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India not willing to focus on Kashmir Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff shortly after returning from the holiday resort at Bentota yesterday where he had informal talks with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said last evening that the outcome of his talks with his Indian counterpart was " Zero". Mr. Shariff in an exclusive interview with ‘The Island’ Editor, yesterday evening said that he told the Indian Prime Minister that Pakistan wanted talks between India and Pakistan to be resumed just as much India wanted them to be resumed. ‘So let us resolve the issue of Kashmir in a serious and substantive manner so that we would be able to make progress’ I told him, Mr. Shariff said. However, the Indian premier was not willing to focus on Kashmir prominently or wanted Kashmir figure prominently in a joint communique. ‘If that was the position, what is the point in having these talks because Kashmir was the root cause of all the conflicts between India and Pakistan. We did not want to hold talks for the sake of talks but for the talks to succeed, he said. Asked whether he would describe the outcome of his informal talks as a stalemate, Mr. Shariff said: ‘Yes, It is a stalemate. We are not here to waste each others time.’ He however said that in their informal talks they did exchange views on matters concerning India and Pakistan. He said that the outcome of his visit to Colombo was a success particularly because he had been able to make his proposal on peace and security for South Asia in his address to the Summit conference. Sri Lanka had been a very friendly country with Pakistan and he wanted to strengthen that relationship, Mr. Shariff said. SAARC
rekindles S A identity President Chandrika Kumaratunga said that those who are dismissive of SAARC tend to overlook, whether by design or inadvertently, its achievement of re-kindling that sense of common identity which was dimmed in the colonial era. At one level, SAARC permits all of us, the Heads of State or government, to meet and discuss matters, concerning our region as well as the international community as a whole, from a South Asian perspective. There have even been occasions when we have been above to voice our view, a South Asian view, in gatherings of the global community, on matters of special significance to us. We trust we would be able to repeat this in the future as often as it is necessary and advantageous for us to do so. President Kumaratunga was making the welcome address at the banquet in honour of the SAARC leaders at President's House. She noted that National Governments have much more to do to enable and encourage further people to people contact. Intra-regional travel in many other parts of the world is becoming easier, but South Asians remains the exception. Constraints in frontier formalities, non-existent or scarce facilities for surface and air travel remain the reality. The text of the President's speech is as follows: “The people and the Government of Sri Lanka are happy and proud to welcome Your Excellencies and your delegations to our country for this 10th SAARC Summit. Our joy stems from the pleasure that swells the human heart when one renews ties with those who are so close and dear to us. We are proud because all these distinguished guests have honoured us with their company this year when we celebrate the 50th anniversary of regaining our independence. 1998 is a significant year not only for Sri Lanka but for the other two SAARC countries, India and Pakistan who also celebrate the Golden Jubilee of their independence this year. Thus, for so many of us in South Asia 1998 is a year of celebration as well as reflection. We reflect on the past and take pride in our achievements as independent nations. Our reflection includes an assessment of the impact that the colonial experience has had on each of our countries. We have identified those areas of national activity in which renewed commitment is required in order to achieve sustained and equitable economic growth. We have resolved, each of us in our different ways, to address the social evils that blight the lives of our peoples. This is not the occasion to attempt an assessment of the positive and negative aspects of colonial rule in South Asia. What is not in dispute is that colonial rule, due to its very nature, imposed on our region a new and alien pattern of relationships. Each of our nations became a spoke radiating from a metropolitan hub in a distant land. From the beginning of time, geography has assisted history to knit the South Asian peoples together. Ours is a distinct landmass with well defined boundaries that divide us from the rest of the world. It is one eco-system, dependent for life-giving and life nurturing water either on the majestic Himalayas, or the primaeval force of the monsoons that sweep their way northwards across Sri Lanka into the heart of the sub-continent. Our sub-continent has been the cradle of two of the world's great religions. It has afforded a warm welcome to a third. Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam have jointly influenced the lives of millions of our peoples. They share a deep sense of spirituality. They share cultural values, traditions and beliefs. Commerce and trade, following either the natural river and land routes of the sub-continent, or the ocean winds and tides that facilitate movements along our coasts have brought the inhabitants of South Asia even close together. It is regrettable that when South Asia was beginning to emerge from colonial rule, only somewhat distant memories of that earlier organic closeness remained. Moreover, a bitter legacy of animosity and mistrust had come into being in place of the simple warmth and cordiality that pervaded our region in bygone years. Here, it is appropriate that we should remember, and salute, our then leaders, who in the middle of the last decade, took the first steps to uproot the poisoned weed of mistrust, by conceptualising and shortly thereafter institutionalising the process of regional cooperation through SAARC. None of us would claim that the path for SAARC has been smooth and easy. SAARC has had more than a fair share of obstacles and detours. I was paradoxically encouraged and disheartened by the note of impatience at the tardiness of our progress that was reflected in varying degrees in the statements at our Summit Session this morning. Impatience, as opposed to resignation, is a welcome sentiment. It refuses to accept a situation as given and immutable; instead, it denotes a readiness to get on with the task and achieve positive results. I know from my own personal contact with their Excellencies, the other Heads of State or Government of SAARC, that each of them is deeply committed to ensuring that SAARC achieves rapid and tangible results for the common well-being of the South Asian peoples. The technical and professional exchanges within SAARC have given officials and functionaries in national administrations, a knowledge and perhaps even empathy with their other counterparts in SAARC. I personally consider the decision taken by SAARC at its Bangalore Summit in 1986 to actively promote and encourage people to people contact as one of its potentially most productive and far reaching decisions. Some progress since 1986 has been achieved in this regard. The lawyers, architects, university, doctors and town planners of South Asia have come together in SAARC. There is no doubt that the extent of economic and commercial cooperation is going to be the key yardstick by which the success of SAARC will be measured. More positively, we can I believe all firmly agree that we now have in place the basis for a very powerful coalition of peoples and governments, working in unison to foster and strengthen our regional cooperation. The current and breath-taking advances in information technology will favour this coalition. The communications revolution led to the coining of the phrase 'the global village'. If the globe is a village, then the region becomes the immediate neighbourhood. We in Sri Lanka strongly believe that SAARC is on the right path. History and geography are once more continuing to bring our peoples and their governments together. Despite ephemeral clouds that occasionally darken the horizon, our optimism remains firm and is best expressed in the poignant words of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, the great 20th century poet of the sub continent: “The gift of this night is my faith that morning will come, Ah, this faith which is larger than any pain, this morning that is on its way, is more bounteous than any night. Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, may I now request you to rise and join me in a toast to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, our association, to the rapid progress of SAARC, to peace in our region to prosperity for all the peoples of South Asia". SAARC leaders hold informal talks at Bentota SAARC leaders yesterday helicoptered to Bentota for the customary ‘retreat’ after Wednesday’s inaugural sessions of the seven-nation regional conference in Colombo. The ‘retreat’ took place at the the luxurious Southern resort Taj Exotica in the coastal town of Bentota under tight security. The leaders were received on arrival by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Foreign Affairs Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar,SAARC General Secretary Naeem U. Hasan and President’s Secretary,K. Balapatabendi. Prior to the commencement of the informal consultations which were confined to the Heads of State or Government and their respective Foreign Ministers,the leaders stepped out to the lawn overlooking the sea for a photo opportunity,the Foreign Ministry said. Conference spokesman Ravinath Ariyasinghe said informal consultations which started at 11 am continued till lunch time and a further session of consultations were scheduled to be held in the afternoon.There was no formal agenda for the sessions and proposals that were to emerge from the consultations are expected to be incorporated in the ‘Colombo Declaration’, which would be announced at the conclusion of the summit today. No formal collective events were scheduled for the SAARC leaders on their return to Colombo yesterday evening.Some of the leaders were scheduled to attend separate events organised by their respective missions in Colombo,the Foreign Ministry said. Bilateral talks between the Indian and Pakistani leaders resumed on Wednesday evening after the inaugural sessions of the summit. World attention was focussed on bilateral talks between Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif. These bilateral meetings in Colombo broke the deadlock between the two nations since the nuclear tests were conducted in May this year. There was much anticipation that leaders would continue their discussions in a more relaxed mood during yesterday’s retreat in Bentota. According to reports,all contentious issues were the main concerns taken up for discussion at the bilateral meetings. The discussions are expected to make further headway during the course of the summit.The two leaders during separate news conferences on Wednesday evening indicated that their foreign secretaries will work out the modalities for the resumption of talks. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff told reporters that India must show flexibility in the dispute over Kashmir. He added that there was a need for third party mediation. The concluding sessions of the Summit will be held at the Presidential Secretariat at 10 am today.This will be followed by a news conference by President Chandrika Kumaratunga who took over reigns as Chairperson of SAARC. Pakistan agrees to fissile material treaty talks GENEVA, July 30 - Pakistan said on Thursday it was ready to join the United States and other countries in talks on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear use. Pakistan’s U.N. ambassador in Geneva, Munir Akram, announced the decision at a plenary meeting of the U.N. Conference on Disarmament at the start of its final session this year. Pakistan still gave no indication that it might move towards signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Krishanthy case convict to be taken to
alleged Chemmani mass grave site The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has been granted permission by the Attorney General to take the first accused in the recently concluded Krishanthy Kumaraswamy rape and murder case, Somaratne Rajapakse to Jaffna to visit the alleged Chemmani mass grave, official sources said yesterday (30). The CID is expected to visit the Chemmani grave site on either August 4 or 5, the sources told ‘The Island’. The convict, Somaratne Rajapakse told Court that bodies of approximately 400 persons were buried by the troops in mid 1996, in the Chemmani area on the orders of a senior officer. The CID which recorded a statement from Rajapakse on July 23, requested permission from the Commissioner General of Prisons and the Attorney General early this week to take the convict to the site. The CID had also recorded statements from another convict of the Krishanthi Kumaraswamy murder case early this week, in this regard. Meanwhile the Human Rights Commission also recorded a statement from the convict late last week. The statement for the commission was recorded by the Secretary of the Commission, retired High Court judge, T. Sundaralingam. The Human Rights Commission comprising former Supreme Court Judge, O. S. M. Seneviratne (Chairman), Sarvodaya Leader Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, Former Chairman of the University Grants Commission Prof. Arjun Aluvihare, retired HC Judge, T. Sundaralingam and attorney Javed Yusuf, on July 13 initiated investigations into the allegations on an independent capacity. The Human Rights Commission also revealed that it will further expand its services in the peninsula with additional personnel, where presently their team in Jaffna comprises only one investigator. Meanwhile, the members of the Human Rights Commission will leave for Jaffna soon, with a forensic expert. A number of forensic scientists from the University of Colombo are expected to join this team. Cinnamon Gardens Police have taken into custody two persons in connection with the brief interruption which occurred when the microphone stopped functioning at the time President Chandrika Kumaratunga was addressing Wednesday’s 10th SAARC summit at the BMICH. Police described the duo as ‘Telecom workers’. Child Rights for discussion at next SAARC forum The Chairman of the Parliamentary Lobby for Child Rights Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, MP and the secretary of the Lobby Dallas Alahapperuma MP met the SAARC secretary general Naeem U. Hassen and requested him to encourage the other Member States of the SAARC region to form similar Lobby groups. The Parliamentary Lobby for Child Rights held a news conference shortly before the Summit and noted that they would be bringing up this issue to the visiting dignitaries. The Lobby met the secretary general of SAARC on July 26 and he had accepted the request in principle and promised to unclude this subject in the agenda of the next conference of the speakers and Parliamentarians of SAARC to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan in November this year. The Secretary General also acknowledged and appreciated that Sri-Lanka had taken the initiative in addressing a common problem facing this region: that of the realisation of Child Rights in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Lobby said in a Press release. Select Committee probe over Bribery
