Live telecast of Kandy perahera to 17 countries

Sri Lanka’s biggest Cultural pageant, the World renowned Kandy Esela Perahera is to be telecast live in 17 countries through Satellite, Intel sat-60.

The Ministry of Tourism has taken this initiative in a bid to boost tourism and to portray the rich cultural heritage of Sri Lanka to the world.

The live telecast would be shown in Japan, Italy, Australia, Taiwan, Tailand, South Korea, India etc. In addition Ministry sources said that there was a possibility of live coverage being carried out in the UK and USA too.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Faizer Musthapa undertook a tour of Kandy recently to discuss many developments and ideas to promote foreign and domestic tourism in the hill capital where he met all relevant sectors and vowed to make Kandy a happening place during the festive season.

The Deputy Minister said that he intended to promote Kandy as a viable destination for both local and foreign tourists.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/07/30/news21.asp

Ranil's last gamble: jumping from the frying pan into the fire

At the end of the day, there is no way in which anyone take away from Ranil Wickremesinghe his three major attributes:
1) his insensitive capacity to sell the nation to its enemies in the name of peace which he can't win with appeasement

2) his proven ability to run down his party until only he is left holding the fort and

3) his knack of picking the wrong political partners and issues in the mistaken belief of saving himself, irrespective of what happens to the UNP or the nation.

If you add up all three it amounts to committing political suicide. And he has done it so many times that he now stands out as the nearest thing to a dead man walking.

His failures are legion and in any other democracy he would have resigned and faded out of public life.

But he clings on to the wobbly presidential chair of the UNP promising to take over power tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow which never comes. These promises are essentially to prevent his backbenchers from crossing over. But his frontbenchers and backbenchers have seen through him and they have deserted him. The last remaining talent is K. N. Choksy and he too has decided to leave him sooner or later.

On top of all this comes the news that Tilak Karunaratne, the UNP Treasurer, has resigned citing Wickremesinghe's latest gaffes of belittling Thoppigala and attacking Buddhist monks. The outstanding quality of any leader is to solve problems.

Read more,
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2007/07/29/fea03.asp

ECB officials satisfied with security arrangements

An England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) delegation comprising England cricket director John Carr and security manager Reg Dickson are presently in Sri Lanka making a security assessment ahead of England's tour of Sri Lanka, which starts in the final week of September.

Sri Lanka Cricket tour organizing committee chairman Shibley Vilcassim said the delegation had expressed great satisfaction over the security arrangements made for the tour. "We had a meeting at the SLC headquarters on Friday where they met representatives of the bomb squad, Sri Lanka Army, Ministry Security Division (MSD) and SSPs of all regional police stations where the matches are to be played."

The delegation also visited the match venues and hotels where the England team will be staying. The matches are scheduled to be played in Colombo (SSC and R. Premadasa Stadium), Dambulla, Kandy and Galle.

Read more,
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/304166.html

No Clemency From Family in Rizana Case

A top level Sri Lankan delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bhaila leaves the Kingdom today after meeting with several Saudi officials to seek clemency for a young Sri Lankan woman who was found guilty of murdering an infant child, opening the way for her to be publicly beheaded.

The woman, who was 17 at the time she came to the Kingdom to work in 2005 as a housemaid for a Saudi family near Riyadh, claims the four-month-old baby she was told to care for accidentally choked to death. The death occurred on the maid’s second week on the job.

Rizana Nafeek was found guilty of murder rather than accidental death on June 16 by a panel of three judges. Earlier this month the Sri Lankan mission in Saudi Arabia succeeded in filing a last-minute appeal, which has temporarily put execution off the table pending the outcome of the Cassation Court trial.

Read more,
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article
=99059&d=29&m=7&y=2007&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom

Navy destroys two LTTE boats and kills 6 sea tigers - Wedithalathive

Two LTTE boats have been destroyed and six sea tigers were killed by the Naval patrol craft in 10Nm west of Wedithalathive at 4:30 p.m. today, July 28.

