Island.lk
January 29, 2011
LTTE front organizations will eventually be exposed and brought to justice, says Jaliya Wickramasuriya, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States. "They cannot intimidate the President or the people of Sri Lanka", he noted.
Recently foreign supporters of the LTTE terrorist group that fought and lost a conflict against the Sri Lankan people have accused President Mahinda Rajapaksa of committing war crimes as commander in chief of Sri Lanka’s armed forces, he noted. Today, LTTE supporters outside of Sri Lanka continue to accuse the government of human rights violations. Those groups continue to raise funds for violent terrorist activities. Swiss federal police recently arrested 10 alleged LTTE supporters who police say were threatening Sri Lankan Tamils into providing money to the LTTE, Wickramasuriya said in a statement.
A number of LTTE support groups have put the word "Tamil" in their names, hoping to attract attention and avert suspicion, he said. "The LTTE, banned in the U.S. and a number of other countrie, was responsible for the murder of thousands of civilians and assassinated numerous heads of state including Sri Lanka’s then President Ranasinghe Premadasa, India’s Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lanka’s Tamil Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar".
"It is clear what these groups are doing, and they have already drawn attention from law enforcement in countries where the LTTE is banned," Ambassador Wickramasuriya said. "The LTTE has tried before to raise money by using groups that pose as humanitarian organizations, and they have been caught. Those attempting to do this now must cease or face prosecution."
He said that front organizations have been discovered in the past and were brought to justice.
"Let me be clear when I say that a majority of Sri Lankans living in the U.S.- Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese alike- are grateful to our President Rajapaksa for liberating 300,000 citizen from terrorist captivity and uniting our island," he said. A very small group of the Sri Lankan Diaspora is made up of supporters of the LTTE terrorist group. For the past ten or fifteen years, this small minority has been very vocal in spreading propaganda against the Government of Sri Lanka.
The Ambassador pointed out, "The LTTE, an organization that was once described by the FBI as the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world, received a majority of its funding from outside of Sri Lanka. Over the past several years the Government of Sri Lanka worked very closely with the U.S. Department of Justice to identify the sources of this terrorist funding. A few years ago the U.S. Department of Justice found numerous so-called charity organizations were in fact fronts for the LTTE."
In 2007 the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (T.R.O.) was proscribed as a foreign terrorist organization after the U.S. Justice Department found that donations collected for purportedly charitable purposes were actually being spent on further militarizing the LTTE terrorists. The U.S. Treasury Department issued a press release in 2007 noting that the "T.R.O. passed off its operations as charitable, when in fact it was raising money for a designated terrorist group responsible for heinous acts of terrorism." The Tamil Foundation was also proscribed as a front organization, he recalled.
"What we are seeing now is that the same individuals or relatives of these individuals that were part of these proscribed LTTE front organizations have started new groups. These so-called advocacy organizations have the same membership and directors as the proscribed organizations. They continue to spread propaganda against the Government and carry out publicity stunts like this baseless law suit." Wickramasuriya noted that the Government of Sri Lanka continues to work closely with the U.S. Department of Justice and other agencies in identifying LTTE front organizations.
23 comments:
‘Protect the rebuilt nation’ theme of Freedom Day
SundayObserver.lk
January 20, 2011
‘Protect the rebuilt nation’ is the theme of this year’s 63rd Independence Day celebrations at Kandasuridugama, Kataragama, under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa on February 4.
President Rajapaksa will address the nation at 9.15 a.m. on February 4.
There will be gun salutes to honour the President and the nation. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and Civil Defence Force members together with artistes of cultural centres in Uva and students from the province will participate in the Independence Day Parade.
Development projects: Ex Tiger farms cultivated
By Shanika SRIYANANDA
SundayObserver.lk
January 30, 2011
Army helps Govt save over Rs. 3 billion
The Sri Lanka Army has helped the Government to save over Rs. 3 billion by undertaking various development projects by contributing its expertise to develop the country in the post conflict era.
Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya said the well-trained soldiers were engaged in different development activities and the main objective of the peacetime Army is to be a part of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s vision - to make Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia. “Among the projects launched are national building projects such as construction of bridges, and pre-fabricated buildings, humanitarian de-mining and renovation of houses.
The Army has helped the Government save over one billion rupees in de-mining and Rs. 56 million by renovating houses” he said, adding that if these had been given to the private sector, the Government would have incurred massive expenditure.
He said the SLA does not want to maintain a force of over 200,000 in the barracks but need to ensure their contribution to develop the country.
According to the Army Chief, the SLA took over the major farms belonging to the LTTE in the North.
The former LTTE farms - Udayakattukulam, (fruits), Vellankulam (banana) and Kajuwatta in Nachchikuda- have now been developed with infrastructure and are run by soldiers.
“We are reaping the harvest in Udayakattukulam. It produces quality oranges and we have plans to export the vegetables and fruits grown in these farms,” he said.
The Army is now exploring the possibility of export-oriented partnerships with the private sector to grow vegetables and fruits in the North.
When asked about handing over public and private properties, occupied by the Army in the North, Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya said that the High Security Zone demarcations in Jaffna have been finalised and will be gazetted soon.
