Vaiko asks EU to press Sri Lanka on Tamil ethnic issue

MDMK chief Vaiko has asked the European Union not to turn a blind eye to the "sufferings of Tamils" in Sri Lanka and to pressure Colombo to end its offensive against the LTTE so that an "ancient race" could be prevented from being "totally wiped out".

"The situation today is very bad. A whole ancient race is about to be wiped out. I would appeal to the European Union to put pressure on the Sinhalese government {to end its military offensive on the LTTE}," he said.

The firebrand Tamil politician, who was speaking at a conference organised by the Art of Living foundation of Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar here, asked European nations to "not turn a blind eye to sufferings of Tamils in Sri Lanka" and also urged more active intervention by the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) in the nation.

The government had formally scrapped the four-year long tattered ceasefire with the LTTE in January this year, also thereby terminating the role played by Norway, the main facilitator for talks from the side of the EU, to mediate between the warring groups.

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http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200804111161.htm

LTTE loose respect from Catholics

MINISTER JEYARAJ Fernandopulle’s untimely death has convinced many hristians living outside Sri Lanka that LTTE has no respect for religion and religious places. They are also completely baffled by the nonchalant attitude of the Catholic Bishop Conference in Sri Lanka on LTTE’s guile masquerading as defenders of the sacred Madhu premises.

I read the Asian Tribune reader from LA, Stephen Long’s article yesterday posing the question why the spiritual leadership of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka got duped by the LTTE to push through their evil designs. Many others I know have voiced their disbelief at the inaction of the Sri Lankan Catholic Bishop Conference. Their neutrality in the midst of an openly treacherous path taken by the LTTE is completely inexplicable.

In a nutshell these are the issues now confronting the Catholic Bishops: They cannot take the side of the LTTE terrorists. They should seriously re-think their role in the civil conflict, and decide once and for all which side they are morally bound to take. The Bishop of Mannar by allowing the LTTE to continuously act with impunity has made the Tamils in the North pawns in this apparent and dubious scheme of the LTTE trying to make the Christians look completely unpatriotic.

The LTTE had moved the statue of Madhu to a church well inside their lines of control. A neutral place would have been the ideal thing to do. Declaring protective motives, they moved the sacred statue of the Virgin Mary from the shrine at Madhu to the church at Thevanpitti, which is in the LTTE zone. By choosing this site rather than someplace in an area, they have made the statue a symbol and rallying point for the LTTE.

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http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?

Tamil Tigers And Ethnic Cleansing of Sinhalese & Muslims in Sri Lanka-Kusum

Sri Lanka’s top diplomat in the Pacific region Mr. Kusum Balapatabendi paid a visit to New Zealand recently on the occasion of Sri Lanka’s 60 years of independence. Incidentally it was his first trip to Auckland at the invitation of New Zealand Sri Lanka Foundation.

The celebrations were unique with participants drawn from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist & Christian communities coming together to form a fusion of cohesiveness and understanding.

Sri Lanka is a beautiful island country located in the Indian Ocean, a little bigger than our own North Island and the population is about 20 million people. The majority of the people in the country are Sinhalese, mostly Buddhists, consisting of 73% of the population. The rest of the population consists of Tamils and Muslims.

Since time immemorial, they have lived in harmony, embracing each other’s cultures and religions. According to the last census the total Sri Lankan population in New Zealand stood at 8,542.

Sri Lanka’s pristine beauty with natural surroundings makes it an international tourist attraction with ocean waters, breathtaking scenery and smiling people. This beautiful island famous for its hospitality and laid back attitude with children running care free and bare foot in paddy fields personifies the true meaning of a simple way of life in harmony with nature.

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http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0804/S00159.htm

Wimal in hiding, Vehicles of three rebels robbed Police believe JVP behind robberies, threats

JVP parliamentary group leader and Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa has gone into hiding following death threats to him and the ten JVP MPs who backed him after the party split early this week. Weerawansa had left his residence yesterday on the advise of his supporters and gone into hiding following his differences with the party leadership, political sources said.

Meanwhile, the vehicles belonging to three JVP parliamentarians, who are backing Weerawansa, had been forcibly taken away by unidentified groups. A senior police officer said the vehicles of Piyasiri Wijenayake and Achala Jagoda had been robbed on Wednesday from the Parliament garage and the vehicle of Samansiri Herath was taken away by a group of persons who had gone to his home at Arachchikattuwa, Chilaw the same night.

The group which had robbed the vehicles from the parliament members’ garage had also attacked a policeman there. He was admitted to hospital.

The Chilaw police said Samansiri Herath had made a complaint that a group of persons had come to see him on Wednesday at his home at Arachchikattuwa. They were engaged in a cordial conversation but suddenly started arguing with him. They had then assaulted his driver and taken his vehicle.

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http://www.island.lk/2008/04/11/news1.html

Jeyaraj: An emotional final journey

Highways and Road Development Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, who was brutally assassinated by the LTTE on Sunday, bid adieu to the Nation yesterday. A large crowd had gathered at the Jeyaraj Fernandopulle playground in Welihena, Kochchikade to bid farewell to their beloved leader.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka, Ministers and Government and Opposition MPs were present.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, now on an official visit to China, said in a condolence message read out at the funeral that Minister Fernandopulle played a great role by holding two most important positions in the Government as Chief Whip and Highways Minister.

It was an exemplary experience for Parliamentary democracy.

The contribution he made and the leadership he gave for the development of villages by building bridges and roads traversing the length and breadth of the country was a memorable experience for the people. The valour he displayed by building flyovers was a historic monument, the President's message said.

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http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/04/11/news02.asp