Solheim to meet President today

Norway's International Development Minister Erik Solheim is due to call on President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the sidelines of the UN deliberations.

President Rajapaksa and Solheim, who was the special envoy for the Sri Lankan Peace Process prior to the appointment of Jon-Hanssen Bauer, are expected to discuss the current developments in Sri Lanka including the All Party Representative Committee Process, which is on the threshold of presenting a finalised set of proposals.

Solheim recently told an interviewer in Norway that Norway was willing to resume its role of facilitating the peace process. It was waiting patiently till the Government and the LTTE agree to resume talks, he said.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/09/26/news17.asp

Sri Lanka Tamil party shocked over UNP's deviation from federalism

The leader of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) V. Anandasangaree today expressed shock over the United National Party’s (UNP) deviation from the former federalist stance on the solution to the ethnic problem.

Issuing a statement, V. Anandasangaree said that the UNP had agreed at Oslo talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) to find a solution to the ethnic problem based on federal reforms. He says that a solution cannot be found for the ethnic issue based on unitary state framework and emphasized the need of a federal structure similar to India.

Read more,
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_07/September26133116SL.html

Army captures LTTE's FDL near Yodha Wewa

The Military on Monday captured the LTTE's first Forward Defence Lines on the western side of the Yodha Wewa in the north of Mannar, in a fresh military operation launched on Sunday to capture the area, military sources said.

They said that on Monday itself the military was able to kill more than 20 LTTE cadres and injure nearly 40. Clashes erupted between the advancing military and the LTTE on Monday on the west of the Yodha Wewa.

Extracted from,
http://www.thecitizenjournalist.org/index.cfm?

Security Forces Confront LTTE Attack at Yoda Weva

During the early hours today(24), at around 12.15 p.m., LTTE terrorists attempt to attack a security cordon along the Western side of Yoda wewa area in Mannar was repelled successfully by the Forces.

During the clashes four soldiers were injured while 9 LTTE cadres were killed and 36 injured.

Security Forces have also established through LTTE radio transmission interceptions that a vehicle belonged to the terrorists was also completely destroyed.

Extracted from,
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=7560

Jaffna University lecturer killed in LTTE claymore blast

A lady lecturer of the University of Jaffna and a Government Technical Officer were killed in a claymore mine explosion carried out by the LTTE this morning (25) in Jaffna.

Those killed were Sharadha Maransodhi (42) a senior lecturer of the University of Jaffna who died on the spot and Kandan Nishandan (25) a Technical Officer of the Uduvil AGA Office, who died on admission to the Base Hospital at Chankanai- Manippay, the Vaddukkoddai Police said.

The claymore mine attack took place at 8.05 am today at Sithankerni junction along the Manippay - Karainagar main road in Jaffna.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070925_03

Tigers tried to target Gotabhaya in U.S.

The movement of two suspected LTTE hit men from Canada to the USA during a recent private visit to America by the Defence Ministry Secretary Col. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa sparked off a quick re-action from the US Federal Agencies.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) which was tipped off by friendly agencies about the movement of LTTE operatives swiftly tracked down Col. Rajapakse to provide him with security, according to reliable sources.

The unassuming Secretary had traveled incognito to prevent inconveniencing enforcement agencies providing security to him. He was forced to reluctantly accept security provided by the FBI when the full extent of the threat was explained to him.

Read more,
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/7510

LTTE may tap supplies in South India hideouts: Report

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels in Sri Lanka, running short of ammunition, particularly heavy calibre artillery and mortars, will try to tap the supplies from their "South Indian hideouts," a media report said on Monday.

"As tigers experience what the military believes is the worst shortage of ammunition, particularly heavy calibre artillery and mortars, the Sri Lankan navy is stepping up its efforts to prevent them from bringing in fresh supplies to the Mannar mainland," The Island Newspaper quoted official sources as saying.

The official claimed that the "enemy (LTTE) would now try to bring in whatever supplies available in their South Indian hideouts," it reported.

Read more,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Rest_of_World/Weapon_star...

Four Top Rank Tiger (LTTE) Leaders Confirmed Killed

Latest intelligence obtained by the Security Forces following the aerial shelling on LTTE’s Vishwamadhu “Imbran Pandyan” military complex during the weekend (September 21-22) confirmed four top rank terrorist leaders were among those feared dead.

