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UK to get tough with human smugglers

From Sujeeva Nivunhella in London
The British government is going to get tough with the people who smuggle asylum seekers and from February convicted human smugglers will face up to ten years in prison. This was revealed by Jack Straw the British Home Secretary at a time official figures showed a record number of asylum seekers arrived in the UK over the past year.

Straw also said that immigration officers had been sent abroad to help authorities in other countries to break this racket. A British Home Office official confirmed to "The Sunday Island" that a liaison officer from the Immigration Department had been sent to Sri Lanka and he is helping the airlines staff in Colombo.

According to the released figures, the number of people claiming asylum in the UK shot up by 55 per cent. The Home Office statistics showed a total of 71,160 applications for asylum were received during 1999, compared with 46,015 in 1998. The largest number of would be refugees came from former Yugoslavia because of the war in Kosovo, Somalia was in second place and Sri Lanka the third.

The backlog of claims awaiting processing at the British Home Office now had passed the 100,000 mark and the Shadow Home Secretary Ann Widdecombe accused ministers of encouraging bogus applicants by making Britain seem a soft touch for asylum.

Among other European countries Germany topped the list receiving total number of applications and Britain is second. Other countries have also recorded big percentage rises in applications.

In the mean time immigration officials who ordered an asylum seeker, 23-year-old Nalliah Karunakaran to be sent back to Sri Lanka were criticised by Court of Appeal judges. They said the case should be heard again because an original hearing dismissed evidence that he faced persecution.

Figures of asylum seekers registered in last two years in Britain:

Country                   1998 1999
Former Yugoslavia     7,980         13,115
Somalia                                4,685           7,500
Sri Lanka                      3,505           5,130
Afghanistan                        2,395           3,985
Turkey                                 2,015           2,850
China                                   1,925           2,650
Pakistan                              1,975           2,610
Iraq                                     1,295           1,795
Romania                             1,015           1,785
Algeria                             1,260              895

PA constituents come to grips with draft

By Franklin. R. Satyapalan
Consultations between the PA and the UNP on the constitutional proposals are likely by mid-February, political sources aligned to the government said yesterday.

The next meeting of the PA constituents is scheduled for February 4 when the ruling coalition hopes to finalise the draft. President Kumaratunga will chair this meeting.

Political sources were tight-lipped on the substance and discussions in the light of the President’s insistence that the talks are not endangered by premature leaks. However, most participants reported progress saying that proceedings continued on a very satisfactory and positive note.

These sources said that some minor changes to the previous draft had been made on matters covering the judiciary. There was also a change in the wording used for the union of regions. Two sub-committees have been appointed to go into those matters that have already been discussed and report within a week.

One of these sub-committees comprising 6 members have been tasked to work on electoral reforms while a second 12- member sub-committee has been set up to go into the development of Colombo as a capital territory similar to New Delhi and Washington DC.

These sources said that the CWC, though not a constituent of the PA, joined Friday’s consultations at the President’s invitation. This invitation was extended when Mr. Arumugam Thondaman called on the President the previous day.

The CWC had its own meeting in Kandy chaired by Thondaman on Friday morning when there was a discussion on constitutional and electoral reforms and devolution.

The CWC has decided that two senior members, parlimentarians, P. P. Devaraj and R. Yogarajan, would join Thondaman at next Friday’s Temple Trees meeting.

Secretary to the President K. Balapatabendi and specialist senior officials on constitutional matters and legal drafting attended Friday’s consultations.

Among the political leaders present at this meeting in addition to President Kumaratunga were Ministers Pieris, D. M.Jayaratne, Indika Gunawardena, Sarath Amunugama, Nanda Mathew, Batty Weerakoon and M. H. M.Ashraff.

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Confident GL: "We’re very much on track"

"We are very much on track ... and confident that we can achieve success," said Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Justice, Constitutional and Ethnic Affairs and National Integration after the third round of meetings between the PA constituents on the constitutional proposals.

The minister said that what is important is that they were on track and that the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is committed to support the reforms in parliament.

"President Kumaratunga wants the fullest possible consultation with all parties concerned and is eager to work according to a strict time frame so that implementation is possible within the next three months," Peiris said.

Pointing out that this was something that was not possible during the past four years, he said that the President’s strategy is four pronged: first to initiate discussions within the constituent parties of the PA, second to submit the draft to the Tamil parties and obtain their views and thirdly open the door to the UNP. The last stage is to present a set of draft proposals to the LTTE based on agreements between the PA, Tamil parties and the UNP.

Asked about the SLMC position, the minister said that the SLMC is a constituent party of the PA and they were in the process of obtaining that party’s views.

"The LTTE would have the fullest assurance that these final proposals are acceptable to the entire Sri Lanka polity. It is a breakthrough that we had never before and an unique opportunity we must seize in the national interest," Peiris said.

He expressed strong confidence that all concerned "are on the right track this time" and "quite positive" that results could be achieved. — (FRS)

Ranil’s mother denies telecast allegation

Mrs. Nalini Wickremesinghe, mother of Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, has written to us denying a statement telecast over the Rupavahini on January 7 stating that Lake House Plantation Management Limited had used the net profit of Kurunegala Plantations for the UNP election campaign.

