Negative response to business leaders' request
Implement Fox agreement - UNPby Shamindra Ferdinando
The UNP will not nominate people to represent the party to pursue the Sri Lanka's business leaders effort to bring the ruling party and the opposition together to end north-east crisis, UNP sources told The Island yesterday. 'There was no point in appointing representatives,' sources said explaining that the UNP has no alternative but to ignore the business leaders call to the party to name representatives.The Co-ordinating Chairman of the Joint Committee of the Business Leaders, Lalith Kotelawela yesterday requested the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to name his representatives. In a letter hand delivered, Kotelawela has urged Wickremesinghe to name his representatives while informing the Opposition Leader that the President has appointed four representatives from the government side for what Kotelawela described as peace negotiations, the UNP said.
Kotelawela has said that Ministers G. L. Peiris, A. H. M. Ashraff, southern province governor Neville Kanakaratne and the western province governor Vignarajah.
'We don't think anything will come out of this initiative,' UNP sources said.
An aide to Mr. Kotelawela yesterday afternoon said that there was no response from the UNP so far.
The UNP feels that the business leaders had failed to respond positively to the party's initial request that they (business leaders) persuade the government to implement the April 1997 Liam Fox initiative.
Justice, Constitutional Affairs, National Integration and Ethnic Affairs Minister Professor G. L. Peiris recently told The Island that the government has absolutely no difficulty with regard to implementation of the Liam Fox initiative.
Responding to the UNP's call to implement the April 1997 agreement worked out by the former Minister of State in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Dr. Liam Fox, Minister Peiris said the government has repeatedly indicated that the constitutional process (devolution package) cannot be excluded from the scope of the Liam Fox initiative. The UNP insists that the devolution package could not be considered a part of the Fox initiative
A high level UNP delegation which included both Messrs. Ranil Wickremesinghe and Karu Jayasuriya during a meeting told the joint committee of business leaders that it wants the government to implement the agreement worked out by Dr. Liam Fox.
A day after the meeting with the UNP, Lalith Kotelawala who led the joint committee of business leaders in talks said that they (committee) had fruitful discussions with the UNP delegation led by the Opposition Leader. 'The private sector initiative was wholeheartedly welcomed and an understanding reached that the private sector would act as a corridor between the government and the opposition to take this process forward.'
The Fox agreement aims to develop a genuine bipartisan approach to the resolution of the North-East crisis. Both the ruling party and the UNP have repeatedly accused each other of breaking the controversial agreement. Under the agreement the incumbent president will brief and seek the opinion of the UNP on significant developments, both in the strictest confidence, if in government, the UNP leader will reciprocate; the party in the opposition will not undermine any discussions between the party in government and the LTTE or any other organisation, if these discussions take place with the concurrence of the party in opposition. Political sources said that both the PA and the UNP have no opposition to having a facilitator to help in efforts to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table. Both sides have said that there was no need to halt ongoing military campaign against the LTTE even if fresh negotiations resume with or without the involvement of a facilitator.
An exhibition of photographs titled '?' by 'The Island' / 'Divaina' photographer Sri Lal Gomes opens at 5.00 p.m. today at the J. R. Jayewardene Cultural Centre, Colombo. Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Mahinda Rajapakse will be the chief guest. Several prominent politicians and key personalities will also grace the occasion. The exhibition will continue till November 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.
Businessmen's peace initiative will narow gap between PA, UNP - GL
By Zacki Jabbar
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris yesterday expressed hope that the business leaders' peace initiative will help narrow down the differences between the PA and the UNP.Addressing yesterday's cabinet press briefing at the parliamentary complex Peiris said that the President has already nominated four persons including him to represent the government in pursuing the business leaders peace initiative aimed at resolving the ethnic issue.
He said the business leaders have now requested the UNP to forward the names of their representatives with whom they could evolve a bipartisan and common strategy to achieve lasting peace.
Minister Peiris when asked about the UNP's objections to him (Peiris) being part of any delegation that represents the government said that was a matter for the President to decide on.
