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100 kgs. of explosives found in
Kandy house A combined police-army team seized over a 100 kilogrammes of RDX explosives from a house at Aludeniya,Udunuwara in Kandy early yesterday,security officials said. Two Tigers who were occupying the house at the time of the dawn swoop down consumed cyanide to prevent capture.One of them died on the spot while his companion was removed to hospital in a critical condition,according to these officials. At least 12 boxes of high powered explosives weighing 9 kilogrammes each were unearthed from a secret compartment in the kitchen of the house.The depository of the lethal cargo was cleverly concealed by a chillie grinding stone which gave the appearance of a harmless domestic kitchen,police said. The raid was carried out following intelligence information received by the army in Batticaloa. Among the explosives were some detonators.A van used by the two Tigers,who hailed from Batticaloa,was also taken into police custody. According to police,the duo had been sharing the house with a Burgher family who were also living on rent.The house belonged to a Sinhala family. The two Tigers had earlier occupied a house at Kurunduwatte near Peradeniya from where they had shifted to the present location,police said. Investigators suspect that the LTTE was planning a series of major attacks from this hide-out.The explosives had been smuggled in and hidden there for that mission,according to police. Police have also not ruled the possibility of some of the explosives being smuggled into Colombo from Kandy as the route involved would not have caused much suspicion. Preliminary investigations had revealed that one of the youths had given a Muslim name to move into the house with his friend and share it with the family. Woman held for harbouring LTTE suspects Peradeniya : A woman who alleged to have accommodated the two LTTE suspects in her house in Pahala Aludeniya in Udu-nuwara has been taken in for questioning by Daulagala police last afternoon. Her two children too have been detained. When the house of the lady, a burgher, was raided on Saturday (15) night one of LTTE suspects committed suicide by swallowing cyanide capsule while the other was admitted to Peradeniya teaching hospital after swallowing cyanide. The two LTTE suspects were not registered with the police station since they came into occupation of part of the house of the lady nor had the lady informed the police, a spokesman for the Daulagala police said. ‘Pay compensation to traders’ The Indian government Friday requested Sri Lanka to produce evidence whether the master of the merchant vessel, Princess Kash destroyed in an air strike on the previous day was involved with the LTTE, official sources said. India sought clarification after Sri Lanka indicated that there was evidence to suggest that the conduct of master B. N. Karkera gave sufficient cause for grave suspicion to security forces , that he (captain) was acting in connivance with terrorists. At the time the vessel was bombed by Israeli built Kfirs of the Airforce it was anchored approximately half a mile off the Mullaithivu coast. However India, according to sources have indicated that they were concerned about the safety of the 17 member Indian crew and expect Sri Lanka to produce evidence against them before going further with inquiries. Indian crew consisted of B. N. Karkera (master), Ramesh Singh (chief officer), E. J. I. Dias (third officer), Gain Singh (chief engineer), G. M. Sayed (second engineer), Majer Singh (third engineer), Chandra (able seaman), M. Y.Sayed (able seaman), S. J. Gonsalves (cadet), M. G. Nayal (cadet), Jose Carvelho (oiler), B. G. Fernandes (oiler), Melvin Pinto (oiler), F. G. Fernandes (cook) and Trindade Gomes (mess boy). India’s concerns were expressed by High Commissioner Shiv Shankar Menon on Friday when he met President Chandrika Kumaratunga soon after Kfirs bombed the vessel. "The decision to destroy the vessel was taken after the President was fully briefed of the situation," senior officials said Sunday. Rupavahini interrupted the live coverage of Sri Lanka-South Africa one day international around 10 pm on Friday to announce the air strikes on Princess Kash. Authoritative officials said that during the meeting with the High Commissioner, the government explained in detail the events leading to the air strikes. The military said that at the time Kfirs engaged the target all 21 crew members including four Sri Lankans have been moved out. Senior navy officers Sunday denied LTTE claims that they stopped the vessel in the early hours of Thursday to carry out a routine check." If they wanted to check the vessel what was the point in taking the entire crew off the ship," a senior navy officer said. Was there any need to move the vessel to a location just half a mile off the Mullaithivu coast if they were only interested in checking the ship and its cargo he queried revealing that the navy first detected Princess Kash operating in a suspicious manner Thursday night." Our patrol boats detected Princess Kash approximately 14 nautical miles off Boulder Point, Trincomalee. The navy has