| Friday 30 January 2009 |
|
India lauds Sri Lanka's safe passage offer
to Tamil civilians - Shiv Shankar Menon |
| India Thursday lauded the Sri Lankan
government's announcement of granting a safe
passage to Tamil civilians trapped in the
war-hit northern parts of the island nation
and hoped that the conditions of civilians
will improve in days to come.
[Full Story] |
|
|
President urges LTTE: Release civilians in
48 hours |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa last evening
(29) urged the LTTE to allow the free
movement of civilians in the North to ensure
their safety an security, with the
Government’s assurance of a safe passage to
a secure environment.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Thursday 29 January 2009 |
|
AP kills story on Mullaitivu casualties |
| The Associated Press (AP) pulled out the
Colombo dateline news item issued yesterday
referring to 300 civilians killed and more
than a 1,000 injured in current fighting in
the Mullaitivu area.
[Full Story] |
|
|
ICRC fails to note current ground realities
in Sri Lanka says HR Ministry |
| The recent statement issued by the
International Committee of the Red Cross in
Geneva fails to note current ground
realities in Sri Lanka said the Ministry of
Disaster Management and Human Rights.
[Full Story] |
|
|
LTTE chief in London faces terror charges |
| Arunachalam Chrishanthakumar, allias "Shanthan,"
bought bomb-making equipment for the LTTE
despite holding regular meetings with
Special Branch, a London court has heard
yesterday.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Wednesday 28 January 2009 |
|
Hoax about dead and injured in Mullaitivu
exposed |
| An “urgent appeal” doing the rounds in
the media and diplomatic circles, UN and
relief agencies, and as a widely distributed
e-mail message referring to a “Human
Catastrophe and Medical Emergency” in the
Vanni, reporting the alleged deaths of more
than 300 and injury to 1000 in Mullaitivu is
found to be a total fabrication.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Accept the invitation to visit Sri Lanka
- Swamy tells Karunanidhi |
| Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy
on Tuesday said that Chief Minister M.
Karunanidhi should accept the invitation of
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to
visit Jaffna and Wanni and appeal to the
LTTE to release civilians, the Hindu
reported today.
[Full Story] |
|
|
SAARC Energy Ministers to meet in Colombo |
| he Third Meeting of SAARC Energy
Ministers will be held in Colombo on January
29 with the participation of all SAARC
Member States, the SAARC Secretariat and the
SAARC Energy Centre.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Military victories offer political
opportunity for normalcy in North –
President tells Mukherjee |
| The present military victories over the
LTTE offer a political opportunity to
restore life to normalcy in the North of Sri
Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told
visiting Indian Minister of External Affairs
Pranab Mukherjee at discussions that took
place last night (January 27) in Colombo.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Tuesday 27 January 2009 |
LTTE must desist from firing from
civilian areas
- US Ambassador |
| The LTTE must immediately desist from firing
heavy weapons from areas within or near
civilian concentrations. The Government must
also resist the temptation to launch
retaliatory shelling into areas populated by
civilians,” stated U.S. Ambassador Robert
Blake.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Two plead guilty in LTTE terrorism case
in NY |
| NEW YORK: Two of four defendants pleaded
guilty Monday to charges they tried to
supply missiles and assault weapons to LTTE.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Game is up for LTTE says Hindu Editorial |
| The conventional military game is up for the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or very
nearly so.
[Full Story] |
|
|
India calls for ‘united action’ against
terror |
| Two months after the Mumbai terrorist
attack, India on Sunday urged the
international community to take decisive and
united action against the epi-centre of
terrorism in the region, the IANS website
reported.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Monday 26 January 2009 |
|
Don’t station artillery among civilians - Jaffna Bishop to LTTE |
| “We are urgently
requesting the Tamil Tigers not to station
themselves among the people in the safety
zone and fire their artillery – shells and
rockets at the army.
[Full Story] |
|
|
President invites TN leaders to see the truth about Tamil people |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa Sunday invited
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and
AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa Jayaram to visit
Jaffna and Vanni and personally appeal to
LTTE to release the civilians held as human
shield at gun point.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Malaysia to interact with India on Prabakaran |
| Malaysia intends to liaise with Sri Lanka,
India, and the Interpol for updating
“intelligence” about the whereabouts of the
LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran, the Hindu
reported.
