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'Only hides
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 The priceless statue of the Lord Ganesh stolen from 'Munneshwaran Kovil about 2 years ago was recovered by Chilaw Police in a Devale near the Daduru Oya premises. Police are now making further inquiries. (Pix by Chilaw Divaina Corr.)
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'Only hides facts from Lankans'
Lift war news censorship
By Zacki JabbarThe United National Party ( UNP ) has called for the lifting of censorship on war reporting with immediate effect saying it is a futile exercise that cannot hide anything from the LTTE.
The UNP parliamentary group which met on Wednesday to discuss the Kilinochchi debacle, was unanimous in its view that censorship on the media preventing them from independently reporting the war only hides facts from the Sri Lankan public and not the LTTE.
The meeting presided over by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe also decided to call on the government to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee to examine the LTTE attack on Kilinochchi defences.
Colombo District UNP MP Tyronne Fernando said that media censorship makes no sense because the enemy obtains information through satellite television and the internet.
'The real purpose of the on going censorship is to hide facts from the innocent Sri Lankans and not the LTTE'
Fernando charged that the people were paying dearly with their lives, purse and future, due to the government's massive mismanagement of the war and rampant corruption.
'During my tenure as Information Minister I and Ranil Wickremesinghe opposed censorship on war news asked for by the army following the losses suffered at Pooneryn' Fernando added.
A government statement on the Kilinochchi battle released on Thursday said that 22 army officers and 903 other ranks had been both killed and missing in action.
Twenty five officers and 401 other ranks had been wounded in action the statement added.
Quoting LTTE transmissions the government said that 717 terrorists had been killed and approximately 1,100 wounded.
Saturday Commentary
UNPers play a 'game' at the Colts
By Prasad GunewardeneThough the venue was the Colts Cricket Club for the reported encounter, the game played was not cricket. This was a battle between two UNPers, one a national list MP from the Kandy District and the other an organiser in the Colombo District. According to UNP sources, the Colombo District man had been responsible for introducing the said MP into the party. This MP earlier represented a political party of which Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga led after the demise of her husband Vijaya Kumaratunga.
The encounter at the CCC reported to this column is as follows: A few days before the encounter some unknown persons were reported to have thrown dirt at the restaurant in Colombo owned by the National List MP. When this incident was reported in the state control press, the MP issued a contradiction saying that no such incident occurred. Friday before last the Colombo District organiser in the company of a few journalists and some ladies were at the CCC late evening. A journalist in the gathering, a friend of the National List MP, thought it fit to phone this MP and request him to join them. The MP at that time was spending his evening in the company of a lawyer who has close links with the UNP in Colombo.
The MP accepted the request and drove into the CCC within a few minutes. Those in the company of the Colombo District man said that the MP was in 'high spirits' on his arrival. Having seen the Colombo District man, they said, that the MP started to accuse him of having manipulated the attack on his restaurant. The Colombo District man had denied any involvement in the incident. Then the MP had started to use abusive language while many others at the CCC had been watching. The Colombo District man had warned him to behave himself as the people were watching and it would tarnish the image of the party.
Then the MP had started to abuse the UNP leader and the party chairman, those in the organisers crowd said. When the Colombo man had defended his party hierarchy, the MP is reported to have punched him on the chest and the journalists present had managed to grab the MP and had made him sit at another place. The journalist who invited the MP had then phoned the lawyer friend of the MP. The lawyer is reported to have said, '...., yes, he had a few here and had an argument with my wife too before he left'. After the telephone conversation had finished, the MP who had continued to abuse the party and the Colombo District man had thrown a chair at the Colombo District man which a journalist had managed to grab and prevent injury. While the crowd at the CCC were watching this 'game' the journalists had managed to push the MP into his vehicle to end the ugly scene.
UNP sources said that this MPs anger was because the party chairman, Karu Jayasuriya, had refused to give a letter to the effect that the step son of the MP was politically victimised which would help the step son to continue his reported stay in Australia. Mr. Jayasuriya known as a clean man in politics had explained the dangers involved in such bogus move and had refused the request. Following the incident at the CCC, Mr. Jayasuriya summoned this MP last Thursday to the party office to hold an inquiry. The MP turned up with his wife but, she was not permitted to be present at the inquiry. The UNP chairman who gave details about the incidents of misconduct by the MP in the past issued the final warning saying that the entire UNP parliamentary group were ashamed of his conduct and a comprehensive report on him would be submitted to the party leader shortly. The MP had tendered an apology and pledged his fullest support to the party leader and the party chairman, Mr. Jayasuriya.
