You forgot something, Mr. Blake!

There is hardly any difference between an aid-dependent country and a house of ill fame. Both have to leave their doors ajar so that the rich and powerful could enter at will. They have to shut up and entertain the unspeakable moneybags so that they will be paid for the services rendered, whether they like it or not. Else, they run the risk of losing the easy dosh of shame and being branded sinners and stoned in public.

When States are reduced to the level of women of easy virtue, the first thing they lose is their sovereignty and dignity. They end up being, as a local saying goes, bananas without the skin pecked by every crow––ambassadorial or otherwise. They have no alternative but to grin and bear it.

It is reported that US Ambassador Robert Blake met the Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake on Wednesday. What they discussed has not been made public but it is said that the former stressed the importance of conducting free and fair elections in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces. The Foreign Ministry tells us that their meeting has led to no breach of protocol. So be it! After all, this is not the first time such an unusual meeting has taken place.

In 2005, we had President Mahinda Rajapaksa visiting the then Indian High Commissioner Nirupama Rao at her residence for a meeting! Earlier, an Indian High Commissioner had kept the late President J. R. Jayewardene under his diplomatic thumb. J. N. Dixit was his name. A vice president of the World Bank once treated President Chandrika Kumaratunga to a long lecture on good governance at an aid meeting which the latter attended by throwing protocol to the wind.

Read more,
http://www.island.lk/2008/08/22/editorial.html

Mendis an unusual spinner, says Dhoni

India one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has conceded it was not easy to read Sri Lanka's unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis.

"When you are playing Mendis, you have to save wickets and get runs as well. It gets a bit tough. Even Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) was difficult some time back, but Mendis is a bit more unusual than him," said Dhoni.

Mendis played a key role in his team's eight-wicket win over India in the first one-dayer of the five-match series, finishing with 3-21 off nine overs to restrict the tourists to 146.

Sri Lanka achieved the modest target with more than 15 overs to spare, with the man-of-the-match award going to Mendis.

"It's difficult to pick him (Mendis). He is a very different bowler. Even if you pick him, by the time you realise what ball it is, it gets really late to play a big shot," said Dhoni.

"In one-day cricket, it is not only about playing him but also rotating the strike because you don't want a bowler to end up with 10 overs for 20 runs. We need to find a way to rotate the strike.

"I have not seen any bowler like him. He is an unusual bowler. The only option right now is to play more and more of him and that's the only way of getting better."

The Indian captain said losing early wickets affected his team's chances of posting a decent total.

Read more,
http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=507341

AUSTRALIAN LTTE FRONT TO SCREEN A FILM TO PROMOTE SUICIDE TERRORISM

A Brisbane front organization of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will be screening a documentary film promoting suicide terrorism in the Australian city, the Brisbane Activist Center has announced.

The center announced, “This fascinating documentary is an exceedingly rare, inside look at an organization that most of the world has blacklisted as a terrorist group.”
Made by the Norwegians , who are extremely sympathetic to the LTTE , the film has been described a strong argument for the suicide terrorism, which has been condemned flatly in the other parts of the world.

Entitled ,”My Daughter the Terrorist” the documentary film justifies the existence of the suicide terrorists called “Black Tigers” and is accused of telling one sided story about the most feared walking bombs whose most famous victim had been India’s former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who was killed by a woman suicide bomber at a place called Siriperumbudur, in the outskirts of the Tamil nadu city of Chennai.

Many suicide bombers have been found to be former child soldiers who had been kidnapped or taken without the will of their parents from their homes and schools, human rights activists have accused. The desolate children then eventually will be trained to be suicide bombers.

Read more,
http://www.spur.asn.au/

Cheap Kills

The LTTE is losing the support of expatriate Sri Lankan Tamils. Even in India, where the Tamils originally came from, more and more LTTE operatives are being hunted down and arrested. In the last two years, India has arrested 55 LTTE operatives. In the last week, key members of a gunrunning operation were arrested. In Europe, there are now public demonstrations against the LTTE, something that would have been impossible a few years ago, because LTTE enforcers were present to punish those Tamils who were "unpatriotic."

