieties in the public regarding the potential of the 13th Amendment to destabilize the country. The Divi Naguma Bill proposes to incorporate the Samurdhi Authority, the Udarata Development Board and the Dakshina Sanwardena Board under the powerful Divi Naguma Department. It can be seen as a more coordinated and streamlined attempt at poverty alleviation. No one is expected to agree with the bill and it is open for debate and amendment. But what is happening at the moment is that the provisions of the 13th Amendment are used by separatist and anti-government forces to take hostage a government that enjoys a two-third majority in Parliament. Except for a very few subjects, most matters could be interpreted as part of rural development and the center would be at the mercy of Provincial Councils to pass many bills in the Parliament in the future after the recent judgments. In such circumstances, the central government would eventually collapse and anarchy will reign. When the elections are held for the Northern Provincial Council, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) would most probably capture power. The TNA is an amalgam of Tamil chauvinist political formations that was formed in 2001 under the guidance of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and functioned under the tight control of the LTTE until the fall of the Tigers. Some of the constituent members of the TNA such as, the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) and the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) have a history of terrorism (The Nation : 13 November 2012).

NFF will file a case against the 13th Amendment to the Constitution - (Divaina: 11 November 2012).

Weekly Defence Column by Keerthi Warnakulasuriya  (Divaina: 11 November 2012).

BE ALERT OF EX-LTTE FIGHTERS RECRUITED TO CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE - By Malin Abeyatunga, Melbourne, Australia - It has been reported that the of the Govt has almost 11000 out of 12000 LTTE fighters who surrendered to the Government forces rehabilitated bringing them into the main stream of the Sri Lankan society. Well that’s a fantastic effort and gesture on the part of the Government for ex-terrorists. But yet, GoSL has done it at the expense of the national security to appease the so called international community, the UN and its LTTE biased Agencies and the humanitarian organisations in the west. We have a big problem here. Those approximately 11000 who were integrated into the main society have been once actively involved with the LTTE terrorist forces at different levels. Therefore , although they were released to the main stream, is there anything in place to monitor their movements, manouveres and behavioural pattern to ensure that some of them will not re-group and band together to fulfil Prabhakaran’s dream of Eelam. Some developed countries who talk big of humanitarian policies , they have a system in place for monitoring the imprisoned criminals who are released to the main society after serving their prison terms or released on parole. Do we have something of that nature because how much an ex- terrorist is rehabilitated , some bad blood or criminal elements can still remain in some of them to take vengeance. Apart from that, there are millions of dollars in the coffers of Tamil Diaspora to woe some of them through illegal means to tempt, entice and provoke the rehabilitated terrorists to take up arms against a legitimate Government. This is a strong possibility when you observe what’s happening in Afghanistan.In a speech made by Defence Secretary addressing a youth conference reported to have said that “quote a significant number of the reintegrated beneficiaries are also being recruited to the Civil Defence Force, and will be paid a monthly salary and will work in farming and in development activities. As a result of these measures, even former members of the LTTE have been given a full and fair opportunity to build better future for themselves in a peaceful and stable Sri Lanka.Unquote””. Haven’t we compromised our national security by this act of recruiting ex-terrorists to CDF? The following are excerpts from a report from Middle East Editor Ariel Zirulunick of Global Reports on Security issues in Afghanistan (Source-Ariel -Google) which bring jitters to Sri Lanka and warns as to why we should be so complacent and not alert of those who have been recruited to Civil Defence Force (Sri Lanka News Online : 11 November 2012).

JHU and NFF join hands against 13A

Ranil And Wimal Discuss 13A - Opposition and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and government Minister Wimal Weerawansa have had talks on the 13th Amendment to the constitution. The discussion had taken place in parliament yesterday on the sidelines of the budget debate, sources told The Sunday Leader. At the meeting, Weerawansa had said that the 13th Amendment must be abolished and that his party will work towards that goal. The UNP leader has responded by saying that he had no objections to abolishing the 13th Amendment to the constitution provided that there is an alternative solution. He said that he will discuss the issue at the UNP convention next month and reach a final decision (Sunday Leader : 10 November 2012).

Sri Lanka Opposition Leader holds discussion with governing party ally on 13th Amendment - Sri Lanka's Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe today held a discussion with governing party ally the National Freedom Front (NFF) on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Wickremasinghe met with NFF Leader and Minister Wimal Weerawansa in the parliamentary complex to discuss the call by the NFF to abolish the 13th Amendment. The NFF group led by Weerawansa has told the UNP that the 13th Amendment needed to be repealed. The UNP representatives while not opposing the repeal of the Amendment has opined that a different solution was required. Wickremasinghe has however said that the final decision on the party's stance on the 13th Amendment issue would be decided at the next UNP convention. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and the Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga were also present at the discussion. The NFF led by Weerawansa and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) have formed an alliance to pressure the government to abolish the 13th Amendment. The President has meanwhile said that a change in the prevailing Provincial Council system which was based on the 13th Amendment is necessary to make devolution more meaningful to the people (Colombo page ; 10 November 2012).

Whither the 13th Amendment? - by I. P. C. Mendis - It is now common knowledge as to the circumstances in which the 13th Amendment to the Constitution came into being.. The fact that it was introduced under duress and was forced down our throats is not in dispute. Nor is the position that although India ostensibly displayed to Sri Lanka and the international community that its intentions were honourable in presenting it as a just and reasonable solution which could bring a lasting solution towards Tamil aspirations and a door towards peace, the LTTE which claimed to be the sole representatives of the Tamils,(reiterated most emphatically by the Tamil National Alliance led by R. Sampanthan), did not accept it as a solution. Rajiv Gandhi paid for it with his life. In terms of the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement, the Northern and Eastern provinces were merged and Varatharajah Perumal emerged as the Chief Minister of the new North/East Provincial Council which lasted only till he declared UDI and fled to India. Thus, the N/E Council was a short-lived one to begin with. The merger of the North and East was subsequently canvassed in the Supreme Court as being unconstitutional and the issue has since been settled restoring the status quo ante. The salient point is that the Indian government had to perforce accept the decision of our supreme judiciary without demur although it eroded a fundamental condition in the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement. The TNA, of course has not given up hopes for a re-merger. The TNA which was happy to abdicate its role as representatives of the Tamils and watched helplessly yet encouragingly till the LTTE launched on a virtual suicide bid upsetting in the process the normal peaceful life of not only the Tamils but the Tamil-speaking people of these areas (not to speak of the other resident population and the mayhem unleashed in the whole country) has no moral right to substitute itself for the roundly defeated LTTE, much less to arrogantly claim everything that its one-time ‘godfather’ sought and promised to deliver to those whom they claimed to represent. Once the LTTE was defeated, it necessarily follows that its camp-followers who sacrificed their community to self-seeking adventurists should be told where they got off and they, like their defeated masters are themselves a defeated lot (Island ; 10 November 2012).

Ambassador Palitha Kohona addresses UVU on ‘Sri Lanka Looks Ahead - Winning the Peace’- By Sujeeva Nivunhella - Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona visited Utah State as the guest of the Utah State Government and the Utah Valley University (UVU). He addressed the UVU international relations class on "Sri Lanka Looks Ahead - Winning the Peace" and fielded a range of questions from a packed auditorium on Sri Lanka’s reconstruction and reconciliation process. There was considerable sympathetic interest demonstrated in Sri Lanka’s success in defeating a ruthless terrorist group and its reconstruction and reconciliation efforts. The University conferred an Honorary Professorship on Dr. Kohona. On November 2, he called on the Lieutenant Governor, Bell, and Senior Apostle of the Mormon Church, Elder Oaks. Elder Oaks was a Judge of the Supreme Court of Utah previously. Subsequently, Dr. Kohona was hosted to lunch by the President of the Brigham Young University (a large private University named after the leader of the original Mormon settler group in Utah) and the Model United Nations Class. On the following day, Dr. Kohona was hosted to lunch by the Utah Valley World Trade Center and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development at the New Yorker Restaurant. After a stimulating information exchange with the representatives of the business community present, many participants expressed keen enthusiasm in Sri Lanka as a tourist destination and as a potential investment destination. The World Trade Center, some of whose members are proactively seeking opportunities to expand in the Asian region, plans to send a fact finding mission to Sri Lanka in 2013. Sri Lanka’s free trade agreement with India aroused much interest. Salt Lake City (SLC) is home to a large number of cutting edge industries in the fields of IT, medical and aviation technology, genetics, engineering, electronics, etc. Utah also boasts of a booming tourist industry with world class ski resorts (SLC hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics) and natural attractions such as the Arches National Park. The unemployment rate in the state is one of the lowest in the United States, while it escaped the worst effects of the recession. 37 countries maintain honorary consuls in Salt Lake City. Utah is predominantly Mormon and conservative (Island : 10 November 2012).

India-mediated 13th Amendment on its way out? - In the strongest indication yet that Sri Lanka is having a serious rethink on the India-mediated concept of autonomy for provinces in the country, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, announced in parliament on Thursday that “a change in the prevailing Provincial Council system is necessary to make devolution more meaningful” to people. His announcement comes a few weeks after two coalition partners of the United People’s Freedom Alliance, which rules the country, demanded the scrapping of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution. The 13th Amendment, incorporated into the Sri Lankan constitution following the Indo-Lanka accord of 1987, granted limited powers to Sri Lanka’s nine provinces. The Jathika Hela Urumaya (led by Buddhist monks) and National Freedom Front (breakaway group of JVP), both partners of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party-led UPFA have demanded that the amendment be nullified. The professedly-left Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has also made a similar demand. Adding to this chorus was the country’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is also a sibling of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He was quoted in the Island newspaper as saying that the 13th Amendment should go – and timed it to coincide with the New Delhi visit of leaders of the Tamil National Alliance in October. The TNA sees the amendment as a ray of hope for limited autonomy for the Tamil dominated Northern Province. President Rajapaksa had announced through The Hindu that the elections to the Northern Province – the only one without an elected council – will be held by September 2013 (Hindu : 9 November 2012).

Tiger leader in Paris killed in internal conflict - BY MADURA RANWALA - The killing of a prominent LTTE leader and leader of the Pro-LTTE Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC) in France, Nadarajah Matheenthiran alias Parithy, on Thursday has been the outcome of an internal conflict within the LTTE rump for dominance or leadership, according to informed sources. Parithy was shot dead in Paris. Last year, too, he was critically wounded when he was attacked with a sword in the power struggle within the group that has its eyes on the financial benefits from the Tamils living around the world. The latest killing indicates the rift’s severity and their inability to compromise with each other. According to highly placed sources, there had been an internal rivalry between the Rudrakumaran faction and Nediyavan since last year or so. Sources said that the leadership struggle had erupted when the remnant factions came together to celebrate their ‘martyrs’ day’ which is round the corner, as it involved money. When contacted, the Army Military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya, denied the LTTE’s allegation that the army had killed Parithy. He said it appeared to be the result of rivalry among the LTTE rump and the Government of France would find out the perpetrators after investigating the killing. According to defence sources, Parithy was a high ranking remnant tiger leader of LTTE’s Nediyavan faction. He had headed the LTTE in France for many years. He had to maintain a low profile after he was arrested by French authorities and sentenced to prison. On Oct. 30 last year Parithy was attacked as he was coming out of the Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC) office in Paris with two of his aides. A group of six, three of them wearing balaclavas attacked him with weapons. They had used ‘katana’ a type of Japanese Samurai sword in the attack. Parithy had later identified two of them as ‘former’ members of the LTTE in Paris. There are two broad factions swearing allegiance to two senior tiger operatives. One is Perinbananaygam Sivaparan alias ‘Nediyavan’ based in Norway. Since the death of Prabhakaran, an internal rift has occurred between LTTE Europe leader Nediyawan and V. Rudrakumaran, an LTTE leader based in USA. The various remnant factions led by Rudrakumar, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel and Nediyavan were at loggerheads over holding of the ‘Martyers’ Day’ celebrations. This was not something new. "The inter gang rivalry has a long history and Parithy is another victim of the fight for the LTTE’s vast ill gotten ‘inheritance’," LTTE watchers said (Island : 9 November 2012).

Rajapaksa allies press for abolition of 13th amendment - In the wake of the apex court's ruling on a key bill making it mandatory to obtain the nod of the yet to be formed northern provincial council, two allies in Sri Lanka's ruling coalition demanded scrapping of the 13th amendment as it would "cripple" the parliament. The parliament had passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in August 1987 as part of Indian intervention to ensure political autonomy to Tamils created provincial councils which are province based units of devolution. The Supreme Court had determined that the 'Divi Naguma' or the livelihood upliftment bill needs to be endorsed by the northern provincial council before being adopted in national parliament (Business Standard : 7 November 2012).

JHU, NFF join hands against 13A - by Maheesha Mudugamuwa - Although the government is still undecided on whether to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the National Freedom Front (NFF), two partners of the ruling coalition, yesterday (08) launched a joint campaign against the amendment.  Both political parties are of the opinion that the 13th Amendment will harm the sovereignty of the country and thus it needs to be abolished. They urged the public to rally to pressure the government to abolish the 13th Amendments to the Constitution.  Addressing the media at the National Library Auditorium, NFF leader, Housing, Construction and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa said the 13th Amendment would be a great threat to national security.  Explaining that the 13th Amendment would lead to federalism, Weerawansa noted that the government and the country would be faced with many problems in such an eventuality.  He likened the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to a time bomb.  Weerawansa urged the government to hold a referendum to repeal the Provincial Council system as the country had not benefited from it.  JHU leader, Power and Energy Minister, Patali Champika Ranawaka said that provincial council system had had an adverse impact on the country’s national security, unitary status and development.  Ranawaka said that the 13th Amendment had been brought forward without any extensive dialogue on the issue and as a result of the absence of an in depth analysis of the system, many serious problems had been created.  He said that the government was now implementing a programme to decentralise power to the village level (Island : 7 November 2012).

Mangala: How come govt. claims KP is innocent? - UNP Matara District MP Mangala Samaraweera yesterday queried in Parliament how the government could claim that former chief arms procurer of the LTTE, who had provided weapons to kill former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and thousands of others, was innocent.  Samaraweera, moving a motion for the debate at the adjournment of the House, said that Kumaran Pathmanathan, alias KP, had been using 23 forged identities and there were warrants against him from the Interpol and international Courts. "This country is bound to hand over to the Interpol the criminals listed on their wanted lists. The government today has no regard for the country’s commitments and the fact that Sri Lanka had ratified certain international conventions to cooperate with the international community in probing crimes."  MP Samaraweera said that soon after the arrest of KP, Sri Lanka had become a country where black money was galore and now it had achieved the status of top order country for laundering black money.  Kurunegala District MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam: "We were happy as a nation when we heard the news of our security forces capturing KP. We expected that he would divulge information which could be helpful to the country. But what has happened today? What KP has revealed seems to be helpful only to certain people. KP was the one who ran the LTTE since the death of its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. His weekly income was said to be over Rs. 160 million. What has happened to this money?"  Technology and Research Minister Pavitra Wanniarachchi: The Opposition has military experts who always predicted that we would never win the war. Those who doubted our war winning strategies have no right to doubt and question our reconciliation efforts. We are making use of KP to rehabilitate and rebuild the war ravaged areas. The results of development and reconciliation programmes conducted by KP are not good for the political future of the TNA.  UNP Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the KP had become the symbol of the real situation prevailing in the country with regard to law and order. The situation was so worse that international community was now gunning for Sri Lanka. India alone had submitted 210 charges against Sri Lanka before the UN. Twenty one other nations had submitted resolutions against Sri Lanka.  Justice Minister Rauff Hakim said that there were charges against KP but no country had asked for his extradition (Island : 6 November 2012).

Defence Secretary repeats call for abolition of 13-A

Repeal 13A without delay says Gotabhaya - "Separatist sentiment still strong’’  (Island : 14 October 2012).	Gunadasa Amarasekara - Divaina (17 October 2012).	Ven Gunawansa Thera demands govt. repeal 13th amendment (mirror : 16 October 2012). Call to abolish the 13th amendment (Daily Mirror : 16 October 2012).	Champika Ranawaka on 13th Amendments to the Constitution (click here)

Read more about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Sri Lanka

Its time to form a common front against the 13th Amendment

Repealing 13A is Not a Choice but a Matter of Economic and Political Survival - by Dilrook Kannangara - Voices against the 13A increase with time. Mockery of the 13A is seen from the predicament the country is on today which will take a heavy toll on each of the three pillars of governance; add to it the fourth pillar of provincial councils! Indeed, if provincial councils must be referred to pass a parliamentary act, these futile units of governance must be another governance pillar. Each year the provincial councils guzzle $1.3 billion (in 2012 terms). It doesn’t give a corresponding benefit to the nation. With a very tight budget for next year, provincial councils are an obvious target for finding money for worthwhile causes (LankaWeb ; 5 November 2012).

Canada: on Sri Lanka’s Universal Periodic Report at the UN - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada - Re: Canada’s comments on Sri Lanka’s UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review 2012. - The report in Colombo Page of November 3 says: “ Welcoming the steps taken by the government to implement the Human Rights Council Resolution of March 22, 2012, Canada urged the government to expedite implementation of reconciliation measures in the North including the reduction of military presence in the North and setting a specific date for Northern Provincial Council elections. Canada also called on repealing certain clauses of the Prevention of Terrorism Act to ensure detainees’ safety and rights.” As a keen student of Sri Lanka’s ‘internal affairs’ and the pressures and unwarranted interference by outside forces like Canada, Canada’s statement at the UN needs comments (LankaWeb : 05 November 2012).

The 13 th Amendment: The Devolution of Powers and the Provincial Councils has killed the economy. What is required is Decentralization; not Devolution - By Garvin Karunaratne, former Government Agent, Matara District- The administrative provisions of the 13 th Amendment is inimical for development - It is my conviction that the political and administrative structure imposed by the 13 th Amendment is inimical for development. The crisis point has now arrived with the inability to pass the Divineguma Bill, the most progressive piece of legislation of the Rajapaksa Government. Already under the Divineguma functions headway has been made in spurring people to get down to production. An instance known to me is the production of flowers, orchids in particular. A few years ago we imported flowers- something for which we should never have incurred foreign exchange. My experience of living in Nuwara Eliya tells me that we can even produce flowers for export. Now the import of flowers in banned and flower growers thrive in producing for the market, A visit to the Garden Exhibition on weekends at the Exhibition grounds near Water’s Edge will convince anyone that we are on the path to success. The Divineguma has also been successful in increasing the incomes of many families through home gardens, the distribution of seeds and creation of self employment. The necessity today is to take Divineguma further to increase the incomes for all people and that is to be done by the amalgamation of the Divineguma with Samurdhi and the Southern Development. The creation of departments, the amalgamation of departments and expansion is nothing new. I was an Assistant Commissioner handpicked to implement the Paddy Lands Act. A new Department- the Agrarian Services was created overnight with the functions of Rice Milling and Paddy Purchase taken over from the Marketing Department, coupled with the Paddy Lands Act where we elected cultivation committees from among farmers and got down to a program of development. Today in order to establish a major department we have to get the approval of the various Provincial Councils to handle development. This is because agriculture and other nation building functions are all devolved subjects. We cannot even take the first step, when in the Fifties we did a hop step and a jump with no hindrance (LankaWeb : 04 November 2012).

Protect Unitary Status – Defuse Racism Repeal the 13th Amendment to Sri Lanka Constitution - ..... All Sri Lankans paid a tremendous economic, social and environmental price for eradicating Tamil Tiger Terrorism from Sri Lanka. It is time to expunge the provincial council based on parochial racism from Sri Lanka. We urge President Rajapksa’s government to: (1) Repeal the 13 Amendment. (2) Consider establishing village and district based, development centric institutional structure with elected representatives to empower decision making at grass-root level. (3) Get rid of the number of politicians populating a bloated four-tier governance arrangement in Sri Lanka, draining the public purse. With the repealing of the 13th Amendment, Sri Lanka will prosper as a Unitary State where people will live as one enjoying the full gamut of human rights equitably. At present, the toxic 13th amendment provides a safe heaven and a camouflage for separatists, racists and international agents to freely prosecute their agenda to Balkanise Sri Lanka. Its time to once and for all to extricate ourselves from the political handcuffs put on us by the Indians nearly 25 years ago (LankaWeb : 03 November 2012).

Call to repeal 13A: New OPA Chief endorses decision - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Newly appointed President of the Organization of Professional Association (OPA) Benedict Ulluwishewa said that the grouping would soon initiate a dialogue on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Now that the OPA had called for abolition of the 13th Amendment, it would be important to discuss an alternative mechanism to the hotly disputed piece of legislature, said Ulluwishewa, an engineer by profession, who has held several key positions in the public sector as General Manager, National Equipment Machinery Organization, Managing Director, Government owned Companies and Executive Director, State Engineering Corporation. He is currently the Chairman/ Managing Director of Ben Hewa Associates Group of Companies. The new OPA chief was responding to a query by The Island. Ulluwishewa was inducted as the 32nd President of the OPA at its Annual General Meeting on Oct. 26, 2012. OPA is the apex body for 43 professional associations with a combined membership of over 50,000 professionals from various sectors. Asked whether the OPA would review its call to repeal the 13th Amendment, Ulluwishewa ruled out that possibility, while stressing the need to agree on a solution acceptable to all. He expressed the belief that the OPA could play an important role in the process. The OPA urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to abolish the 13th Amendment last May. The OPA alleged that the 13th Amendment was an impediment to national reconciliation. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa last week told The Island that the OPA’s move meant that his move had widespread support among even the professionals. The Defence Secretary said that he wasn’t alone in opposing the 13th Amendment (Island : 2 November 2012).

