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Foreign interest manipulates stock market Dubious analysis of the stock market and the economy by the uninitiated has resulted in a major panic among players say analysts at the major broking houses. The surge in the market seen on the few days of this week is a manifestation of profit taking by foreign interests. "They have manipulated prices" says an analyst. What was stated to be a high growth rate in the market they say has been shown to be a chimera in yesterday's market. The ASI (All Share Index) fell on Thursday by 7.19 points while the Sensitive Index came down by 11.77 points. The ASI which was 506.97 on Wednesday came down to 499 while the Sensitive which was 779.86 went down to 606.78. Wednesday's "mistaken surge", according to a CDIC analyst had been due to three large parcels of John Keells, Hayleys and NDB changing hands. In fact the average price of John Keells had remained as earlier while Hayleys had gone down by Rs. 4. NDB showed a downward trend of cents 25. Again on Wednesday foreign buying amounted to 16.36 million while the sales went up to 43 million. Yesterday foreign buying was limited to one million while sales amounted to 15 million. This meant there was an outflow of Rs. 14 million foreign money from the market. Foreign interests are making use of sell lines available and are manipulating the market' say analysts. Deva Ellepola of Jardine Fleming sees a growth possible in the long term. He says "right now we have only the Tea sector as a catalyst to the market". Even this needs correction in the face of the Russian embargoes on imports. Meanwhile economists and analysts have questioned how the economy could be said to be surging when the Central Bank itself has downgraded the GDP growth estimates from 6 to under 5 per cent. One of the reasons for the stagnant economy according to Sarath Rajapakse of the CDIC is the artificial maintenance of the Rupee. "What is required is bringing down of interest rates together with a devaluation", he says. Nobody sees a growth in industry or investments. "There is no such possibility", they say. It is argued that to make Colombo a free investment centre there had to be wide acceptability of the rupee. The rupee, Sarath Rajapakse says should be allowed to find its level by trading in the market. On the other hand Rajapakse advocates the Sri Lanka Government to get together with other SAARC countries and have a SAARC currency like the Euro. Without correcting the currency situation there was no hope of foreign players coming into the stock market here in a big way, he says. According to analysts whenever a retailer buys a small parcel of a conglomerate in the market, foreign interests sell their holdings bringing down prices. On the other hand local buying has gone down, these analysts say, because the government had reduced the credit ratios. There is a consensus of agreement among analysts that the market will not surge but in the alternative has a potential to go down still further, in the short and medium term. Arrest of HC Judge Tillekeratne Kesbewa Magistrate Munidasa Nanayakkara yesterday directed to issue notice on the former Director of CID SSP Bandula Wickremasinghe directing him to appear in court on September 22 and also ordered Immigration officials to prevent SSP Wickremasinghe from leaving the country before that date. SSP Bandula Wickremasinghe who arrested High Court Judge Mahanama Tillekeratne on September 10, was not present in Kesbewa Magistrate’s Court when the case against the High Court Judge, his son and two others was called yesterday morning. The CID was represented by SSP R. Premaratne. M. L. M. Ameen PC submitted that SSP Bandula Wickremasinghe who led the CID team that arrested the judge, was guilty of contempt of court for he had carried out the arrest, fully knowing that the arrest warrant he obtained from the Kesbewa Magistrate earlier in the day had been recalled by the time of the arrest. Magistrate Nanayakkara said, contempt of court had been committed by the SSP, and he (Magistrate) immediately after receiving information of the arrest reported the matter to the President of the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal has jurisdiction to deal with the contempt issue, the Magistrate added. Counsel also told the Magistrate that he received information the previous night that SSP Bandula Wickremasinghe was planning to leave the country to avoid legal action against him. Magistrate: What can this court do about it? Counsel: Your honour’s court has the jurisdiction to prevent him leaving the country, because he was facing possible contempt charges arising out of the case. The Magistrate at this stage directed notice to issue on SSP Wickremasinghe ordering him to appear before him on September 22. He also ordered SSP Premaratne to hand over the notice to SSP Wickremasinghe yesterday (17) itself. The Magistrate directed that Immigration officials be informed that in case of an attempt by SSP Wickremasinghe to leave the country before September 22, he be prevented from doing so. Daya Perera PC told the Magistrate, that the CID had forced Mr. Tillekeratne to place his thumb impression on a parcel, during his detention in the CID headquarters. Mr. Tillekeratne was unaware what was there in the parcel, but it was supposed to contain a pistol, he added. Mr. Hemantha Warnakulasuriya told the Magistrate that the CID took the