Ready for talks if LTTE down weapons first - President

He was not aware as yet of Indian diplomats arriving in Colombo for the SAARC Summit bringing their own security, however he saw nothing wrong in leaders of countries having their own security when they travel abroad, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the Indian media yesterday. (July 12).

He was answering questions regarding security for Indian delegates to the SAARC Summit in Colombo, at a press conference at Thirupathy in Andhra Pradesh, prior to his departure for Sri Lanka.

“I have my own security here. It is natural. Any leader who comes to another country will not just walk in there. They will bring their own security. We consider it our duty to look after their security while in Sri Lanka, but they also bring their own security. Every leader does that”, the President said.

Answering a question about a statement by the LTTE’s Political Wing leader, Nadesan, that the Government was not willing to reopen negotiations, President Rajapaksa said the government was ready even today.

“I am ready today. Let them keep their weapons down, because whenever they are weak they are ready for talks.”

Asked about possible deadline for talks with the LTTE, President Rajapaksa said there was no deadline as it was up to the LTTE. “From my side, we are ready. Only, they must give up arms, and give up terrorism. You know the problems you have in your own country with terrorists and terrorist organisations.”

“See what happened in Kabul. Terrorism strikes in Kabul, New York, London and Colombo. It is all the same. You cannot achieve anything through terrorism,” he said. Asked whether he was interested in mediation, he said it should be possible to settle this matter by direct discussions: “We are all Sri Lankans, we are all brothers, whether we are from the North, East or South. Surely we can settle this by talking to each other”.

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Reports describes how LTTE conscripts children reaching 17 years and the death of 30 % of the recruits

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) since 2007 has been conscripting boys and girls who had just reached 17 years of age as cannon fodder for war and by now 30 percent of those thus recruited have been killed, declares the a human rights body of the Tamils.

The University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna), which has been constantly on the watch about child soldiers of the Tamil terrorist group says, "Assuming there are around 200,000 people or 40,000 families living under LTTE control, it places the number dead in this round of war roughly at the order of 5000. This would be fairly commensurate with other estimates from the Vanni, that about 30% of those conscripted in this round of war are, by now, are dead."

The report says those who have conscripted to fight by the LTTE are "virtual prisoners" of the LTTE and analysts say they could be extremely unwilling soldiers of a very low morale.

The bulletin describes how those recruits are taken by force to the LTTE army: "LTTE gangs frequently invade homes before dawn carrying details about the residents, looking for those who have come of conscription age. A boy or girl reaching the age of 17 and failing to report to the LTTE could expect LTTE gangs to turn up within two or three days. Others seen to be suitable are caught on the roads."

The report further digs into details about the LTTE’s recruitment methods: "A year ago, Killinochchi, AGA Nithyananthan was travelling on his motorcycle with his young daughter on the pillion. He was stopped by the LTTE and the girl was taken. Nothing more has since been heard of her.

"A Village Headman Pasupathy was asked for his daughters. He negotiated with the LTTE to take him and spare his two girls. The LTTE agreed and he went. Six months later the LTTE went to his home and took one of the girls. Not caring a thing for the father’s bitter feelings, the LTTE recruiters went around saying, "See now, this educated government officer Pasupathy has joined, why can’t you join?"

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Sri Lanka airforce bombs rebel heartland

Sri Lanka's air force has carried out air raids at Tamil Tiger rebel heartland of Mullaithivu, officials said Saturday.

Airforce spokesman Janaka Nanayakkara said the air raids were made on a rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) bunker line 3.5 kms south of Thunnukai in Mullaithivu around 7 a.m. local time (0130 GMT).

The pilots had reported that the air raids have been successful, Nanayakkara added.

The government troops are confident of crushing the LTTE rebels as soon as possible in their on-going military campaign against the rebels.

The LTTE have now been confined to just two districts, Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi in the north, the government claims citing success of their military campaign.

The LTTE rebels are fighting for an independent homeland for the minority Tamils in the north and east provinces. The armed campaign since the 1980s have cost over 70,000 lives.


Extracted from,
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/12/content_8535657.htm

East like phoenix rises from ashes

Snarling through the newly built bund, the dust and heat greet us showing the signs of the rustic life of an area always burdened with hardships.With no mercy, the sun bakes the ‘soil as well as the skin’.

The embarkment built with fresh red soil to prevent flooding which in undates the entire area with more than 15 feet under water. The sluice gates was the landmark of a humanitarian mission to liberate the fertile Eastern province, where thousands of Tamils were held as human shields, from the paws of the LTTE.

Mavil Aru

Despite the scorching sun the tractor drivers and labourers were busy levelling new bund, a stretch of over three kilometres, happy with the Ministry of Nation Building for giving them job opportunities.

“This is the first time that we have cultivated large acreage of paddy lands after liberation of the East. The LTTE terrorists while holding the Mavil Aru anicut, some farmers were chased away and some were killed. We abandoned these lands until the military captured and restored peace”, says H.M. Tikiri Banda, a paddy farmer in Mavil Aru since 1978.

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Chintana Vithanage qualifies for Olympics in Weight lifting

Sri Lankan premier weight lifter Chinthana Geethal Vidanage qualified to contest in the Olympic Games which is to be held in August in Beijing, China.

Chinthana, who clinched the gold medal in 62 kg weight lifting event at the Commonwealth Games in 2006 in Australia also set up three records at the 33rd National Sports Meet held recently.

Chinthana was born in Polonnaruwa on 31st December 1981 and began his weight lifting career in 1996 when he was placed fifth at the Junior Weight-Lifting National.

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