The casualties have been low this year (a few hundred dead and wounded a week), but consistently in favor of the army (about ten LTTE dead for each government one). Every week, the LTTE loses ground. Three years ago, the LTTE controlled over fifteen percent of Sri Lanka, now they have only about six percent (4,000 square kilometers). The Tamil population in this area numbers about 200,000 (a little over one percent of the national population).

The government continues to allow food and other supplies to pass into LTTE controlled territory, as it always has, and the LTTE tries to force civilians to move with them when the army advances into LTTE territory.

Read more,
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/srilank/articles/20080810.aspx

Mendis sets record as India slump

Spin sensation Ajantha Mendis broke a 62-year-old record to help Sri Lanka close in on a series win over India.

India lead the hosts by just 14 runs after being reduced to 161-5 in their second innings on day three of the third and final Test in Colombo.

Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara was finally out for 144 in Sri Lanka's 396.

Mendis's two wickets, which included Sachin Tendulkar, took his series total to 25 and broke Alec Bedser's record for the most wickets in a debut series.

"It is a phenomenal achievement. He came in when Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) needed support and he rose to the occasion well," said Sangakkara.

"He has gone beyond our expectations and the important thing for him is to keep learning."

Read more,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/7552523.stm

Assassinating Rajiv Gandhi was a big blunder by a short-sighted LTTE

The newly elected chief minister of Sri Lanka’s eastern provincial council was a child soldier in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), only 15 years old, when former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in May 1991. In his first interview with an Indian newspaper, S. Santira Kanthan, alias Pillayan, calls the assassination a big mistake on the part of LTTE. Edited excerpts:

What made you join the LTTE and what do you think about it now?
I joined the LTTE in 1991 when I was 15 years old and I thought that through the armed struggle, we could achieve the rights of the Tamil people.

One time the LTTE was very strong, the people believed that it was the only hope for the Tamils, but now they are struggling. That is why the people ended up voting for us.

Why did you leave the LTTE?

In 2004, differences between the northern and eastern provinces became accentuated. I am very attached to the Eastern Province people because I was born there and I know how they were discriminated by the LTTE. I knew that it would be difficult to get Tamil Eeelam (independent homeland for which the Tamil rebels are battling) because the LTTE started killing their own Tamil people. The killing of Rajiv Gandhi was a big blunder which we will never be able to rectify. We lost the dream of Tamil Eelam and left the LTTE and thought better to start a political party through which we can get the aspirations of the Tamil-speaking people (fulfilled).

Where were you when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated?
I was in the LTTE training camp.

Read more,
http://www.livemint.com/2008/08/10234519/Assassinating-Rajiv-Gandhi-was.html

6 suspected LTTE operatives held in Chennai

At least six suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) operatives were arrested here on Saturday, the police said.

A number of fake number plates and other materials were seized from the suspects, according to the police.

The detentions were the consequence of the 10-day-old arrest of LTTE operative Thambinna alias Daniel, police sources said.

Extracted from,
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14737182

Kasargod: Subsidized Kerosene Diverted to LTTE from State?

The additional director general of police, Kerala intelligence wing, through an information sent to the police stations located in Kasargod and Kannur districts of the state, has shared with them the information, that a part of the subsides kerosene the government is supplying to the fishermen of the districts, is being sold to LTTE cadres for fuelling their activities.

The intelligence wing has learnt that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) wants fuel to power its boats and that it has engaged agents in these districts to collect kerosene and pass on the same to the LTTE. The police have learnt that such agents have been active in places like Talangare, Bekal and Ayikal.

Many fishermen are frustrated to learn that huge quantities of this scarce commodity, for getting which they have to struggle a lot, is being sold at a premium to LTTE. It may be noted that the blue kerosene which as per rules, is sold only through ration shops for nine rupees a litre, is available for sale in other shops for around Rs 25 per litre.

