Air defence system prevents LTTE to launch attack

Revamping of Sri Lanka's air defence system has prevented the LTTE's air wing to launch aerial attacks as in the past, the Air Force chief has said.

Questioning the outfit's so-called air wing, Roshan Gunathilake said the outfit hardly has an air force worth its name. "They (LTTE) have two or three aircrafts. I don't know whether you could call that an air force. They have not flown for a very longtime. We will wait and see," Air Force Commander Roshan Gunathilake said.

An effective air defence system that has been put in place by the Sri Lankan Defence authorities had forced the LTTE air wing to hesitate in getting air borne, Gunathilake told the Lakbima news.

Read more,
http://news.indiainfo.com/2008/01/27/0801271847_lanka-defence.html

UN high protein biscuits to tigers apprehended!

A large stock of ‘high protein’ biscuits being transported to Killinochchi by World Food Programme (WFP) has been apprehended by Medawachchiya Police.

The stock of ‘high protein’ biscuits was discovered when the police searched a vehicle belonging to WFP bearing Reg. No. WP-GK-5578, which was being driven to Killinochchi without any permission from the Ministry of Defense or from any other government authority.

According to defense sources consuming one of these biscuits would allow a person to remain without any other food for nearly ten hours and the biscuits are mainly used by troops engaged in guerilla warfare.

Read more,
http://www.lankatruth.com/full_story/2008/January/27/20080127_01.htm

Police in Catch-22 situation over LTTE

The Viduthalai Sirtuhaigal Katchi (VCK), an ally of the ruling DMK, recently sought to put up a giant cutout of LTTE chief Prabhakaran at the venue of its meeting in Chennai.

The meeting itself had been organised in support of the LTTE. It took a team of police officials more than two hours to dissuade VCK cadres from putting up the cutout pointing out that the LTTE was a banned organisation in India and putting up the cutout could lead to criminal proceedings.

After much pleading on part of the cops, the cadres finally gave up.

That the cops had to implore a bunch of lawbreakers rather than crack down on them explains the political dilemma of the Karunanidhi government in dealing with pro-LTTE elements in the state.

On the one hand the cops have been rounding up LTTE cadres and suppliers of materials to them from across the state but on the other they're constrained from acting against political parties that drum up support for the group.

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/

Sri Lanka Rupavahini Journalist Attacked

Lal Hemanth Mawalage, a senior journalist of Sri Lanka Rupavahini (TV) corporation (SLRC) was attacked by an armed gang yesterday (25) night.

He was slashed using knifes by unidentified gang and was admitted to Colombo National Hospital.

Lal Hemanth Mawalage has complaint the police earlier, that he receiving several death threat calls after speaking against Minister Mervin Silva, who created pandemonium inside the SLRC premises on 27th December 2007.

Several other SLRC journalists also receiving continuous threats following the incident.

Extracted from,
http://news.nidahasa.com/news.php?go=fullnews&newsid=467

Air Force bangs at LTTE's Sea Tiger nerve centre - Mullaithivu

Air Force fighter jets pounded one of the nerve centers of sea tiger Wing at Kaivelikulam North West of Puthukkudiyiruppu this afternoon (Saturday the 26th of January).

According to the Air Force sources, fighter jets have carried out air sorties at 1.05 p.m. targeting a covert meeting of sea tiger leaders and the attack has been carried out on real time ground intelligence, the sources further added.

Fighter pilots have confirmed that the target was accurately hit.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080126_04

Prabhakaran In India To Recuperate From Wounds?

Rumours of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) supremo V. Prabhakaran having crossed the Palk Straits to India to recuperate from wounds sent the Tamil Nadu police into a tizzy Friday.

The state police's anti-extremist wing - the 'Q' Branch - refused to comment on the rumours that said Prabhakaran may have been seriously wounded and moved to Tamil Nadu.

There were enough indications here that the law and order machinery was pressed into service to check all hospitals across the state for persons with unexplained wounds.

Meanwhile, fishermen belonging to Rameshwaram, 600 km south of here, are on an indefinite strike to demand removal of floating mines in the expanse of water separating India from Sri Lanka.

Fishermen's associations have threatened to block roads from Feb 1 if their charter of demands, including for immediate release of 12 of their comrades allegedly held by the Sri Lankan navy, is not met

Read more,
http://newspostindia.com/report-33407

India not playing any military role in Sri Lanka: envoy

India does not play any military role in the Sri Lankan conflict, the country's envoy to the US has said, while hailing New Delhi's role in the "political context".

"In the current military campaign there has been no role of India. But in a political context it has been a very positive role they have played and we are very appreciative of that. And from understandable reasons India does not get involved in the military campaign," Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke said in response to a question from PTI.

