Ready for talks if LTTE down weapons first - President

He was not aware as yet of Indian diplomats arriving in Colombo for the SAARC Summit bringing their own security, however he saw nothing wrong in leaders of countries having their own security when they travel abroad, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the Indian media yesterday. (July 12).

He was answering questions regarding security for Indian delegates to the SAARC Summit in Colombo, at a press conference at Thirupathy in Andhra Pradesh, prior to his departure for Sri Lanka.

“I have my own security here. It is natural. Any leader who comes to another country will not just walk in there. They will bring their own security. We consider it our duty to look after their security while in Sri Lanka, but they also bring their own security. Every leader does that”, the President said.

Answering a question about a statement by the LTTE’s Political Wing leader, Nadesan, that the Government was not willing to reopen negotiations, President Rajapaksa said the government was ready even today.

“I am ready today. Let them keep their weapons down, because whenever they are weak they are ready for talks.”

Asked about possible deadline for talks with the LTTE, President Rajapaksa said there was no deadline as it was up to the LTTE. “From my side, we are ready. Only, they must give up arms, and give up terrorism. You know the problems you have in your own country with terrorists and terrorist organisations.”

“See what happened in Kabul. Terrorism strikes in Kabul, New York, London and Colombo. It is all the same. You cannot achieve anything through terrorism,” he said. Asked whether he was interested in mediation, he said it should be possible to settle this matter by direct discussions: “We are all Sri Lankans, we are all brothers, whether we are from the North, East or South. Surely we can settle this by talking to each other”.

Read more,
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/07/13/pol05.asp
Video source,
http://www.itn.lk/news_01_20080712.html

Reports describes how LTTE conscripts children reaching 17 years and the death of 30 % of the recruits

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) since 2007 has been conscripting boys and girls who had just reached 17 years of age as cannon fodder for war and by now 30 percent of those thus recruited have been killed, declares the a human rights body of the Tamils.

The University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna), which has been constantly on the watch about child soldiers of the Tamil terrorist group says, "Assuming there are around 200,000 people or 40,000 families living under LTTE control, it places the number dead in this round of war roughly at the order of 5000. This would be fairly commensurate with other estimates from the Vanni, that about 30% of those conscripted in this round of war are, by now, are dead."

The report says those who have conscripted to fight by the LTTE are "virtual prisoners" of the LTTE and analysts say they could be extremely unwilling soldiers of a very low morale.

The bulletin describes how those recruits are taken by force to the LTTE army: "LTTE gangs frequently invade homes before dawn carrying details about the residents, looking for those who have come of conscription age. A boy or girl reaching the age of 17 and failing to report to the LTTE could expect LTTE gangs to turn up within two or three days. Others seen to be suitable are caught on the roads."

The report further digs into details about the LTTE’s recruitment methods: "A year ago, Killinochchi, AGA Nithyananthan was travelling on his motorcycle with his young daughter on the pillion. He was stopped by the LTTE and the girl was taken. Nothing more has since been heard of her.

"A Village Headman Pasupathy was asked for his daughters. He negotiated with the LTTE to take him and spare his two girls. The LTTE agreed and he went. Six months later the LTTE went to his home and took one of the girls. Not caring a thing for the father’s bitter feelings, the LTTE recruiters went around saying, "See now, this educated government officer Pasupathy has joined, why can’t you join?"

Read more,
http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/12188

Sri Lanka airforce bombs rebel heartland

Sri Lanka's air force has carried out air raids at Tamil Tiger rebel heartland of Mullaithivu, officials said Saturday.

Airforce spokesman Janaka Nanayakkara said the air raids were made on a rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) bunker line 3.5 kms south of Thunnukai in Mullaithivu around 7 a.m. local time (0130 GMT).

The pilots had reported that the air raids have been successful, Nanayakkara added.

The government troops are confident of crushing the LTTE rebels as soon as possible in their on-going military campaign against the rebels.

The LTTE have now been confined to just two districts, Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi in the north, the government claims citing success of their military campaign.

The LTTE rebels are fighting for an independent homeland for the minority Tamils in the north and east provinces. The armed campaign since the 1980s have cost over 70,000 lives.


Extracted from,
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/12/content_8535657.htm

East like phoenix rises from ashes

Snarling through the newly built bund, the dust and heat greet us showing the signs of the rustic life of an area always burdened with hardships.With no mercy, the sun bakes the ‘soil as well as the skin’.

The embarkment built with fresh red soil to prevent flooding which in undates the entire area with more than 15 feet under water. The sluice gates was the landmark of a humanitarian mission to liberate the fertile Eastern province, where thousands of Tamils were held as human shields, from the paws of the LTTE.

