      |
|||
'Princes
Kash' crew leaves for India
|
|
||
'Princes
Kash' crew leaves for India The 17 member Indian crew of the ill-fated merchant vessel, Princes Kash left for Madras yesterday as authoritative government officials indicated that Sri Lanka will not seek to investigate possible links they[crew members] had with the LTTE. Indian High Commission spokesman said that all 17 including the captain B.N.Karkera were to arrive in Madras yesterday. "We have not been informed of any charges against Karkera or any other crew member," another diplomat said.Asked whether police has sought to record their statements after they arrived in Colombo Tuesday evening, the diplomat replied in the negative. Airlines official said that they were to leave onboard Indian Airlines flight to Chennai. The Indian crew comprised B.N.Kerkara[captain],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],S.J.Gonsalves[cadet],M.G.Nayal[cedet],Jose Carvelho[oiler],B.G.Fernandes[cook] and Trindade Gomes[mess boy]. India last Friday requested Sri Lanka to produce evidence whether Karkera or any other member was involved with the LTTE.High Commissioner Shiv Shanker Menon sough clarification after the government suggested that the conduct of Karkera gave sufficient cause for grave suspicion to security forces that he[captain] was acting in connivance with terrorists. India, Sri Lankan officials admitted indicated clearly that they expected the government to produce evidence against Karkera before going further with investigations. Kfirs bombed the vessel approximately half a mile off the Mullaithivu coast Friday afternoon less than 12 hours after Navy patrol boats operating off Boulder Point, Tincomalee observed Princes Kash just 14 nautical miles off the coast. The government said that vessels transporting supplies have been directed to operate at least 50 nautical miles off the coast. The LTTE has claimed that Kfirs had bombed Princes Kash after they boarded it to carry out a routine check.However the miitary said that there was no need to evacuate the 21 member crew if they boarded for a routine check. "We have no doubt that they wanted to seize the supplies," a senior security forces commander said. LTTE Tuesdsay morning released Indians to representatives of the ICRC. 'Tigers
treated us well' COLOMBO, Aug 19 (Reuters) - The Indian captain of a merchant ship that was hijacked last week by Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels on Wednesday denied government allegations that he had connived with the guerrillas to supply them with dangerous goods. Captain Bangare Navindra Karkera, who along with 16 other Indians was freed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas on Tuesday and brought to Colombo, said his vessel was hijacked by the rebels in the dead of the night last Friday. Sri Lanka air force planes later bombed the ship to prevent the cargo from falling into the hands of the LTTE, who have been fighting for a separate homeland for minority Tamils in the island nation’s north and east since 1983. Karkera told Colombo-based journalists representing Indian media that two boatloads of LTTE guerrillas boarded his "Princess Kash" vessel when it was 50 nautical km away from the rebel-held coast of northeastern Mullaitivu. He said some 25 rebels, including women, had boarded the ship. "They were all armed, they threatened us and some fired in the air," Karkera said, adding two of the rebels were wearing black jackets and the crew was told they were suicide bombers. Foreign and local journalists were not allowed to meet the crew, who spent the night at the Indian High Commission (embassy) in Colombo before being taken to the airport for a flight on Wednesday to the southern Indian city of Chennai. Diplomats said the ship’s captain Karkera and another crew member were questioned at length by Sri Lankan authorities at the airport and the flight took off after a delay. Karkera earlier denied he had connived with the LTTE to transport dangerous cargo. A statement from the office of the Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga said last week that the location of the ship and the conduct of its captain gave sufficient reason to believe that "he was acting in connivance with the LTTE to transport and deliver dangerous merchandise to the LTTE". "The government has speed boats, they have planes and ships. They can judge what happened. Why do they blame me?" Karkera asked. The LTTE said they had stopped the ship and were making inquiries when the air force swooped. All 21 crew survived the attack. Karkera said he had wept when the ship was being bombed and that he had been pushed into a bunker by the rebels. "Our lives have been saved by God," he said while cautioning other sailors to keep away from Sri Lanka’s northern coast as it was unsafe. He said the rebels had treated the crew members well and had asked them to convey to their "Indian brothers" the situation in Sri Lanka. The cremation of Ven. Piyadassi Maha Nayaka Thera will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday. His remains now lying-in-state will be taken from Sambodhi Viharaya to Vajiraramaya Temple in a procession at 4.00 p.m. today. Born in Kotahena as one Premaratne he was educated at