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Both sides suffer heavily The International Committee of Red Cross [ICRC] yesterday transferred bodies of nine soldiers killed in Wanni battles from the LTTE controlled area to the Vavuniya Brigade headquarters both ICRC and military sources said last night. The LTTE has handed over the bodies to ICRC at Mallavi in the western part of the Wanni region in the afternoon. An ICRC official said that the nine bodies were handed over to military authorities in Vavuniya yesterday around 5 p.m. He was not aware of the identities of the dead soldiers. They were among at least three dozen soldiers who died on Thursday , Friday and Saturday during clashes with strong groups of terrorists security sources said. However communiques issued on Friday, Saturday and Sunday by the Operational Headquarters of the Defence Ministry did not mention about losses suffered by the Army since last Thursday [28]. The Operational headquarters press communiques were based on the reports submitted by respective area headquarters including the one in Vavuniya which handles the ongoing Wanni offensive, Jayasikuru. There had been no heavy engagements yesterday. However troops have exchanged fire with terrorists on several occasions. Fighting broke out in the early hours of Thursday when troops mounted a two-pronged advance towards Mankulam, a village vacated in the middle of 1990 by the Sri Lankan Army [SLA]. Troops advancing towards Mankulam from locations south of Moonru Murippu has run into heavy resistance Friday. However the push from Ampakamam [east of the A-9 road] has continued for almost 48 hours before it came to an end according to clandestine Voice of Tigers [VOT] radio monitored in Vavuniya. Ampakamam is situated northeast of Mankulam. Sources, quoting the VOT said that over 50 soldiers were killed when LTTE attacked troops who mounted the attack from Ampakamam. VOT also claimed that LTTE was able to recover 20 bodies of soldiers. The ICRC said that only nine bodies were handed over to ICRC representatives at Mallavi Sunday afternoon. Asked whether ICRC expect the LTTE to hand over any more bodies Monday, sources replied in the negative. In a statement issued from London on Saturday the LTTE claimed that it lost only nine cadres during last week’s clashes. The statement issued from LTTE International Secretariat, 211 Katherine Road, London identified the dead cadres as "major" Cadar, "major" Puliyoor Mainthan, "captain" Sabesan, "lieutenant " Vannanilavan, "captain" Illakumaran and fighters Navajothi, Seelan, Inpanesan and Sutha. Military officials said that LTTE losses were a lot higher. "We believe at least 40 were killed and many more wounded since last Thursday," a military officer said last night. Military officials said that Wanni operations have been intensified. They denied claims, reports and speculation that the so called final phase of the Jayasikuru offensive has been launched. Despite the deployment of additional forces to support the offensive, the military top brass have admitted that the offensive cannot be completed in a hurry. [SF] Another bomb blast at
Telecom exchange A bomb exploded at the Telecom exchange at Kaluwanchi-kudy, in Batticaloa last Saturday night damaging the air-conditioning plant. This new Telecom exchange was scheduled to be ceremonially opened on June 10. Police investigations had revealed that a time bomb had been placed inside the air-conditioning plant. The two private security guards who had been on duty had run away when the bomb exploded, police said. Later they had turned up at the Kaluwanchikudy Police station. They are being held by the police for further questioning. Kaluwanchikudi Police are carrying out further investigations. Incidentally this bomb blast is the latest in the series of explosions in Telecom exchanges in Kalutara, Kuliyapitiya and Nochchiyagama. Police have so far failed to make any headway in their investigations into the string of blasts. President at 25th anniversary of
YMWL How South Asian women have moved to top state positions, is an issue which still remains unstudied but the phenomenon remains and we have to build on it, said President Chandrika Kumaratunga who was addressing the 25th anniversary of the Young Muslim Women's Leage, Sunday (31) in Colombo. The venue of the YMWL anniversary was the auditorium of the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI). The President was the chief guest. Mayor Colombo Karu Jayasuriya, Governor Southern Province Neville Kanakaratne, Minister of Transport and Highways A. H. M. Fowzie and Deputy Chairman of Committees of Parliament, Rauf Hakeem were guests of honour. The 25th annual sessions of the YMWL was chaired by its current president Mrs. Faisha Ahamed. President said, such phenomena as the South Asian women's advancements in the political and other fields would have produced dozens of analytical volumes in countries like India but here in Sri Lanka intellectuals have not taken the trouble to sit and write about their views but instead confined themselves to the task of speaking, which is also a Sri Lankan tradition. "Whenever, intellectuals, journalists and