Commission The two members of the Permanent Commission to Investigate Bribery and Corruption, yesterday, submitted answer, to the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr. K. B. Ratnayake, “The Island” learns. The answer was in respect to certain charges levelled against them, by a group of 80, People’s Alliance Members of Parliament. These Parliamentarians, tabled a motion calling for the expulsion of the two Commissioners. A Parliamentary Select Committee, comprising nine members was consequently appointed to probe the allegation. The SC comprises five government MPs and four from the opposition. The two defendants are, Chairman of the Commission, retired Supreme Court Judge, T. A. de S. Wijesundera, and a member of the Commission, retired I.G.P. Rudra Rajasing-ham. President’s Counsel Tilak Marapana, President’s Counsel, Shibly Aziz, with Attorneys-at-Law Dulinda Weerasooriya, Nalin Laduwahetty, Jayantha Fernan-do, Anuja Premaratne, Dhammika Jayanetti instructed by Dhammika D. Yapa are watching the interests of the Commissioner in submitting answer. GST returns on target says Dy. Commissioner The generation of returns/funds from the newly introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST), was up to its set target, at the completion of its first quarter since introduction, the Deputy Commissioner, Special GST Unit, Department of Inland Revenue, P. Guruge told ‘The Island’ yesterday (30). The Department of Inland Revenue targets the collection of approximately Rs. 20 billion which was the collection per year through the previous Business Turn-over Tax (BTT). According to Mr. Guruge the government has already collected a sum of Rs. 7 billion at the close of the first two months since the introduction of the GST. "The returns come under two main categories, namely the import sector and the local services sector. In the import sector we are right on target. We have been able to collect approximately Rs. 1,400 million per month for the first two months. I believe we can achieve our set target in that sector. In the local services sector too we have set a terget of approximately Rs. 20 million for the first quarter. We are presently assessing those collections at the moment. "In the import sector there is no problem unless there is a drastic reduction in imports. The local sector however is still in the process of being assessed to analyze if we are on target," he added. Over 10,000 businesses have been registerd under the new scheme within the first three months according to him. Meanwhile the Department of Inland Revenue has also issued the monthly returns and the quarterly returns to the registered persons. The return collection of six branches of the Bank of Ceylon are: City office in Fort; Prince Street Pettah; Bambalapitiya; Nugegoda; Central Super Market, Pettah and the Inland Revenue Office, Colombo. Mr. Guruge further said that discussions with the Bank of Ceylon officials for the extension of GST return collection branches to outstations have been finalised. According to him the Bank of Ceylon branches in Kandy, Kurunegala, Negombo, Galle, Matara, Anuradhapura, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura will commence GST return collections from August 1. He further added that returns and payments will be collected under four different categories: 1. Exporters and Zero added international services 2. Other registered businesses where value of taxable goods exceed Rs. 30 million per annum. 3. Board of Investment projects on their project implementation period and 4. New businesses approved by the Commissioner General of Inland Revenue. He further added that the complaints received by the department against GST violators was also seeing a gradual decline, with the people becoming more and more aware of the workings of the system. CAVSF brings in Rs. 30m as revenue The Central Anti-Vice Striking Force has earned nearly Rs. 30 million for the government as revenue from fines imposed on persons involved in nefarious activities, police sources said. Since its implementation the CAVSF has conducted 2147 cases out of which 1731 cases have been concluded in courts. The total amount of fines imposed on those convicted was Rs. 29, 342, 600. Seventy one persons have been sentenced to jail and the balance 416 are still pending in courts, the sources said. According to the police sources, 255 of the total 2147 cases were detections of narcotics of which 18 were excessive quantities for which indictments were filed in High Courts. The CAVSF which was established in November 1, 1996 has powers to operate in any part of the country. It has busted many vice rings since it came into being. Police sources said that the CAVSF has done an outstanding job in curbing the illicit liquor trade. Apart from that they have also done several detections on cannabis cultivation. The detection of three cannabis chenas in Moneragala, illegal armoury in Sooriya-wewa where eight locally manufactured pistols were seized, detection of unauthorised weapons from two security firms in Colombo, rounding up heroin dealers from Bambalapitiya, Hik-kaduwa, Borella, Dematagoda, Nuge-goda and Mt. Lavinia areas, major raids on illicit liquor distilleries in Ja-Ela, Seeduwa, Kandana, Negombo, Wennappuwa and Kurunegala areas and raiding brothels in Colombo where even foreigners were engaged in prostitution are some of the detections by the CAVSF. Police sources said that most of these illegal businesses were operating with the blessings of certain local politicians and the police of the area. The CAVSF is hea-ded by Senior SP. D. A. De Fonseka who is also the SSP in charge of Colombo Central Division. The CAVSF is under Senior DIG (Ran-ges I) B. L. V. de S. Kodituwakku (SB) President orders building of new
