120 Tamil youth surrender: Sri Lankan army

Around 120 Tamil youths, including several LTTE militants, have "surrendered" to the authorities, the Sri Lankan Army said here today amid raging fighting in the country's restive north.

"Some 42 LTTE cadres have surrendered to the Jaffna Human Rights Commission during the past few weeks," military spokesman, Udaya Nanayakkara, told PTI adding that reports suggested that in all about 120 tamil youth have "surrendered" during the period in northern Sri Lanka.

The spokesman claimed that some "surrenders" also took place due to fears of forced induction into the LTTE forces.

"Many who give themselves up or are handed over by their parents are those who fear the LTTE. We hand them over, who in turn produce them before the magistrate," the official said.

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http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200709291223.htm

Lanka minister slams Govt for silence on Myanmar

The Sri Lankan Minister for National Heritage, Anura Bandaranaike, has lambasted the government and the Buddhists in the island for their silence on the developments in Myanmar, where a military government is ruthlessly crushing a pro-democracy movement spearheaded by Buddhist monks and the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi.

"What do our self-appointed custodians of Buddhism in parliament have to say? Not a word about the attacks on fellow Buddhist priests in Yangon, who took to the streets in utter desperation. Silence is the finest form cowardice. The silence of our Buddhists is deafening, especially the self-appointed custodians of the Dhamma and of course our Foreign Ministry," Bandaranaike said in a statement in Colombo on Friday.

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

Air Force destroys Sea Tiger training facility -Puthukkudiyiruppu

Sri Lanka air force fighter jets this morning (September 29) destroyed a key training facility of the Sea Tigers located at Thevipuram, Northwest of Puthukkudiyiruppu, air force sources said.

A combined air raid of MIG 27 and Kafir fighter jets launched at 8.10.a.m accurately hit the terrorists' training camp which is known as L2 (Lima two) , the sources added.

Information gathered through air surveillance and ground intelligence for a long time have confirmed that the target had been used to train LTTE cadres on seaborne and amphibian operations. Further, real time ground information has confirmed that the activities in the targeted camp have largely increased since last two- three weeks.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070929_02

LTTE dissident Karuna ‘leaves’ Lanka

The controversial LTTE dissident, Colonel Karuna, is believed to have left Sri Lanka recently, following trenchant international criticism of the activities of his group, the Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), in the eastern Tamil-speaking district of Batticaloa.

Media reports said on Wednesday that Karuna had left for Britain. But independent sources could only confirm that he had left the country temporarily.

The Scandinavian-staffed Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and the New York-based Human Rights Watch had both criticised the TMVP for forcibly recruiting children and extorting money from the people in Batticaloa.

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=93c6

I wish Tendulkar plays for 10 more years: Jayawardene

Critics may say that Sachin Tendulkar is past his prime and should contemplate retirement, but Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardane feels the Indian batting maestro has a lot of cricket left in him.

"I think Tendulkar is playing great cricket. I wish he plays for 10 more years," Jayawardene told PTI here.

Jayawardane's English counterpart Paul Collingwood echoed his views and said Tendulkar was in great touch despite playing almost non-stop cricket for the past 18 years.

"I think he is in great form and will continue for some more years," Collingwood said.

Tendulkar had opted out of the recently-concluded Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa. He returns to action in the seven-match ODI series against Australia starting tomorrow.

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http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200709281340.htm

Sri Lanka Tells UN Debate That Global Treaty on Terrorism Must Be Agreed

The negotiation process for a comprehensive global convention against terrorism has taken far too long and needs to wind up, Sri Lanka's President told the United Nations General Assembly today as he called for greater international vigilance against terrorism and related illegal activities.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, addressing the annual high-level general debate at UN Headquarters in New York, said his country knew first-hand of both the impact of terrorism and the need to act aggressively to deal with the scourge.

"We have become party to 11 of the 13 UN conventions for the suppression of various acts of terrorism," he said. "We think that the comprehensive convention on international terrorism, which in our view remains a priority, is only limited to endless discussion. I emphasize that we must conclude these negotiations soon."

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http://newsblaze.com/story/20070926090452tsop.nb/newsblaze/TOPSTORY/Top-Stories.html

Solheim to meet President today

Norway's International Development Minister Erik Solheim is due to call on President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the sidelines of the UN deliberations.

President Rajapaksa and Solheim, who was the special envoy for the Sri Lankan Peace Process prior to the appointment of Jon-Hanssen Bauer, are expected to discuss the current developments in Sri Lanka including the All Party Representative Committee Process, which is on the threshold of presenting a finalised set of proposals.