Army recovers 30 Tiger field guns - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Army headquarters yesterday said that the LTTE artillery ‘regiment’ had been its most powerful component comprising at least 30 artillery pierces, including 152 mm (15 units), 130 mm (11), 122 mm (3), 85 mm (1) and one 120 mm mortar. Military spokesman Brig. Ruwan Wanigasooriya yesterday told The Island that LTTE artillery had caused heavy losses to troops, particularly on the Vanni front, where some of the bloodiest fighting took place in 2008 and 2009. Since the recovery of one 152 mm on Jan 29, 2009, at Vishvamadu on the Vanni east front, the SLA had recovered altogether 30 artillery 152 mm, 130 mm, 122 mm and 85 mm pieces and one 120 mm mortar. Of them, five were recovered on Oct 31, 2012, buried in the Vellamullivaikkal beach. According to the spokesman, all those guns had been operational on the Vanni and Jaffna fronts throughout the campaign. Asked whether the SLA had any idea about the other types of mortars used by the LTTE, Brig. Wanigasooriya said that the LTTE deployed a large number of 60mm mortars. The SLA lost 2,174 and 2,350 officers and men during 2008 and 2009, respectively. The SLA categorized the number of missing at 113.Brig. Wanigasooriya said that almost all of them were killed on the Vanni and Jaffna fronts. Responding to a query, the military spokesman asserted that the LTTE had largely used artillery and mortars against the advancing troops, though its arsenal comprised a range of weapons. The majority of the captured weapons had been bought overseas and smuggled in to Sri Lanka over the years. The 152mm, with a range of 20 km, has a 75m killing zone, though its effectiveness may vary due to the surface a particular artillery round lands. Brig. Wanigasooriya said that the 130 mm with a range of 27 km was the longest range heavy weapon acquired by the LTTE. "130 mm is effective up to 50-75 m radius, whereas 122 mm artillery and 120 mm mortar are deadly 50 m radius," Brig. Wanigasooriya said. The 122 mm has a range of 20 kms, whereas 85 mm artillery and 120 mm mortar can effectively take targets 17 km and 7 km, respectively (Island ; 2 November 2012).

A bid to deprive SLA of Czech rocket launchers - War on terror revisited - By Shamindra Ferdinando - President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s government never recovered from the loss of the Elephant Pass base in April 2000. In spite of making some territorial gains since Sept. 3, 2000, the SLA couldn’t regain the entire territory lost to the enemy. The government faced a stiff conventional military challenge. The LTTE continued to build-up pressure on many fronts. The government couldn’t launch at least a basic humanitarian mission without involving an NGO/International agency. The restoration of ship services between KKS and Trincomalee in April 2001 to facilitate the ICRC’s north-south patients transfer programme was a case in point. The LTTE provided a security guarantee to the ICRC chartered ship Jaya Gold to resume transportation of patients from the Northern Province referred to Colombo hospitals, only after the government entered into an agreement with the ICRC and the LTTE. The ICRC suspended weekly services in April 2000 when the Kankesanthurai harbour and Palaly airbase came under LTTE artillery and mortar fire (Ship services to KKS restored with strap line ICRC brokers agreement between army and LTTE––The Island Jan. 4, 2001 (Island ; 1 November 2012).

Home grown Tun Sinhale in place of Externally imposed disastrous Provincial Councils? - Dr. Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS) Former Permanent Secretary and President Senior Citizens Movement Mahanuwara - 3 Rata Sabhas (Ruhunu, Pihiti and Maya) with 3 Governors and 3 Chief Ministers and 150 Ratasabha members; Instead of 9 Governors and 9 Chief Ministers, and 638 parasitic Provincial Councilors ? And saving nearly Rs 600 Billion a year for the development of the country, Currently wasted just to upkeep Provincial Councilors, their kith and kin and this monstrous and wasteful system (absolutely no benefit to the country) that take the country and the nation down the Gadarene slope for total disaster? Many readers of my articles on Tun-Sinhale proposal- have requested me to show the proposed “Tun Rata” Divisions on a map and the details of the proposed machinery of governance I propose to replace the present 9 Provincial Councils. I am herewith attaching a map showing the Tun Rata and the 27 Administrative Districts suggested along with other details (LankaWeb : 01 November 2012).

ABOLISHMENT OF THE 13TH AMENDMENT – A SUGGESTION - MEDIA RELEASE - Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra - It is refreshing that abolishment of the 13th Amendment has become a major issue in Sri Lanka and that Mr Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has expressed support for this move. There is a lot of momentum in Sri Lanka now to abolish the 13th Amendment, and as patriots we must be happy about it and must work towards that. Given the international ramifications on the abolishment, we should bear in mind that this is a very difficult act on the part of the Sri Lankan government, as patriots we must try everything to motivate the government to embark on the correct pathway so that the international outcry (if any) against the move is minimised. As the wise doctor, Gunadasa Amarasekara stated the Government should have abolished the 13 Amendment soon after winning the civil war against the Tamil Tigers in 2009. Unfortunately this was not done and since then so much of ‘water has flown under the bridge’. The provincial council system is a white elephant and there is no purpose of having them for such a small country like Sri Lanka. The cost of running the provisional governments is enormous and most of the funds are spent on maintaining the expensive provincial government legislatures. Very little of the allocated funds go to the people, and the works of the provincial governments can be effectively done by the central government (as was under the Saulbury Constitution). Basically having separate governments for such small units like Wayamba, Sabaragamuwa, etc is simply a joke (some provinces do not even have more than 200,000 voters and the land mass for each provincial council is too small). This system has made Sri Lanka poorer. It has caused untold problems in Sri Lanka and the problems continue. Previously the people had to put up with corruption by the centralised government only. After 1987, corruption spread like wildfire to the provincial levels. The country’s bureaucracy increased tremendously, today it cannot sustain such an array of legislatures and bureaucrats (most of who are unsuitable for the jobs and cause so much problems to the country). Thanks to the 13th Amendment, Sri Lanka today is one of the most highly governed countries of the world. Under enormous pressure from India, in 1987, JR Jayewardene, introduced the provisional government system in Sri Lanka (the 13th Amendment). Majority of the people opposed the Amendment and there were large scale riots in the country in opposition to the move. India was not concerned that Sri Lanka is such a small nation compared with India, and that India and Sri Lanka are poles apart. Note, that the population of Tamilnadu alone is more than 3 times that of Sri Lanka (LankaWeb : 1 November 2012).

Indian intelligence grill ‘KP’ over Rajiv killing - BY S VENKAT NARAYAN Our Special Correspondent - NEW DELHI, November 1: More than 21 years after the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Indian intelligence agencies recently visited Sri Lanka and questioned former LTTE leader Selvarasa Pathmanathan, alias ‘KP’, in connection with his suspected role in the crime, an Indian newspaper reported today. The CBI, which is probing the larger conspiracy in the case, as part of the Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA), was allowed to question KP for two days. The LTTE’s former financier and ‘chief arms procurer’ was nabbed in Malaysia and brought to Sri Lanka in 2009. He was in detention until October 17. Quoting unidentified sources here, The Indian Express today said that KP told the team about the planning behind Rajiv’s killing. But he denied knowledge about the source of funds discovered by the CBI in the case and said he was shuttling between Sri Lanka and Malaysia at that time. The MDMA, however, suspects that KP played a key role in the assassination and was aware of the entire conspiracy. The officers have sought more information from Malaysia and Sri Lanka after questioning KP. KP now runs the North East Rehabilitation and Development Organisation, which works for Tamils in Sri Lanka. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at an election rally at Sriperumbudur near Chennai in Tamil Nadu  on the night of 21 May 1991 by LTTE woman suicide-bomber Dhanu (Island ; 1 November 2012).

Samarasinghe tells UPR army probing allegations - Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday said that the Sri Lankan Army was investigating the Channel 4 allegations that military personnel had engaged in atrocities during the final phase of the conflict. The minister was addressing the 14th sessions of UPR (Universal Periodic Review) Working Group in Geneva yesterday. Commenting further on the subject of accountability, the minister said that the SLA on Jan. 2, 2012 appointed a five-member Court of Inquiry headed by a Major General to inquire into allegations. This Court of Inquiry was tasked with inquiring into the observations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), in its report on alleged civilian casualties during the final phase of the Humanitarian Operation and probe to Channel-4 video footage. The minister said: "Since its initial sitting in the first week of January 2012, as of October 2012, the Court of Inquiry has convened approximately 30 times and examined many witnesses. It should be noted that the Court is investigating more than 50 incidents referred to in the LLRC report. Investigations cover whether or not any attacks were carried out by the Army on civilians, on hospitals or in the no-fire zones including the specific instances referred to in the LLRC Report. Irrespective of whether the Channel 4 story is authentic or not, the Court of Inquiry has been mandated to take measures to ascertain whether the uniformed persons featured in the Channel 4 footage can be identified as members of the Sri Lanka Army, and other violations of military law, if any." "Additionally, the Sri Lanka Army has commenced investigations, by appointing a Board of Inquiry to study the LLRC recommendations and formulate a viable action plan to implement the recommendations that are relevant to the Army. The Sri Lanka Navy has also initiated similar measures." The minister explained measures taken by the GoSL since the conclusion of the conflict to address accountability issues (Island : 1 November 2012).

AI: Sri Lanka & UPR - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada - I am not sure whether your “Hi everyone” note which said: “Here’s a media advisory issued by Amnesty International (AI) today about concerns for human rights violations in Sri Lanka……” was supposed to sneak into my e-mails, but it did last evening. You seem to be having an amazing capacity to be the AI’s crap shooting Messiah on Sri Lanka. I see your sponsors, the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), an organization described by the ICG as a front organization of the LTTE (Tamil Tigers), is reaping the benefits of their $50,000 largess that greased the voice of Amnesty International which now acts as ‘His Masters Voice’ at UNs Geneva Universal Period Review. I can still remember the newspaper published pictures of you and Alex Neve who looked like two yellow T-shirt bellied lizards waiting to be fed with the $50,000 bills after the CTC Walk-a-Thon. Those pictures identified Amnesty International as a fraudulent human rights organization that pretends to be neutral and independent going about the world doing its ‘goody-two-shoes’ things policing the world of its human rights violations. You know what, John? That Mesia Advisory is a mountain of smelly Sri Lankan elephant poop. “Amnesty International notes the lack of progress on a number of human rights issues……” you rouges say in your Media Advisory. Lucky for you lot, I won’t be at the Media Press Conference with a tag around my neck saying that I am from the ‘Press” to ask you lot: “Perhaps you may want to tell me why is that you guys at Amnesty International had found it difficult to acknowledge Sri Lanka’s classic text-book Human Rights positive that gave back the ‘right-to-life’ to its 21 million people, which had been hijacked by the Tamil Tigers, the friends of CTC, for 27 long years by terrorizing and killing these innocent people by blowing them to smithereens’ by detonating suicide bombs and claymore mines which happened to be a daily affair in all parts of Sri Lanka, once the Tamil Tigers, the invincible Tamil warriors butts were whipped and eliminated militarily on 19 May 2009. Not acknowledging this Sri Lanka’s majestic and noble act of valour to preserve this paramount tenet of Human Right in that island nation, don’t you at AI paint yourselves into a corner as a bunch of frauds and being paid to go after Sri Lanka at every international forum?” Perhaps you can answer that question for me. If you have difficulty you may want to ask your boss, Alex Neve, to provide me with an answer (LankaWeb : 1 November 2012).

Five artillery pieces found buried in Vellamullivaikkal beach - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Troops on Tuesday recovered one 130 mm and four 152 mm artillery pieces, of Chinese origin, buried on the Vellamullivaikkal beach, in the Mullaitivu district. It was the biggest single recovery of LTTE arms since the conclusion of the conflict on May 19, 2009 on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon. Troops also recovered one Sea Tiger craft fitted with two 125 hp OBMs. The weapons were buried close to Jordanian ship Farah III which ran aground in late 2006 after the LTTE seized it. Military spokesman Brig. Ruwan Wanigasooriya told The Island that troops were in the process of searching the area. Brig. Wanigasooriya said that LTTE had fired artillery towards advancing troops during the final phase of fighting on the Vanni east front while taking cover among civilians. Responding to a query, the official said that the recent recovery meant that the LTTE had used conventional heavy weapons against the army during the final phase. Vellamullivaikkal was the last LTTE stronghold to fall during the eelam war IV. Security sources told The Island that an examination of the weapons was necessary to establish whether they were among those seized by the LTTE during attacks on major army bases in the Northern Province or procured overseas (Island ; 31 October 2012).

Tamil asylum seeker wins Aussie court bid to stay - A Tamil asylum seeker, who was about to be deported from Melbourne to Sri Lanka, has won a last-minute reprieve from the Federal Court, Australian media reports said. The 42-year-old man was supposed to leave yesterday afternoon, after the court refused to grant him refugee status on Tuesday. But, an urgent appeal hearing in Sydney has resulted in a stay of his deportation. A story published by the ABC online said: The man was recently released into the community in Melbourne, after spending two-and-a-half years in detention. But, he was called to a meeting with immigration officials at the Maribyrnong detention centre last week and told he was being deported. About 20 protesters scuffled with police at the gates to the detention centre, where they staged a sit-in. An Australian NGO called Refugee Action Collective told ABC online the man was terrified of returning to Sri Lanka because two of his brothers, who were LTTE cadres, had disappeared during the North East conflict. Tamil asylum seeker... According to another report published by the WA Today the Tamil man had attempted to take his own life. Up to 50 protesters have gathered outside the Maribyrnong detention centre in Melbourne’s west in a bid to block Immigration authorities from sending him back to Sri Lanka. The WA report said that an ambulance was called to the detention centre after the man attempted to take his life. A spokesman for the Immigration department confirmed an act of self-harm had occurred and the man had been treated on site. He remains in the detention centre. Tamil community advocate Aran Mylvaganam, who is among the protesters outside the centre, said he received a call at 5.15 a.m. from another detainee inside the centre alerting him to the man’s plight. "I don’t know whether his aim was to hurt himself enough to stop them taking him away or whether he was trying to end his life," Mylvaganam said. The department spokesman said the wounds were not serious. The case follows the deportation of a Tamil man named Dayan Anthony in July, who was returned to Sri Lanka by Australian immigration authorities despite a last minute appeal to the United Nations, The WA Today report said (Island : 31 October 2012).

Is Indian AI, with Indian Shetty, pushing for Indian intervention? - by H. L. D. Mahindapala - Salil Shetty, an Indian national, was appointed as Secretary-General of Amnesty International, (AI) in June 2010. Under his watch AI’s alliances with the anti-Sri Lankan forces have been strengthened considerably. For instance, AI in Canada took a sum of $50,000 offered by the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) – an organisation described by the ICG as a front of the LTTE. When I raised this issue at the 19th session of the UNHRC in Geneva the AI representative accused me of being the spokesperson for the Defence Ministry. He, however, did not deny the charge of accepting $50,000 from CTC. Without any defence to justify AI taking $50,000 from an organisation linked to a banned terrorist outfit he made a counter-accusation to cover-up the guilt of AI going to bed with LTTE criminals. It’s time that AI realised that it should not go to bed with dogs because you get up with fleas. I also questioned the ethics of AI accepting money from an internationally banned terrorist organisation. I asked how an organisation professing to stand up for human rights could take money from “the world’s deadliest terrorist organisation” (FBI) violating international humanitarian law (LankaWeb : 31 October 2012).

LTTE crimes against Tamils and how pro-LTTE TNA and others simply watched - by Shenali Waduge - The LTTE ground fighting force may be no more but there are plenty of LTTE supporters that exist both locally and internationally. We challenge them to deny whether LTTE did not commit the following crimes and abuses against their own people – the people who they said were the reason why they were fighting for a separate Tamil Eelaam Homeland falsely promoting Sinhala discrimination to gain international sympathy. LTTE crimes from mid 1980s to 2009 (30 years of horror the Tamils went through) lest Tamils may have forgotten the ordeals they went through (LankaWeb : 31 October 2012).

TN police defends ban on LTTE - Defending the ban on LTTE, three Tamil Nadu Police personnel deposed before a tribunal and charged LTTE with training members of Tamil Puratchi Munnani (Tamil Revolution Front). Appearing before the Justice V. K. Jain Tribunal, they said that four TRF members, arrested in 2009, had confessed that they were LTTE supporters and planned to launch attacks at important cities in India, Indian media reported. The four members were still being questioned, they said, adding that central government officials were also for extending the ban. Two police inspectors from Chennai and a sub-inspector deposed before the tribunal, formed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Justice Jain said the final hearing would be held at New Delhi on November 3 (Island : 31 October 2012).

More LTTE suspects free today - By Franklin R.Satyapalan - Commissioner of Rehabilitation Brigadier Dharshana Hettiarachchi said that 27 LTTE suspects, who have been rehabilitated, would be handed over to their families and relatives today. Of the 12,090 ex-LTTE combatants, who surrendered or were arrested by security forces during the final stages of the conflict, 11,012 had completed rehabilitation and been reintegrated into civil society. Cirrently, 782 Ex-LTTE members, including 19 females are undergoing rehabilitation in four centres in Maradhankadu and Punthottam in Vavuniya and Senapura and Kandargoda in Welikanda, on the recommendations of the Attorney General after they had been produced before Court. Another 33 LTTE suspects, who have been rehabilitated, would be released by mid November, he said (Island : 30 October 2012).

Rajiv Gandhi assassination: Book ignites controversy - Did MK Narayanan tamper with evidence of Rajiv’s assassination? - New Delhi, Oct 30: Twenty one years after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, a book, which has been published recently, ignited controversy over the former prime minister’s death. K. Ragothaman, who was the head of the investigating team of the assassination case, has brought the then chief of Intelligence Bureau (IB) MK Narayanan to the centre of the controversy. Narayanan, who is currently the governor of West Bengal, has been accused of suppressing a video which allegedly had captured ‘human bomb’ Dhanu at the Sriperumbudur venue where Rajiv Gandhi was killed on May 21, 1991. The video tape allegedly showed Dhanu’s presence at the venue prior to the former prime minister’s arrival. In his book ‘Conspiracy to kill Rajiv Gandhi - From CBI files’, Ragothaman writes, "The assassin gang, as per our investigation, was very much in the sterile zone for more than two and half hours waiting for its target." The allegations of the author raised fingers at Tamil Nadu police, who had easily got away with the claim that Dhanu had sneaked into the sterile zone after Rajiv Gandhi’s arrival at the venue around 10.00 pm. The author, in his book also, asserted that "the tape taken by the IB officials was the original one and that the video given to the local police was a substituted one." The former IB chief also informs that DR Karthikeyan, the then chief of Special Investigation Team (SIT), had allowed Narayanan to go scot-free after conducting a preliminary investigation regarding the missing video. In his book, the author leaves a question for Narayanan saying, would Narayanan have dared "to damage the goal of the Congress party, irrespective of his personal affiliation to Rajiv Gandhi’s family?" According to Ragothaman, the crucial video tape was suppressed as it could have exposed those people with whom Dhanu had interacted at the venue. The book created the controversy after 21 years of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. Now, it will be interesting to see how Congress party or its president Sonia Gandhi will react to this revelations (Island ; 30 October 2012).

Gotabhaya: OPA also wants 13-A abolished; Why flay only me? - ’By Shamindra Ferdinando - Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that his call for the abolition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution had extensive backing from many sections of society. Rajapaksa pointed out that Sri Lanka’s foremost outfit of professionals, the Organisation of Professional Organisations (OPA) had in May 2012 unanimously passed a resolution urging President Mahinda Rajapaksa to do away with the controversial 13th Amendment. The OPA’s call for the abolition of what was imposed on Sri Lanka way back in July 1987 coincided with the third anniversary of Sri Lanka’s war victory over terrorism. Noting that the SLFP-led ruling coalition, too, had recently reiterated its commitment to the 13th Amendment, the Defence Secretary said both proponents and opponents of that constitutional amendment should examine the OPA’s statement, which was largely ignored by the media. Assuring its fullest support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s efforts to settle the national issue, the OPA called for the abolition of the 13th Amendment. The Executive Council of the OPA declared that the 13th Amendment was an impediment to the post-war national reconciliation process and therefore it should be done away with. The OPA came out strongly against devolution on the basis of the 13th Amendment in the wake of a section of the international community pressuring Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). The OPA cited five specific reasons for the abolition of the 13th Amendment. The President of the OPA, Architect L.T. Kiringoda alleged that it had been drafted in India even without the knowledge of Sri Lankan Parliament foisted on this country. The brainchild of the then Indian government influenced by the LTTE, the 13th Amendment had brought about political instability, the OPA President said. The Defence Secretary urged all those issuing statements supporting the 13 Amendment to re-examine the issue without being guided by external factors. They could easily initiate a dialogue with the OPA without further delay. The Defence Secretary said that he hadn’t come across any statement critical of the OPA statement, which was given front-page coverage of the May 12 issue of The Island. Rajapaksa urged all political parties to make a realistic assessment of the situation without being guided by various domestic and external factors. Asked whether his move had been prompted by some interested parties moving the court against Divineguma Bill, the Defence Secretary said that the legal wrangle had helped realise the ground situation. There should be a centralised mechanism to handle some important issues, the Defence Secretary stressed. "How could provincial level administration interfere with national level planning?" (Island : 29 October 2012).

Is the Implementation of the13th Amendment practicable? - by S. Akurugoda - At his repeated call for the repeal of 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has said that the 13th Amendment was nothing but a springboard for those seeking to accomplish what the LTTE had failed achieve through terrorism. It is a well known fact that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution as ill- conceived and hurriedly pieced together by picking bits and pieces of the Indian Constitution in keeping with the Indo-Lanka Accord. Expression of personal judgment on the 13th Amendment, in his capacity as Defence Secretary, is timely. Although the press briefing of the Government Spokesman indicates otherwise, the statement of the war hero is an eye opener to those politicians (including government ministers) who blindly parroting the words “the implementation of the 13th Amendment” without knowing what is in it. Today we have even government MPs and Ministers claiming the government had no issue with regard to the 13th amendment to the constitution and one backbencher MP has asked anyone in its ranks with a differing view was free to leave the government. According to various other reports, the government was in favour of full implementation of the 13th amendment. Those who promote its implementation argue that the Amendment already exists and what is needed is implementation. The ill-fated, ill-defined and hastily prepared 17th Amendment to the Constitution was a minor case in point of attempting to implement anything, just because it is in the constitution, compared to the disastrous consequences that could be expected by devolving power on ethnic lines (LankAweb : 28 October 2012).

A Referendum for the 13th Amendment to the Constitution ? (Divaina ; 28 October 2012).

Wimal Weerawansa has written to 11 political parties on "Repeal of 13th Amendment to the Constitution - (Divaina : 28 October 2012).

Views of several leading politicians on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (Divaina : 28 October 2012).

Another important article on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (Divaina : 28 October 2012).

