Sunday, February 15, 2009

General remanded on treasure hunting charge

By Ayesha Wijeratne
(nation)Major General Parakkrama Pannipitiya and two others who had allegedly been digging a treasure in a forest reserve at Danawkanda in the Weliweriya Police area were remanded till February 19 by Gampaha Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Anura Kumara Herath.

Maj. Gen. Pannipitiya, serving with the 11 Division Headquarters at the Panagoda Army Cantonment and two of his friends, famous spare parts businessmen, were taken into custody by Weliweriya Police around 6:30 p.m. on February 7. Full Text

De-mining delay hampers resettlement

By Uditha Jayasinghe
(nation)The delay in the commencement of de-mining operations in cleared areas is hampering a Rs.500 million resettlement drive, according to Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.

Despite over Rs.500 million being earmarked for the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the north and the inking of several agreements with international and local non-governmental organisations, comprehensive rehabilitation is stumbling due to the land mine issue. Full Text

Tiger lie exposed

(nation)A photo of Chief Editor, Rivira Newspaper Upali Tennakoon’s wife Dhammika Tennakoon who received injuries in the recent attack on them by an unidentified armed gang has been misused for a poster published by a Pro-LTTE organisation in New Zealand as that of a Tamil woman injured in a military operation in an uncleared area. Full Text

Govt. to resettle Muslims in Jaffna

(nation)The government is making plans to resettle the Muslim people who were displaced from Jaffna in 1990, following a group of representatives expressing their interest in returning home.

Their intentions were notified by a group of representatives that met with Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devanada in his Jaffna office last week. They requested the Minister to assist them in re-establishing their homes in newly cleared areas with government assistance to construct homes being the main request. Full Text

New security plan to stop LTTE’s resurgence

By Tissa Ravindra Perera
(nation)A special security plan will be implemented in the near future to stop a resurgence of the LTTE activities, military sources said. This special plan will include an increase in the number of military intelligence operatives, Special Forces and Commandos as well as establishing new Army, Navy and Air Force bases in the North and East. Full Text

LTTE terrorists attack bus carrying IDPs; mother of a Catholic priest killed - Pulliyankualam

(defence.lk)The LTTE terrorists attacked a bus carrying Tamil civilians with a hand grenade and small arms fire killing one and injuring over 13 others at 1.30 AM today at Pulliyankualam (Feb 14).

According to the defence sources, the bus was transporting a group of IDPs recently fled from the LTTE clutches in Wanni from Kilinochchi to Vavuniya. A 60 year old mother of two was killed while 4 children and 9 elderly people were among the injured. The injured are now being treated at the government hospital Vavuniya. Full Text

Government disdains subjective media reports on humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka

(defence.lk)Sri Lankan Human Rights Minister Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday (Feb 13) disdained two media reports with highly distorted facts about the government's policy towards managing IDP welfare centres and their resettlement process.

Speaking at the second media briefing on humanitarian situation in the country's north, the Minister called two newspaper articles, one appeared on the Times in London in the UK and the other on the Daily Mirror in Sri Lanka were extremely subjective and written with deliberate intention to tarnish the good image of the country. He expressed the government's point of view on the issue with written testimonials to prove the two newspapers had misled their readers. The media briefing was held at Presidential Secretariat last evening for the foreign media personnel. Full Text

Another 2600 Tamil civilians rescued from LTTE grip- Wanni

(defence.lk)Sri Lankan armed forces have rescued another 2684 Tamil civilians from the LTTE grip in Wanni during 24 hours starting from 6 PM on Thursday (12 Feb) to 6 PM on Friday (Feb 13).

According to the reports received from the Sri Lanka Army 56 Division manning the active defence in Omanthai, 2136 civilians including 452 families reported from Kilinochchi transit camp during the above mentioned time duration. This group has 1084 males and 1052 females including large number of children. The IDPs were sent to the welfare centres at Pampamadu and Muslim College in Vauniya. Full text

Army Commander Reviews New Developments in Wanni

(defence.lk)Barely two days after a new "Safe Zone" was declared, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, along with a few Senior Officers of the Army Headquarters, flew to Vavuniya to review the latest developments of the security situation in Wanni areas.

Army Commander after being received by Commander Security Forces Headquarters Wanni (SFHQ-W) Major General Jagath Jayasuriya was conducted to the SFHQ auditorium where he met senior ground commanders and discussed the present security situation in respective areas. Full Text

Counter terror operation continued at remaining LTTE enclaves

(defence.lk)Sri Lanka Army offensive elements poised to wrest control over the remaining LTTE enclaves continued to pound terrorist strongholds yesterday (Feb 13).

According to the battlefield reports, troops of Army 58 Division attacked LTTE strongholds located north of A-35 road (Paranthan- Mullaittivu) in the Kuppilankulam area and found 5 bodies of LTTE cadres along with 5 T-56 riffles. Separately, snipers deployed in the forward areas reported killing of 5 terrorists. Full Text

Air Force Fighter jets pound LTTE suicide boats - Mullaittivu

(defence.lk)Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets have pounded on several LTTE suicide boats located on the beach north of Mullaittivu at 10.35 this morning (Feb 14).

Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara speaking to defence.lk said that the boats were destroyed in the attack.

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