S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia when it conducted its session in Mutuwal and later at Nalanda College. A decision on the venue of the cremation, whether at Independence Square or elsewhere has still not been decided (FRS). False alarm causes panic in House A ten minutes, continuous fire alarm caused panic in Parliament yesterday (19) afternoon. The fire alarms started ringing around 2.28 p.m. and lasted till about 2.30 p.m., forcing Sergeant-at-Arms to rush out of the Chambers to find out what it was all about. Each passing minute and fraction of it kindled fears of a fire somewhere in the sprawling five storey Parliamentary complex. Everybody, other than the few legislators who were in the chambers at the time and seemingly unruffled were awaiting some news about what was going on. Parliamentary staffers, who had gone through two recent rehearsals, about how they should act in the case of a fire alarm from within, hurriedly moved out of their office rooms, ladies carrying their personal belongings. At that time the House was debating a Rs. 750 million supplementary estimate presented by Agricultural and Lands Minister D. M. Jayaratne to supplement the budgeary allocation of Rs. 1500 million fertilizer subsidy. Kandy District UNP MP, Sarath Amunugama was on his feet and the few MPs present in the chambers at the time were apparently unmoved. However, the pions were seen rushing out, also apparently to see what was going on. Minister Lakshman Jayakody who walked into the chambers and interrupting the speech of Dr. Amunugama told the Chair that there is a fire alarm and requested him to make inquiries into it. "May be it is a false alarm. But what if it is a real fire alarm. Sir you must inquire into it" the Minister added. Minister M. H. M. Ashraff, who also walked in and took his seat told the House he too heard the alarm and was rushing out of his first floor office when certain police officers told him not to get excited as it was a false alarm. He said somebody should have known about it before hand, give him such advice, as he was rushing out no sooner he heard the alarm. He wanted the Chair to investigate into the matter and to deal severely with the person responsible for setting off the alarm. A. H. M. Azwer said he was told by police officers that someone had unwittingly pushed the button of a first floor fire alarm. He said although it was a false alarm it comes a few days ahead of the 16th anniversary of the parliamentary bomb explosion. Dr. Amunugama citing a English dictum said that "even if the roof comes down the law must take its course", and continued his speech. Henry Jayamaha, UNP's National List MP, who was in the Chair said he would inform the Speaker about the matter. Strike for non payment of special allowance Employees of the Polonnaruwa base hospital launched a strike yesterday morning in protest against the non payment of special allowance given to government servants in areas affected by terrorism, hospital sources said. About 300 employees together with doctors and consultants have participated in the strike, sources said. "If this special allowance could be paid to government servants in institutions such as Kachcheri and Post Offices, why cannot (health officials) pay it to us as well, workers asked. Meanwhile the Provincial Director of Health in Anuradhapura has asked the hospital employees to return to work pending discussions in the issue. Although
Minister says plenty
- The proposed Rs.15 billion Colombo-Katunayake super highway has run into financial difficulties due to non availability of investors to fund the project, authoritative sources said. However, the government is looking at the possibility of funding the project on its own but there is still no decision as the amount involved is colossal. The expressway already delayed by over eight years in construction, lost the offer by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) , to fund the construction of the project due to the financial situation in that country. The proposed expressway, if completed will charge a toll of Rs.200 per user, according to these sources. Meanwhile, Transport and Highways, Minister A. H. M. Fowzie told "The Island" that international tenders for the design and construction of the project will be called within the next two months. He denied that the government was facing difficulties in implementing the project due to the lack of funding and the non availability of interested aid agencies to make the project a reality. "There are many agencies willing to fund it." he claimed. However, General Manager, Road Development Authority (RDA) P. B. L. Cooray told "The Island" that the government decision to fund the project came following the pulling out of support from the Malaysian agency, RENOR group, which had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sri Lankan government on a Build Own and Transfer (BOT) basis of the project at an estimated cost of Rs.5 billion. The Malaysian group had withdrawn support for the project early this year, following the economic situation in its own country. "Then the government decided to complete the project with its own finances and later privatise it. The government is firmly committed to implementing this project," he said. Mr. Cooray