Removing unauthorized constructions Sorrow, Tears and struggle at slave Island

Nearly Thousand families at Slave island in to a big trouble today morning. Police attempted to remove their temporary residences which were unauthorized constructions according to government, to strengthen the security in Colombo prior to SAARC conferences according to a decision taken by Ministry of defense.

Public become restless and all the people in the area faced the same problems

Where to go with their kids?

How to continue their day to day life, schooling, cooking?

The public Motivated to obstruct the police and arguments raised. Police managed to remove them by farce. Lot of people with their children were seen with sorrowful, hopeless faces with dought of their future and their children's future.

Considering this situation the court give and order to postponed the removal up to 22nd this month.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankatruth.com/New/Full_Story_Page/2008/July/18/20080718_04.htm

Photos,
www.lankatruth.com, www.dailymirror.lk and www.lankadeepa.lk

Mysterious presence of Indian in Tiger territory

A chance detection of a boat trying to move through an SLN cordon now in place in the Gulf of Mannar has revealed the presence of some Indians in the LTTE-held area in the Vanni.

An Indian holding passport (ETN/059/001/355/2001) was among seven persons attempting to cross the Indo-Lanka maritime boundary on Wednesday. Selvam Sudesh Kanan has claimed that he along with three other Indians arrived in the LTTE held area in the Vanni on January 10, 2003.

His boat would most probably have escaped if a special naval cordon had not been in place to discourage the Tamil Nadu fishing fleet from poaching in Sri Lankan waters. The SLN has placed the cordon following the detention of nearly 290 Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters on July 2, which triggered protests in the Tamil Nadu.

After initial questioning in Mannar, the SLN had moved the Indian overland to Colombo to be handed over to the Indian High Commission.

Although the government has accepted Selvam’s claim that they were detained by the LTTE used as forced labour, the mystery surrounds the failure on the part of their families to raise the issue with the Sri Lankan mission in Chennai. The Tamil Nadu media, the Indian High Commission or the Norwegian-led truce monitoring mission deployed in the Northern and Eastern Province had not raised the issue, the sources said.

Sources pointed out that although Selvam had a valid Indian passport, he hadn’t entered Sri Lanka through the Bandaranaike International airport. "The bottom line is that he had entered the Vanni mainland clandestinely," an official said.

Read more,
http://www.island.lk/2008/07/18/news14.html
Photo,
MCNS

Wanni operation 16 th July 2008

Source,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080715_11

Hashan chooses politics

Former Test captain Hashan Tilakaratne has said that he would choose the position of UNP organizer for Avissawella over the post of manager of the Sri Lanka cricket team.

Speaking to journalists, Mr. Tilakaratne said he would not let down the people of his electorate, who had placed trust in him.

Noting that even the UNP leadership has permitted him to play a dual role, he said that he was capable of balancing the two.

Sports Minister, Gamini Lokuge has said that he wanted Mr. Tilakaratne to choose between politics and cricket.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankaeverything.com/vinews/sports/20080717081046.php

Lanka's 'Outstanding Sportsman of the Year'

Just days ahead of the home Test series against India, spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan got the confidence booster as he was chosen for Sri Lanka's 'Most Outstanding Sportsman of the Year award'.

President Mahinda Rajapakse honoured Muralitharan the award at a glittering function here on Wednesday night. A beaming Muralitharan thanked the President after receiving the award.

Averaging more than six wickets per Test in his 16 years of international cricket, Muralitharan is one of the most successful bowlers in the history of the game.

He surpassed long time Australian rival Shane Warne's record 708 wickets in December last year on his home turf of Kandy to become the highest Test wicket-taker and has 735 scalps to his name now from 120 matches.

Extracted from,
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14718517

I am just beginning, says Mendis

Ajantha Mendis stepped into the limelight at the Asia Cup final and it seems he just can’t step out of it. For a full forty minutes Mendis was the centre of attention as he got a taste of how the Indian media treated cricketers at the launch of Travelorg Holidays as official tour operator for the upcoming Indo-Lanka series.

Ever smiling, like that other Sri Lankan spinner, Mendis whispered answers in Sinhala for Arjuna Ranatunga to translate. Mendis, whose only unaided utterance, also in Sinhala, was something to the tune of “come watch us play.”

Ranatunga, never short of words, did more than just translate, generously adding to Mendis’ short answers. “Murali is a legend. He has gone very far and I am just beginning,” said Mendis when the inevitable comparison came his way.

Ranatunga let Mendis go in quick time as the bowler had a return flight to catch. “He took a day’s break from practice and I don’t want him to miss another day,” said Ranatunga. “I’m not too comfortable calling Ajantha a freak but he is a freak bowler. He has five different deliveries and is mastering one more,” said Ranatunga. “You have to be at him all the time. To play against Mendis will be the ultimate test.”

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?