| Thursday 30 April 2009 |
|
No time for ceasefire: time yet for
surrender - President |
|
We have at no time gone for a ceasefire. We
will not do so now. There is no time for
that now. In the five or six days remaining
we have given the opportunity for the LTTE
to lay down their arms and surrender to the
Armed Forces and, even in the name of God,
free the civilians held by them. If they
have no regard for their own lives they
should even consider the lives of others.
[Full Story] |
|
Goal of Tamil protesters: saving Tamils or
LTTE?
- National Post,Canada |
|
“Many Tamil spokesmen in Canada seem to live
in a dream world — ignoring the plain fact
that (as the United Nations and several
blue-chip NGOs have pointed out) a primary
threat to Tamils in Sri Lanka is posed by
the Tigers themselves, who are holding
trapped civilians as human shields”, said
the Canadian "National Post" in an editorial
comment (April 29).
[Full Story] |
|
|
Indian Army, Navy on high alert |
|
The Indian Army and the Indian Navy have
been placed on high alert along the
country's southern coast to prevent any
infiltration bid by LTTE cadres fleeing the
military offensive against them in Sri
Lanka, a top commander said on Wednesday.
[Full Story] |
|
| Wednesday 29 April 2009 |
|
Warnings of blood bath unreal - Foreign
Minister |
|
As you all know we are poised on the
threshold of defeating terrorism and
embarking on an era of lasting peace and
security for all our people…The dire
warnings by some of our friends in the
international community of a blood bath, if
the security forces entered the NFZ, did not
come to pass.
[Full Story] |
|
We want to catch Prabhakaran alive:
President
"People must know who these
terrorists are" |
|
We are continuing with operations to free
the civilian hostages held by the LTTE. We
would like to catch Prabhakaran and other
leaders alive to be dealt with under the law
for all their crimes and after that if
necessary send Prabhakaran to India to face
justice there.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Resettlement process begins in North |
|
The government has commenced the
resettlement process in the Mannar district
at the Musali Divisional Secretariat area
and the first batch of villagers will come
back to their original properties.
[Full Story] |
|
|
No denial of entry to Swedish FM – Govt. |
|
The government that allegations of the
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt being
denied entry to Sri Lanka are baseless and
with no element of truth in them.
[Full Story] |
|
| Tuesday 28 April 2009 |
ILO must be in vanguard against all forms of
terror
- President Rajapaksa |
|
Terrorism is widespread the world over
today. It affects the rich, developed and
the poor developing world. This is also a
threat to the conditions of work of the
people that the ILO will have to take note
of. Its commitment to social justice for the
working people must put the ILO against all
forms of terror, not only in the workplace,
said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing
the ceremony to mark the 90th anniversary of
the International Labour Organization at the
Presidential Secretariat today.
[Full Story] |
|
|
UN to donate $10 mn for IDPs |
|
The Under Secretary General of the UN Sir
John Holmes visited the IDP Welfare Camps in
Vavuniya yesterday (April 27) and promised
to donate 10 million US Dollars through UN
agencies to uplift the living condition in
the camps.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Rs.100-cr. as humanitarian relief from India |
|
The Indian government announced to donate
Rs.100 cr. for providing humanitarian relief
to civilians being evacuated from the LTTE
grip in northern Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Tamils protesters vandalise Indian High
Commission in London |
|
Sri Lankan Tamil protesters smashed windows
of the Indian High Commission and some
forced their way inside the building during
a demonstration in London April 27, reported
the IANS yesterday (27).
[Full Story] |
|
|
Sri Lanka’s U.S. Envoy briefs Congressmen |
|
Sri Lanka’s ambassador to the United States
continued meetings with members of Congress
in April, offering briefings on the coming
conclusion of the government’s conflict with
the LTTE, as well as prospects for civilian
resettlement and redevelopment.