This statement was alleged to have been made by workers of Kurunegala Plantations. The telecast also identified Mrs. Wickremesinghe as the mother of Ranil Wickremesinghe.

She said that she had sent a correction of this telecast to the Rupavahini Chairman on January 17 and no correction was made within the specified time. She says that the facts are that she is not a director of Lake House Plantations Management Limited and does not participate in its management. She owns less than 1% of the company’s total shareholding and have transferred neither money nor lands of Kurunegala Plantations to any person.

Army deserters stage second break-out in two weeks

by Shamindra Ferdinando
Amidst ambitious moves to bring in at least 15,000 more men under arms to fight the separatist war in the North East, the army’s efforts to send back deserters to frontlines appeared to have run into trouble with those in detention ahead of their redeployment breaking free from detention camps, authorities said yesterday.

At least 27 deserters early last week escaped from Boyagane camp situated in the Potuhera police area. It was the second major "break-out" staged by deserters in the past two weeks. In the first mass scale escape, 17 deserters overpowered their guards at the Panagoda cantonment on January 18 and fled the area.

Armed forces spokesman Brigadier Palitha Fernando confirmed the incidents. He said one of those who escaped from Panagoda was taken into custody at Habarakada on the same day while seven from those who staged the Boyagane "break-out" had been taken in.

Fernando described the incidents as routine cases involving deserters and army’s efforts to bring them back.

Police and Military Police continue daily operations to round-up deserters. Over 10,000 officers and men were reported to have fled after deserting their units. Authorities privately admit that last November’s Wanni debacle worsened the situation.

Kurunegala hospital sources said that one deserter wounded in his abortive bid to flee the camp had suffered injuries and was later admitted to the hospital.

Fernando said that authorities at camps where deserters are held in have been made aware of the need to be extra vigilant in view of the recent events.

In a separate incident a reserve police constable W. M. Sarath Bandara Wijekoon was accidentally shot dead by a Corporal during a hunt for a 22-year-old deserter who escaped from military custody at Beruwela on Thursday night.

Police said that the deserter had jumped from a lorry carrying him and tried to flee the area. However, Wijekoon had chased the deserter and grabbed him but a corporal from whose custody the deserter escaped had been furious and opened fire with a T-56 rifle, killing the policeman on the spot.

The Corporal had been taken into custody.

Unfortunately, these break-outs and the Beruwela tragedy come as army headquarters prepares to launch one of the biggest recruitment drives since 1983 to bring at least 15,000 men under arms. The drive was scheduled to begin on February 1 and continue till March 5.

The Boyagane break-out had occurred on January 25, just two days before the army top brass held a press conference at the headquarters to announce plans to recruit 15,000 more youth.

The opposition UNP believes that the government was considering introducing compulsory military service if the proposed attempt to recruit 15,000 youth fail.

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on January 24 told a large group of Provincial Councillors that the party strongly opposes any attempt to bring in legislation to make military service compulsory.

He attacked government’s plans to take cover under the war to hide the shortcomings of the controversial devolution package at a meeting with councillors at Sirikotha to discuss problems faced by the party during the presidential election, party sources said.

Mr. Wickremesinghe said that in the event the government submits the devolution package that had been already rejected by the LTTE to the organisation and then seeks to conscript youth to fight the LTTE the party would oppose in the strongest ways possible, the sources further said. The LTTE, Mr. Wickremesinghe had said was sure to reject the package in toto. They had already rejected it. He said that he opposes moves to wage war to hide the fact that the devolution package had failed, the sources said.

The UNP leader said that he would not permit the government to conscript and sacrifice youth who voted for his party at the December 21, 1999 presidential election, the sources said.

Over 3.6 million people voted for the UNP. He pointed out that by making military service compulsory for those above 18, the government would send the village youth to their death while protecting sons of their people.

Asked to comment, senior military officials reiterated that there was no intention of making military service compulsory, at the moment.

Despite calls made by many senior officers both during the UNP and PA administrations, successive governments had declined to introduce conscription.

Insurance cover for a million children under Ran Kekulu

The Bank of Ceylon has linked with the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation to offer insurance benefits to one million Lankans below the age of 18-years during the course of this year, the bank announced last week.

A spokesman for the bank said that it has targeted one million `Ran Kekulu’ children’s savings accounts for this year. This scheme has already mobilised Rs.3.9 billion through 700,000 accounts and the bank is confident of hitting the million account mark this year.

Under the arrangement between the bank and the Insurance Corporation of Sri Lanka, `Ran Kekulu’ account holders are provided free insurance benefits. This provides life and accident insurance cover of up to Rs.500,000 on the lives of parents or guardians of account holders.

Further, the `Ran Kekulu’ accounts pay 1% above the interest rates applicable to normal savings accounts. Also, accounts with minimum stipulated balances compete at an annual price draw offering a whole range of prizes including personal computers, bicycles, school bags and caps.

The Bank of Ceylon said that they are extending the `Ran Kekulu’ accounts to two types of savings products - `Ran Kekulu Millennium’ accounts and `Ran Kekulu Millennium Plus’

accounts which were introduced to the market at the dawn of the new millennium on January 1, 2000.