theatres President, Chandrika Kumaratunga has allocated Rs. 100 million to build new theatres in the country. This was the result of a troupe from Japan which arrived in Sri Lanka telling her that there was no theatre suitable in Sri Lanka for them to perform" said Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs, Lakshman Jayakody at a ceremony at John de Silva Memorial Hall last Wednesday (22) to award Kala Bhushana titles to 109 artistes. The Minister said that plans had already been drawn up to open up 7 theatres in Kandy, Anuradhapura, Ratnapura, Badulla, Batticaloa and Jaffna and from next September theatres will be opened in all electorates at the rate of two per electorate. He said that dance, music and songs would receive state honours and all talented persons would be encouraged to develop their artistic talents to through state support. Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs, A. V. Suraweera, Director of Cultural Affairs, Dr. W. D. W. Abeywardena, also spoke. A dance performance by the State Dance Troupe was presented at the end of the ceremony. Blinding
laser weapons banned For the first time this century, a weapon is about to be banned before it hits the battlefield or the streets in all its horror. As of July, 30 the use and transfer of blinding laser weapons will be prohibited by the entry into force of Protocol IV to the 1980 UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, stated Cornelio Sommarruga, President, ICRC in a Communique issued from ICRC office in Colombo. By the early 1990s, laser technology had developed to the point that blinding laser rifles and other similar devices had gone from science fiction to frightening reality. The ICRC and the international community decided to act before a new chapter could be written on the methods and means of waging war. There was a strong humanitarian rationale for doing so. Sudden and permanent blindness is a horrific life-long disability. Sent across a battlefied at distances of up to several kilometres, the beam of an anti-personnel laser strikes the retina of the eye and in a fraction of a second will in most cases burn it beyond repair. There are no devices which offer full protection against these weapons. Other war wounds can be treated, and experts estimate approximately 60% of the casualties go on to recover, but there is currently no treatment for burns of the retina or optic nerve. As 80 to 90% of a person's sensory stimulation comes from sight, the daily tasks which most people take for granted (personal hygiene, reading, writing, driving and even walking become difficult or impossible. The unexpected and permanent nature of the injury, the loss of independence, and cultural biases against the blind often result in the loss of self-esteem and severe depression. For these victims, "rehabilitation" has very partial results and is a long and costly process which most societies simply cannot afford. These conclusions were confirmed in a series of expert meetings hosted by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the early 1990s. The new norm, contained in Protocol IV to the 1980 UN Convention, bans the use of any laser weapon specifically designed to cause permanent blindness. It does not prohibit the use of lasers for "legitimate" military purposes such as range-finding and target selection. The Protocol recognizes, however, that the use of such devices is a cause for concern, as many of them are not "eye safe". States are obliged to take all feasible precautions, including the training of their armed forces, to prevent the blinding of individuals. The ban on blinding laser weapons received widespread support, and the Protocol was adopted by all the States attending the 1995 Conference at which the 1980 UN Convention was reviewed. To date, 24 States have ratified its provisions, thus becoming legally bound by it. Many more have supported a prohibition in their statements and actions. The United States, which is considering ratifying the Protocol, had already adopted a policy prohibiting "the use of lasers designed to cause permanent blindness of unenhanced vision" at the time the prohibition was negotiated. It subsequently terminated a tactical laser weapon program. Other States have adopted similar policies. Indian Airlines Limited announced that due to partial closure of airfield at Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, due to VIP movement, the following changes have been made in the Indian Airlines Flight Schedule today (31). IC573/IC574 operating Chennai/Colombo/Chennai (Arrival 1320/Dept. 1435 schedule time) has been rescheduled to operate as below. ARRIVAL COLOMBO - 1900/DEPARTURE COLOMBO - 2000 HRS. IC907/IC908 operating Trivandrum/Colombo/Trivandrum has been cancelled. Passengers booked for the above flights may contact Indian Airlines office, Colombo for further reservations. Telephone - 323136/329838. |
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