Sunday, January 25, 2009

'Seeing is believing' – Sangaree: Visit Sri Lanka to save the Tamils from the clutches of Tamil Tigers

Colombo, 25 January, (Asiantribune.com): In an open letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, TULF Leader V. Anandasangaree, has questioned why Karunanidhi did not visit Sri Lanka and see for himself the situation that fastly unravels in the country. He said in that letter Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse has openly extended an invitation to him to visit and asked what is preventing him from doing so.

The TULF leader pointed out that ‘seeing is believing’ and not to be misled by Parliamentarians belonging to TNA who are proxies of the Tiger terrorists. Full Text

Britain: LTTE must be dealt as terrorists

(AT)Britain, a country that has been a victim of terrorism of all sorts, made a bold a statement recently highlighting the right of the government of Sri Lanka to defeat it militarily while emphasizing the need of a political solution in the long run.

The statement issued by the Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs on Sri Lanka on 21 January 2009, clearly says that it does not recognize the LTTE as the representatives of the Tamil population in the island nation. On the contrary, it has been explicit in its condemnation of the outfit for the blatant abuses committed by the organization against all the communities in the name of liberation of the race, they say that they represent. Full Text

The Danish Prime Minister commends Lankan Security Forces for their success in combatting Terrorirsm in Sri Lanka

Copenhagen, 25 January, (Asiantribune.com): The Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen expresses his strong commitment to democracy, rule of law and human rights commended the Sri Lankan security forces for successfully combating terrorism in Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Ranjith Jayasooriya, resident in Stockholm, who is also accredited to the Kingdom of Denmark met the Danish Prime Minister on Wednesday 23rd January, 2009 after the Prime Minister’s Annual Meeting with the Ambassadors accredited to Denmark in the 'Nordatlandens Brygge' historical building of the Prime Minister’s Office in Copenhagen in Denmark. Full Text

Tamil Nadu boils, but Delhi remains warm

  • Different statements on Menon visit to Colombo
  • Rumours and questions about Prabha's whereabouts
(ST)By Our Political Editor

The contrast of international and domestic travellers at Southern India's Chennai international airport stands unique from all others.

For some passengers, their baggage is only old cartons that earlier held Red Label whisky or cigarettes, Sony or National TV sets. Others had rolled their belongings into a bundle covered by polythene or shopping bags that advertised different makes of silk saris. A few who stood in queues for flights headed to South Asian capitals were sarong clad, even barefoot. Mingling alongside were others with their Samsonite or American Tourister luggage. They hopped around in joggers or classy leather shoes. The blend of extremes, from the lowest to the upper fringes of budget travellers is perhaps better exhibited in Chennai. Full Text

Advancing troops discover LTTE mine-manufacturing factories

(ST)The LTTE blasted the Kalmadukulam tank bund yesterday, flooding a section of the A-35 Paranthan- Pooneryn main road, Dharmapuram and Visvamadu, as troops advanced towards the Visvamadu area,worsening the plight of civilians trapped there, the Defence Ministry said.

The Tigers used high explosives to trigger the detonation, the Ministry further said. Meanwhile, during last week’s operations, security forces discovered two LTTE mine-manufacturing factories about 500 metres east of the eastern edge of the Udayarkattukulam tank in Mullaithivu. The factories contained chemicals, explosive substances, metal balls, batteries, detonator cords, flexible wires and gas cylinders, the Defence Ministry said. Full Text

Family overjoyed at soldier’s return

(ST)LTTE co-operates in handing over captured lance-corporal for further treatment in Colombo

An injured soldier, Lance-Corporal Saman Pushpakumara, 24 years, who was captured by the LTTE on January 4 at the Muhamalai battlefront, Killinochchi district, and admitted to the Dharmapuram government hospital for treatment on January 9, was released by the LTTE on Friday and brought to Colombo.

From Dharmapuram, the soldier was later transferred to Puthkkudiyiruppu. Kilinochchi Regional Director of Health Services Dr. T. Sathyamoorthi, who was attending to the soldier at the Dharmapuram hospital, called the soldier’s mother in Welimada and informed her that her son was in good hands and that she had nothing to worry about. Full Text

Govt. clears Mullaitivu for final assault

GA leaves, civil administration suspended
By Chris Kamalendran

(ST)Civil administration work carried out in the Mullaitivu district has been officially suspended to facilitate the civilians to leave the district, as security forces pushed forward to capture the last stronghold of Tiger guerillas.