fourth suspect into custody and assaulted him severely. He also had forced him to make a statement to the effect that Mr. Tillekeratne fired shots from his pistol. Mr. Warnakulasuriya further submitted that the CID played a recorded statement and ordered the fourth suspect to make a statement similar to that. The fourth suspect after this ordeal entered the Padukka hospital to take treatment. The suspect has also made a statement to the police about the assault. He also told police that the CID forced him to sign a statement which was incorrect. Mr. Ameen also informed the Magistrate that the CID had searched the house of Mr. Tillekeratne around midnight after Mr. Tillekeratne was taken into custody and taken to the CID headquarters, on September 10. State Counsel Sajeewa Samaranayake appeared for the CID. He told the Magistrate that the licenced pistol and live cartridges belonging to Mr. Mahanama Tillekeratne have been taken into custody. The Magistrate ordered him to produce them to the court the same day. The State Counsel also filed a plaint accusing Mr. Mahanama Tillekeratne and three others of being members of an unlawful assembly with the intent of causing harm to complainant Uyama Hewage Somachandra, of committing the offence of assaulting and of attempted murder. The third accused Vincent Babu alias Sena was not present in court. The Magistrate ordered the defence to cause his surrender to court. The accused in the case were High Court Judge Mahanama Tillekeratne, his son Pathnika Tillekeratne, Vincent Babu alias Sena and Poruwa Badalge Upul. The case will be taken up again on September 22. Early adjournment of Hulftsdorp courts The Magistrate's Courts and most of the High Courts in Hulftsdorp adjourned by 10.00 a.m. yesterday as lawyers had gone to Kesbewa Magistrate's Courts to express solidarity with Mr. Mahanama Tillakaratne High Court Judge, Colombo. Mr. Tillekeratne appeared before the Magistrates Court yesterday morning on a complaint made by the C.I.D. Among the High Courts of Colombo, only Court No. 6 was hearing a trial, before Judge de Abrew. The other Courts had adjourned early, as lawyers had gone to Kesbewa, to express solidarity. 'Swiss
Murali' arrested in Canada Nadaraja Muralitharan alias Murali A. K. A. Swiss Murali the Tamil political activist in charge of LTTE functions in Switzerland was arrested by Canadian security authorities in the Scarborough area of Metro Toronto and charged in courts for the offences of impersonation, obstruction of justice and possessing false documents. The arrest was made by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Toronto Police Service Tamil Task Force on September 15. An official communique issued by the RCMP made the sensational disclosure that Nadarajah Muralitharan was "under investigation by the RCMP Immigration and Passport section for allegedly being in Canada under a false identity and for his alleged leadership role in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Switzerland". Muralitharan Nadarajah was produced at court no 412 in Scarborough on 16th. September. The case was held over for the following day. Although relatives and friends of Muralitharan were present in court on 16th, well-known members and activists of the Canada based LTTE were conspicuous by their absence. RCMP spokesperson at the Milton detachment, Howard Adams said that 37 year old Nadarajah Muralitharan was arrested at his residential house in Bridletown circle, Scarborough where a search warrant was executed also. Adams also stated that Muralitharan was under the name Sivaguru Shanmugam in Canada. Adams refused to divulge any more details at this juncture. He also refused to comment on whether Nadarajah faced deportation from Canada except for saying "only Immigration can answer that". Law enforcement circles speaking on condition of anonymity revealed that Muralitharan had been in Canada for only a few weeks. He had made a claim seeking refugee status at the port of entry into Canada, namely the Lester Pearson International Airport in Toronto. It is learnt that Canadian law enforcement authorities had been alerted to the possibility of Muralitharan Nadarajah coming over to Canada after his wife and children arrived here some months ago and sought refugee status. Although Nadarajah has asserted that he was Sivaguru Shanmugam and not Muralitharan as stated by Canadian authorities, informed sources said that fingerprints and photographs provided conclusive evidence that the arrested person in fact was in fact Muralitharan. Muralitharan a very high profile activist of the LTTE had figured prominently in demonstrations, meetings, discussions and media interviews while in Europe. As such there were quite a lot of photographs and video shots of him available. He was arrested along with 16 LTTE activists some years ago in Switzerland for alleged extortion and illegal fund raising. LTTE offices were temporarily shut down too. He was later released on bail. This development had resulted in him being fingerprinted, it is learnt. Muralitharan was one of the most active and efficient LTTE members when functioning in Switzerland. He rotated among the cities of Berne, Zurich and Geneva coordinating LTTE activity. He was said to be the most successful Tiger Country Chief as Switzerland ranks quite high in terms of raising money and engaging in propaganda activity. In addition he also travelled widely in Europe in his capacity as a