Solheim recently told an interviewer in Norway that Norway was willing to resume its role of facilitating the peace process. It was waiting patiently till the Government and the LTTE agree to resume talks, he said.

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http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/09/26/news17.asp

Sri Lanka Tamil party shocked over UNP's deviation from federalism

The leader of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) V. Anandasangaree today expressed shock over the United National Party’s (UNP) deviation from the former federalist stance on the solution to the ethnic problem.

Issuing a statement, V. Anandasangaree said that the UNP had agreed at Oslo talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) to find a solution to the ethnic problem based on federal reforms. He says that a solution cannot be found for the ethnic issue based on unitary state framework and emphasized the need of a federal structure similar to India.

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http://www.colombopage.com/archive_07/September26133116SL.html

Army captures LTTE's FDL near Yodha Wewa

The Military on Monday captured the LTTE's first Forward Defence Lines on the western side of the Yodha Wewa in the north of Mannar, in a fresh military operation launched on Sunday to capture the area, military sources said.

They said that on Monday itself the military was able to kill more than 20 LTTE cadres and injure nearly 40. Clashes erupted between the advancing military and the LTTE on Monday on the west of the Yodha Wewa.

Extracted from,
http://www.thecitizenjournalist.org/index.cfm?

Security Forces Confront LTTE Attack at Yoda Weva

During the early hours today(24), at around 12.15 p.m., LTTE terrorists attempt to attack a security cordon along the Western side of Yoda wewa area in Mannar was repelled successfully by the Forces.

During the clashes four soldiers were injured while 9 LTTE cadres were killed and 36 injured.

Security Forces have also established through LTTE radio transmission interceptions that a vehicle belonged to the terrorists was also completely destroyed.

Extracted from,
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=7560

Jaffna University lecturer killed in LTTE claymore blast

A lady lecturer of the University of Jaffna and a Government Technical Officer were killed in a claymore mine explosion carried out by the LTTE this morning (25) in Jaffna.

Those killed were Sharadha Maransodhi (42) a senior lecturer of the University of Jaffna who died on the spot and Kandan Nishandan (25) a Technical Officer of the Uduvil AGA Office, who died on admission to the Base Hospital at Chankanai- Manippay, the Vaddukkoddai Police said.

The claymore mine attack took place at 8.05 am today at Sithankerni junction along the Manippay - Karainagar main road in Jaffna.

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http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070925_03

Tigers tried to target Gotabhaya in U.S.

The movement of two suspected LTTE hit men from Canada to the USA during a recent private visit to America by the Defence Ministry Secretary Col. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa sparked off a quick re-action from the US Federal Agencies.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) which was tipped off by friendly agencies about the movement of LTTE operatives swiftly tracked down Col. Rajapakse to provide him with security, according to reliable sources.

The unassuming Secretary had traveled incognito to prevent inconveniencing enforcement agencies providing security to him. He was forced to reluctantly accept security provided by the FBI when the full extent of the threat was explained to him.

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http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/7510

LTTE may tap supplies in South India hideouts: Report

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels in Sri Lanka, running short of ammunition, particularly heavy calibre artillery and mortars, will try to tap the supplies from their "South Indian hideouts," a media report said on Monday.

"As tigers experience what the military believes is the worst shortage of ammunition, particularly heavy calibre artillery and mortars, the Sri Lankan navy is stepping up its efforts to prevent them from bringing in fresh supplies to the Mannar mainland," The Island Newspaper quoted official sources as saying.

The official claimed that the "enemy (LTTE) would now try to bring in whatever supplies available in their South Indian hideouts," it reported.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Rest_of_World/Weapon_star...

Four Top Rank Tiger (LTTE) Leaders Confirmed Killed

Latest intelligence obtained by the Security Forces following the aerial shelling on LTTE’s Vishwamadhu “Imbran Pandyan” military complex during the weekend (September 21-22) confirmed four top rank terrorist leaders were among those feared dead.

The intelligence also re-affirmed that one of those dead terrorist cadres has been posthumously promoted to the rank of a “Lieutenant Colonel ” by the LTTE hierarchy.

Air force fighter craft on Friday (21) bombed LTTE’s “Imbran Pandyan” regiment complex in Vishwamadhu, west of Pudukudiiruppu, Mulathivu around 12.15 noon while an LTTE meeting was in progress. Again on Saturday (22), fighter craft after information was received confirming Tiger terrorists were collecting remnants from their bombed military complex conducted another bombardment at about 7.00 a.m. and crippled their plans.

Extracted from,
http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=8000