Q: You earlier offered to step down if that was the UNP's position?
Peiris: Well the President has now decided on who should represent the government.
Q: But it was you who said that the President had agreed to lead the government delegation if the UNP was objecting to your presence?
Peiris: But that does not mean she could lead the delegation on a permanent basis. It is not practical. It is for the President to nominate her team which has now been done.
Minister Peiris said that the present approach is for the PA and the UNP to talk differently to the business leaders who would act as a conduit between the two parties.
Was Kandy tremor due to high pressure built by full Victoria reservoir?
By Namini Wijedasa
The muffled rumbling sound heard by Kandy residents on Monday night is consistent of an earthquake or tremor, deduced Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) officials yesterday.In the absence of equipment or evidence of surface expressions caused by the tremor, however, the GSMB was unable to say where the tremor had originated from. 'The micro-seismic activity monitoring centres run under the Mahaweli Ministry have been put out of commission as it is probably felt the area around the reservoirs has settled down by now,' said a GSMB higher-up. 'But you can never be a hundred per cent sure with nature'.
The GSMB gathered information from the officers at their regional office in Pallekele, Kandy. The facts amassed by these officers were mainly from interviews with residents in the area of the tremor. 'The earlier reports of loud explosions were dismissed by residents in favour of 'a muffled rumbling sound' and this is consistent with an earthquake or tremor,' said GSMB additional director, N. S. Ranasinghe. 'This is only a deduction and not confirmed by scientific tests'.
Some scientists and geologists have been pressing for the re-commissioning of the four micro-seismic activity monitoring centres which were located at Hantana, Kotmale and the central highlands. They were put in at the time the reservoirs were built because of the dangers of reservoir-induced earthquakes. The present tremor too, geologists believe, was caused by the high pressure due to a full Victoria reservoir.
In our report yesterday headlined 'Dr. Kelegama flays IMF for double standards', Dr. Kelegama was errorneously referred to as the Vice Chancellor of the Rajarata University. Dr. Kelegama is the Chancellor of the Rajarata University.
Dr. Kelegama was also incorrectly reported as saying: In countries like the US, the state and private sectors are not seen as opposites but as those which work harmoniously.
This statement should have read as follows: In countries of East Asia unlike the US the state and private sectors are not seen as opposites but as those which work harmoniously.
Ranjit Dahanayake's arrest illegal
SC orders to pay compensationby Chitra Weerarathne
The Supreme Court in a judgement yesterday declared that the Fundamental Rights of Ranjit Dahanayake was violated by T. V. Sumanasekera (DIG, CID), J. R. Jayawardena (ASP, CID), Dhammika (Inspector, CID), W. B. Rajaguru (IGP) and Chandananda de Silva (Secretary Defence).The judgement said that the said Ranjit Dahanayake had been subjected to an illegal arrest and an illegal detention, in violation of Article 13 (1) and 13 (2) of the constitution.
The state was ordered to pay Dahanayake, Rs. 100,000 and the first respondent, T. V. Sumanasekera, was ordered to pay him personally, Rs. 25,000 as compensation and costs.
The amount of Rs. 125,000 is to be paid within three months from today.
The petition has been filed by Attorney-at-Law Kolitha Susantha Bandara Wijeratne, on behalf of Ranjit Dahanayake, who had been arrested and detained by the CID on the suspicion that he had been importing helicopter gunships, without the authority of the defence authorities.
The petition alleged that, the detenue Dahanayake had been illegally arrested and illegally detained, thereby depriving his personal liberty. The arrest had been made on 14.7.97.
Judgement said that, 'there was no evidence to show that there was a reasonable suspicion to arrest the detenue in the first place and to keep him in detention, without producing him before a Magistrate until August 1997. Furthermore, even after the arrest of the petitioner, there was no additional grounds to entertain any reasonable suspicion to continue to keep the detenue in detention under a Detention Order from the time the detenue was arrested he was detained and was deprived of his liberty for a period of 57 days.