[Full Story] |
|
|
President wishes Indian PM a restful recovery |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa wished Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a restful
recovery after his heart surgery.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Indian authorities suspect Sea Tigers may have entered TN
|
| Tamil Nadu Police has expressed doubts that
the boat washed ashore at Rameswaram on
Saturday with markings indicating that it
was from Sri Lanka may have been used by
LTTE Se Tiger cadres to enter Tamil Nadu.
[Full Story] |
|
|
We are all children of one mother says President addressing estate community |
| There has been a true
renaissance and a further ray of hope to the
estate community.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Army bags Mullaitivu bringing final victory closer |
| The Security Forces now engaged in the
decisive battle against the LTTE in the
North, made a significant victory and
strategic gain as they captured the
Mullaitivu town, to dominate the Mullaitivu
District, yesterday (Jan 25).
[Full Story] |
|
UNICEF too calls on LTTE to release civilians
|
| The best thing for the civilians trapped in
Vanni is that the LTTE allows them to move
freely and enter a safe area where they can
receive appropriate support, said UNICEF on
Friday (January 23).
[Full Story] |
|
|
“Impressed by conditions for IDPs in the North” – Yasushi Akashi |
| “In my visits to the facilities for
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in
Vavuniya, accompanied by a lady Government
Agent, who is a Tamil, I observed that the
IDPs there were not as haggard as those we
saw when we came to the East earlier.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Nugegoda flyover opened |
The pre-fabricated flyover at Nugegoda to to
reduce the existing traffic jam was opened
on Friday (January 23). Construction work on
the flyover was commenced in October last
year and completed within three and half
months.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Friday 23 January 2009 |
|
Shared interests in combating terrorism –
President sends good wishes to Obama |
| Sri Lanka and the US share common democratic
values and perspectives on a broad range of
political issues, particularly in combating
terrorism said President Mahinda Rajapaksa
in a message of good wishes to Barack Obama,
President of the United States of America.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Britain endorses Sri Lanka’s war on
terror |
| The British government recognized the
government of Sri Lanka’s need to root out
terrorism. It also has a responsibility to
safeguard the rights of all its citizens and
adequately to address their political
concerns, said the Secretary of State for
Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs on Sri Lanka,
David Miliband.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Thursday 22 January 2009 |
|
Free all children immediately - UN to
LTTE |
| The Special Representative of the UN
Secretary-General for Children and Armed
Conflict has urged the LTTE to allow all
children and their families to move to safe
areas away from the fighting.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Give safe passage to staff - UN warns
LTTE |
| In a strongly worded statement the United
Nations has called on the LTTE to
immediately permit all UN staff and
dependents to freely move from the Vanni,
warning that denial of safe passage is a
clear abrogation of their obligations under
international humanitarian law.
[Full Story] |
|
|
BOI signs agreement for gas Power Plant
in Kerawalapitiya |
| The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI)
recently signed a US$ 600 million agreement
with Alokha AB (Private) limited to set up a
488 MW gas Power Plant at Kerawalapitiya.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Malaysian police on alert for Tamil Tiger
leader |
| KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22, 2009 - Malaysia is on
alert for Velupillai Prabhakaran, leader of
the terrorist LTTE, who may have fled there
as Sri Lankan troops surround his last
remaining stronghold in Mullaitivu, in the
North of the country.
[Full Story] |
|
|
New safe zone for trapped civilians in
Mullaittivu |
| The Sri Lanka Army yesterday expanded the
existing safe zone to facilitate civilian
movement from the Wanni.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Wednesday 21 January 2009 |
|
Looks like Prabakaran’s last battle
–Indian Military Specialist |
| As the Sri Lanka security forces move in
for what they promise to be the closing call
on the Tigers, Prabakaran’s dream of a Tamil
Eelam looks farther than ever before…
[Full Story] |
| |
| Tuesday 20 January 2009 |
|
Intercity bus service to Jaffna |
| The Government has decided to initiate an
intercity bus service from Colombo to Jaffna,
shortly.
