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Jaffna
Mayor shot dead The Mayor of Jaffna, Mrs. Sarojini Yogeswaran (60) of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), was shot dead at her Jaffna residence yesterday morning by two unidentified gunmen. Another TULF municipal councillor, Paramasivam, who was at her residence at the time of the incident, was wounded in the legs by gunfire. Police suspect the assassination to be an act of the LTTE. Police officials in Jaffna say that the incident had occurred between 10.15 am and 10.30 am. They suspect that the two men had arrived at Mrs. Yogeswaran’s residence near the Kailasa Pillayar Kovil in Nallur on a push-bicycle. Mrs. Yogeswaran was reportedly in conversation with Mr. Paramasivam in the hall of her house when the two suspects had entered her residence and started shooting at her repeatedly with what is suspected to have been an AK-47 weapon. Police say they found 25 spent shells at the scene of the assassination. A female servant who was present at the time of the incident was being questioned by police at the time of going to press. According to her eyewitness account, Mrs. Yogeswaran had fallen to the ground, bleeding profusely from the chest. Police confirmed that the mayor had received injuries in the chest and neck areas. She was rushed to the Jaffna hospital but was found dead. The assassins fled the scene and there were no arrests up to the time of going to press. Investigations are continuing. It is suspected that members of the LTTE ‘pistol group’ were responsible for the killing. TULF spokesman, V. Anandasangari, yesterday told ‘The Island’ that the party was deeply shocked at the assassination. He said that there were no security guards posted at the house of the mayor. "Anybody was free to walk in at any time," he noted, "According to the information we received, the two boys had entered the house and she had greeted them. She probably thought they wanted to talk to her about something. It was after that they started shooting at her". He said that Mrs. Yogeswaran had received multiple injuries. Meanwhile, Mr. Anandasangari said it is likely that the cremation of Mrs. Yogeswaran will take place in Colombo. "Her brother and sister wish for her last rights to be conducted in Colombo," he noted. "However, the local branch of the TULF in Jaffna wants it to be done there. It is likely that the body will lie at the Jaffna Municipal Hall for people to pay their respects. But we will ask for it to be brought here for the cremation in keeping with the wishes of her immediate family." Mrs. Yogeswaran did not have any children and, according to Anandasangari, most of her relations have taken residence abroad. Her remains now lie at the Jaffna Municipal Hall. TULF leader, Murugesu Sivasithamparam, was in India yesterday. Mr. Sangari said the TULF would now have to choose a suitable candidate to take the place of the assassinated mayor. "We would have to choose someone though we cannot be certain that person would accept the post under the given circumstances," he said. Asked whether he suspected any particular group of being responsible for the killing, he said, "It is obvious who did it". Her death comes just two days after the assassination of the Vadamarachchy Brigade Commander, Major General Larry Wijeratne, by an LTTE suicide bomber in Jaffna. Mrs. Yogeswaran was the wife of the late Vettivelu Yogeswaran, a TULF parliamentarian who was also assassinated by the LTTE in 1989. She was formally sworn in as mayoress on March 11 this year, becoming the first woman mayor of the northern town. She also became the first to occupy the seat which was left empty after the assassination of Mayor Raja Visuvanathan at Jaffna in May 1975. This was after her party, the TULF, had won the first local council elections in the area in 15 years. The TULF won both the Jaffna Municipal Council and Waligamam (North) Pradeshiya Sabha (they contested only for two local bodies) and secured nine seats of the 23 member council. However, it took jubilant political parties in the north about a month after a February 18 deadline to swear in their members. They were held back by fear of the LTTE which had vehemently opposed the holding of local government elections in their former stronghold. When asked after the elections whether she feared any threats from the Tigers, she had said she did not wish to speak on the matter. The mayor had said in a recent interview that her sights are set on national politics and that she hopes to graduate to parliamentary politics. "Sri Lankan politics is tarnished with blood," she was quoted as saying then, "I am going to take the bloodshed in my stride". She aimed at development and reconstruction of infrastructure facilities in the Jaffna peninsula. "And I feel that all parties in the Jaffna Municipal Council would be interested in cooperating