The intelligence also re-affirmed that one of those dead terrorist cadres has been posthumously promoted to the rank of a “Lieutenant Colonel ” by the LTTE hierarchy.

Air force fighter craft on Friday (21) bombed LTTE’s “Imbran Pandyan” regiment complex in Vishwamadhu, west of Pudukudiiruppu, Mulathivu around 12.15 noon while an LTTE meeting was in progress. Again on Saturday (22), fighter craft after information was received confirming Tiger terrorists were collecting remnants from their bombed military complex conducted another bombardment at about 7.00 a.m. and crippled their plans.

Extracted from,
http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=8000

Lankan govt. asks LTTE to return to negotiations

The Sri Lankan government today extended an olive branch to the Tamil Tiger rebels by offering to halt the military operations against them if they return to the negotitating table for the peace talks.

"The decision is theirs (LTTE's) and I believe they wouldn't reject the opportunity," Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse said in an interview to "Sunday Island' newspaper.

Asking the rebels to make a "genuine" effort at the negotiating table, Gotabhaya, brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, said the government would not exploit "an environment conducive for further military action" if the rebels opted for peace talks.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200709231550.htm

Government has failed miserably -JVP

A matter of great concern for us today is how a President and the Government are increasingly distancing themselves from the people. Both are unconcerned about the mandate they received.

The character of this Government cannot be defined. It is not a homogenous composition. It has no policy. It is an arrangement of convenience to savour unbridled power and not to serve the people. That is why it has not been able to implement the pledges made in Mahinda Chinthanaya or any other cohesive policy to rebuild Sri Lanka.

The only positive aspect is the military action against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Praise for this campaign against terror should go to the security forces and the police. The Government and its leaders have not set any example to those brave men and women who are sacrificing their lives.

Read more,
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/070923/News/news00024.html

Thoppigala -the new symbol of national pride

If the year 2004 was bad for Velupillai Prabhakaran then the year 2005 was worse. The first crack in the seemingly indivisible monolith of the LTTE appeared in April 2004 when Karuna, his most able commander, broke away asserting his own regional rights in the east.

There were other factors like personal rivalries as well that made them lock horns. But the underlying factor of regional differences between the northern and eastern Tamils surfaced once again to divide the Tamil separatists.

To create the political fiction of a pan-Tamil movement, stretching like a single unbroken thread from Mannar in the western coast to Kumana in the eastern coast, the eastern Tamils were recruited hastily and opportunistically in the 50s and 60s by the vellahla leadership of Jaffna with offers of some senior positions in the federalist/separatist party.

Read more,
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2007/09/23/fea02.asp

LTTE terrorists target civilian bus in claymore blast; one civilian killed - Trincomalee

LTTE terrorists detonated a claymore mine targeting a privately owned bus at Nilaveli 06th Mile Post in Trincomalee this morning.

According to the available information due to the attack that took place at 11.20 a.m, the driver of the bus was killed and two others were injured. The targeted bus was plying from Trincomalee to Errakkandi with a large number of innocent civilians when the attack has taken place.

The security forces personnel have rushed to the location and are evacuating casualties at present.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070922_03
and
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=7531
Photo,
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=7531

Air strikes neutralize LTTE attempts to salvage LTTE Vishwamadu Base - Mullaitivu

Today (22) at 7.00 a.m., Air Force fighter jet aircraft launched an air strike in the vicinity around the LTTE Vishvamadu Base on Terrorists engaged in attempting to salvage what remained from yesterday's (21) air strike using vehicles.

The air strike based on LTTE communication intercepts and intelligence was successfully completed.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070922_06

Tiger detainees dig 200m tunnel beneath Kalutara prison wall

In a startling discovery, officials of the Kalutara Prison on Horana Road have found a tunnel nearly 200 metres long and eight feet below the prison ground leading to the Kalu Ganga complete with electricity and light bulbs, dug by LTTE suspects in custody over a period of one year.

Prison officials on Thursday made this find during a special search operation within the prison premises. Fifty-three LTTE detainees were kept in a separate section at the Kalutara prison till they were transferred to the Welikada prison several months ago.

A senior prison official told the Daily Mirror yesterday that the tunnel was dug by the LTTE suspects using blunt weapons improvised from utensils they had smuggled into the cells hidden on their persons.

Read more,
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/09/22/front/1.asp