senior activist. In recent times he suddenly went "Missing" and another person Shankar was made acting LTTE chief in Switzerland. There was much media speculation that Swiss Murali had fallen foul of the LTTE leadership and had been demoted. Some reporters stated that he had been recalled to Sri Lanka and penalised by LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakharan. The mystery behind his disappearance has now ended with his appearance in Canada. Murali was detained for several years in Welikada prison in the eighties. He has also resided in Chennai for a long time doing political work. He was a protege of former LTTE leader Sathasivam Krishnakumar alias Kittu and appointed in charge of Switzerland when the latter was the Secretary-General of the LTTE international secretariat. Banks workers refuse to donate weeks’
salary to NDF The Ceylon Bank Employees Union [CBEU] has opposed a fresh campaign to collect donations for the National Defence Fund [NDF] from its members in the People’s Bank and Bank of Ceylon, a senior trade union spokesman said yesterday. The CBEU’s General Secretary, M. R. Shah yesterday said that they have opposed fresh efforts to raise funds from members. There are approximately 17,000 CBEU members in the People’s Bank and the Bank of Ceylon. Altogether there are 28,000 CBEU members [both in the state and private sector banks]. Bank officials claimed that the government has requested employees of both banks to donate at least a week’s salary to the NDF at once or in instalments. The People’s Bank in a circular has requested the employees to make contribution of a week’s salary to the NDF. However, the Bank of Ceylon has requested its employees to donate a day’s salary. "People have been taxed enough," Shah said insisting that the "government must not harass the working class this way". In an internal bulletin, circulated among members, the CBEU states, " as working class wage earners, we are unable to act according to munificent and generous precedents set by philanthropists, cabinet ministers and it should be mentioned that when workers try to balance income and expenditure at the end of the month with their pay packet, they never emulate ministers and MPs as examples,". The CBEU has informed its members that there was no need to make contributions. Shah said that they have urged the authorities to end the recovery of defence levy from the working class. "We don’t want to contribute to this war," he said. At the last delegates conference, the CBEU has called on both the government and the LTTE to resume negotiations. The CBEU has no opposition to members making voluntary contributions, Shah said. However, the bulletin circulated among members and made available to The Island states, "all members are requested to be on the look out for any person from the management who may try to bring pressure on our members to agree to "voluntary" deductions. We wish to reiterate to our general membership that our union’s unambiguous stand is that we do not contribute to the war in any form," The CBEU’s position was made clear after many members sought union’s stand on this particular issue. Bank sources said that the fresh campaign will never be successful. "A day’s pay perhaps," one officer said adding government servants are not in a position to donate a week’s salary even in instalments. The government was expected to spend approximately 50 billion rupees on defence this year. However heavy spending on fresh armaments purchases and the ongoing Wanni offensive were expected to further increase the estimated expenditure, informed sources said. Officials said that the government has sought one week’s pay not only from bank employees. Defence Secretary, R. K. Chandrananda De Silva in a letter dated July 10 this year sent to secretaries of all ministries and heads of both departments and corporations, has urged the need to contribute more towards the NDF. Cabinet ministers have already contributed a week’s salary while some MPs too have made voluntary contributions. The NDF was established during the UNP administration. People have contributed approximately 727 million rupees to the NDF since 1985. Officials said that approximately 28% of these funds had been used to provide medical facilities and rehabilitate wounded police and troops. "The NDF had contributed tremendously for the welfare for police and security forces," a source said. Sources said that the NDF funds had been used in aid of troops engaged in the ongoing Wanni offensive and also volunteer troops deployed in support of the police and the armed forces. The defence ministry while accepting a week’s salary from all ministers has requested all MPs also to contribute a week’s salary to the NDF. The defence ministry also feels that the ordinary people should contribute more towards the NDF as the police and security forces have made great sacrifices in their battle against the LTTE. Jaffna MC bomb placed previous day claim