Mullaitivu Government Agent Emelda Sukumar said directions had been issued to all public servants to stop work and leave the district for their own safety. Full Text

Swiss national stopped at checkpoint

(SO)The Swiss National (50) and his woman partner(34) who attempted to cross over to Vavuniya at the Medawachchiya checkpoint in a Izuzu cab belonging to a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) were taken in for questioning by the Medawachchiya police, the Police Media Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunesekera told the Sunday Observer. Full Text

LTTE lays landmines to stop fleeing civilians

(SO)Becoming more fierce on civilians, who are trying to breakthrough the gates of the LTTE hell-hole, the Tigers have recently laid a swathe of land mines, in the densely populated LTTE controlled areas - Theravikulam, Visuamadu and Puthukudiyirippu in Mullaitivu to prevent the civilians fleeing to the government controlled areas.

According to intelligence sources, the Tigers, in a desperate attempt to hold ground in the wake of the heavy military push, are trying to retain the civilians by all means while burying large amount of anti-personnel mines around FDLs to keep the forcefully recruited young cadres in captivity. Knowing that they are at the losing end, most of the young cadres have started abandoning the outfit despite the stringent punishments given by the LTTE. Full Text

The secret behind military success

As the Executive Head of State, all action flows from His Excellency the President without which failure will result. The operations conducted by the Armed Forces are to achieve a political aim - peace, as they are deployed to achieve this political goal. This political leadership was not available earlier although Service Commanders had requested for more men and equipment to conduct operations against terrorists. Instead, political leaders failed to provide these needs but opted to continue with “Talks”.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa

The LTTE leader did neither tolerate any opposition nor any in the organisation that threatened his leadership. This made him eliminate all other Tamil political parties or anyone who disagreed including Tamil organisations as well as PLOTE, EPRLF, TELO, Tamil leaders including his rank and file. Regarding the possibility of him escaping, he recalled that during “Operation Liberation One”, better known as “Operation Vadamaradchi” the LTTE leader was confined to the Jaffna peninsula. At that time he had stated he contemplated suicide but given an opportunity he escaped. Since the environment had changed today, it is doubtful he would attempt suicide but would escape if possible to continue his struggle for a separate state. When questioned regarding the future of the “Tiger’ leader and the prevailing belief among some that the LTTE although defeated will once again ‘rise”, he said the Sri Lankan political leadership should recognize this possibility. Full Text

Where is Prabhakaran?

(SO)As the military inches towards the much spoken of and well fortified underground bunker of LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran possibly in Puthukkudiyiruppu or Vishwamadu, all the guns, radars and ships have tightened their surveillance to stop him fleeing the Lankan shores.

While diverse opinions are expressed and penned down about his presence or possible ‘departure’, some politicians who were one time his close buddies believe that he is still active in Vanni and others say that he has fled the country as he loves ‘his life’ more than anything else! Full Text

Tamil diaspora disappointed with LTTE

(SO)With significant repeated defeats suffered by the LTTE, the Tamil diaspora has warned the LTTE leadership their inability to garner international support and raise funds for the outfit and had asked them to resort to some other tactics to disrupt normalcy in the liberated areas and in other major cities, intelligence sources revealed. The diaspora have asked them to show the international community that they are LTTE still strong with its fighting capabilities and still stick to their original concept - Eelam, a separate Tamil State. Full Text

Akashi pays visit to Manik Farm

(observer)Japanese Special Envoy, Yasushi Akashi paid a visit to Vavuniya where he met the civilians, who had escaped from LTTE-held areas yesterday.

Akashi was accompanied by Japanese Embassy officials, during his visit to Manik Farm Centre for internally discalced persons and gave a hearing to their grievances informed, source said. Full Text

Projects worth Rs. 2 billion to develop N/E

(observer)The infrastructure and livelihood development projects to rehabilitate regions liberated from the grip of LTTE terrorists are implemented in Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Mullaitivu, said Secretary to the Nation Building and Plantations Sector Infrastructure Development Ministry, W. K. K. Kumarasiri. The projects are estimated to cost over Rs. 1,952 million

He said that under the Gama Neguma program three components - spiritual, livelihood and infrastructure development projects were implemented in those districts. Full Text