Options for Procrastinating on the 13th Amendment - By Gomin Dayasri - Hark, hark, dogs do bark; sleeping dogs – the procrastinators, warm stools in high places without attending to the imperatives after securing a 2/3 majority. Awake before it’s too late- this could be the last call on the 13th Amendment. ,The impact of the 13th amendment can be diminished or demolished, satisfactorily, if the legitimate grievances of Tamils, as identified in the LLRC report and accepted by the government in its Action Plan presented to Hillary Clinton, is implemented/ This is a preferred alternative. It means directly addressing the problems of Tamil people in the North/East, satisfying their prime necessities. Political power the TNA seeks through the 13th amendment to reach a circumscribed federal status is ancillary and could be averted. Difference stands out - the TNA is greedy for power while Tamil people seek relief for many of their unresolved problems. The TNA will never seek reconciliation between the Sinhalese and the Tamils, with or without the 13th amendment, since it needs the issue survival and strives for acrimony between communities, as did the LTTE. Procrastination on the LLRC/Action Plan will be felt more in March 2013 than November 2012 at the UNHCR. Be ready to face allegations of sub-standard and undone work at the coming sessions. Peal every bell in temple, kovil or church - it falls on deaf ear. Failure to push officials who failed to present positive results gives us a bad name. Timely action on promised premise would have assuaged India and the USA and helped to prevent efforts of a silent regime change that is being engineered from outside our shores. The government specifically sought a 2/3 majority and voters nearly provided it to a government that had gained confidence by successfully wiping out terrorism. Defections that followed provided the needed numbers. Has anything worthwhile materialized out of this majority? Why was it sought and why was it provided? The answer is obvious - to change the constitution. Imposed forcibly by India, it being no home grown remedy: the 13th amendment has been in existence for nearly 30 years, without any beneficial impact. It’s a wasteful extravagance that has remained without repair or replacement: no undertaking to rectify or revoke its obnoxious provisions, notwithstanding talk and more talk. A task, only Mahinda Rajapaksa is capable of fulfilling in the present political context if he is sufficiently fired up and possesses a team to achieve it - instead of nitwit voodoo advisors. Government faults the 13th amendment and there is little else beside its loose talk of a 13 plus/minus situation to irritate India: the Opposition supports the 13th amendment and is totally discounted, as shown when the vote is exercised at elections. The 13th amendment continues Reign supreme and a woeful future awaits Sri Lanka if the tendency to dawdle remains untouched (Island ; 27 October 2012).

Australia sends home Sri Lankans from ‘hijacked’ boat - SYDNEY, Oct 27, 2012 (AFP) - A group of Sri Lankans who came to Australia on an allegedly hijacked fishing vessel have been returned home where some could face "serious charges", Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said Saturday. Fifteen people were picked up by Australian authorities on Thursday north-west of the Cocos Islands in a boat that was thought to have been hijacked in Sri Lankan waters on October 13, and 14 of them have been sent back. "Of course, some of these people face serious charges in Sri Lanka," Bowen told reporters, referring to the alleged hijacking and theft of the fishing trawler. "The (Australian) government took the view that it’s appropriate that they face those charges and that the removal occur as soon as possible," he said. Bowen, who said Australian and Sri Lankan officials had been in contact on the issue, said one of the group was not able to be returned on Saturday but authorities would consider his availability for removal in the coming days. The minister said the Sri Lankans who were returned made "no claims for protection nor raised any issues that engaged Australia’s international obligations". "They did not hold visas and consequently had no legal right to enter or remain in Australia," he said in a statement. Sri Lanka sought help from Interpol to track down the trawler Thejan after it was apparently stolen by its own crew in a bid to illegally transport asylum-seekers to Australia. A magistrate issued arrest warrants against the skipper and 13 others who staged the alleged hijacking to try to cover up the boat’s theft and use it in the highly lucrative people-smuggling business. Police had told the magistrate the skipper stole the vessel from its owner before taking on board another 10 people in the suspected journey to Australia. Two of the six crewmen were later found bobbing in the water off Sri Lanka’s southern coast. They gave conflicting accounts of the events and are being detained for questioning. The pair initially told police the trawler had been attacked by about 40 suspected illegal immigrants carrying swords who arrived in four small boats and overpowered the crew. Police said two other trawlers had also been reported missing off the island’s southern region since October 2 and they too could have been stolen for people-smuggling. Sri Lankan authorities say they have detained more than 1,000 people trying to leave for Australia illegally this year. In August Australia announced it will send asylum-seekers offshore to the tiny Pacific state of Nauru and a Papua New Guinea island to deter boatpeople from attempting the sea voyage, which has cost hundreds of lives in the past decade. Sri Lankans pay up to US$3,000 for a place on trawlers that take around two weeks to make the treacherous crossing to Australia. But Bowen maintained Saturday that any people arriving in Australia who had no claim to asylum would be speedily returned, adding that seven Sri Lankans — separate from the group on the allegedly hijacked trawler — had voluntarily left Perth on Saturday bound for Sri Lanka, rather than be sent to Nauru or PNG. "These are people who’ve taken the view that it is now best to return to Sri Lanka rather than deal with the arrangements that the Australian government has put in place," he said (Island : 27 October 2012).

Sri Lankan Civil War Refracted in "Island of a Thousand Mirrors" - By Sydney Brownstone - It was only one of the many headlines on foreign conflict that file rushed, largely unobserved, through the American news machine: "Sri Lanka frees Tamil Tiger leader," the Daily News announced last week, by way of Agence-France Presse. The last leader of the Tamil Tigers, the separatist group that fought a brutal civil war with the Sri Lankan military in suicide bombings, civilian mutilations, and child soldiers for more than three decades, was to be released without charges. But where bone-dry agency reports fail, fiction can work to fill in some of the emotional blanks. From this particular war, one marked by 100,000 deaths and countless broken lives in atrocities committed by both sides, first-time author Nayomi Munaweera has published a lush family saga in a Queen’s English lilt, told largely from the perspective of a Sinhalese woman who emigrates as a child, mid-conflict, to Los Angeles, and returns to Sri Lanka as an adult. Island of a Thousand Mirrors reads quickly, though it’s unsparing. With the same, rich strokes she uses to evoke exquisiteness in preparation of coconut sambola, Munaweera, who was born in Sri Lanka and raised in Nigeria, describes rape, massacre, and all matters of wartime evisceration in pulsing, sensory detail. In one breath, it’s as much a swift inhale of trauma as it is a romantic epic, embracing both pain and nostalgia from earlier times. In the style of Marquez or Allende, the story traces love lines from 19th century generations—then surfaces in the recent past, when the narrator goes back to Sri Lanka only to encounter new tragedy. But there’s another critical aspect of the novel that saves it, perhaps, from a narrow take on sprawling devastation. Munaweera doesn’t just stick to the story of one Sinhalese family—she also writes from the mind and body of a Tamil woman who, after being brutally raped, joins the ranks of the Tamil Tigers. While the transition could be received as abrupt, it’s also a welcome narrative in a story that refuses to sum up, or limit impact felt to one side (Island ; 27 October 2012).

Appeal to Sri Lankan Tamils not to be misled again by Pro-LTTE TNA - by Shenali Waduge - What do Sambanthan, Premachandran, Senathirajah and Sreetharan all have in common? Apart from being partners of an unregistered alliance called the Tamil National Alliance, they are all former mouthpieces of the separatist agenda and they continue to be the obstacle to allowing people to start life afresh as that would mean an end to their own existence politically. The Tamils can take a cue from the Tamils in Mullaitivu who are creating their own political and social statement without any assistance of the TNA – the Tamils are in a position to decide how they would like to live devoid of LTTE guns and baseless separatist chants that lead them nowhere. The Tamil National Alliance was formed in October 2001 prior to the parliamentary elections and comprised the ACTC (All Ceylon Tamil Congress) the EPRLF (Eelaam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front), TELO (Tamil Eelaam Liberation Organization), TULF (Tamil United Liberation Front). TNA is minus TULF and ACTC though some in the TULF has joined TNA resurrecting the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi – ITAK promoting themselves as the Federal Party to camouflage their separatist agenda. Though TNA is not a registered party it issues manifestos and policies promoting: (LankaWeb : 27 October 2012).

Abolish the thirteen amendment now!  - By Jay Deshabandu - Every peace loving citizen who loves this country should be united to voice and express strong opposition to the implementation of the thirteenth amendment. The thirteenth amendment was forced to us by the Indian government during the regime of JRJ who first introduced the violent political gang culture to Sri Lanka. The thirteenth amendment stipulates that the unit of power is at the provincial level and it gives enough room for two or three provincial councils to merge making the foundation for separatism along ethnic lines. One can see this very clear in the thirteenth amendment:This article clearly provides the much needed stepping stone for the separatism of the North and North East from the rest of the country. It takes a great effort to read any amendment to the constitution because it refers to circular references to previous articles, chapters etc. Can any average person with some education understand our constitution? For example, look at this nonsense: Shouldn’t the constitution be rewritten as a new version instead of inserting, deleting or substitution of texts or and paragraphs. We have many amendments to the constitution; and, therefore one would have to refer to many versions and amendments of previous constitutions to find the origin of the articles or chapters. We simply do not have one constitution that has all articles or chapters together as a single unit. There is certainly no problem with having Tamil as an official language. But what is the purpose of the word link language? Does it mean an official letter written in Sinhalese should be translated to English and then to Tamil? Should we only write official letters in Sinhalese or Tamil? What I am saying here is the word “Link Language” is not clearly defined here (LankaWeb : 27 October 2012).

Gota meets Indian Def. Minister - Against the backdrop of protests in Tamil Nadu against training to Lankan defence personnel, India and Sri Lanka held discussions yesterday on furthering their defence cooperation. Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who is in India on the invitation of National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, called on Defence Minister A K Antony, Defence Ministry officials said. He also held a meeting with Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma in which the two are understood to have discussed the entire gamut of military relations between the two sides, they said. The meetings have come at a time when Tamil Nadu political parties are vehemently opposing any kind of military ties with the Island nation. However, despite these protests, the Defence Ministry has decided to continue military relations and is also planning to hold joint exercises with Sri Lankan armed forces along with training its personnel. It has also tried to address the concern of the Tamil Nadu political parties on the issue and has directed the armed forces to hold the joint drills away from the south Indian states (Daily Mirror : 26 October 2012).

Abolish the 13th Amendment and Communal Parties and bring in a Senate of Occupational Groups representing Professional,Business , Cultural, and Trade Union Interest Groups - Eksath Lanka Maha Sabha Dr Nath Amarakone General Secretary – ELMS.- Abolition of the 13th amendment, was a demand from the time this was instituted under duress by India,. The SLFP opposed it declaring it a monster and a white elephant. The JVP organized an island wide campaign with black flags. The Sinhala patriotic movements considered it a concession to Tamil communalists aimed at separating the North and the East from the rest of the country. After 25 years of experimentation, there is no PC in the North of the country. The first PC in the North and East declared UDI and was dissolved since. . The allocation of nearly Rs 130 billion of tax payers money on PCs is wasted on emoluments of PC staff, who are duplicating the work of the Government Agents. In the meantime, the TNA as the representative of the LTTE has taken over the demand for a separate power base for the Tamils in the North and the East. They have demanded the withdrawal of the security forces from the North, dismantling of military bases, and devolution of Police and Land powers. While over 150,000 Muslims and Sinhalese displaced by Prabharana from the North over the thirty year period remain unsettled, Thesawalame sectarian land laws still persist, the TNA is busy shuttling between India and Sri Lanka in their effort to carve out a Tamil ethnic state over one third of the land area of the country, forgetting that the Tamil population in the North and East is less than 4 % of the total population of the country, and in league with the rump of the LTTE Diaspora and neo colonialist backers of the LTTE, demanding that the leaders of the country be brought to trial for defeating the LTTE. Lately the Supreme Court by way of clarification of sharing of legislative powers between the PCs and the centre government, has interpreted that the approval of PCs is needed before any Bill pertaining to matters devolved to PCs is taken up in the Legislature . The Parliament is thereby relegated to a secondary position as a legislature. What the LTTE could not win by way of terrorism is now conceded by way of the 13th amendment interpretation. Expecting this anomalous situation, the ELMS, in 2009, has called for the amendment of the National Constitution to do away with PCs, and Communal Parties and to provide for an elected House of National Interests represented by non communal Political Parties and a Senate of Occupational Groups representing Professional Interests, Business Interests , Trade Union Interests and Cultural Interests We welcome the call by Defense Secretary for the abolition of the 13th amendment (LankaWeb : 26 October 2012).

13 A , India and the SLMC - by P.A.Samaraweera, Melbourne - On the 24th Oct the SLMC secretary had stated “…the majority community would vote en-bloc in support of the move to repeal the 13 A introduced as a panacea for the long standing grievances of the minorities following the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987…” 13 A was not ‘introduced’ as claimed. It was forced on Sri Lanka by India with the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord in July 1987. This was never presented in Parliament for debate. And the people did not have an opportunity to express their views through the media. The circumstances were such that, JR had no choice but to meekly accept what was shoved on him. The majority of the people were against it. This was clearly seen when Rajiv Gandhi went to inspect a Guard of Honour, after signing the Accord. As he was inspecting the welcome parade, a soldier attacked him with his gun and he escaped serious injury by dodging the blow. This was shown on TV all over the world. People had not forgotten India ‘bullying’ Sri Lanka by an air raid, condemned by neutral countries. Ironically, according to JR, the soldier did not attack Rajiv. JR became the laughing stock when he interpreted the incident as if the soldier fainted and fell off ! The SLFP and the JVP openly protested against the Accord. Then there were several politicians in the UNP who expressed their protest behind closed doors. Some did not attend the Accord signing ceremony. Political leaders in the country led by the late PM Sirimavo B gathered at the Pettah Bo Tree and performed Bodhi Pooja’s as a protest. Thus 13 A is not a pancea as expressed by the SLMC secy. It is a White Elephant offered by Rajiv Gandhi ! (LankaWeb : 26 October 2012).

Majority of Sri Lankans will vote to repeal the 13th Amendment at a referendum – SLMC - by Asada M Erpini - A Sri Lankan English daily on 24 October states that the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) will oppose attempts to hold a referendum to repeal the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (of Sri Lanka). The apparent justification for the move is that the majority community – meaning the Sinhalese – would vote en-bloc in support of the move. A matter that would surprise many is that the SLMC seems to be pointing a finger at the majority community for the likelihood of voting as one group on an issue that is of national importance – a matter of life and death, as one would say. One of the major problems in the country has been that the majority community is divided, and tends to vote for the SLFP or the UNP – although these are not political parties affiliated to a particular religion or an ethnic group. The outcome invariably allowed candidates representing relatively minor proportions of the total population to be king makers. This situation was clearly evident in the recently concluded Eastern Provincial Council elections when the SLMC with its 11 seats was wooed by various political groups that have divergent policies and interests. Voting en bloc is something that the Muslims, and the Tamils, have been doing from the very beginning of universal franchise in Sri Lanka, thus giving the ethno-religious or ethnic groups, which constitute a mere 7% and today 4% respectively of the population, the upper hand in deciding which political party governs. If not for this practice of the minority groups of voting en bloc for their own tribes, SLMC or the Tamil National Alliance may not even exist today. A referendum held in a democracy will naturally reflect the will of the people. This feature is not undesirable at all: in fact, it is something inherent in a referendum. Therefore if the majority of the eligible voters feels that the 13th Amendment is not something that they need, the said amendment should be dumped in a garbage bin (LankaWeb : 25 October 2012).

13-A: SLMC flays call for referendum - By Franklin R. Satyapalan - The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) will oppose any attempt by the government to hold a national referendum with a view to repealing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, SLMC General Secretary M. T. Hassen Ali, MP, said. Ali said: "Just because the government could not pass one Bill, it should not try to do away with the whole amendment. We will defend the 13th Amendment. It is unethical to hold a referendum at national level as the majority community would vote en-bloc in support of the move to repeal the 13th Amendment introduced as a panacea for the longstanding grievances of the minorities following the signing of the Indo–Lanka Accord in 1987." "Some members of the government are trying to repeal the 13th Amendment at a time when the Tamil speaking minorities in the country are clamouring for more devolution. The latest government move ran counter to its promise to grant 13 Plus." The SLMC General Secretary said that minority parties had never opposed steps taken by the government to develop the provinces and the people would benefit from the proposed ‘Divi Neguma’ Bill. He said: "We are not at all against the government initiating legislation in Parliament to implement new development programmes. What we oppose is the implementation of the development projects in rural areas of the North and the East from Colombo." The SLMC secretary called upon the government to devolve more power to the Provincial Councils and to allocate for funds for development at the provincial level (Island : 23 October 2012).

JHU, NFF demanding that MR honour pledge to scrap 13-A – President promised district based devolution’ - Kirielle - ‘- by Zacki Jabbar - The JHUand the National Freedom Front (NFF) were pressuring President Mahinda Rajapaksa to honour his agreement with them reached prior to the last Presidential Election and scrap provincial devolution, established in terms of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Senior Vice President of the UNP Lakshman Kiriella MP said yesterday. He told The Island that Rajapaksa had been caught in a trap of his own making, since he had also assured the international community, including India that 13A Plus would be granted to the Tamils. While the Tamil National Alliance was lobbying world powers to pressure the UPFA government to honour its word, the JHU and the NFF stepped up their campaign to ensure that the pre-polls pact was honoured, Kiriella noted. The MP said that the President. in his agreement reached with the two parties. had agreed to scrap the 13th Amendment and install district level devolution in its place. The government had sent Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe to assure world leaders that it was committed to implementing the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission with a view to forging ethnic harmony and reconciliation. But the pressure being applied by two extremist constituent members of the UPFA government, had left the President in a quandry, Kiriella observed (Island ; 23 October 2012).

Abolition of the 13th Amendment, only way to get over the current, Political, Economic, Social, before it gets more complicated - Dr Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS) Former Ministry Secretary and President Mahanuwara Senior Citizens Movement 20.10,2012. - It is also the the best way to avoid confrontation with the Judiciary and get through the Divineguma Bill and minimize external interference and security threats. Provincial Councils In my opinion the Provincial Council system created under the 13th A is the biggest Political, Economic, Social, Administrative and legal tragedy staged by Sri Lankan politicians in our recent history. Because firstly, it has laid the permanent and legal foundation for the division of the country politically in to a number of independent states comprising different ethnic groups that will eternally be at war killing each other over the resources of this tiny country including land, water, and sea. The Provinces invented in 1833 by the British to achieve their sinister objective of divide and rule. They were subsequently legitimized as the politically organized future ethnic Tamil self rule units in this country by India in 1987 through the 13 A. Today the concept of the Province has taken deep roots in the minds of minorities as their ‘legitimate’ unit of devolution of political power on the ground leading to their final aspiration of separation. The operation of Provincial Councils for 25 years has now cemented the greed for power and separation in their hearts. Today this notion of localized political power has even gone beyond beyond ethnic and geographical boundaries and inspired even local leaders of the same ethnic groups irrespective of them being Tamil, Muslim or Sinhalese as evinced in the NCPC and EPC in spite of the enormous power concentrated at the centre under the executive Presidential system. As such today this new political development has emerged as the biggest threat to the unity, National security and the sovereignty of the Sri Lankan State. Secondly the Provincial Council system has created history as the monolithic white elephant that has wasted more than 200 billion rupees of national wealth over the past 25 years of its existence with no conceivable benefit what so ever to the country other than pushing the country in to an Augean economic mess (LankaWeb : 22 October 2012).

Wimal warns Rajapaksa - Minister Wimal Weerawansa, who leads the nationalist NFF, in a letter to Rajapaksa on Sunday warned that 13A has the potential to undo the achievements of government troops who defeated the LTTE. While claiming that the amendment undermined the people's sovereignty and the supremacy of national parliament, Rajapaksa called for a national referendum to abolish it. The issue surfaced as part of the reported unease between the judiciary and the executive arm of the state. A financial bill which will purportedly usurp powers of the 13A and its embedded provincial council system was referred by the Supreme Court for approval of the provincial councils before being enacted in parliament. JHU or the Sinhala Heritage Party, another Rajapaksa ally backed the comments made by powerful defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa that 13A needs abolished. "The TNA (main Tamil party) aims to target the 13A to further their separatist objectives," Udaya Gammanpila, the JHU senior and a Western Provincial Council minister told a public gathering on Sunday. President Rajapaksa has earlier said that he was willing to consider granting full powers or 13-plus to the provincial councils. The 13A, as it is called, was enacted in 1987 as part of Indian intervention to try and broker a solution to the Tamil demand for political autonomy (Daily Mirror : 22 October 2012).

Defence Secretary repeats call for abolition of 13-A - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday reiterated that post-war political strategy of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) left him with no alternative but to strongly recommend the abolition of the 13th Amendment. He urged the government, the Opposition as well as the international community to examine the conduct of the one-time mouthpiece of the LTTE. It was up to Parliament to decide on the 13th Amendment, the Defence Secretary said, adding that the eradication of the LTTE conventional military capability shouldn’t be a reason for the government to be complacent. The Defence Secretary was responding to a TNA delegation making representations to the Chinese Embassy in Colombo in a bid to block the on-going Chinese assistance to construct bases for security forces deployed in the Northern Province. The TNA was causing unnecessary friction, he said, adding that nothing could be as foolish as the TNA’s assertion that security forces were constructing bases on in Tamil areas. The TNA couldn’t be allowed to dictate terms to the State as regards the deployment of security forces during war or peace time, the Defence Secretary said, noting that it was the sole prerogative of the government. He said the 13th Amendment was nothing but a springboard for those seeking to accomplish what the LTTE had failed achieve through terrorism. The Defence Secretary said that that the government should realise the consequences of the TNA’s efforts to undermine GoSL’s relations with friendly countries. The TNA had never so much as issued a message of condolence when the LTTE killed Chinese nationals twice in separate attacks during the conflict, the Defence Secretary said. The TNA should be held accountable for its role during the 2001-May 2009 period, he, recalling that TNA leader R. Sampanthan’s had declared in the run-up to Dec 2001 parliamentary polls that the LTTE was the sole representative of Tamil speaking people. Commenting on persistent TNA allegations that outsiders were being settled in Tamil areas since the end of the conflict, the Defence Secretary said that the main Tamil party was making an attempt to trigger ethnic tensions. "First of all let me tell you there is absolutely no necessity for the government to move outsiders to Northern and eastern Provinces. But people must have the right to live in any part of the country. There cannot be different sets of rules for Tamil speaking people and others." He said people from the North and the East had moved to Colombo and its suburbs during the conflict and were living there peacefully. Likewise, other people, too, should have a right to live in any part of the country without being troubled by political parties or politicians, he added (Island : 21 October 2012).