`Ran Kekulu Millennium’ accounts were specifically designed for millennium babies born on January 1, 2000. The bank pays the initial sum of Rs.500 necessary to open the account. Further, a 5% millennium bonus (subject to a maximum of Rs.500 per year) in addition to the usual annual deposit interest is payable if deposits exceed Rs.2,000 per year between January 2000 and December 2004. Each account holder is also eligible to an attractive docket to hold the savings passbook and infant information chart.

The `Ran Kekulu Millennium Plus’ account replaces the children’s savings accounts and are open to all children below 18 years of age. As part of its plus factor, all children gaining admission to Year One this year who opt to open accounts with the bank will be provided the required initial deposit.

"This free provision will be awarded to the first 35,000 would-be account holders who will be selected on a first come first served basis,’’ the bank spokesman said.

The bank expects its new savings products to inculcate the virtues of thrift and savings among children and encourage the banking habit from an early age.

"Savings lays the foundation for economic prosperity and should be encouraged among all sections of the community. Children’s savings accounts are fine vehicles to propagate the savings and banking habit,’’ the spokesman said.

The Bank of Ceylon introduced children’s savings account in 1987. This was followed by `Rank Kekulu Ginum’ in July 1993. The bank commemorated its 58th anniversary on August 1, 1997 gifting `Ran Kekulu’ savings accounts to children born on that day. This has now been repeated with children born on January 1, 2000 qualifying for a gift of a `Ran Kekulu Millennium’ account.

Earlier this year the bank donated Rs.25,000 to the parents of the triplets born on January 1, 2000 and also presented each of the babies with a `Ran Kekulu Millennium’ passbook credited with the initial deposit of Rs.500. The bank has also offered to help the triplets’ father to engage in gainful employment with liberal financial assistance from the bank.

Island Capers
The roving wedding guest

It happened to a local Bertie Wooster at a five star hotel last week. This was a particularly auspicious day—our hero who held high public office till a few years ago, arrived to attend a wedding, walked into the ballroom, sat himself down, pocketed his cake had a glass of the bubbly stuff and looked around for friends and relations.

His eyes descended on the newly weds and he realized that he was at the wrong reception! He bolted from the place and walked straight into another reception — sat himself down just as a bridesmaid brought the cake around and the waiter brought the whisky.

He had the waiter keep two glasses on the table made it a double, though he is only a casual social drinker, and knocked it down to ease his nerves. Imagine his horror when shortly afterwards he discovered that he was once again at the wrong wedding!

He virtually ran out of the place and found the Hut where the wedding to which he had been invited, was being celebrated. His problems were not over-as he was about to walk in, the hotel ‘security’, who had observed his presence at the other weddings, accosted him and was about to question him when he was rescued by the brides father.

The wedding guest who went in ‘vertical,’ had been carried away horizontal after that wedding was over — he had celebrated his escapes.

Proposed restrictions on Batticaloa people necessary to tackle LTTE plans, security officials say

by Shamindra Ferdinando
The government is expected to go ahead with the proposed controls on the movement of the Batticaloa’s civilian population despite strong opposition from a number of Tamil and Muslim MPs representing the district, The Sunday Island learns.

Security forces on Friday [28] detained an EPDP cadre identified as "Sudha" after shops, schools and most offices in Batticaloa were closed on the orders of the party protesting the proposed security measures. The sources said that these measures aimed at preventing LTTE leadership from sending "killer squads" to Colombo to target politicians including EPDP’s Jaffna district MP and leader Douglas Devananda.

Security forces early this month arrested a suicide cadre tasked to assassinate Devananda in Colombo.

Security authorities said that new security regulations would come into operation with effect from February 15 to prevent LTTE cadres infiltrating the south particularly Colombo and suburbs to mount attacks.

This follows claims that the majority of infiltrators including those responsible for the December 18, 1999 abortive bid to assassinate President Kumaratunga and the subsequent January 5 blast outside the premier’s office were residents of the Batticaloa district.

There are approximately 525,OOO living in the district officials said that the majority lives in the eight Divisional Secretariat areas under armed forces control and the rest in the remaining four areas. LTTE regularly infiltrate areas under government control particularly Batticaloa to target police and security forces. Some of the most devastating mine attacks on police and security forces were carried out in Batticaloa late last year.

TULF’s Batticaloa district MPs P. Selvarasa, Joseph Pararajasingham and UNP’s Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana are up in arms over the proposed controversial security scheme to restrict the movement of the population of the entire Batticaloa district.

The scheme includes two separate systems to control people living in areas under armed forces control and LTTE rule. officials said that security authorities have proposed a permanent residential certificate to those living in areas under their control. But those living in LTTE held areas or so called uncleared areas would not be issued a permanent pass. Instead they would be required to obtain written approval from police everytime they want to leave the district.

MPs said that the proposed system is similar to the one currently in operation at Vavuniya, the gateway to the north. The Vavuniya security operation came into effect in the early 9Os during the UNP administration.

MP P. Selvarasa last night said that the proposed security scheme would be discussed when the party’s central committee meets on February 6 in Colombo.