reminded the captain of the vessel that he should operate at least 50 nautical miles off the coast. Princess Kash has then moved out to the sea. However around 8am Friday it was seen anchored off the Mullaithivu coast. Sri Lanka also said that anti-aircraft missiles were fired at the aircraft deployed for the operation. In a statement issued from its London International Secretariat Saturday, the LTTE said that captain and 21 crew members were with the LTTE and arrangements were being made to hand over them to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). An ICRC spokesman yesterday said that ICRC representatives have visited both Indians and Sri Lankans held by the LTTE." LTTE has indicated its desire to release the Indians," the spokesman said. ICRC was expected to escort the Indians to Colombo and hand them over to Indian High Commission officials. Detained Sri Lankans have been permitted to send messages to their families through the ICRC. Police were expected to speak to the captain and crew members soon after their release. However it was not clear whether Sri Lankan government intends to charge the captain or any other Indian crew member for alleged collusion with the LTTE. Goodwill Company which had chartered the ill fated vessel had been involved in transporting goods to Jaffna peninsula for some time. Princess Kash was one among three vessels hired by private traders to transport their goods to Jaffna. It was carrying over 3500 mt of cement and 104 motor cycles among other items. In the past couple of years LTTE had targeted several ships, some owned by foreign firms resulting in deaths. Five Chinese and one North Korean national died in attacks on MV Cordiality and Mo Rang Bong in the past. The Deputy leader of PLOTE N. Manikkathasan yesterday condemned the destruction of the vessel. In a statement issued yesterday, the Jaffna Municipal Councillor Manikkathasan said that the attack had destroyed over Rs 300 million worth of goods belonging to businessmen and others. The EPRLF secretary general Suresh Premachandran in a letter to President Kumaratunga has requested immediate compensation for those who lost their cargo as a result of the destruction of the ship after LTTE hijacked it. Premachandran has claimed that if compensation was not paid traders will not come forward to ship supplies to Jaffna. Civilian assaulted by top cop? A senior police officer is alleged to have assaulted a civilian yesterday in broad daylight at Kotelawala in Nawagamuwa police area, police sources said. The cause for the officer, identified as a Deputy Inspector General to go on a rampage of terror was as his car was not allowed to overtake the lorry of the civilian along Low Level Road Kaduwela, yesterday afternoon, the sources said. The officer had attempted to overtake the lorry a number of times but the driver was unable to give way as the road was narrow and ignored the DIG's car. When the DIG got the chance to overtake the lorry he had swerved onto the path of the lorry and had forced it to a halt at Kotelawala. Then he had reportedly assaulted the driver mercilessly it is alleged and had sped off in his car. The lorry driver, who wanted to take revenge from the DIG had followed the car in his lorry. The lorry had managed to stop the car and there the officer had identified himself as a DIG. Then the lorry driver had gone to his Kotelawala, home the sources said. Soon after the incident Talangama and Navagamuwa police officers were at the residence of the lorry driver but the driver was not present at his house. Talangama police had taken the lorry and a trailer motor cycle which were parked at the premises while the father of the driver was taken in by Nava-gamuwa police as a guarantee till the surrender of the driver to the police. The police said that they acted on orders received from their seniors and added that an investigation is on. Actress's plaint rejected in nude scene film
case Supreme Court last week refused an application to reopen the case in High Court, where actress Chandhi Rasika had filed a plaint charging that the defendant producers had included nude scenes depicting her in the film "Age Viraya II" contrary to agreement signed by them. The Bench comprised Justice Amerasinghe and Justice Wadugodapitiya. Supreme Court also refused leave to appeal. Supreme Court made order sequel to objections filed by defendant respondents through Attorney-at-law G. G. Arulpragasam. Louis Altan Anthony Vanderstratan, Sonia Dissanayake and Sunil T. Fernando were the defendant respondents. The application stated that the plaintiff filed a case in Colombo High Court for a declaration that the defendants were not entitled to exhibit or distribute the film "Age Vairaya II". The case went into trial on the issue whether the defendants had included nude scenes depicting the plaintiff in the said film. As at the date of the Plaint the said picture had not been exhibited save in the form of a trailer. The Plaintiff-Petitioner gave evidence in respect of the trailer that had been seen by her which depicted her in a nude scene contrary to the aforesaid agreements. The trailer being extracts from the main