Sri Lanka accuses international rights groups of bias

The Sri Lankan government on Wednesday accused international rights groups of bias for their alleged failure to condemn the killings of students by Tamil Tiger rebels.

Keheliya Rambukwella, the minister of Foreign Employment and the government's defense spokesman told reporters that some 14 school children had been killed as a result of recent bomb explosions blamed on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels.

"These groups who are very quick to blame the government have remained silent on the LTTE's killing of students," Rambukwella said.

An LTTE female suicide bomber killed 14 civilians including six students at the Colombo's busy Fort railway station on Feb. 3.

The students from a leading Colombo school were members of the baseball team and were returning to Colombo from the central town of Kandy when caught in the explosion.

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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/13/content_7598545.htm

Monks in Sri Lanka to counter Valentine's Day celebrations

Sri Lankan Buddhist monks plan to counter Valentine's Day celebrations in the island with programmes to lure the youth away from romantic love which they denounce as an undesirable Western concept.

The Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya (JSS), a national organisation of monks, will hold 'Adishtana' and 'Ashirwada' prayers Valentine's Day Thursday in a bid to make the youth love the country and the security forces battling Tamil Tigers.

The Daily Mirror Wednesday quoted JSS president Venerable Induragare Dhammaratana Thero as saying that Valentine's Day involved 'marketing love' as a commercial product. It also meant that love should be shown only on a particular day. All this was against Sri Lankan culture, he pointed out.

While special prayer ceremonies to foster love among all living beings were being performed on this day since 2004, this year the accent would be on showing love for the security forces, Dhammaratana Thero said.

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http://www.indiaenews.com/srilanka/20080213/97410.htm

'Centre should take against Karunanidhi for LTTE support'

The Opposition AIADMK on Wednesday urged the Centre to take action against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for his open support to the proscribed LTTE and play a role in finding a political solution to the ethnic Tamils issue in Sri Lanka.

A resolution adopted at the party's General Council, the highest policy making body, said that after coming to power in the aftermath of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the AIADMK Government headed by J Jayalalithaa had taken stern action against the LTTE, responsible for the assassination, and had played a vital role in banning it.

However, after coming back to power, Karunanidhi, while remaining silent against the supporters of the LTTE, went a step ahead and offered condolence eulogising the death of LTTE political wing leader S P Tamilchelvan.

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http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1150679

India will leave no room for Lanka's division - Indian Minister

Visiting Indian Commerce Minister Jairam Ramesh who called on the Mahanayake of the Malwatta Chapter Most Ven.Thibottuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera yesterday reassured that India will not leave any room for division or creation of a separate state within Sri Lanka.

The visiting Indian Commerce Minister who held extensive discussions with the Mahanayake Thera said the Indian Government has always maintained a firm stand on the Sri Lankan issue.

The Minister told the Mahanayake Thera: "India has always treated Sri Lanka as its own family member. The only wish of India is to see peace in Sri Lanka as soon as possible. The Indian Government is well aware of the prevailing situation in Sri Lanka."

The Indian Minister, who called on the Mahanayake Thera with Investment Promotion Minister Naveen Dissanayake, Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake and Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela Bandara said: " I firmly believe that peace will dawn in Sri Lanka very soon."

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http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/02/13/news03.asp

M&M to develop IT Park in Sri Lanka

The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) and Mahindra & Mahindra inked an agreement on Tuesday under which the latter will develop an Information Technology Park in the island nation. Located at a 53 acre site in Katunayake, near the only international airport in Sri Lanka, the project involves development of 2.6-3 million sq. ft. of space that can be used for the different types of IT related activities.

The agreement was signed by Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion, and Arun Nanda, Vice-Chairman, Mahindra & Mahindra, in the presence of Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Commerce, who is now on an official visit here as leader of a high level Government and business delegation. It was also announced on the occasion that Mahindra & Mahindra was committed to develop a 900-acre special economic zone (SEZ) in Trincomalee in the east and a formal agreement on the SEZ could be expected in the next 30 days.