Oslo-CBK peace initiative amidst war - War on terror revisited: Part 60 - By Shamindra Ferdinando - Having survived an LTTE assassination bid on her life on the night on Dec 19, 1999, an irate President Chandrika Kumaratunga, in an exclusive interview with BBC, revealed secret negotiations she had had with the LTTE to allow LTTE theoretician, Anton Balasingham to leave the Vanni for urgent medical treatment abroad. President Kumaratunga named Norway as the go-between the GoSL and the LTTE, much to the embarrassment of Norway. Years later, Norwegian Minister Erik Solheim revealed how he had initiated secret talks through the Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo at that time Jon Westborg. Solheim was acting on representations made to him by the LTTE in Oslo. According to Solheim negotiations had been handled by President Kumaratunga and Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in the run-up to the assassination attempt. However, talks failed to produce an agreement on safe passage for the former British High Commission employee married to Australian born, Adele. (Negotiating Peace in Sri Lanka: Efforts, Failures and Lessons Volume II). The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), too, was involved in the abortive attempt to arrange for Balasingham’s safe passage. In her 2001 book, The Will to Freedom: an inside View of Tamil Resistance, Adele accused President Kumaratunga of having laid down unreasonable conditions, hence causing the collapse of her negotiations with the Tigers. But, the LTTE managed to smuggle out the Balasinghams to a South East Asian country on a ship before British authorities could help them fly to London. In an interview with the UK based Tamil Guardian International, Balasingham revealed the role played by the UK in helping them to reach London. The attempt on President Kumaratunga was made after the Balasinghalms had left Sri Lanka. In fact, the British High Commission denied having any prior knowledge of the LTTE spokesman’s arrival in London during 1999 (Balasingham reveals British hand in secret journey––The Island March 26, 2000). (Island : 21 October 2012).

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What was really happening in Sri Lanka was that a blood thirsty racist group led by some misled Tamils called LTTE was terrorizing against the Government of Sri Lanka and its people irrespective of their ethnicity with an intention of carving out a separate state. There is no conflict as such between Sinhalese and Tamil communities in Sri Lanka. In fact, the majority of the Tamil community lives in peace and harmony among the Sinhalese population through out the country apart from the Northern part of Sri Lanka. The entire Sinhalese and the Muslims population who lived in the Northern area for centuries were either killed or chased away completely by the LTTE Tamil Tiger terrorists. At the moment, not a single Sinhalese or Muslim is living in Jaffna, but, many thousands of Tamils are living in Colombo in peace with the other communities. Based on 2001 census, the Tamil population in Colombo district is 12.1% (see 2001 census). So, who is discriminated ? Tamils or Sinhalese? Do you need more evidence ?

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Read more about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Sri Lanka

• Basil says no final decision yet to repeal certain sections of 13th Amendment (Island : 11 May 2013).
• 13-A: A response - by D. Siriratna (Island : 01 April 2013).
• TN crisis bolsters anti-devolution project – Gotabhaya - (Island : 28 March 2012).
• Positives of Geneva Resolution - by Gamini Gunawardane (Island : 26 March 2013).
• Urgent need of the day – an island wide Referendum is needed to test the 13th Amendment - by Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra (LankaWeb : 28 March 2013).
• An Article by Gomin Dayasiri on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (Divaina : 27 January 2013).
• The future of 13-A - By Neville Ladduwahetty (Island ; 22 November 2012).
• Thirteenth Amendment illegally passed in House, NFF to tell SC (Sunday Times : 18 November 2012).
• Weerawansa’s bid against 13A postponed, not abandoned - On hold as he’s a member of the impeachment Select Committee - By Shamindra Ferdinando (Island ; 17 November 2012).
• “Moves to repeal the 13th Amendment would damage Sri Lanka’s future” – Sampanthan - by Asada M Erpini (LankaWeb : 17 November 2012).
• TNA wants nine provinces replaced with three or four zones - … warns repealing of 13A could endanger country’s future (Island : 15 November 2012).
• 13th A: UNP says amend it but don’t discard it (Daily Mirror : 13 November 2012).
• Weerawansa baulks at moving SC against 13-A (Island : 12 November 2012).
• Reiterates commitment for 13-A principles - EPDP accepts need for con. Reforms (Island : 12 November 2012).
• 13-A: Wimal said NFF’s position differed from Govt - Gayantha (Island : 12 November 2012).
• 13th Amendment – Implications of Eelam - by Sarath Bulathsinghala, New Zealand (LankaWeb : 12 November 2012).
• UNP will support 13th Amendment abolition if coupled with Executive Presidency - Ranil (Sunday Island ; 11 November 2012).
• Ranil And Wimal Discuss 13A (Sunday Leader : 10 November 2012).
• Whither the 13th Amendment? - by I. P. C. Mendis (Island ; 10 November 2012).
• Sri Lanka Opposition Leader holds discussion with governing party ally on 13th Amendment (Colombo page ; 10 November 2012).
• India-mediated 13th Amendment on its way out?  (Hindu : 9 November 2012).
• JHU, NFF join hands against 13A (Island : 7 November 2012).
• Rajapaksa allies press for abolition of 13th amendment (Business Standard : 7 November 2012).
• Repealing 13A is Not a Choice but a Matter of Economic and Political Survival - by Dilrook Kannangara (LankaWeb ; 5 November 2012).
• The 13 th Amendment: The Devolution of Powers and the Provincial Councils has killed the economy. What is required is Decentralization; not Devolution - By Garvin Karunaratne, former Government Agent, Matara District (LankaWeb : 04 November 2012).
• Call to repeal 13A: New OPA Chief endorses decision (Island : 2 November 2012).
• Home grown Tun Sinhale in place of Externally imposed disastrous Provincial Councils? - Dr. Sudath Gunasekara (LankaWeb : 01 November 2012).
• ABOLISHMENT OF THE 13TH AMENDMENT – A SUGGESTION - MEDIA RELEASE - Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra  (LankaWeb : 1 November 2012).
• Gotabhaya: OPA also wants 13-A abolished; Why flay only me? (Island : 29 October 2012)
• Is the Implementation of the13th Amendment practicable? - by S. Akurugoda  (LankAweb : 28 October 2012).
• Views of several leading politicians on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (Divaina : 28 October 2012).
• Another important article on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (Divaina : 28 October 2012).
• A Referendum for the 13th Amendment to the Constitution ? (Divaina ; 28 October 2012).
• A Referendum for the 13th Amendment to the Constitution ? (Divaina ; 28 October 2012).
• Options for Procrastinating on the 13th Amendment - By Gomin Dayasri (Island ; 27 October 2012).
• Abolish the thirteen amendment now! - By Jay Deshabandu  (LankaWeb : 27 October 2012).
• 13 A , India and the SLMC - by P.A.Samaraweera, Melbourne (LankaWeb : 26 October 2012).
• Abolish the 13th Amendment and Communal Parties and bring in a Senate of Occupational Groups representing Professional,Business , Cultural, and Trade Union Interest Groups - Eksath Lanka Maha Sabha Dr Nath Amarakone General Secretary – ELMS (LankaWeb : 26 October 2012).
• Majority of Sri Lankans will vote to repeal the 13th Amendment at a referendum – SLMC - by Asada M Erpini (LankaWeb : 25 October 2012).
• 13-A: SLMC flays call for referendum - By Franklin R. Satyapalan (Island : 23 October 2012).
• Wimal warns Rajapaksa (Daily Mirror : 22 October 2012).
• Defence Secretary repeats call for abolition of 13-A - By Shamindra Ferdinando (Island : 21 October 2012).
• Gotabhayage Anathuru Angaweema (Sinhala) - by Dr Gunadasa Amarasekara (Divaina : 21 October 2012).
• Palath Sabha Kota Uda (Sinhala) - By Ranil Dharmasena (Divaina : 21 October 2012).
• An article on 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Sri Lanka - by C Wijewickrama (LankaWeb : 19 October 2012).
• An article by Gunadasa Amarasekara Divaina (17 October 2012).
• Repeal 13A without delay says Gotabhaya - "Separatist sentiment still strong’’(Island : 14 October 2012).
• Repeal 13A Fully: District Unit of Devolution More Dangerous Than Province Posted on October 11th, 2012 - by Dilrook Kannangara (LankaWeb : 11 October 2012).
• EVILS OF 13TH AMENDMENT Posted on October 10th, 2012 - By Gamini Gunawardane (LankaWeb : 10 October 2012).

• 13-A a threat to Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity - By Neville Ladduwahetty (Island : 03 October 2012).

• A responce to Subramaniam Swamy on police powers to the provinces - By GaminiGunawardane Rtd. Snr. DIG Police (Island ; 18 August 2012).

• Repeal Police and land powers in the 13th Amendment - By J G De Zoysa (Sunday Times : 12 June 2012).

• OPA lashes out at India, calls for abolition of 13th A  (Island : 11 May 2012).

• MR’s 13A plus assurance: Govt. disputes Indian claim (Island : 23 April 2012).

• Sajith Faction opposes ‘13Plus A’ referred to by Ranil (Island : 18 April 2012).

• Thirteenth Amendment should be repealed without delay - by Asada M Erpini (LankaWeb : 31 March 2012).

• Police and land powers should remain with Central Government (Sunday Observer ; 25 March 2012).

• Ambassador Dayan Jayatilleka advocates implementing 13A - Mahinda Gunasekera, Canada (LankaWeb ; 24 March 2012).

• Ven Elle Gunawansa Thero in "Neth FM" (Part 3) (17/3/2012)

• India pushes for 13A in run-up to Geneva vote  (Island : 17 March 2012).

• DEVOLUTION OF POLICE POWERS : A RESPONSE TO MR. SUMANTHIRAN MP - By, Gamini Gunawardane Rtd. Snr.DIG (Lankaweb : 11 March 2012).

• The TNA’s case for land powers to provinces - By Neville Lasdduwahetty (Island : 7 March 2012).

• Power devolution and control of land - By Dr. M. A. Mohamed Saleem & Arjuna Hulugalle Mahatma Gandhi Centre, Sri Lanka (Island : 29 February 2012).

• Why police/land powers should not be devolved - by D. B. Wijekoon (island : 26 February 2012).

• Sri Lanka will be in danger, if ............ An article by Ven Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero Divaina : 18 February 2011)

• Are we on a suicidal mission or are we just foolish ? - by Ben Silva (LankaWeb : 18 February 2012).

• No benefit to Sri Lanka from the 13th amendment to the constitution - by Asada M Erpini  (LankaWeb : 18 February 2012).

• Devolution for whose benefit? - by Pramod Paranamanna (Island ; 15 February 2012).

• An important article on 13th Amendment - by Dr Gunadasa Amarasekara (Divaina : 12 February 2012)

• Devolve police powers and face a situation as in Maldives – Gomin (Sinhale Hot News : 11 February 2012).

• The 13th Amendment, Sri Lanka And Lessons From The Maldives - by Janaka Yagirala (Lankaweb : 8 February 2012).

• Giving Land and Police powers to the Provinces is dangerous – it should not happen - by Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra (LankaWeb : 8 February 2012).

• Self government for Tamil-dominated areas? - by Gamini Premadasa (Lankaweb ; 8 February 2012).

• Disintegration of the nation on ethnic basis - By S Akurugoda, Melbourne, Australia (Sri Lanka News Online : 07 February 2012).

• ‘Working of Provincial Councils’ - Response to summary report of Institute of Constitutional Studies - By Neville Ladduwahetty (Island : 7 February 2012).

• Unwittingly Supreme Court canmake Sri Lanka Insecure! - by Gomin Dayasiri (LankaWeb : 2 February 2012).

• SLMC wants SE PC if North gets 13-A Plus (Island : 1 February 2012).

• President denies promising India to go beyond 13-A - All political party leaders to be consulted on national question - By Ravi Ladduwahetty (Island ; 30 January 2012).

• 13A and 13P – The Bane of a Two Thirds Majority - by Dilrook Kannangara (LankaWeb : 30 January 2012).

• Sri Lankan President Denies Making Land, Police Power Deal (CRI ; 30 January 2012).

• Is the Jaffna Tamil leadership fit to handle increased powers? - H. L. D. Mahindapala (LankaWeb : 29 January 2012).

• If 13 Amendment is implemented the war will start again - Arun Thambimuththu (Divaina ; 27 January 2012).

• THE SECRET BEHIND LAND & POLICE POWERS - By Stanley Perera, Melbourne - (LankaWeb : 26 January 2012).

• JVP dissidents say 13 Plus won’t solve national issue (Daily Mirror : 25 January 2012).

• JHU insists govt. has no mandate to go beyond 13-A (Island : 23 January 2012).

• No ! not again. We have had enough of the 13th Amendment - By Charles.S.Perera (LankaWeb : 22 January 2012).

• ARE YOU INSANE MINISTER? - An open letter to Hon. Keheliya Rambukwella - by Stanley Perera, Melbourne (Sinhale Hot News ; 09 October 2011).

• Enforcing 13th Amendment will not prevent War Crimes against Sri Lanka - by Shenali Waduge (Lankaweb ; 29 September 2011).

• The search for innovative and creative ideas - By Neville Ladduwahetty (Lankaweb ; 26 July 2011).

• Devolution and flat-earth theorists - by Malinda Seneviratne (Island ; 16 July 2011).

• Sri Lankan nationalists doubt legality of 13th amendment (IBN Live ; 15 July 2011).

• Going beyond the 13th Amendment or doing away with it?-A point of view - by Dr Sudath Gunasekara: President Mahanuwara Sinhala Bauddha Jesta Puravesiyange Sanvidhanaya (Lankaweb ; 22 June 2011).

• An important news item on the Land and Police powers in 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Sri Lanka - By Gomin Dayasiri (Sunday Divaina : 19 June 2011).

• An important news item on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Sri Lanka (Sunday Divaina; 19 June 2011).

• Another important news item on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Sri Lanka (Sunday Divaina ; 19 June 2011).

• The ‘Injuns’ have come: What do we do? - By S. L. Gunasekara (Island ; 12 June 2011).

• An article on "13th Amendment to the Constitution" by Dr Gunadasa Amarasekara (Divaina : 12 June 2011).

• No police, land powers to PCs President conveys decision to Indian officials, collision course feared (Sunday Times ; 12 June 2011).

• 13th Amendment: Bone of contention drags on (The Nation : 12 June 2011).

• Indo-Lanka Agreement obsolete - JRJ and Rajiv signing the Indo - Lanka Agreement - By K. Godage (Island : 10 June 2011).

• Repealing the 13th amendment & listening to the Patriotic Nationalists - By Shenali Waduge (Asian Tribune ; 9 June 2011).

• Sacrosanct 13th Amendment, and why it should not remain embedded- a painful thorn, in the « body » of our Constitution - By Charles.S.Perera (Lankaweb : 9 June 2011).

• Police, land powers to PCs a debatable issue - Govt. ‘ Two thirds of 13th A implemented’ (Island ; 9 June 2011).

• Much blood spilt on 13th Amendment but India still wants it? - by Gomin Dayasiri (Daily Mirror ; 7 June 2011).

• Why the 13th Amendment should be repealed - By Gunadasa Amarasekera President, Patriotic National Movement (The Nation : 5 June 2011).

• Police powers to PCs will cause security concerns: Karuna (The Nation : 5 June 2011).

• The nationalist papers - A second note on devolutionist lunacy - by Malinda Seneviratne (Island : 4 June 2011).

• The Sovereignty of Sri Lanka is inalienable - By Garvin Karunaratne (Lankaweb ; 3 June 2011).

• http://www.divaina.com/2011/05/29/politics01.html

• http://www.divaina.com/2011/05/29/nalin.html

• A very good article in Divaina (Sunday 22 May 2011). URL http://www.divaina.com/2011/05/22/politics01.html

• A very good article in Divaina (Saturday 21 May 2011). URL http://www.divaina.com/2011/05/21/feature01.html

• Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka from a Political Economy Perspective - By Dr. Laksiri Fernando (Asian Tribune ; 15 April 2011).

• REPRESENTATIONS TO THE LLRC I: GRIEVANCES by Malinda Seneviratne (Island : 22 January 2011).

• Police powers should remain with Central govt. - Minister Muralitharan (Sunday Observer : 9 January 2011).

• Karuna says at LLRC ..... Provincial Councils do not need police powers (Island : 13 December 2010).

• ‘Cardinal’ errors - By S. L. Gunasekara (Sri Lanka Guardian : 10 November 2010).

• Cast off the devolution ghost - By Ranjith Soysa (Island : 24 October 2010).  (Reproduced in Sri Lanka News Online)

• It is the thirteenth and not the eighteenth that has to go - By Dr Nalin De Silva (Island ; 28 Sept 2010).

• What’s up India’s sleeve? - By S Akurugoda (Sri Lanka News Online: 23 August 2010).

• The Thirteenth Amendment: What it hails for Sri Lanka - By Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D. former SLAS(G.A. Matara) LankaWeb ; 18 July 2010.

• The 13th Amendment “The Road to EELAM both here and in India - by Dr. Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS) (LankaWeb : 28 June 2010).

• India’s continued insisting on 13th Amendment - By S Akurugoda (Sri Lanka News Online ; 15 June 2010).

• 13th Amendment blamed for transport chaos: Private bus owners rap PC system (Island : 27 April 2010).

• 13th Amendment: valid any more? (Island : 19 April 2010)

• The relevance of the Indian Model of governance to Sri Lanka (Island : 18 March 2010).

• Let us hope for the best - By S Akurugoda (Sri Lanka News Online : 30 Dec 2009).

• 13th Amendment a result of Indian intervention (Sunday Times : 4 Oct 2009).

• Is 13-A valid any more?by Gamini Gunawardane (Island : 25 Sept 2009).

• Legality/constitutionality of 13-A may be questionable By Neville Ladduwahetty

• Thirteenth Amendment plus … a look at probabilities.. (LankaWeb : 18 July 2009).

• 'Federal' Marriages and Water Wars - By: C. Wijeyawickrama

• Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution and Thimpu demands - By S Akurugoda

• APRC and the Bioregional vision by C. Wijeyawickrema, LL.B., Ph.D.

• 13th amendment will not appease the North and the East - By Gomin Dayasri

• TULF Leader Ananda Sangaree – Is he trying to fit in to Prabakaran’s shoes to implement 13A? - by Sellakapu S Upasiri de Silva

• Dump the 13th amendment, the product of an illegal and immoral agreement - by Ben Silva

• An article on the 13th amendment (in Sinhalsa) - By Dr Susantha Gunatillake

• Carlo, Malinda & Dayan - by Gamini Seneviratne

• Implementation of the 13th Amendment may Create Separate Ethnic Provinces - by: Dr. Sellakapu S Upasiri de Silva

• 13th Amendment and Dayan Jayatilake (in Sinhala) - C Wijayawickrama

• Devolution of Police Powers - By Edward Gunawardena

• Avuncular Fonseka betrays his “nephews” – Dayan and Malinda By H. L. D. Mahindapala

• Malinda’s closing response to Dayan - By Malinda Seneviratne

• 13th Amendment: A Lost Cause - by Gomin Dayasri

• History repeats: Dayan Jayatilleka’s attempted second escape!-Re-incarnation of Harold Laski -  C. Wijeyawickrema

• 13th amendment will not appease the North and the East - Gomin Dayasiri

• The 13th Amendment trap - Neville Ladduwahetty

• Reply to Dayan; On pushing the President into a political cul-de-sacby Malinda Seneviratne

• 13th Amendment to the Constitution - Part 3 - by Prof Nalin De Silva (in Sinhala)

• 13th Amendment to the Constitution - Part 2 - by Prof Nalin De Silva (in Sinhala)

• 13th Amendment to the Constitution - Part 1 - by Prof Nalin De Silva (in Sinhala)

• Another view on the Thirteenth Amendment - B. A. Jayasekera

• History is a cake you can’t have and eat at the same time - By Malinda Seneviratne

• RAJITHA SENARATNE AND DEVOLUTION OF POLICE POWERS  By Gamini Gunawardane, Rtd. Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in Sri Lanka

• The 13th amendment, deadly to Sri Lanka, leading to disaster - Ben Silva

• Fuel and fire: A Tamil homeland backed - by 13-A  by C. Wijeyawickrema, LL.B., Ph.D

• The 13th Amendment is a bad idea A response to Dayan Jayatilleka By Malinda Seneviratne

• The 13th Amendment. Why are we wasting our precious time on a ‘stinky bone of contention’ sans any flesh, when we have far more important issues to handle? Posted on July 8th, 2009 Dr. Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS) President Senior Citizens Movement .Mahanuwara / U.S.A.

• Rajitha Senaratne and devolution of police powers By Gamini Gunawardane Rtd. Snr.. DIG

• Blind bandwagon of devolution and country’s national priorities - S Akurugoda

• DAYAN JAYATILLAKE ARGUES THE CASE FOR SEPARATISM - By L. Jayasooriya

• Don’t let devolution mantra dilute Sri Lanka’s military victory : Janaka Perara

• The 13 amendment ‘The illegitimate child of Indian expansionism and Sri Lankan political naivety’ - Dr Sudath Gunasekara (President Senior citizen’s movement Mahanuwara)

• The 13th Amendment and beyond by Neville Ladduwahetty

• ‘Sinhala Bushism’ and the 13th Amendment C. Wijeyawickrema, LL.B., Ph.D.

• JHU to quit Government if ... (Island: 30 June 2009)

• Beware of those who play a different tune now - By S Akurugoda

• 13th Amendment: a Forced Treaty - Dr Susantha Goonatilake

• 13th amendment is an outcome of a threat to invade Sri Lanka... (Rebel of Kandy)

• Police powers under the 13th Amendment: A rare example by C. Wijeyawickrema

• Why we should reject Devolution under the 13th Amendment. Posted on June 22nd, 2009 Dr Sudath Gunasekara. President Mahanuwara Senior Citizens Movement

• 13th Amendment - plus or minus? - By Gomin Dayasri

• Is 13th Amendment to the Constitution practicable? - By S Akurugoda (08 June 2009)

• Chief Justice, Sarath De Silva's view of 13th Amendment

• 13th Amendment and the IMF loan - By C. Wijeyawickrema

• DEVOLUTION OF POLICE POWERS TO PROVINCES: SOME CONCERNS By Gamini Gunawardane, Rtd. Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in Sri Lanka

• Devolution of Police Powers under 13th amendment  – 04 May 2009 - Gamini Gunawardhane (Retired Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police)

• Implication of the 13th Amendment with regard to Land Alienation - 04 May 2009 - By Dr Piyasena Dissanayake

• Devolution under the 13th Amendmentby Neville Ladduwahetty

• Members of the Constitutional Council should be representative of a balanced cross section of Eminent Persons reflecting the changing patterns in Sri Lankan society.

