Japan under pressure over Sri Lanka aid

An international human rights group is lobbying Sri Lanka’s top donor Japan to exert greater pressure on the island nation to address spiralling violence.

But Tokyo said it has no plans for now to slash aid and follow the lead of Sri Lanka’s former colonial ruler Britain and Germany, which have frozen debt relief due to rights concerns.....

....“What we have asked Japan to do is take advantage of this position and its considerable leverage to firmly, strongly and regularly remind not just the government but other players involved of the obligations that they have to protect the civilians and human rights in general.”

Japan said, however, it was not considering slashing aid.

“Japan is not planning to reconsider its aid to Sri Lanka,” a foreign ministry official said.

He said that Tokyo’s peace envoy to Sri Lanka, former UN assistant secretary-general Yasushi Akashi, would return to the island on a new mission by early June.

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India agrees to help Sri Lanka agri business

Visiting Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today pledged to help Sri Lanka boost its production and technical skills as the two sides agreed on collaborative efforts on bio-technology, hybrid seed development and post-harvest processing.

During the three-day visit of Pawar, which ended today, "it was agreed that India would assist in capacity building in Sri Lankan agriculture by enhancing the scope of training programs, scholarships, research projects and exchange of visits of farmers," a High Commission statement said.

It said the two sides also agreed on collaborative efforts on bio-technology, hybrid seed development and post harvest processing.

Pawar, who met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday, discussed the possibility of joint ventures too, the statement said.

Extracted from,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200705252065.htm

Six More LTTE Child Soldiers Surrender to Army

Six more female LTTE child Soldiers who had been abducted by Tiger terrorists during recent past escaped from their captivity at un cleared THOPPIGALA area and surrendered to troops in SITTANDY detachment on Friday (25) during evening hours.

Those female child soldiers who are in the ages of 14, 16 and 17 years frustrated after being continuously harassed by their leaders hiding in NARAKAMULLA jungles in THOPPIGALA have escaped to SITTANDY seeking protection under Security Forces.

Extracted from,
http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=6039