He was speaking here at a discussion on the "Ceasefire Agreement, the Peace Process and the International Community".

Read more,
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/

Batti polls: Nominations period ends

The submission of nominations for municipal and urban council polls in the Batticaloa district concluded yesterday, the Elections Commissioner’s office said.

The polls, to be held on March 10, will elect representatives for nine local bodies.

Around 61 nominations lists have been submitted by six political parties and independent groups.

Nine nominations lists have been rejected, elections officials said. The United People’s Freedom Alliance, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, National Development Front, National Congress, Eelam Democratic Front and the Tamil Eelamakkal Viduthalai Pulikal are among the parties contesting the poll.

The UNP will not contest. The Government decided to hold elections in the East after liberating the Eastern province from the LTTE.

Extracted from,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/01/26/pol03.asp

'Karuna' given 9 month sentence in UK

Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, better known as Colonel Karuna, was sentenced Friday morning (25) at Isleworth Crown Court in West London. Muralitharan, who broke away from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2004, taking with him what has been described as the best fighters in the terrorist outfit, was arrested recently in London on charges of holding false identity documents.

The British Foreign Office said in December that it had told the Sri Lankan government of its "concern" at how Col Karuna had acquired a diplomatic passport under a false name.

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

Lanka should remove defence system in Palk strait: MDMK

MDMK leader Vaiko on Friday demanded that the Centre ask the Sri Lanka government to remove the underwater defence system set up across the Palk strait on the International Maritime Boundary Line.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a copy of which was made available to the media, Vaiko said the system would damage and destroy the fishing boats of Indian fishermen.

He said the Sri Lankan navy had communicated to the Indian Navy to inform Tamil Nadu fishermen not to venture out for fishing between Kachatheevu and Neduntheeve in the Palk strait, as mines had been placed.

Read more,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Lanka

Lankan trade team to visit Qatar next month

A Sri lankan trade delegation comprising representatives from the construction sector will visit Doha early next month.

Speaking to Gulf Times yesterday, Sri Lankan Ambassador S B Atugoda said at least 25 members, representing various sectors of the Lankan construction industry, will accompany the delegation. The visit is at the initiative of the Chamber of the Construction Industry (CCI), Sri Lanka.

The CCI comprises at least nine organisations representing sectors and professionals such as architects, consultants, quantity surveyors, valuers, town planners, transport, economy, banking and insurance.

In recent times CCI has sent delegations to a number of Middle East countries including Qatar. The visit is the fourth by a Sri Lankan trade delegation in recent months, according to a Lankan embassy official.
The delegation will hold talks with representatives of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) besides officials of companies engaged in the construction industry in Qatar.

Read more,
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no

APRC proposals an important step, says Rajapaksa

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has described the “proposals” submitted to him by the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) on measures for the full implementation of the provisions of the Constitution for a political solution to the ethnic question as an “auspicious and important initial step.”

Receiving the proposals from APRC Chairman Thissa Vitharana on Wednesday, Mr. Rajapaksa said the government and the political parties that supported it undertook the responsibility to fully implement the proposals. He said they all had a responsibility to ensure the rights of all people to enjoy freedom without fear irrespective of race, religious, political and other differences.

He called on all parties to shed narrow differences and come together with due consideration for the people, to provide a suitable political solution to the political issue, while looking at a different solution to the problem of terrorism.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/25/stories/2008012555991600.htm

SLC offers to host Asia Cup

Sri Lanka has approached Pakistan with an offer to host the upcoming Asia Cup cricket tournament as violence continues to wrack the country, the island's cricket chief said today.

The six-nation limited-overs tournament is scheduled to be played in Pakistan in June, but instability following last month's murder of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has put sporting fixtures under threat.

“We have written and asked Pakistan if we can host the Asia Cup,” Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief Arjuna Ranatunga said on the sidelines of a news conference to promote tourism.
“It's a sensitive issue, but we will understand if Pakistan refuse us,” said Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka to victory in the 1996 World Cup.

Defending champions Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates and Oman are due to take part in the tournament, the continent's premier One-Day International event.

Read more,
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=5&theme=&u

8 countries ban poultry imports from India

The bird flu outbreak in West Bengal is now taking a toll on the country's poultry exports. Till January 24, eight countries had officially stopped import of poultry products from India.

While UAE, one of India's largest clients, continued its ban on Indian poultry products, imposed following the outbreak in Manipur in July 2007, the countries to have imposed a fresh ban after the West Bengal outbreak are: Oman, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Bhutan, Kuwait and Bahrain.

It was just after November 8 when India informed the world organisation for animal health, OIE, that the country was free of H5N1 virus after the Manipur outbreak, that most of these countries had lifted their previous ban.

Read more,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/