However, police and military authorities insist that they have been compelled to resort to extraordinary security measures to combat threats posed by the LTTE. Police reinforced by armed forces have intensified operations in the city, suburbs and certain other police areas in the Gampaha district following recent blasts in Colombo.

President allocates Rs. 200m for young inventors

by Himangi Jayasundere
The president has made a special allocation of Rs. 200 million this year for Young Inventors Clubs islandwide, Minister of Trade and Commerce Kingsly T. Wickramaratne said. He said that assistance for the Young Inventors Clubs have been increased this year. He was speaking at the awards ceremony of the inventions exhibition for Western Province Schools, which was held on November 5 and 6 last year. About 179 schools took part in the exhibition which was held at D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo. Prizes were awarded last week to students who were placed first , second and third under the junior and senior categories. The inventions that won awards included a saline monitor, a coconut husk cutter for Anthuriums, a drum set, a tin cutter and a mat weaving machine. Among the other commended inventions which were awarded certificates were a tea maker, a hopper maker, an electric spider web remover, a cracker lighter and an automatic fire extinguisher.

Minister Wickramaratne said that some of the inventions which were of a very high standard would be introduced to the local market.

He further said that already about 500 Inventors Clubs have been formed in all parts of the country to promote invention and innovation among school children and that there were plans to increase this number to 1000 this year. Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Inventors Comm-ission has plans to conduct 4 exhibitions of this nature at provincial levels, this year. The first inventors Club at University level has commenced at the Engineering Faculty of the University of Peradeniya and the first exhibition of the Engineering undergraduates presently being held at the library of the Peradeniya Engineering Faculty will continue until February 2.

The winners were from Kottawa Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Sri Sumangala Balika Vidyalaya, Prince of Wales College, Japalawatte Vidyalaya, Dharmaloka Maha Vidyalaya and Sri Sumangala (boys) Vidyalaya.

Permit me to select my security personnel says Arumugam

A senior police officer yesterday said that Livestock Development and Estate Infrastructure Minister Arumugam, Thondaman has sought to change his security unit. The Minister has indicated that he wanted to replace his unit of body guards from the Ministerial Security Division (MSD) with a group of police officers from the Hatton area.

The following is the text of the statement Minister Thondaman issued on the proposed change:

Recently certain newspapers and certain private radio channels have been highlighting a news items on the withdrawal of the Ministerial Securities Division personnel who were attached to S. Rm. Arumugam Thondaman, Minister of Livestock Development & Estate Infrastructure.

The fact of this matter has been twisted to give the impression that the security personnel have withdrawn their services on their own accord because they are unable to work with the minister which is far from the truth.

The factual position is that ministers have the freedom to change the personnel attached to them for their personal security if and when they wished to do so.

Furthermore, since the Minister spends a large portion of his time in the plantation areas it was necessary to obtain security officers from that area so that they are able to visit their families which some of the previous officers could not do and underwent some hardships.

The Minister wishes to categorically state that no security personnel had been asked to perform any private work for him except carry out his official duty of providing security to the minister.

The news item is deliberately given publicity to belittle the minister who is presently carrying out his functions to the best of his ability for the benefit of the plantation workers in the foot steps of his late grand father.

Indian Ocean Rim countries meet at Muscat

Lakshman Kiriella, Actg. Minister of Foreign Affairs, led the Sri Lanka delegation to the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) which was held 20th to 23rd of January 2000 in Muscat, Oman.

During the discussions with regard to the report of the WGTI, Minister Kiriella stressed that developing trade and investment of IOR region is the ultimate objective and yardstick of success of the Association. He said that there was no doubt that the efforts made to gather and codify information in the Indian Ocean Rim by the completion of Compendia on Customs Procedure, for which Sri Lanka has voluntarily taken the lead, Investment Regimes. Data base on tariffs and investment in the region, will be to the mutual benefit of all the partners. He noted the contribution already made in this regard by Australia, India and Mauritius and the work undertaken by IORAG and IORBF and emphasised that it would supplement the efforts made by the Working Group on Trade and Investment. Minister Kiriella acknowledged that the IORNET will make its contribution towards the exchange of information on trade and investment possibilities and the potential in this region.

The Minister pointed out the relevance of a clearance and payments arrangement for IOR-ARC, as an area to facilitate trade and investment in the IOR region. In this regard, he recalled that a study has been undertaken by the Institute of Policy Studies in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Research and Information Systems for Non-aligned and Developing Countries (RIS) in India. He said that the study which has been completed by Sri Lanka will be presented at the Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group (IORAG) meeting in April this year in Maputo, Mozambique, with a view to providing recommendations in this regard to the working group on trade and investment. The Minister pointed out that study recommends implementation of a clearance and payments system among IOR members in a phased out manner. In conclusion Minister Kiriella invited the member countries to improve on the study, once presented, with their contributions and comments so that the arrangement could be implemented within the region in the near future.