[Full Story] |
|
|
More facilities for IDPs |
| The Government is taking additional steps
to provide suitable facilities to
accommodate the IDPs coming to Government
held areas in increasing numbers.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Monday 19 January 2009 |
|
Inform the world of our progress to
democracy – President to Sri Lanka Consuls |
| “It is time for you to inform the world
of the progress we are making towards
restoring democracy and freedom in the
north, and counter the ill informed charges
being made about the plight of the innocent
Tamil people there,” said President Mahinda
Rajapaksa addressing Sri Lanka’s Honorary
Consuls abroad at a special meeting and
working session for them organized by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
[Full Story] |
|
|
UN tells LTTE to release civilians held
as human shield |
| The United Nations Friday (Jan 16) called
on the LTTE to allow civilians in Sri
Lanka’s northern Wanni region to move into
government controlled areas without keeping
them as a human shield in the face of
military advance.
[Full Story] |
|
|
TN Police warns violent protesters of
stern action |
| The Tamil Nadu police Sunday warned
violent protesters of the Viduthalai
Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) of stringent
action, including detention under the
National Security Act and shoot-at-sight
orders, if they continued to damage public
property to protest the so called plight of
Sri Lankan Tamils.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Saturday 17 January 2009 |
Indo-Lanka relations never so warm and
close
– Menon to President |
| The relations between India and Sri Lanka
have never been so close, so warm and so
deep, said Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv
Shankar Menon at his meeting with President
Mahinda Rajapaksa at Kandy this morning
(17).
[Full Story] |
| |
| Friday 16 January 2009 |
|
Defeating Terrorists |
| For all those who argue that there's no
military solution for terrorism, we have two
words: Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Sri Lanka a model for Third World –
UNICEF |
| The UNICEF’s State of the World’s
Children’s Report 2009, released yesterday,
said Sri Lanka’s achievements in scaling up
health services for mothers and infants and
its success in slashing maternal and
neonatal mortality rates has made the lower
middle income country a model for other
developing nations.
[Full Story] |
|
|
US govt assists to renovate schools and
hospital in Eastern Province |
| The U.S. Government, through the U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID)
and the U.S. Pacific Command yesterday
commenced to renovate and expand five
schools in Trincomalee District and one
hospital and two schools in Batticaloa
District.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Thursday 15 January 2009 |
|
Jaffna Peninsula liberated |
| The 55 Division of Sri Lanka Army last
evening liberated Chundikulam, the landmass
that links the Jaffna peninsula with the
mainland.
[Full Story] |
|
|
“Be responsible” – President tells media |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged media
institutions to act with the greatest
responsibility in reporting events at a time
when there is considerable public attention
drawn to the attack on the MTV/Sirasa TV
station and the killing of the Editor of The
Sunday Leader Mr. Lasantha Wickremetunga,
...
[Full Story] |
| |
| Tuesday 13 January 2009 |
|
Sri Lanka - good opportunity for Qatar
Investors |
| Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama
urged Qatari participation in Sri Lanka's
development process. Stating there are grand
opportunities for the foreign business
community to participate in the areas of
trade, investment, tourism and petroleum
exploration in Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Happy Pongal with full freedom at
hand - President |
| On this special day of hope, I am glad to
assure all Hindus of Sri Lanka that the time
for the liberation of their brothers and
sisters in faith, who are also my own
brothers and sisters as citizens of Sri
Lanka is near at hand, as we strive to
restore freedom and democracy in full
measure to the North of our country.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Sri Lanka - LTTE war a lesson in use of
force - Dr. Harsh V. Pant |
| Among the important operations to defeat
terrorism in the world today, Sri Lanka’s
moves to route the LTTE is a significant
development, states Dr. Harsh V. Pant of
King’s College London.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Govt. ready for Tamil exodus from Wanni |
| The Government yesterday (Jan 12)
reiterated that it was fully prepared to
handle the mass exodus of civilians from
Wanni, and Vavuniya was being readied as a
humanitarian assistance hub to cater to
their needs.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Monday 12 January 2009 |
|
TULF tells TNA: Save the innocent Tamils trapped in Vanni or quit Parliament |
| Tamil United Liberation Front President V.