added that potential tenderers will be allowed to come out with their own funding arrangements. "They may bring loan facilities from their respective governments if they wish to." he said. On the pulling out of support by JICA he said that "JICA was still ready to fund the project. "They are still very enthusiastic about the project. But the difficulty there is that JICA requires 4 years to complete it while our target is 3 years," he explained. Regarding compensation to those whose lands have been acquired, the Finance ministry has approved the payment of 25% over and above the valuation of the Department of Valuation to all houses facing demolition, he said. Land acquisition has been done the process of taking possession and playing compensation needs to be done." he added. Construction was targetted to commence at the end of next year, Mr. Cooray said. Reinstate all bus workers served with vacated
post notices - JSS The JSS yesterday threatened to file legal action if the government failed to reinstate all 1300 transport sector employees declared to have vacated their posts. The President of the JSS Gamini Jayawickrama Perera at a press conference held at the association headquarters said that the JSS would give succour to the aggrieved workers. The transport workers have staged continuous protests over several months following the implementation of a budget decision to increase salaries only at the Narahenpita headquarters. In the last budget bus service employees were granted a pay hike of 60 percent. However, this decision has only been effected within the Narahenpita Depot, while employees of other depots have yet to receive an increased pay. Mr. Perera said that 592 employees of depots under the Kandy Bus Company had been served letters indicating that they would be regarded as having vacated their posts from August 15. However, 176 had later been reinstated. The Mattakkuliya Depot employing 533 persons had been completely closed down. He added that 328 employees of the Nawalapitiya and Gampola Depots of the Nuwara Eliya Bus Company Limited had also been designated to have vacated their posts. "However, all employees of the Kantale and Meetotamulla Depots have reported to work, despite their strike", he said. He added that the buses of the Mattakkuliya Depot had been reallocated to other depots, but the employees of those depots had refused to drive these buses. A number of discussions held between the Transport Minister A. H. M. Fowzie and the trade unions had not borne fruit. However, following the recent meeting of the Joint Trade Union Council (JTUC) Monday representations had been made to the Minister requesting the reinstatement of all employees and the non recruitment of new workers. Trade union stalwarts Alavi Moulana and Vasudeva Nanayakkara too had taken an interest in the matter. Ven. Piyadassi Thero's life was "A
walking library of the Dhamma" The Secretary General of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha the Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Anunayaka Thero in a message of condolence on behalf of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha said "I express profound sorrow at the passing away of the Ven. Piyadassi Maha Thero, Wajiraramadhikari, who lived an extremely fruitful life spanning 84 years." Ven. Piyadassi Maha Thera who was a pupil of the late Ven. Palena Sri Vajiragnana Maha Nayaka Thero and who was appointed as a Nayaka Thera by the Sri Dhammerakshita Nikaya was also conferred with the rare ecclesiastical title of "Viswa Kiriti Sri Sasana Sobhana" by the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha. This Maha Thera who was a linguist, a scholar and a prolific writer, possessed all the qualities of a Dharmadutha, a propagator of the sublime teaching of the Buddha. Proficient in Sanskrit, Pali, Sinhala and English languages, he utilised his linguistic ability to show the world the way to live in peace and harmony. This prelate's services to the sasana are legendary. His scholarship and his wise leadership was highly recognised by the countries of the world which were privileged to be imparted with the Dhamma by Piyadassi Thera 17 times. Ven. Piyadassi Thero commanded the highest respect not only because he was a Buddhist scholar but also as a humble, simple down to earth person. He was a dignified and dutiful figure who possessed a high standard of intelligence and was of immense benefit to any one who sought his advice and opinion. He was also very far sighted and illustrious and brought fame and prestige to Sri Lanka in general and to the Sangha in particular by leading an exemplary life. Ven. Piyadassi Thero gained a vast knowledge in Buddhism and oriental as well as western languages. He emulated great leaders and spread the word of the Buddha. As an extremely disciplined patriarch bhikku he was venerated by Buddhists not only in this country but also in the entire Buddhist World. His most exemplary life is an example to the entire Sanghe Community. Ven. Piyadassi Thera's life was like an embodiment, "a walking library of the Dhamma." The passing away of such a noble thero has created a void in the Sasana which is difficult to fill. "May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbhana" |
|||
 |
|||
