Army captured Manthe West with the Pradeseeya Saba Building

The Army troops who engaged the tiger terrorists since this morning (09) captured MANTHE West with the Pradeseeya Saba Building. Further troops captured a part of the road leading from MANTHE to ADAMPAN, Damages caused have not been confirmed.

Meanwhile 29 civilians belonging to 8 families escaped from (Mallavi and Killinochchi )uncleared area. They were settled in welfare camps by army troops and civilians in NAWATTAN , MANNAR area.

The trend of civilian escapes from the tiger clutches clearly indicate the desire of the civilian population to live in a peaceful and a safe environment.

Extracted from,
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=11060

UN rejects HRW report

The human rights report forwarded by Human Rights Watch to UN has been rejected.
The report in 242 pages was rejected by all representatives of Asian, European and African countries as a false report.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankatruth.com/

India planting RAW agents in Sri Lankan provincial councils: JVP

India is planning to plant agents of its intelligence agency in the provincial councils to be set up in the Tamil-speaking northeast of Sri Lanka, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), an ultra nationalist political party, has alleged.

Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, a JVP parliament member, told the weekly Lakbimanews Sunday that by forcing the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to fully implement the devolution package, contained in the controversial 13th amendment of Sri Lanka's constitution, New Delhi was hoping to plant agents of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in the provincial councils, which would be established in the Tamil-speaking northeast.

'India is trying to establish an economic monopoly here (in Sri Lanka), and they now need to have their representatives in Sri Lankan politics and obtain some political control too,' he said.

'We identified the 13th amendment as conforming to an Indian political agenda. The Indians were attempting to include RAW intelligence members in the northern and eastern provincial councils by this process,' he told the weekly.

Read more,
http://www.indiaenews.com/srilanka/20080309/103035.htm

Jaliya Wickramasuriya to take over Sri Lankan ambassadorship in Washington DC

The Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry is to appoint Jaliya Wickramasuriya, Sri Lanka's Consul General in Los Angeles, as the next ambassador to Washington DC.

He will succeed incumbent Bernard Goonatillake.

Foreign Ministry Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona has confirmed that Mr. Wickramasuriya will take up his new post after necessary formalities, such as getting the approval of the Parliament High Posts Committee, are completed.

Extracted from,
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_08/March9142406JV.html

Lankan group to take control of 8 India hotels, resorts

Sri Lanka's leading conglomerate Aitken Spence has acquired management control of four Indian hotels and four resorts, some of them under construction, taking advantage of the surge in demand in the hospitality sector in the country.

"We are on track to control around 1,400 rooms in India within two years, making them overtake domestic (Sri Lankan) operations unless new hotels are built in the island, an official said.

"The firm has bagged eight management deals in India, some with equity participation, which would see its premium 'Heritance' brand exported to at least two locations", the company official said.

Read more,
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/

Anandasangaree demands LTTE to take full responsibility for the killing of MP Sivanesan and his driver

In a strongly worded statement V.Anandasangaree, demanded the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam led by Velupillai Prabakaran to take complete responsibility for the killing of Kiddinan Sivanesan the Tamil Nation Alliance member of parliament of the Jaffna district and his driver Maheswararajah, in Vanni on 06 March.

While condemning the killing of Sivanesan and his driver Maheswararajah, Anandasangaree has posed pertinent question to the LTTE to response regarding these killings.

According to the statement of the TULF President, the said incident had taken place about 2 miles from Mankulam on the A9 road and about 190 miles from Colombo. Of these 190 miles he points out that about 170 miles fall within the Government controlled areas and therefore under the army’s control.

He said that no man with any sense will say that the penetrating unit went into the LTTE held areas to a distance of about 20 miles from the defense line to plant the claymore mine, when they had 170 miles of the highway under their command. Anandasangaree alleged that it was by such type of silly accusations that the LTTE and the TNA Members had lost their credibility.

He adds, “No one believes their stories because their political honesty is questionable.”

Read more,
http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/9958

Boat under construction: LTTE links suspected

A 73-feet-long steel boat being constructed by the St Sebastian’s Marine Industries at Padanna in Methala Panchayat of Kodungallur taluk is under observation by the police for its suspected connection with the LTTE.

Irinjalakuda DySP along with Mala Circle Inspector and Kodungallur sub-inspector visited the boat yard on Friday and questioned the manager. The boat yard supervisor Thankachan is absconding.

Sources in Police Department said that the boat under construction has some special features like a very large fuel tank and the cells for concealing articles.

A fishing boat does not normally have such pecularities. This led to the suspicion that the boat was being made for the LTTE.

Extracted from,
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?

Sri Lanka to release 47 Tamil Nadu fishermen

Sri Lanka will release 47 of the 59 Tamil Nadu fishermen detained by its Navy after they strayed into its waters on Thursday. Official sources said two of the six boats seized too would be released and the other fishermen would be produced before a magistrate.

Fisherfolk of both countries straying into each other’s waters is a common occurrence and has been a constant source of friction.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/09/stories/2008030956590100.htm

Lanka seeks to cash in on booming job market

A visiting minister from Sri Lanka has said his country was looking to exploit rising opportunities for its skilled workforce in Qatar.

