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AI exposes use of child soldiers by LTTE "I held a child by the legs and bashed its head against wall and enjoyed hearing the mother’s screaming." This confession from a child soldier of the LTTE, is published in the latest issue of Amnesty International’s "Children in South Asia--securing their rights." The confession was attributed to this 15 year old LTTE child soldier in late 1994 after he was admitted to a Teaching hospital in January after complaints of insomnia, aggresive outbursts and abnormal behavior. He had joined the LTTE at the age of 11, the report said. The report went on to quote the child as saying "They deserved to die". I underwent extensive training. He told doctors that after the attack, where he lost many friends he was shown videos of dead women and children and was told that his enemies had done this. Soon afterwards he was involved in attacks on several Muslim villages near Batticaloa. The recount was of one such attack on a village. Among the other atrocities by the LTTE which were highlighted in the publication was the recent attack on the Temple of the Tooth on January 25, where 13 pilgrims, among them two children aged two and seven were killed. Further attributions in the publication include an account of an unaccompanied teenager, currently seeking asylum in the UK, who claimed to have been marked for recruitment by the LTTE. They first came in 1993, the publication quoted. He was 14 and living with his family at a camp for internally displaced people at Urumpirai, Jaffna. The LTTE member who entered the family’s hut was in civilian clothes, but others waiting outside were in uniform and were armed. When he and his sister refused, they allegedly said:"Think about it. If you don’t join, we will come and take you." It was stated that AI knows of children as young as 12 who had been recruited against their will by the LTTE, and others as young as nine who have been seen carrying arms. AI was also been critical about other Tamil armed groups fighting alongside the security forces who have been accused of recruiting juveniles. AI also reported on senior schoolboys in the Dimbulagala and Welikanda area of the Polonnaruwa district, who were forced to perform civil defense duties normally performed by the homeguards. Offices of the Welikanda police station have set up a scheme whereby each family has to send an adult male to perform homeguard duties. If for whatever reason they cannot do so, it states, they have to contribute Rs. 125 per day to allow someone else to be engaged or they must send a child, it said. The report touched on the disappearances of youth during the counter insurgency operations in the south of the country against the JVP as well as the February 1, 1998 claim of the shooting of eight civilians by homeguards and the police at Tampalakamam, Trincomalee. The report also focussed on the indiscriminate laying of landmines. It stated that about 30 civilians which included several children have been killed or injured when they stepped on uncleared mines after returning home in 1996. Amnesty International describes itself as an impartial worldwide voulantary movement against the violation of fundemental Human rights. AI’ s recommendations at the conclusion of the report to armed opposition groups include to end the use of of anti-personnel mines and other weapons of indiscriminate killing and the prohibition of the recruitment of anyone under 18 into the armed conflict. Donors award Sri Lanka $780 mln, urge end to war PARIS, May 27 (Reuters) - Donor countries pledged on Wednesday a higher-than-expected $780 million in financial support for Sri Lanka this year and urged politicians to put aside their differences to end a bloody 15-year civil war. The World Bank said after a two-day meeting of donors and Sri Lankan officials that donors had "expressed deep concern" that the prospects for a quick end to the war were not more encouraging. Rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been fighting for a separate homeland for minority Tamils in Sri Lanka's north and east since 1983. The government said in 1996 that 50,000 people have been killed in the war but since then many thousands more have died. "(Donors) deplored the growing tragic impact of the war on the entire nation. They called upon all Sri Lanka's political leaders to rise above partisan politics and unite in the cause of peace and prosperity," the Bank said in a statement. Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Finance Gamini Peiris told a news conference he was in agreement with the donors that a durable and lasting solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka had to be found on a political level. However he said donors recognised that reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes could be undertaken in the war-torn northern and eastern regions of the country before a final peace was agreed. He said donors were "willing and even eager" to give Sri Lanka money to improve living conditions in these areas and that some of the aid would be channelled into providing basic needs such as electricity, water, roads, hospitals and schools. Donors said more assistance would be made available for reconstruction in the north and east of the island, located off the southeastern tip of India, in the event of peace. The award was lower than the $850 million pledged in 1997 but above Sri Lanka's hopes for $700 million. "The Sri Lankan delegation is extremely happy about the outcome," Peiris said. "We have no doubt in our minds that the total pledge of $780 million is extremely satisfactory." The main reason for the bumper pledge was that Japan, Sri Lanka's largest single donor, did not apply to Sri Lanka a general government policy of trimming aid donations by 10 percent this year. "The Japanese government expressed profound satisfaction with the success that the Sri Lankan government has been able to achieve in dealing with the variety of very difficult and complex problems," Peiris said. He said Sri Lanka had only been expecting $700 million because of the decline of Japan's currency against the dollar, its policy of cutting donations and the preoccupation of donor countries with the east Asian financial crisis. Both World Bank officials and the Sri Lankan delegation said the higher-than-expected donation was a vote of confidence in the economic reforms being pursued by Sri Lanka, the world's largest tea exporter. The war has put a considerable strain on Sri Lanka's coffers but it has managed to bring down its budget deficit from more than 10 percent in 1994 to below eight percent now. Sri Lanka spent 5.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on security forces and war expenditure in 1997, down from 5.8 percent in 1996. In 1997 the budget deficit stood at 7.9 percent of GDP and the central bank said in its annual report the government should be able to bring it down to four percent by 2000. Sri Lanka is sticking by its forecast for growth of at least six percent in 1998, after expanding 6.4 percent in 1997, despite economic slowdown linked to the Asian financial crisis. Domestic political problems, East Asian crises could not affect economic progress says G.L. Commencing proceedings of the Sri Lanka Development Forum (Aid Group Meeting) in Paris on Tuesday, Minister of Justice, Constitutional Affairs, Ethnic Affairs and National Integration and Deputy Minister of Finance, Professor G. L. Peiris, remarked that the Sri Lankan economy has been able to successfully insulate itself from the worst effects of domestic political problems and the negative fall out from the East Asian crisis in 1997. Addressing the donor community, he added that, inspite of the ethnic strife, "one significant redeeming feature has been the progress made in the economy last year". Citing impressive performance indicators, the Minister noted that the growth rate for the year stood at a record 6.4% of GDP while the overall budget deficit has been reduced from 10 to 7% during the three years that the present Government has been in office. The country's foreign reserves presently stood at US$ 2 billion while its external debt has been reduced from 62 to 58%. 1997 recorded a balance of payments surplus of US$ 468 and the debt service ratio has been reduced from 13 to 11. He said that Sri Lanka has achieved significant success in the implementation of its monetary policy with inflation standing at 9.5 but "we hope to reduce it to 8 per cent by the end of this year", he added. The government has also had a successful privatization programme which has, among other things, helped retire public debt to the value of Rs. 10 billion. Commenting on the changes in store for the year ahead, Minister Peiris noted that "we are going ahead with reforms in the financial sector" and that "we have also introduced the Goods and Services Tax" which was first discussed in Sri Lanka as early as 1988. Referring to the radical shift in perception of the private sector regarding the government during the past three years, he observed that, at the time it assumed office, the private sector entertained significant doubts and misgivings about economic performance. "Today, 4/5 of our investment comes from the private sector" and the private sector has placed its total confidence in the government. In response to issues raised by donors, he emphasized that the macro economic achievements of the past few years have been possible as "direct and identifiable results of policies implemented by the Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga administration." However, in recapitulation, the Minister emphasized that "the most remarkable achievement" of the Kumaratunga Administration has been "restoration of civil society" in the hitherto strife torn nothern part of Sri Lanka. The singular achievement in this area is the President's success in holding elections to local government bodies in Jaffna and Kilinochchi at the beginning of this year. "It is a great tribute to the fortitude of the Tamil community living in those areas that there was a voter turnout of 52% for these elections. The Minister paid particular attention to the vibrance with which civil administration has been restored in Jaffna today. "Essential amenities such as water and electricity have been restored and the people in the area are provided with basic services such as health and education." He said in his introductory remarks also voiced the Government's concern with achieving a balance between security and the dignity of the people, especially the Tamil people. Strict orders have been issued to the security forces in this context with regard to arrests of Tamil people. The government's mandate in this regard, noted Prof. Peiris, is "to bring justice closer to the people." Commenting on the devolution proposals which the government has placed so much faith in, he noted that it was unfortunate that the whole process has been "mired in party politics." "It is in order to extricate ourselves from this position that the government has proposed a referendum," he added. Minister Peiris reiterated the Government's total commitment to work with the United National Party in seeking a negotiated solution to the ethnic problem. "All we want from them is an articulation of some thing positive," he noted. Samurdhi animators protest: demand