The Working Group on Trade and Investment (WGTI) met formally for the first time in Oman following its establishment in March last year in Maputo, Mozambique. It was formed as an outcome of the trade officials meeting which was held in Perth in December 1998. From its inception the focus of IOR-ARC has been on trade and investment and the WGTI is now in the process of formulating an action plan to liberalise trade and promote investment in the Indian Ocean Rim Region. At this meeting, Sri Lanka presented a progress report on the development of a Compendium of Customs Procedure, a project which was undertaken at the last ministerial meeting. Sri Lanka has undertaken to host a meeting of customs officials of all member states in Colombo later this year in order to proceed further with the development of the compendium. This compendium will serve as a basis for simplifying customs procedure so as to facilitate trade in the region. Australia has undertaken a similar project on quarantine measures and India is conducting a project on investment regimes in the IOR region. An Internet based database containing information on all countries ‘IORNET’ has now been upgraded in order to facilitate the exchange of information on trade and investment possibilities in the region.

The meetings of the committee of senior officials and the council of ministers finalised and accepted the Instrument of Acceptance, which member countries are to sign on admission into IOR-ARC, the rules of procedure outlining the formal procedure which is to be followed at meetings and the Headquarters Agreement, an agreement between the IOR-ARC Co-ordinating Secretariat and the host government, Mauritius, which lays down the privileges and immunities of the Co-ordinating Secretariat and its staff. The IOR-ARC Ministers at this meeting also accepted the applications of the People’s Republic of China and the United Kingdom as Dialogue Partners in Trade and Investment.

The Ministerial Meeting was preceded by the meeting of the Working Group on Trade and Investment (WGTI) and the Committee of Senior Officials. The meetings were attended by delegations of the 14 member countries — Australia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Yemen and the 5 new member countries Bangladesh, Iran, Seychelles, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, who were admitted to the Association following the ministerial decision taken in March 1999. Egypt and Japan also joined the Association as Dialogue Partners in Trade and Investment.

Veteran politician ‘EL’ passes away

From Cyril Wimalasurendre in Kandy
Veteran politician E. L. Senanayake passed away in a private hospital in Kandy at 2.45 p.m. yesterday.

At the time of his death he was 79 years living a quiet life.

Late Mr. Senanayake was at his private residence at Rajapihille Mawatha, Kandy.

Late Mr. Senanayake was in active politics for over half a century having entered the Kandy Municipal Council in 1943 where he became Mayor of Kandy.

He was elected to parliament from Kandy and represented Kandy seat on several occasions.

He held ministerial portfolios at several UNP administrations.

Late Mr. Senanayake was elevated to the post of Speaker of Parliament and later held the office of the Governor of the North Central Province (NCP) and retired from politics after serving as Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province in the year 1994.

Late Mr. Senanayake leaves his wife Sita Senanayake and eight sons and two daughters.

Funeral arrangements will be notified later.

Padadaya, Saroja win awards at Dhaka film festival

The film Padadaya directed by Linton Semage and Saroja Directed by Somaratne Dissanayake have won awards at 6th Dhaka International Film Festival which concluded January 28. Padadaya has won a Special Jury Award given by the main jury of the festival and shared the NETPAC Award for the Best Asian Film with Saroja. The Audience Award of the festival has been won by Saroja. Linton Semage’s Padadaya was made in 1999 and represented Sri Lanka in competitive sections of Kerala, Mumbai, Oslo, Pusan and New Delhi International Film Festivals and selected to be screened at the competitive section of the Buenos Aires International Film Festival in Argentina. Saroja is a very new film made in 2000. Both films are directors debut feature films.

Padadaya was presented by Asian Film Centre and Saroja presented by Renuka Balasuriya of Sri Lanka to the 6th Dhaka International Film Festival.

The International Jury of 6th Dhaka International Film Festival comprise with Budhadeb Dasgupta (India), Peter Cargin (Great Britain), Evelyn Vargas-Knaebel (Philippine) Shao-Yi Sun (U.S.A.), Kabir Anwar (Bangladesh), and Masihuddin Shaker (Bangladesh) and NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Jury comprise with Stephane Malandrin (France), Sudhir Bose (India) and Prof. Abdus Selim (Bangladesh).

Dhaka International Film Festival has included a retrospective film festival of Prasanna Vithanage in this year’s edition. Prasanna Vithanage, Linton Semage and Somaratne Dissanayake participated in the festival.

Actg. Foreign Minister to diplomatic missions
Visitors to Sri Lanka will be safe

Acting Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella has informed Heads of Diplomatic Missions in Colombo that it is timely for them to report back to their home governments that Sri Lanka is returning to normalcy and that other than the North and East, visitors would be safe elsewhere.

At a meeting with the diplomats, on Thursday the Acting Minister said:

Our meeting has been convened this morning to discuss the travel advisories issued by the governments of countries that are the source of visitor traffic to Sri Lanka. With me today are the Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism W P S Jayawardena, the Director General of the Tourist Board Tissa Warnasuriya and other senior officials as well as senior representatives of Sri Lankan Airlines and leading members of the travel trade. You would be able to address any questions you may have to us, after the initial presentations.

I am addressing you as I am aware that the Heads of Missions based in Colombo and their staff are expected to report regularly back to their respective capitals on conditions prevailing in this country. I am sure those reports derived from numerous sources that you have access to, are balanced, analytical and percipient.