and supporting me fully in the smooth running of the council as all are interested in the development of the peninsula," she had declared. The TULF is known to be a non-violent party and has remained so throughout the conflict in the country, earning the label of "a moderate group". Both the military and the people of Jaffna praised the TULF performance in Jaffna and Waligamam (North). Military sources were quoted in the press as saying, "They would have won more local bodies if they fielded candidates". Many local bodies complained of receiving threats from the LTTE after the elections. The LTTE reportedly warned them against cooperating in any government development projects for the peninsula. However, Mrs. Yogeswaran was the first to be assassinated after the January 29 elections. ‘Sangilian Force’ claims responsibility An organisation identifying itself as the ‘Sangilian Force’ last night claimed responsibility for Sunday’s assassination of Mrs. Sarojini Yoges-waran, sources in Jaffna said. An unidentified person has hand delivered a letter to the editor of the ‘Uthayan’ published in Jaffna, claiming responsibility, Tamil sources said. According to the letter Mrs. Yoges-waran was killed after she refused to step down. Tamil sources in Jaffna said that Sangilian Force act as a front for the LTTE. Moulana shocked at Jaffna Mayor's slaying Minister of Local Government and Provincial Councils Alavi Moulana expressed shock and dismay at the brutal killing of Jaffna Mayor Sarojini Yogeswaran by LTTE terrorists. Mr. Moulana told 'The Island' Sunday that Mrs. Yogeswaran met him, after her appointment as Mayor of Jaffna, following the recent local government election in the North. He said Mrs. Yogeswaran was a hard worker and had been clamouring for restoration of civil administration in the Jaffna peninsula ins-pite of her husband's death earlier in similar circumstances. Minister Moulana returned to the country yesterday after medical treatment. Civilians targeted less than two weeks
after promise to UN official Major General Lionel Balagalle said that LTTE assassins had targeted civilians again less than two weeks after a senior United Nations [UN] official expressed grave concern over continuing attacks on civilians. Balagalle, the Security Forces Commander for Jaffna said last night that LTTE assassinated Jaffna Mayor Mrs. Sarojini Yogeswaran despite a pledge to UN Secretary General’s Special Representative, Olara Otunnu that it will review its strategies and tactics. Mr. Otunnu, in a statement issued through the UN Office of the Resident Co-Ordinator on May 8 stated that he expressed the gravest concern about the continuing targeting of civilian population and sites throughout the country. "The LTTE leadership acknowledged this to be an important and legitimate concern and undertook to review its strategies and tactics in this regard," the statement added. The LTTE will never keep promises, Major General Balagalle said adding that there was no possibility in establishing a fool-proof mechanism to monitor pledges given by the LTTE to the UN Special Representative. UN officials are expected to meet senior LTTE representatives again to discuss and adopt a mechanism to monitor latter’s pledge to end the use of children below the age of 18 in combat, end recruitment of children under 17, freedom of movement of displaced people, distribution of humanitarian assistance and targeting of civilians. Mr. Otunnu met Balagalle at former’s headquarters at Palaly on May 4 before leaving for Wanni to meet Anton Balasingham and Thamilselvan of the LTTE. Balagelle said that LTTE will never change. "They will continue to target their political opponents," he said adding that the assassination of Mrs. Sarojini Yogeswaran would not be the last. Another member of the Jaffna Municipal Council survived the attack he said. "He was lucky to escape with minor injuries," he said insisting that the attack was aimed at crippling political activity in the peninsula. Asked whether the victim had been given security, he replied in the negative. The military, he said offered Mrs. Yogeswaran security a few days after her party won power of the Jaffna Municipal Council. However she declined to accept state security claiming that she wanted to continue to remain without bodyguards, Balagalle said. She infact declined to have a military check point opposite her residence," he said. "She felt secure without security personnel," Balagalle said reminding that Tamil United Liberation Front [TULF] conducted the polls campaign for the January 29 election without any security cover. He said an immediate cordon and search operation in the area failed to produce any results. A Jaffna based civilian source said that two persons walked into the victim’s residence situated south of Nallur temple and opposite Kailasa Pillayar temple soon after a vehicle carrying the previous