Mavil Aru

Despite the scorching sun the tractor drivers and labourers were busy levelling new bund, a stretch of over three kilometres, happy with the Ministry of Nation Building for giving them job opportunities.

“This is the first time that we have cultivated large acreage of paddy lands after liberation of the East. The LTTE terrorists while holding the Mavil Aru anicut, some farmers were chased away and some were killed. We abandoned these lands until the military captured and restored peace”, says H.M. Tikiri Banda, a paddy farmer in Mavil Aru since 1978.

Read more,
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/07/13/sec08.asp

Chintana Vithanage qualifies for Olympics in Weight lifting

Sri Lankan premier weight lifter Chinthana Geethal Vidanage qualified to contest in the Olympic Games which is to be held in August in Beijing, China.

Chinthana, who clinched the gold medal in 62 kg weight lifting event at the Commonwealth Games in 2006 in Australia also set up three records at the 33rd National Sports Meet held recently.

Chinthana was born in Polonnaruwa on 31st December 1981 and began his weight lifting career in 1996 when he was placed fifth at the Junior Weight-Lifting National.

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http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6428&Itemid=44

Two LTTE strongholds fall to troops - Vavuniya front

Security forces personnel engaged in counter terrorist offensives made another major breakthrough capturing two more LTTE strongholds in Vavuniya front this afternoon, July 11.

Despite the heavy resistance, the troops in 57 division approached towards LTTE territory and captured the Naddankandal area while the troops in Task Force 2 captured Navvi area in the same front, defence sources said.

Fierce gun battles between LTTE terrorists and security forces took place during past few days in these areas and the troops were fighting through the resistance to capture these LTTE strongholds, sources added.

The offensive operations to liberate Wanni continues.

News and Graphic,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080711_08 and
www.army.lk

Weakened Sri Lankan rebels seeking Indian support

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels are seeking the support of neighboring South Indian state of Tamil Nadu for survival in the face of the present military onslaught, the state radio announced here Saturday.

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation said in its morning news bulletin that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) now hit by military campaign in the north is engaged in an attempt to drag Tamil Nadu to intervene on their behalf in order to see an end to military operations.

Tamil Nadu is home to some 65 million Tamils with close connections to the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan government in the formative years of the LTTE's armed campaign in the early 1980s slammed India for harboring LTTE members and providing them training in Tamil Nadu.

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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/12/content_8533615.htm

Delhi accused of pressuring Colombo to end offensive against LTTE

It is three weeks since a high-level Indian delegation arrived in the island for closed-door discussions with Sri Lanka’s leaders, but the reverberations from the visit still continue with Sri Lanka’s Marxist-cum-Nationalist party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) slamming India for ‘its invasive dictatorial foreign policy’. Indian diplomatic sources in Colombo have stated that the meeting focused ‘mainly’ on the security considerations of the upcoming Saarc summit to be held in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the government has staunchly denied that India’s three top most bureaucrats, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh who met President Rajapakse, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse and Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunge had applied pressure to stop the war against the Tamil Tiger rebels.

The government denial of Indian pressure came as the JVP accused the Indian government of wanting the military campaign against the LTTE stopped at a time when the Tiger rebels were weakened and many key guerilla camps in the north taken over by government troops.

Sri Lankan officials have dismissed the unprecedented heights to which media speculations reached regarding the recent visit of the Indian delegates, with some reports stating that thousands of Indian troops will arrive in the country.

Read more,
http://www.dawn.com/2008/07/12/int11.htm

State government to oppose Nalini’s premature release

The Tamil Nadu government will oppose the premature release of Nalini, a life convict in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the government submitted before the Madras High Court on Friday.

In its counter to a petition filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy, who sought to implead himself in the writ petition filed by Nalini seeking premature release, the government submitted that it was not necessary for Dr.Swamy to implead himself as a party in the case.

After hearing arguments, Justice S.Nagamuthu reserved orders on Dr. Swamy’s petition. In the counter, the Joint Secretary, Home, A. Mani, submitted that the government had already rejected the premature release of Nalini based on the merits of the case. It would file a counter affidavit opposing such a release. Dr.Swamy’s apprehension that the Central and State Governments may collude with the life convict for the sake of her release was absolutely baseless and imaginary. Priyanka, daughter of Rajiv Gandhi, met Nalini in prison on March 19, but the meeting had nothing to do with the premature release of the convict.

As regards the allegation that the parties of the ruling coalition such as the DMK, PMK and Dalit Panthers were close to the LTTE, a banned terrorist organisation, and that the DMK government was dismissed in 1991 for supporting LTTE, the counter said that it was only a surmise to contend that the ruling party and its allies were supporting the LTTE. The government never had any soft corner for any act of terrorism.