university researchers met me they asked for my explanation on how South Asian women have taken reins of government. I will not bother to tell you the explanations I gave". "We can adduce many reasons political and historical. This phenomena we have had many times in Sri Lanka and a few times in India. It is spreading to Eastern Asia too. Only Nepal and Bhutan are exception. Nepal however has a woman opposition leader" she added. She said that for whatever the reasons are the phenomena is a reality and that women must build on it. She said that this phenomenon has changed the men's attitude to women. We have not effectively seized this marvellous opportunity. We have left the natural processes to take their own course. Large part of South Asian population consist of Muslims. Hindus occupy another larger place. Buddhists only a small place. "For some reason the Buddhist and Christian women have found more freedom than Muslim and Hindu women. When I talk about freedom I do not mean the western kind of liberation. I do mean the male attitude towards the women. That the woman's place is the home and her role is bearing children and work in the kitchen. In other countries where the women have taken the running of the affairs of the state — the change has taken place naturally. Government has brought in legislation to ensure that women enjoy equal rights with men. The President urged the YMWL to establish its branches in other cities and places so as to make available their services to poorer sections in those areas. She also urged the YMWL to extend their services to the health sector specially to the Cancer Institute and the Mental Hospital, which have remained in most unsatisfactory condition under all governments. Mayor of Colombo, Desha Manya Karu Jayasuriya said, that when there is a war in the North there should be peace in the South. He commended the YMWL for the professionalism with which it has conducted its work. He said women's organisations of the nature of YMWL were of utmost importance to the country today. There is a woman President in the country. You can contribute to the task of building a disciplined nation. A disciplined nation is a prosperous strong and united nation. I say this because there had been an erosion of social values in the recent past in this country. The charm and the social acceptability of women makes the task of educating and creating civic consciousness in society easy. "Time has now come to talk about the past and to talk about the future. When there is war in the North there should be unity in the South. That is simple arithmetic. This country has a great future. We need a new culture to rebuild the nation. Last week the Leader of the Opposition mentioned a new political culture which was promptly approved by the President. This augurs well for the nation, he said. Neville Kanakaratne, Governor Southern Province said, English is no more the language of our colonial masters. It is the language of trade, commerce and international understanding. When I was in Soviet Union, English was a second compulsory language in all schools. Despite its strong anti-imperialism and anti-Western policies they had realised the value of English as an international language. When we gained independence and switched over to Sinhala many of us thought, English would fade away. Private lorry body gives way: 12
WPCs hurt At least twelve Women Police Constables (WPCs) of the Mapakada Police Training School were injured when they were hurled out of a moving private lorry on Saturday, police said. Of them nine WPCs who had sustained injuries of a serious nature were admitted to Kandy General Hospital. The nine warded at Kandy General Hospital are Ramani (4391), Chandralatha (4345), Mallika (4400), Hasanthi (4512), Vineetha (4377), Padmakanthi (4537), Anula (4478), Lakmal (4428) and C. Malathie. Three others have been admitted to Mahiyangana and Badulla hospitals, police said. The cleaner of the lorry has also been admitted to Mahiyangana hospital with injuries. According to Mahiyangana police conducting inquiries the batch of WPCs on training had been taken for jungle armed training on Friday night. On Saturday afternoon they were returning to the Mapakada police training school when the incident took place. As transport was not promptly available a passing lorry which was an open body truck was halted for a quicker return. The sides of the body of the truck was made of coconut stalks. As the truck was negotiating a bend the side of the body of the vehicle gave way throwing the WPCs and the cleaner on to the road. They had been leaning to the side of the body of the truck. However they received less head injuries as they were wearing helmets, police said. Further inquiries are conducted by Mahiyangana police. ‘Irregular’
appointments cause influx of Chief Inspectors in police