tenent’s furniture left the place. "The main door was ajar and the assassins just walked in," he said adding that by the time troops arrived at the scene, gunmen had fled. Major General Balagalle said that LTTE leadership indicated what it thinks of commitments given to the UN by stepping up attacks on civilian targets. Last week’s attacks at Akkaraipattu were a clear indication of LTTE attitude towards the people, he said. He further said that the LTTE was aware of the situation if democratic parties were allowed to increase their presence in the peninsula. "TULF’s winning of Jaffna and Waligamam north local bodies must have sent shock waves through the LTTE," he said. A spokesman for Jaffna Bishop Rt. Rev Thomas Saundranayagam last night said that the Bishop did not want to comment on the latest killing in Jaffna. "No comments over the phone," he said when ‘The Island’ contacted Bishop House for comments on the assassination of Mrs. Sarojini Yogeswaran. Eelam People’s Democratic Party [EPDP] leader and Jaffna District MP Douglas Devananda last night condemned the latest in a series of political assassinations. Devananda who survived attempts on his life said that no organisation could hope to achieve their goals by killing their political opponents.
ISLAMABAD, May 17 (Reuters) - Pakistan strongly denied on Sunday that it had carried out a nuclear test to match arch-rival India, but said it could do so whenever it wished. Reports of a Pakistani test, which the West wants desperately to avert, caused a nervous stir at a Group of Eight summit in Britain. President Bill Clinton warned Cold War-style conflicts could destabilise South Asia. U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee leaders said Pakistan should be rewarded with a delivery of U.S.-built F-16 fighter jets if it showed restraint. India, widely condemned for conducting five underground blasts last week, said it could now design a variety of atomic weapons. But it kept the world guessing about whether it was ready to join a treaty banning nuclear tests. Indian N-tests may spur U.S.-Russia cuts BIRMINGHAM, England, May 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President Bill Clinton said on Sunday that India’s nuclear tests may give a new push to U.S. and Russian efforts to cut their nuclear arsenals. "I think all of us, because of the Indian nuclear tests, feel an even greater sense of urgency to change the debate...over nuclear issues toward less, not more," Clinton said. 40,000 Lankan Juki operators to
benefit KANDY: The Ministry of Labour is negotiating with the Saudi authorities for an enhancement of the wages of the 40,000 Sri Lankan women operating Juki sewing machines in that country, Labour Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne said in Kandy on Saturday. The Sri Lankan women handling the Juki machines are paid a low salary of Rs. 6,000 or Rs. 6,500 each per month. This is grossly inadequate in the case of the poor women working in a foreign country. The ministry is having talks with the Saudi authorities for an increase in wages to at least Rs. 8,000 per month, Minister Seneviratne said. The minister was speaking at the inaugural sessions of a seminar on Vocational Training for youth and a distribution of vocational training equipment to 15 schools in the Kandy District at Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya Kandy. He told the seminar that the Labour Ministry and the Foreign Employment Bureau are planning a series of relief schemes for those leaving the country to take up employment in foreign countries particularly in the Middle East. They should be registered with the Foreign Employment Bureau to benefit from these schemes. The ministry or the bureau is not in a position to ensure the relief measures to those who leave the country with direct connections with the different employment agents, without the knowledge of the bureau he noted. The Labour Ministry has also made arrangements to get down 72 women, now taking refuge at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Saudi Arabia, having lost their employment for some reason or other. Funds amounting Rs. 2 million have been allocated to bring these women back to the country by the next available flight, he said. These women had been registered with the Foreign Employment Bureau prior to their leaving the country, he said. Johnny mine explodes at Range 2
- Security A Johnny mine which was in the possession of an army corporal serving in the office of 'Range 2 - Security' at Baron Jayatilake Mawatha, Colombo, Fort exploded yesterday morning seriously injuring one person. The injured person K. H. C. Jayawickrama of Matugama was admitted to Colombo National Hospital, police said. According to police investigations two relatives of Jayawickrama and Nilantha Sanjeewa from Deniyaya had paid a visit to Corporal Asanga Sampath at his office. They had been seated on the bed of the Corporal in his room. At that time when the Corporal was emptying his bag, Jayawickrama had seen the Johnny mine and had taken it and squeezed it with both his hands. It had then exploded shattering both his arms. The Corporal and his other relative Nilantha Sanjeewa had been in a state of shock for about an hour following the explosion, police said. Vavuniya-Omanthai rail track