[Full Story] |
|
| Monday 27 April 2009 |
|
Combat operations reach conclusion -
Government |
|
Government of Sri Lanka has decided that
combat operations have reached their
conclusion. [Full Story] |
|
|
India steps up coastal security |
|
Security has been beefed up along Tamil
Nadu's 650-km coastline stretching from
Chennai to Rameshwaram following
intelligence inputs that LTTE chief
Prabhakaran may attempt to cross over from
Sri Lanka, Indian police said Sunday. [Full Story] |
|
|
A clear message to int’l community-
President |
|
This Western Province mandate has sent a
decisive message to the international
community. It has categorically declared
that no power has any right or moral
justification to bail out brutal terrorism
at a time when the last lines in its final
chapter are being writ, said President
Mahinda Rajapaksa in a statement on the
results of the Western Provincial Council
election. [Full Story] |
|
Clinton & self-styled peacemakers
obstructing Tiger defeat
- Washington Times |
|
The Sri Lankan government is justifiably
confused and angry at the international
response to their progress. Sri Lanka has
been fighting the Tamil Tigers for over 30
years.
... [Full Story] |
|
| Sunday 26 April 2009 |
|
UPFA sweeps Western Province polls |
|
The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA),
the ruling coalition in Sri Lanka led by
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, retained
control of the Western Provincial Council
with a larger majority at the election to
the Council held April 25. [Full Story] |
|
LTTE must surrender – Defence Sec.
“What
ceasefire when running away?” |
| The LTTE must first lay down arms, surrender
and let the people go, said Defence
Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa reacting to
reports of an alleged unilateral cease fire
by the LTTE, and reiterating the Governments
position on the LTTE.
[Full Story] |
|
| Friday 24 April 2009 |
|
Enhanced facilities for IDPs - Minister |
|
The number of Tamil civilians who have come
from the No Fire Zone (NFZ) to freedom in
the Safe Zone in government territory as at
this morning was 193,960, and considerably
enhanced facilities are provided to them,
said Minister of Disaster Management and
Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe, at a
Media Briefing held at the Presidential
Secretariat today (24).
[Full Story] |
|
|
President meets Indian delegates |
| The Indian National Security Adviser M.K.
Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar
Menon called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa
at the Temple Trees today (24).
[Full Story] |
|
|
Japan welcomes rescue of civilians |
| “Japan welcomes that, in the past few days,
nearly 100,000 internally displaced persons
(IDP) in the northern part of Sri Lanka
controlled by the LTTE have moved to the
area controlled by the Government of Sri
Lanka”, states in Statement issued April 23
by the Press Secretary/Director-General for
Press and Public Relations, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, on the Humanitarian
Situation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)
in Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
|
| Thursday 23 April 2009 |
|
World responds positively for relief to
civilians |
| Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama called
on the International Community to provide
humanitarian assistance to the civilians who
had entered the cleared areas in government
territory after being held hostage by the
LTTE in the No Fire Zone. He announced this
at a media briefing held at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs today (April 23).
[Full Story] |
|
|
170,000 liberated and still more seek
freedom |
| The exodus of Tamil civilians from the No
Fire Zone (NFZ) to freedom in the Safe Zone
in government territory from morning
yesterday (April 22) till noon today was
35,000 approx according to defence sources.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Lay down arms, renounce terror – UN to LTTE |
| “The LTTE is a terrorist organization and
should be condemned for its use of civilian
as a human shield. The LTTE should
immediately lay down arms and renounce its
terror tactics”, said Ambassador Claude
Heller, the President of the UN Security
Council summing up the views expressed by
the Members of the Security Council at an
informal briefing today (22/4).
[Full Story] |
|
|
Stop barbarism against Tamil civilians –
India tells LTTE |
| India has called on the LTTE to stop its
barbaric attempt to hold civilians hostage.
[Full Story] |
|
| Wednesday 22 April 2009 |
|
150,000 liberated and still more to come
|
|
| By early afternoon today (April 22) 3630
more civilians who had been held hostage by
the LTTE in the No Fire Zone entered the
cleared areas in government territory,
bringing the number of civilians who have
escaped to freedom since April 20, to
83,300.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Prabhakaran spurned chances
for pardon – President |
|
| The LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran has
spurned the possibility of pardon by us. In
doing so, by not giving up arms and
surrendering as required, he must now face
the consequences of his acts, said President
Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees today –
April 22.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Large crowds view “Victims of War” |
|
| Large crowds are coming to view “Victims of
War” the photographic exhibition which
depicts the brutalities, political
assassinations, cruelties imposed on
civilians, attacks on civilian and economic
targets and the disregard for human rights
by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE), now on in Geneva.