force Police Headquarters last week confirmed the ranks of around 260 odd Chief Inspectors who were given their promotions during the last UNP regime, police sources said yesterday. The Public Service Commission had approved the promotions, police headquarters said. These officers have now been given the green light to apply for the post of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). They have also been paid their salary arrears. Each was paid more than Rs. 100,000 in arrears, the sources said. Most of them have applied for the rank of ASP. There will be about 15 vacancies for ASPs, the sources said. It is reported that some senior police officers had asked Inspector General of Police W. B. Rajaguru to promote another batch of 300 officers to the rank of CI. But the IGP had told these senior officials that he does not want to create another influx of supernumerary CIs, they said. According to the sources, the 260 police officers who were then inspectors were promoted to the rank of CI by the then President D. B. Wijetunge. The first batch was promoted in 1993. After the new government was formed by the People's Alliance in 1994 their CI rank was not confirmed but they were allowed to function as CIs. But their salaries were the same as that of an Inspector. Senior police officers claimed that because of the "irregular" promotions of the past regime there is now an excess of CIs in the police service. Most of them are still supernumerary. Only few of them have been placed in charge of stations. "Before the ‘irregular promotions’ there was a well planned system to appoint CIs," the sources said. According to the earlier regulations an officer of the rank of Inspector (IP) had to serve at least 15 years in that rank before being promoted to the other rank. In addition they had to serve in an A1 grade police station (Fort, Pettah, Maradana, Kandy, Jaffna, Batticaloa, Galle) for at least one year. The most senior CI was the OIC of Fort and when there is a vacancy for an ASP he is automatically promoted to fill that place and the OIC of the second A1 grade police station is placed in charge of Fort. But this system is no longer being adhered to, police sources lamented. Commandant of the elite Special Task Force (STF) DIG Dharmasiri Weerakoon was drowned at sea at Moragolla, Beruwela yesterday morning. Police supported by Navy had mounted a search for the DIG's body. "We were unable to recover the body upto yesterday evening", police said. He was scheduled to retire in September this year. He replaced DIG Lionel Karunasena in September 1995 as the commandant. Deputy Inspector General of Police Dharmasiri Weerakoon was reappointed Commandant of the Special Task Force (STF), in September 1995. Weerakoon served as the Commandant of the STF at its inception in 1983 before being transferred as SP Vavuniya on political grounds. He retired prematurely as a Senior Superintendent of Police in 1990 because the then government did not extend his services. He was reinstated by the present government with an ante-dated promotion as DIG. An old boy of Christian College, Kotte, Weerakoon joined the police service as a Probationary Sub-Inspector on 1.10.1958. He passed out as the best probationary Sub-Inspector of his batch and was awarded the coveted Rockwood Memorial Challenge Trophy. Due to his efficIent, dedicated and loyal services he earned his promotions at the due time to rise to the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police before being politically victimised. Over the years Weerakoon served the department as Officer-in-Charge of various Police Stations, Police Districts and Police Divisions. Outstanding among these charges were his assignments as the Commandant STF, Director, Police Transport Division and Director, Logistics (Physical Assets Management). In the field of sports, he excelled in boxing. He was the national champion in his weight class from 1958 to 1961. The crowning glory of his sports career was the occasion when he was adjudged the Sportsman of the Year in 1959, which won him the Caltex Trophy. He represented Sri Lanka in the 1960 Rome Olympics, another milestone in his illustrious sports career. A referee judge accredited to the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA), he has officiated in all regional boxing championships, 1986 and 1990 Asian Games, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games and several world championships. He is the President of the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka and a senior Vice President of the National Olympic Committee. President told GST hitting
garment industry GST hits the garment industry, and hits it hard, complained representatives of the Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association at a press briefing. GST which came into effect on April 1 this year levies a tax of 12.5% on all purchases of the Apparel industry. Since 60% of the inputs needed by the apparel export industry have to be imported , based on the imports of 1977, the industry would be looking at a staggering sum of Rs. 8.8 billion to pay as tax, they said. The amount involved is too huge to take out of working cash, Gihan Nanayakkara, Deputy Chairman of the Association said. Committing this amount would mean drawing capital that could be utilized to develop the industry and this would eventually slow down the process of manufacture. In this industry speed is essential, he said. All apparel associations had jointly submitted a memorandum to the President, appealing