At the time of the detention the petitioner was 58 years of age and was unable to engage in the usual occupation of a businessman as a result of his detention'.
'On consideration of all the material placed before the Court, it is declared that Ranjit Dahanayake's Fundamental Rights, guaranteed under Articles 13(1) and 13(2) of the Constitution had been violated by the respondents.
S. L. Gunasekara with Chanaka Ranasinghe and Nirosha Jayamaha appeared for the petitioner.
Kolitha Dharmawardene, Deputy Solicitor General with N. Pulle, state counsel, appeared for the respondents.
The judgement was by Justice Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake, with Justice A. S. Wijethunga and Justice R. N. M. Dheeraratne agreeing.
Assessment of records of banks and finance companies routine - Inland Revenue Commissioner
By Cyril Wimalasurendre and Namini Wijedasa
The Commissioner General of Inland Revenue yesterday said the current assessment of records maintained by commercial banks and finance companies were for details of tax evasion and were part of 'routine procedures'. But some companies maintained that queries on customer deposits were unprecedented.Commissioner General, O. M. Weerasooriya, told 'The Island' that the records of almost 80% of banks and finance companies countrywide have been assessed and admitted that teams of assessors have been assigned to the task. 'The department habitually conducts inspections in order to net tax evaders,' he reiterated. He denied there was any opposition to it but added that the banks 'are probably objecting to requests for general information'.
Teams of assessors are examining the records maintained in respect of withholding tax payments; particulars of monthly withholding tax deductions and remittances to the Inland Revenue Department; copies of monthly schedules sent to the department as well as the registers and files maintained in respect of holders of terms deposits and call deposits for the period January 1, 1996 to March 31, 1998.
Finance companies, when asked by 'The Island' about the assessment of their records, were vague in their replies. Most were reluctant to comment. While one major finance company denied there has been any request
from them to open their records to assessors. A senior official of another major company said a letter had been served to banks and finance firms 'asking them to furnish details about deposits'. 'Some banks and companies are protesting because looking into customer details has not been done before,' he said.
Meanwhile, examination of records is being carried out in several finance companies in Kandy. Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Kandy, had collected from finance companies in Kandy information with regard to deposits of one million and above from April 1, 1996 to March 31, 1998. The Deputy Commissioner has requested that the correct names and addresses of such depositors be furnished, along with the amount deposited, the date of the deposit and the maturity date with the interest paid.
Examination of records maintained by finance companies is being carried out under the terms of the relevant section under Inland Revenue Act No. 28 of 1979, according to the letter served by the Commissioner General of Inland Revenue to banks and companies. He has also requested the company heads to make access possible to the team of officers calling on them to carry out examinations.
UNDP gets green light to send communication equipment to Jaffna Mine Action project
by Shamindra Ferdinando
The United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] yesterday received Sri Lankan government approval to send communication equipment needed in the Jaffna peninsula for the Mine Action Project. 'We obtained Ministry of Defence approval in the afternoon,' an UNDP spokesperson told The Island yesterday evening.The spokesperson said that arrangements will be made to transport the equipment to Jaffna. UNDP's David Taylor involved in the ambitious project to make the peninsula a safer place to live has moved to Jaffna.
The UNDP has been waiting for government authorisation to send these equipment to Jaffna.
The UNDP was expected to be ready to launch their Mine Action Project early next year.
Authorisation to send vital communication equipment to Jaffna comes a few weeks after a senior Defence Ministry official participated in a top level international conference at Phnom Penh, Cambodia on mine clearing operations. Over 200 officials from countries affected by mine fields had participated in this Phnom Penh parley where ways, means and methods to counter the threat posed by mines were discussed.
The UNDP project involves locating mines, mine fields and mapping these places. After that these areas will be marked, enabling the people to move into surrounding 'unmined' areas, the UNDP spokesperson said.
'We don't intend to clear mines and mine fields,' the spokesperson said adding that only those loose mines which pose an immediate threat to people will be removed.
The UN, she pointed out has pledged assistance to locate and map mine fields in the Jaffna peninsula.