Anandasangaree in a statement called upon
Tamil National Alliance (TNA)
Parliamentarians to do their duty or
honourably vacate their seats in Parliament.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Sri Lankan Tamils and LTTE cannot be equated: Brinda |
| CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on
Sunday said her party's concern about the
Sri Lankan Tamils should not be misused by
any force to support the outlawed LTTE,
Press Trust of India reported.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Friday 09 January 2009 |
|
Elephant Pass captured, A-9 opened -
President |
| “By this evening our troops have completely
freed the Elephant Pass area from the LTTE.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Opposition leader of Kotte MC arrested on
suspicion of Sirasa attack |
| The Opposition Leader of the Kotte Municipal
Council Suraj Jayasooriya was arrested today
on suspicion of complicity on the attack on
Sirara media complex, Maharagama Police
said.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Seven killed in LTTE claymore attack in Morawewa |
| Seven persons including three Air Force
personnel and four civilians were killed in
an LTTE claymore mine attack in Morawewa
this morning.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Lord Nesby commends Kilinochchi victory |
| The government’s capability of liberating
Kilinochchi causing zero casualties to the
civilians is commendable said Lord Nesby,
Senior Member of House of Lord and Co-
Chairman of all party parliamentary group
for Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Security Forces liberate Pallai,
Soranpattu |
| The 53 Division of Sri Lanka Army liberated
the Pallai town yesterday.
[Full Story] |
|
|
FM reiterates govt’s commitment to a
political solution |
| Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama
has emphasized that the Government does not
believe in a military solution to address
the genuine grievances of the minority
communities in Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Thursday 08 January 2009 |
Murder of Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunga
Heinous crime by forces of terror and
criminality - President |
| “This heinous crime points to the grave
dangers faced by the democratic social order
of our country, and the existence of forces
that will go to the furthest extremes in
using terror and criminality to damage our
social fabric and bring disrepute to the
country,’ states President Mahinda Rajapaksa
on the murder of Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunga,
Editor of The Sunday Leader.
[Full Story] |
|
|
India will spare no effort to deal with terrorists – Indian PM |
| India will spare no effort to deal with
terrorist and insurgent groups operating
from neighbouring countries and are
determined to put an end to terrorism
sponsored from across the border with all
the means at our command, said the Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Govt bans LTTE |
| The Government yesterday proscribed the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
effective midnight for using civilians as
human shields in uncleared areas and
endangering their lives, despite requests by
the government to release them.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Wednesday 07 January 2009 |
|
LTTE guns down and hangs fleeing civilians |
| LTTE has threatened civilians in the
areas still held by it with death as
traitors if any attempt made to flee. To
prove they are serious of this threat they
have displayed bodies of 3 civilians near
the Ponnambalam Hospital.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Sri Lanka & Maldives to cooperate on admin
reforms and fighting terror |
| Sri Lanka has assured President Nasheed
of the Maldives of its readiness to provide
assistance to the Maldives for the
decentralization process of the local
administration system, restructuring the
public service and enhancing the capacity of
the legal system and its human resources to
implement the new Constitution with a view
to promoting the rule of law.
[Full Story] |
|
|
US hopes fall of Kilinochchi will hasten end
of conflict |
| The fall of Kilinochchi represents an
important point in the 25-year war that has
divided Sri Lanka. We hope that this event
will help hasten an end to the conflict,
said a press release issued by the United
States Embassy in Colombo yesterday.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Tuesday 06 January 2009 |
|
Govt condemns attack on Sirasa Media Complex |
| The Government strongly condemns the attack
on the Sirasa media complex in Depanama,
Pannipitiya, early this morning.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Ottawa must guard against fleeing LTTE
leaders – National Post |
| The fall of Kilinochchi on Friday marks a
crippling blow for the LTTE and it also
poses an indirect security risk for Canada:
As the LTTE is routed from the battlefield,
Ottawa must guard against fleeing LTTE
leaders seeking sanctuary among Canada's
large Ontario-based community of expatriate
Tamils said the National Post editorial.