investigators Investigations have revealed that Friday’s bomb that killed Jaffna Mayor Pon Sivapalan, Brigade Commander Susantha Mendis and 11 others, was placed on the Jaffna Municipal Council building roof possibly the previous day, Military spokesman Brigadier Sunil Tennekoon said yesterday. He told yesterday’s Cabinet press briefing at the People’s Bank auditorium in Fort that the bomb comprised five slabs of explosives 18" by 24 " and weighed 10 kgs. The bomb may have been activated through a timer or an activating device, he said. Asked about earlier reports that the bomb had been concealed in the ceiling of the Jaffna Municipal Council building nearly three months before the explosion, Brig. Tennekoon said that investigations have revealed otherwise. He said the bomb may have not been detected due it being covered by some leaves of a tree that had grown over the roof of the Municipality building. Threats force Monara to suspend North flights Monara Airline which has been transporting civilians from Colombo to the North and back suspended operations with effect from yesterday following threats received allegedly from the LTTE, informed sources said. Military spokesman Brigadier Sunil Tennekoon while confirming the suspension of Monara flights to the North told yesterday's cabinet press briefing in Colombo that the authenticity of the threatening letters were being examined. When told that the threat directed at the Monara management was contained in letter bearing the LTTE logo, Brigadier Tennekoon said that all aspects were being looked into. "The Monara management is holding discussions among themselves with a view to resuming operations". Brigadier Tennekoon denied that Air Force personnel were to take over the piloting of Monara flights. However he said Lionair which is also engaged in the business of transporting people from Colombo to the North has not ceased operations. "Lionair flights operated yesterday also" he added. Guns silenced on Polio Immunization Day The LTTE has declared September 19 and October 24 as ‘Days of Tranquillity’ to mark National Polio Immunization Days. On these two days children would become ‘zones of peace’, said Peter Glennie, the UNICEF representative in Sri Lanka at a press conference at the Health Ministry. The LTTE has accepted our request to observe ‘Days of Tranquillity’, he said. Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva also conveyed the assurance from the Ministry of Defence that the government forces will accede to the request to temporarily stop hostilities to enable every child in the country in cleared and uncleared areas to receive 2 doses of oral polio vaccine. Children under 5 years of age will be immunized for polio on these days. Two British pop stars, Robbie Williams and Ian Dury will grace this massive immunization campaign. They will be here with a camera crew on Saturday and visit immunization centres in areas including Jaffna, Mr. Glennie said. The purpose of their visit is to collect funds for UNICEF. One of the artistes is a victim of polio himself, he said. All children under five years should be brought to the immunization centres irrespective of their previous immunization status. On both these days over 1000 immunization centres will be set up in all areas of the country. It is the duty of the parents to bring their children under 5 years to these clinics as normal immunisation does not guarantee immunition to this crippling and disabling disease. Even though the child is fully immunized the parents should bring their children to these clinics on both these days. The intention of this massive venture is to eradicate the wild polio virus which causes the disease, by vaccinating all children in the susceptible age group at one time. The infants below three months should also be given the Oral Polio Vaccine. The location of the special clinics could be obtained from the Medical Officer of Health (MOH), from the Public Health Inspector (PHI) or the Public Health Midwife, closest to the place where the child is even if the child doesn't live in the area. The clinics will be opened throughout the day. For the first time the Lions movement has come forward this year to assist the authorities particularly in the conflict affected areas. International NGO’s such as the MSF, UK Save the Children Fund and FORUT and also the ICRC and UNHCR will help in implementing the programme in the conflict affected areas. The health authorities request the co-operation of all sections of the community to make it a success as the previous immunization days that were held in Sri Lanka in 1995, 96 and 97. Despite the fact that no confirmed cases of polio has been reported in Sri Lanka since 1994 there is a regional hazard. The country’s proximity to India where the incidence of the disease is still high and also the unstable situation prevailing in the north and east of Sri Lanka due to the on-going conflict poses a risk of polio. Incidence of cholera on the decline The number of suspected cholera admissions to hospitals in the Polonnaruwa region is on the wane, health officials say. There were 8 new admissions to the Welikanda hospital and 3 to the Polonnaruwa Base hospital during the past 24 hours. The Welikanda hospital which had the highest number of admissions in Polon-naruwa of suspected cholera cases during the week recorded a slight decrease with 6 new admissions yesterday. These new admissions included 3 babies who were admitted with symptoms of diarrhoea, the Medical officers of the Welikanda hospital said. The situation in the paediatric wards have improved with beds being provided by the Polonnaruwa health services department to the Welikanda hospital. Altogether a total of 25 patients are undergoing treatment for cholera, hospital sources said. According to the health authorities cholera appears to be on the decrease in the Polonnaruwa area. (LS) Captain, lieutenant remanded over death of
