More troops to the Northern front as LTTE pounds on civilian targets

The Sri Lanka Army's ongoing operation into the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) heartland Wanni will be reinforced by two new divisions; the 61 division and the Task Force 2. With the inclusion of new divisions, the total number of SLA divisions taking part in the operation has risen to 7; 53, 55, 57, 58 (TF1) 59, 61 and TF2.

61 division will be commanded by Major General Athula Jayawardena while TF2 will be commanded by Brigadier Ralf Nugera. Already, two brigades of the 61 division ( 61-1 brigade and 61-2 brigade) have been deployed to the Northern front to assist the ongoing operations. SLA hopes to open new fronts in the Wanni battle through the latest deployments.

Meanwhile the LTTE has been blaming the army's 'DPU' for a series of attacks on civilians in un-cleared areas. Sri Lanka Army's Long Range Surveillance units did carry out several attacks in LTTE held territory during the past month. Special Forces units from the 3rd Special Forces regiment (3SF), Commando units from 3rd Commando Regiment as well as military intelligence corps took part in these attacks. However we have credible information that suggest that none of these attacks harmed civilians in any way.

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http://defencenet.blogspot.com/2008/06/more-troops-to-northern-front-as-ltte.html

Sri Lankan govt dissolves two provincial councils, polls soon

Encouraged by the success of the ruling coalition in the key local polls in the LTTE-dominated east last month, the Sri Lankan government dissolved two provincial councils and decided to hold elections soon.

The announcement was made by the Chief Ministers of the Western Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial Councils.

It is learnt that before leaving for London to attend a Commonwealth 'mini-summit' yesterday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa held talks on the issue with the Chief Ministers of the two provinces.

Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Mahipala Herath and North Central Chief Minister Bertie Premalal Dissanayake gave their consent for an election at this stage, as they did not have a majority to run their respective councils.

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http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=134267398

LTTE sending favourable signals for Indian mediation: Minister

Sri Lanka's separatist group LTTE has sent "favourable signals" for India's role as a 'mediator' to end the vexed ethnic conflict in the island nation, Sri a Sri Lankan Tamil Minister said here on Monday.

Addressing the media here, P Chandrasekaran Lankan Minister for Community Development and Social Inequity Eradication, said the LTTE had also evinced interest in Indian intervention and "favourable signals" had emanated from the outfit in this regard.

Chandrasekaran, also leader of Upcountry People's Front, an organisation representing plantations' Tamil workers of Indian origin, said he fervently hoped the Sri Lankan government too would welcome Indian intervention.

He also said LTTE was ready for political solution and the people of Sri Lanka were longing for an end to the war which was too hard a burden on the tiny nation.

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http://www.thehindu.com/holnus/001200806091860.htm

Ranil criticises anti-terror war effort

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has told Indian media that Security Forces in Sri Lanka had failed in the war against LTTE terrorism.

Wickremesinghe, who did not participate in the Ranaviru Day (War Heroes Day) ceremony in Kotte, cited the frequent bomb attacks on civilians as a reason for saying that the war against terror had failed in Sri Lanka.

"Whenever there is terrorism, you need a response. But (that) is not (happening) in Sri Lanka," the Opposition Leader told reporters at the airport, on arrival from Coimbatore en-route to Delhi. He said only a political settlement through "credible power-sharing acceptable to all communities" could bring lasting peace in the island.

The UNP leader arrived at Kochi from Colombo on Thursday and had closed-door sessions for two days with well-known astrologer Parappanangadi Unnikrishna Panicker, the Indian website NewsByte said.

"It was for an Ashtamangalya Prasnam (an astrological pooja for knowing what is in store in the coming days) that Wickremesinghe came here. He used to call on me quite regularly," Panicker told NewsByte. On Saturday and Sunday, Wickremesinghe prayed at the Lord Krishna temple at Guruvayur before emplaning for Chennai.

Extracted from,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/10/pol02.asp