As you are aware, Sri Lanka has been experiencing ethnic unrest and related violence in sections of the country over the past seventeen years. There has been a separatist movement that has been engaging in a violence struggle to achieve its ends. However, it must be pointed out that at no stage in this struggle, have foreign tourists ever been targeted. I am sure that when you report back to your countries on conditions prevailing in Sri Lanka you would be giving a detailed account of what is taking place. We, from the Government side, through our media briefing and through the briefings provided by the Defence Ministry, try to give you as objective a coverage of developments in Sri Lanka as possible. Since Sri Lanka despite all the vicissitudes it is undergoing is a vibrant democracy, there are alternative sources of information available through non-governmental organisations, the Opposition, the Press and other interest groups who would help you enrich, add colour and depth to your reports. Your reports would help home governments in issuing travel advisories that would act as signposts and guide nationals in your countries planning on visiting Sri Lanka.

Several countries that are the source of significant tourist traffic to Sri Lanka have issued travel advisories following the announcement of the Presidential election in November last year. Some of these advisories had cautioned their nationals against visiting Colombo. Others had listed various incidents where there had been bomb explosions in which civilians had been killed, mentioning the dates and the places. Although this is a legitimate function of the travel advisories to advise prospective visitors about conditions prevailing in their holiday/business destinations, it is also imperative that once conditions change, and the political temperature eases, the advisories should be amended to reflect changed circumstances.

As you may be aware, up to November last year, we had a significant volume of tourists who visited Sri Lanka numbering over four hundred thousand, an all time high. The most significant tourist generating countries were the UK, Germany, India, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan and Australia. Less significant, but yet substantial numbers of visitors came from the USA, Canada, Malaysia, Belgium and Thailand. I am aware that not all the countries in this listing issue travel advisories. Moreover, some of the travel advisories give a balanced picture listing the places tourists could visit and also listing the areas to be avoided. However, some travel advisories discourage tourists from visiting Sri Lanka altogether. This is very unfortunate as it has led to a marked decline in visitor traffic to Sri Lanka in December, which is normally the peak season. Not only have the airlines servicing Sri Lanka and the hotels been adversely affected but it has had a domino effect on the handicrafts industry, restaurants and other service sectors related to tourism. As you would no doubt agree tourism and people to people contact is one of the best ways of promoting mutual understanding intensifying bilateral ties and facilitating trade investment and multifaceted co-operation.

I am sure that now with the presidential election behind us and as we are working towards a bipartisan approach to arriving at a reform of the constitution, it would be timely for you to report back to your home governments that Sri Lanka is returning to normalcy and that other than the North and East, visitors would be safe elsewhere.

I propose that a regular dialogue, perhaps on a monthly basis be maintained between members of the travel trade and the officers in the Missions, responsible for the safety of tourists from their countries. I would propose that on, the third Thursday of every month, informal discussion groups, comprising the travel trade and the Embassy officials, with the Economic Affairs Division of the Ministry chairing the meeting could discuss the safety and security of tourists. A senior representative of the Defence Ministry could be present at such meetings to clarify any areas of doubt.

Three thousand affected by outbreak of measles, two dead

by Chittaranjan de Silva
An outbreak of measles has been reported throughout the country with over 3000 people affected by the virus while two people have died so far in Badulla, sources from the Epidemiological Unit of the Ministry of Health said yesterday.

Measles, which is one of the most feared contagious diseases in the world, is caused by a virus which is spread by air (when coughing) and through contact and therefore is a disease that could spread rapidly, the sources warned.

Normally the disease is known to affect people in January and also in April the sources said.

The number of people affected could be much higher than 3000 as most cases are not reported, they said.

Folks from ancient times who feared the disease have categorised measles as one of the seven ‘amma warunge leda’ which they say are diseases caused by the Gods.

These contagious diseases are fearful because the symptoms are severe. Some of the symptoms of measles are high fever which last for about a week, tearing and reddishness in the eyes and blisters in the body.

An epidemiologist when contacted by the ‘Sunday Island" attributed the breakout to the adverse weather conditions which has been prevalent in the past few months with rains experienced during the afternoons.

Apparently the Epidemiological Unit of the Health Ministry was expecting an outbreak of measles in March this year, but the weather being somewhat unpredictable had caused the outbreak to occur from October last year which did not leave them enough time to conduct an immunisation campaign.

Vaccination is the only preventive measure against measles and also other communicable diseases such as mumps and rubella which are also caused by viruses, he said.

Medical experts explained that the vaccination is not 100% effective. They said that it has become evident to them in practice that vaccines which develop resistance in the human body and form antibodies to fight the measles virus have shown around 80% to 90% effectiveness in preventing the disease.

Although doubts have arisen about the effectiveness of the vaccine used at present, medical experts said that the vaccine in itself is not to be blamed.

However, the only way of preventing an outbreak of the disease in future is to carry out a immunisation campaign, epidemiological unit sources said.

One of the causes for the present outbreak in measles is due to some children not being immunised in the past.

"Immunisation against measles commenced in 1985 and only the small children were injected with the vaccine from then onwards. It is the children who were born before 1985 who are now in the age groups of 15-16 years and above who had not been vaccinated, are succumbing to the disease," a high ranking epidemiologist said.