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http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/13/stories/2008021355291800.htm

Sri Lankan swimmers to take part in Malaysia, China and Pakistan

Sri Lanka Swimmers will be involved in three international swimming meets for the year 2008 in Malaysia, China and Pakistan according to the SLASU. Aquatic Calendar. In addition the Swimmers will also concentrate on domestic events.

The swimmers first will participate at the Asian Age Group Swimming championships in July in Chinese Taipei, two swimmers (to be selected by Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union by end of May) will participate at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China and the 2nd South Asia swimming and Waterpolo championships in Islamabad, Pakistan in September.

The swimmers who reach the standard timing set by SLASU at the Pentathlon swimming championships, national short course swimming championships and the Age Group swimming championships will have the great chance of setting selected to swim at the Asian Age Group swimming championships and the South Asia Swimming Championships.

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http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/02/13/spo03.asp

Why are HROs silent over tiger attack on Kalladi RC church? – Military spokesman

The UNO and international and local human rights organizations maintain a calculating silence over the tiger terrorist attack on St. Sebastian’s Church at Kalladi in Mannar says Brig, Udaya Nanayakkara, military spokesman.

Making a statement to the media Army spokesman regarding the terrorist attack on Kalladi church said, “Tiger terrorist carried out a mortar attack on St. Sebastian’s Church at Kalladi yesterday. 6 soldiers engaged in clearing the church premises of shrubs and weeds were killed in the attack and 10 others were injured. The church too was badly damaged in the attack.

The UNO, international and local human rights organizations and religious groups that denounce the Security Forces even at the attacks carried out by tiger organization and blame security forces for such attacks have not made any response regarding the attack on the church.”

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http://www.lankatruth.com/full_story/2008/February/13/200800213_03.htm

'Supplier' of explosives to LTTE arrested in TN

The Tamil Nadu Police on Monday arrested an alleged supplier of explosives to the LTTE and seized from him 100 detonators, 83 gelatin sticks and 10 metres of fuse wire.

The man had been shuttling between Tiruchirapalli and Pudukottai to procure the explosive substances, including gelatin sticks, Tamil Nadu Police's 'Q' Branch Inspector Thiagarajan, who arrested him, told reporters.

Police had kept a close watch on his movements and arrested him, he said, adding the explosives were seized after he was questioned.

Extracted from,
http://news.indiainfo.com/2008/02/12/0802120200_tn.html

Sri Lanka Navy denies shooting Indian fisherman

Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), in a media statement issued yesterday (11), categorically and unequivocally denied the allegations made by certain indiscriminate sections of that media of involvement in the killing of an Indian fisherman on Saturday (9) night.

"Sri Lanka Navy exercises utmost care not to cross the International Maritime Boundary Line between Sri Lankan and Indian territorial waters while conducting patrolling and maritime surveillance to prevent LTTE arms smuggling and infiltration across the Gulf of Mannar and the Polk Bay," it added.

The statement also drew attention to the recent incident where the Sri Lanka Navy did not open retaliatory fire when the persons yet to be identified on board two Indian fishing trawlers fired on one of SLN fibre glass boats in the seas off Talaimannar on the February 4, 2008. Then SLN boats did not retaliate in order to avoid other Indian fishing boats being hit in the cross fire.

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http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task

Bombers may use 'pregnancy prosthetics'

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reminding law-enforcement officials of the increased use of female suicide bombers worldwide, and warning that women terrorists might hide explosives in devices “that mimic the look of a pregnant woman.”

The unclassified DHS threat assessment, released Monday and obtained by NBC News, shows photographs of “pregnancy prosthetics,” hollowed-out devices that could hold explosive devices. The report says “female suicide bombers have used devices that make them appear pregnant to hide explosive devices.”

The DHS report states that terrorists are using female bombers more frequently, in part because these attacks generate “more widespread media exposure.” It adds: “Continued use of female suicide bombers-the most recent example being a 3 February 2008 attack at the main railway station in Colombo, Sri Lanka-indicates that terrorists judge this tactic as effective in increasing defenses and thwarting security measures.”