restored Work on the seven-mile rail track restoration from Vavuniya to Omanthai has been completed at a total cost of Rs. 80 million, General Manager of Railways, W. K. B. Weragama told "The Island". He added that he was confident of completing work on the Rs. One billion project on re-building the railway line from Vavuniya to Jaffna as soon as circumstances permit. Mr. Weragama admitted that there were delays in the purchase of certain items such as sleepers and rails due to "long time lag over tender procedures, etc." "In some instances these tender procedures take up to one-and-a half years to complete." he explained. He added that this situation was expected to be remedied with the assistance expected from the Ministry of Policy Planning. Funding for the railway track restoration project has been borne by the government, he said. Security for the reconstruction work in progress is being extended by the armed forces, GM said. Around 55 Railway employees at Vavuniya are engaged in the on-going re-building work. It is further reported that a further Rs. 120 million project will be launched for the proposed extension of the Mannar - Medawachchiya rail track by another 40 km up to Cheddikulam. CPC opposition leader pulls
out of PC polls KANDY: Wijaya Wickremaratne, Leader of the Opposition of the Central Provincial Council (CPC) has informed the President and the Prime Minister that he has decided not to contest the next Provincial Council’s elections. Mr. Wickremaratne has in his fax message said that he is not contesting the PC elections on personal grounds. Mr. Wickremaratne at the last PC elections bagged the highest number of preferential votes being 80,000. However, the United National Party (UNP led by Chief Minister W. P. B. Dissanayake emerged victorious. Mr. Wickremaratne held the office of the Leader of the Opposition during the past five years. In the meantime, several names of parliamentarians in the district are being mentioned as contenders for the chief ministerial office of the Central PC. "BMICH - an everlasting monument to
excellent relations between Sri Lanka and China" Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, (BMICH) will remain an ever lasting monument to the long and excellent relations between Sri Lankan and China, said President Chandrika Bandara-naike Kumaratunga, Saturday evening. She was addressing the 25th Anniversary celebrations of the BMICH, which she co-chaired with Chinese Ambassador in Colombo Chen Defu. The President said, that Late Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai gifted this magnificent conference hall, to Sri Lanka both to mark the centuries old relations between Sri Lanka and China and in memory of Late S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike who was a staunch supporter of the non-alignment movement. President said that at a meeting with Late Zhou Enlai in Beijing when Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike paid an official visit to the country. Prime Minister Zhou Enlai asked Mrs. Bandara-naike what China could do for her country. Mrs. Bandaranaike told the Chinese leader that Sri Lanka needed a conference hall. Late Zhou Enlai agreed to gift a conference hall and it was built in a record time and was formally declared open in 1973. Since then the BMICH has become the forum for many international conferences and events including the Non-alligned Nations' Summit in 1976 and the SAARC summit sometime later. The President said Mrs. Bandaranaike would have come for the celebration but ill-health kept her away. However, Prime Minister Bandaranaike sent her greetings to the Chinese people through their Ambassador on the occasion of remembering a gift received from them which has proved to be of paramount importance to Sri Lanka. The President also paid a tribute to both past and present members of the BMICH Management Committee for maintaining the conference hall complex in its immaculate condition. The President also said that there would be renovations and modernisation of the BMICH in the near future and thanked the Chinese government for ensuring assistance for the purpose. She also thanked the members of the BMICH staff for their good work. Members of the staff who had served the BMICH for 20 or more years also received souvenirs in acknowledgement of their services. 25th Anniversary marks the profound