• APRC and the Bioregional vision - by C. Wijeyawickrema, LL.B., Ph.D.

• JVP vows to thwart full implementation of 13 Amendment

• Is Sri Lanka heading in the right direction? - By S Akurugoga

• Colombo politics vs. Col. Karuna Which 13-A betrays the Tamil people? by C. Wijeyawickrema, USA

• Vitharana's 'solutions' will go nowhere (Sinhela Net)

• Concerned Tamil citizens and the ‘Karuna paradigm’ Give us what Colombo gets – Karunaby C. Wijeyawickrema

• 13th Amendment and fate of our country

• Concerned Tamil citizens and the ‘Karuna paradigm’ by C. Wijeyawickrema

• The unitary and federal controversy - By Lt Col Anil Amarasekera, 5th February 2009

• The13 amendment 'The illegitimate child of Indian expansionism and Sri Lankan political naivety' Dr Sudath Gunasekara (President Senior citizen's movement Mahanuwara)

• Identify the problem, before formulating a solution

• Unitary state, Federalism and 'Devolution of Power' in Sri Lanka

• Empowerment with language-blind spatial units

• The meaning and purpose of devolutionby Dr. Piyasena Dissanayake

• Empowerment of Sri Lankan Tamils without the 13th Amendment (13A)

• Eelam Goal - More Than One-Way to Skin a Cat!

• 13th Amendment would rekindle the desire for Eelam: Amarasekara

• 'Educating' the general public on 'solution to the problem'- 

• The 13th amendment needs re-scrutiny

• Should we accept the so-called "Indo-Lanka Accord"?

• Race based devolution – Beginning of the end of Sri Lanka

• Solutions based on communal lines

• Solutions based on 13th Amendment – Have we taken for a ride?

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

• Time to act under Article 157A of the Constitution

• Where are we heading?

• Vitharana and his efforts to undermine Mahinda Chintanaya

• 13th Amendment and fate of our country

• Devolution on ethnic basis to provinces

• Fabricating the question to suit a solution (Part 1)

• Fabricating the question to suit a solution (Part 2)

• Indo - Lanka Accord

Read more about the 13th Amendment

Sangaree’s tiger tail came out of his sarong

Sangaree should understand that there are no Sinhalese and Tamil areas in Sri Lanka. Any Sri Lankan should have the right to live anywhere in Sri Lanka.

• Wimal decries TNA’ call for exclusive land rights in North (Island : 21 October 2011).
• Sinhalese Moving into Tamil Areas – Whose Definition “Tamil Areas”? - by Prof. Hudson McLean (LankaWeb ; 16 October 2011).
• An open letter to Ms Angela Melo, Secretary of the Prize, Director-Division of Human Rights, Human Security and Philosophy Sector of Social and Human Sciences - by Dilrook Kannangara (Sinhale Hot News ; 14 October 2011).
• OPEN LETTER TO V. ANANDASANGAREE-SRI LANKA IS FOR ALL SRI LANKANS - by Stanley Perera in Melbourne (LankaWeb ; 13 October 2011).
• Sinhalese are moving into Tamil areas”- TNA complains to India ! - by Gam Vaesiya Ontario, Canada (Lankaweb ; 12 October 2011).
• OPEN LETTER to Mr. Veerasingham Ananda Sangaree, MP Leader of the TULF and member of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri  Jayewardenapura, Sri Lanka - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada (LankaWeb ; 12 October 2011).
• Sinhalese Moving Into Tamil Areas, India Told – October 11,2011 - by Ira de Silva (LankaWeb ; 12 October 2011).

Now it is the time to repeal the racist "Thesawalami law"

Doctored Video in Channel 4

Click here for the unaltered video footage

• Channel 4 hammers India over "war crimes’’ in Jammu and Kashmir (Island : 14 July 2012).
• Defence Secy. responds to C4 allegations (Island : 16 March 2012).
• US resolution criticises, surges beyond LLRC - by Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka (Island ; 15 March 2012).
• Channel 4 unravelled, lies unpacked (Sunday Times : 7 August 2011).
• Publicity blitz to counter concocted video: Channel 4 replaying Tamil Selvam’s old record (Sunday Times ; 7 August 2011).
• Channel 4 Sydney Protest (in Sinhala) (Lanka C News : 6 August 2011).
• Channel 4 Sydney Protest (in English) (Lanka C News : 6 August 2011).
• Giant demo in Sydney to condemn biased ABC reports against Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka News online ; 6 August 2011).
• Channel- 4 paid to tarnish Sri Lanka’s humanitarian rescue operation (Daily Mirror : 4 August 2011).
• Channel 4 documentary, “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” and its multiple objectives - By Gamini Edirisinghe  (Sinhale Hot News : 4 august 2011).
• Documentary dispels abuse allegations in channel 4 video (Sri Lanka Defense Ministry : 4 August 2011).
• Sri Lankan Government’s – Lies Agreed Upon - by Asoka Weerasinghe  (LankaWeb ; 3 August 2011).
• GOING AFTER CHANNEL 4 (LankaWeb ; 3 August 2011).
• Continued Unfounded, Unsubstantiated, Unprofessional Criticism of Sri Lanka by Channel 4 - by Ira de Silva (LankaWeb : 3 August 2011).
• Channel four and the ‘Broken Palmyrah’ - By S. L. Gunasekara (Island ; 3 August 2011)
• Sri Lanka Counters C4: 'Lies Agreed Upon' (Video)
• Lies Agreed Upon -Part 1
• Lies Agreed Upon -Part 2
• Lies Agreed Upon -Part 3
• Lies Agreed Upon -Part 4
• Channel 4 paid to tarnish Sri Lanka’s humanitarian rescue & terrorist elimination operation - by Shenali Waduge (Sri Lanka Guardian : 2 August 2011).
• Channel-4 video, personal attack on Defence Secretary and me:Maj. Gen. Silva  (Daily Mirror : 2 August 2011).
• Lankans in the UK to sue Channel 4 (ITN News : 1 August 2011).
• C-4 granted permission to visit SL  (Island ; 31 July 2011).
• ABC Be Fair - A Technical Analysis of "Killing Fields" (2011) - Independent Expert (You Tube).
• More garbage flowing down a sewer called Canal 4 - By Malinda Seneviratne (The Nation : 31 July 2011).
• To Howard Berman, Hillary Clinton, Ban Ki Moon, UK Channel 4, and others seeking to accuse Sri Lanka armed Forces for War Crimes. - By Charles.S.Perera (LankaWeb : 30 July 2011).
•  Shavendra alleges British media plot to discredit the government (Island ; 30 July 2011).
• And some tears cannot go uncommented... - by Malinda Seneviratne  (Daily News ; 30 July 2011).
• C4 has many concoctions - by Rasika SOMARATHNA - Govt rejects allegation in latest one - More episodes to follow (Daily News ; 29 July 2011).
• C4 has many concoctions (Sri Lanka Defense Ministry : 29 July 2011).
• UK should act against Channel4 - Gota (Daily Mirror ; 29 July 2011).
• Sri Lanka slams another Channel 4 documentary as fake (Indian Express : 28 July 2011).
• Another Channel 4 fake - SL Army (Daily Mirror ; 28 July 2011).
• UN officials’ Channel 4 video analysis - ‘Forensic Hoax’ (Daily News : 27 July 2011).
• UN Officials' Channel 4 Video Analysis; 'Forensic Hoax' - by By Hassina Leelarathna (Sri Lanka : USA Weekly).
• Tamil diaspora in the USA stressed that the Channel-4 video clip is totally fabricated and utterly false (SLBC ; 26 July 2011).
• Alex Neve – Channel 4 Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields video - By Asoka Weerasinghe (LankaWeb : 26 July 2011).
• "It may be an LTTE cadre shooting an army man" - Mahinda bluntly denies charge of war crimes  (Island : 23 July 2011).
• The BBC’s unforced, unacknowledged errors - by Prof. Rajiva WIJESINHA, MP (Daily News ; 22 July 2011).
• Mr. Ban Ki-moon, your slip is showing - Dr. R. C. B. Joseph (Island ; 21 July 2011).
• Dr Kohona reiterates to AI chief: C 4 contains doctored footage (Daily News : 21 July 2011).
• Minister Basil Rajapakse says that the former LTTE member Daya master has revealed the channel four video tape was prepared by the LTTE (SLBC : 21 July 2011).
• Amnesty Int'l Chief meets Kohona (Daily Mirror ; 20 July 2011).
• Darusman Report & Chanel 4 Video - by Asoka Weerasinghe (LankaWeb : 18 July 2011).
• US Tamil questions ‘Channel 4’ credibility (Daily News ; 18 July 2011).
• British Sri Lankans take to streets accusing Channel 4 TV of inciting race-hate (Asian Tribune : 18 July 2011).
• Expatriate Sri Lankans in UK protest against Channel 4 (Photos by Jayamuni Silva) (Colombo page ; 17 July 2011).
• British Sri Lankans take to streets accusing Channel 4 TV of inciting race-hate: Condemn Channel 4 TV’s anti-Sri Lanka campaign as biased, and a disgrace to British media (Lankaweb ; 17 July 2011).
• Films Channel 4 cannot make - by Malinda Seneviratne (The Nation : 17 July 2011).
• Media release by SLUNA in Canada - Tamil Tiger Propaganda Photos Becomes Channel 4 Fact (LankaWeb ; 16 July 2011).
• ‘Original’ video in Tamil was found on UTube in 2009 - Govt. ‘missed out’ in exposing fake ‘Sri Lanka Killing Fields’ video in Sept. 2009 (Island ; 16 July 2011).
• Experts checking Channel 4 film: LLRC (Daily Mirror ; 16 July 2011).
• US House of Reps Screens Channel-4 Compilation regarding Sri Lanka - by Mahes Ladduwahetty (LankaWeb ; 15 July 2011).
• Fake Channel 4 video to be shown in US Congress (LankaWeb ; 15 July 2011).
• ‘Sri Lanka's Killing Fields’ in US Congress: Sponsor Congressman McGovern, Supporter of Colombian terrorist FARC - by Daya Gamage (Asian Tribune ; 15 July 2011).
• LIKE THE WEST ASKING SRI LANKA TO SUBMIT ITSELF TO AN INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATION, WE ASK THE CHANNEL FOUR TO SUBMIT ITSELF TO AN IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION ABOUT THE ‘KILLING FIELDS OF SRI LANKA’ VIDEO - MEDIA RELEASE – SRI LANKA SUPPORT GROUP, CANBERRA (LankaWeb : 12 July 2011)
• “The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka”is proved a fake - ?by Garvin Karunaratne (Lankaweb ; 12 July 2011).
• Misleading viewers with Channel 4 fiction - By Malin Abeyatunge (The Nation : 10 July 2011).
• Channel 4 video not an isolated event: Kohona (The Nation : 10 July 2011).
• ABC's Four Corners Program on "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields" - The Facts and Fallacies - A Publication of SPUR (NSW). Please click here for the PDF your copy the document.
• Channel 4 Documentary: Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields - By Lt Col (Retd.) Anil Amarasekera (Asian Tribune ; 11 July 2011).
• Britain's News Scandal - By Malin Abeyatunga (Sri Lanka News Online ; 10 July 2011).
• ECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF CHANNEL 4 KILLING FIELDS DOCUMENTARY (Click here for the power Point Presentation).
• LIKE THE WEST ASKING SRI LANKA TO SUBMIT ITSELF TO AN INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATION, WE ASK THE CHANNEL FOUR TO SUBMIT ITSELF TO AN IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION ABOUT THE ‘KILLING FIELDS OF SRI LANKA’ VIDEO - MEDIA RELEASE SRI LANKA SUPPORT GROUP, CANBERRA  (LankaWeb : 10 July 2011).
• SL police arrests Briton in connection with Channel 4 video (MSN News : 9 July 2011).
• Sri Lanka holds Briton over video  (BigPond News ; 9 July 2011).
• Reconciliation in the Context of Channel 4 allegation - By: Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha  (Sri Lanka Defense Ministry : 8 July 2011).
• Govt focused on legal action against Channel 4 (Daily News ; 8 July 2011).
• CHANNEL 4 VEDEO TITLED KILLING FIELDS OF SRI LANKA- by JANAKI CHANDRARATNA (Lankaweb : 7 July 2011).
• Channel 4 video on Sri Lanka - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada (LankaWeb : 7 July 2011).
• BBC Hard Talk by Prof Rajiv Wijesinghe (click here)
• Sri Lanka's Killing Fields by Channel 4 _Analysis on the One Video Clip Published By Channel (U-Tube).
• An important message to the Australian Public-ABC TV’S FOUR CORNERS PROGRAM – AT LEAST, 38 DECEPTIONS (SEE BELOW) - MEDIA RELEASE SRI LANKA SUPPORT GROUP (LankaWeb ; 6 June 2011).
• ABC and C-4 video - by Malin Abeyatunga  (Island ; 5 July 2011).
• ABC-4 CORNERS telecasts unethical Channel 4-UK an unauthenticated manufactured fiction clip titled “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” - by Malin Abeyatunga  (Sri Lanka News Online ; 5 July 20110.
• Defence Ministry, experts review unaltered video probe launched : Fresh probe launched - Ample evidence to prove malicious intentions behind doctored documentary - Conversations in Tamil in unaltered video - Pro-LTTE elements attempting to disgrace country (Daily News : 4 July 2011).
• Evidence from the past -How the LTTE committed atrocities wearing Sri Lankan Army uniforms - by Ramanie de Zoysa (LankaWeb ; 4 July 2011).
• Govt exploring avenues for legal action : Channel 4 video, a blatant lie (Sunday Observer : 3 July 2011).  Sri Lanka News Online : 3 July 2011.
• THE GLAMOUR BOYS OF WAR CRIMINALITY PARTY TO DEATH IN LIBYA - by Malinda Seneviratne (LankaWeb ; 3 July 2011).
• Moon, RW to watch channel 4 (The Nation : 3 July 2011).. They should watch the original video footage, not the one doctored by the Western media.
• Video expert calls for judicial review of program - Siri Hewavitharana (Sunday Observer : 3 July 2011).
• Film described as ‘misleading and misrepresentative’: UK’s Ofcom to probe Channel 4 documentary (Sunday Observer : 3 July 2011).
• Sri Lanka military says real video of Channel 4 visuals found  (Deccan Herald : 3 July 2011).
• “Comments submitted on ABC Four Corners Web Page on July 3, 2011- by Mahinda Gunasekera (LankaWeb : 3 July 2011).
• SL High Commission’s letter to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Island ; 1 July 2011).  (read full details in Sri Lanka News Online)
• Sri Lanka receives unaltered video (Daily Mirror online : 1 July 2011). (Click here for the unaltered video footage).
• SLN responds to Channel 4 News allegations:How come ICRC evacuated 12,000 persons if forces denied access to Tiger territory? (Island ; 1 July 2011).
• Sri Lanka: Recent accusations and some relevant facts - Published in June 2011 News Letter of New Zealand Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights in Sri Lanka (LankaWeb ; 1 July 2011).

• 'CHANNEL-4, FACEOFF' - Exposing the appalling truth (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 30 June 2011)

• UK's Goebbels 4 TV bucks SL's 19 May 2009 verdict (Sri Lanka Defense Ministry ; 30 June 2011).
• Ch 4 video has no recognition in United Kingdom - Minister (Daily News ; 30 June 2011).
• Terrorist-Propaganda Exposed: “Channel 4” and Ofcom Owe an Explanation to Sri Lanka and Her Citizens - By L. B. Wasantha (USA)  (LankaWeb ; 30 June 2011). (The "original" video footage in Tamil which which had been dubbed in Sinhalese by the media is linked in this article). (Click here)
• Why did ‘genocidal’ GoSL save 300,000 civilians, 11,000 LTTE cadres Ex-Foreign Minister asks (Island ; 29 June 2011).
• Fake Homelands, Fake Grievances, Fake Aspirations, Fake War Crimes and Now Fake Videos (LankaWeb ; 28 June 2011).
• Miliband- Kouchner: Comes to the Party after Long Silence - by Gomin Dayasiri (Daily Mirror : 27 June 2011).
• An analysis of Ch 4 video by Warna Hettiarachchi (PDF file)
• Research on LTTE - by Warna Hettiarachchi (PDF File)
• Commonwealth sans commonsense (Island ; 26 June 2011).
• Lanka Taking Channel 4 To Court (Sunday Leader ; 26 June 2011).
• A postscript to journalistic quackery à la Channel 4 - by Malinda Seneviratne (The Nation : 26 June 2011).
• Channel 4 drama: Maj Gen Shavendra Silva sifts fact from fiction (Sunday Observer ; 26 June 2011).
• Is British Broadcasting getting funds from Terror groups? (Asian Tribune ; 25 June 2011).
• Shavendra slams Channel 4 and uninformed critics (Island ; 25 June 2011).
• Channel 4 gets flak on truth and ethics  (Daily News : 25 June 2011).
• Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields - By Ira De Silva (LankaWeb ; 25 June 2011).
• Check Their Bank Balances - By Malin Abeyatunga  (Sri Lanka News Online ; 24 June 2011).
• LANKA'S AMBASSADORS CLARIFY FACT FROM FICTION: INGO attempt to mislead UN gathering foiled (Sri Lanka Defense Ministry : 24 June 2011).
• Channel 4 Frustration (Island ; 24 June 2011).
• Ch 4 should get off its moral monopoly - Dr.Stuart Reiss, U.K.  (The official web Portal of the Government of Sri Lanka : 24 June 2011).
• Sri Lankan security forces have nothing to hide: Prof. Gunaratne (Daily Mirror ; 24 June 2011).
• Acting SL HC in London refutes Channel 4 Allegations in live BBC Radio debate (Sinhale Hot News : 24 June 2011).
• Channel 4 video: Another failed attempt to harm Sri Lanka’s reputation (Daily News ; 24 June 2011).
• In New York - Dirty intentions of Channel 4 video documentary exposed  (Asian Tribune : 23 June 2011).
• Shavendra Nullifies Channel-4 in New York (LankaWeb ; 23 June 2011).
• Lanka’s ambassadors clarify fact from fiction: INGO attempt to mislead UN gathering foiled (Daily News : 23 June 2011).
• Shavendra Silva Dismantles the Channel 4 Lie - Answers offered by Sri Lanka’s make Ch 4 conspirators speechless  (Watch the video in the Official Portal of the Government of Sri Lanka ; 23 June 2011).
• Sri Lanka proves the fake nature of the Channel Four Video at the UN  (SLBC ; 23 June 2011).
• UK Sunday Times criticises Channel 4 for its shoddy journalism - By Raj Gonsalkorale  (Asian Tribune ; 23 June 2011).
• UK Tamil answers pro-LTTE fibs: Tamils who escaped terror praise SL Army - Tigers shot dead Tamils - Tamils were held hostage by LTTE (Daily News ; 23 June 2011).
• C-4 project suffers debilitating setback in New York Int’l HR groups stunned by UK film maker’s ignorance (Island ; 22 June 2011).
• It is confirmed, Channel-4 video is fake (SLBC ; 22 June 2011).
• THIS IS BBC CALLING - NOW CLICK ON TO CHANNEL 4 - by Gomin Dayasiri  (Daily Mirror ; 21 June 2011).
• Channel 4 journalist, an LTTEer - Defence Ministry (Daily News ; 21 June 2011).
• Channel-4 and hidden paws (Daily Mirror : 21 June 2011)
• SL highlights ‘Channel 4 News’ role in C4 episode - ‘Producer and broadcaster different, Tamil Diaspora leadership evident’(Island ; 20 June 2011).
• Issipriya an LTTE cadre – Ministry of Defence (20 June 2011).
• Reflections on that Channel 4 ‘documentary’ - by Malinda Seneviratne (The Nation ; 19 June 2011).
• Reflections on that Channel 4 ‘documentary’ - by Malinda Seneviratne (The Nation ; 19 June 2011).
• War Crimes: UK playing politics at SL’s expense - (Part II) - by Shamindra Ferdinando (Island ; 19 June 2011).
• Channel Four Doctored Video Shows Tamil Terrorists Wearing the Uniforms of Captives Killing Captured SLA Soldiers! - by Geoff Wickrema (LankaWeb ; 19 June 2011).
• C 4 Video ‘Killing fields of Sri Lanka’ – LTTE propaganda - by P.A.Samaraweera, Australia (LankaWeb ; 19 June 2011).
• Lies , Damn Lies & Channel 4 - by Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM Spokesperson, United Sri Lanka Association, Wellington New Zealand (Lankaweb ; 19 June 2011).
• Channel 4 video of Sri Lankan Killing fields - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada (LankaWeb ; 19 June 2011).
• Issipriya not just an innocent civilian as portrayed by the Channel4 – Defense Ministry (Asian Tribune ; 18 June 2011).
• Lanka Expects UK to Thwart LTTE Plans by Ira de Silva (LankaWeb ; 17 June 2011).
• Dayan denounces Channel 4 claims as akin to WMDs in Iraq (Sri Lanka Guardian : 17 June 2011).
• Bid to stop deportation of SL Tamils thwarted British MPs, HRW, AI involved in failed attempt - By Sujeeva Nivunhella in London (Island ; 17 June 2011).
• Former TNA parliamentarian Kanagarathnam who was present at the final stages of the humanitarian operations says the “channel 4” documentary is completely devoid of the truth (SLBC ; 17 June 2011).
• BBC’s Apology on Faked Footage and Channel 4’s ‘Killing Fields’ (Island ; 17 June 2011).
• Information on previous distorted and biased programmes of the channel four television has been revealed (SLBC ; 17 June 2011).
• Leading lawyers point out the “channel four” media is biased (SLBC ; 17 June 2011).
• The defence secretary says the patriotic people should rally to counter the international challenges against the motherland (SLBC ; 17 June 2011).
• Of war crimes and double standards (Khaleej times ; 17 June 2011).
• SL exposes ‘C4 lie’ (Island ; 16 June 2011).
• Of Scoops, Spooks, Stoops etc - by Dr Bandula Kothalawala London (LankaWeb ; 16 June 2011).
• Channel 4 film, bid at harming Sri Lanka - LLRC entitled to space and time to complete its work - INGOs critical of SL turned down invitation to give evidence (Daily News ; 16 June 2011).
• The National Radio denounces the video tape televised by the Channel Four television (SLBC ; 16 June 2011).
• Professor Rohan Gunarathne stresses the need of a well organised campaign to combat false propaganda of the LTTE sympathisers (SLBC ; 16 June 2011).
• Taking on Aggressive Journalism of Channel 4: Look up to the Royal Family for Inspiration (Asian Tribune ; 16 June 2011).
• Sri Lankan Defence Secretary says pro-LTTE elements have used Channel 4 to tarnish the country's image (Colombo page ; 16 June 2011).
• Sri Lanka responds to War crimes claims - Al Jazeera (Prof. Rajiva Wijesinghe defends. Watch the Video).
• Fake, made for LTTE money: Gota (Daily Mirror ; 16 June 2011).
• SL responds to UK ultimatum ‘C4 engaged in move to push SL back to war’ - By Sujeeva Nivunhella in London (Island ; 15 June 2011).
• Channel 4 Video titled ‘Killing Fields of Sri Lanka’ to be aired on June 14, 2011 - by Mahinda Gunasekara, President of SLUNA (LankaWeb ; 14 June 2011).
• Channel 4 Screening Of Doctored Film Portrays; The Bourgeoise Mentality Of British TV Together With British Ministerial Comments Which Reek Of Duplicity! - By Sunil Kumar (LankaWeb ; 14 June 2011).
• ‘Channel-4 video a fake’– Video forensic analyst - Seventeen frames of video inconsistent with original video - Tigers carried out atrocities against their own people (Daily News ; 14 June 2011).
• "Channel-4 video a fake" - video forensic analyst (Island ; 13 June 2011).
• Amnesty International hosts Channel 4 at the U.N. (Daily Mirror ; 13 June 2011).
• UK Channel 4, fools a naive home audience with low grade TV Programmes with faked films, and Discredits a Sovereign States for a « fistful of Dollars - By Charles.S.Perera UK (LankaWeb ; 12 June 2011).
• Opinion on Channel 4 video after LLRC verdict: Govt (Sunday Times ; 12 June 2011).
• Just a fake - New Channel 4 Video Alleging Extra-Judicial Killings in Sri Lanka (Island ; 11 June 2011).
• Media Release by SRI LANKA UNITED NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA (SLUNA in Canada) : Channel 4 Video is Fake, Edited and Video taken by Video Camera - June 9, 2011 (LankaWeb ; 10 June 2011).
• Channel 4 Video is Fake, Edited and Video taken by Video Camera - Siri Hewawitharana, Sydney Australia (Asian Tribune ; 6 June 2011).