Read more,
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/12/stories/2008071253650400.htm

Rajapaksa worships Balaji at Tirumala

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa prayed in the temple of Lord Venkateswara on Tirumala tonight, seeking peace and prosperity for his country and the world.

Accompanied by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer KV Ramanachary, Rajapaksa entered Srivari temple through the Vaikuntam Queue Complex-I around 8 pm.

He worshipped Venkateswara in the sanctum sanctorum, where priests gave ‘Harathi’ and offered ‘theertha prasadams’ to him and also narrated the temple’s legend in brief.

He also prayed in the sub-temples of Vakula Devi and Yogi Narasimha Swamy, had darshan of Vimana Venkateswara Swamy and deposited his offering in Hundi.

Later, he was given ‘Vedashirwadam’ at Ranganaykula Mandapam by the temple priests led by Chief Priest AV Ramana Deekshithulu. TTD Executive Officer KV Ramanachary presented him with Srivari Prasadam. He spent about 35 minutes in the temple.

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http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?

LTTE attacks passenger bus; 3 civilians killed, 22 wounded

At least 3 civilians were killed and 22 others reported wounded when LTTE terrorists opened fire at a passenger bus plying from Monaragala towards Katharagama, at the 49th mile post along the Buttala-Katharagama main road, Friday (July 11), at around 10:15 a.m.

The injured civilians were initially rushed to the hospital at Katharagama and later they were transferred to the General hospital in Hambantota, the hospital sources said.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080711_02
Photos,
AFP,www.lankadeepa.lk and www.dinamina.lk
Video Source,
Source,
http://www.itn.lk/news_01_20080711.html

LTTE: Freeing Nalini will ratify Tamil cause

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has said that early release of Rajiv Gandhi's killer Nalini Murugan will be seen as ratification of the Tamil cause by the Indian government.

Speaking exclusively to TIMES NOW's Dhanya Rajendran from an undisclosed location, LTTE's political chief B Nadesan said that such a step will be a strong indication that the Indian government has recognised and ratified the Tamil cause.

Nadesan was reacting to the appeal made by one of Rajiv Gandhi's killers Nalini Murugan for an early release.

The LTTE perceives Priyanka Gandhi's meeting with Nalini Sriharan at the Vellor jail as 'a purely humanitarian gesture', Nadesan said.

"This visit was a purely humanitarian gesture. Nothing else."

On a question on Nalini request of an early release, Nadesan said that the release will 'recognise' the legitimate aspirations of Tamil people.

Read more,
http://www.timesnow.tv/Newsdtls.aspx?NewsID=11247

Marxist party's strike fails to disrupt Sri Lanka

A strike of public sector employees called by the Marxist party failed Thursday to paralyze the country as planned.

The Marxists People's Liberation Front (JVP) hoped up to 200,000 public servants of the 1.1 million government sector employees would strike, crippling transport, health, port and the education sectors, however, most services were operational without a serious disruption.

The government had argued that the trade union action would help the Tamil rebels whom they said were on the verge of being defeated by a strong military campaign underway in the northern part of the country.

In the capital posters sprung up overnight saying the strike would benefit the Tamil rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Earlier Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told parliament that the strike would demoralise the security forces who have made significant gains in the war front by recapturing some of the rebel-controlled areas in the north.

The JVP backed trade unions were demanding a minimum salary increase of 5,000 rupees (46 US dollars) per month for public servants to compensate for the rising cost of living.

read more,
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/southasia/news/article_1416134.php

Sri Lanka players want England tour rescheduled

Sri Lanka's cricketers want next year's hastily arranged Test tour of England to be rescheduled as the dates clash with the lucrative Indian Premier League, sources close to the team said Thursday.

"The players met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and urged him to get the tour postponed or played after the IPL," one source told AFP.

"The president was very sympathetic towards the players and agreed to look into their request."

The tour, arranged earlier this month after England suspended bilateral cricket relations with Zimbabwe, includes two Tests, three one-dayers and four warm-up games and runs from April 21 to May 30.

The IPL, which features at least 13 top Sri Lankans including captain Mahela Jayawardene and star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, is due to be played between April 10 and May 25.

However, one of the problems the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) would face in re-scheduling Sri Lanka's tour is that the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, which England are hosting, is due to start on June 5.

That leaves little room in the English calendar for altering the dates of Sri Lanka's visit especially as England face Australia in a showpiece Ashes later in their season.

Read more,
http://thatscricket.oneindia.in/news/2008/07/10/sri-lanka-players-want-england-tour-rescheduled.html