to her to exempt the imported inputs for the apparel export industry, the Association said. The absurdity of the system, Lyn Fernando Past Chairman of the Association pointed out is that the amount paid is to be refunded after 45 days, after producing necessary documents. It is a matter of paying to the left pocket and collecting it from the right, he said. The crippling financial burden in cash flow, the exporters claim, would result in closing down businesses of many exporters. The industry continues to be the largest employer in Sri Lanka, and this problem regarding GST would also affect a large number of workers, Mr. Nanayakkara said. Kabool Lanka which is outside the FTZ would also be affected by the imposition of GST, as manufacturers would need to pay up front cash for materials purchased. This would in turn discourage manufacturers from buying from local industries, he said. The first quarter earnings of the Garment industries amounts to 51% of the total merchandise exports of Sri Lanka. Female doctor refused to treat injured,
alleges CMC member At the general meeting of the Colombo Municipal Council for the month of May, held last Wednesday at Town Hall, Colombo, MMC for Grandpass Tony Ramsi said that a female doctor attached to the Municipal Dispensary (located opposite the Sugathadasa Stadium) had refused to treat a patient who had come to dispensary seeking treatment for a laceration on his forhead.She had refused to treat this patient saying it was her lunch time. According to the patient concerned he had visited the dispensary accompanied by another person. All his pleadings, with the doctor proved futile. When she returned to her quarters the two men had gone after her and continued to plead that the patient be treated. The doctor is reported to have said that her brother is a senior superintendent of police, and had telephone the police. The police officer in charge had sent a mobile car and the police had arrested the duo without the wounds of the patient not being medically attended to. Meanwhile, this female doctor had lodged an entry at the police station. Mr. Ramsi said he heard about the incident and inquired from the doctor concerned as to why she lodged the police entry, said had given a curt reply; "I did it for my personal safety". However, both the wounded man and his escort were taken into custody and released on bail. Replying to Mr. Ramsi deputy mayor of Colombo Omar Kamil said that the doctor had lodged the entry mainly for her personal safety, as the two men were supposed to have used very abusive language on her. He said a member of the municipal council had argued with the doctor concerned for a full forty-five minutes on this ordeal while the men were in custody. The helpless officer in charge of the police station is said to have arrested the Two men without the wounds being attended to. Municipal; Councillor W. D. Stephen raising a question as to why CMC had decided to lease out Burgher Recreation Club grounds, Havelock play ground and Paul play ground depriving their use so far by Isipatana Maha Vidyalaya and Lumbini Maha Vidya-laya. Mayor Karu Jayasuriya replied; "I leased them out with permission from the President and the Western Province chief minister. I shall consider this request when the lease agreement comes up for renewal in the year 2000". Geethanjana Gunawardena (MMC): so why didn't you consult the students of the two schools and come to an agreement of an alternative play ground, before deciding to lease out these grounds. MMC Sunil Withanage referring to the report of the Municipal Engineer (clause 447) said the installation of three additional motors for the fountains at Viharamahadevi park has brought much confusion and unnecessary resulted in a waste of money to the CMC. LTTE woman cadres open fire at troops Two LTTE women cadres had opened fire at soldiers manning a security check point at Gurunagar, a liberated area in Jaffna killing two soldiers last Saturday. The army had retaliatory returned fire killing one of the terrorists and seriously wounding the other, security sources said. The injured female attacker was admitted to Jaffna base hospital. Information had also been received that LTTE members minglinh among civilians were attempting to carry out sporadic attacks on the army and the police in the peninsula, these sources said. Security forces have stepped up search operations in several places in Jaffna peninsula. Two farmers hacked to death