According to the available information these two LTTE boats were disguised among the cluster of Indian fishing boats and have moved away from the cluster and headed towards west of Wedithalathive as the naval patrol craft reaching towards the cluster of fishing boats.

LTTE cadres onboard have fired Rocket Propeller Grenades (RPG) and using small arms at the naval patrol craft and both LTTE boats were completely destroyed and sunk due to the retaliation, naval sources said.

Naval sources further said that four LTTE cadres were onboard in one boat while two were in the other and all six LTTE cadres were killed due to the retaliation.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070728_06

Tilak K. steps down

UNP Treasurer Tilak Karunaratne yesterday resigned from all posts he held in the party protesting against alleged remarks made by the party leadership regarding the JHU monks and the Thoppigala military victory.

Mr. Karunaratne, a one time JHU strongman, sent his resignation to party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe announcing his resignation from the post of treasurer and from the Working Committee, Administrative Committee, Management Committee and the Religious Affairs Committee.It was also reported that he had problems with the party leadership regarding the appointment of organizers to Bandaragama and Panadura electorates, and the recent tie-up with the SLFP (Mahajana) wing.

Mr. Wickremesinghe’s last minute bid to prevent Mr. Karunaratne from resigning from the party failed despite a meeting between the two last evening.

Sources also said Mr.Karunaratne was to leave the country last night on a short holiday. Unconfirmed reports said Mr. Wickremesinghe had not yet accepted his resignation.

Read more,
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/07/28/front/1.asp

Anti-ceasefire application: Leave granted

The Supreme Court yesterday granted special leave for the applications filed by JHU, JVP and the Sinhala Maha Sabawa against the Court of Appeal order that rejected issuing notices on former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, then Cabinet Ministers and LTTE leader Prabhakaran in connection with writ application filed challenging the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement between Ranil Wickremesinghe and LTTE.

The Supreme Court Bench comprised Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva (PC), Supreme Court Justice Andrew M. Somawansa and Supreme Court Justice Jagath Balapatabendi.

JHU, JVP and the Sinhala Maha Sabawa filed a writ application before the Court of Appeal on March 4, 2002 challenging the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement between Wickremesinghe and the LTTE.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/07/28/news23.asp

Time bomb diffused which has been timed to set off within 10 minutes at Delkanda

Police found a claymore type bomb which has been timed to set off within 10 minutes at Delkanda "Pola" (market) at 1.30 this afternoon. The police made this discovery when a vigilant civilian gave information to the Mirihana Police on the presence of a suspected parcel at the Market. The Army bomb disposal team has rushed to the location and diffused the bomb averting a major bloodbath.

According to the available information the bomb is weighing 8Kgs and has been made using C4 high explosives. Police said that the LTTE terrorists have planted the bomb targeting the innocent civilians.

Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is also scheduled arrive the area to participate for the public meeting of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070722_03

Terrorist fantasy of Eelam shattered into smithereens with the liberation of the entire East by the forces – President Rajapaksa

President Mahinda Rajapaksa the liberation of the entire east from the clutches of the terrorists and announced that east would be developed under a the ‘Nagenahira Navodaya’ programme.

"It is the debunking of the myth of such an area of control, and the shattering into smithereens of the crowning terrorist fantasy of Eelam that our brave soldiers who captured Thoppigala have announced loud and clear to the entire world," he said.

President vowed to defend the independence gained by the people in the East after the province was liberated by the valiant soldiers from the cruel grip of terrorists.

Addressing the ‘Nagenahira Navodaya’ ceremony at the Independence Square this morning, he said that his government would never betray the victory achieved with much sacrifices not only by the armed forces but also the ordinary people who had face hardships in order to safeguard the rights of the people in the east.

Read more,
http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2949&Itemid=44

LTTE has huge profits: report

The London-based Jane’s Intelligence Review says the LTTE has not only created one of the “most sophisticated insurgencies in the world” but also has an annual “profit margin” of $200 to $300 m illion.