permanency Over 2000 Samurdhi go animators protest: demand permanencyby Lishanthie SiriwardenaOver 2000 Samurdhi-Govi animators staged a vociferous protest at the entrance to the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture in Battaramulla yesterday morning demanding confirmation in service. The protesters who represented the 33,000 Samurdhi-Govi workers in the country shouted slogans threatening to disrupt the People's Alliance government's election campaign in the forthcoming Provincial Councils poll.They complained that the government has so far failed to give them permanency of employment. A defiant animator obstructed the passage of a police jeep by sitting at the entrance to the Ministry.He refused to move away to permit the police vehicle to enter the Ministry building and some of his colleagues had to intervene to persuade him to get up. Police said no violent incidents were reported during the protest. The protesting Samurdhi animators complained that they supported the PA government and were employed with the assurance that they will be made permanent within three months of their appointment.But this failed to materialise and they are still 'temporary hands'. They also expressed their disapproval at the new scheme drawn up by the government to make sections of the Samurdhi workers permanent.The Samurdhi-Govi representatives requested the Minister D. M. Jayaratne to introduce the scheme they were promised three years ago. The workers said they were instrumental in bringing about the PA victory and expected more support from the government. Among the other grievance of the Samurdhi animators, was that their appointments were also clouded in uncertainty without proper appointment letters. The workers said their other demands should also be considered and the present allowance of two thousand rupees should be increased to four thousand and five hundred rupees. The representatives of the Samurdhi workforce also complained that they have so far not been given a clear work-layout. LTTE
woman arrested A female LTTE operative who had arrived in Colombo and had been supplying information regarding the movements of the President, Prime Minister, Ministers etc. and also providing sketches of residences and offices of such top politicians, has been taken into custody by a special unit of the police. She had been taken into custody while occupying a house at Wellawatte which had been rented by her from a Sinhala owner, police said. Along with the female LTTE activist, the owner of the house, and two others who had helped the woman have also been arrested by the police. Police investigations have revealed that this LTTE woman had been living in Colombo for the past five years under the pretext of being a computer student. The modus operandi of supplying information to the LTTE had been to write or draw on blank papers using lime juice. Once the LTTE receives such paper those would be warmed up with a heat iron. What was written with lime juice then became legible. A valuable computer was also found in her room. She had used this for LTTE activities, police said. She was also in possession of two forged identity cards and maintained a bank account. Rupees 39,000 had been deposited in this account last week. Sri
Lankan fishermen released Fifteen Sri Lankan Fishermen, who have been released by the Indian authorities arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday. These fishermen who were languishing in the Madurai jail for over two months, had been taken into custody by the Mandapam Police in Tamil Nadu on March 3 for fishing in Exclusive Indian Economic Zones. Three boats named "Philip Sana", "Kanishka Duva" and "Samaya Kumaru", had been taken into custody along with the fishermen, official souces said. The Ministry of Fisheries had taken up with the Indian government, through the Foreign Ministry, regarding the release of these fishermen. As a result these fishermen along with their boats had been released last week, on payment of a fine. All fifteen fishermen were reported to be from the Negombo area. London Vihara dayaka sabha donates Rs. 100000 to Maligawa The Dayaka Sabha of London Buddhist Vihara has donated over Rs. one lakh to the Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa, restoration fund. This donation had been collected from Buddhists residing in London on the initiative of Chief Incumbent of London Buddhist Vihara, Ven. Dr. Medagama Vajiragnana Maha Nayake Thera. The Maha Nayake Thera on a visit to Sri Lanka recently had been able to see for him self the devastation caused to the Sri Dalada Maligawa following the bomb explosion. He then had discussions with Diyawadana Nilame Neranjan Wijeyaratne regarding action taken to restore it. Thereafter he decided to establish a fund to raise funds for the restorations. The donation was handed over to Diyawadana Nilame, Neranjan Wijeyaratne, by Mrs. R. Dissanayake on behalf of the Dayaka Sabha of London Buddhist Vihara. Awareness drive to prevent atmospheric