Boats of Tamil fishermen from Srilanka who are sympathetic to the LTTE cause, come near the sea shores of Trivendrum and other places. The middlemen are believed to be supplying kerosene to the LTTE through these boats.

In the recent past, policemen have been able to confiscate huge stocks of illegally stored kerosene from various spots. 1,400 litres of kerosene had been seized by them recently from a house in Anangoor and arrested a person. This was subsidized kerosene. The police are keeping an eye on other suspects and continuing with their investigations.

Extracted from,
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?

Spurt of arrests indicates LTTE's increasing dependence on Indian sources for war material

The sudden spurt in the arrests of Tamil Tigers and their Indian associates in Tamil Nadu indicates the growing dependence of the Sri Lankan group on India to source its war materials, foreign media reported quoting Indian official sources.

It is a widely know fact that the LTTE terrorists appear to have stepped up efforts to procure a variety of goods and equipment from Tamil Nadu.

"The Economic Times" reveals that since July 1, seven Indian and Sri Lankan Tamils each have been taken into custody in Tamil Nadu. Of the Sri Lankans, four were from the LTTE, including a senior leader of the Sea Tigers known as Thambi Anna.

Thambi Anna is described as one of the most senior LTTE operatives ever to be caught in Tamil Nadu.

Quoting the Indian Home Ministry the newspaper said that both the Intelligence Bureau and the Tamil Nadu police were involved in making some of the arrests, including that of Thambi Anna.

The seven Indians taken into custody are those who decided to assist the Tigers for monetary benefits. None of them appeared to be ideologically committed to the LTTE cause, it is reported.

The Indo-Asian News Service, quoting officials, said that from the equipment seized from the arrested men, it looked as if the Tigers might be changing their communication mode to weed out electronic infiltration by Colombo.

Read more,
http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6669&Itemid=44

Defence deal offered to Lanka

Pakistan, a key supplier of small arms to Sri Lanka, has proposed a defence pact to boost military cooperation between the two countries, Pakistani officials said Friday.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi made the offer to his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollegama on the sidelines of a South Asian meeting in Colombo, the officials said. “A (draft) defence cooperation agreement has been given to Sri Lanka,” said a senior Pakistani official who did not wish to be named.

India has been uneasy about the growing military clout of its arch-rival Pakistan in Sri Lanka, which New Delhi regards as being within its sphere of geo-political influence.

Islamabad is already an important supplier of small arms and ammunition to Sri Lankan security forces, who are battling separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, and Pakistan is also training a large number of Sri Lankan military personnel.

Indian diplomats have privately raised concerns about closer defence ties between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which also buys military hardware from China and Israel as well as from former Soviet Union states.

“We want Sri Lanka to quickly move on that (the draft agreement),” the Pakistan diplomatic official said, adding the pact was intended to bring the two sides closer. There was no immediate comment from Sri Lankan authorities on the Pakistani proposal. Details of the defence pact offer were not immediately available.

Read more,
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online

1250 litres of Acetic acid seized -Rameswaram

Police seized 1250 litres of Acetic acid meant for smuggling to Sri Lanka for the LTTE, hidden in a defunct coir factory at Thoppu Valasai coastal hamlet in Uchchipuli, here today.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team raided the factory and recovered 25 cans containing the acid from a cement tank.

The acetic acid was used for cleaning the rust formed in assault rifles, pistols and other arms, police sources said.

Extracted from,
http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20080731/1014969.html

Top LTTE cadre arrested -CHENNAI

A top functionary of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was taken into custody here on Wednesday. Following specific inputs given by the State intelligence, the ’Q’ Branch police apprehended J. Thambi Annan alias Daniel (46) of Killinochi. “It is a very important catch. He is placed high in the LTTE’s hierarchy. Daniel was heading the procurement module of the outfit in Sri Lanka,” Director-General of Police (Law and Order) K.P. Jain told The Hindu on Wednesday.