He said the main problem in Jaffna was handing over public and private properties due to the scarcity of land in the peninsula. “But we are in the process of handing over the properties to people as we are constructing a permanent Army camp in Kopay,” he said. The Army camp at the Gnanam Hotel in Jaffna has already been vacated and Hotel Subash will be handed over to its owners soon.
We PATRIOTS at Sri Lanka Defence Forum and Sri Lanka Patriots BLOGS have LONG ADVOCATED the Manufacture & Sale of State-of-the-Art Weapons in Sri Lanka as a means of achieving self-sufficiency in weapons, and for earning revenue to support the Defence Forces!
Jayawewa ... Sri Lanka Defence Forces .. may you succeed BRILLIANTLY in this venture!
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Military to sell weapons made in Lanka
By Damith Wickremasekara
SundayTimes.lk
January 30, 2011
The Sri Lanka Army is to offer for sale to foreign countries some of the military hardware which it has developed based on its experience gained in fighting the Tiger guerrillas, Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya said. He said items for offer included a mini-UAV developed by the Army. This could be used for monitoring of security at public events or meetings.
Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya said the army had also developed bullet-proof jackets, additional security features in bullet-proof vehicles and weapons which had been modified. He said years of experience gained in fighting the Tiger guerrillas had been made use of by the army after the completion of the military operations against the LTTE to develop these weapons and equipment.
The Army Chief said these items would be on display for the invitees who would be here for the international seminar organized by the Army from May 31 to June 2 where the Army hoped to share its experience gained in defeating the LTTE.
Besides the Army, the Navy and the Air Force will also be putting on exhibition certain items which they have developed after the conclusion of the military operations and would be available for sale.
Navy Spokesman Athula Senarath said they had developed a Small Attack craft which could be used in security operations. He said the Wave Rider inshore Patrol Craft and another craft known as the Arrow Craft were other inventions of the Navy.
Weapons fitted to Dvora craft had also been invented by the Navy. Meanwhile, the Air Force is expected to announce details about its developments during its 60th anniversary celebrations in March.
A PEACE DIVIDEND:Sri Lanka to give birth to a Local Aviation Industry!
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Sri Lanka’s skies are looking up
SundayTimes.lk
January 30, 2011
Six airplane and six helicopter operators are awaiting Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sanction to operate their flights with the local aviation industry ready to capitalise on the peace dividend, according to a CAA official.
“There has been an increasing demand for both airplanes and helicopter operations domestically by individuals as well as entities,” H.M.C. Nimalsiri, Director General and CEO, CAA told the Business Times.
He said Macksons Holdings, Upali Aviation and Asian Aviation are amongst the firms which have applied for an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) to the CAA to start domestic aero plane operations. He added that Breeze Liner, Global Vectr Helicorp Ltd, I.W.S. Holdings, Senok Aviation, All Island Aviation and Blue Lotus Aviation (Pvt) Ltd are amongst those awaiting AOCs for helicopter operations. “All these applications are at various stages,” Mr. Nimalsiri added.
He said that before the Independence Day on February 4, SriLankan Airlines plans to launch its float-plane operations. “It’ll take off from the Beira Lake to Yudhaganawa (near Buttala)," he said, adding that another party is also seeking sanction for float-plane operations. He said presently 12 sites are approved for these operations - namely Randenigala, Polgolla, Nilaveli, Beruwela, Victoria and Koggala.
He added that now that the CAA Act has been passed, the regulator is armed with more teeth. “With this in place, the CAA is empowered to uplift the industry,” he said, explaining that the new Act has stipulated many regulatory provisions and strengthened the Minister’s powers. “Now we have rules in place for safety programmes, the Minister is empowered to make rules pertaining to a number of matters and the Director General can issue implementing standards for the industry,” he explained.
Mr Nimalsiri said this year the CAA will focus on simplifying the aircraft importation process, solving infrastructure issues of the operators, establishing hangars at domestic airports, etc, reviewing various charges levied on the operators, considering granting concession to operators investing in domestic aviation and also concessions to start up foreign carriers for limited period, while reviewing airspace restrictions are also on the cards this year. Mr. Nimalsiri noted that CAA will also enhance public awareness in civil aviation while promoting aviation activities (air shows, etc) this year.
He added that the International Civil Aviation Organisation audit which was completed last October found that the Sri Lankan Aviation standards are much above those of the region. “With this recommendation the CAA has set the ground for this industry to be on top,” he said.
We salute the Defence Forces of Sri Lanka with this poem by a great leader of warriors.
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Build Me a Son
By General Douglas A. MacArthur
Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face him self when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know Thee- and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.
Here, let him learn to stand up in the storm; here, let him team compassion for those who fall.
Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goals will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously.
Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, "I have not lived in vain."
EXCELLENT .. Keep the NORWEGIAN SNAKES out of Sri Lanka!
Never let these GLOBAL BUSYBODIES interfere in Sri Lankan politics again.
Norway AIDED & ABETTED the LTTE to DIVIDE Sri Lanka in TWO and create a racist apertheid Tamils-only STATE of EELAM.