More UNDP personnel were expected to join the Jaffna project when it's in full swing.
The UNDP said that the project will be carried out in stages.
The Level One survey of the project involves training selected civilians [community surveyors] to collect evidence of the presence of mines, mine fields and loose mines. 'This information will be integrated with other
data sources onto a Global Information System [GIS] database, which is essentially a sophisticated digital map,' the UNDP said.
The Level Two survey involves defining the boundaries of mine fields, recording the location of the boundary and then physically making it on the ground. Both human minefield surveyors and mine dog teams will be involved in the project, the UNDP said.
Armed forces in early 1996 brought the Jaffna peninsula under government control. 'We have removed some mines,' a senior officer told 'The Island' yesterday. However a large number of mines remain buried on ground he added. Some of these mines had been planted even before the July 1987 Indo-Lanka accord he said pointing out that the UNDP will be able to play a crucial role in making the peninsula a safer place to live.
Almost 500,000 people live in the peninsula and the Jaffna islands. The Military said that more people will be able to resettle after the UNDP project gets underway.
German company undertakes to convert garbage into compost manure
In a move to convert garbage into a means of income, a German company has come forward to buy refuse collected by the Mt. Lavinia and Moratuwa Municipal Councils.
The agreement for the implementation of this project was signed by representatives of the German company Ruhan Stroth and the two Municipalities in the presence of the Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government, Alavi Mowlana on Wednesday, a Ministry Press release stated.
According to the agreement, the two local authorities will from next year collect the garbage and hand it over to the German company. The company in turn will process the refuse and make compost manure and make it available for use among the farmers. When the agreement is implemented the local authorities concerned will benefit financially and also provide a large number of employment opportunities. There are many more companies investing in projects of this nature, the release said.
Meanwhile, a non-governmental community service and regulatory development organisation also from Germany is to conduct a complete project document on the solid waste management component in the Greater Colombo area. The study targets the introduction of solid waste water conversion in Sri Lanka, utilising organic fertiliser biopolymer technologies.
The immediate objective is to introduce solid waste conversion processes and in its wake sustainable techniques of soil and plant compatible organic plantation in agricultural production in Sri Lanka so as to reduce
duction cost, increase yield and preserve the ecological structure of the soil.
The project will focus on the missing communicative and regulatory links between the municipality, the collectors and generators of waste and the farmers and find practical and sustainable solutions, according to official sources.
Sixteen Tigers were killed on Wednesday during limited operations conducted by the security forces near Mankulam and at Paranthan military spokesman Brigadier Sunil Tennekoon told yesterdays cabinet press briefing.
He said that seven security forces personnel were injured due to LTTE mortar fire.
Tennekoon said that 12 of the Tigers were killed during two limited operations near Mankulam and the other four during an attack launched on LTTE bunkers at Paranthan. - (ZJ)
Armed forces men atack houses, shops at Ratgama
A group of armed forces personnel allegedly attacked and damaged over 20 shops and houses at Pitiwella, Ratgama last night.At least one attacker and several villagers had bene injured in clashes,police said.According to police the attack had been a result of an altercation involving some armed forces personnel and people of Pitiwella. - [NP]
Hostel in Dehiwala to accommodate Tamils from N-E
by Azhara Raban
The government has decided to set up a hostel in Dehiwala to provide accommodation for Tamil civilians arriving in Colombo from the North and East, a Social Services Ministry official told 'The Island'.He said this follows a directive by the President to set up hostels for those who arrive from the North and East.
The ministry has purchased a building at Dehiwala and work is now underway to convert the building to a hostel and preparations are being made to provide facilities, such as electricity water and furniture, the official said. The ministry has also paid money to the Water Board to build a storage tank for the hostel, which is the first among many that are to be put up in the country in the future.
At present Tamil civilians travelling from the North and East seek accommodation in lodging houses in various parts of the city.
There is concern among security forces that LTTE members may be among those who seek accommodation in such lodging houses.
Several of those responsible for bomb attacks in Colombo in the past were found to have stayed in lodging houses.