According to police sources, Daniel played an instrumental role in procuring major consignments, including explosive substances, for the banned organisation from India and other parts of the world. He was involved in the attempts to smuggle consignments of aluminium ingots and ball bearings, which were intercepted and seized by the police in Ramanathapuram and Madurai districts in the recent months, the sources said, adding that the ‘Q’ Branch police would take custody of the Sri Lankan national, whose confessions could give leads to the source and supply network of the LTTE.

Extracted from,
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/31/stories/2008073150180100.htm

SAARC leaders to meet on August 2

Foreign Affairs Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee are set to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Council of Ministers meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Corporation on Thursday (today).

The two-day ministers meeting is commencing from today's morning at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. According to the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, India, Bhutan and Bangladesh had arrived here on Wednesday.

Pranab Mukherjee was holding a series of bilateral meetings with other ministers including an important interaction with Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a diplomat said. However, he refused to divulge the agenda for the talks between Qureshi and Mukherjee.

A Pakistani diplomat also confirmed that Qureshi, who has a detail meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart, is scheduled to meet with the Indian minister today at the Conference Hall. In his arrival statement, Qureshi said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka have traditionally enjoyed close friendly relations.

The relations between the two were based on mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in each other's state, he said.

PM to attend SAARC summit in Colombo: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani will leave for Colombo on August 2, after his US tour where he will participate in the 15th South Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit.

Read more,
http://thepost.com.pk/IsbNewsT.aspx?dtlid=175295&catid=17

Mukherjee arrives in Colombo

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee arrived in Colombo on Wednesday night to participate in SAARC Council of Ministers meeting on Thursday.

Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister MK Hussain Bahila and Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad received Mukherjee at the airport.

The SAARC Council of Ministers' meeting will finalise the agenda for the August 2-3 summit.

Mukherjee arrived in Colombo from Tehran where he attended the 15th Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

This year's SAARC summit is being held under the theme of 'Partnership for our people' and will also focus on launch of the SAARC Development Fund, establishing a South Asian Regional Standards Organisation, and increasing cooperation among SAARC nations with regard to criminal offences.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit is also likely to be discussed the expansion of the regional grouping.

The Sri Lankan government has stepped up security across the capital for the SAARC meeting.

Extracted from,
http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx?

Another ‘spin’ test for India

Galle: The Indians are likely to retain the same side, that got thrashed at the SSC, for the second Test beginning on Thursday.

The Indians will have to quickly find a solution to counter the twin threat posed by Muttiah Muralidharan and Ajantha Mendis.

Agencies add: Still licking the wounds of their humiliating defeat in the first Test in Colombo, the Indians got little time to regroup and work out a definite strategy to deal with the wily Muralidharan and Mendis.

Apart from the poor batting display, the Indian bowling and fielding also left much to be desired in Colombo, and it will need a vastly-improved performance from Anil Kumble and his men to keep themselves afloat in the three-match series.

The pressure, no doubt, will be on the batsmen who surrendered meekly to the spinners in the last game, which was quite surprising considering their experience and reputation of playing spin bowling.

For a batting line-up which boasts of seasoned batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S Laxman and Virender Sehwag, the collective failure in Colombo should serve as a big blow. It will be a real test of character for these top batsmen.

The Indians have also been toying with the idea of bringing in left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha at the expense of a batsman to strengthen the spin department.

Read more,
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080731/jsp/sports/story_9625953.jsp

Sri Lanka Assumes SAARC Chair

Sri Lanka assumed the presidency of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), made up of eight countries, which are preparing projects for the 15th Regional Summit to be held from August 2-3.

The 25th session of that panel discussed the agenda of the important event that will gather Head of States from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Falkland Islands, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, which entered as full member.

It was also announced that they finished an agreement that was ready to be signed, devoted to establish the Developmemnt Fund of SAARC, which will allocate resources for this economic, social, and infrastructural phenomenon of the organization member countries.

The eight heads of States and Governments will arrive in Sri Lanka Thursday and Friday, under an unprecedented security mechanism in Colombo.

