Prabakaran's official photographer killed

Military sources say that Prabakaran�s official photographer Thavam has died in Kilinodhdhi hospital yesterday.

He has succumbed to the injuries of a military attack.LTTE has honored him with a name given only to special persons posthumously and his rank has also been elevated to Lt. Colonel, says a Tamil language website.

Thavam, born in Trincomalee, joined the LTTE in 1981. Previously he served as the chief of a Tamil language website and the technical chief of the Voice of Tiger radio.

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http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?id=5407

Troops Bag More Areas in Mannar

Troops,now triumphantly storming areas hitherto held by Tiger terrorists in the eastern part of MANNAR area in ANDANKULAM, to the north of GIANT TANK this morning (18) around 5.30 a.m. captured an area of about 600 sq m with an LTTE defence line and a strongly- built bund.

Ten Tiger terrorists who resisted the move lost their lives in the surprise attack. At least ten more Tigers received injuries in the skirmishes.

The clashes let the troops re-gain the area after so many years. Six terrorist dead bodies and three T-56 weapons were recovered by the troops later on.

One valiant soldier paid the supreme sacrifice during the fight for supremacy in the area.

Four soldiers received injuries in the fighting.Troops are now consolidating their positions.

Extracted from,
http://army.lk/morenews.php?id=10881

Sri Lanka does not endorse Kosovo 'independence'

The Foreign Ministry, in a statement released yesterday (17) has refused to endorse the unilateral secession of Kosovo from the Republic of Serbia, noting that the move was made without the consent of the majority of people in Serbia. The full text of the Foreign Ministry media release is as follows:

Sri Lanka has noted the unilateral declaration of Independence (UDI) by Kosovo.

Sri Lanka does not endorse the unilateral secession of Kosovo from the Republic of Serbia. We note that the declaration of independence was made without the consent of the majority of the people of Serbia.

This action by Kosovo is a violation of the Charter of the United Nations, which enshrines the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States.

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Asian countries fearful over Kosovo independence

The declaration of Kosovo's independence is generating fear in many Asian nations, above all those made up of various ethnic groups. They are afraid that Kosovo's unilateral independence could be a model for many other groups, leading to the disintegration of countries like China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and even India.

Yesterday, the Kosovar parliament unanimously (and unilaterally) declared its independence from Serbia. The region, which now has an overwhelmingly Albanian and Muslim majority population, has separated from the rest of Serbia, which is of Slavic and Orthodox tradition.

The decision, which has long been supported by the United States, has created joy in Kosovo, but great concern in the world. Various countries of the European Union - Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy - are ready to recognise the new country, together with the U.S.

Russia, allied with Serbia, asked overnight for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, and obtained a more formal and extensive meeting on the topic for tomorrow afternoon.

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http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=11548&geo=7&size=A

Animal rights group protests LTTE attack on zoo

An international animal rights organisation has protested the bombing of a zoo in Dehiwela in Sri Lanka, allegedly by Tamil Tiger rebels earlier this month. “In addition to injuring several human beings - which was no doubt its intent - the explosive device that was set off near the zoo’s birds enclosure terrified many animals in the zoo,” said Ingrid E. Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in a letter to the Tamil Tiger leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran.

At least seven people, including two children, were injured, when a grenade kept near the birds’ enclosure went off Feb 3.

Newkirk said that animals got caught in the cross fire of wars all over the world and countless animals were being killed either intentionally or accidentally in bomb attacks worldwide.

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http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/

Lamentation of a slain female LTTE cadre

This is a lamentation of a female Tiger cadre Jenny, who died in a recent battle with the Sri Lanka Army in Parapakandal, located in the Mannar district. After her death letters were recovered from her.

The letters reveal the mentality of the female cadre who was recruited forcefully by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to be a cannon fodder in a meaningless battle which kills so far more than 20,000 LTTE cadres alone.

In one of the letters found in the body of the female cadre reveals that she did not join the LTTE voluntarily. She was forcefully conscripted. She knew very well that she will never be able to leave from the grip of the Tamil Tigers. But she was longing to be reunited with her father, mother, sisters, brothers and others in the family. Unfortunately her yearnings did not materialize.

“When will I be able to get out of this hell? I am not sure whether it might ever happen,” she writes with frustration and finality.

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http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/9659

Nobody can touch Prabhakaran: LTTE

Rubbishing frequent claims by Sri Lankan government that the elusive LTTE supremo Vellupillai Prabhakaran has been injured in a military raid, his key aide has said the people would soon realise the "futility" of army's claims of success against the rebels.

"A false propaganda saying our leader Prabhakaran is injured is being carried. Nobody can approach our leader," LTTE political head B. Nadesan told the Tamil Daily Thinakkural in an interview yesterday. While the Sri Lankan security forces were claiming success in their clashes against LTTE, Nadesan said the "people of Sri Lanka will realise the futility of such a claim in times to come".

Nadesan accused the Sri Lankan government of trying to sideline the Norwegian mediators besides contradicting the United Nations. "The government is not in favour of peace process," he said. Lankan Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetilleke had said that fighter jets had dropped 20 bombs on Prabhakaran's bunker on November 26, 2007 and had claimed that the rebel leader could have been injured in the attack. The LTTE denied the claim.