by LTTEers Two farmers who entered Somawathiya jungles to collect fire-wood were hacked to death by suspected LTTE terrorists on May 26 and their bodies were found by the villagers at Puddur in the Polonnaruwa Police area on Saturday afternoon, police said. The farmers have been identified as A. G. D. B. Ekanayaka (52) and H. M. Kiribanda (46) of Puddur, Onegama. According to reports they had gone into the jungles in search of firewood. However, as they did not come back, relatives waited for two days before informing the police about the missing duo. Police launched a search operation and found their chopped bodies in the jungles of Kuruthawetiya. Lanka to host UFTAA World Congress in year 2000 At the mid-year Board Meeting of the Universal Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA), which was held from the 24th to 28th May '98, at the Trans Asia Hotel, Sri Lanka was selected as the venue for the prestigious UFTAA World Congress in year 2000. A press release issued by Sri Lanka Convention Bureau says: "UFTAA, with its headquarters based in Monaco, has a history of over 30 years, and is a world body consisting of over 101 National Associations as its members, represented by sixty five countries world wide. The primary objective of UFTAA is acting as a catalyst for the Travel agencies, Tour operators and Aviation marketing community and regularising matters with the other Universal organisations comprising providers of services to travel agencies, Tour operators and Aviation marketers. UFTAA also conducts awareness programmes and human resource development seminars of relevance for the members. The Board Directors of UFTAA, consisting of twenty five senior travel trade members worldwide, were flown to Sri Lanka with the kind courtesy of the National carrier Airlanka to convene in Colombo on an invitation extended by Mr. Udaya Nanayakkara, one of the five Assembly Directors of the prestigious Council of UFTAA. The entire Board of Directors of UFTAA was hosted by Trans Asia Hotel throughout their stay in Sri Lanka and different themed dinners and lunch comprising Seafood, Indian, Western, Sri Lankan were hosted by Galle Face Hotel, Holiday Inn, Colombo Hilton, Le Kandyan Hotel, Kandy and the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka respectively. The delegates were taken on a day trip to Kandy and a visit to the elephant orphanage at Pinnawela with a view of exposing the attractions and the infrastructure facilities available in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was the host for the UFTAA World Congress in the year 1976. Hosting an UFTAA World Congress is a rare privilege, since travel trade members from all parts of the World will be attending, which will extend immense exposure to Sri Lanka by way of Developing Tourism, Foreign Investments, and showcasing the products in Sri Lanka. Hosting UFTAA World Congress would also extend tremendous exposure with regard to the infrastructure facilities available to cater to the International MICE (Meetings, Incentive Travel, Congress and Exhibition) market. Attached herewith, is the photograph taken at the ceremonial opening ceremony of the UFTAA Board Meeting on 25th May '98, at the Trans Asia Hotel, including the President and Board of Directors of UFTAA with the Hon H. B. Semasinghe, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, officials of Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, Ceylon Tourist Board and the Professional Conference Organiser - CDC Conventions (Pvt.) Ltd. Wijeratne, Yogeswaran
killings shouldn't be a setback to achieving peace The Suriyamal Peace Foundation and the Nalanda Ellawala Foundation are saddened by the recent cruel murder of Brigadier Larry Wijeratne and Jaffna Mayor Ms. Sarojini Yogeswaran. The killing of the unarmed and unprotected Sarojini Yogeswaran in particular is a reprehensible crime against civil society, in particular the people of Jaffna. These acts of terrorism are a blow to efforts to restore civil rule in Jaffna and to evolve a peaceful solution to the ethnic problem, says Prof. Tissa Vitharana, President of the Foundation. Considering that Nalanda Ellawela, who was also unarmed, was the victim of a political murder, the killing of Sarojini Yogeswaran is an aspect of the gun culture prevalent in Sri Lanka that we feel needs to be urgently eliminated from society. The future of our society as a civilized one depends on the elimination of political murder, and in fact of all political violence, and on behalf of our two organizations I strongly condemn this act. "The killing of Sarojini Yogeswaran, who was elected Mayor democratically by the people of Jaffna, is a further attempt to thwart the establishment of peaceful civilian rule in Jaffna. It would appear that those responsible have no regard for the democratic rights of the people of Jaffna and desire to trample on them. The killing of a brave Tamil woman who had dedicated herself to the service of her people, even after having been made a widow by the political murder of her husband, is an expression of the depths to which those responsible have sunk. If as they claim their real interest was to serve the cause of the Tamil people such an action would be self-defeating. Even though she is a political figure from a democratic party, the TULF, and be seen as a rival she is nevertheless a non-combatant civilian and her killing cannot be justified in any way. The determination of the TULF not to succumb to terror as evidenced by the nomination of a suitable successor as Mayor is very welcome, Prof. Witharana stated in a Press release. "Neither of the killings can be viewed as being an effort to act in the interest of the people of Jaffna. Brigadier Wijeratne during his tenure of office in Jaffna for over two years has not been guilty of oppressing the people. On the contrary he had done everything possible to prevent harassment