youth A captain and a lieutenant attached to Sinnakade Army Camp in Jaffna, arrested in connection with the death of a youth from Gurunagar were remanded till September 18 by M. Thirunavakkarasu, Additional Magistrate, Jaffna on Monday, reports from North indicated. The youth, Gnanasingham Anton Gunasekeran (26) proprietor of a video shop at Mount Carmel Street, Gurunagar had been arrested by security forces from his home on the night of September 9 and two days later his body was handed over to Jaffna Teaching Hospital by the Army, reports said. Additional Magistrate Thirunavakkarasu directed Police to exhume the body of deceased and submit it for a forensic report. He ordered that the two army officials attached to Sinnakade camp be detained till the next date of hearing on September 18. The father of deceased Gnanamutthu Gnanasinham (56) in his evidence told court that his son had been arrested by some army officers who came in an unnumbered vehicle on the night of September 9. When he later inquired about the whereabouts of his son from the Gurunagar army camp he was told that they didn’t know anything about the arrest. Subsequently he had complained to the ICRC and Human Rights Commission authorities in Jaffna by which time some army officers had come and searched his house, the reports said. On September 12, Policemen attached to Kopay station had informed him that the corpse of his son was in the Jaffna Teaching Hospital and that the deceased had committed suicide by jumping out of a building while in the custody of security forces in Jaffna, he said. An examination of the corpse had revealed that there were pin prick injuries on the body of the deceased and the burial took place on September 13. He further told court that he suspected faul play. Boycotting of UNP’s APC shows — Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs G. L. Peiris yesterday claimed that the message the minority parties had sent out by not attending the UNP initiated All Party Conference (APC) on Monday was that the UNP was not a credible alternative to the PA. Addressing the Cabinet press briefing in Colombo he said that by keeping away en masse from the consultation it is clear that the minority and other opposition parties do not look up to the UNP. "If they felt the UNP was a credible alternative they would have attended the consultation and made their proposals". Asked about the participation of the EPDP and two other Tamil parties in the consultation, Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the EPDP did not attend as a party but a few members of the party had been present. Minister Peiris when questioned why the government is harping so much on the UNP’s alleged non cooperation in resolving the ethnic issue if it is an insignificant party, said it was because of the situation the J. R. Jayewardene constitution had created. "The J. R. Jayewardene constitution has made it impossible for any government to get a two thirds majority". When reminded that the constitution permits the government to hold a non binding referendum on national issues, Prof. Peiris said that a responsible government should explore all avenues before going in for such a measure. Asked if it was not clear by now that UNP cooperation would not be forthcoming for the governments devolution proposals Prof. Peiris said that he is now in possession of the UNP’s proposals on land and is studying it. The government he said is willing to make amendments to its Constitutional proposals. "The Constitutional Council as proposed by us covers the Public , Police and Elections Commission. If the UNP wants any amendments in this regard we can consider it." Prof. Peiris said the government has three options at its disposal. — A non binding referendum under Article 86, a Presidential election or a Parliamentary election. The government will decide on which course of action it should take. Obviously this is a matter of strategy he added. Four
grenades at WTC Referring to news reports of the recovery of four hand grenades in the basement car park of the World Trade Centre, Overseas Reality (Ceylon) Limited stated in a communique issued yesterday. Our attention has been drawn to a widely publcised news item which appeared in the local press and broadcast over the state media on 17th September '98 alleging that 04 hand grenades/bombs were detected around 10 p.m. in a vehicle in the basement car park of the World Trade Centre. In this connection we wish to state that there were no vehicles parked in our basement at the said time. In fact no vehicles were permitted into our basement car park after 5 p.m. on 16th evening and all vehicles parked within this car park in the evening were evacuated before 6 p.m. on that day on the orders received from the Presidential Security Division. The alleged detection, we understand, had been made on Bank of Ceylon Mawatha, which is a public road on which the WTC is located. Further, we are surprised by the contents of the news item since adequate precautions are taken by our own security to prevent such occurrences. This frivolous story probably has its origin to interested persons who, for reasons best known to them, wish to bring the World Trade Centre into disrepute. IGP asked to protect archaeological sites Religious and Cultural Affairs, Minister Lakshman Jayakody has asked IGP Lucky Kodituwakku to provide police protection to places of archaeological importance islandwide as