They hoped to advance their Christian Evangelist Missionary Activities CONVERTING Sri Lanka's citizens to their brand of Christianity. They were exploiting the poverty of Sri Lanka's poorest people reduced to dependence through war with the aid of the LTTE, because the majority Buddhists were RESISTANT to conversion.
They also hoped to obtain lucrative OFFSHORE oil exploration and production rights for Norwegian firms once the Eelam State was created.
Even today, Norway provides support to a VIRULENT network of LTTE Diaspora activists resident in Norway to undermine Sri Lanka.
These terrorists include Adele Balasingham, a war criminal who handed out cyanide capsules .. on Youtube video .. to LTTE cadre, having entered the Wanni region of Sri Lanka illegally.
Norway and Norwegian NGOs should be PERMANENTLY BANNED from setting foot in Sri Lanka.
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Post-war SL: No special role for Norway
By Shamindra Ferdinnando
Island.lk
January 30, 2011
Pro-LTTE groups overseas in fresh bid to offset loss of LTTE’s conventional military capability in May 2009, as disgraced ‘peacemaker’ offers to mediate between Sri Lanka and those still seeking to undermine peace won through military means
Norway is unlikely to win any special role in the post-war Sri Laka in spite of its offer to make its services available in that capacity.
Government sources told The Island that Sri Lanka was not interested in a Norwegian offer to mediate between the government and the LTTE rump or so-called Tamil Diaspora groups pushing for UN ‘war crimes’ probe, targeting the country’s political and military leaders.
Norwegian Development Minister and disgraced peace facilitator Erik Solheim last week declared that Norway hoped to help Sri Lanka and those living abroad to initiate a dialogue. In an interview with News Now. lk published in the front-page of The Island of Jan. 27 Solheim called Norway the dialogue partner for the government and other communities, including those in exile.
Highly placed sources said that there couldn’t be a special role for Norway or any other foreign government in the country. The government was ready to talk with any Diaspora group to explore ways and means of improving post-war conditions here, sources said.
Diaspora groups fully supported an LTTE decision to quit the Norwegian-led peace process in April 2003 during the tenure of the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, which ultimately led to the collapse of the Norwegian-effort. Norway had failed to force the LTTE back to the negotiating table, while US efforts to influence US-based LTTE operatives, too, didn’t yield the desired results.
In a story datelined Aug. 27, 2009, Aftenposten quoted Solheim as saying that the UN should investigate charges of war crimes in Sri Lanka "This is something I will discuss with Ban Ki-moon when he comes, " he told that paper.
Diplomatic sources told The Island that nothing would come of a fresh foreign initiative, except giving recognition to the LTTE rump.
Egypt Today, America Tomorrow?
The uprising in Tunisia (10.5 million) was due to anger over:
-- soaring food prices,
-- high unemployment (13.3% overall, and 40% among young men), and
-- official corruption.
The upheaval in Egypt (80 million) is due to anger over:
-- soaring food prices,
-- high unemployment (9.4% overall, and 25% among young men and 59% among young women),
-- official corruption, and
-- political extremism.
In the United States (307 million):
-- soaring food prices,
-- high unemployment (9.4% overall, 12.4% in CA, over 20% among young men and minorities),
-- growing anger toward government collusion with corrupt Bankers, Corporations, and Wall Street brokers, and
-- rising political extremism.
America take heed.
Act fast to help our ever growing legions of unemployed, underemployed, undereducated, and underskilled young people lest they revolt too!
In view of the Unemployment and Poverty driven revolutions sweeping the Arab World, it is timely to examine Per Capita Income of countries and regions.
These are listed below.
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Table 2: Regional Average Per Capita Incomes using PPP method
Region Per Capita Income in US$
World 8,200
Low income 2,190
Middle income 6,000
Lower middle income 5,510
Upper middle income 9,900
Low & middle income 4,320
East Asia & Pacific 4,680
Europe & Central Asia 7,570
Latin America & Caribbean 7,080
Middle East & North Africa 5,700
South Asia 2,660
Sub-Saharan Africa 1,770
High income 29,480
European Monetary Union 26,260
Table 1: National Average Per Capita Income using PPP method