friendship between China and Sri Lanka govts and people Today, as we are here to mark the 25th anniversary of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, we are praising the profound friendship and close relationship of cooperation between Chinese and Sri Lankan governments and their peoples, reviewing the outstanding contributions to the fostering of Sino-Sri Lankan friendship made by the Chinese beloved Premier Zhou Enlai and the highly esteemed Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. Twenty-five years ago, under the direct concern of then Premier Zhou Enlai and Prime Minister Sirimavo Banderanaike, through the joint efforts of engineers and technicians from both China and Sri Lanka, the BMICH, a presentation of Chinese government, came into being. It ever since not only symbolizes the 1500-year-old traditional friendship between the Chinese people and Sri Lankan people, but moreover shows the strong establishment of friendly cooperation between Chinese and Sri Lankan governments. In the past 25 years, BMICH has provided facilities for Sri Lanka for holding international conferences, developing foreign trade and economic exchanges, enriching cultural life of Sri Lankan people. The Board of Management and all staff members of BMICH have made a great show of their talent for management and administration through the high rate of utilization and remarkable maintenance of the BMICH. Here, I would like to express my heartfelt admiration to them in this regard. On this auspicious occasion of the 25th anniversary of BMICH, Chinese government sends a young and excellent China Hangzhou Youth Acrobatic Troupe here to join Sri Lankan artists in celebrating performance. The acrobats bring Sri Lankan government and its people the warm greetings and best wishes of Chinese government and its people. I am convinced that while we are appreciating their marvellous performance, the more we could touch would be the ardent friendly sentiments between our two countries, the more we could see would be a bright future for friendship and relationship of mutual benefit between China and Sri Lanka. Let us enhance our friendship and mutual understanding, strengthen our cooperation and exchange, make unremitting efforts for the common prosperity and development of our two countries. Acrobats keep audience spell bound The celebrations which commenced with the lighting of the traditional oil lamp and observing two minutes silence in memory of the departed members of the Board of Management ended in a nearly two hour cultural show. Sri Lanka presented six traditional up-country and low country dances but the young and spritely acrobats of the Hangzhon Youth Acrobatic Troupe held the audience spellbound. The golden doll like teenager performers, including an eight year old brat, drew ovation from the audience at the end of each of their acts. The President shook hands with every member of the troupe and posed for a photograph with them. LTTE infiltration into villages? Residents of Kokkadicholai and Vakarai in the Batti-caloa District complain of possible LTTE infiltration into their villages. Several residents have reported that they have encountered many new young faces in their villages. They say the LTTE is possibly preparing for a massive attack in the areas. These areas still remain uncleared according to official sources. One soldier killed, another injured in attack LTTE terrorists attacked an army post in Poonanai in the Valachchenai Police area on Saturday morning killing one soldier and injuring another, police said. The attackers withdrew when the soldiers manning the post retaliated. The dead soldier has been identified as R. A. R. Fernando. The injured soldier, identified as R. A. Upali, has been transferred to the Colombo army hospital from the Polonnaruwa hospital. Bomb
explosion in Negombo A bomb exploded inside a signal cabin along the railway line close to Negombo railway station early yesterday completely destroying it, police said. The bomb blast had rocked the entire Negombo town and its suburbs. Negombo police carrying out investigations suspect that it could have been a time bomb. However confirmation from the Government Analyst was awaited, a senior police official said. Ironically this bomb explosion had occurred close to the Negombo District Telecom Centre. New information on wet zone soils of Sri Lanka The Soil Science Society released its special publication on wet zone soils of Sri Lanka at a closing ceremony held at the Plant Genetic Resource Center Auditorium, Gannoruwa, Peradeniya on May 5th 1998. This publication was handed over to Prof. R. J. Soper of the Canadian Soil Science Society by Prof. Ranjith B. Mapa, leader of the SRICANSOL project of the Soil Science Society of Sri Lanka. This was a twining project between the Soil Science Society of Sri Lanka and Canadian Society of Soil Science on characterization, mapping and evaluation for land use management of the wet zone soils of Sri