Student shot dead at university in eastern Sri Lanka

A student belonging to the majority Sinhala community was shot dead at an university in predominantly Tamil minority eastern Sri Lanka by unidentified persons on Thursday night, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

The student was identified as a 27-year-old first year business management student attached to the Vandaramullai University in Batticaloa, 240 kilometres east of the capital Colombo.

The spokesman said it was not clear as to who was responsible for the shooting or the motive for the killing.

The shooting came as students belonging to the majority Sinhala community who have been selected to attend the university staged a protest in the capital, refusing to register at the university because they claim it is not safe.

The students selected to go to the university are asking the government to allow them to register in other universities in the south which are located in predominantly Sinhala areas.

Extracted from,
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/227302,student-shot-dead-at-university-in-eastern-sri-lanka.html

2-Sri Lanka-flagged ship sinks in Bay

A ship carrying more than 3,000 tonnes of rice from India sank near the outer anchorage of Bangladesh's Chittagong port on Wednesday, port officials said.

They said the Sri Lanka-flagged vessel Badulu Valley was in collision with an empty, anchored Chinese oil tanker called Heng Zhou, and sank in the Bay of Bengal during the afternoon.

Port officials had earlier said the vessel was carrying a Singapore flag.

Port officials had also earlier given the name of the vessel as M.V. Batulu but the agent for the ship later corrected this.

"The ship sank in the bay with its 17 crew on board," a port official said.

Tugboats from the port authority and the Bangladesh Navy rescued 16 crew members, he said, but the fate of the remaining member was unknown.

Read more,
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?

SRI LANKA'S UNION ASSURANCE NET PROFIT UP 63 PCT

Sri Lanka's Union Assurance group June quarter net profit went up by 63 per cent, interim results released to the Colombo Stock Exchange showed.

Its after-tax profit rose to 49 million rupees (US$454,774) in the quarter from 30 million in the same period one year ago.

The firm's six month profits shot up 78 per cent to 90.3 million rupees.

Group revenue was up by 21 per cent to 1,368 million rupees during the three months ended June.

The gross written premium went up 14 per cent to 1,301 million while net written increased 11 per cent to 1,018 million rupees.

Union Assurance net claims and benefits for the 3-month period grew by 16 per cent to 821 million rupees.

Read more,
http://au.biz.yahoo.com/080821/17/1wq02.html

Sri Lanka eyes more travellers from the Middle East

A high level travel delegation from Sri Lanka, led by His Excellency Faizer Musthapha, Sri Lanka�s Deputy Minister of Tourism will target prominent countries in the Gulf including UAE and Qatar in a bid to attract increased leisure traffic. During the four-day visit between 24th and 27th August, HE Musthapha will meet large scale hospitality industry operators including tour operators and travel agencies.

�The Middle East is one of our major travel origin markets and in 2008 we have seen significant growth from this market. We are increasing our marketing and promotion drive by carrying out a year round campaign to increase our share of leisure visitors and further increase awareness about our country�s tourism attractions,� said HE Musthapha.

HE Mustapha�s visit denotes the importance Sri Lanka attaches to this market and its growth potential. Destination Sri Lanka recently reported a surge in tourist industry arrivals. The highest performer during the period was the Middle East, which registered an increase of 80.6% in comparison with 2007. HE Mustapha�s visit is expected to impact positively on the number of tourist arrivals from the Middle East.

Read more,
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/08/21/3612192.htm

Wanni operation 20 th August 2008

Source,
SLRC

Lankan Prez declares war will continue until last Tiger is killed

Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has declared that the military campaign against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will continue 'until the last rebel is killed or every inch of land is captured'.

President Rajapaksa made these remarks while addressing an election rally of his United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) at Ruwanwella in Sabaragamuwa province.

'We liberated the eastern province and will liberate the north too very shortly. There is no turning back under any circumstances or influence now, until every inch of land is recaptured and each and every terrorist is killed or captured,' the state-run Daily News quoted the president as saying at the rally.

Pointing out that it was by no means an easy task and that the troops have to face 'daunting challenges and obstacles as they proceed', the president however, expressed hope that 'they would end up victoriously'.

