LTTE directs mortars towards Madhu Church

Catholic priests at Madhu Church confirmed yesterday that LTTE had directed mortar fire to the Church premises twice yesterday, Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

"No casualties were reported from the incidents", the Brigadier added.

"The catholic priests confirmed that LTTE mortar fell on to the
Mission House on Wednesday around 5.30 p.m," the Brigadier added.

"The intention of the LTTE is to evict the priests at the Madhu Church
and cause damage to the sacred Madhu Church premises to tarnish the
image of the Security Forces," the Brigadier added.

The LTTE has continuously used the 'No Fire Zone' in Madhu as a cover
to direct mortar fire at the advancing troops now consolidating their
position in the south and north of Madhu.

Extracted from,
http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task

Tamil Nadu party seeks ban on Lankan film 'Prabhakaran'

A Tamil Nadu party Tuesday filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking a ban on the Tamil film 'Prabhakaran' made in Sri Lanka, saying it 'denigrated' Tamil people.

VCK party leader Thol Thirumavalavan, after filing the petition, told reporters, 'Though named after Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran, the film denigrates the entire Tamil race.'

'I have filed a plea seeking the court's direction to order the state government to ban this film like it proscribed Hollywood blockbuster 'Da Vinci Code',' the VCK leader added.

The petition may be heard Wednesday.

The LTTE has been banned in India following its role in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.

The opposition in Tamil Nadu has accused the state government of being soft on the LTTE and allowing its apologists a free run in the state, a charge denied by the ruling DMK.

Extracted from,
http://www.indiaenews.com/politics/20080402/108190.htm

Sri Lanka waiting for trade deal with China

Sri Lanka is looking to increase trade with China through a regional trade deal. The Commerce Department says the Asia Pacific Trade Agreement, or the APTA, is a window into the massive Chinese market.

The department is now getting ready to hold talk with local businesses, to improve on existing concessions from China, according to Internet. China has already expressed interest in expanding trade with Sri Lanka.

“China is a huge market. This year, we will import nearly one trillion dollars worth from the rest of the world. So there are many, many opportunities for Sri Lanka to trade with China,” Zhu Hong, from the Department of International Trade, China, speaking at a seminar on the APTA organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce earlier this month.

Read more,
http://www.independent-bangladesh.com/200803313827/

Maxis acquires NTT stake in Sri Lanka Telecom for $297 million

Following a prolonged legal battle, Japan’s NTT Corporation (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone) finally sold its 35.2 percent stake in Sri Lanka Telecom to Malaysian Network operator, Maxis for $297 million, taking Sri Lanka Telecom shares to a record high.

NTT and Sri Lanka Telecom said that the sale of 635 million shares to a unit of Maxis Communications’ parent Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd was completed at 50.50 rupees per share, a 22 percent premium to Monday''s closing price. The price of the deal exceeded the expectations of all analysts.


“The market expected the deal to go through around 42-45 rupees level. We never expected it at 50.50 rupees,” said Vajira Premawardhana, head of research at Lanka Orix Leasing.

Read more,
http://www.telecomtiger.com/fullstory.aspx?

Lightning Struck to MINNARIYA training camp

Today (1) evening around 5.30pm in MINNARIYA, KATUKALIYAWA training camp three Army soldiers were died and 60 were injured due to lightning struck a group of soldiers.

Injured soldiers were admitted to the POLONNARUWA hospital.

Extracted from,
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=11514

SLAF pounds LTTE covert base in Mullaittivu

Air Force fighter jets pounded on an LTTE base located in the general area Teravilkulam ,North West of Puthukudiyirippu in Mullaittivu district this evening today(April 1). The LTTE camp that has been handling covert operations of the outfit was attacked based on real-time ground information indicating 'Intensified terrorist activates " on it around 4.30 p.m.

According to the Air force spokesperson Wing Commander Andrew Wijesooriya the target has been positively identified through human intelligence and verified through continuous air surveillances conducted by the SLAF. He said the target was accurately hit, citing the fighter pilots.

A senior defence official speaking to defence.lk said the targeted LTTE base was one of the nerve centers of the outfit's covert operations. He said that the target was of high value that no further comments can be made on it due to security reasons.

Asked how that the information had reached to the defence intelligence agencies he said that the LTTE hierarchy has lost control over its ranks that information comes from "inside" to security forces. He added that clashes among senior LTTE cadres and continuous harassment suffered by junior LTTE cadres have facilitated the information flow.

Extracted from,
http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080401_06

LTTE shells Murunkan Government hospital - Mannar

Tension prevailed in Murunkan area, Mannar as LTTE launched heavy artillery shells were reported to have damaged the Murunkan government hospital today (April 01) at around 6.10 a.m.

According to available reports, a hospital building was partially damaged during the indiscriminate LTTE shell attack.