[Full Story] |
|
|
French Eco-Tourism project to be set up in
Madulkelle |
| A French venture entered in to an
agreement with the Board of Investment Sri
Lanka (BOI) to set up a novel boutique hotel
project in Sri Lanka recently.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Monday 05 January 2009 |
|
Tribute to our heroic forces |
| All government institutions conducted
special programs today to pay their tribute
to the heroic forces for their recent
landmark victory over the Kilinochchi.
[Full Story] |
|
|
We give highest priority to civilian safety:
President Rajapaksa |
| Post-Kilinochchi, President Mahinda
Rajapaksa expects the Sri Lankan armed
forces to make rapid advances and capture
Elephant Pass, which controls access to the
Jaffna Peninsula, and other key targets in a
short while.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Indian marine suspect large infiltration of
LTTE cadres after fall of Kilinochchi |
| As the Lankan forces entered the
Tamil-Tiger strongholds in northern Lanka
scattering away the rebels, Kerala’s marine
security agencies fear a large number of
suspected LTTE cadres have infiltrated the
Indian shore via trawlers to discreetly
engage themselves as workers in fishing
trawlers off Kochi coast, the Express Buzz
website said.
[Full Story] |
|
|
LTTE faces gravest crisis in three decades –
Hindu editorial |
| After the fall of Kilinochchi, it is
clear that the situation has developed to a
point where no political bail-out package
can help Prabhakaran’s organisation come out
of its existential crisis — the gravest it
has faced in three decades of armed
struggle, said the Hindu editorial today.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Sunday 04 January 2009 |
|
Congress wants Prabhakaran handed over for
Rajiv killing |
| Following the capture of Kilinochchi by
Sri Lankan troops, India’s Congress Party
has demanded that Sri Lanka extradite LTTE
chief Prabhakaran, an accused in the Rajiv
Gandhi assassination case, if he is nabbed
in the army offensive, in what signals a
strong stand ruling out any intervention
under pressure from DMK.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Friday 02 January 2009 |
Sri Lanka and
Maldives
Further improvement of good relations |
| Sri Lanka and the Maldives looked forward
to the further improvement of good relations
between the two countries in several areas
of activity, with importance being given to
Sri Lankan assistance in the development of
the structures and institutions of democracy
in the Maldives.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Kilinochchi is captured – President tells
the nation |
| “A short while ago, our brave and heroic
troops have fully captured Kilinohchi that
was considered the main bastion of the LTTE.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Maldivian President arrives |
| Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed
arrived in Sri Lanka today (January 02) on a
two-day official visit.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Troops enter Kilinochchi |
| The troops of Task Force 1 on an
aggressive advance after the fall of the key
Paranthan town and junction - on Monday
(29th) have proceeded beyond Karadipokku
junction and entered Kilinochchi town today
(2nd).
[Full Story] |
| |
| Thursday 01 January
2009 |
|
LTTE associate arrested in Chennai |
| The ‘Q’ branch police of the Tamil Nadu
Police on Tuesday arrested a 23-year-old Sri
Lankan Tamil for helping the LTTE smuggle
goods from Tamil Nadu, Times of India said.
[Full Story] |
|
|
PC polls on Feb. 14 |
| Elections Department yesterday announced the
elections for Central and North Central
Provinces would be held on February 14.
[Full Story] |
|
|
India's anti-terror laws come into force |
| Anti-terror laws passed by Indian
Parliament a fortnight back came into effect
from today, Asian Tribune website said.
National Investigative Agency (NIA) Bill and
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment
Bill became law as Indian President Pratibah
Patil gave her assent to these legislations.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Paranthan captured |
| The Task Force 1 troops captured
Paranthan LTTE garrison early this morning,
following hours of bitter fighting, military
sources said.
[Full Story] |
|
2009 - The dawn of a sustainable peace
–
President |
| “We have great confidence that the
determined path we have traversed so far
will result in a sustainable peace to our
country and people….It is my firm belief
that when our nation crosses the threshold
to victory it is the responsibility of us
all to be united in safeguarding the future
of our country,” states President Mahinda
Rajapaksa in his New Year Message to the
nation.
[Full Story] |
| |