According to 'Siri Kotha' sources, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe is also expected to summon this MP regarding the abusive remarks made on his conduct as party leader in a public place like the CCC. They said that Mr. Wickremasinghe would call this MP early next week to his Cambridge Terrace office. Mr. Wickremasinghe is also expected to summon his Hambantota organiser Sajith Premadasa to office next week. Several party seniors who met the UNP leader following his return from the United States have apprised him on the remarks made about his conduct by Sajith Premadasa in an editorial of a newspaper in the city. A few journalists who had been present in the editorial at the time the remarks against Mr. Wickremasinghe were made had met Mr. Wickremasinghe in Parliament this week on the issue.
Meanwhile, the newly formed 'Eksath Jathika Pakshaya Arakshakirime Bala Mandalaya' led by Cooray stalwart W. Ariyapala organised a meeting at the Sucharitha Hall yesterday to discuss plans to continue with the Premadasa policies. The main invitees were Mrs. Hema Premadasa and Mr. Cooray. They praised the services of the late President Premadasa and pledged to continue with the Premadasa policies. The newly formed Bala Mandalaya to save the UNP is not a political party but it too has the symbol of the elephant in the letter heads with the photographs of the late President and Mr. Cooray on the top. Both Mrs. Premadasa and Cooray have indicated to be independent candidates for the next presidential poll but no firm decision have been made. Their 'Guru', President Premadasa is on record saying that no independent candidate could ever win a presidential election in this country other than candidates from recognised political parties.
The Fundamental Rights application filed in the Supreme Court, by Colombo High Court Judge, Maha-nama Tillaka-ratne, is to be supported on Monday.
The petitioner has alleged he was subjected to unequal treatment, illegal arrest and illegal detention, in violation of Articles 11, 12 (1), 13 (1) and 13 (2) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
The petition claimed damages in Rs. 50,000,000 payable from Bandula Wic-kremasinghe, H. H. M. R. Premaratne, Punya de Silva and Sarath N. Silva, the first four respondents.
The petition had alleged that Bandula Wickremasinghe in the company of 20 to 30 persons dressed in civil attire had come to the petitioner's house in the evening of September 10. These had been some uniformed police personnel too, presumably from the Kesbewa Police Station.
Lawyer colleagues of petitioner Tilla-karatne had told Bandula Wickrema-singhe that the Kes-bawe Magistrate had bailed out Tillakaratne. But Bandula Wickre-masinghe had not cared.
Wickremasinghe had retorted: 'I can arrest him whatever the Magistrate had said. I have got a cut and dry order from the Attorney General and the DIG. Even without a warrant I can arrest him. We obtained a warrant because he is a Judge', the petition alleged.
The petitioner in his petition requested the Court to grant leave to proceed and to declare the violation of Fundamental Rights and to award damages sought.
The bench will comprise Justice A. S. Wijetunga, Justice Lakshman Weera-sekera and Justice Dr. Shirani Bandara-nayake.
The petitioner is challenging his arrest by the CID on September 10, subsequent to the petitioner being released on bail by the Kesbewa Magistrate.
PLOTE slams LTTE for sending children to battlefields
The LTTE has come under severe criticism from the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) which has parliamentary representation, for using children in the war, killing of members of former Tamil militant groups that have joined the democratic mainstream of politics and the recent downing of the Lionair plane with 54 people on board.
The PLOTE asks why LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, who is making cannon fodder of Tamil children does not send his own son as well to the battlefront.
'Will their (LTTE's) leader who has a son of 10-12 years send him to the battlefront in the same way he is sending other children of the same age group' the PLOTE asks.
Condemning the recent killing of its activists by the LTTE pistol group it calls the LTTE an organisation of traitors to the Tamil cause. 'It is evident from their cruel activities that selfish power hungry LTTE has become a group of real traitors to the Tamil cause bent on slaying Tamils, having lost reasoning and foresight as a result of defeat ' it says.
'On October 05 the LTTE pistol gang committed a cowardly act by shooting dead PLOTE Mannar office public relations officer Mr. Kandasamy Thamilvanan (known as Gopu Laxman) who is from Nedunkerny at his Uppukuam residence. This is not an isolated incident. Massacre of fellow Tamil groups is part of their muderous culture.'
The PLOTE calls the LTTE an organisation that destroys assets of Tamil people, their education and culture.
The full text of the communique:
We are aware of their disgusting history of killing all persons opposed to their views in a cowardly and deceptive manner. LTTE's fascist and power crazinesss has taken victims, numerous fellow Tamil groups, intellectuals, Tamil political leaders, and persons opposed to their views in our own soil.