Remarks by President Rajapaksa, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has come at a time when advancing troops are locked in fierce fighting with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the north.

Meanwhile, the defence ministry said in a report Tuesday that the LTTE launched heavy artillery attacks, targeting troops manning the defences at Muhamalai and Nagarkovil areas in Jaffna peninsula, leaving three soldiers dead and two wounded Monday.

'The troops responded with artillery and rocket fire and brought the situation under control. Three soldiers were killed in the attack,' the ministry said Tuesday.

Read more,
http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-234/0808204370180037.htm

LTTE fighting (a losing battle) for Kilinochchi

Despite fierce resistance, the LTTE's last bastion in the Northwestern coast at Nachchikudah may fall in the coming days. LTTE took steps to reinforce Nachchikudah with fighters from the Jaffna FDL. They have also dug a large trench from Nachchikudah to the interior of Karachchi situated in Kilinochchi District (to the northeast).

The trench war is seen primarily in Mannar and the Northern FDL where tank and Mechanized Infantry Units are lurking. However, it should be a matter of time before the trench is infiltrated by 58 troops specially trained for the task.

Special Forces and 3 Commando Regiment troops have started ambushing reinforcements from Kilinochchi to Nachchikuda, Tunukkai and Mallavi. The route from Kilinochchi to Nachchikuda/Uylankulam, Tunukkai and Mallavi is being infiltrated by Special Forces and 3 Commando elite teams on a regular basis. This is in addition to regular troop operations.

Read more,
http://defencewire.blogspot.com/2008/08/ltte-fighting-for-kilinochchi.html

Toronto non-profit raised millions for Tamil Tigers

A Toronto non-profit group wired more than $3-million to overseas bank accounts, some of them linked to the Tamil Tigers, before it was shut down by the government in June for alleged terrorist financing, says an RCMP report released yesterday.

The report, marked "Secret" but unsealed by order of a Federal Court judge, provides the first detailed look at the banking activities of the World Tamil Movement (WTM), a Toronto-based group accused of bankrolling Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers guerrillas.

Most of the money, $1.9-million, went to an account at the Bumiputra Commerce Bank in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that the RCMP report says "is utilized as a vehicle to forward money to the LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] from Canada."

The 83-page financial report is the fruit of two years of analysis of banking records seized by Canadian anti-terrorism police who are investigating a financial network run by supporters of the Tamil Tigers that allegedly raised money in Canada to buy arms for the guerrillas.

Read more,
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=732309

Ariyalai Paddy-Fields in HSZ Released for Cultivation

THE SRI LANKA ARMY, honouring the commitments given to public authorities in Jaffna, has released a total of 103 acres of cultivable paddy-fields under the High Security Zone (HSZ) in the eastern Ariyalai area between railway tracks and A-9 road, on the instructions of Jaffna Commander Major General G.A Chandrasiri.

A total of 73 farmers registered in the Eastern Ariyalai Farmers’ Society began their tilling work in the newly released paddy-fields on Sunday (17) after they were conducted to the area by civil coordinating officers of the 51 Division. Those farmers are to receive a special identity card in view of security concerns.

Read more,
http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=15369

A tale of two terrorists

Pushpa Kamal Dahal has shifted from the Prachandapath to the democratic path in Nepal. He was sworn in as Nepal's Prime Minister on Monday. Better known as Prachanda (the fierce one), Dahal waged a protracted bloody war which left thousands of people dead in a bid to create a communist state. He was responsible for turning a ragtag band of rebels into a fully equipped military outfit capable of bringing a government to its knees.

Prachandra was a terrorist with a difference, though. He was aware of limits to his violent campaign, which could not drag on forever. He was wise enough to choose the path of peace in 2006 and to win the hearts and minds of the people. The transition of the Maoist movement to mainstream politics was, by and large, smooth and in April, Prachanda secured the largest number of seats at the assembly elections. He, backed by several political parties, became the choice of the governing Constituent Assembly for premiership.

Prabhakaran and Prachanda, as well as their goals, are poles apart and their movements as different as chalk and cheese but Prachanda's transformation into a democrat as well as the subsequent cessation of mindless bloodletting should serve as a lesson for Prabhakaran and others embroiled in prolonged violent campaigns.