film. P. W. Gunasena and M. Somapala gave evidence in support of Plaintiff-Petitioner in relation to the scenes exhibited in the trailer. The next witness M. R. Hemananda Chief Investigating Officer of the State Film Corporation called by the Plaintiff-Petitioner on 8th July 98 spoke of the seizure of the trailer of the film "Age Viraya II" shown at the Quinland Theatre in Nugegoda and produced his report. The said witness produced the seized film and indicated to Court that facilities could be provided to the Court to see the film at the establishment of the State Film Corporation. This witness's evidence was to the effect that the said trailer had not been authorised by the Censorship Board and that the said trailer contained 3 scenes not authorised by the Censorshp Board. This evidence was not contested by the Defendant-Respondents. The next witness called by the Plaintiff-Petitioner Kaluthanthrige Anura Peiris spoke to having seen the trailer along with the Plaintiff and confirmed evidence of the scenes which depicted Plaintiff-Petitioner as being in the nude. The said witness went on to give further evidence that he had seen the main film subsequently in April 1997. The witness was then questioned by Counsel for the Plaintiff-Petitioner as to whether the scenes he saw in the trailer were there in the film. This question was objected to by Counsel for the 2nd and 3rd Defendant-Respondents and the Learned Trial Judge disallowed the question without affording the Plaintiff-Petitioner's counsel any opportunity to support the matter. The import of the Learned Trial Judge's order has the effect of making it necessary for the Plaintiff-Petitioner to await the exhibition of the film and file 2nd action after the film is in fact exhibit in full thereby exposing the Plaintiff-Petitioner to further humiliation and ridicule in the eyes of the public notwithstanding the specific terms of the agreements covered by "P1" and "P2". It is accordingly submitted that the said question should have been allowed and the Plaintiff-Petitioner's Counsel should have been permitted to lead the evidence of K. Anura Peris on what he saw in the film "AGE VIRAYA II" in April 97, the petitioner concluded. Push cycles fitted with explosive device Army at Eravur yesterday destroyed a push cycle fitted with an explosive device. Army bomb disposal squad moved in after people contacted Eravur police. It had been found near a communication facility for several hours and people suspect the LTTE had left it, these sources said. Geoff Wijesinghe appointed Editor of Daily News Veteran journalist, Geoff Wijesinghe was appointed editor of the Daily news on Friday. Wijesinghe joined the now defunct Times of Ceylon Group in the late fifties and specialised as a crime reporter. He joined Lake house in early 1977 and later became Editor of Lankapuwath, the national news agency. Nihal Ratnaike who was editor of the Daily News has been appointed as chief administrative officer of the Lake House Editorial departments. Japanese dance festival to
be held for the first time ‘Bon Odori’- the annual Japanese festival of traditional dance will be celebrated for the first time in Sri Lanka on August 22. Speaking at a press briefing, Ananda Eriyagama, President of the Japanese Graduates Alumni Association said the traditional dance festival and a cultural lecture titled ‘The Development of, and Social Conditions Surrounding Science and Technology in Japan’ has been organised by the association in collaboration with the Japanese Embassy in an effort to promote and strengthen cultural ties between the two countries. According to the General Secretary of the association, P. B. Munasinghe, Bon Odori’ or Bon dances are performed in Japan in either mid-July or mid-August as part of the Bon festival celebrations. These celebrations are held to welcome the ancestor spirits on their annual return to the world of the living and to bid them farewell on their departure. The dances which evolved out of popular Buddhist chants and folk dances known as ‘Nembutsu Ori’ are a widespread custom in Japan, characterised by local variation. "The dances are usually performed by large groups of men, women and children to the accompaniment of traditional music and song. The dancers attired in varying costumes move around in circles around the musicians or around a temporary platform set up in open space. The loose, summer kimono known as ‘Yukata’ and straw hats are a popular attire," he said. "It is a very popular community dance in Japan, where there is no distinction between the performers and audience. Everyone can participate." says Mr. Eriyagama. According to him, the event is being organised with the assistance of the Japanese Embassy and the Japanese Women’s Association in Colombo. "We expect about 200 people to participate," he said adding that due to security reasons participation is by invitation only. The cultural lecture titled Developments of, and Social Conditions Surrounding Science and Technology in Japan’ will be delivered by Prof. Satoshi Ihara, Dean of the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies at Tohoku University. Prof. Ihara, a member of the Japan Scientific