(Sri Lanka Defense Ministry : 24 June 2011).

Worlds' most ruthless megalomaniac Terrorist Leader Prabhakaran shot dead by the Sri Lanka heroic Security Forces

(for details click here). Video by Sri Lanka Army

Please re-visit news, from 15 to 23 May 2009.

• News from 01 to 07 March 2009

• News from 08 to 13 March 2009

• News from 14 to 20 March 2009

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• News from 01 to 13 April 2009

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• News from 29 to 30 April 2009

• News from 01 to 02 May 2009

• News from 03 to 11 May 2009

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• News from 15 to 23 May 2009

Names of villages in the North and East of Sri Lanka

http://dh-web.org/place.names/barelist.htm

Sponsoring over 500 Children

Sponsor a child of a war hero deceased or disabled while in action to protect Sri Lanka

http://www.virudarudiriya.com

Sri Lankan Web TV "ThrimanaTV" brings News and Entertainment from Sri Lanka and Australia

• KP knows who holds LTTE cash (Island ; 26 June 2011).

• Know who's holding LTTE cash: Prabhakaran successor (Indian Express ; 26 June 2011).

• Norway the Villain; response to Chaminda Weerawardhana by Malin Abeyatunge (Sri Lanka News Online ; 31 May 2011).

• UN tried to rescue LTTE leaders: KP (Daily Mirror ; 26 May 2011).

• UN and a Western country offered a ship for LTTE leaders to leave - KP (Island : 25 May 2011).

• UN tried 'to help Tamil Tigers flee': report (AFP).

• LTTE'S Chief Arms Procurer KP Revealed How The UN And A Western Country Tried To Offer A Ship Fo (Ground Report : 24 May 2011).

• KP's interview with THL Mediagrove (U-Tube)

• Now, KP reveals LTTE-DMK links Begs India’s forgiveness for Rajiv Gandhi assassination (Island ; 24 May 2011).

• UN had offered safe exit to LTTE in the last days of war - See exclusive interview with KP  (First Post.com : 23 May 2011).

WANTED by INTERPOL (Click here)

United Nation's "so-called war crime probe and report"

• Malinda Seneviratne Darusman report rebuttal Part 6 of 6 (U-Tube)
• Malinda Seneviratne Darusman report rebuttal Part 5 of 6 (U-Tube)
• Malinda Seneviratne Darusman report rebuttal Part 4 of 6 (U-Tube)
• Malinda Seneviratne Darusman report rebuttal Part 3 of 6 (U-Tube)
• Malinda Seneviratne Darusman report rebuttal Part 2 of 6 (U-Tube)
• Malinda Seneviratne Darusman report rebuttal Part 1 of 6 (U-Tube)
• EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS CASTIGATE BAN KI-MOON’S MOCK PANEL - By JAYANTHA GUNASEKERA, PRESIDENT’S COUNSEL (Daily Mirror ; 2 June 2011).
• Re: Rathika Sitasabaiesan, NDP MP for Scarborough Rough River : her set priority in the House is to form an All Party Parliamentary Committee to study the unapproved Security Council UN (Darushman) Report on Sri Lanka - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada (LankaWeb : 30 May 2011).
• BAN KI MOON AND HIS PANEL - Legally disqualified from the very commencement - By Jayantha Gunasekera (Daily Mirror ; 28 May 2011).
• UN tried 'to help Tamil Tigers flee': report (AFP ; 24 May 2011).
• LTTE'S Chief Arms Procurer KP Revealed How The UN And A Western Country Tried To Offer A Ship Fo (Ground Report ; 24 may 2011).
• Mr Ban ki Moon: Why have you forgotton the Chagossian Islanders?- By Garvin Karunaratne (Lankaweb ; 23 May 2011).
• Nationalists unhappy about joint statement after Delhi talks (Island ; 21 May 2011).
• A closer look at the Darusman Panel - Jayantha Gunasekera - President’s Counsel (Daily News : 21 May 2011).
• Tigers and the Darusman Panel: Using food as a weapon - by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, MP (Daily News ; 20 May 2011).
• Darusman Report seeking to discriminate against Sri Lanka - Gomin Dayasri (Daily News ; 16 may 2011).
• A view to a kill - By Rajiva Wijesinha (Island ; 15 May 2011).
• SL drew clear distinction between civilians and terrorists - Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN Dr. Palitha Kohona (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 12 May 2011).  (Re-produced in Sri Lanka News Online ; 14 May 2011).
• Accusations based on strange hopes - by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, MP (Daily News : 12 May 2011).
• Lanka respects the principals of the UN security Council - Dr. Kohona (Sunday Observer : 11 May 2011).
• Consequences for the LTTE as party to ‘Internal armed conflict’ - By Neville Ladduwahetty (Island : 10 May 2011).
• Robert Blake’s insistence on ‘equal rights’ and interference in Sri Lanka’s Internal Affairs - by Dasarath Jayasuriya (Island : 10 May 2011).
• How Darusman Panel found excuses for the LTTE taking hostages - by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha, MP (Daily News ; 10 May 2011).
• The Panel’s showpieces - By Prof. Rajiva WIJESINGHE (Sunday Observer ; 8 May 2011).
• Why Moon selected Darusman - Inside Story By Gomin Dayasri (Island : 7 may 2011).
• Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha replies (Daily Mirror ; 7 May 2011).
• Panellists moved by insidious intent - The following letter was sent by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha, MP, to UN Secretary General Bank ki Moon (Daily News ; 6 May 2011).
• Darusman report on Sri Lanka - By Neville Ladduwahetty (Island ; 3 May 2011).
• The panel report reveals an underlying pattern - By Prof G. L. Peiris Minister of External Affairs (Island : 3 May 2011).
• Letter to Ban Ki-moon – UN Secretary-General - by Prof Rajiva Wijesinghe (Website of Prof. Rajiva Wijesinghe: 2 May 2011).
• Involvement of UN officials in the programmes of NGOs and Patricia Butenis - Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, MP (Island : 1 May 2011).
• The tentative world of Darusman Panellists - by Prof Rajiva WIJESINHA (Sunday Observer ; 1 May 20111).
• The many personalities of ‘Kiki’ Darusman - by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha (Sunday Observer : 1 May 2011).
• UNSG?s Panel of Experts Report on Accountability in Sri Lanka - Media Release by SLUNA in Canada (Sri Lanka News Onile : 30 April 2011).
• Postscript to a fiasco (Island ; 30 April 2011).
• The UN network of informers - Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, MP (Daily News ; 30 April 2011).
• Panel Report, Tamil National Alliance and National Reconciliation - By Malin Abeyatunga (Sri Lanka News Online : 30 April 2011).
• The many personalities of Kiki Darusman - by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinghe (website of Prof. Raviva wijesinghe ; 28 April 2011).
• Another form of terrorism! - by S Akurugoda (Sri Lanka News Online ; 26 April 2011).
• Panel report trying to tarnish Sri Lanka’s image (Daily News ; 26 April 2011).
• Another form of terrorism! - by S Akurugoda (Island ; 25 April 2011).
• Wijedasa Rajapakshe’s letter to UNSG (Island ; 25 April 2011).
• The Ban Ki Moon panel report - Part 8 : The Case against Sri Lanka (II) (Island ; 25 April 2011).
• Whither Reconciliation with Tamils? By Malin Abeyatunga (Sri Lanka News online ; 25 March 2011).
• ‘Ban move will negate national reconciliation’ (Island ; 25 April 2011).
• UN principles violated: Panel report only for Ban’s info - External Affairs Minister (Daily News ; 25 April 2011).
• Duplicity of United Nations Secretary General Exposed - By K.T.Rajasingham (Asian Tribune ; 25 April 2011).
• The Case against Sri Lanka (I) The Ban Ki Moon panel report - Part 7 (Island ; 24 April 2011).
• Role of the UN and vested interests (Sunday Observer ; 24 April 2011).
• UK, US behind UNSG’s War Crimes Report - How British political establishment props up those undermining SL - Only Basil R opposed endorsing joint communiqué with UN (Island ; 24 April 2011).
• Stand taken by Moon’s panel: Brutal misuse of hospitals by LTTE Contradictory reports: Claims of Forces’ systematic shelling not substantiated: By Prof. Rajiva WIJESINGHE (Sunday Observer : 24 April 2011).
• Ki-moon panel’s report and strippers it spawned - by Malinda Seneviratne (The Nation : 24 April 2011).
• ‘Europe, UN want division among SL communities’ (Daily News ; 23 April 2011).
• Darusman, Ratner, Sooka Report on SriLanka - by Asoka Weerasinghe (LankaWeb : 23 April 2011).
• Report boomerangs: makes Moon a war criminal - by H. L. D. Mahindapala (LankaWeb ; 23 April 2011).
• UN influenced by super powers - NFF (Daily News ; 23 April 2011).
• SPUR Reject Ban Ki-Moon’s Panel Report on Sri Lanka and Condemn his Double Standards (Sri Lanka News Online ; 22 April 2011).
• The ‘white flag’ incident and other matters Extracts from the Ban Ki Moon panel report (Part 6) (Island ; 22 April 2011).
• The Secretary General’s Expert Panel on Sri Lanka - By Neville Ladduwahetty (Island ; 22 April 2011).
• Moon in Blind Man’s Bluff on Sri Lanka (Island ; 22 April 2011).
• Extracts from the Ban Ki Moon panel report (Part 5) Detention, Executions, Rape and Disappearances EXCLUSIVE! (Island ; 21 April 2011).
• 'UNSG's panel report biased' (Daily News ; 22 April 2011).
• America must stop its cowardice acts ! (Sinhalaya.com; 20 April 2011).
• UN “Expert” Report: False Conclusions, False History - By Dr Susantha Goonatilake Part 2 (Daily Mirror ; 20 April 2011).
• Extracts from the Ban Ki Moon panel report (Part 4) Understating the number of Tamil civilians EXCLUSIVE! (Island ; 20 April 2011).
• UN “Expert” Report: False Conclusions, False History - By Dr Susantha Goonatilake  Part 1 (Daily Mirror ; 19 April 2011).
• What would Ban Ki–moon do next? - By Nalin de Silva (Island ; 19 April 2011).
• Extracts from the Ban Ki Moon panel report (part 3) - Shelling hospitals (Island ; 19 April 2011).
• TNA's complicity in LTTE's crimes (Island ; 19 April 2011).
• UN experts’ mindboggling arithmetic (Island ; 19 April 2011).
• UN Security Council briefing: Russia opposes talks on Sri Lanka (Island ; 19 April 2011).
• Hulugalle on that LTTE-UN agreement (Island ; 19 April 2011).
• Final days in Vanni: 600 Tamils shot and killed as stray dogs- First Person Revelation (Asian Tribune ; 19 April 2011).
• America Falls Into The Indian Pit In Sri Lanka - By H. L. D. Mahindapala (Lankaweb : 18 April 2011).
• PANEL REPORT BY THREE STOOGES OF BAN-KI-MOON - Malin Abeyatunge (Sri Lanka New Online ; 19 April 2011).
• Assessing UN Secretary General’s Panel Report - By Prof. Rajiva Wijesinghe (Sunday Observer ; 17 April 2011).
• Prof. Rohan Gunaratne questions the legality of UN committee on Sri Lanka (Sinhale Hot News ; 17 April 2011).
• UN report: Govt. launches major counter-offensive Teams to visit Non-Aligned countries; White paper to explain justification for use of force to end terrorism (Sunday Times ; 17 April 2011).
• UN Panel’s Report on Sri Lanka - by Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya (LankaWeb : 17 April 2011).
• Summary of UN Panel report (Daily Mirror ; 16 April 2011).
• The Ban panel report (Island ; 16 April 2011).
• Ban Ki Moon’s Expert Panel Report (Island : 16 April 2011).
• A conspiracy against our country - By K Godage (Island ; 15 April 2011).
• How UN colluded with the Tigers (Island ; 15 April 2011).
• Open letter to UNSG Ban Ki-moon - by N.P.Karunadasa, SLAS (Retired), Kandy (Island ; 23 March 2011).
• Sri Lanka Eliminates Terrorism and Restores Right To Life Of All Her Citizens - by Mahinda Gunasekera, Canada (LankaWeb : 30 December 2010).
• Reject the Moon panel - by Ranjith Soysa (Island : 28 December 2010). (Re-produced in Sri Lanka News Online ; 29 December 2010).
• Moon’s ‘three stooges’ and related mattersBy S. L. Gunasekara (Sinhale Hot News : 28 December 201).
• Mr Ban-Ki Moon,”UN Panel” and War Crimes - Dr Bandula Kothalawala London N7 (LankaWeb ; 12 December 2010).
• Productive talks between President and Ban Ki-Moon (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 26 Sept 2010).
• Ban’s committee "not empowered to investigate charges against SL’’(Sunday Island ; 26 Sept 2010).
• ‘Panel has no legal mandate to investigate’ (Sunday Observer ; 26 Sept 2010_
• Three Member Advisory Panel On Sri Lanka (LankaWeb : 9 Aug 2010).
• Why is Moon blind to West exporting terrorism? Part II. - H. L. D. Mahindapala (Lankaweb ; 8 Aug 2010).
• Ban ki-Moon: Keep your hands off Sri Lanka - by Asoka Weerasinghe (LankaWeb : 29 July 2010).
• Moon is sinking into a black hole - by H. L. D. Mahindapala (Lankaweb : 23 July 2010).
• OPA expresses 'grave concern' over UN Advisory Committee (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 23 July 2010).
• A 'hero' shamed - Island Editorial (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 23 July 2010).
• UN lacks transparency or accountability under Ban Ki Moon (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 22 July 2010).
• Moon lets the cat out of the bag - by Ira De Silva, Canada (Island : 22 July 2010).
• War crimes in Korea: Who cares? - by Durand Appuhamy (Island : 22 July 2010).
• An Expert Panel needs to first investigate effectiveness of UN - By Shenali Waduge (Island ; 22 July 2010).
• Ban lets the big cat out of the bag (Island : 21 July 2010).
• Senior UN Auditor launches attack on Secretary General (Island : 21 July 2010).
• OPEN LETTER TO BAN KI MOON -YOU ARE NOT AUTHORISED - By Stanley Perera from Melbourne (Lankaweb : 16 July 2010).
• UN is not clean. There are skeletons in their cupboards - By Malin Abeyatunge (Sri Lanka News Online : 14 July 2010).
• Some random thoughts about the UN International Advisory Panel - By Dr. Lakshman Marasinghe,Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada (Daily Mirror ; 14 July 2010).
• Is Sri Lanka a culprit or a victim? By Dr. Edward Perera (Sinhale Hot News : 13 July 2010).
• Ban Ki Moon’s Expert Panel & revisiting the real Human Rights culprits - by Shenali Waduge (LankaWeb : 13 July 2010).
• ‘Peace dynamics’ and national treachery - By S. Akurugoda  (Sri Lanka News Online : 13 July 2010)  
• Liberal Party Statement on Sri Lanka – July 8,2010 - By Ira De Silva, Canada (LankaWeb : 11 July 2010).
• Well said Your Excellency - by Nimal Bhareti (Island : 11 July 2010).
• UN and EU riding together - by Eymard de Silva Wijeyeratne (Island : 11 July 2010).
• UNSG’s Panel on Sri Lanka - by Mahinda Gunasekera (LankaWeb : 11 July 2010).
• Ki-moon chopping the UN to spite Colombo? - by Malinda Seneviratne (Nation : 11 July 2010).
• Ban Ki Moon ensure LTTE atrocities are investigated first - by Shenali Waduge (LankaWeb : 10 July 2010).
• Ban Ki-Moon betrays his agreement with President Rajapakse - by H. L. D. Mahindapala (LankaWeb : 10 July 2010).
• Ban Ki Lands on Moon to Scrutinize Sri Lanka’s War Crimes - by Asoka Perera (LankaWeb : 10 July 2010).
• IT IS TIME TO “IMPEACH” BAM KI MOON FOR DESTROYING UNITED NATIONS - By Hasaka Ratnamalala (HR Blog on Sri Lanka : 10 July 2010).
• Ban Ki-Moon is dragging UN down to his level-Part II - by H. L. D. Mahindapala (LankaWeb : 9 July 2010).
• The UN-Neocolonial partnership - by Shenali Waduge (LankaWeb : 9 July 2010).
• KANGAROO COURT OF DR BAN KI MOON- EPISODE NO.2 (Appeal to Mr Marzuki Darusmaan to respect Indonesians and resign) - By Dr M D P DISSANAYAKE (LankaWeb : 9 July 2010).
• No war crimes committed in Sri Lanka - SF (Island : 8 July 2010).
• Without visas Ban Ki-Moon is heading nowhere - Part 1 - by H. L. D. Mahindapala (LankaWeb : 8 July 2010).
• NFF supporters to launch hunger strike today To teach Ban Ki-moon a lesson (Island : 8 July 2010).
• ‘War crimes’ galore! (Island : 7 July 2010).
• An Independent Afro-Asian UNO to replace the Western dictated UNO? - by Dr. Sudath Gunasekara (LankaWeb : 7 July 2010).
• Sri Lanka & the UN panel to probe war crimes - by Asoka Weerasinghe (LankaWeb : 7 July 2010).
• UN Secretary General’s Panel on Sri Lanka is a Blunder of Serious Proportions - Media Release by Mahinda Gunasekera, Honorary President – SLUNA (Sinhale Hot News ; 6 July 2010).
• Winning War Against Terror, Human rights violations and War Crimes - An open letter to Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the UN, Ms. Navi Pillay, UN Hign Commissioner of Human Rights , Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special representative of the UN SG for Children in Armed Conflict by Warna Hettiarachchi, Canada (Sinhale Hot News : 6 July 2010).
• Ban Ki-moon and human rights - By K Godage, Former Ambassador (Island : 5 July 2010).
• Ban demands ‘a pound of flesh’. Is this a fair trial? By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya (Sunday Times : 4 July 2010).
• Non Aligned Movement’s Challenge To Ban Ki Moon On Sri Lankan Panel Plausible! - LankaWeb Weekly Editorial July 4th 2010.
• Report on Sri Lanka – June 30,2010 - by Ira de Silva London, Canada (Lankaweb ; 2 July 2010).
• Justifying arm-twisting by EU and UN - Stanley Weerasinghe (Island : 2 July 2010).
• WHAT IS GOING WRONG? - By Gomin Dayasri (Lankaweb : 1 July 2010).
• False reporting by UN and lack of integrity in UN reports- Open Letter - by Ben Silva (Lankaweb : 1 July 2010).
• Ban-KI-Moon and EU-dragon with two heads - by Malin Abeyatunge (Island : 30 June 2010). (Re-produced in Sri Lanka News Online)
• The lies & double standards of International Humanitarian Laws - by Shenali Waduge (LankaWeb : 29 June 2010).
• The UN is dishing out lunacy, idiocy and knee-slapping humour! - By Malinda Seneviratne (Daily News ; 29 June 2010). 
• THE SINISTER DUO MOON AND EU CANNOT FEED GRASS TO SRI LANKAN LIONS - by A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA (LankaWeb : 28 June 2010).
• Mr Moon’s questionable sanity - by Ben Silva (LankaWeb : 28 June 2010).
• The panel is about Ban-Ki Moon saving his skin -by Ajit Randeniya (LankaWeb : 28 June 2010).
• UN Chief Appoints Expert Panel - by Ira de Silva London, Canada (LankaWeb : 27 June 2010).
• Let Ban Ki-moon appoint a million panels!  -by Malinda Seneviratne (Lakbima News).
• UN Bullying Sri Lanka for defeating a ruthless terrorist outfit, LTTE - by Dr.P.A.Samaraweera (LankaWeb : 26 June 2010).
• Ban Ki-moon, dude, ctfd!!! - by Malinda Seneviratne (Daily News : 25 June 2010).
• The UNSG’s expert panel on Sri Lanka - By Neville Ladduwahetty (Island : 25 June 2010).
• United Nations: Advisory panel named on Sri Lanka war - by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada (LankaWeb ; 24 June 2010).
• Government strongly opposes the appointment of the Sri Lanka - Panel of experts by the UNSG (sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 23 June 2010).