Rank Country Per Capita Income US$
1 Luxembourg 54,430
2 Bermuda N/A 36,000
3 United States 37,500
4 Norway 37,300
5 Liechtenstein N/A 25,000
6 Channel Islands N/A
7 Switzerland 32,030
8 Denmark 31,210
9 Ireland 30,450
10 Iceland 30,140
11 Canada 29,740
12 Austria 29,610
13 San Marino N/A 34,600
14 Cayman Islands N/A 35,000
15 Belgium 28,930
16 Hong Kong 28,810
17 Japan 28,620
18 Netherlands 28,600
19 Monaco N/A 27,000
20 Australia 28,290
21 United Kingdom 27,650
22 France 27,460
22 Germany 27,460
24 Finland 27,100
25 Italy 26,760
26 Sweden 26,620
30 Singapore 24,180
33 Macao 21,920
35 Spain 22,020
36 UAE 21,040
38 New Zealand 21,120
41 Greece 19,920
42 Cyprus 19,530
43 Slovenia 19,240
45 Israel 19,200
46 Malta 17,870
47 Kuwait 17,870
49 Portugal 17,980
50 SKorea 17,930
52 Bahrain 16,170
53 Puerto Rico 16,320
54 Bahamas 16,140
55 Seychelles 15,960
56 Czech Republic 15,650
57 Barbados 15,060
58 Hungary 13,780
60 Oman 13,000
61 Slovak Republic 13,420
62 Saudi Arabia 12,850
63 Estonia 12,480
67 Poland 11,450
68 Mauritius 11,260
69 Lithuania 11,090
70 St. Kitts & Nevis 11,040
71 Argentina 10,920
73 Croatia 10,710
74 South Africa 10,270
75 Latvia 10,130
76 Chile 9,810
77 Antigua & Barbuda 9,590
78 Trinidad & Tobago 9,450
79 Costa Rica 9,040
80 Mexico 8,950
81 Malaysia 8,940
82 Russian Fed. 8,920
83 Uruguay 7,980
84 Botswana 7,960
85 Bulgaria 7,610
86 Brazil 7,480
87 Thailand 7,450
88 Iran 7,190
89 Romania 7,140
90 Tonga 6,890
91 Tunisia 6,840
92 Macedonia, FYR 6,720
93 Grenada 6,710
94 Turkey 6,690
95 Namibia 6,620
96 St. Vincent &Grenad. 6,590
97 Colombia 6,520
98 Bosnia & Herzegovina 6,320
99 Panama 6,310
100 Dominican Republic 6,210
101 Kazakhstan 6,170
102 Belize 5,840
103 Belarus 6,010
105 Algeria 5,940
106 Turkmenistan 5,840
108 Gabon 5,700
108 Samoa 5,700
111 Cape Verde 5,440
112 Fiji 5,410
112 Ukraine 5,410
114 St. Lucia 5,220
115 Dominica 5,090
115 Peru 5,090
118 China 4,990
121 El Salvador 4,890
122 Swaziland 4,850
123 Lebanon 4,840
124 Paraguay 4,740
124 Venezuela, RB 4,740
126 Albania 4,700
127 Philippines 4,640
128 Jordan 4,290
129 Guatemala 4,060
130 Guyana 3,950
130 Morocco 3,950
132 Egypt 3,940
133 Jamaica 3,790
134 Armenia 3,770
135 Sri Lanka 3,730
136 Ecuador 3,440
137 Syrian Arab Rep. 3,430
138 Azerbaijan 3,380
141 Indonesia 3,210
142 Lesotho 3,120
143 India 2,880
143 Vanuatu 2,880
146 Honduras 2,580
147 Georgia 2,540
149 Vietnam 2,490
150 Bolivia 2,450
152 Nicaragua 2,400
154 Zimbabwe 2,180
155 Papua New Guinea 2,240
156 Djibouti 2,200
157 Ghana 2,190
158 Guinea 2,100
159 Cambodia 2,060
159 Pakistan 2,060
161 Mauritania 2,010
162 Cameroon 1,980
163 Angola 1,890
164 Sudan 1,880
165 Bangladesh 1,870
166 Gambia, The 1,820
167 Mongolia 1,800
168 Comoros 1,760
169 Moldova 1,750
170 Lao PDR 1,730
171 Uzbekistan 1,720
173 Kyrgyz Republic 1,660
173 Senegal 1,660
175 Haiti 1,630
175 Solomon Islands 1,630
177 Togo 1,500
178 Uganda 1,440
179 Nepal 1,420
180 Côte d'Ivoire 1,390
182 Rwanda 1,290
183 Burkina Faso 1,180
184 Benin 1,110
184 Eritrea 1,110
186 Chad 1,100
187 Central African Rep. 1,080
188 Mozambique 1,070
189 Tajikistan 1,040
190 Kenya 1,020
192 Mali 960
193 Nigeria 900
194 Zambia 850
195 Niger 820
195 Yemen, Rep. 820
199 Madagascar 800
201 Congo, Rep. 710
201 Ethiopia 710
203 Guinea-Bissau 660
204 Congo, Dem. Rep. 640
205 Burundi 620
206 Tanzania 610
207 Malawi 600
208 Sierra Leone 530
Source.
Security Alert in Sri Lanka
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Be vigilant of bombs, mines
By Gandhya Senanayake and Supun Dias
DailyMirror.lk
January 31, 2011
The army had issued a fresh warning to the public to be vigilant about suspicious articles and to inform the nearest army detachment in such an instance.
This comes in the wake of army discovering a claymore mine weighing 2 kg and four unserviceable grenades in Nittambuwa. Army Spokesman Ubaya Madawela said that a few isolated incidents such as these were recorded after the war and that the public were requested to be on the alert for explosives that may have been brought during the war and still hidden in Colombo.
Meanwhile, a total of 307,400 mines have been cleared and destroyed by the Army Field Engineers, in a land area of 1875 square kilometres by soldiers using mechanical and manual methods, Medawala said.
The clearing operations were conducted in Jaffna, Mannar, Maullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Pollonnaruwa and Vavuniya Districts, he said.
Nearly 1300 soldiers and several international organizations in coordination with local organizations have been involved in the demining in the Northern and Eastern provinces.