Read more,
http://www.island.lk/2008/08/20/editorial.html

The Devil You Know

So far this year, the LTTE has lost nearly 6,000 dead, while the army has lost nearly 600 soldiers. In the last two years, since the ceasefire collapsed, the LTTE has had over 9,000 of its fighters killed, while the army has lost nearly 1,800 dead. In that time, LTTE controlled territory has shrunk from 15,000 square kilometers, to 4,000.

The LTTE personnel and territorial losses are accelerating because the LTTE can no longer maintain a "front line" of bunkers. The army is thus able to move deep into LTTE controlled territory, taking towns and major bases the LTTE depend on to recruit troops and extract supplies, especially food. Over the last few months, over 100,000, mostly Tamil, civilians up north have fled their homes and are being housed in refugee camps. The LTTE population losses mean fewer recruits, and less armed resistance to the army.

The air force and navy have crippled LTTE smuggling efforts, but not eliminated them. Tamil fishermen from India are still willing to risk arrest or injury to move weapons, medicine and diesel fuel to LTTE controlled beaches in northern Sri Lanka. The fee paid for these trips has been going up from about $1,000 to over $2,000. But the blockade has eliminated the use of cargo ships for these supply runs. So instead of getting hundreds of tons of supplies at time, the LTTE has to be satisfied with a few tons.

Read more,
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/srilank/articles/20080818.aspx

M.I.A. ACCUSED OF QUESTIONABLE LYRICS & ARTWORK USE: Sri Lankan/American hip-hop artist, DeLon, also links her to terrorist group.

Sri Lankan/American hip-hop artist, DeLon, questions Interscope recording artist, M.I.A. (Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam), for using images representative of the terrorist group, The Liberation Tiger Tamils of Eelam (LTTE).

The LTTE has long been recognized by the FBI as one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world, and has been credited with the perfection of the use of suicide bombers, invention of the suicide belt, mass recruitment of child soldiers, and pioneering the use of women in suicide attacks.

The LTTE is only terrorist organization to have assassinated two world leaders.

On July 29, 2008, DeLon posted his remixed version of M.I.A's song, "Paper Planes" on YouTube. The educational video contained graphic evidence of M.I.A's imagery and usage of the symbols of the LTTE.

Within 12 hours of release, the video drew over 10,000 user views and comments. Hours later, Interscope under the Universal Music Group (UMG) umbrella, had the video removed from YouTube for "endangerment" of M.I.A.'s reputation as a "Freedom Fighter." Subsequently, DeLon is filing a lawsuit against UMG for infringement of his 1st Amendment rights. On July 31, 2008, the video was made available for download at: http://public.me.com/ceylonrecords and generated over 6,000 downloads in just 2 hours.

Read more,
http://eurweb.com/story/eur46284.cfm

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

Confusion over insurance policy for Lankan maids

Even as the Sri Lankan government's landmark insurance policy aimed at protecting the rights of housemaids took effect in the UAE on Sunday, several recruitment agents approached the Sri Lankan consulate in Dubai on Monday and expressed concern over its implementation.

Consulate officials, on the other hand, have promised to look into the matter and "iron out" any issues.

Lankan authorities signed an agreement with the Oman Insurance Company to provide insurance cover to housemaids in the UAE.

Angry agents gathered on Monday morning and alleged that the Sri Lankan diplomatic missions in the UAE had not made any efforts to disseminate information among the sponsors, be they nationals or expatriates.

In a written petition to the Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment, about 15 agencies expressed fear that instead of the sponsor, they would have to shell out the Dh200 annual premium for the compulsory "life and personal accident insurance."

"If sponsors aren't informed of the new policy, then we would be compelled to pay the insurance premium. The missions must coordinate with the UAE government and other authorities concerned to raise awareness about the new policy, insisting that the costs must be borne by the local sponsor," said an agent based in Ajman.

They also wanted the insurance to cover travel costs of housemaids returning home within three months of their arrival in the UAE.

Khaleej Times had reported in July that the new cover to enhance protection and social security of the island nation's domestic sector workers overseas, would come into effect by mid-August in the UAE.

Read more,
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?