Read more,
http://news.indiainfo.com/2008/02/17/0802171801_lanka_prabhakaran.html

No change in AIADMK stand towards LTTE: Panneerselvam

The All India Anna DMK (AIADMK) today made it clear that there was no change in its stand in opposing the outlawed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the post-Rajiv (assassination) era.

Reacting to DMK platform speaker Vetrikondan's demand for the arrest of party Supremo J Jayalalithaa for having supported the LTTE and its leader V Prabakaran, AIADMK Treasurer O Panneerselvam, in a statement here, said the AIADMK has changed its stand towards the LTTE after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and there was no change in it.

Dismissing the demand as childish, he said not only Ms Jayalalithaa, but a galaxy of leaders, including former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran had supported the LTTE, but that was before the assassination of Mr Gandhi.

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http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?

Paralysed maid returns to Sri Lanka after two years in Sharjah hospital

A paralysed domestic worker from Sri Lanka finally boarded a flight home on Saturday after being stranded in a UAE hospital for over two years.

Rejina John’s departure has evoked a mixed reaction from all those associated with her stay in the country. Their happiness at seeing Rejina return home was tinged with sadness as they will all miss the feisty young woman.

Despite losing her ability to speak, Rejina managed to connect with staff at the Kuwaiti Hospital in Sharjah with enthusiastic responses and an endearing smile.

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http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Society/10190241.html

JVP denies allegation of arms deal link with LTTE

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday denied the allegations levelled against the party, accusing it of having had an arms deal with the LTTE during the 1988-’89 period, across the Hambantota coastal area.

JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa told The Nation that the accusation was cooked up by retired Major General Wasantha Perera in favour of the court case filed against Weerawansa.

“He is trying to influence the procedure of the court with such stories, which are in favour of him. Anyway, we do not believe that anyone will believe those tales as the JVP has contributed immensely to bring the LTTE down to the position in which it is today. He is a retired Army officer and we have to mind that whatever he may say is unofficial,” he added.

Perera filed a case earlier against Weerawansa seeking Rs. 5 million for a statement the MP had made on the Rupavahini’s Visanvada programme.

Weerawansa alleged that the media had twisted the story and reported the incident in the press.
“I was there at the Colombo District Court when Perera made the statement. What he said was that he had investigated in to the matter to check whether the JVP had transactions with the LTTE. He only said that he investigated the issue; he didn’t specifically say that the JVP had an arms deal with the LTTE. It was misinterpreted by the media.”

Extracted from,
http://www.nation.lk/2008/02/17/news4.htm

Mervyn De Silva to quit parliament

Labour Minister Mervyn De Silva speaking to www.news.lk today confirmed reports that he would resign his parliamentary seat shortly. The Mnister represents the United People's Freedom Alliance.

He was first elected to Parliament in 1994 from Hambantota on the UNP ticket and crossed over to the People's Alliance in 1999. He is currently the SLFP Organizer for the Kelaniya electorate.

Extracted from,
http://www.news.lk/index.php?

LTTE’s Operation Coordinating Center In Wanni, Bombed

Sri Lanka air force (SLAF) fighter craft this afternoon (16) successfully bombed LTTE’s ‘Operation Co-ordination Center’, south of PALAMPIDDI, MANNAR at about 1.30 p.m..

Sources reveal that the target had been identified by the military after a series surveillance done with the assistances of ground information.

Further the location was also identified as one of the well protected main camps of LTTE in WANNI area where their heavy guns were deployed.

Extracted from,
http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=10775

LTTE chief sustained critical injuries in Nov. raid: Air chief

LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran may have sustained major injuries in the November last year aerial raid on a rebel base but reports of his treatment in India are "baseless", the Sri Lankan Air Force Chief has said.

The Air Force jets dropped 20 bombs during the air strike on the LTTE target on November 26 and they came under "very heavy anti-aircraft" fire from the rebels, Roshan Goonetilleke said participating in a political programme "Thulawa" organised by the state-owned Independent Television Network.

Goonetilleke said he was confident that Prabhakaran had been critically injured in the air strike and added that the war with the LTTE would be over "very shortly", but refrained from giving a time frame.

He, however, dismissed reports of the LTTE chief being treated in India as baseless, the 'Island' newspaper said.

The Air Force chief said he did not subscribe to the view that Prabhakaran had left the country for treatment. "A terrorist leader usually doesn't leave at a critical juncture like this as he fears that someone else might take his place."

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http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200802161441.htm

Army troupe showcases Lanka’s rich culture

A group of touring Sri Lankan artistes performed a spectacular show that depicted the country's rich cultural tradition, at Gulf Cinema yesterday.

The cultural show was jointly hosted by Sri Lankan embassy and Sri Lanka Coordinating committee. A large number of families and community leaders turned up for the event.

Sri Lankan ambassador S B Atugoda was also present.

Twelve variations of the dances ranging from Puja Netuma to the Ves dance were performed by the Sri Lankan Army Cultural Dance Troupe.

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