Council committee investigating the costs of scientific research will also comment on ‘Scientists and Nuclear Weapons’. "We in Sri Lanka can learn much from the Japanese social and economic conditions. We expect an intellectual audience to attend the lecture" Mr. Eriyagama said. Masaaki Takada, First Secretary, Information and Cultural Affairs at the Japanese Embassy, Toyokasu Aoshima, Second Secretary, Information and Cultural Affairs and Nimal Jayawardhana, Vice President of the Japanese Graduates Alumni Association were also present at the briefing. The dance festival is scheduled to be held on August 22 at the Women’s International Club (adjoining Lionel Wendt Theater) at 6 p.m. The lecture will be held on August 27 at 5 p.m. at the Hotel Renuka in Colombo and at the Economics Faculty of the University of Peradeniya at 4 p.m., the following day. ASP killing : five suspects in custody The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) told the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court that five suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the killing of ASP Shanthi Kumar. They are being detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. (PTA). ASP Shanthi Kumar was killed in a bomb blast in June this year. The CID is continuing investigations. Sub Inspector M. R. Dayaratne said when the case came up, last week that the suspects in custody are being questioned by the CID. The CID told Colombo additional magistrate A. M. Mackenzie that another suspect police had been looking for in connection with providing the main suspect and others with food and security has surrendered himself. The CID said that inquiries had revealed that this suspect had in fact provided such facilities to the others connected to this case. The CID further said that a person from Rajagiriya suspected of assisting in concealing the weapons belonging to the suspects had been arrested. The man had been in possession of 8 bullets used for automatic rifles at the time. The person in question is also believed to have passed on information which prevented the suspects in the murder case from being taken into custody, the CID said. The CID asked for a date to forward more details which would be revealed during the on-going investigations. The additional Magistrate directed the CID to present a further report on what transpires during the course of the investigations and put off proceedings for October 17. Court orders CID to obtain instructions from AG The CID told the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that they were unaware what steps should be taken with regard to the suspects taken into custody in connection with the assassination of President Rana-singhe Premadasa and twenty others as they are yet to receive instructions from the Attorney General. Sub Inspector M. R. Dayaratne who forwarded to the Additional Magistrate, Anoma Wijewardene a report said that twelve suspects taken into custody in connection with the killing had been released on bail by the High Court. SI Dayaratne sought more time until they receive directions from the Attorney General on what steps should be taken regarding the suspects. Additional Magistrate Wijewardene ordered a further report to be submitted to Court on November 12. She also instructed the CID to obtain instructions from the Attorney General as soon as possible. Five terrorists killed as troops open fire At least five LTTE terrorists were killed, when army troops opened fire at a group of terrorists at 6.30 p.m. at Ridipokuna in the Aralaganwila police area, security sources said. Security forces recovered the dead body of a terrorist along with his T-56 automatic assault rifle, 39 rounds of live ammunition and two magazines. Army personnel are on alert now along the Maduru Oya border as the farmers have begun work to gather their harvest of ‘Yala’ season. No army personnel was hurt in the confrontation, sources added. Two
soldiers killed in action Two soldiers, Sgt. S. Premaratne and Lance Corporal Ranjith Upali died in a confrontation with terrorists at Sittandy Saturday night. Terrorist casualties were not known. Dead personnel had been based at Sittandy army detachment. Meanwhile soldier, H. Sisira Kumara based at Sittandy had been wounded in a case of accidential fire Saturday night. He had been admitted to Batticaloa base hospital. Grandma
molested by soldier An army corporal who allegedly molested a 55-year-old grand-mother was remanded till August 27 by Additional Magistrate Polonnaruwa Priyantha de Silva. A fellow corporal who accompanied the suspect was also remanded till the same date. The two suspects had gone to Pelatiyawa close to Dimbulagala in search of a domestic aide for a senior officer. While the grandmother was having a bath in a near by canal one corporal had gone there pretending that he too wanted to have a bath. Thereafter the suspect had grabbed the grandmother out of water and allegedly molested her. The soldier had threatened the villagers who arrived at the scene, hearing the screams of the old woman. Further investigations are being conducted under the direction of IP Duminda Senanayake, OIC, Aralaganwila police.