Power mad and selfish LTTE has only thought about their power and never thought about or cared for the people. They are sending as cannon fodder children of 10, 12 years after brain washing. They are betraying our nation and our future generations. They are destroying our people's assets, education and culture. These cruel people did not hesitate to shoot down Lionair plane which fulfilled the needs of our people in Jaffna inspite of any obstacle. Are these the fighters who love people? Will their leader send his son who is 10-12 years to the battlefield, in the same way they are sending children of similar age to war?
It is self evident from their cruel activities that selfish, power crazy LTTE are real traitors to Tamil people by their brutal slaying of Tamils for whose freedom they commenced their struggle. It is now degenerating after facing defeats daily which has sapped their reasoning and foresight.
It is our duty to point out to LTTE that they are compelling us to arm ourselves against them by their killing of our unarmed cadres who are performing public service and their inability to respect fellow Tamil groups.
Reference to "The Island" story of October 8 headlined "Auditor General raps SEC the Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka states:
"The story primarily refers to an incident where, in an on-going market development program financed by the Securities and Exchange Commission and organized by the Sri Lanka Commerce Students Foundation (SLCSF), the Auditor General noted that some of the bills upon which payments had been made to the Foundation were considered to have been forged. The matter was immediately reported to the CID for investigation of the person/s who submitted the bills and all dealings with the SLCSF suspended.
The Commission too launched an immediate internal investigation which concluded in appropriate disciplinary actions being taken against officers involved in the payment approval process. In addition, steps were also taken to improve and strengthen the internal control systems by the appointment of a reputed firm of auditors as internal auditors to the Commission.
I would appreciate if you could consider giving this information similar publicity, as in the absence of any comment from the SEC in the article, the impression may have been created that this matter went unchecked.
Poetry reading by Prof. Jayantha Mahapatra
Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) in Colombo is organising a Poetry Reading Session by Prof. Jayantha Mahapatra, distinguished Indian poet at ICC on 13th October, 1998 at 6.00 p.m.
Prof. Mahapatra's professional career as a Lecturer and Reader in Physics for 36 years may present a study in contrast but cannot overshadow the poet in him. Some of his publications, national as well as international, in poetry include "Close the Sky", "Ten by Ten", "A Rain of Rites". "Life Signs" and "Bali" (in Oriya). He has also to his credit quite a number of publications in other areas viz. Translations, Anthologies etc.
Winner of many national and international awards in the field of literature including the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award by National Academy of Letters, New Delhi, Prof. Mahapatra has travelled widely through the globe and made presentations at diverse literary conferences. His versatility extends to the field of editing too.
The event is open to all and will be held at ICC, 133, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo-4, on 13th October at 6.00 p.m. Display of newly arrived books and CD-Roms for Indian Cultural Library will be held at the same venue from 4.00 p.m. onwards on the same day.
Richard Zoysa case fixed for Oct. 30
by Himangi JayasundereThe Richard de Soysa case which came up before Additional Magistrate Colombo Anoma Dilrukshi yesterday was put off for October 30.
The CID filed a report in Court yesterday on the complaint of threats a prosecution witness in the case E. V. Karunadasa had made to Mirihana police. State Counsel Ratnasiri Fernando brought the complaint to the notice of the Magistrate on the last date. The Magistrate directed the CID to inquire and report.
The three suspects accused in the Richard De Soysa murder and abduction case are Lal Ranchagoda, B. G. Devasurendra and M. Ssarathcahdra who are former police officers.
Jazz Ambassadors comes to town
The United States Information Service, in partnership with "The Lions Club, Galle" and "The Kandy Music Society" presents The Jazz Ambassadors - Dan Zemelman on piano and Matthew Lewis on trumpet - at two public performances in Gale and Kandy Jazz that uniquely American form of music, will be performed live on stage by these two versatile and very talented musicians from the United States.
The performances in Galle will be on Wednesday, October 14 at 7.00 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Convent Auditorium, Galle.
The performance in Kandy will be on Saturday, 17 October at 6.30 p.m. at the Trinity College Auditorium, Kandy.
The program is a collaboration between the United States Information Agency and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to promote American musicians overseas.
Matthew Lewis, trumpet & vocal, is a 1997 graduate of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. He performs as lead vocalist and jazz trumpeter in the retro jazz band Swin Shift, and sings lead vocals with the Georgia Frances Orchestra in Chicago, Dan Zemel-man, a jazz pianist/composer, is a well known teacher through-out the state via a live, call-in weekly radio program broadcast by Wisconsin Public Radio.