the number of security personnel deployed by the Department of Cultural Affairs are for this purpose is grossly inadequate to grapple with the problem of plundering of artefacts. One of Kalutara prison escapees arrested Three prison guards have been interdicted following Monday's escape of six remand prisoners, official sources said. A senior prisons official maintained that the escape was possible because of the negligence of prison guards on duty. Dodangoda police on Wednesday arrested one of the escapees after a scuffle at Katugahawatta. He had been identified as A. P. Priyantha. According to reports, the six men had escaped from the Kalutara Remand Lock Up after assaulting two prison guards on duty. It had taken place when two prison guards had tried to separate three displaced children who had been kept in the same lock up from afternoon as this was improper, prison sources said. At the time of the incident there had been 76 prisoners in the lock up. It was reported that no sufficient guards were at that time and even the two guards who were on duty didn't have even batons with them when the escape took place. Ex-AG sends letter of demand to ANCL Former Attorney General Tilak Marapana PC, has sent a letter of demand to, Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd, Lake House, Colombo 1, claiming damages in rupees one hundred million in respect of an incorrect news item published about Mr. Marapana in the "Sunday Silumina" of 13.9.98. The letter of demand signed by attorney-at-law, Dhammika D. Yapa, said that, a news item containing falsehoods has been maliciously published in a calculated and deliberate move to harm the reputation of Mr. Marapana, resulting in damages, which Mr. Marapana estimates, at rupees one hundred million. The letter of demand added that should the ANCL fail to comply with this demand within 14 days, legal action will be instituted to recover the aforesaid sum together with interests and costs. Free Media Movement's rights plea allowed to proceed The Supreme Court yesterday granted leave to proceed with the Fundamental Rights violation plea filed by two representatives of the Free Media Movement, against the decision of the state postpone the Provincial Council polls. The two representatives are Varuna Karunathilake, correspondent of Reuters and W. M. S. Deshapriya, the editor of 'Yukthiya' newspaper. Mr. R. K. W. Goonesekera, senior counsel for the petitioners, told the Court, that, in terms of Article 132 (3), this application, invokes the question of general public importance and request that the Chief Justice should consider whether the application should be heard by five or more judges. The Court directed the Registrar to submit the issue, along with the relevant documents to the Chief Justice to decide the number of Judges, that should constitute to hear this case. Arguments were fixed for November 2 and 4. The Respondent Commissioner of Elections and the connected officers were given time till October 6, to file their objections. The petition said that the failure of the Commissioner to conduct the poll on schedule, is a failure on his part to perform his constitutional and statutory duties. The petition also said that, the decision of the Commissioner is arbitrary and unreasonable and in violation of Article 12 (1) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka. The petition requested the Court to grant leave to proceed, to declare the violation of Fundamental Rights and further to direct the respondent Commissioner to select a new date and to conduct the poll. The petition was supported by Mr. R. K. W. Goonesekera with Mr. Suranjith Hewamanne Mr. J. C. Weliamuna and Ms. Kishali Pinto Jayewardena instructed by Ms. Lilanthi de Silva. The bench comprised, Justice Mark Fernando, Justice R. N. M. Dheeraratne and Justice Lakshman Weerasekera. The Editors Guild of Sri Lanka had expressed its protest over the statement by Minister of Media, Mangala Samaraweera was said to have made at a function held at the Mahaweli Foundation last Friday. In his speech Mangala Samaraweera had purported to have said that the independence of the editors were dearly seen when the Editors Guild came to the select committee set up to report on establishing an independent media, to give evidence after meeting UNP leader, Ranil Wickramasinghe, (Dinamina - Sept. 14, 1998 front page) The Editors Guild in this connection had stated that it had decided to get the views of different party leaders officially before the guild appears before the select committee. With this intention in view the Editors Guild had written to the leaders of the government party and the opposition party to afford it an occasion to discuss the matter. The UNP had in response given the guild a date while the government party is yet to reply. Accordingly, the Editors Guild met the leader of the UNP. The editors comprising the Editors Guild may hold differing political views but it is an independent organisation set up to usher a free media movement states a press release by the Editors Guild of Sri Lanka. Two bodies of LTTE cadres found Two bodies of LTTE cadres were recovered by the army at Punchiweeracholai in Sammanthurai on Wednesday. The duo was killed by troops on a foot patrol. Two hand grenades and a push bicycle were also found at the scene. The two bodies were handed over to Sammanthurai hospital, security sources said. |
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