Sri Lanka's wounded Tigers growl at Delhi

India's hosting of Sri Lankan Army chief Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka in Delhi this month has evoked an angry growl from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Castigating India for giving the Lankan army chief a "state welcome", the LTTE has warned India against committing "the historic blunder" of propping up "the Sinhala war machine".

India would be responsible for "the ethnic genocide of the Tamils [in Sri Lanka]" that a Lankan army, "re-invigorated" by Indian support, would carry out, an LTTE statement said. "While pronouncing that a solution to the Tamil problem must be found through peaceful means, it [India] is giving encouragement to the military approach" of the Sri Lankan government, the LTTE said. "By this historic blunder it will continue to subject the Eelam Tamils to misery."

Close on the heels of that strident statement came another, this
one critical of India's treatment of its Tamils. "Tamils are slaves in India," Thamilendhi, the head of the LTTE's financial unit, is reported to have said at a public function in Kilinochchi in Sri Lanka's Northern Province.

The LTTE's strident statements against India over the past fortnight are reminiscent of the statements it issued in the late 1980s and early 1990s when relations between India and the LTTE deteriorated substantially.

Read more,
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JC28Df01.html

LTTE agents booked under NSA

Two suspected LTTE agents were booked under the National Security Act (NSA) here (Madurai) today.

Police said Muthuramalingam of Ramanathapuram District and Raja of Madurai were recently arrested by the State Police when they attempted to smuggle explosive materials meant for LTTE from Rameswaram.

On the orders from the State Government, they were booked under NSA today and lodged at the Madurai Central Prison, the sources added.

Extracted from,
http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?

"Prabakaran" film director FASTs unto death demanding back his film copies

Sri Lankan film director Thushara Peiris, who has been brutally attacked by pro-Tamil Tiger elements at Chennai's Gemini Colour Laboratories and stripped of copies of his new film "Prabhakaran" which he processed at the studios said from a hospital bed in Colombo that he is starting a "fast unto death" sathayagraha from his sick bed demanding the Indian and Sri Lankan governments to intervene in getting back his robbed copies of the film.

"I have stopped taking food, water and medicine until the Indian and Sri Lanka governments intervenes and get back my copies of the film," he said from a bed of Colombo's Nawaloka Hospital where he was admitted for treatment caused in the mob attack in Chennai.

It is believed an LTTE instigated mob attack took place in Chennai where they believed that his maiden full length feature film entitled "Prabhakaran" depicted the character of the ruthless terrorist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in very bad light and anti-Tamil flavour".

Many in the mob belonged to the Chennai Film Technician's Union and a leading newspaper in India, the Times of India, has also identified leaders of an extremist pro LTTE political party among the attackers.

The 39 year old talented film director , who has had his training in Italy , said he passed out for about 45 minutes after the brutal attack , and when he was conscious discovered that he was profusely bleeding and the film copies have been robbed.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080328_03

Sri Lanka probes poster campaign

The Sri Lankan government has launched a probe into a mysterious poster campaign that is asking would-be Tamil Tiger suicide bombers to turn themselves in to government hands in return for cash.

The campaign, run by an unknown pro-peace organisation, promises a new life overseas and $US93,000 each to extremists who change their minds

Those contemplating taking up the offer are asked to call a government operated telephone line.

The government has denied having any hand in the poster.

A military spokesman, who tried calling the number several time without any success, says the government thinks the poster campaign is a hoax to create mischief.

Extracted from,
http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/

Construction of Sampoor Coal Power Plant to commence in three months

Sri Lanka Ministry of Power and Energy says that the construction of the coal power plant in Sampoor will begin in June. According to the Ministry, the project that is a joint venture of India and Sri Lanka is aimed at providing 500MW to the national grid by 2012.

Indian based company NPTC under the supervision of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) undertakes the project. The cost of the first phase of the project intended to be completed by 2012, is 500 million US dollars. The government is to find 70% of the funds through foreign aid and the rest is to be provided by the CEB and the Indian company.

A land of 700 acres has been allocated from the area that was under Tamil Tiger hold until recently and the surveys are underway at present. The surveys will be completed by April and the construction will be commenced afterwards.

Read more,
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_08/March27114804JR.html