To reserve admissions/obtain tickets contact:
In Kandy: Mrs. Bridget Halpe (Telephone: 08-388049) the AQ42, University Bungalow, Getambe, Peradeniya.
In Galle: Mr. A. Wickremetunge, Lions Past District Governor, 55 Light House Street, Fort, Galle (Telephone: 09-34675/34445).
Non-summary inquiry put off for Oct. 22
by V. VarathasuntharamKesbewa Magistrate Munidasa Nanayakkara put off the non-summary inquiry into the attempted murder of Army sergeant Uyana Hewage Somachandra yesterday as the virtual complainant was indisposed and could not be brought to Court.
State Counsel Sanjeewa Samara-nayake tendered to Court medical certificate relating to the complainant's state of health.
Colombo High Court Judge Mahanama Tillekeratne, his son Pathinike Tillekeratne, Vincent Babu alias Sena and Poruwa Bandarage Upul are accused in the case.
They are charged with unlawful assembly and attempted murder of Army Sergeant Somachandra at Thala-galathi on June 1, 1998.
Court also allowed the application by State Counsel Sanjeewa Samaranayake to forward the productions in the case to the Government Analyst for examination and report.
Court indicated that it had received a registered letter bearing the sender's name as Irene Padmini the wife of the complainant soldier.
Court: I do not want to go through any correspondence of this nature. Interested parties could air their views in open Court. Would the State Counsel take charge of the letter and peruse it?
State Counsel: No your honour! I too would not like to do so. I quite agree with your Honour's views. The letter might be returned to the addressee.
Court then directed the letter to be returned to the addressee.
Further hearing was put off for October 22, 1998.
State Counsel Sanjeewa Samara-nayake with Superintendent of Police (CID) R. Premaratne appeared for the prosecution.
Daya Perera PC, A. L. M. Ameen (PC), T. G. Gunasekera, Laksh-man Ranasinghe, Hemantha Warnakula-suriya, Jayantha Weera-singhe, Nihal Guna-singhe, Leslie Iddamal-goda, Gunasena He-wage, Ranjan de Silva, C. Wijekoon, Prasanna Silva, Subane Jinasena and R. Rudra appeared for the defence.
While politicians hurl insults at each other, soldiers are laying down lives
The time has come for Parents of soldiers to pressurise all concerend to end the war and save their children.
On the battlefields of Kilinochchi recently more than a thousand of our soldiers laid down their lives. We are disarrayed that the sorrow at this massive losts of life should be limited to the families and friends of the lost ones. The war has become limited to those who are actually doing the fighting. This is why there is an urgent need to bring together the government and other parties to discuss how to bring a lasting solution to the war," states the Association of Disabled Ex-service Personnel in a press release.
"Ending the war has not been possible during these past 15 years because of the disunity among the majority Sinhalese community. Those who get killed and disabled are the children of poor families. Upto now poor parents have been prepared to send their children to the battle front. No one else seems to be really prepared to make sacrifices. While calling on the poor children to go to war, the government, opposition and other groups in our country bear many opinions on the matter. All we see them do is to hurl insults at each other in the media.
The Association of Disabled Ex-Service Personnel (ADEP) was formed in 1994, so that the victims of the war from among the forces could collectively address the issues faced by them. At present it has a registered membership of 3800. A further 8000 have indicated a willingness to join. The majority of members are disabled ex-service personnel while the rest of the membership is made up of widows and family members of missing service personnel. The membership is spread around 20 districts and each district has a small committee led by a district organiser.
ADEP intends to work toward a time table to ending the war without being deterred by the vested interests of arms traders and those who wish to aggrandise themselves through the war. We call of all parents of our soldiers and people of goodwill who love this country and its people to join us who are disabled veterans of the war in bringing peace nearer our beloved country."
You have to finally lie to the nation - Ranil
By Walter Nanayakkara and Lishanthi Siriwardena'You try to conduct this operation to build up your political image to run it for political advantage, and then you have to finally lie to the nation', said Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe, beginning the debate on the extention of the State of Emergency in Parliament yesterday morning. He said:
'In May 1997 operation 'Jaya Sikuru' was launched to link up. Thandikulam and Kilinochchi by capturing the main roads, within a time frame, of three months.