[Full Story] |
|
|
China backs Sri Lankan fight against LTTE
|
|
| China has come out strongly in support of
the Sri Lankan Government’s efforts to wipe
out the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
and apprehend its leader Velupillai
Prabhakaran.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Liberated civilians now exceed 120,000 |
|
| In the 12 hours ending 8.30 pm. April 21,
Tuesday 21,534 civilians who had been held
hostage by the LTTE in the No Fire Zone
entered the cleared areas in government
territory, bringing the number of civilians
who have escaped to freedom since April 20,
to 62,609.
[Full Story] |
|
Contortionist feats in Tamil Nadu
"Who then is a terrorist?" -
The Hindu |
|
| Each of the two main political alliances
of Tamil Nadu - one led by the DMK and the
other by the AIADMK hosts diametrically
opposed positions on the character and
legitimacy of the LTTE which has been banned
as a terrorist organization by some 30
countries led by India, says the Hindu in
its Editorial - April 22, on the growing
contradictions in support of the LTTE in
Tamil Nadu politics.
[Full Story] |
|
| Tuesday 21 April 2009 |
|
President committed to meet the aspirations
of the Tamil community |
|
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa is committed
to meet the aspirations of the Tamil
community; Sri Lanka is party to major
international human rights instruments and
has acceded to the International Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination, said Sri Lanka’s most senior
ethnic Tamil Cabinet Minister Douglas
Devananda at the UN world conference against
racism and racial discrimination under the
theme “United against Racism, Unity and
Justice for all”.
[Full Story] |
|
|
UN Sec.Gen. welcomes rescue of civilians
from conflict zone |
|
| UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon in a
statement issued April 20 welcomed the
escape by tens of thousands of civilians
from the conflict zone in north-eastern Sri
Lanka over the last three days.
[Full Story] |
|
|
“Victims of War” in Geneva begins today |
|
| “Victims of War” photographic exhibition
will begin at the Centre International de
Conference Geneva (CICG), Rue de Varemba 17,
1202 Geneva today (April 21). It will
continue from 9.00 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. daily
till April 23.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Govt. firm against Special Envoy – President
tells Brown |
|
On inquiry by British Prime Minister
Gordon Brown with regard to the status of
his Special Envoy to Sri Lanka, President
Rajapaksa has informed that Sri Lanka’s
position on the non-acceptability of the
said appointment remained unchanged.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Now 49,000 more civilians in Safe Zone |
|
| Tamil
civilians arriving to the Safe Zone from the
no fire zone (NFZ) between yesterday (20)
and today (21) have risen to 49,058, defence
sources at 3 pm SL time today. More are
expected to arrive in the course of the day.
[Full Story] |
|
| Monday 20 April 2009 |
|
|
| As the influx of civilians from the NFZ
continues from in its thousands, President
Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the
Commissioner General of Essential Services
to ensure that necessary food, medicines and
other essentials be provided in adequate
quantities to the people.
[Full Story] |
|
|
LTTE attacks fleeing civilian boats |
|
| Tamil civilians fleeing the LTTE held
area in nearly 80 boats from the
Pudumathalan coast towards Point Pedro in
the early hours today were attacked by armed
LTTE craft that gave them chase killing
several civilians.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Sri Lanka establishes diplomatic relations
with Paraguay |
|
| Sri Lanka and Paraguay have established
diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level,
guided by the principles and purposes of the
Charter of the United Nations and the Vienna
Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April
1961, and by the mutual desire to strengthen
the existing friendly relations between the
two States in political, economic,
commercial, cultural and other fields.
[Full Story] |
|
|
30,000 civilians flee LTTE to Safe Zone |
|
| At least 30,000 Tamil civilians have fled to
the Safe Zone from LTTE held territory by
noon today (April 20).
[Full Story] |
|
|
Another shipment of food items to Mullaitivu |
|
| Another 1,200 metric tones of essential food
items have been dispatched to the displaced
people in the High Security Zones of
Mullaitivu and Pudumathalan from the
Trincomalee harbour yesterday (19).
[Full Story] |
|
|
LTTE cadre jailed in Chennai |
|
|
| A member of the LTTE was remanded to
judicial custody Saturday, Tamil Nadu Police
said.