"In a multi religion country, one
should be careful not to interfere with other religions" In a multi religion country, one should be more careful not to interfere with other religions. A country can survive as one nation only if the different communities were given equal treatment, said Indrajith Guptha, a former Minister of Home Affairs in India. Guptha was addressing a press conference at the Hotel Galaxy last week to mark his 5 day visit to Sri Lanka after a 20 year lap. He was in the country in commemoration of the 10th Death Anniversary of W. A. Panditha, General Secretary of Ceylon Federation of Trade Union. The former Minister was in Lok Sabha for one and a half years in a coalition government. He said that in the last general election a big change took place. The result of the ballot box showed that the people are not prepared to give any party a majority. Therefore a coalition government was the only solution. But after 18 months the government was dissolved. The reason for this was the Congress Party accused the DMK government saying that it is helping the LTTE which was responsible for the assassination of Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandhi . The DMK refused to accept this and the Congress Party withdrew support to the government on this issue. So it collapsed. When asked what made the Sikhs to drop the idea of a separate state in Panjab Guptha said, that in the confrontations with the police and the army the fighters lost ground and the common people got fed up of the fighting." We have survived 50 years and the credit should be given to the common people", he added. Commenting on the prolonged war in Sri Lanka Guptha said that the two communities, Sinhalese and Tamils do not have mutual trust and confidence. This has created an unhealthy situation which had led to so many conflicts. He reserved his comments on the political package, saying that speaking to reporters is a "dangerous thing". He said that he met the Prime Minister and a number of Ministers during his stay in Sri Lanka. He had addressed number of meetings titled "Indian Political Scene", "Globalisation, Privatisation and Nationalisation" and in Kandy he delivered a lecture on "The Indian expression of Ethnic Crisis". Court orders release of Corporal
Bandaranayake The Court of Appeal last Friday ordered the Superintendent of the Welikada Prisons, to release forthwith petitioner Air Force Corporal R. M. Bandaranayake. The petitioner in his writ application filed in the Court of Appeal had said that he had refused to make a false statement before the High Court of Colombo, in the trial against Dr. Rajitha Senaratne. The said accused doctor had been acquitted at the said trial, since Bandaranayake had admitted to High Court, that he was being pressurised to make a false statement, which is meant to go against Dr. Senaratne. Subsequent to the refusal by the witness to give false evidence, Air Force authorities had developed animosity against the petitioner. The Court of Appeal ordered the forthwith release of Bandara-nayake from prison custody and further directed the Air Force authorities not to arrest the petitioner and to detain him. The petitioner was ordered by Court to be present in Court on August 28, because the order committing the petitioner to the prison was thus suspended by Court. President’s Counsel Tilak Marapana supported the writ application filed by petitioner Bandaranayake. Counsel said that, the petitioner had been in detention since July 24, 1998, on an order made by the Air Force Commander, ordering to arrest and detain the petitioner for periods of 35 and 40 days. Counsel submitted that the order was improper, was purported to be made after a summary trial held by the Sri Lanka Air Force. The summary trial was illegal. The prescribed procedure was not followed. The petitioner was not given an option of facing a court martial as required by the Sri Lanka Air Force Act. The petition requested the Court of Appeal to issue a writ of certiorari to quash the decision of the Air Force Commander, to order the arrest and detention of the petitioner and further to quash the decision of Group Captain Ananda to recommend the arrest of the petitioner. The respondents cited in the petition are Air Marshal J. Jayakoddy, Group Captain Ananda and the Attorney General. Notice was issued on the respondents. State Counsel, N. Pulle appeared for the Attorney General. Tilak Marapana, PC, with Anuja Premaratne, instructed by Sarath Liyanage, appeared for the petitioner Corporal Bandaranayake. The respondents were given time till August 28, to file objections. The Bench comprised Justice A. Ismail, President of the Court of Appeal and Justice T. B. Weerasuriya. The case is to be called on August 29. PLOTE activists ban entry of vehicles to