Minister for Foreign Employment, Promotion and Welfare Keheliya Rambukwella said Qatar and Sri Lanka stood to gain from improving relations in different sectors.
The minister is in Qatar on a four-day visit as part of a tour of the region, which covers Kuwait and Libya. Qatar is his first stop.

Rambukwella said his department was constituted by President Mahendra Rajapakse to fully utilise opportunities opening up worldwide for the workforce.
“As part of the process, Sri Lanka has identified 23 destinations around the world where our professionals could find employment in the coming years and Qatar, because of its enormous development in various sectors, in particular in construction, is ranked amongst the top in the list,â€‌ said Rambukwella.

However, we strongly feel that the job of our ministry doesn’t end with sending people for employment abroad. “The country has a responsibility to protect them as well.â€‌

The minister said more than 1.5mn Sri Lankans are working abroad and Qatar has about 80,000 of them.

Read more,
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?

Iranian President here in April

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected in Sri Lanka next month.
It is, however, likely to be marred by controversy with senior Foreign Ministry officials anxious over Ahmadinejad’s proposed visit to Sri Lanka.

The Iranian President is expected in the country between April 15 to 22.
In the event he arrives as scheduled, Ahmadinejad is also likely to lay the foundation stone for the Uma Oya hydro power project, which is being funded by Iran.
Iran is also assisting Sri Lanka to develop the Sapugaskanda oil refinery.

“Foreign Ministry officials are apprehensive over the impending visit, as the United Nations has imposed sanctions against Iran and Sri Lanka may likely irk the UN and other Western countries in the event Ahmadinejad visits the island,” sources said.
However, the Iranian President’s visit to the country is yet to be finalised.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa undertook a controversial visit to Iran in November last year, which reportedly irked many Western countries, including the United States.

Extracted from,
http://www.nation.lk/2008/03/09/news12.htm

Gayle to captain Windies cricket team vs. Sri Lanka

Chris Gayle of Jamaica has been named captain of the West Indies cricket team that will face the touring Sri Lankans later this month.

Gayle captained the Windies against South Africa earlier this year when regular captain Ramnaresh Sarwan was unavailable because of injury.

Gayle disclosed last week that he had received a congratulatory call from Sarwan on his appointment.

"I heard from Sarwan. He called me and congratulated me and we talked," said Gayle, who is currently leading the Jamaica side in the Carib Beer series encounter with Barbados in Bridgetown.

Read more,
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/columnists/

LTTE no longer an invincible force

The LTTE which used to live in a dreamy world appearing themselves to the international community as invincible force has now been compelled to embrace the ground reality that it is no longer an invincible force.

It was after their humiliating defeats in the Northern and Wanni battle fronts and after the exposure of their terror network in the South with many of their terror operatives being arrested through the anti-terror operations carried out in Colombo and suburbs.

There is no doubt that the international community and also the local community believe in the fact that the LTTE has no escape from their defeat in the intensified military thrust on them in the Wanni.

The immense pressure on the LTTE from the Tamil community has become one of the most challenging situations for the Tiger outfit as they are fast losing the Tamil community's confidence due to their successive failures in battle front and due to the Tiger leadership's in ability to give a ray of hope for the common masses.

Read more,
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/03/09/sec01.asp

Army & Air Force Destroy LTTE Strongholds North of Manthai

AFTER FIERCE GUN BATTLE with Tiger terrorists, Army troops destroyed LTTE bunker line north of MANTHAI in MANNAR Saturday (8) around mid noon.

Tigers’ resistance was successfully overpowered by the advancing troops with ample air support of the Sri Lanka Air Force which used MI 24 gunship during the mission.

Army troops who mobilized artillery guns and armour tanks destroyed the bunker line and captured four terrorist bunkers. Ten LTTE cadres were confirmed killed and a large number injured due to the attack launched by Army and Air Force.

During the confrontation two soldiers were killed while four others sustained injuries. The injured soldiers were rushed for medical treatments.

Clearing operations in the area commenced.

Extracted from,
http://army.lk/morenews.php?id=11448

Cairn in race for two Lankan oil blocks

Cairn India has entered the race for acquiring two oil exploration blocks in Sri Lanka, by bidding for blocks 001 and 002 under the ongoing Sri Lankan licensing round. Back home, it has decided to undertake exploratory drilling in new areas in Rajasthan.

According to sources, Sri Lanka's block 001 is spread over 3,338 sq km, and block 002, 3,572 sq km. Block 001 is, in fact, closer to the Cauvery basin, where oil and gas has already been discovered, hence it is attracting bids from other international oil exploration companies as well.

The chances of striking oil here are higher as geological features of the blocks are similar. In India, Cairn Energy India (CEIL) -- the operator, on behalf of joint venture partners Cairn India and ONGC in contract area RJ-ON-90/1 in Rajasthan -- has decided to commence production activities and development drilling at the Mangala Field.

Read more,
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1181387/