Details of damages caused to civilian and properties are yet to be estimated.

It was reported that the sudden shell attack by LTTE from the un-cleared area fell, mounting tension and fear among the folks. According to defence sources in the area the explosions had caused panic and trauma among patient and civilians who were immediately evacuated by troops into safer shelters. Meanwhile, few shells have also fallen in proximity of the Murunkan government school, sources further reported.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080401_02

Voters will reject LTTE: Rajapaksa

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said he had no doubt voters in the east were not “shortsighted” to give the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam an opportunity to make a comeback.

Addressing members and officials of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) at its annual convention here on Sunday, Mr. Rajapaksa “challenged” the opposition United National Party (UNP) to win the coming Eastern Provincial Council election “even with the assistance of the LTTE,” the local media reported.

Election to the Eastern Provincial Council is scheduled for May. Several mainstream parties including the UNP and the JVP are taking part. Nominations for the election close on April 3.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/01/stories/2008040155811300.htm

Sri Lanka has no plan to put off election in Eastern province

The Sri Lankan government on Monday denied a claim by the main minority Muslim party leader of a government plan to postpone the May 10 election for the Eastern Province.

"There is absolutely no plan to postpone the election," Keheliya Rambukwella, the government's defense spokesman and the Minister of Foreign Employment told reporters.

Rauff Hakeem, the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC)had accused the government of contemplating postponement of the poll claiming security issue as an excuse if the situation became unfavorable to it.

Rambukwella stressed that the government was determined to give the eastern people the political freedom of appointing their own leaders after its success of liberating the east from the control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

read more,
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/31/content_7893152.htm

Sri Lanka seeks one lakh tonnes of rice from India

The recent rains not only smashed Indian farm land but also in Sri Lanka, where the unexpected rains have ransacked the entire food grain fields.

Sri Lankan government has sought one lakh tonnes of rice from India to meet the requirements and controlling the inflation.

Recently, Indian government has imposed restrictions on exports of non basmati rice, thus may become a hurdle in exporting of foodgrain that Sri Lanka demands.

India, confronted with one of the highest rates of inflation, wants to ensure adequate supplies of essential commodities including non-basmati rice and has raised its minimum export price of non-basmati rice to 1000 dollars a tonne from 650 dollars a tonne.

Meanwhile Lankan importers urged the country's President Mahinda Rajapaksa to ask New Delhi to ease the restrictions for importing rice from India.

Read more,
http://www.commodityonline.com/news/

Lankan boat intercepted

Indian Navy on Monday intercepted a Sri Lankan boat and arrested two persons off Uchipuli coast. The boat was seized after being alerted by a naval patrol helicopter, police said.

Two persons identified as Anran (40) and Valentine (29) were taken into custody.

The boatmen were arrested when they were returning after dropping off a woman from Trincomallee and her three children at Arichalmunai. The woman, Nakuleswari, had paid Rs 50000 to the boatmen for ferrying them.

Police said Nakuleswari had come in search of her husband Srikandan, who had left the family in Sri Lanka and fled to India earlier.

Extracted from,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200803311441.htm

SLAF raids LTTE 'runway' in Mullaittivu

SLAF fighter jets made two air sorties today (March 31) at 9.45a.m., and 10.30a.m, respectively at an LTTE 'runway' located 10km West of Mullaittivu town.

According to Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Andrew Wijesooriya, pilots confirmed to have taken the target successfully.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080331_02

A clear message on rights, says Colombo

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has said the Constitution and the Supreme Court rulings give “adequate recognition to the provisions contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

In a ruling made on the basis of the opinion sought by President Rajapaksa, the apex court held that the citizens could derive the “benefit guaranteed by the Covenant.”

It is immediately not clear what prompted the President to seek the court’s opinion. A few months ago, the apex court in another case observed that the United Nations and other international conventions were not binding on the country unless ratified by Parliament.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/31/stories/2008033155771600.htm

Chandrika and Ranil try to stop aid says President

In an obvious reference to former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and United National Party leader Ranil Wickramasinghe President Mahinda Rajapaksa said they are conspiring to stop foreign aid to Sri Lanka in a way injurious to the common masses of the country to spite him.

Addressing the 18th Annual Convention of the ruling Sri lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) President Mahinda Rajapaksa accused not only the United National Party leadership but some past leaders of his own party of conspiring to stop foreign aid to the country to spite him in an obvious reference to former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

He said certain leaders have tried to stop the GSP plus concessions granted by the European Union on purported charges of violation of human rights in the country by secretly conspiring against the people.

Before the President leveled these accusations Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade has admitted that the government was in the know that former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has had talks with some European Union leaders.

Read more,
http://www.sinhalaya.com/news/english/wmview.php?ArtID=15052