United Nation's move to appoint an expert panel to advise Secretary General on Sri Lanka is ‘totally uncalled for and unwarranted.’

• BONNIE AND CLIDE OF UN (LankaWeb : 13 April 2010).
• Advisory panel on Lanka unwarranted - Minister Samarasinghe - (Sunday Observer : 28 March 2010).
• OPA condemns UN stance (Daily News : 26 March 2010).
• UN used as a terror weapon by a Tamil racist UN Official-Open Letter to Ban Ki-moon (LankaWeb ; 26 March 2010).
• Japanese envoy rejects UN offer (Daily Mirror : 25 March 2010).
• International Conspiracy-now led by Ban Ki Moon the Secretary General of the United Nations (LankaWeb ; 25 March 2010).
• KANGAROO COURT of DR BAN KI MOON (LankaWeb : 25 March 2010).
• Selection of expert panel on SL underway: Ban (PTI News : 25 March 2010).
• Nambiar, Kohona discuss panel (Daily Mirror : 25 March 2010).
• Ban Ki Moon Humanitarian Visionary Or Persistent Ignoramus Needing To Be Sent Packing? (LankaWeb : 25 March 2010).
• Ban Ki Moon wields orchestra baton against Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 22 March 2010).
• ‘UN using one yardstick for the powerful and another for the weak’ – Minister G.L. Peiris (Sunday Island : 21 March 2010).
• Mr.Ban Ki Moon, SHAME ON YOU..! (a letter from a Sri Lankan) (Sinhalaya News Agency : 20 March 2010).
• JHU lashes out at UN (Island : 19 March 2010).
• UNSG's panel of experts: Govt firm on its position against proposed move (Daily News : 19 March 2010).
• Can the UN Secretary General be so irrational? (Daily News : 18 March 2010).
• UN Chief to go ahead with proposal for panel on Sri lanka (Hindu : 17 March 2010)
• UN chief defends plan for Sri Lanka human rights body (Sify News : 17 March 2010).
• Moon barking up the wrong tree (Island : 16 March 2010).
• Misguided agenda of UN Ban Ki Moon rebuked by Non-Aligned Nations for trying to violate UN Charter (Daily news : 16 March 2010).
• Crying for the beloved - the good terrorists vs bad terrorists (Island : 16 March 2010).
• Ban Ki Moon is moonlighting (Daily News : 15 March 2010).
• Major diplomatic victory: China, NAM to support Sri Lanka (Sunday Observer : 14 March 2010).
• NAM stands by Sri Lanka UNSG’s decision to appoint advisory panel (Sunday Observer : 14 March 2010).
• Ban having second thoughts on panel of advisors (Sunday Times : 14 March 2010).
• Time to reactivate the norms, rules and regulations to stop big bullies in the international politics (Sri Lanka News Online: 13 March 2010).
• Tamil Tigress in UN (LankaWeb: 13 March 2010).
• UN Secretary General’s Expert Group to assess Accountability in Sri Lanka (Island : 13 March 2010).
• NAM strongly condemns UN Chief (Daily News ; 13 March 2010).
• NFF condemns British interference in Lanka (Daily Mirror : 13 March 2010).
• NAM concerned over Ban's move to set up advisory body on Lanka (Zee News ; 12 March 2010).
• Experts panel on Sri Lanka: NAM expresses deep concern to Ban Ki-Moon (Daily News : 12 March 2010).
• NAM flays Ban’s move on Lanka - (Daily Mirror : 11 March 2010).
• Defeat Ban Ki – Moon at UNO (Sri Lanka Guardian : 10 March 2010).
• 'Ugly head of evil forces rising again' (InfoLanka News : 10 March 2010).
• Mr. Ban Ki Moon – Why Sri Lanka? Why not Gaza (Asian Tribune ; 10 March 2010).
• GTF’s pipedream (Sri Lanka News Online ; 8 March 2010).
• Sri Lanka: Ha! Bank ki-Moon wants to appoint a panel of experts (Sri Lanka News Online : 8 March 2010).
• How to Put the UN Back Where it Should Be (LankaWeb : 8 March 2010).
• UN Move Unjustifiable Ban Ki Moon comes under Colonial Pressure (Asian Tribune : 08 March 2010).
• President to Ban Ki-moon Special Panel on Sri Lanka uncalled for and unwarranted (Sunday Island : 7 March 2010).
• Sri Lanka rejects UN plan to form human rights panel (Zimbabwe Star : 7 March 2010).
• Sri Lanka rejects UN plan to form human rights panel (Thaindian News ; 7 March 2010).
• UN Secretary General Apparently Wallowing In Muddied Bias In Requesting Accountability From The President Of Sri Lanka (LankaWeb : 7 March 2010).
• UN Chief’s move on Lanka rejected (Sunday Observer : 7 March 2010).
• President tells off UN Sec. Gen. “Act in keeping with principles of UN Charter on non-interference” (The Nation : 7 March 2010).
• Lanka in diplomatic war with UN President warns Secretary General against appointment of panel of experts (Sunday Times : 7 March 2010).
• U.N. move uncalled for: Rajapaksa (Hindu : 6 March 2010).
• Sri Lanka: a fresh call to investigate alleged war crimes (LankaWeb ; 6 March 2010).
• Ban assures no advice for Lanka (Daily Mirror : 6 March 2010).
• War of words between UN and Sri Lanka (Hisdustan Times: 6 March 2010).
• "Special Panel on Sri Lanka uncalled for and unwarranted" - President to Ban Ki-moon "Act in keeping with principles of UN Charter on non-interference" (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 6 March 2010).
• “Special Panel on Sri Lanka uncalled for and unwarranted” – President to Ban Ki-moon (Info Lanka : 6 March 2010).
• UN PANEL OF EXPERTS (LankaWeb : 6 March 2010).
• 'Move to appoint a UN panel on rights unwarranted' (PTI News : 6 March 2010).
• GOVT. REJECTS UN CALL FOR WAR CRIMES PROBE (Daily Mirror : 6 March 2010).
• Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa dismisses UN human rights panel (BBC : 6 March 2010).
• Sri Lanka rejects UN bid to set up rights panel (Deccan Herald : 6 March 2010).
• NFF condemns Pillay’s pro-LTTE statement (Daily Mirror : 6 March 2010).
• On Sri Lanka War Crimes, UN's Ban to Name Panel to Advise Only Him, No Pascoe, Nambiar Nepotism Follow Up (Inner City Press ; 5 March 2010).
• Govt rejects Pillay’s call for probe (Daily Mirror : 5 March 2010).

Sri Lanka Govt should investigate pro-LTTE NGOs in Sri Lanka

• Govt. asks critics to look at themselves in the mirror (Island ; 23 July 2011).
• PSC’s observations on selected NGOs - by C.A.Chandraprema (Island ; 3 July 2011).
• What the PSC on NGOs said - By C. A. Chandraprema (Island : 9 June 2011).
• The legal basis of NGO impunity - NGO FINANCES - By C.A.Chandraprema (Island ; 7 April 2011).
• NO NGO WITCH-HUNT, SAYS KEHELIYA (The Nation ; 3 April 2011).
• The CPA’s Culture of Impunity - by By C. A. Chandraprema (Island : 31 March 2011).
• NGO Funding - by Nimal Abeysinghe (Island ; 14 March 2011).
• Govt. wonders how three NGOs spent half a billion rupees in 3 yrs (Island ; 13 March 2011).
• Investigate the activities of NGOs who supported separatists and continue to campaign for foreign intervention - By S Akurugoda (Sri Lanka News Online ; 13 March 2011).
• Foreign funds galore for three NGOs : Over Rs. 600 mn. received in 3 yrs; Norway leading donor (Island : 4 March 2011).

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission

Website http://www.llrc.lk

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

• Submission to the LLRC by Dr Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D. former Government Agent, Matara District, International Consultant-The Homeland and the Inland Traps (LanmkaWeb ; 12 January 2011).
• Presentation made by Douglas Wickramaratne,UK to LLRC (LankaWeb ; 10 January 2011).
• Submissions made on behalf of the Buddhasasana Karya Sadhaka Mandalaya before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC)  (PDF File in Sinhale Hot News).
• Submissions to LLRC by Dr. M. Edward Perera from Germany (Sinhale Hot News ; 6 January 2011).
• Lessons to be learnt - Theis is an extract from a written submission sent to LLRC by S Akurugoda, Melbourne, Australia (Sri Lanka News Online ; 4 January 2011).

• LTTE chief ‘betrayed the people’ (The Nation : 19 December 2010).
• No harm in Sinhalese settling in N & E - Muralitharan (Island ; 15 December 2010).
• Norwegian funds used for LTTE arms Provincial Councils do not need police powers – Karuna (Island ; 13 December 2010).

Karuna claimed Norway gave LTTE money

• Karuna deplores ‘US embassy lies’ (Island : 30 December 201010.

• Solheim responds to allegations targeting Norway at LLRC In SL lies are used for political gains or to taint someone’s reputation’ Karuna reiterates call for probe on Tiger revenue sources (Island : 29 December 2010).

• Karuna claimed Norway gave LTTE money – Asian Tribune (Asian Tribune: 29 December 2010).

• Report by Norwegians Against Terrorism (NAT) dated 15 August 2008 (click here for the PDF copy)

• Norwegian Foreign Ministry bombarded with protests after NAT exposes funding for Tamil Tigers (Asian Tribune ; 23 January)

• Erik Solheim exposed by Norwegians Against Terrorism (Asian Tribune : 01 August 2007)

The ungrateful son, Rahul Gandhi, shall mind his own business in India and leave Sri Lanka alone

• Letter to Rahul Gandhi - by Asoka weerasinghe, Canada (LankaWeb : 30 December 2010).
• Rahul Gandhi’s stance on Tamil issue (Island : 29 December 2010).
• Statement on Sri Lanka Seeking “Justice for Tamils” - by Ira de Silva, Canada (LankaWeb : 27 December 2010).
• THE NATIONALIST PAPERS - Hail Rahul, newly crowned King of Justice! - by Malinda Seneviratne (Island : 25 December 2010).
• Rahul Gandhi shall mind his own business in India and leave Sri Lanka alone - Shripal Nishshanka Fernando (LankaWeb : 23 December 2010).
• Mr. Rahul Gandhi: Isn’t it enough what your grandmother did, nurturing the LTTE? - by Henry Jayaweera (LankaWeb : 23 December 2010).
• Do Gandhi Dynasty Ever Learn? - by Prof. Hudson McLean (LankaWeb : 23 December 2010).

Please visit the website of Rajiv Gandhi assassination (Click here)

Despite LTTE listed as a banned outfit in UK British police turned blind eye while Tamil protesters waved LTTE flags

• Tamil MPs condemn UK demo - Says blow to interracial harmony - Want diaspora to invest in North (Daily News : 6 December 2010).
• Expose double standard of West -DM (Daily Mirror : 5 December 2010).
• Despite LTTE listed as a banned outfit in UK British police turned blind eye while Tamil protesters waved LTTE flags (Island : 4 December 2010).
• The West’s unconditional and ceaseless bashing of Sihale - by Kith De Silva (LankaWeb : 4 December 2010).
• Anti-Sri Lanka protest in London (Daily News ; 4 December 2010).
• Minister hits out at Britain (Daily Mirror ; 4 December 2010).
• LTTE rump’s protest against President MR a flop – Govt. (Island ; 1 December 2010).

Open letter to US Ambassador to Sri Lanka

• The politics of Patricia Butenis’ civil society angst - by Malinda Seneviratne (Sri Lanka Guardian : 13 March 2011).
• Sri Lanka, Wikileaks and the spectre of ‘international investigation’(Island : 16 January 2011).
• Reduce Sri Lanka, recycle myths and reap the whirlwind - by Ranjith Soysa (LankaWeb : 21 December 2010).
• GL meets Butenis over ‘war crimes’ allegations. - Condemns C’bo mission for misleading Washington (Island : 21 December 2010).
• Double standards of US Ambassador Butenis - by Dr P A Samaraweera (LankaWeb : 7 December 2010).
• Open letter to US Ambassador to Sri Lanka - by Ira De Silva (Island : 5 December 2010).
• Wikileaks on Sri Lanka - by Ira De Silva (LankaWeb : 4 December 2010).
• Wikileaks and US Ambassador Butenis - by Ranjith Soysa (Island : 2 December 2010). (Re-produced in Sri Lanka News Online : 2 December 2010).

Political Settlement for a Terrorist Problem ??? 

• Devolution for political expedience will exacerbate the ethnic divide in Sri Lanka - By Raj Gonsalkorale (Asian Tribune: 28 November 2010).

• A POLITICAL SOLUTION FOR MR KRISHNA’S DILEMMA - by CHUTTA. Farnborough, UK (LankaWeb : 26 November 2010).

• Visiting Indian Minster calls for a peace and development process in Sri Lanka through the 13th Amendment (Colombo page : 27 November 2010).

• Time for political solution; Krishna (Daily Mirror ; 26 November 2010).

• Krishna calls for a political settlement (Island : 26 November 2010).

Read more about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution)

A "Token of Appreciation" from Prabhakaran to Solheim or from Solheim to Prabhakaran?

• Choice of Norway was a mistake – Gomin Dayasri (Daily Mirror : 29 October 2010)

• Gomin wants Solheim declared persona non grata (Daily Mirror ; 28 October 2010).

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith making his submissions to the Commission

• Returning to the Old Ways? - by Dr Susantha goonatilake (Daily Mirror ; 17 November 2010).
• The role of the Catholic Church and Conversion - by Dr. P. A. Samaraweera (LankaWeb : 12 November 2010).
• Reasons that Christian padres give at LLRC for the conflict is a ruse - by Herold Leelawardena (LankaWeb ; 12 November 2010).
• Satan in Saints Clothing - By Malin Abeyatunge (Sri Lanka News Online : 10 November 2010).
• Falling into the Homeland Trap - By Garvin Karunaratne (LankaWeb : 10 November 2010).
• The Catholic Church and the Crusade of Cardinal Malcom Ranjith - by Charles S. Perera (LankaWeb ; 10 November 2010).
• THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THEIR ROLE IN SRI LANKA - by Harvey Perera (LankaWeb : 10 November 2010).
• Thank God - by C. B. Punchibandara (Island ; 9 November 2010).
• `CARDINAL’ ERRORS - by S L Gunasekara (LankaWeb : 8 November 2010).
• THE LTTE AND THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OF SRI LANKA - by Herman Pathige Watford UK (Lankaweb ; 7 November 2010).
• The Cardinal, Catholic Church and the LTTE - by Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia (Lankaweb ; 7 November 2010).
• Cardinal highlights ‘colonisation fears’ of northerners Church leaders pushing for devolution in North & East (The Nation : 7 November 2010).
• Cardinal Walks on a Tight Rope between Religion & Government - Prof. Hudson McLean (LankaWeb : 6 November 2010).
• Cardinal sins….a continuation - By Mario Perera, Kadawata (LankaWeb ; 6 November 2010).
• The most cardinal thing about Rev. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjit’s representations made to the LLRC Commission - by Dr. Sudath Gunasekara (LankaWeb ; 6 November 2010).
• Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith’s Agenda - Dinesh Paiva (LankaWeb : 6 November 2010).
• Cardinal Sins! - Kumar Moses (LankaWeb ; 5 November 2010).

Read more about the 13th Amendment

International Crisis Group: Report on Sri Lanka

• War Crimes in Sri Lanka – Asia Report 191 0f May 17, 2010 by SLUNA, Canada (Sinhale Hot News : 12 June 2010).
• Sri Lanka – Renewed Call for Investigations - by Ira de Silva (LankaWeb ; 3 June 2010).
• Navi Pillay: You still want a pound of flesh off Sri Lanka - By Asoka Weerasinghe (LankaWeb : 2 June 2010).
• ICG REPORT: The LYING GAME - By: Gomin Dayasri (LankaWeb : 1 June 2010).
• Con group ICG exposed - by Ben Silva Introduction (LankaWeb ; 23 May 2010).
• Sri Lankan diplomat dismisses war-crimes claim (The Globe and Mail ; 21 May 2010).
• ICG: The art of the impossible - By C. A. Chandraprema (island ; 21 May 2010).
• May 19 – Probing a Dirty War - By Ira De Silva (LankaWeb : 20 May 2010).
• WAR CRIMES WHILE FORCES ARE ON PARADE - By Gomin Dayasiri (Daily Mirror ; 18 May 2010).
• International Crisis Group: Report on Sri Lanka - by Asoka Weerasinghe (LankaWeb : 18 May 2010).
• International Crisis Group’s Call For War Crimes Investigations In Sri Lanka Stinks Of Tamil Tiger Sympathy! - By Sunil Kumar (LankaWeb : 18 May 201).
• The Truth about War Crimes Allegations – Even Neo-LTTE Organizations Doubt War Crimes Stories - by Dilrook Kannangara (LankaWeb : 18 May 2010).
• WAR CRIMES IN SRI LANKA, ICG Asia Report N°191 – 17 May 2010 - By Ben Silva (LankaWeb : 18 May 2010).
• ICG: Report on Sri Lanka - By Asoka Weerasinghe (LankaWeb : 16 May 2010).
• ICG Report: Sri Lanka guilty of war crimes? - By Gomin Dayasiri (LankaWeb : 16 May 2010).

How much did LTTE pay Sillyband to speak at Global Tamil Forum?

British FM David Milliband is back to his third grade gimmicks against Sri Lanka. Please look after your back yard without poking your stinking fingers into Sri Lankan Affairs.  Sri Lanka has had enough of you and your white clan. We do not care you guys anymore. So, Shut up.

• WikiLeaks: David Miliband ‘championed aid to Sri Lanka to win votes of Tamils in UK’ (Island : 2 December 2010).
• Anti Lankan Miliband out (Daily Mirror ; 12 May 2010).
• Miliband’s baseless allegations (Daily News : 7 April 2010).
• An answer to Foreign Secretary David Miliband (LankaWeb : 4 April 2010).
• Lanka suspicious of uk’s move - Miliband makes special statement on Sri Lanka (Daily Mirror : 1 April 2010).
• Open Letter To British Prime Minister And His Foreign Secretary (Asian Tribune: 9 March 2010).
• This is not a conspiracy- Dr Nalin de Silva (Asian Tribune : 9 March 2010).
• Miliband’s baffling hollow thinking (Daily News : 4 March 2010).
• Sri Lankans living in Britain launch strong objections over David Miliband’s participation on Global Tamil Forum (Sinhalaya.Com : 3 March 2010).
• Brown, Miliband ‘white tigers’: NFF (Daily Mirror ; 2 March 2010).
• Protest outside British embassy in Sri Lanka (Yahoo News : 1 March 2010).
• Look beyond confrontation to co-operation (Island : 28 February 2010).
• Sri Lanka lodges strong protest over British Ministers attending pro-LTTE (Island ; 28 February 2010).
• Miliband, Your Slip Is Showing! (Sunday Leader : 28 February 2010).
• The Milliband Show – a Comical Relic of a Lost Cause (Asian Tribune : 28 February 2010).
• The UK Green Party: Promoters of International Terrorism? (LankaWeb : 27 February 2010).
• How much did LTTE pay Miliband to speak at Global Tamil Forum? (Asian Tribune: 26 February 2010).
• Gordon, David and Emmanuel: Notes for a post-LTTE drama (Daily News : 27 February 2010).
• David Miliband addresses the Global Tamil Forum (Island : 27 February 2010).
• Lanka:Brown's presence at Tamil meet 'unethical' (PTI : 27 February 2010).
• The unspeakable in pursuit of the unattainable (Island ; 26 February 2010).
• NFF condemns British support to pro-LTTE movement (Daily News ; 26 February 2010).
• Brown at conference ‘unethical’ (Daily Mirror ; 25 February 2010).
• SL opposes Miliband’s intent to address Eelam summitx (Island : 25 February 2010).
• Miliband – the colonial cousin who never leaves SL in peace (Daily Mirror ; 25 February 2010).
• U.K. defends Miliband’s address to Global Tamil Forum (Hindu ; 25 February 2010).
• Miliband’s scheduled address at Tamil Forum: Govt lodges strong protest (Daily News : 25 February 2010).
• Britain blunders again (LankaWeb ; 24 February 2010).

Bogus Asylum Seekers

Tamil Diaspora is making a fresh attempt to undermine Sri Lanka by organising large scale human smuggling operations targeting developed countries, particularly Australia and Canada.