So far the area from Oddusudan to Nadunkerni had been completely de mined by troops with the help of demining groups, he said.
Currently the demining process is underway in Mannar, Kokavil, Muhamalai to Paranthan and also areas in Killinochchi.
Although most residential areas and the roads in the Vanni - an area including Kilinochchi, Mulaithivu, Jaffna, Mannar and Vavuniya districts - have been de-mined, as civilian activity increases, the risk of injury from mines and other devices remained high in those areas yet not cleared, he said.
The Army is now engaged in mine clearing operations along the A-9 Road from Paranthan to Elephant Pass and to Muhamalai. They also cover certain other areas in the North-Thunukkai, Manthivu, and Kokkavil.
Claymore kills one in Kilinochchi
Investigations are carried out by the Kilinochchi police after a claymore mine exploded in Vishvamadu, Kilinochchi killing a 19-year-old youth and injuring another on Friday, the Police said.The two individuals were injured while they were clearing a piece of land in the former war ravaged area, Police media Spokesman SP Preshantha Jayakody said.
The claymore mine reportedly hidden and fixed during the time of the war exploded killing the youth, he said.
The weight of the claymore is believed to be about 250grams, the spokesman added.
Village Ethnically Cleansed by the LTTE site of SLRC hearings!
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Sri Lanka Reconciliation Commission holds hearings in LTTE attacked border village
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 30, Weli Oya: Sri Lanka's Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) probing the events during the seven years before the end of the war in May 2009 will be holding public hearings this weekend in Weli Oya, the northernmost settlement of the majority Sinhalese community during the LTTE occupation of the North and East.
The LLRC appointed by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to report on lessons to be learnt from the events in the period, February 2002 to May 2009 visited Weli Oya Saturday to hear the villagers' accounts during the period the border villages of north were under LTTE threats.
Giving evidence before the commission, Buddhist monks and civilians of Weli-Oya villages have recounted their terrible experiences and enormous hardships they encountered due to LTTE terrorist activities.
Remote villages in this area dwelt by Sinhalese people have come under the most brutal ethnic cleansing raids by the Tamil Tigers during the 2 decades before the group's defeat in 2009.
Several mortar attacks by the Tamil Tigers have killed a number of civilians and injured many others in this northern most edge of the Sinhalese settlements. In May 2008, Tamil Tigers fired mortars to the Athawetunaweva village in the Welioya Defense Colony displacing 1,118 individuals belonged to 310 families of the village.
The Commission expects to wrap up its hearings in Weli Oya tomorrow and plan to gather views from the people in worst affected villages of Palliyagodella, and Welikanda in the Polonnaruwa district.
The LLRC is to present its final report to the President in May.
Mr. Krishna .. you are DEAD WRONG!
These "students" are WILLING COLLABORATORS in a CRIMINAL SCAM to defraud the US Immigration and Customs, and gain entry into the US for ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT!
SHAME ON YOU!
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India condemns US for radio-tagging duped students
BBC.co.uk
January 30, 2011
A protest against the California-based Tri-Valley University near the US Consulate in Hyderabad on 28 January 2011 Hyderabad has seen angry protests over the weekend
India has condemned US authorities for tagging Indian students who, it says, were duped by a fake university.
External Affairs Minister SM Krishan said Indian students were "not criminals" and that radio collars put around their ankles must be removed.
US authorities have shut down the Tri-Valley University near San Francisco, accusing it of an immigration fraud.
The university has more than 1,500 students and reports say nearly 95% of them are from India.
Most of the students are reported to be from the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and many of them now face deportation.
In the state capital, Hyderabad, members of the All India Students' Federation have demonstrated against the Tri-Valley University near the US consulate.
"We demand that the US government initiate severe action against those officials responsible for this inhuman act," Mr Krishna told reporters in the southern city of Bangalore on Sunday.
"Indian students are not criminals. The radio collars should immediately be removed," he said.
"We have conveyed to the US authorities that the students, most of who are victims themselves, must be treated fairly and reasonably," the ministry said in a statement.
The students have been forced to wear radio collars around their ankles so that the US authorities can keep track of their movements.
Those who tried to HALT THE WAR on MURDEROUS TERRORISTS in Sri Lanka THEN, finally acknowledge the ERRORS of their Smarter-Than-Thou policies of yesteryear, but NOW add insult to injury by preaching RECONCILIATION with the CULPRITS posing as VICTIMS!
WRONG THEN, WRONG NOW!
Only an absolute Hypocrite will still preach "Reconciliation" with MURDEROUS TERRORISTS who enslaved their people and waged a separatist war to create a RACIST APARTHEID Tamils-only state in Sri Lanka. Did the United States "reconcile" with the Nazis? ... Not THEN, Not NOW!
Our law-abiding Sri Lankan Tamil brothers, sisters, fellow Sri Lankan citizens, deserve better than to have their TORMENTORS RESURRECTED as "victims" and hoisted upon them .. ONCE AGAIN!
Sri Lanka deserves MORE RESPECT, MORE UNDERSTANDING and BETTER TREATMENT in these matters.