The Summit will be attended by Prime Ministers from Bhutan, Jigme Thinley, India and Pakistan Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani, and Presidentes of the Falklands, Afghanistan and the host country, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Hamid Karzai, and Mahinda Rajapaksa, respectively.

Top level delegations from China, the European Union, Iran, Mauricio, Japan, South Korea and the United States will participate as observers.

Extracted from,
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?

Lanka keen to clinch series at Galle: Bayliss

Trevor Bayliss, Sri Lanka’s coach, said his side, although expecting stiffer resistance from India during the second Test, was looking to clinch the series at Galle.

Sri Lanka, which won the first Test in Colombo, leads the three-match series 1-0.

“We played some very good cricket in the first Test, and we expect to play a similar match here,” said Bayliss, after Sri Lanka’s practice session on Tuesday.

What did he make of the strip?

“It is a pretty good pitch to bat, does not matter whether we bat first or second,” he said. “Last time when we played here Chaminda Vaas took four wickets against England and I expect him to be a threat here again. Spin will certainly be our strength.”

Bayliss called Ajantha Mendis a revelation “not just for Sri Lankan cricket but for world cricket as well.” He added that the young spinner’s temperament and ability to learn quickly was remarkable.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/30/stories/2008073056431900.htm

Sri Lanka plans foolproof security for SAARC summit

The Tamil Tigers may have announced a unilateral 10-day truce but the Sri Lankan government is leaving nothing to chance for the upcoming SAARC summit. It has deployed 19,000 additional security personnel to provide foolproof protection for the visiting leaders.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) truce between July 26 and Aug 4 was rejected by the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa as "a trap".

The 15th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) starts at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall here Aug 2. It will be attended by leaders of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

All these leaders will bring their own personnel to personally look after their security but media reports in Colombo and India indicate that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will come with scores of elite Black Cats. India is also sending helicopters and bulletproof cars.

Military spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the Sri Lankan police and security forces would be in charge of the security cover for the summit.

"About 19,000 additional troops, including police personnel, will be deployed for the summit. It is a well coordinated security plan to ensure the best security cover for the summit," Nanayakkara told IANS.

Read more,
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?

Security for SAARC meet strengthened

Despite the LTTE’s ceasefire declaration for the duration of the SAARC Summit, Sri Lanka is taking nothing to chance and has drawn up an unprecedented security plan. The government on Tuesday said it viewed the ceasefire announcement as a ruse to regroup.

A senior government official told The Hindu there would no change in the security measures contemplated by the military and police to ensure smooth conduct of the summit. “We do not believe in the pronouncements of the LTTE. If the past conduct of the Tigers is any guide, the so-called unilateral ceasefire by the LTTE is all the more reason for the government to be extra vigilant,” said the official.

The security plan for the SAARC is envisaged in two phases. Some of the measures proposed would come into force only in the second phase, when the Foreign Ministers commence their two-day deliberations on July 31, and when regional leaders meet on August 2 and 3.

Read more,
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/24/stories/2008072452961400.htm

Sri Lanka-India economic pact signing to be delayed

The Sri Lankan government said Friday that the signing of the much anticipated Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Sri Lanka would be delayed.

"We are not in a hurry to sign it. It is still at the discussion table, not finalized yet," Anura Yapa, the government spokesman and the minister of Information and Media told reporters.

It is reported earlier that the CEPA would be signed on the sidelines of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation ( SAARC) meeting to be held in Colombo from July 27 to Aug. 3.

The CEPA framework was presented to the Sri Lankan cabinet this week, government sources revealed.

Local industrialists have expressed interest to the CEPA and complained about the lack of information available to them on the proposed agreement.

The CEPA will come as a follow-up to the Indo-Lanka Free Trade Agreement signed in 2005.

Officials said the CEPA will allow investment and trading of services between the two south Asian neighbors as opposed to the mere exchange of goods under the FTA.

extracted from,
http://calibre.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=314328821