Vavuniya town PLOTE activists have banned vehicles from entering Vavuniya town from yesterday in protest against the permit system introduced for issuing fuel. As a result the only vehicles seen in Vavuniya town were those belonging to the security forces. There was a complete breakdown in the public as well as private transport system in Vavuniya as a result. Meanwhile a Tiger terrorist who was escaping after shooting dead a member of PLOTE in turn was killed by the police last Saturday. The terrorists had shot dead a PLOTE member identified as Ovian at about 8.00 a.m. in Tekkawatte area and was fleeing when residents raised cries. Police who visited the scene had given chase and shot him dead, police sources said. The terrorist had been identified as Arulananthan. Police found in his possession a pistol, two hand grenades and a ‘special permit’ for him to enter Vavuniya. Police are now invstigating how this terrorist had obtained this special permit to enter Vavuniya. Train
service disrupted The Vavuniya-Colombo train services has been disrupted following a derailment of a goods train last Friday, between Thambuththegama and Senarathgama railway stations. Inconvenience to commuters, especially to those from the north has been caused as a result. A Railway Department spokesman said that no firm date can be given to complete regarding repairs to the track and resume services. PA organiser complains of
assault by UNPers The PA Organiser in Shanthalokagama has lodged a complaint at the Athurugiriya police station that he was assaulted by a group of around 15 UNPers last Tuesday night, police sources said. The victim H. T. J. Antenna (44) of No. 7, Gramodagama, Oruwala in Athurugiriya told ‘The Island’ that he was severely assaulted by a group of UNPers causing injuries to his head and face while he was on his way to drop a friend at his home in his push bicycle around 11.00 p.m. on that day. According to him, the UNPers had been putting up some posters against the postponement of the Provincial Council elections in the area when they came across him. He also said he could identify some of the attackers. "With injuries sustained I went to the Athurugiriya police station in a trishaw. The attackers had come to the police station in their van before I reached there and lodged a complaint saying that I assaulted them. After lodging my complaint I went straight to the hospital," he said. Diagnostic testing has now been made easier, faster and much more convenient with the introduction of the Test Express by Johnson and Johnson. This new and unique VITROS chemistry system is an ortho clinical diagnostic analyser which gives over 100 tests per hour. Govt. to the rescue of ailing prawn farm industry The ailing prawn farm industry is being revived with government funding disbursed through DFCC bank. Based on the recommendations of a committee appointed by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Mahinda Rajapakse, the Treasury is providing an advance of Rs. 100 million as an industry rehabilitation fund to be disbursed to the prawn farming industry under the management of DFCC bank. The cultured prawn industry in Sri-Lanka was at one time raking in valuable foreign exchange to the country with exports topping Rs. 2 billion annually, a DFCC Bank spokesman said. However the industry plunged into bleak times with an unforeseen disease outbreak in 1996. Local and foreign aquaculturists who studied the problem strongly recommended the conversion of existing open water management systems to closed systems as a measure to prevent water borne diseases. DFCC bank is now in the process of disbursing the Treasury funds to farmers who are willing to modernise the farms. The spokesman said that an eligible project will receive Rs. 50,000 per acre to cover 50% of the pond area. Of this amount 25% would be disbursed by the DFCC bank as an advance on receipt of the recommendation from the Ministry. The balance would be released once the modernisation process is completed. As at the end of July Rs. 23.5 million had been given out from this fund. The spokesman said that about 70% of the farms are back in operation having installed proper water management systems. "A Better Tomorrow for Today’s Children" Jaycees worldwide are carrying out projects for children this year as "Children" is one of the sub-themes of Junior Chamber International’s (JCI) Major Emphasis Theme. In Sri Lanka also Jaycees have been carrying out numerous projects for children as the Major Emphasis Theme of Junior Chamber Sri Lanka this year is "A Better Tomorrow for Today’s Children." Dehiwela-Mt. Lavinia Jaycees have been conducting a series of projects to coincide with the Major Emphasis Theme. Scholarship funding for a needy child, teaching spoken English to the inmates of Shilpa Children’s Home, donating stationery and clothing items to two different children’s homes are some of them. |
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