Efforts are being made to obtain co-operation from the school principals to first screen the students and provide them with the vaccine, he said.

The epidemiologist said that an Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases which is set to meet shortly is expected to discuss the measures that could be taken to prevent epidemics of this nature.

As in other countries, a mass immunisation campaign is a possibility, but as a huge sum of money is needed for this, the advisory committee will have to decide on the matter, he further said. Even if such a campaign is held it will be in the beginning of next year (2001), he said.

When asked whether they are planning to introduce the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine in the near future as a preventive measure against these diseases, he said that a MMR injection would cost around Rs. 400/- and to immunise around 3.5 million children would be a mammoth task.

Amnesty condemns Sri Lanka post office bombing

COLOMBO, Jan. 29 — The international human rights watchdog, Amnesty International (AI), Saturday condemned the bombing of a post office in Sri Lanka and said Tamil Tiger rebels appeared to have violated humanitarian law.

The London-based AI said Thursday’s bomb attack at the main post office in Vavuniya in northern Sri Lanka was widely believed to have been carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

At least 11 people were killed and another 73 wounded in the parcel bomb attack. Four of those killed were police and soldiers who had gone to the post office to send money home.

"By choosing a post office as its target, the LTTE appeared to have contravened the principle of distinction in international humanitarian law," the AI said.

"This principle obliges all parties to a conflict to take all measures to distinguish between civilian and military targets and direct their attacks only at military objectives, which should apply under all circumstances.

"The risk to civilians in this attack far outweighed any military objective as the casualty list so tragically shows," the AI said in its statement sent here.

It also noted several other suicide bomb attacks blamed on the LTTE in the past month in and around the capital. (AFP)

Plea to help solve problems faced by Tamil mediamen

By V. Varathasuntharam
Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance President Sinniah Gurunathan has appealed to the Government and media organizations to extend a helping hand to solve the problems faced by Tamil media personnel.

He has alleged that Tamil media people have been discriminated in all spheres stretching from awards for Journalists to housing schemes.

This is stated in a message sent for the inaugural sessions of the Seminar for Journalists held at Nuwara Eliya under the joint sponsorship of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and Tamil Media Alliance at CeyBank Hotel, Nuwara Eliya last week.

Mr. Gurunathan further stated that this was an era where media freedom is very broadly advocated. He was sad to say as a media person with a journalistic career of 40 years behind him that there had been discrimination in all aspects against Tamil mediamen. It was the objective of the Tamil Media Alliance to join hands with media people of all communities on all common issues to preserve the freedom of the Fourth Estate.

The vice-president of the Alliance presided over the two day seminar at which Resident Representative of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Mr. Dietmar Kneitschel, Deputy Mayor Nehruji Parliamentarian V. Puthirasegamony, Education Minister of the Central Province V. Radhakerishnan addressed.

Oslo attempt to broker peace moves
Norwegian Minister meets Opposition Leader

COLOMBO (AFP) — A senior Norwegian diplomat met Sri Lanka’s Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe here Wednesday amid moves by Oslo to help broker a peace on the embattled island.

Norway’s State Secretary for Develpment Cooperation and Human rights, Leiv Lunde, had talks with Wickremesinghe whose support is vital to a proposed political package aimed at ending decades of ethnic bloodletting.

Wickremesinghe said he had wide-ranging talks with Lunde on development assistance to Sri Lanka but made it clear there was no specific reference to moves aimed at bringing Tamil Tiger rebels to the negotiating table.

"We had a general discussion on many subjects but nothing very specific on the Norwegian attempts (to broker a deal)", Wickremesinghe said.

Lunde, who is officially with a Norwegian aid delegation, also called on acting Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella Wednesday.

Tamil politicians said they had talks with Lunde on the current political developments in the country.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga disclosed last month that she had asked Norway to help bring the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas to the negotiating table.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek is reportedly trying to arrange peace talks between the government and the guerrillas.

Vollebaek was intially scheduled to arrive some 11 days ago, but was forced to postpone the visit because his Sri Lankan counterpart, Lakshman Kadirgamar, was out of the country.

Norwegian State Secretary Wegger Stroemmen has also been active in the peace effort, although he has no immediate plans for a visit.

Sri Lanka’s reconciliation efforts received an unexpected boost last week when Opposition Leader Wickremesinghe announced support for a peace plan unveiled by Kumaratunga in August 1995.

Constitutional Affairs Minister G, L. Peiris said Sunday that the LTTE must be involved in the peace process. He said he was aiming to have a package of political reforms aimed at ending the bloodshed ready within two months.

Renowned British florists here to raise funds for kidney patients

Two renowned British florists are now in town to conduct exhibitions and workshops to raise funds in aid of the Kidney Patients’ Association.

Marylin Nourse and Jenny Moure, members of the National Flower Arrangers’ Society of Britain will hold demonstrations, exhibitions and workshops in Colombo from February 2 to 5.

‘Millennium floral festival 2000’ has been organised to raise funds to help people suffering from kidney failure.

‘These two international florists are here for a worthy cause’, Floral Arranger, Gowrie Mahenthiran said.

