Sri Lanka has proved to the world that LTTE can be defeated

Sri Lanka has proved to the world that LTTE can be defeated and they are not a force that they claim to be.

The Sri Lankans knew this from the beginning but it was the International community and the supporters of terrorists who were boasting of a formidable LTTE.

Now that Sri Lankan Defense Forces have completely freed the east from the LTTE, it is making the LTTE and its stooges very uneasy. They have started to attack the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and its military in various fronts.

The bogus human right violation charges are one aspect of it.

Read more,
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items07/020707-7.html

Risk of Government deciding to quit the war - Wimal Weerawansha

Wimal Weerawansa, General Secretary of the Patriotic National Movement, addressing a media conference today, at Colombo, said that there a risk that the government taking a decision to stop military operations.

In the east the security forces have successfully achieved victories, and the areas held by Wanni Tigers are now cleared, which has made imperialists upset, he explained.

Owing to this the so called Co-Chairs urged the government to let John Hanssen Bauer the special envoy of Royal Norwegian Government to go to Kilinochchi. The government's decision to allow him reaching Kilinochchi has emerged greater suspicions, Mr. Weerawansha said.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankatruth.com/full_story/2007/July/02/20070702_8.htm

Buddhist TV channel a celebration of India-Lanka ties

The satellite TV channel The Buddhist, inaugurated by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo on Friday, would be a celebration of the ancient cultural and religious ties between Sri Lanka and India, a top Sri Lankan official said.

"The coming into existence of this channel on the 2315th anniversary of the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka from India, is symbolic of the inalienable and irreversible ties between the peoples of the two countries," the Secretary to the President, Lalith Weeratunga told Hindustan Times.

It was Prince Mahinda, son Emperor Ashoka of India, who brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC.

Read more,
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=

Major funding blow for LTTE

Canada, which has increasingly become a fertile ground for supplying funds for the LTTE has announced new laws to combat money laundering and financing terrorist activities.

“Canada’s government will be relentless in its efforts to prevent money laundering and terrorist” funding, said Jim Flaherty, the country’s Finance Minister announcing the new regulations to fight terrorism.

The LTTE, an organization that flourished under the former Liberal government of Canada is a proscribed terrorist organization under the new conservative government but the LTTE is allegedly funding and engaging in money laundering for Sri Lanka‘s terrorism, operating under varied front organizations.

The new regulations are expected to combat, the LTTE, Al-Queda and other terrorist organizations banned under Canadian law.

Read more,
http://www.nation.lk/2007/07/01/news10.htm

Bandaranaike wants to see women in peacekeeping role

The former President of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, on June 26 called for women to play an active role in crisis management and peacekeeping around the globe.

Speaking before the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Brussels, Bandaranaike proposed to the European Union to consider sending women when the European bloc undertakes peace missions.

“Women have a completely different perspective on conflict resolution. Women by the very nature of historic role have special aptitude for alleviating conflict,” she argued.

“Today one of the most important subjects is conflict and conflict resolution. Women have not had a role in conflict resolution, not even in the West,” she asserted.

Read more,
http://www.neurope.eu/view_news.php?id=75616

Another truck with over 1000 kg explosives found

SL naval troops acting on civilian information uncovered an explosive laden vehicle intended for a high profile suicide mission by the LTTE, yesterday (29). The lorry was laden with C-4 high explosives weighing over 1,000 kilogrammes.

"The explosives-laden Freezer truck was found from the Padikkiya fishing village in Trincomalee following a tip-off," a senior defence official said.

Initial inquires indicated that the explosives were packed inside the lorry, similar to the previous lorry found at Kotavehera in Kurunegala early this month (01st, June). The official said explosives were defused and one suspect was taken into custody.

According to the defence officials further information were not available as investigations were under-way.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070630_06

We protect media freedom and privacy of citizens- Justice Minister Dilan Perera

Minister of Justice Dilan Perera said that the Government is fully committed to protect the private space and privacy of individual rights of the people. “Media has the fullest freedom to crticise the government or any individual.

However it is the responsibility of the government as well as the media to ensure that the private space of a citizen is not violated,” he said at a media briefing held in Colombo today (29).

He said that a Note to the Cabinet was introduced for discussion on the need for enhancing punishment for kidnappings and abductions and on the criminal defamation laws.

However no decision was taken on the latter. He clarified that no Cabinet Paper was presented to reintroduce criminal defamation laws, as a section of the media has erroneously reported.