pollution Several diesel vehicles were stopped for 'smoke detection' yesterday morning near the Bambalapitiya Police station, in a drive to make people aware of atmospheric pollution by vehicular emissions. The slogan of this campaign was "to help improve our environment by cleaning up our vehicles'. The Clean Air 2000 Action Plan (CA2AP) was formulated in 1992 and approved by the cabinet of ministers. Vehicular emissions have been identified as the main cause of atmospheric pollution in urban areas, said a campaigner. Two of the most important actions recommended by the CA2AP to reduce harmful emissions in to the atmosphere are inspection and maintenance. Vehicles that were emitting smoke were detected and stopped by the police and drivers were requested to take necessary action to correct the problem and report back. A smoke meter, a special kind of equipment was used to check the level of smoke being emitted. In 1994 the Motor Traffic Act gazetted a maximum acceptable limit of 80% for opacity of smoke from diesel vehicles. However even 80% is quite a high percentage said Dr. Ravi Pereira of the Metropolitan Environmental Improvement Programme. A lot of pollution is caused by unburned carbon particles especially in diesel vehicles when injectors are not cleaned and not adjusted he said. All vehicles need to be properly tuned and this requires only a small adjustment. Both the vehicle user and the environment benefit by regular inspection and maintenance of vehicles as this also reduces fuel consumption Dr. Pereira added. A leaflet issued by the campaign says that the number of diesel vehicles have increased from around 60,000 in 1980 to over 200,0000 in 1997 especially in the categories of dual purpose vehicles and vans. Diesel vehicles emit particulate matter less than 10 microns which is harmful to the health of pedestrians.This causes many respiratory problems. The Metropolitan Environmental Improvement Programme (MEIP) which held this programme together with Klevenberg Ltd, the CA2000 Implementation Commitee and the Motor Traders Association said that the programme would not have been possible if the smoke meter which was the equipment used in this event had not been lent to the police by Klevenberg Ltd. The only obstacle facing both the police and the campaigners in conducting this exercise which has been an essential need for quite some time has been the high price of this sophisticated piece of equipment. They also hope to conduct a programme to detect environmentally harmful emissions namely carbondioxide made by vehicles run on petrol . President at parley to improve film industry A meeting presided over by President Chandrika Kumaratunga was held at the Temple Trees on Tuesday to examine and consider responses of the film community, critics and other interlectuals with regard to the recommendations made by Prof. Senaka Bandaranayake Committee on Rehabilitation and Development of the National Film Industry, an official communique stated. This three-and-a-half-hour long meeting was well attended by those in the film industry with 36 participants representing various associations and personalities connected to the art and trade of films. The meeting gave adequate opportunity to express individual and collective views towards the committee report. The President announced that an action plan be prepared immediately after careful examination of the committee recommendations along with the views expressed, the communique added. Writ application of Sirisena Cooray referred
to Supreme Court The Court of Appeal yesterday referred to the Supreme Court, the writ application, filed by the former General Secretary of the UNP, Sirisena Cooray, challenging the findings against Cooray, made by the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry that probed the killing of Lalith Athulathmudali. The respondents cited in the petition were, Tissa Dias Bandaranayake, Chairman of the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry (retired judge of the Supreme court), G. W. Edirisuriya and the Attorney General. The petition requested that the court issue a writ of certiorari, quashing the findings of the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry, which said that Sirisena Cooray was a member of the conspiracy group that killed Athulathmudali. The report had recommended civic disability on Cooray, since Cooray was convicted for contempt of the Commission, by the same Commission, on the allegation that he did not appear before the Commission, when summoned. The petition, also requested the Court of Appeal to refer this petition to the Supreme Court, to exercise the writ jurisdiction, since the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry was chaired by a retired judge of the Supreme Court. When the writ application was called before the Court of Appeal yesterday, K. N. Choksy, President's Counsel, supported the application. Choksy said that the Special Presidential Commission which probed the killing of Athulathmudali, recommended civic disability on Cooray, since the Commission had found Cooray guilty of contempt of the Commission. The Commission cannot convict a person. Cooray was not asked to show cause as to why he should not be convicted. Counsel had asked that Cooray be heard. The Commission had refused that. Section (12) of the Commission of Inquiry Act, requires that contempt issues should be referred to the Supreme Court. Justice Upali de Z. Gunewardene: There was a counsel appearing for your client? Choksy: Yes. Choksy said that, the Commission made an abrupt ruling that, a counsel has no status, when the person concerned is not present. The Commission had immediately issued a warrant for the arrest of Cooray. He was not given a chance to explain. The Commission made an illegal conviction, when Cooray was convicted for contempt of the Commission. Choksy: Yes. Justice H. S. Yapa — The jurisdiction to convict for contempt is entirely in the Supreme Court. Choksy — Yes. Choksy said that appearance by a