Lanka. This special publication is the first of the series of three which will be providing information on soils of the wet, intermediate and dry zones of Sri Lanka. The special publication edited by Prof. R. B. Mapa, Dr. S. Somasiri and Dr. S. Nagarajah consist of 145 pages and 28 colour plates of soil profiles of the wet zone and associated landscapes. Dr. T. B. Goh the Canadian counterpart of the project made clear the objectives expected from this project to the audience which consisted of the members of the Soil Science Society and invitees. He told that the Canadian Soil Science Society is satisfied about the outcome of the project which include tangible products as handbooks, fact sheets as well as dissemination of knowledge through field visits and workshops held for members, school teachers and university students in Agriculture. According to him, out of the ten projects funded by the Canadian Soil Science Society the one with the Sri Lankan Soil Science Society has been the most successful. Therefore, they are willing to support the second phase of the project which will cover the soils of the intermediate zone of Sri Lanka. Vidya Jothi C. R. Panabokke who made the key note address remembered the assistance given by the Canadian Soil Scientists for studying soils of Sri Lanka from the early times. He told this present project with Canadians is one where the objectives and course of work was decided by the Sri Lankan soil scientists according to their needs. Even though millions were not spent this project has brought to the limelight the knowledge needed to manage the wet zone soils in a sustainable manner. Prof. R. J. Soper the eminent Soil Scientist from Canada who is no stranger to Sri Lanka as he lead the CIDA funded research program on use of potassium in Sri Lankan soils was awarded a certificate of appreciation for the service done to Sri Lanka by the President of the Soil Science Society of Sri Lanka Dr. Hemantha Wijewardhana. The essence of this publication will be translated to swabasha and will be made available to grass root level extension workers of agriculture, NGOs, teachers and students in agriculture for identifying Sri Lankan soils and managing them in a sustainable manner. Tri-lingual prelate of Ratmalana passes away Ven. Habaraduwe Dhammaranshi Nayake Thera incumbent of Dhammikaramaya, Ratmalana, who rendered yeoman service by teaching Buddhism in all three languages, English, Sinhala and Tamil passed away last Friday (15). At the time of his death the venerable monk was 97 years of age. During his lifetime, Ven. Dhammaranshi Nayake Thera had imparted knowledge in Buddhism at Nalanda College, Colombo, Manipay Hindu Maha Vidyalaya, Jaffna, Dharmodhaya Vidyalaya, Mt. Lavinia and Sri Pada Vidyalaya, Hatton. The prelate who first arrived at Ratmalana put up a small shed in a marshy land at Ratmalana and served the residents of the area by propagating the Dhamma. The first Daham Pasala in the area was started by the late prelate. After religious rite at Dhammikarama Vihare at 2.30 p.m. today (18) funeral procession will start from the Vihare at 4.00 p.m. The cremation will take place at Mt. Lavinia cemetery. CMC opens Career Guidance Centre Colombo Municipal Council will inaugurate a Career Guidance Information Centre at the Colombo Public Library on May 22 at 10 a.m. His Worship the Mayor of Colombo Deshabandu Karu Jayasuriya will be the chief guest. This Information Centre will facilitate students, particularly school leavers, with information that will help them to select suitable training courses according to the qualification acquired. It will also furnish necessary information with regard to courses, degrees, diplomas, etc. to those who are doing higher studies. The cooperation of the government and the private sector is solicited for regular supply of information on vocational training and other career guidances. The Mayor of Colombo has taken steps to introduce this well planned program to meet the needs of a large sector who has no access to this type of information. He has had consultations with a number of local and foreign organizations. Two officials of the Council also visited Singapore to study this program as it has been successfully implemented in Singapore. It is estimated that over 350,000 students leave school annually and many of them fail to get higher education or employment. They should not remain a burden to society and every effort should be made to promote the skills of these individuals having recognized the needs of the country. The Centre is located in the Public Library which is a centre for studies for students at both the GCE (O) Level and GCE (A) Level. Hence there will be easy access to information for these students. The opening ceremony will be followed by a Seminar on Career Guidance for over 100 students. |
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