[Full Story] |
|
|
13,000 civilians flee LTTE grip to Safe Zone |
|
| At least 13,000 Tamil civilians who had
been forcibly held hostage by the LTTE
terrorists in the government declared No
Fire Zone (NFZ) in the North-East of Sri
Lanka fled from their captivity and entered
government held Safe Zone from the early
hours in this morning (April 20), Defence
sources confirmed.
[Full Story] |
|
| Sunday 19 April 2009 |
Nearly 70,000 IDPs free in Safe Zone
“Coordinated
relief measures continue” - UNHCR |
|
| With at least 2.857 Tamil civilians
fleeing the LTTE held areas of the NFZ to
the Safe Zone of Government, the number of
IDPs in Government held areas of the North
is fast approaching 70,000. Many more are
expected to cross over today, as the
Security Forces carry out hostage rescue
action and help clear passages for their
escape to the Safe Zone a short distance
away from the NFZ at Mullaitivu.
[Full Story] |
|
|
“Victims of War” in Geneva |
|
| “Victims of War” a photographic
exhibition to enhance worldwide awareness of
the brutalities, political assassinations,
cruelties imposed on civilians and disregard
for human rights by the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) through the past three
decades, as well as the successes so far of
the humanitarian operations to free the
country from terrorism, will open in Geneva
this week.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Put pressure on LTTE to free civilians –
President Rajapaksa |
|
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa called on all
those pressuring his government, both
locally and internationally for an extended
“humanitarian pause” or a ceasefire, to
instead appeal to the LTTE to give freedom
of movement “just for one hour” to innocent
civilians stranded in the No-Fire Zone (NFZ),
in the North.
[Full Story] |
|
| Saturday 18 April 2009 |
UK Tamil Tiger chief guilty of terror
charges
Had regular
meetings with Special Branch while supplying
terrorists |
|
| The head of the Tamil Tigers in Britain
was found guilty, April 17, of supplying
bomb-making equipment for the Sri Lankan
terrorist organization.
[Full Story] |
|
| Friday 17 April 2009 |
|
UN to assist civilians fleeing LTTE grip |
|
| The United Nations expects to assist Sri
Lankan Tamil civilians fleeing the LTTE to
safety and the United Nations
Secretary-General is doing his utmost to
alleviate the situation in Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
|
Sympathy for Tamils, but not Tigers-
National Post, Canada
"Pro-LTTE protesters insult Canada" |
|
| “If the Tiger supporters in Ottawa truly
had the best interests of innocent Tamils at
heart, they would be pleading with the
Tigers themselves to release their human
shields, not declaring their undying support
for a terror organization,” said the
Canadian "National Post" in an editorial
comment (April 16).
[Full Story] |
|
|
LTTE controlled World Tamil Movement in
Toronto: Police |
|
| The World Tamil Movement of Ontario is a
non-profit organization that fundraised and
produced propaganda for the LTTE, According
to the RCMP documents released Wednesday.
The National Post reported.
[Full Story] |
|
| Thursday 16 April 2009 |
|
British and French FMs say LTTE holds
civilians as human shields |
|
| It is clear that the LTTE has been
forcefully preventing civilians from leaving
the conflict area and we deplore their
determination to use civilians as a human
shield. We do of course continue to call on
the LTTE to renounce terrorism and lay down
their arms as a necessary element for a
long-term solution, said the British and
French foreign ministers issuing a joint
statement on the situation in Sri Lanka
yesterday (15).
[Full Story] |
|
|
Canada won't lift ban on Tigers |
|
| Canada has done its best to end the
long-running conflict in Sri Lanka, but will
not bow to pressure to remove the Tigers
from the list of banned terrorist groups,
the Canadian Immigration Minister Jason
Kenney.
[Full Story] |
|
|
President visits Killinochchi
|
|
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa was given a
warm welcome when he visited the Northern
town of Killinochchi today (16).
[Full Story] |
|
“LTTE more actively prevented people leaving
during pause”
– John Holmes
“Forced
recruitment of civilians, including
children, to fight or work for the LTTE,
continues” |
|
| “There seems to be less civilians getting
out during the [New Year] pause than before.
