Sri Lanka government may consider banning LTTE

Sri Lanka media speculate that the government will proscribe the rebel outfit, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) soon.

The idea of proscribing the LTTE was in the consideration of the government for a long time. However, the ceasefire agreement signed with the LTTE in 2003 hindered the move although the agreement has been defunct now for some time. The reluctance to abandon the agreement left the door open for peace talks to resume.

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http://www.colombopage.com/archive_07/November4142715SL.html

Sri Lanka to recruit Tamils to police

Sri Lankan police said Monday that they have embarked on a rapid recruitment program to enlist Tamil speaking officers in the multi-ethnic Eastern Province.

Jayantha Wickramaratna, the police spokesman, told reporters that "we will recruit youth from Ampara and Batticaloa districts", adding that 1,000 of them would be targeted between Nov. 10 and 14.

He said that the police department needed Tamil speaking officers to serve in the Eastern Province's newly opened police stations.

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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/05/content_7016425.htm

Sri Lanka to release 97 Indian fishermen

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered the release of 97 Indian fishermen who were detained by the Lankan Navy for allegedly straying into the waters of the island nation, Tamil Nadu Government said today.

"It is learnt from the Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Chennai that the President has ordered the release of detained fishermen from Nagapattinam district. This has been made possible due to the timely intervention of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi," an official release said. The fishermen were expected to be released immediately, the release added.

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http://news.indiainfo.com/2007/11/04/071104165

Expel SLMM tiger agents! – Weerawansa tells Govt.

The government should take immediate measures to expel Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission that is playing the role of international agent of separatist tiger terrorists says Information Secretary of the JVP Wimal Weerawansa.

He said this when ‘Lankatruth’ asked his opinion regarding the message issued by SLMM on the death of tiger deputy terrorist leader Thamilselvan.

Speaking further Mr. Weerawansa said SLMM which hesitated to issue a message when former Foreign Minister Luxman Kadirgamar was assassinated by tiger terrorists or when a tiger suicide terrorist group attacked SLAF base at Anuradhapura on the 22nd irrefutably displays their partiality to separatist tiger terrorists organization by issuing a message when a senior tiger terrorist leader dies in an attack.

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http://www.lankatruth.com/full_story/2007/Nov/04/20071104_05.htm

Jayalalithaa flays Karunanidhi for condoling LTTE leader's death

Condemning Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for "eulogising" LTTE political wing secretary Thamilselvan, AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa on Saturday night demanded the dismissal of his government for violating the Constitution by supporting the banned Sri Lankan outfit.

In a statement here, she said Karunanidhi's "action of praising Thamilselvan", killed in an airstrike by the Sri Lankan airforce on Friday, was unconstitutional as the LTTE was banned in India and its leader V Prabhakaran was a proclaimed offender in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

She alleged it was clear from Karunananidhi's action he had "secret ties" with the LTTE and had been "helping" them.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200711040346.htm

LTTE is back to zero - TULF leader

With the death of the LTTE's Political Wing Leader S. P. Thamilselvan, the Leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Veerasingam Anandasangaree, the politician who had written the highest number of letters and pleas to the terrorists, has again requested the LTTE leadership to comeback to the negotiating table to save young lives.

In an interview with the Sunday Observer he said that the Tamil political parties are willing to help the LTTE if the terrorists end the armed struggle and entre the democratic stream. These youth have the courage to achieve whatever the deadly desires of the leadership risking their lives. So it is high time to use these valuable lives to develop the country. It is sad that they are sacrificing their lives for an unrealisable cause," he said.

Q: Despite severe defeats, yet there are no clues that the LTTE will enter the democratic path. In this climate do you think the only option to liberate Tamils is militarily weakening the LTTE?

A: I do not agree with you. One thing that I agree is that the LTTE would never come to the negotiating table because they have their own problems. They will not come for a settlement. The government's intention to beat them first and then come for talks would not help to end the problems of Tamils. Terrorism can be defeated by this way but what I hope is that the peace package must come out along with these military operations.

There are people in this country who say that once the problem is solved militarily and since the terrorists are defeated, that there is not problem for the Tamils. They will try to forget our grievances. The problems of Tamils were there for the last 50 years.

Read the full article,
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2007/11/04/pol01.asp

Karu J. will be UNP leader after budget - Rajitha

The UNP (D) Group yesterday predicted a power change within the UNP after the forthcoming budget, with another batch of six to eight prominent MPs already in line to join either UNP(D) or the Government directly.

Holding that a victory the UNP (D) was a victory for the UNP, Minister Rajitha Senaratne said there would be an exodus from the UNP and added they (D-group) would grab power within the party after the budget, with heir apparent to the UNP Minister Karu Jayasuriya installed as leader.