A report released on Wednesday says the Tigers have succeeded in establishing one of the sophisticated insurgency networks, largely due to a complex global network of financial resources and weapons that are integral to prolonging its campaign for a separate Tamil state.

In a rare report on the LTTE’s financial operations, Jane’s reports that with financial and procurement structures well organised and strategically positioned around the globe, the group has a profit margin that would be the envy of any multinational corporation.

The report details two overarching financial and procurement bodies that provide the main source of LTTE money, manpower and weapons: the Aiyanna Group and the Office of Overseas Purchases (nicknamed the KP Department).

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/19/stories/2007071956371400.htm

President calls on Iran to join Govt’s efforts to develop East

Following the liberation and comprehensive victory in the East over the LTTE, President Mahinda Rajapaksa called on Iran to join his Government’s efforts of developing it.

President Rajapaksa made this request to the President of the ‘World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thoughts’ His Emminence Ayathullah Sheikh Muhammed Ali Al, when he met him at Temple Trees last Monday.

Ayatollah Sheikh Mohammad Ali Al Taskhiri sought closer understanding between Iran and Sri Lanka in the advances they have made in the field of economic development, social, educational and cultural spheres.

President Rajapaksa conveyed to the religious delegation that his Government had embarked on a massive development programme in the Eastern Province, with the participation of both the Government and the private sectors. He called upon the Iranian government to invest in those development projects.

“If I have oil like you, I can achieve great success in all spheres in the lives of our people”, President Rajapaksa added.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/07/19/news20.asp

Row over “secret deal” with US

The Government’s refusal to table several annexures of the Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) with the United States Of America, drew flak from the main opposition UNP and the JVP in Parliament yesterday.

The JVP which raised the matter urged House Leader Nimal Siripala De Silva to table a comprehensive copy of the agreement without concealing facts from the people.

JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Wimal Weerawansa said Minister De Silva tabled only a part of the agreement when the matter was debated in the House earlier Mr. Weerawansa said that the Government avoided its responsibility by not tabling the relevant annexures containing crucial information.

“We requested the Government to reveal all the information in the ACSA to the House. But, the Government avoided the matter giving elusive answers to our questions,” he said.

Read more,
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/07/19/front/1.asp

Army finds LTTE Multi-Barrel at Thoppigala

Troops conducting search operations in the Thoppigala jungle have found a Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) of the LTTE terrorists in the Omunugala area a short while ago, today ( July 18).

The MBRL is one of the important items of heavy armour of the LTTE terrorists, and had been used against both troops and civilians.

According to Defence sources in the East, the troops had dug up the MBRL which was found dumped at a location close Omunugala, West of Narakamula. This is part of the heavy armour the LTTE had abandoned when it fled the Thoppigala jungle as troops moved in for the final assault on Baron's Cap.

The LTTE terrorists had damaged some of heavy armour and vehicles they left behind as they fled Thoppigala. It is believed that some more heavy guns of the terrorists could be lying hidden in the jungle terrain of Thoppigala. More search operations will be under way to recover these.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070718_06
and
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/6576

JHU to demand Rs. 2.5 bn from Ranil

The Jathika Hela Urumaya is planning to claim Rs. 2.5 billion as damages from Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe for what the party saw as defamation of its five Parliament members.

Dismissing Mr. Wickremesinghe’s recent accusation that JHU leaders had sold their luxury vehicle permits to outsiders, the party’s Legal Advisor Udaya Gammanpila said MPs could not sell vehicle permits given to them for five years.

He said none of the JHU members used the luxury vehicles imported. Thus, JHU Leader Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera, Ven. Omalpe Sobhita Thera, Ven. Kotapola Amarakitti Thera, Ven. Aturaliye Ratana Thera and Minister Champika Ranawaka would send letters of demand claiming Rs 500 million each.

Read more,
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/07/18/front/07.asp