When will Ambassador Blake stop applying DOUBLE STANDARDS to Sri Lanka, and apply the SAME POLICIES as the US does to itself?
Sri Lankans will not accept Different Strokes for Different Folks!
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Sri Lanka's military victory over LTTE disproved skeptics but at a high cost, former US Ambassador says
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Feb 01, Colombo: Sri Lanka's decision to defeat the LTTE terrorists militarily disproved the skeptics who thought it could not be achieved but at a very high cost of civilian casualties, a former United States Ambassador to Colombo has said.
In a radio interview with Grant Reeher, the host of the Campbell Conversations program at Syracuse University in New York recently, Robert O. Blake, Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs said his tenure in Sri Lanka was a 'searing time' for him as the country went from peace negotiations with the terrorist organization to a full blown war against them.
He said the most did not believe that LTTE could be militarily defeated but Sri Lanka proved them wrong although at a high human cost.
"Most of us believed it couldn't be done, but they disproved a lot of the skeptics. But they did so at a very high cost," he has said.
"It points now to the need for very serious reconciliation and accountability efforts to take place so that the country can be unified and it can again I think realize the promise that Sri Lanka has always had," Blake has noted.
Discussing a recent article in the New Yorker that said Sri Lanka's military strategy is being accepted by some governments as a model to eradicate terrorism Blake said first thing to recognize is that LTTE bore a large part of the responsibility for the civilian toll of Sri Lanka's war.
The former Ambassador said despite the calls to protect civilians, the LTTE, systematically refused international efforts to allow the displaced people trapped between the advancing security forces and the LTTE to move from the conflict areas to the south and violated international law by not allowing freedom of movement to those civilians.
"So had the LTTE actually allowed people to move south, none of this would have happened in the first place, so it's important to make that point," he said adding that point often gets lost in the debate on the matter.
Sri Lanka's military victory over LTTE disproved skeptics but at a high cost, former US Ambassador says
......continued....
Assistant Secretary Blake accused the LTTE of deliberately placing heavy artillery in the midst of civilian camps to draw fire from the government forces hoping that the civilian deaths would make the international community to direct its anger against the government and demand to stop the offensive.
He said the West was in a difficult situation as they wanted to see the defeat of the terrorist organization but not at the cost of civilians.
Blake said both sides were guilty of massive human rights violations that caused the deaths of many civilians.
He said for Sri Lanka to recover from this experience there needs to be a reconciliation process and an accountability mechanism so that the nation can put this episode behind them and be confident that those who were responsible for the civilian deaths will be held accountable. He also called for Sri Lanka to hold elections in the North so that a 'new indigenous leadership' can emerge.
Amnesty offered to Sri Lanka Army deserters
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Feb 01, Colombo: Sri Lanka Army has decided to offer a nine-day period for the Army deserters to surrender and de-list.
The grace period to surrender in search of de-listing without punishment will begin February 04, the National Independence Day and will end on February 12, Army announced.
The Army deserters are asked to report to their respective regimental headquarters and get the official clearance from the Army at special counters opened for this purpose during the specified period, said the Army spokesman Major General Ubhaya Medawala.
Official figures say that there are around 50,000 Army deserters. Some of them were proven to have linked to the spate of violence that prevailed in the island in the recent past.
Tamil Politics of Playing Ping-Pong with Sri Lanka:
.. Indian Tamils vigorously demand action against Sri Lanka for killing fishermen
.. Sri Lanka Tamils vigorously demand action by Sri Lanka against poaching by Tamil Nadu fishermen.
Sri Lanka is caught in the middle.
THEIR GOAL is to UNDERMINE the friendly relationship between India and Sri Lanka using manufactured charges to pit Sri Lanka against India.
The GOSL should ENFORCE ITS RIGHT to protect and defend SL waters, and develop procedures to video-record and document ALL OF ITS its operations.
It should also develop an issues resolution mechanism in close collaboration with Indian Authorities to PREVENT FALSE CHARGES being levied against Sri Lanka, by those on both sides of the border who are DELIBERATELY TRYING TO ENGINEER SUCH CONFLICTS.
This situation will only WORSEN in the FUTURE, if insufficient resources are allocated to it.
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UNP flays govt. for allowing Indian fishing craft in northern waters
By Shamindra Ferdinando
January 31, 2011
UNP National List MP D. M. Swaminathan says the government should provide larger boats to northern fishermen on easy payment terms.
The UNP blames the government for not adopting effective measures to prevent Indian fishermen from poaching in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters in the North.
UNP National List MP D. M. Swaminathan said that the government had turned a blind eye to repeated calls by northern fisheries societies to thwart Indian fishing fleet crossing the Indo-Lanka maritime boundary.
MP Swaminathan, in a recent statement, which dealt with the situation in the Northern Province, alleged that government had also ignored northern fishermen’s call for the provision of 40-foot fishing craft on easy payment terms.
He blamed the Navy for still denying northerners an opportunity to enter two major ‘fishing grounds’ at Myliddy and Kaddaikadu on the basis of them being security zones.