of the people and to enable them to live in peace and safety. In fact he won the hearts of the citizens of Jaffna and this was evident by the public demonstrations of grief, by raising white and black flags and openly paying their last respects to his body. "The question is why it was necessary to kill him only on the eve of his departure from his post in Jaffna to Colombo. It could therefore not have been considered a necessity from a military point of view. Perhaps Brigadier Wijeratne's 'crime' was that he had done much to make the people of Jaffna aware of the Government's devolution proposals for achieving peace and he sought to remove the distrust that existed between the Tamil and Sinhala people by arranging for exchange visits of young people from the north and the South. In fact the Nalanda Ellawala Foundation had arranged for a group of 50 young people from the north to visit a poor village near Kuruvita, Talagahakande, on May 17 but this had to be cancelled following his death. Perhaps his other 'crime' was that he had done everything possible to restore peaceful civilian rule in Jaffna specially after the recent elections", the release said. "I should like to take this opportunity on behalf of both the Suriyamal Peace Foundation and the Nalanda Ellawela Foundation to appeal once again to the political leaders of the UNP in particular, and of the PA, to sink their other differences, or at least relegate them to the background, and come together to achieve a workable consensus on a political solution to the ethnic problem as a prelude to early negotiations to end the war and to achieve a lasting peace. This calls for a high degree of statesmanship and the recent commitment from the President and the Leader of the Opposition at the SLMC convention is a good augury. "A continuation of the war with the attendant suffering and economic loss will only pave the way for the country's ruin and the suffering of present and future generations. The challenges of the globalization process and the WTO Agreement seriously threaten the future of our industry and agriculture and we need to devote all our resources without delay to guard against this eventuality. As a divided warring nation we cannot hope to meet this challenge and we will be committing all the people of this country, Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and all others, to a bleak future. "I appeal to all the major political forces to put the interest of the country and its people as a whole before any sectarian interest so that we can see an end to these tragic events and ensure a better future for all the people of Sri Lanka, the release added. Termination of dealership agreement by
CPC - Kingsley Mendis Wickremasinghe, UNP member, Kalutara, Urban Council, has filed a fundamental rights violation plea in the Supreme Court challenging a recent decision of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to terminate the dealership agreement with the petitioner. The petition said that the marketing manager of the said corporation, S. Unamboowe had written to the petitioner, a letter dated 23.4.98, stating that, the premises at No. 267, Galle Road, Bambalapitiya, is needed to build the head office complex of the corporation and that consequently, the dealership agreement between the petitioner and the corporation is to be terminated. The petitioner had been requested to handover the said premises by 31.12.98. The petition said that, no opportunity whatsoever was given to him to make representation, regarding this action, which will result in the closure of the business run by the petitioner for nearly 50 years. The petition said that the corporation's head office, presently located at premises, No. 80, Flower Road, Colombo 7, could be utilized to construct, its proposed head office complex, instead of terminating the petitioner's dealership. The respondent corporation in addition owns five other locations, four in Colombo and one in Nugegoda. The petition alleged that the directorate of the first respondent Corporation had made an irregular decision to terminate the dealership of the petitioner, on grounds of political opinion. The petitioner is being denied his fundamental right to practise the lawful profession of choice. The petition requested the court to grant leave to proceed, declare the violation of fundamental rights and to declare the decision of the respondent corporation to terminate the dealership of the petitioner, mala-fide and null and void. The petition was called before the Supreme Court on May 25 and refixed for support on June 1. U. Abdul Najeem with E. D. Wickramanayake appeared for the petitioner. The Bench comprised Justice Mark Fernando, Justice S. W. B. Wadugodapitiya and Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake. Committee submits report to Social Services Minister on NISD The committee appointed to review the structure and functioning of the National Institute of Social Development (NISD) submitted its’ detailed report to Minister for Social Services, Berty Premalal Dissanayake last Wednesday (27). The report was submitted by the committee members with the exception of Prof. Ratnapala who was