So it is clear that LTTE did not allow those
who wished to leave even if they wished to
leave the area during this pause to do so,
they seemed to be actively prevented from
doing so, perhaps more actively prevented
from doing so during this pause, so that is
a matter for great regret,” said Sir John
Holmes, UN Under Secretary General for
Humanitarian Affairs at a briefing on the
situation in Sri Lanka at the UN, New York,
April 15.
[Full Story] |
|
| Wednesday
15 April 2009 |
|
Co-Chairs reiterate call for LTTE to release
civilians |
|
| The Representatives of the Tokyo Co-Chairs
of the Sri Lanka Peace Process- United
Sates, European Union, Norway and Japan,
reiterated their call for the LTTE to permit
freedom of movement for the civilians
trapped in the conflict zone.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Britain condemns LTTE brutality in Buttala
|
|
| Britain has strongly condemned the LTTE
massacre of civilians in a remote village in
Buttala, killing 8 villagers, including 3
women and 2 children.
[Full Story] |
|
|
LTTE refuses idea of humanitarian NFZ -
Hindu |
|
| “Facing annihilation, they [the LTTE]
have had no moral compunction in moving into
the NFZ with heavy weapons, and using the
hard-pressed civilians as a last-ditch
shield. Refusing to acknowledge the very
idea of a humanitarian NFZ, they have made
it clear that the lives and welfare of
Tamils, ...
[Full Story] |
|
| Monday 13 April 2009 |
LTTE terror attack on Oslo
Mission
Norway failed discharge international
obligations
- Govt. tells envoy
“Not feasible
for Norway to act as facilitator in current
context” |
|
| The Government of Sri Lanka vehemently
condemns the violent attack by hooligans
belonging to the international terror
network of the LTTE on the Sri Lanka Embassy
in Oslo on Sunday, 12th April 2009.
[Full Story] |
|
Sri Lanka condemns attack on Oslo Embassy
“Disappointed
at inadequate protective measures” – Foreign
Sec. |
| Sri Lanka has strongly condemned the attack
on its embassy in Oslo, Norway (Sunday 12)
by suspected LTTE supporters, causing
extensive damage to the premises and
property.
[Full Story] |
|
New Year promise of freedom & prosperity
-
President |
| At a time when the country awaits the dawn
of peace and prosperity we are happy to
welcome the Sinhala and Tamil New Year which
brings the promise of a new awakening to our
people.
[Full Story] |
|
| Sunday 12 April 2009 |
Defensive action only during New Year
–
President to Armed Services |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed the
Armed Forces of the State to restrict their
operations during the New Year to those of a
defensive nature, says a statement from the
President’s Office.
[Full Story] |
|
| Saturday 11 April 2009 |
|
President returns from Libya |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned from
his three-day State Visit to Libya today.
[Full Story] |
|
LTTE to blame for suffering of Tamil
civilians
– President tells Ban Ki-moon |
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has told the UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that the
suffering undergone by the Tamil civilians
in the No Fore Zone in the north of Sri
Lanka is the sole responsibility of the LTTE
that was holding them as a human shield,
despite many calls for their freedom.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Co-Chairs ask LTTE to release civilians |
| The representatives of the Tokyo Co-Chairs
of the Si Lanka Peace Process – United
Sates, European Union, Norway and Japan -
have called on the LTTE to release now held
in the No Fire Zone.
[Full Story] |
|
| Thursday 09 April 2009 |
|
Leaders discuss stronger ties between Libya
and Sri Lanka |
| The strengthening economic and trade ties
between Libya and Sri Lanka featured
prominently in bilateral talks between Sri
Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the
Libyan Head of State Colonel Muammar Gaddafi
at the special venue for meetings with
distinguished visitors at Sheri, Libya today
- April 09.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Let Tamil civilians decide for themselves –
Key UN officer tells LTTE |
| “Civilians trapped by the fighting must be
allowed a free choice of whether to leave or
stay, as we have made clear to the LTTE. If
the LTTE truly has the best interests of the
Tamil people at heart, they should
contribute to ending this unnecessary
civilians ...
[Full Story] |
|
|
Let Tamil civilians decide for themselves –
Key UN officer uffering. tells LTTE |
“Civilians trapped by the fighting must be
allowed a free choice of whether to leave or
stay, as we have made clear to the LTTE. If
the LTTE truly has the best interests of the
Tamil people at heart, they should
contribute to ending this unnecessary
civilian s
“The LTTE's leadership claims the civilians
...