The MP said that in spite of the relaxation of fishing restrictions in the northern waters, fishermen couldn’t exploit the post-war situation for want of larger fishing craft. With the available 21-foot and 28-foot fishing craft, they couldn’t operate on the high seas, he said, emphasising the need to take tangible action on the part of the government to upgrade the fishing fleet.
The UNP statement comes in the wake of fresh allegations by some Indian politicians that the Sri Lanka Navy has recently killed two Indian fishermen and wounded several others in separate incidents.
Navy headquarters said that there was absolutely no truth in Indian allegations. Senior government officials told The Island that some Tamil Nadu politicians were trying to make political capital out of alleged attacks on fishermen.
A group of TN politicians tried to blame the massacre of five Indian fishermen and the seizure of fishing trawler ‘Sri Krishna’ in 2007 by the LTTE on the Sri Lanka Navy.
UNP flays govt. for allowing Indian fishing craft in northern waters
.......continued.....
Former Navy Commander Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe told the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) last year how the Indian fishing fleet invaded Sri Lankan waters regularly causing immense problems. Admiral Samarasinghe stressed the need to check the movement of Indian fishing craft, while warning that the situation could further deteriorate unless effective measures were adopted. The Admiral also warned that there could e clashes between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen.
Military sources based in the North told The Island that Jaffna fishermen were angry over the government’s failure to prevent regular forays by Indian fishing fleet into Sri Lanka’s territorial waters. Sources said that Jaffna fishermen expected the Navy to take measures to discourage the Indians.
During the war, particularly at last stages, the Navy threw a cordon to thwart Indians and went to the extent of detaining about 300 trawlers as part of its strategy to discourage the Indian fishing fleet.
Military sources said that a section of the Indian fishing fleet had collaborated with the LTTE to transfer arms, ammunition and equipment.
Only in Sri Lanka, are terrorists in custody allowed to "form a political party" while still imprisoned pending prosecution!
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KP to form a party: Speculation rife he is playing behind-the scene-role
By Kelum Bandara
DailyMirror.lk
February 01, 2011
Ex-LTTE top brass Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP was playing behind-the-scene role in the formation of a new Tamil political party, sources in Jaffna said.
“We believe that KP is behind the scene. Initially, it is going to be started as a neutral party,” they said. The former chief arms procurer had held meetings with civil society activists in Jaffna on Sunday.
A few members of the Tamil Diaspora too had joined him during this visit which was conducted under tight security. He also had meetings with senior military officers based in the area about the security situation. During the meeting, he had vowed to work for the good of people in the North. “KP got emotional and broke into tears at one moment when he addressed the meeting,” they said.
Last week, he had addressed a group of lecturers attached to the Jaffna University.
It is also learnt that a Sri Lankan Tamil domiciled in the United States had arrived in the country a few days ago and mooted the idea for the formation of a new party.
KP was arrested in Malaysia in August 2009, and then brought back to Sri Lanka. Since then, he has been in the military custody. The government said in Parliament earlier that he would be produced before a court of law once investigations and inquiries were completed.
Sri Lanka looks to boost ties with Viet Nam
VietnamNews
February 01, 2011
Viet Nam News spoke with Sri Lankan Ambassador Kalahe Gamage Ivan Amarasinghe on the occasion of Sri Lanka's National Day today.
You are now in your second year as ambassador to Viet Nam. What are your plans for this year?
I began my second year as the Sri Lankan ambassador to Viet Nam in October 2010. The first year was a steep learning curve for me in many respects.
The state visit by the Sri Lankan president just a few days after I became ambassador to Viet Nam in 2009 marked a milestone in the relationship between Viet Nam and Sri Lanka. The visit set out the priorities for the years to come. The bilateral agreements signed on this historic occasion will form the bedrock for action plans on co-operation between the two countries. They encompass key aspects, such as trade, air travel, tourism, cultural ties, agricultural and fisheries technology transfer, maritime surveillance and security measures aimed at curtailment of human trafficking and terrorism.
Challenges to action plans should be treated as opportunities rather than insurmountable problems. The Sri Lankan diplomatic presence in Ha Noi in 2003 has been an essential starting point for activation of mutually relevant bilateral action plans. We intend to reach out to partners through our new consular office in HCM City this year.
A challenge to us is the lack of a counterpart diplomatic presence in Colombo. A Vietnamese presence in our capital would boost bi-partisan relations. I understand that Viet Nam plans to open an office in Colombo in the next few months and will no longer rely on its embassy in New Delhi. Practical measures such as the issuance of visas for Sri Lankans intending to visit Viet Nam, as well as welfare measures and diplomatic support for Vietnamese entrepreneurs intending to do business in Sri Lanka are vital.
We would like Colombo and Ha Noi to act as regional hubs for SAARC [South Asian Association For Regional Co-operation] and ASEAN. Direct flights between Colombo and Ha Noi would be a blessing.
In addition to the above, I initiated a process of "informal meetings" of the SAARC Ambassadors in Ha Noi where each Ambassador presents a Discussion Topic such as "River Systems and regional Climate Change" or "Food Problems of the SAARC Region". We certainly have a multiplicity of in-country and regional problems in the SAARC region. We need to address these problems in a cohesive and pragmatic manner. Any future collaborations with our ASEAN partners will boost the welfare of nearly half the population of the world that lives in these two adjacent regions.