indisposed, according to a press release. The committee comprising Prof. Lakshman Jayatilake, Prof. Siri Hettige, Prof. Nandasena Ratnapala and Dr. Rajaram was appointed to review the structure and functioning of NISD and recommend changes towards its’ restructuring. It is hoped that the recommendations of the committee would help in developing NISD, since it had not received satisfactory development, since its’ inception in 1992. According to the press release, the committee had submitted the report after an in-depth study on NISD, both as a national body under the ministry and in the context of the needs of the country. The press release said the report recommends to initiate and adopt changes in the organisational structure of NISD, its’ academic programs, training of staff, infrastructure facilities and in students welfare. The report also emphasised the need to build NISD into a National Centre of excellence in the field of social welfare and social development. The committee also said NISD should commence Degree programs in social work in addition to the Diploma courses which they offer. The Minister has also directed Director General, NISD to prepare an implementation plan and to work towards the objectives of the institute, focusing on recommendations made in the report. Also present were Director General, NISD, D. Pathirana, T. J. S. Wijewickrama, secretary of the committee, P. Hettiarachchi, co-ordinating secretary, Mrs. V. Jegarajasingham, additional secretary, Ministry of Social Services and Mrs. Dissanayake, private secretary to the minister. Female doctor released on bail for
employing minor A female doctor produced before Gampaha Acting Magistrate, Herbert Ekanayake on a charge of employing a minor girl as a servant was released on cash bail of Rs. 5000 and personal bail of Rs. 25,000. The suspect in this case was Mihindukulasooriya Dulcy Tissera of Kamaratunga Mawatha, Pahalagama, Gampaha. A 14-year-old girl had complained to Gampaha police that she had been employed as a servant at the suspect's house and as she was unable to bear any further the inhuman treatment meted out to her had escaped from the house and had come to the police to lodge a complaint. The minor domestic aide was ordered to be sent to Ranmuthugala Children's Home by Courts. Gampaha police prosecuted while attorneys Rajika Wijetunga and Thusitha Senerath appeared on behalf of the defence. Pops - a severe threat to
environment and human health The last few decades have seen a dramatic growth in chemicals manufacturing and other human activities that result in the release of toxic pollutants. Many of these activities are essential to modern society but can also pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. Particularly challenging is a group of chemicals known as "persistent organic pollutants" or ‘POPs’. They pose a severe threat to the environment and human health because of their special characteristics i.e. they persist for long periods in environment, they travel long distances, even thousands of kilometres, they get accumulated in fatty tissues of most living organisms and poison human and wild life. An awareness raising workshop on ‘POPs’ was held on May 29-30th at the Galadari Hotel, Colombo organised by the Ministry of Forestry and Environment with the assistance of UNEP. It was the first of such programmes in Sri Lanka. Minister of Forestry and Environment Nandimithra Ekanayake addressing the workshop said that Sri Lanka has banned the import, manufacture and use of all 12 ‘POPs’. ‘However we have been using some of them in the past particularly. DDT for Malaria control and Eudrin, etc. for agricultural purposes. We may have to ascertain whether there are stockpiles of these chemicals or whether they are still used. Also it would be necessary to assess the extent of their residual effects. On the other hand we would be very much vulnerable to ‘POPs’ coming from neighbouring as well as other countries, he pointed out. ‘My ministry being the focal point for ‘POPs’ issue has set up an Inter agency Committee under the Chairmanship of the Secretary to my Ministry. Dr. Heidelore Fiedler, from Bayreuth University, Germany addressing the workshop said that decades ago when there was no awareness about ‘POPs’ they were produced with good intentional purposes. Although many countries have banned ‘POPs’ there are problems of getting rid of them. She said countries cannot close borders to ‘POPs’ as there is evidence that these substances travel to remote areas. UNEP is specially dedicated to the task of reducing the risks to human health and the environment arising from the release of the 12 ‘POPs’ (PCBs, dioxins and furans, aldrin, dieldrin, DDT, endrin, chlordane, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, toxaphene, and heptachlor). These highly stable compounds are used as pesticides in industries. They are also generated unintentionally as the by-products of combustion and industrial processes. Dr. G. K. Manuweera, Registrar of Pesticides, Department of Agriculture addressing the gathering said some of these chemicals used in Sri Lanka especially for agricultural purposes were discontinued about two decades ago with