2 LTTE militants held, explosives seized

The coastal security wing of the Tamil Nadu police has seized explosives shipment meant for the LTTE and arrested two suspected militants off the coast of Rameswaram, 600 km from here (Chennai).

Additional director-general of police (coastal security) Jagan Sheshadri said, “During our operations since last night we came across a boat off the Rameswaram coast in the Palk Bay containing chemicals and detonators. Two suspected militants were arrested”. Rameswaram is the closest point in India to Jaffna, the LTTE stronghold in Sri Lanka.

The state police said following stepping up of vigil in the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar, shipment of arms, explosives and contrabands to the LTTE had been curbed and many boats carrying such materials had been seized.

However, according to intelligence sources, the Tamil Tiger rebels have received at least three shipments of military hardware in the recent months. The arms shipments reached the Tigers despite claims by the Sri Lankan Navy that it had destroyed most of the LTTE's arms ships.

The intense use of heavy artillery shells by the LTTE during the recent conflicts with the Sri Lankan army have raised fresh concern within the island nation’s military establishment about the Tigers’ ability to replenish their dwindling armoury.

Read more,
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080511/main4.htm

UPFA wins the eastern province election

The results of the eastern province election as follows,

UPFA 308886 votes and 20 seats
UNP 250732 votes and 15 seats
JVP 9360 votes and 1 seat
TDNA 7714 votes and 1 seat

For full details of the eastern province election Result,
http://www.news.lk/eastern_election-2008/Eastern_main.html

Sri Lankan Worker’s Charred Body Found in Abha Apartment

Police are investigating the case of a Sri Lankan national whose partially charred body was found in his apartment in the southern city of Abha on Friday.

Mohammed Imtisam Shamsudeen, 28, assistant manager of Home Center in Abha, has been working for Al-Bandar International House for Trading Company for the past four years.

Shamsudeen’s relatives in Sri Lanka said they suspect foul play. “When he called his wife Fathima Feroza three days ago, he told her that he had been receiving death threats from unknown sources,” his father S. Deen told Arab News, speaking from the town of Negombo.

Deen said his son had told his wife that if he were to die in the Kingdom then his last wish would be to be buried in Makkah. “If I had known that this would happen so quickly, I would have asked him to come back for good,” he said.

Shamsudeen is also survived by his one-year-old daughter, Ayesha. Deen said his son visited Sri Lanka two years ago to get married and returned four months ago to see his daughter. During his last visit, Shamsudeen had told his wife that he would take them to the Kingdom.

Read more,
http://www.arabnews.com/

Eastern Sri Lanka poll 'relatively violence-free'

The poll to elect a maiden provincial council in eastern Sri Lanka ended on a 'relatively violence-free note' with nearly 60 percent of about one million voters exercising their franchise, the election commission said Saturday.

'According to reports received at the close of the poll, the estimated voter turnout was approximately 65 percent, 55 percent and 60 percent in Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee respectively. Counting has commenced for postal votes,' the election department said.

An assistant commissioner of the election department at Rajagriya in Colombo told IANS Saturday evening that though there were reports of poll-related violence in all three districts in the eastern province, 'they were not serious in nature'.

'There were no immediate reports of 'serious poll-related violence' that could affect the overall outcome of the poll. We, however, have to wait for the zonal reports, which would be out only after the ballot boxes are opened for counting,' he said on condition of anonymity.

'Overall, I would say, the poll is relatively violence free,' he said, adding that the final result for the council would not be released if there was any re-polling due to malpractices.

However, the opposition parties such as the United National Party (UNP), the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) have charged that the poll was largely marred by violence, including rigging, impersonation, assault and intimidation instigated by pro-government mobs.

Read more,
http://www.indiaenews.com/srilanka/20080510/117229.htm

Launch of Wimal Weerawansa's party on May 14

JVP breakaways Wimal Weerawansa and Nandana Gunatilake will launch their political party in Colombo on May 14th, an activist in their political movement said..

There will be 350 invitees when the new movement, which is yet to be given a name, makes its debut at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies at the BMICH.

Messrs. Weerawansa and Gunatilake are due to meet the Elections Commissioner on the previous day to register it as a recognized political party.

May 14, 2008 is of special significance to the JVP, as the day marks the 43rd anniversary of the leftist party founded by the late Rohana Wijeweera.

An events organizing firm has been entrusted with the propaganda and other activities in connection with the occasion, the spokesman said.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankaeverything.com/vinews/politics/20080511012803.php