Sri Lanka looks to boost ties with Viet Nam
.....continued 1....
The 26-year war between the Sri Lankan authorities and the Tamil Tigers ended in May 2009. What is the situation like now in Sri Lanka?
This is a subject of considerable sensitivity that has been given undue and sensational publicity. There is no truth to claims that violence has erupted since the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers, in May 2009. There is now peace, unity and prosperity among the Jaffna Tamils, the Batticoloa Tamils, plantation sector Tamils and other minority and majority ethnic groups. Multibillion dollar special projects such as Uthru Wasanthaya [Northern Spring] and Nagenahira Navodaya ([Eastern Reawakening] have been set up in war-devastated areas. Vast infrastructural programmes were launched in 2010 under the direct monitoring of His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka. The minister of Economic Development is passionate about giving all necessary assistance to residents in former war-torn areas. Some ex-LTTE commanders and combatants are now partners with the Sri Lankan government.
Sri Lanka at a glance
Area: 65,610sq.km
Population: 20.4 million
Capital: Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte
Official Languages: Sinhala, Tamil, Link Language: English
Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee
GNI per capita: US $1,990 (World Bank, 2009)
The success of the country depends on reconciliation. In this context the war with the Tamil Tigers [LTTE] who fought to break up Sri Lanka can be compared with attempts by local and foreign warmongers to divide North and South Viet Nam. Post-imperial reawakening in previously European colonised countries often results in internal factional warfare. What President Ho Chi Minh did to re-unify post-Dien Bien Phu North and South Viet Nam is similar to what President Mahinda Rajapakasa has done to re-unify Sri Lanka. Both countries are emerging from hundreds of years of European colonialism. Both countries had miscreant and nationally divisive locals with hereditary allegiances to their former colonial masters due to privileges conferred on them by the latter. As well as having to unify themselves, both Viet Nam and Sri Lanka have been subjected to intense scrutiny by various forces, including some which have had vested interests in destabilising the countries again. Yet we continue with our own national reconciliation process. We have learnt lessons from the war. Hopefully, our people will never face such schism and agony again through national inquisitions such as the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission [LLRC] ongoing in Sri Lanka. Viet Nam and Sri Lanka have risen above the demands of the international community. We have extended our hand in genuine friendship and goodwill.
Accusations of human rights violations and war crimes by democratically elected governments trying to create post-war internal stability and unity among multi-ethnic groups are generic from miscreant sources to destabilize good governance and national unity.
Sri Lanka looks to boost ties with Viet Nam
......continued 2.....
The New York Times recently reported that Sri Lankan accountants are in huge demand internationally. Is accounting a development priority in your country?
Accountancy needs clarity of thought and an ability to process data in a useful way. Mathematics and an understanding of information technology software is crucial. While one appreciates the tone of the New York Times article, one must in all humility state that Sri Lanka is not the only nation in the world that has good accountants. It is not a genetic ability.
Sri Lankans of all ethnicities want their children to grow up to be a doctor, an engineer or an accountant. Accountancy is seen as a noble profession.
In September 2010, the Sri Lanka parliament scrapped limits on the presidential term. Has this been beneficial to the nation?
It is the fundamental right of a democratic country to decide who their leaders should be. However, the constitution must uphold the fundamental rights of its citizens. It is up to the people of the country to democratically elect their president. Limitations on length of office might be seen by some to be a violation of the people's fundamental rights. That was why limits on the length of office of the president were removed.
On a lighter note, Viet Nam is currently celebrating the Lunar New Year. What will you be doing over the holiday period?
Ha Noi is clearly in a celebratory mood. Ha Noi is one of the fastest developing and most beautiful cities in the world. Historically, the people of Ha Noi are proud. They are dignified. They want the country to embrace the future, but at the same time, want to hold on to their culture. The period approaching the Lunar New Year is indeed one of goodness. You can see it in the faces of the people of Ha Noi. The opportunity to share in this joy is a privilege that I shall always cherish.
LTTE terrorists in sheepskins can RUN, but can't HIDE!
Not NOW, not EVER!
BOO!
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Fundraisers to court
NewsNow.lk
January 31, 2011
The government is to sue LTTE front organizations and individuals who gave money to the LTTE during the war to purchase weapons and explosives, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States Jaliya Wickramasuriya said.
Ambassador Wickramasuriya told News Now.lk that the government is also working with US authorities to crackdown on LTTE front organizations operating on US soil with a new name but with the same agenda as they did before they were either banned or some of its members arrested.
The Ambassador said that family members of those killed by the LTTE during the conflict had sought assistance to sue those who funded the terror campaign including some Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) and human rights activists.
“We have been contacted by so many family members of the people who lost lives due to LTTE suicide bombings and LTTE activities and they will file action against people who gave money to the LTTE. They are responsible for sending money and weapons to the LTTE. We will bring these front organizations and individuals to justice very soon,” the Ambassador said.
Asked who these front organizations were the envoy said he could not reveal any names as investigations were still continuing but said that the US authorities were well aware who these people are.
(Report by Easwaran Rutnam for New Now.lk)
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