the enactment of the Control of Pesticides Act. DDT was discontinued in Sri Lanka in 1977 with a switch to malathion. Although DDT is banned most temperate areas, where malaria is not a problem it is still valued by many tropical countries for controlling malaria-carrying mosquitoes. POPs are a special problem because they: • Persist in the environment for a long time before they break down: • travel for long distances to all parts of the globe, even remote areas thousands of kilometres from the nearest POPs source; • accumulate in the tissue of most living organisms, which absorb POPs when they eat food, drink water, or breathe air; and • poison humans and wild life, causing a wide range of toxic effects. It is widely accepted that the use of such persistent bio-accumulating and toxic substances cannot be considered a sustainable practice. However, for different social and economic reasons such substances are still in use and/or released to the environment. ‘POPs’ remain in the environment and circulate globally through the "grasshopper effect ‘POPs’ release in one part of the world can go through repeated process of release and be transported to regions far away from their original source. This is why POPs can be found in people and animals living in the Arctic, thousands of kilometers from any major POPs source. ‘POPs’ are also transported via living organisms through a process known as bioaccumulation. Fish, predatory birds, mammals and humans are high up the food chain and so absorb the greatest concentrations. When they travel the ‘POPs’ travel with them. Evidence about the likely health effects of ‘POPs’ is steadily growing. Effects can include cancer, allergies and hypersensitivity and disease of the central and peripheral nervous system and the immune system. In Geneva, April ’98 just after ratifying the PIC Convention regulating international trade in hazardous chemicals, governments have decided to meet again in Montreal on 29th June to launch talks on a second treaty that will minimize the release of POP such as DDT and PCBs into the environment. Major L. V. Gooneratne commemoration ceremony The 27th Commemoration Ceremony of Late Major L. V. Gooneratne, first Mayor of Dehiwela-Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council will be held today at 4 p.m. at S. de S. Jayasinghe, Audience Hall, under the patronage of Dr. Neville Kanakaratne, Governor, Southern Province. 'L. V. Gooneratne Commemoration Lecture' will be delivered by Professor G. L. Peiris, Minister of Justice, Constitutional Affairs, Ethnic Affairs & National Integration and Deputy Minister of Finance. Professor Peiris is due to lay the foundation stone for the construction of a statue of Late Major L. V. Gooneratne at Galle Road, Dehiwela the same day. Arrangements have been made to donate school equipment to children of the Dehiwala - Mt. Lavinia areas, wheel chairs, artificial limbs and clutches to the disabled war heroes and to hold various religious ceremonies on this day to mark the occasion. This commemoration ceremony is being organised by Major L. V. Gooneratne Memorial Foundation. Royal students get an insight of aviation field The students of Royal College visited the Academy of Aeronautical Engineering (AAE) of the Lionair Group on an educational and familiarization program on 8th May 1998. This visit was organized by the Royal College Aeronautics Society. Eighty enthusiastic members of the society from both the Senior and Junior school participated. The Principal of the Royal College and the Master in Charge indicated that this educational visit was organized with a view to give an insight to the Aviation field for the enthusiastic youth, who may decide to enter in to a career in Aviation, which is growing in demand globally. The special program arranged for the students included a lecture by the Director Studies of AAE, on "Aeronautics & Aviation" which covered many aspects of Aviation technology, modern methods used in Aircraft Designing, Manufacture and Maintenance. The lecture was followed by a study tour of the Aircraft Assemble Unit, Aircraft Engineering Division, Aircraft Overhaul Unit and the AAE teaching facilities. The Master in Charge for the Royal College Aeronautics Society, accompanied students on this visit commended and praised the teaching and modern facilities available at the AAE for the Aeronautics Students. According to him the facilities together with the qualified and skilled staff of AAE, will enable the Academy to provide an excellent learning environment for students to obtain higher education in Aviation. The Management of AAE indicated that it would be very appropriate if other schools too consider visiting the Academy, in order to extend an unique opportunity to the schools, who could develop their career in the field of Aviation and also to develop their knowledge in a different field while studying in school. Two gangsters arrested Two suspected underworld gangsters from Colombo were arrested by the Rasnayakapura Police in the Nikaweratiya area along with four others. They were taken into custody at Ottukulama, police sources said. |
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