counsel, amounts to answering summons of the Commission. Justice Yapa — Your client was represented by counsel, according to what you say. Choksy — Yes. The Commission on two occasions notified Cooray that his conduct was suspicious in relation to the murder of Athulathmudali. When Cooray was a suspect he could not be a witness before the Commission. Cooray had good grounds for not appearing to give evidence. Choksy said that the Commission report is a fraud. He requested that the application be referred to the Supreme Court. The Chairman of the Commission was a retired judge of that court. The Presidential Commission of Inquiry Act requires that. Justice Yapa — Even to interpret the merits of the application, we should transfer it to the Supreme Court. Court of Appeal, transferred the application to the Supreme Court, in keeping with Section 18 of the Special Commission of Inquiry Act. The Registrar was directed to forward the records to the SC forthwith. K. N. Choksy PC, appeared with Desmond Fernando PC, S. C. Tambiah, Sunil Rodrigo, Hemantha Warnakulasuriya, Metsiri Cooray and V. K. Choksy, instructed by D. M. Swarminathan Associates for the petitioner, B. Sirisena Cooray. The Court of Appeal bench comprised, Justice H. S. Yapa and Justice Upali de Z. Gunewardene. President to Kotelawala
Defence Academy convocation today The Kotelawala Defence Academy will hold a convocation cere-mony for its 11th batch of passing out graduates today (28). The chief guest at this event will be President Chandrika Kumaratunga. The 80 cadets who pass out this year will enter the three armed forces The Academy inaugurated in March 1980 is situated at Kandawala estate in Ratmalana. The unique feature in this Defence Academy is the fact that cadets receive a higher education while being trained for the military. In fact it is not very different from a regular university. What stands out most perhaps is the quiet surrounding which seems uncharacteristic of a military institution but appears to be the perfect atmosphere for a university. Commandant Col. K. G. D. Mahindanatha of the administrative staff of KDA said. Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy was a university empowered to award the degree of Bachelor of Science (Defence Studies) and Bachelor of Arts (Defence Studies) to those who desire to join the three services Army, Navy and Air Force as commissioned offi-cers. "The degrees are equivalent to those awarded by any other university in the country" the Colonel said. Apart from acceptance within the country it is also recognised by the Commonwealth universities. KDA has a highly qualified group of lecturers most of whom are from the Colombo, Kelaniya Jayawardanapura and other Universities, he explained at a news conference at the Academy. The duration of the degree course is two and a half to three years and it is held in the English medium. "Aircraft, ships and even computers are made in other countries and they have to learn about these. We also send some of them abroad for further training" Colonel Mahindanatha said speaking in relation to the medium used in the course. The Academy has 250 officer cadets at present and of them 24 are females. We will be training and sending them to all three armed services he said. The general eligibility requirements are GCE O/L credit in English, 4 A/L passes, an aggregate of not less than 180 and being in the age group of 18 - 22 years. The Academy also provides its cadets with other facilities such as food, lodging,clothing,medical facilities and pocket money of about Rs. 5,000 a month. Apart from this it also provides a well equipped library, computer room and sports facilities which include a swimming pool, weight training apparatus, gymnasium and a playground. Cadets are expected to maintain their physical fitness and take part in sports. They also participate in inter-university events. The Colonel said that 75% of the program was devoted to academic studies and 25% to military training. The Academy hopes to start a fresh batch of cadets and have already called for applications. Applications they have received so far have been from all communities. He stressed that the Academy was open to anyone. There is no racial prejudice. A perfect example he said was Lt. Cdr. N. Kuruparan who was among the first batch at KDA. Today he holds the rank of Lt. Cdr. and is also the head of the electrical and electronics depart-ment. Lt. Cdr. Kuruparan said that he was born and educated in Jaffna. His background in sports and education had enabled him to enter the Academy. He was of the view that the KDA has made significant improve-ments since it’s inception in 1980. The facilities have expanded. "There were 36 cadets in my batch" he said. Today there are about 95 cadets in a batch. The present cadets said that the main reason they had chosen the Academy was because it enabled them to earn a degree while receiving military training. K. V. A Devika from Kurunegala said that she was chosen for university but preferred to come to KDA. She is happy with her choice. "people take more notice of you when you say that you are from KDA" said M. S. R. Mohammed a first year cadet at the Academy. This year 80 cadets will pass out of KDA. "We want the maximum number of applicants. We will choose the cream" Colonel Mahinda-natha said. The Academy invites applications from suitable candidates addressed to the Kotelawala Defense Academy Kandawala, Ratmalana. Application forms can be either obtained by post or by person. The closing date has been extended to May 29. |
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