Read more,
http://news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2769&Itemid=44

Solheim is a convicted criminal! -NAT

Eric Solheim, Norwegian Minister for International Development and the chief facilitator in the Norwegian brokered peace effort in Sri Lanka is a convicted criminal says the latest report of Norwegians Against Terrorism (NAT). According to NAT Solheim had been jailed for stealing from the Norwegian Air Force.

NAT quoting from his biography, “Nærmere”, states that Solheim “drags about his exploits and says that he enjoyed his time in jail, spending most of his time reading world literature.”

The report, states that “stealing from Norwegian Air Force is nothing compared to the crimes he has committed against the Sri Lankan people.

Read more,
http://www.lankatruth.com/full_story/2007/June/30/20070630_5.htm
and
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/6350

JVP to meet Mangala next week

SLFP Mahajana wing leader Mangala Samaraweera and the JVP leadership are scheduled to meet next Wednesday at the JVP headquarters at Pelawatta, political sources said.

They said the meeting would take place on a request made by the former minister to explore possibilities of the two parties working together.

Former minister Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi will attend the meeting along with Mr. Samaraweera while several JVP seniors are expected to attend the meeting.

The SLFP Mahajana wing met Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and other UNP leaders last Thursday.

Read more,
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/06/30/front/5.asp

Arnold enjoying role from Cricketer to Commentator

Former Sri Lanka batsmen, Russel Arnold who retired from international cricket after the 2007 World Cup has taken up a new assignment as a cricket commentator during the on going test series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Arnold said that he is enjoying his new role as a cricket commentator and is a great privilege to be associated in the company of some of the elite cricket commentators in the calibre of Tony Greg, Sanjay Manjerkar, Ranjith Fernando and Ranil Abeynaike.

Read more,
http://lankacricket.wordpress.com/2007/06/28/
arnold-enjoying-role-from-cricketer-to-commentator/

LTTE Uses UNHCR Sacks for Bunker Building

Troops of the Army fully committed to liberate Thoppigala, the last eastern bastion of the LTTE terrorists are inching forward removing hundreds of anti-personnel mines buried by fleeing terrorists.

As a result of the thrusting movement of the heroic members of the Armed Forces, LTTE terrorists now in disarray appeared to have run amok and vanished further into the interior fearing that troops would capture them at any moment of the day.

Infantry men supported by Engineer troops in the weekend came across a number of LTTE's destroyed bunkers, public buildings, vehicles and many other items. It is clear that terrorists while vacating those areas had vandalized almost everything within their reach as the photos in this story depict.

Strangely enough, polythene sacks with UNHCR emblem in which dry rations to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) contained have been used by the LTTE to cover up their bunkers.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070625_05

A western diplomatic connection with Colombo abductions

A western diplomatic mission's connection with regard to recent abductions, is being revealed, Police sources said.

This alleged connection has been first detected when a detained suspect revealed information about a diplomatic officer and a female employee of one of the western diplomatic missions as connected with incidents of abductions and ransom taking.

This suspect identified as Ranjith Dharmaratne alias Ananda was arrested under the suspicions of ransom collection. After the the abduction of Masimalani Nethrarajah alias Suren, Dharmaratne has come to collect 50 laks ransom.

Read more,
http://www.lankatruth.com/full_story/2007/June/25/20070625_05.htm

Three LTTE craft completely destroyed in sea battle off Point Pedro

Three LTTE sea Tiger craft was completely destroyed while another two were disabled following a major sea battle that erupted off Point Pedro around 4.30 p.m. this evening (19).

The Navy supported by ground troops with heavy MBRL and artillery fire and air support by MI 24 helicopter gun ships inflicted heavy damages on the cluster of enemy Sea Tiger boats.

Sea Tigers with heavy damages are currently withdrawing towards Kadaikadu naval sources confirmed. Naval fast attack craft are in hot pursuit engaging the fleeing Sea Tiger craft.

Read more,
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=6280
and
http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070619_07

Mangala & Sripathi cross over to Opp. Benches; forms a new political wing

Former ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Suriarachchi crossed over to the opposition benches this morning, before the government presented a supplementary budget to parliament to obtain approval, for 6 ministries exceeding 650 million rupees.

Meanwhile Suriarachchi and Samaraweera have decided to establish a separate wing of the SLFP called the Mahajana Wing.

The two former ministers have informed this move to the speaker in writing.

Read more,
http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?id=4292