• Economic refugees (Island : 21 Aug 2010).
• Refugee ship enters Canadian waters - By Asoka Weerasinghe (LankaWeb ; 12 Aug 2010).
• Ship carrying Tamils headed for B.C.coast - by Asoka Weerasinghe (LankaWeb : 11 Aug 2010).
• Lankan boat people arrested (Daily News ; 2 Aug 2010).
• Tamil asylum seekers sent back (The AGE, 13 March 2010).
• Asylum seeker spokesman ‘Alex’ disappears (Ada Derana ; 2 March 2010)
• Tamil Tigers `identified on asylum-seeker boat' (The Australian : 23 Dec 2009).
• LTTE cadres identified on Aussie asylum-seeker boat (Daily Mirror: 22 Dec 2009).
• Refugees pay $40,000 to come by plane (The Australian : 24 Nov 2009).
• Former Aussie FM disputes ‘refugee’ claims by boat people (Sunday Observer : 22 Nov 2009).
• Lankan boat people sent back (Daily News ; 17 Nov 2009).
• Sri Lanka's UN representative, Dr Palitha Kohona,  joins ABC Lateline (ABC Lateline ; 11 Nov 2009).
• Ban Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka urges (The Australian : 11 Nov 2009).
• Sri Lankan deal to stop asylum boats (The Australian : 10 Nov 2009).
• Notorious Toronto gangster re-emerges as Sri Lankan asylum seeker (National Post : 9 Nov 2009).
• Dilemma of the Boat People and Mighty Australian Prime Minister Mr.Rudd! (LankaWeb : 6 Nov 2009).
• Sri Lankan group pushes for resolution of Oceanic Viking stand off (ABC Radio News : 6 Nov 2009).
• Explosive residue found on Lankan migrants' clothing (Daily News ; 4 Nov 2009).
• Asylum-seekers admit living in Indonesia (The AGE ; 1 Nov 2009).
• Asylum-seekers admit living in Indonesia(Sydney Morning Herald : 1 Nov 2009).
• Asylum-seekers admit living in Indonesia (Sydney Morning Herald ; 1 Nov 2009).
• Asylum seekers living in Indonesia for years (ABC News: 1 Nov 2009).
• Asylum seekers admit living in Indonesia (Bigpond News : 1 Nov 2009).
• Sri Lanka seeks access to suspected LTTE cadres held in Canada (Sunday Island ; 1 Nov 2009).
• Terror promotion by humanitarian means (Island ; 31 Oct 2009). (Re-produced in Sri Lanka News Online)
• Bogus Tamil asylum seekers and ‘people-smugglers’(LankaWeb: 31 Oct 2009).
• Indonesia gives Australia a week to remove asylum seekers (Daily Mirror: 31 Oct 2009).
• Tamil Tiger cadres among asylum-seekers must not be allowed to set foot on Australian Soils by Asoka Subhawickrama, Sydney, Australia (Letters to the Editor published in "the Australian", Friday, 30 Oct 2009)
• RE-NAME THE ASYLUM SEEKERS - An open letter to Rt. Hon. Kevin Rudd M.P.- Prime Minister of Australia (Sinhale Hot News : 30 Oct 2009).
• ABC Radio Interview by Asoka Subhawickrama, Sydney, Australia (ABC Net ; 28 Oct 2009). Listen to the Radio Interview (Sri Lanka News Online)
• Bogus Refugees (LankaWeb : 27 Oct 2009).
• Tamil Tigers in detention, says terrorism expert (The Australian : 28 Oct 2009).
• Indian link in LTTE ‘refugee’ ship exposed (Island ; 26 Oct 2009).
• Re: Ottawa Citizen Editorial – October 23,2009 (LankaWeb ; 25 Oct 2009).
• Boat people: country of origin in doubt (Sunday Observer: 25 Oct 2009).
• Mystery ship belongs to Tamil Tigers: experts (National Post in Canada : 24 Oct 2009).
• Police confirm LTTE suspect among boat people in Canada (Daily Mirror : 24 Oct 2009).
• The Cycle of Tamil Boat People (LankaWeb: 24 Oct 2009).
• Canada's refugee challenge (Ottawa Sun : 23 Oct 2009).
• Ship of Tamils stir fears of hidden Tigers (Globe and Mail ; 23 Oct 2009).
• ‘Boats carrying asylum seekers did not originate here’ Wants possible link between three groups detained in Indonesia and Australia probed (Island : 23 Oct 2009).
• ‘War criminals’ in Tamil asylum seekers’ guise worry Canada (The Indian News ; 23 Oct 2009).
• "Human Smuggling" is a business (Island : 23 Oct 2009)
• Refugees, IDPs and Peaceful Sri Lanka (Sinhale Hot news ; 23 Oct 2009).
• Switzerland pledges action against “illegal activities” of LTTE new Secretariat (Sinhale Hot News ; 23 Oct 2009).
• PRESS RELEASE – By Hasaka Ratnamalala,Noor Nizam & Asoka Perera – Sri Lankan Canadians Against Terrorism (SLCAT) (Sinhale Hot Bews ; 22 Oct 2009).
• Cargo ship passenger wanted in Sri Lanka for terrorism (National Post : 21 Oct 2009).
• People smuggling kingpin found among Lankan asylum seekers (Daily Mirror ; 19 Oct 2009).
• Hardcore LTTE among boat load of Lankans arrested in Indonesia? (Island ; 18 Oct 2009)
• Australian PM not swayed by Lankan refugees’ hunger strike (Island ; 17 Oct 2009).
• Sri Lankan Govt attacks Tamils' asylum claim (ABC Net : 16 Oct 2009)
• Hunger strike continues (ABC TV lateline ; 16 Oct 2009).

None of the three vessels carrying Sri Lankan Tamils, which had been intercepted by the Canadians and Indonesians on high seas during the past fortnight, originated in Sri Lanka.

Conspiracy by Arms Manufacturing Western Nations

Development of North and East Districts in Sri Lanka

• Hon. Governor's presentation on Current development in the North (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 11 Nov 2009).
• Road development projects in EP, NCP (Daily News ; 26 Oct 2009).
• Over 41,000 IDPs resettled (Daily News ; 23 Oct 2009).
• DECLARING OPEN THE LONGEST BRIDGE IN SRI LANKA PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA SAYS THE TIME FOR RACIST POLITICS HAS COME TO AN END (Sri Lanka News Online ; 21 Oct 2009).
• Govt invests Rs 1,500 m for Jaffna projects (Daily News : 19 Oct 2009).
• Central Bank to launch several initiatives: Major boost for Northern economy (Sunday Observer; 18 Oct 2009).
• Another 2,000 displaced people resettled in Jaffna today (Daily Mirror ; 16 Oct 2009).
• Govt to set up two new FTZs in N-E; Two Sri Lankan investors indicate willingness to start cement and fertilizer factories (Daily News; 16 Oct 2009).
• U.S. companies impressed with more opportunities, investment options in East (sri Lankak defence Ministry: 16 Oct 2009).
• Four bridges to boost Eastern economy (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 15 Oct 2009).
• Mega development drive in North (Sri Lanka defence Ministry: 11 Oct 2009).
• Mankulam a regional capital soon (Sunday Observer: 11 Oct 2009)
• Vocational training centre to Kilinochchi (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 10 Oct 2009).
• Massive development under Uthuru Wasanthaya in Jaffna - Northern Governor (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 9 Oct 2009).
• 26 Technical officers appointed to "Uthuru Wasanthaya" program (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 8 Oct 2009).
• Northern Universities to be developed (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 7 Oct 2009).
• Mankulam to be re-modelled after New Delhi (Daily News: 5 Oct 2009).
• Sri Lanka: Longest Bridge To Be Declared Open Next Week In The Eastern Province (Asian Tribune: 5 Oct 2009).
• Rs. 900 million to develop the Mankulam city in Northern Sri Lanka (Colombo Page ; 4 Oct 2009).
• Kinniya bridge to open next week (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 4 Oct 2009).
• DEVELOPMENT THE LACK OF WHICH GAVE BIRTH AND NURTURED TERRORISM SAYS PRESIDENT (sri Lanka News Online: 4 Oct 2009).
• Bridge between Trincomalee, Kinniya; Boost to economic activity of eastern region people (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 30 Sept 2009).
• Jaffna University in Northern Sri Lanka to be upgraded (Colombo Page ; 27 Sept 2009).
• Army Receives New Fleet of Heavy Machinery for Development Work (Sri Lanka Army : 27 Sept 2009).
• Development of East Coast Tourist Resort Region (Sl Govt : 26 Sept 2009).
• After 28 years: Textbooks to Jaffna via A9 One million sent: (Daily News: 24 Sept 2009).

• Vakarai rising to new heights (Daily News: 23 Sept 2009)

• New Vakarai MV – pride of the East (Daily News: 23 Sept 2009).

• President assures parents and children at Vakarai Maha Vidyalayam grand opening: A bright future for Vakarai (daily News: 23 Sept 2009).

• President opens reconstructed Vakarai Maha Vidyalaya (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 22 Sept 2009).

• Rs. 800 m to be spent: Non-traditional fishery projects for North (Daily News; 22 Sept 2009).

• Northern irrigation network developed (ITN : 21 Sept 2009)

Welfare of Internally Displaced Tamil Persons (IDP)

Click here to understand how much effort Sri Lanka Government has made for welfare of Tamil civilians displaced (IDP) during the war 

• Most IDPs go home by December 31: Resettlement of IDPs; Two-thirds complete (Daily News ; 5 Dec 2009).
• Five more IDP centres in Jaffna closed down as 2736 more civilians resettled (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 20 Nov 2009).
• Holmes lauds resettlement effort All IDPs may return home by year end Govt. tells visiting UN official (Island ; 19 Nov 2009).
• Australian envoy satisfied with the facilities at welfare villages (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 12 Nov 2009).
• Aussie envoy satisfied with welfare villages (Daily News : 12 Nov 2009).
• Sri Lanka's UN representative, Dr Palitha Kohona,  joins ABC Lateline (ABC Lateline ; 11 Nov 2009).
• Resettlement of IDPs: Sri Lanka sets world record (Daily News ; 5 Nov 2009).
• Over 40,000 IDPs being resettled in 4 Northern Districts (sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 22 Oct 2009).
• More IDP's released to their relatives (sri Lanka Defence Ministry : 21 Oct 2009).
• South Indian legislators also visited them Over 30 NGOs given access to IDP camps for visibility and exposure - Prof. Peiris tells Dutch government (Sunday Island ; 18 Oct 2009).
• Who is helping Internally Displaced People in Sri Lanka? (Sri Lanka News Online).
• Govt to resettle IDPs with security (daily News: 9 Oct 2009).
• Child malnutrition down in IDP centres - UNICEF (Daily News: 8 Oct 2009).
• Resettlement of IDPs is our main priority – Bogollagama (Island : 8 Oct 2009).
• IDPs or Post Conflict Displaced? (Island : 7 Oct 2009).
• Govt says over 22,600 IDPs released from camps (Island : 6 Oct 2009).
• IDP centres ready for monsoon;  Resettlement process satisfactory (Daily News ; 6 Oct 2009).
• Controversies behind Sri Lanka’s IDPs (Sunday Observer: 4 Oct 2009).
• THE NATIONALIST PAPERS All the IDPs are not in Menik Farm (Sunday Island : 4 Oct 2009).
• IDPs resettled and North developed despite criticism (Sunday Observer: 4 Oct 2009).
• Resettling and improving health of IDPs (Daily News: 01 Oct 2009).
• More focus on O/L students in welfare camps (sri Lanak Defence Ministry: 01 Oct 2009).
• Last batch of Kokuvil camp IDPs return home (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 30 Sept 2009).
• IDPs given freedom to move out with day pass - Human Rights Minister (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 30 Sept 2009).
• PRIME MINISTER RATNASIRI WICKRAMANAYAKA VOWS UNITED NATIONS THAT COLOMBO WILL RE-SETTLE TAMIL CIVILIANS QUICKLY (sri Lanka News Online ; 27 Sept 2009).
• The resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is taking place at a rapid pace (Sunday Observer ; 27 Sept 2009).
• After visiting IDP welfare centres: UN envoy pleased with progress (Sunday Observer: 27 Sept 2009).

• UN representative satisfied over conditions of the displaced (ITN ; 25 Sept 2009).

• What I saw at IDP camp impressed me: Kalin (Daily Mirror: 26 Sept 2009)

• Free food, electricity for resettled IDPs (Daily News: 22 Sept 2009)

• IDPs from Vavuniya camps resettled in own villages (Daily Mirror: 21 Sept 2009).

• 3,000 more IDPs to go home (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 20 Sept 2009).

• Sixty IDP students take part in sports meet (Sunday Observer: 20 Sept 2009).

• More help for disabled IDPs (Daily News: 19 Sept 2009)

• They number nearly 10,000 including 160 ex-child soldiers: More IDP children sit O/Ls (Daily News; 18 Sept 2009).

• Solid education system for IDP children (Daily News: 18 Sept 2009)

• IDPs to get more freedom of movement: Minister refutes false claims (Daily News: 16 Sept 2009).

• Open Letter to Ms. Navanetham Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Sri Lanka News Omline: 16 Sept 2009).

• Expatriate Tamils express satisfaction over the progress in resettlement of rescued civilians from LTTE (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 15 Sept 2009).

• Resettlement of IDPs: West of A9 first 14,000 acres ready to receive civilians by end Oct. Camp population down to 237,000 by end of this week (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 14 Sept 2009).

• Resettlement of IDPs: West of A9 first 14,000 acres ready to receive civilians by end Oct. Camp population down to 237,000 by end of this week (Island : 14 Sept 2009).

• ‘IDPs will not be kept in camps permanently’ (Daily Mirror: 14 Sept 2009).

• Over 29,000 IDPs resettled within 38 days (Sunday Observer: 13 Sept 2009).

• More IDPs to move out from Menik Farm (Sunday Times: 13 Sept 2009).

• Govt. resettle 9900 IDPs to their hometowns (sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 12 Sept 2009).

• Govt to release IDPs to relatives (Sri Lanka Defence Ministry: 10 Sept 2009).

• Rehabilitating over 10,000 LTTEers to be useful citizens a major task- Maj. Gen. Daya Ratnayake (Sunday Island ; 6 Sept 2009).

• Ministry aid for IDP children (Sunday Observer: 6 Sept 2009).

• IDP Muslim families to be resettled (6 Sept 2009).

• Resettlement of Muslim Families in North at End of Ramazan Festival – Northern Governor (sri Lanka Army : 5 Sept 2009).

• IDPs in Sri Lanka: The untold story (Daily News; 5 Sept 2009).

LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorist's recent Atrocities

Caution : The images shown in this web page exposing the atrocities of the LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists may be found disturbing by some people. Proceed at your own caution.

• Q&A with Facts about the LTTE - By Shenali Waduge (Sinhale Hot News : 20 February 2012).
• Ruthless Part 1 - Abduction of 600 from St Mary's church at valayanmadam and shelling the church compound around 21 March 2009 - Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, Sri Lanka (U-Tube)
• Ruthless Part 2 - Abduction of 600 from St Mary's church at valayanmadam and shelling the church compound around 21 March 2009 - Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, Sri Lanka (U-Tube)
• Summary of LTTE Tamil Tiger Atrocities
• Chronology of Suicide Bomb Attacks by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists in Sri Lanka
• LTTE Tamil Tiger Atrocities
• Ethnic cleansing in Sri Lanka
• Serial Killings of some of the Parliamentarians by LTTE Tamil Tigers
• LTTE has so far killed 23 parliamentarians
• Chronology of LTTE Tamil Tiger Atrocities since June 2005
• Massacre of 175 Muslims by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists
• A Trail of LTTE Atrocities (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Power Point Presentation on LTTE Atrocities
• A list of atrocities committed by the LTTE on Tamils, whom the LTTE say have to be "liberated" (A list of atrocities committed by the LTTE on Tamils, whom the LTTE say have to be "liberated" (from May 2002 to September 2003)
• Power-point presentation indicating the atrocities committed by the world's most ruthless Tamil Tiger Terrorist group (LTTE) of Sri Lanka (Power Point Presentation)
• More LTTE Atrocities Page 1
• More LTTE Atrocities Page 2
• More LTTE Atrocities Page 3
• Massacre of Muslims in Muttur by the LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists on 03 August 2006
• Prominent Political Leaders Assassinated by The LTTE
• Prominent Tamil Leaders Assassinated by the LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists
• Political killings by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists
• Maradana Bomb Blast
• Chronology of LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorist's recent attacks on passenger buses and trains
• LTTE bombs Sri Dalada Maligawa in Sri Lanka
• LTTE bomb attack on Central Bank, Colombo
• Galadari Hotel Bomb
• Chronology of Suicide Bomb Attacks by Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka
• 6 Tamil civilians killed, 20 Tamil civilians injured in LTTE artillery attack at Jaffna on 29 May 2008
• LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists hand grenade attack on civilians injuring 17, including two children (17 May 2008)
• LTTE Tamil Tiger suicide bomb attack near Sambuddhaloka temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka targeting civilians ; 10 killed, over 95 wounded (16 May 2008) Please download your copy of the document in PDF format
• Massacre of civilians at Ampare (09 May 2008) See more details on 09 May 2008  Tamil Terrorist Bomb Blast, Ampara - Death toll reaches 12 innocent civilians (SinhelaNet). 
• Mt Lavinia Bomb attack (23 February 2008)
• Colombo Fort Railway Station Bomb on 03 February 2008 (see details and photos).
• Deliberate Grenade Attack on Animals in Dehiwela Zoo, Colombo
• On 02 January 2008, LTTE Tamil Tiger terrorists killed another two students, Pathum Divanka Chathura Dissanayake (14), and Malith Lasidu Bandara (16) LTTE_tamil Tigers Slave Island Bomb on 2008 January 02;
• LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists massacre another 10 innocent civilians in a remote village of Kalawalgala, Thanamalwila in Sri Lanka on 18 January 2008.
• Massacre of school children by the LTTE Tamil Tiger terrorists at Okkampitiya, Monaragala in Sri Lanka on 16 January 2008
• Massacre of civilians in Abhimanpura, Kebitigollewa, Sri Lanka (05 December 2007)
• Suicide bomb attack on fellow Tamils in Colombo (28 November 2007)
• Bomb attack on civilians, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka (27 November 2007)
• Ratmalana Bomb on 28 May 2007
• LTTE gunmen shot dead, Ven. Hadungamuwe Nandarathene Thero, a Buddhist monk at Mahadivulwewa-Stage 1, in the Morawewa General area, approximately 40 kilometers north east of Anuradhapura, on Sunday the 13th of May.
• New Year Eve Massacre in Sri Lanka - LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists Kill Five More Innocent Tamil Civilians on the Eve of Sinhala and Tamil New Year (Friday, 13 April 2007).
• LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists attacked a passenger bus to massacre five Sri Lanka Army Soldiers, killing 8 civilians and injuring 28 (Tamil pilgrims of Madhu Church Easter Festival).
• LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorist's Awaranthalawa Massacre on 12 April 2007
• Power Point Presentation on some of the LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists attacks 
• 0 2 April 2007 - Konduwantuwan village, Ampara
• 29 March 2007 - Morakotanchena, a Tamil village in Battocaloa
• 07 April 2007 - Piramankulam in Vavunia
• 05 April 2007 - Nidanwela, Aralaganvila
• 12 April 2007 - Avaranthalawa
• LTTE Atrocities - 2006 Review
• Assassination of Major Nizam Muthaliff 
• LTTE TERRORISTS SEVER HEAD OF A HOME GUARD NEAR TRINCOMALEE AND RUNS AWAY WITH THE HEAD (Full report in LankaWeb).  (Details in FAT).
• Easter Holidays Massacre in Sri Lanka - LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists attacked a passenger bus to massacre five Sri Lanka Army Soldiers, killing 8 civilians and injuring 28 (Tamil pilgrims of Madhu Church Easter Festival)
• LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorist suicide bomb blast one more bus: 15 killed & 40 injured in a crowded bus at Seenigama, Hikkaduwa, south of Colombo in Sri Lanka - 06 January 2007
• LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorist kill 6 innocent civilians and injures another 63, by exploding a bomb in a public passenger bus at Nittambuwa, near Colombo in Sri Lanka on Friday, 05 January 2007
• LTTE's Somadevi School massacre (7 Dec 2006) 
• Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, escapes assassination by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists in Sri Lanka
• Details on LTTE's Suicide Attack in Habarana (2006 Oct 15)
• LTTE's Suicide Bomb Attack on Tsunami Devastated Town, Galle
• A home guard beheaded by the LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists - The tiger terrorists killed a home guard at Sirimangalapura in Serunuwara Police division in Trincomalee. The incident happened at the early morning on 24 July 2006
• Major General Parami Kulatunga assassinated by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists
• Kebitigollewe Massacre (15 June 2006), Read full details and phots in FAT WebPage. Carnage at Kebithigollewa (Photos in Island). Download in PDF 1.88 MB  Terror Strike on Public Bus in Kebithigollewa Called to Memory
• Read full details on Suicide Bomb Attack on Lt General Sarath Fonseka - 25 April 2006.
• Kalyanapura, Gomarankadawala Massacre on 23 April 2006
• Welikanda Massacre on 29 May 2006   PDF Brochure
• LTTE's attack on Sri Maha Bodhiya at Anuradhapura (14 May 1985).
• Policemen and security personnels look at the bodies of construction workers who were shot dead by Tigers in an execution-style massacre, 30 May 2006 in Welikanda. ( AFP) (Details in Island). (See more details in FAT)
• This document contains some photographs of poor innocent children, women and men brutally massacred by the LTTE Tamil Tiger terrorists.   Warning: The photographs may offend the sensibilities of some readers.
• (see more LTTE atrocities in FAT Webpage)
• A list of atrocities committed by the LTTE on Tamils, whom the LTTE say have to be "liberated"(Read the atrocities from May 2002 to September 2003)
• Killing / Abduction / Attempt to Murder Causing Injuries to EPDP Members by LTTE since Signing of Ceasefire Agreement on 23rd February 2002 until September 2004
• LTTE's deadliest vehicle bomb attacks (June 2007)
• LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists continue to assassinate civilians, members of the rival political parties and security personnel under the banner of cease-fire agreement (CFA). (see details) (Read the Media Release by SLUNA, 21 January 2006)
• Liberate Tamils from LTTE Tiger Terrorists Click here for more details
• HOSTILE ACTS OF THE LTTE INTIMATED TO THE EPDP THE GATHERING STORM IN THE EAST 

LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorist's Child Soldiers

• LTTE's Child Soldiers

• Children as young as 4-years are being recruited as Child Soldiers by the LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists in Sri Lanka

• While many thousands of Tamil children being recruited as "Child Soldiers", see how Prabakaran prepares to celebrate his daughter's B'day? (See LTTE Child Soldiers Web Page)

• Living in Fear - Child Soldiers and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka (A report by Human Rights Watch), http://hrw.org/reports/2004/srilanka1104/

• An Urgent Appeal - Please save Tsunami Tamil Children being recruited by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists as "Child Soldiers" Click here for details

• Child Soldiers of LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists in Sri Lanka

• Child Soldiers of LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists (download Power Point Presentation)

Reports Issued by the