Asserting that the UNP(D) would never divert from the policy of being within the UNP Dr. Senarathe said that their fight was to rid the party from a one man dictatorship.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/11/02/pol01.asp

Lanka on high alert after Thamilselvan killing

Sri Lanka went on a high alert on Saturday to guard against any reprisal attack by Tamil Tigers following the killing of their political wing chief S P Thamilselvan in an air raid by government forces.

"We are not willing to take any chances. It could be a dangerous scenario if we don't gear up fully. We are on an alert," defence spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.

Security personnel were seen reinforcing the snap checkpoints in Colombo and checking for any suspicious person or vehicle.

The funeral of Thamilselvan and five other leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who were killed in a raid by Sri Lankan air force in the rebel-dominated northern Kilinochchi on Friday, is scheduled to be held on Monday, according to sources.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200711031861.htm

Sri Lankan police officer killed in capital

A police inspector heading a crime division has been shot dead in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, police said Saturday.

Inspector M. Pathirana was shot in north Colombo at 9:30 p.m. (1600 GMT) on Friday and succumbed to his gun shot injuries in the early hours of Saturday, according to the police.

The police officer was shot at by unknown gunmen in a bus stand and was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital.

He was heading the crime division of the Colombo Harbor police station and police are inquiring if his death related to any crime investigations being handled by him.

Extracted from,
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/03/content_7004330.htm

Karuna arrested in London

Karuna Amman has been arrested in the UK say reports. British Police has taken Karuna Amman into custody and the reason for his arrest is still not known.

As conflicts in Karuna faction escalated, Karuna fled to the UK and when he returned to the island Pilleyan had taken over the leadership. In internal conflicts that erupted several leaders from both factions were killed.

Under this circumstance Karuna fled to the UK again where he was arrested.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankatruth.com/full_story/2007/Nov/02/20071102_06.htm

LTTE terror leader Thamilchelvan and 05 others killed in SLAF air raid

Citing Wanni based LTTE sources; pro-LTTE media confirm the death of LTTE's so-called, Political chief Thamilchelvan (43), following a pin-point air raid carried out by SLAF fighter jets, at Thuruaiaru in Iranamadu around 6 this morning (November 2).

The other high profile terrorists killed in the air raid were identified as Anpumani (Alex), Mikuthan, Neathaji, Aadchiveal and Vaakaikkumaran.

According to informed sources, self styled Lt. Colonel Anupumani alias Alex was the chief of LTTE's "strategic communication division". He was the person in charge of handling all communication activities between LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran and the other international terrorist agents.

The SLAF air sorties were carried out following extensive air surveillance and on real-time ground information, military sources earlier reported.

Read more,
http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20071102_10
Photos,
http://www.sankathi.net/news/0211/people_news.html

Sri Lanka Opposition Leader will lose his post, predicts Minister

Sri Lanka Minister of Construction and Engineering Services Rajitha Senarathna says that the leader of United National Party (UNP) will lose the post of Opposition Leader since six to eight UNP MPs will join the government after the budget.

Senarathna who is a leader of the UNP dissident Democratic Group that joined the government to assume portfolios said at press briefing yesterday that discussions with UNP MPs are now underway.

UNP currently has 43 seats in Sri Lanka parliament while Marxist People’s Liberation Front (JVP) has 38 seats.

All crossing over MPs are likely to given portfolios with the possibility of increasing the number further.

Extracted from,
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_07/November1214236SL.html

Lanka inviting Qatari, global energy firms to bid for 3 blocks

Sri Lanka has invited Qatari as well as international energy companies to participate in the bid for oil exploration in three offshore blocks in the country’s northwest.

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Petroleum, A H M Fowzie said the tender would be closed in January and the bid would be awarded sometime in 2008.

A recent study commissioned by Sri Lanka and initiated by an Australian firm revealed the country had oil reserves in excess of 1bn barrels.

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http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no

Dialog introduces WiMAX Broadband Internet

Dialog Telekom introduced Broadband Internet powered by WiMAX for the first time to the Sri Lankan customers from yesterday. This is also the first time that it is being introduced to the region. The company which was also the first region to introduce GSM and 3G to the region has invested US $ 10 million during 18 months for provide this service and other facilities.

“A very large investment was made for the fibre-optic network, as it has to be installed outside Colombo. Sri Lankan markets can now experience the fastest Internet connection,” Director/ Chief Executive, Dialog Telekom Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya said at the launch yesterday.

He added that WiMAX is not only a Colombo product. “We offer a range of products including state of art mobile phones,” he said.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/11/02/bus01.asp