The main objective was to finally destroy the LTTE. Seventeen months later, while you are still bogged down half way through, the LTTE has captured Kilinochchi bringing the 'Jaya Sikuru' Operation to an end because if the objective was to go to Kilinochchi, - Kilinochchi is now in the hands of the enemy then you cannot have the operation any further. This shows that it has resulted not only in the failure of the military offensive but the worst disaster that we have faced and a failure of the Government military strategy to crush the LTTE. This is a turning point. The strategy of the government could never succeed because of fundamental defects.
There was no planning. There was no intelligence. It was political oriented. It underestimated the LTTE and more than anything else, there was inadequate manpower for this operation. So we gave up the East to go into Jaffna.
We gave up over 90 per cent of the areas in the East where the administration was established by the government both by morning and night.
Today we control some of the cities fully in many other areas of Batticaloa and Trincomalee where the LTTE controls the administration by night. It was not only that. Having gone to Jaffna through 'Operation Riviresa' we got control of Jaffna. Then we weakened Jaffna by launching 'Operation Jaya Sikuru? There is inadequate people in the East to manage both East and Jaffna. Not realising this, you go and weaken Jaffna to launch 'Jaya Sikuru'. As you launched 'Jaya Sikuru' and as more and more troops were taken away from East and Jaffna, all that the troops could do was to guard their camps. They were on static duty. Over 30,000 in the army plus police were all put on to 'Jaya Sikuru' which meant guarding the road as you captured parts of it. This suited the LTTE fine. Finally we weakened our capacity for operations.
The LTTE being confined to a smaller force was able to concentrate their force and they had the flexibility of attacking because we were in fixed positions and for 18 months the LTTE stopped the Army and inflicted heavy casualties. Then what happened? There was a plan to take over Mankulam by the Army. It was mainly a political objective because the officers on the ground said. 'Do not do it'. But the government decided that they should do it.
They wanted to take over Mankulam they launched the operation by 29th September 1998 and called this the end of the war like they called the 'Riviresa' the capture of Jaffna, the end of the war. They wanted to take over Mankulam and call it the end and started a big political propaganda over it so that they could face the Provincial Council elections, in case they lost the case in courts. to take Mankulam they had to deplete Jaffna. They had to deplete Kilinochchi. They had to deplete Elephant Pass. While the preparations were going on the LTTE countered this by massing their strength near Paranthan and Kilinochchi camp. They reduced their troops' strength in Mankulam and withdrew between 700 to 1000 to Kilinochchi in Paranthan area. They changed their objective from defending Mankulam to capturing Kilinochchi because Mankulam's importance to them was less then their political and military importance of Kilinochchi and having cut a new road to Mannar using bulldozers captured from the Army they need to control Mankulam. They had other means of travelling to Mannar.
Therefore, they launched a surprise attack on the 27th. There were no re-enforcement available. The Army had to retreat. We had to give up Kilinochchi and we had to give up a part of Paranthan. They captured Kilinochchi. In the meantime the Sri Lanka Army advanced to Mankulam. the LTTE inflicted casualties on the Sri Lanka Army.
Our Army inflicted casualties on the LTTE and the LTTE withdrew having achieved the objective of taking over Kilinochchi. Now,'Jaya Sikurui' has become a total wasted effort. And the architect of 'Jaya Sikurui' today gets up in the House and says that this is being done under the direction of the President. I do not know who is going to carry the baby, but the fact is that the whole effort has been wasted.
Now, having stopped 'Jaya Sikuruu' on the tracks - if Kilinochchi is taken over then you cannot have 'Jaya Sikuruu'. What is the LTTE doing? However hard this is however much you dislike it you have to admit it. They are not putting pressure on Jaffna through a circle, firstly, they have destabilised administration. This year two Brigadiers and two Mayors have been killed in Jaffna, not to count the civil administration. The total administration of Jaffna city has now come to a halt. And, this is the key area that we are talking. In many other areas of Jaffna peninsula the LTTE operates sometimes in the night whenever they want.
Because we are short of troops strenght we do not go into many areas so that the whole civil administration is collapsing despite the proud boast of the Government. Secondly, we would all like to see the civil administration succeeding. Before it was successful, before it was stabilised, they try to make political capital. Now they have established control on the sea routes.
On the sea routes from Trincomalee onwards they control the sea and 'Princess Kash' was taken over. They control the sea routes. The bringing down of the aeroplane belonging to Lion Air shows how they are trying to establish control over the air supply routes. And, now they have taken over Mankulam. They have taken over Kilinochchi. And they are putting pressure around Jaffna. Now, instead of the Sri Lanka Army and the Government putting pressure on the LTTE, the LTTE is putting pressure on Jaffna.