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http://deepbackground.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/11/656670.aspx

Sri Lanka to confer highest title on Maldivian president

Sri Lanka will confer its highest title, Lanka Mithra Vibhushana, on Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom during his two-day official visit to the island beginning Tuesday.

The honour is in recognition of Gayoom's contribution to the friendship between the two countries, enhancement of South Asian cooperation, and the global campaign in relation to climate change, a Sri Lankan government release said Monday.

This year Gayoom completes 30 years as president of the Maldives.

Sri Lanka and the Maldives have very close relations. Sri Lankan hotel chains run many well-known resorts in the Maldives, which is a cluster of tiny islands. Many Sri Lankans work in the Maldives in the tourism and hotel sectors.

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http://www.indiaenews.com/srilanka/20080211/97056.htm

Dilshan Half-Century Brings Sri Lanka CB Series Win

Tillakaratne Dilshan scored a superb half-century as Sri Lanka beat India by virtue of the Duckworth Lewis method, to record their first win, by eight wickets, of the Commonwealth Bank Series in Canberra.

Rain followed the conclusion of India’s innings and as a result Sri Lanka’s innings was reduced to 21 overs and their victory target was revised to 154.

There was a thought before the Indian innings that perhaps a 29 over innings would leave India with a slight dilemma, as to whether they should go for an all out attack as one might associate with Twenty20 cricket, or try and keep wickets in hand as we would expect to see in ODI cricket.

However, given that Sri Lanka’s innings had been altered to 21 overs it was always possible they would feel they had the freedom to approach their run chase like it was a Twenty20 innings. This proved to be the case as the Sri Lankan opening batsmen raced to 41 from just three overs before Sanath Jayasuriya was caught by MS Dhoni off Ishant Sharma for a swashbuckling 27 from just 13 balls.

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http://www.cricketworld.com/commonwealth_bank_series

India proposes to invest $2 bn in Sri Lanka: Ramesh

India is committed to a closer economic cooperation with Sri Lanka, visiting minister Jairam Ramesh said today, while is stating that investments of 2 billion dollars from business houses in his country into the Island Nation are at discussion stage.

"While 220 million dollars worth of Indian investment is already there in Sri Lanka as much as 2 billion dollars of investment by Indian business houses into the Island country are under discussions," India's Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh told reporters here at Indo-Sri lankan Investment Seminar.

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Economy/

Cathay Pacific to resume flights to Colombo

Cathay Pacific Airways today announced that it will resume its passenger services to and from Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka, with effect from 30 March 2008. The airline will operate a daily service using a Boeing 777-300 aircraft routed through either Bangkok or Singapore.

Three flights a week, operating as CX703, will go via Bangkok every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, departing Hong Kong at 18.35 and arriving in Colombo at 00.15 the next day. The return CX700 service departs Sri Lanka at 01.45, arriving in Hong Kong at 12.10.

On all other days of the week the flight will be routed through Singapore. CX711 departs Hong Kong at 16.15 and arrives in Sri Lanka at 22.45, while the return CX710 service departs Colombo at 00.15 on the following day and lands in Hong Kong at 12.15.

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http://www.just4airlines.com/j4_dox/email

Sri Lanka cement plant to be expanded by India's Birla

India's Aditya Birla group has suggested expanding a defunct cement plant in Sri Lanka's northern Jaffna peninsula to exploit the region's rich deposits of limestone, government officials said.

A team from the Birla group is in the island for talks with government officials on several investments.

Sri Lankan officials said Monday the initial proposal submitted by the Birla group suggested raising capacity at the Kankesanturai plant to 3.6 million tonnes a year depending on the availability of reserves of limestone, the basic raw material for cement manufacture.

The proposal did not have any details of financial investment and the Sri Lankan authorities are trying to make arrangements for Birla group experts to visit the site in Jaffna, which is cut off from the mainland as Tamil Tigers control the road to the peninsula.

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http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?