[Full Story] |
|
|
Indian spy satellite to eye terrorists |
| India will launch a spy satellite from the
Sriharikota spaceport on April 20, primarily
to keep an eye on its borders, PTI reports.
[Full Story] |
|
LTTE threat to Sonia Gandhi and children
Home Ministry issues alert |
| Worries are mounting in New Delhi about
intelligence reports of the strong prospect
of an attack on the Congress Party leader
Sonia Gandhi, her children, and other top
political leaders of India by the LTTE,
during the current election time in India.
[Full Story] |
|
| Wednesday 08 April 2009 |
|
President arrives in Libya |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in Libya
on a three-day State visit this evening
(April 08).
[Full Story] |
|
|
Lay down arms and renounce violence – France
to LTTE |
| The LTTE must lay down arms and permanently
renounce violence and terrorism. Only a
political solution can respond to the
legitimate concerns of all communities and
bring this conflict to an end, states a
communiqué from the French Ministry of
Foreign & European Affairs on the
Humanitarian Situation in Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
|
More facilities for IDPs
Over 64,000
civilians fled LTTE's grip |
| The government has taken several measures to
enhance the facilities for Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs), in government
controlled areas. These measures include
communication facilities and reception hall
where IDPs in welfare centers can meet their
friends and relatives more freely, these
arrangements will be set up in each camp by
April 11, said Minister of Disaster
Management and Human Rights Mahinda
Samarasinghe, at a Media Briefing held at
the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (07).
[Full Story] |
|
|
UN expert on IDPs tells LTTE to free all
civilians |
| Following reports that LTTE fighters have
now been pushed entirely into the no-fire
zone, and many more civilians there are at
risk of losing their lives, I urgently
repeat my call to the LTTE to allow all
civilians under its control to leave the
this zone and seek safety elsewhere.
[Full Story] |
|
| Tuesday 07 April 2009 |
|
President left for Libya |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa left for Libya
today (7) for a three day official visit at
the invitation of the government of Libya.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Sri Lanka inventors win Gold, Silver, &
Bronze at international awards |
| Sri Lanka made a large haul of prestigious
awards at the 37th International Exhibition
of Inventions, Techniques and Products of
held in Geneva last week.
[Full Story] |
|
Sri Lankan economy on trajectory of growth
–
Central Bank |
| With the war on terror at its last stages
the Central Bank predicts Sri Lanka’s
economic growth prospects for 2009 will be
on a trajectory of negative of slow growth
seen by other countries due to the global
economic downturn.
[Full Story] |
|
| Monday 06 April 2009 |
|
India breaks another LTTE weapon smuggling
ring |
| India has broken yet another LTTE ring that
sought to smuggle war material to the
outlawed outfit, arresting four men
including a British national of Sri Lankan
origin in Chennai, IANS reported yesterday.
[Full Story] |
|
|
UN special envoy praises facilities at
welfare centers |
| UN special envoy on Human Rights of
Internally Displaced Persons Prof. Walter
Kaelin had expressed his satisfaction over
present efforts by the government to provide
infrastructure facilities and vocational
centers at welfare villages in Vavuniya.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Govt deeply concerned over the plight of
trapped civilians |
| The Government attaches the highest priority
for the safety and welfare of the civilians,
who are currently being held hostage by the
LTTE in the narrow coastal strip in
Mullaitivu. Thus, the military operations to
free the entrapped civilians have been
painstakingly slow, in order to avoid
causing civilian casualties....
[Full Story] |
|
Troops succeed in massive humanitarian
intervention
LTTE’s last
position caves in |
| Sri Lankan troops who drove the LTTE out of
its last stronghold Puthukudiyirippu
(Sunday) dealing what is considered the
final major military blow to the terrorists,
have now launched a tactical manoeuvre to
free the civilians held hostage by the LTTE,
as it continued to resist the advance of
troops into the tiny strip of land it held,
enabled by the buffer of civilians it held
hostage there.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Saturday 04 April 2009 |
Allow civilians to leave freely – UNSG tells
LTTE
“LTTE’s
severe restrictions on freedom violate
international law” |
| The Secretary-General of the United Nations
Ban Ki-moon has expressed his deep distress
by continuing reports of civilians being
kept at extreme risk, against their will and
with heavy casualties in a very small area
by the LTTE, and calls on the LTTE
leadership to allow civilians to leave the
conflict area of their own free will.