The Kidney Patients’ Association runs a ‘kidney house’ at a building leased out in Colombo, where patients arriving from distant areas can stay overnight by paying a nominal charge.

Inter-Parliamentary Union seeks safety of Opposition MP

In a letter to President Chandrika Kumaratunga, the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union says that it considers it essential to enhance UNP MP Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena’s personal security and believes that there could be no better guarantee of his personal safety and physical integrity than a public statement to the effect that he is under the protection of the State. ‘We appeal to you to make such a statement and we are also requesting the Parliament of Sri Lanka, a long-standing and active member of the IPU, to take all necessary measures to protect a colleague’, the letter stated.

The following is the text of the letter, signed by IPU President, Francois Autain, which has been copied to Speaker K. B. Ratnayake:

"In my capacity as President of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, I wish to convey to you, on behalf of the Committee which is currently holding its session in Geneva, our very deep concern at the serious risk of assassination to which our fellow parliamentarian, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, a member of the Opposition in the Sri Lankan Parliament, is said to be exposed.

"According to the evidence before us, Dr. Jayawardena was allegedly publicly and baselessly accused of facilitating contacts between his party, the United National Party (UNP) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamal Eelam (LTTE). Our Committee takes the view that, while it is for the Judiciary to decide on the basis of solid evidence whether this serious accusation is founded or not, such an allegation, in the present circumstances in Sri Lanka, is tantamount to singling him out as a target. It is deeply alarmed at that risk and appeals to you, as a matter of urgency, to take all necessary steps to protect Dr. Jayawardena’s life.

"We look forward to prompt action and to hearing from you in this connection.

"We wish to take this opportunity to express our deep regret and sorrow at the recent personal attack that you suffered and its serious physical consequences. As the world organisation of Parliaments, the IPU rejects all forms of terrorism and promotes democracy and political dialogue for conflict resolution. The IPU and this Committee support all your efforts to renew such a dialogue with a view to reaching a lasting peace and intercommunal understanding in Sri Lanka

Criminal case trial transferred to Colombo High Court

by V. Varathasuntharam
The criminal trial of the assassination of former TULF Member of Parliament for Muttur Arunasalam Thangathurai has been transferred to Colombo High Court by the Attorney General, according to official sources.

Earlier, the case had been fixed for trial on February 21 by the High Court Judge of the Eastern Province A. N. Ramachandran.

The Attorney General has indicted seven persons in this case. Navaneethan Jeevakumar alias Jayanth, Manicam Muruganandam alias Gerome, Muthiah Koneswaran alias Babu, Satkunanathan Jayanthan alias Nijam, Sivapragasam Ahilarupan Alian Ahilsan Ratnam Yogabalan and Karthigesu Yogaranee are the seven accused facing the trial. The first accused Navaneethan Jeevakumar is absconding. High Court has issued a warrant for his arrest. The fifth accused Ahilarupan and the sixth accused Yogabalan had been released on bail. The other four accused had been remanded.

According to the indictment, the death of former TULF MP Thangathurai had been caused by bomb explosion on July 7, 1997 evening at the opening ceremony of a two storey building at Sri Shanmuga Hindu Ladies College, Trincomalee.

The Principal of the College Mrs. Rajeswary Thanabalasingam, Principal of Namagal Vidyalayam S. Joseph, Principal S. Seevaratnam, School Development Society, P. C. Ganeshalingam and Engineer S. Ratnaraja were also killed consequent to the explosion.

Troops engage terrorists in fierce battle

Troops engaged in live firing exercises north of Omanthai on Friday ran into a group of terrorists in the morning resulting in a fierce gun battle, military sources said adding that at least two terrorists were killed and one T-56 weapon recovered.

Troops did not suffer casualties, the sources said.

Meanwhile, a woman terrorist cadre identified as Geetha was killed during a confrontation on last Thursday according to monitored enemy transmissions the following the day. A number of other unidentified cadres too had been killed during Thursday’s confrontation between terrorists and a security patrol operating southeast of Tahnankilappu, the coastal area in the Jaffna peninsula across the lagoon.

At Kumburupiddi in the Trincomalee district, three navy personnel were killed and two wounded when the tractor in which they were taking breakfast to troops deployed in the area came under rocket propelled grenade and small arrms attack on Friday.

At Navathkudah in the Batticaloa district, troops acting on information given by police on the same day had found a 10 kg claymore fitted with a timing device.

Navy had detained two persons off Thalaimannar navy base on Friday morning. They were found in a boat drifting off the base. They were later handed over to Talaimannar police for inquiries.

Neelan Tiruchelvam commemoration

The International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES), Law and Society Trust (LST) and Tiruchelvam Associates (TA) are jointly organising a series of events in Colombo to celebrate and commemorate the late Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, his ideals and beliefs. The Neelan Tiruchelvam commemoration programme planned to coincide with Dr. Tiruchelvam’s birthday on January 31 — will include an international conference, a cultural programme, an art exhibition for peace and reconciliation, the launch of the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust and a countrywide campaign for the promotion of national reconciliation.

Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam who was born on the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s death, was assassinated on July 29, 1999 at the age of 55 years.

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