[Full Story] |
|
| Friday 03 April 2009 |
|
Police to act against cruelty to cart bulls
in hackery races |
| The Police has been instructed to inform the
organizers of Sinhala and Tamil New Year
events to prevent the incidence of cruelty
to cart bulls in the hackery (thirikkal)
races organized in connection with the
festive season.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Govt to provide telecom facilities at
welfare centers |
| The Government yesterday decided to provide
telecommunication facilities to welfare
camps and villages in Vavuniya within 48
hours.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Defence Ministry provides mobile
registration facility for Western Province |
| The Ministry of Defence yesterday launched a
mobile registration unit for the citizens in
the Western Province through the online
registration portal,
www.citizens.lk.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Two top LTTE leaders killed |
| Leader of the "Charles Antony" brigade of
the LTTE Amuthab, and former leader of the
same brigade Gobith were killed in fighting
in Puthukkudyiruppu, defence sources
confirmed today.
[Full Story] |
|
|
USAID donates essential food items for IDPs |
| The U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) has donated $15 million
worth food aid to the United Nations World
Food Program (WFP) to be distributed among
the Internally Displaced Persons in North
and East.
[Full Story] |
|
| Thursday 02 April 2009 |
|
“Tamil civilians flee their Tiger
'protectors' in Sri Lanka” |
| Civilians are fleeing from the Tamil
Tiger forces who claim to protect them and
revealing the fears of the thousands still
trapped by desperate last-ditch fighting,
states Nick Meo of the Sunday Telegraph, UK,
of March 28, reporting from Kilinochchi in
the north of Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
|
WPC Polls:
Postal voting begins today |
| Casting of postal votes for the Western
provincial council election will commence
today, the Election Secretariat said.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Eurojust hosts tactical meeting on 'LTTE
front organisations' |
| EU member states must scrutinize the
financial statements submitted to their host
countries by LTTE front organizations such
as the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO),
to verify whether the money collected
ostensibly for post-tsunami relief and
reconstruction projects in the North were
actually used for ...
[Full Story] |
| |
| Wednesday 01 April 2009 |
|
Prabhakaran's son injured |
| LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran's son was
injured in a confrontation with ground
troops, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya
Nanayakkara said on Wednesday.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Indonesia territory will not be used for
terror against Sri Lanka |
| Indonesia will not allow its territory to
be used for carrying out or facilitating any
terrorist activities against Sri Lanka. This
pledge was made visiting Indonesian Foreign
Minister, Dr. Hassan Wirajuda when he called
on Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha
Bogollagama in last sunday (29) in Colombo.
[Full Story] |
|
|
UNHCR Welcomes Govt. initiatives on IDPs |
| The conditions at the IDP sites in North
are in line with international standards,
UNHCR the international lead agency for the
internally displaced persons, says in a
statement yesterday (31).
[Full Story] |
|
Arundhati Roy helping LTTE continue holding
civilians
- SL Embassy |
| "It is indeed unfortunate that Ms. Roy
has chosen to make comments which are likely
to encourage the LTTE into believing that
its propaganda is successful and that it
should therefore remain even more obdurate,
in holding onto the civilians", states the
Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi
responding to the article by Arundhati Roy
in the "Times of India" 30 March 2009
alleging that the current development in Sri
Lanka constitutes an "openly racist war."
[Full Story] |
|
|
Sri Lanka rebuts
allegations in European
Parliament |
| “No military operation to defeat terrorism
in the world is conducted without difficulty
to the civilian population who live in the
afflicted area. In the achievement of our
military dominance over the LTTE, the
civilians, held at gun point by the LTTE
have been the centre of our concerns", said
the Charge d’ Affaires of the Sri Lanka
Embassy in Belgium, accredited to the
European Union, Ms. Saroja Sirisena, at a
meeting of the Human Rights Sub- Committee
of the European Parliament held in Brussels
yesterday (31).
[Full Story] |
|
| |
